The next day Danglars was again hungry; certainly the air ofthat dungeon was very provocative of appetite. The prisonerexpected that he would be at no expense that day, for likean economical man he had concealed half of his fowl and apiece of the bread in the corner of his cell. But he had nosooner eaten than he felt thirsty; he had forgotten that. Hestruggled against his thirst till his tongue clave to theroof of his mouth; then, no longer able to resist, he calledout. The sentinel opened the door; it was a new face. Hethought it would be better to transact business with his oldacquaintance, so he sent for Peppino. "Here I am, yourexcellency," said Peppino, with an eagerness which Danglarsthought favorable to him. "What do you want?"

"Something to drink."

"Your excellency knows that wine is beyond all price nearRome."

"Then give me water," cried Danglars, endeavoring to parrythe blow.

"Oh, water is even more scarce than wine, your excellency,- there has been such a drought."

"Come," thought Danglars, "it is the same old story." Andwhile he smiled as he attempted to regard the affair as ajoke, he felt his temples get moist with perspiration.

"Come, my friend," said Danglars, seeing that he made noimpression on Peppino, "you will not refuse me a glass ofwine?"

"I have already told you that we do not sell at retail."

"Well, then, let me have a bottle of the least expensive."

"They are all the same price."

"And what is that?"

"Twenty-five thousand francs a bottle."

"Tell me," cried Danglars, in a tone whose bitternessHarpagon* alone has been capable of revealing - "tell thethat you wish to despoil me of all; it will be sooner overthan devouring me piecemeal."

The miser in Moliere's comedy of "L'Avare." - Ed.

"It is possible such may be the master's intention."

"The master? - who is he?"

"The person to whom you were conducted yesterday."

"Where is he?"

"Here."

"Let me see him."

"Certainly." And the next moment Luigi Vampa appeared beforeDanglars.

"You sent for me?" he said to the prisoner.

"Are you, sir, the chief of the people who brought me here?"

"Yes, your excellency. What then?"

"How much do you require for my ransom?"

"Merely the 5,000,000 you have about you." Danglars felt adreadful spasm dart through his heart. "But this is all Ihave left in the world," he said, "out of an immensefortune. If you deprive me of that, take away my life also."

"We are forbidden to shed your blood."

"And by whom are you forbidden?"

"By him we obey."

"You do, then, obey some one?"

"Yes, a chief."

"I thought you said you were the chief?"

"So I am of these men; but there is another over me."

"And did your superior order you to treat me in this way?"

"Yes."

"But my purse will be exhausted."

"Probably."

"Come," said Danglars, "will you take a million?"

"No."

"Two millions? - three? - four? Come, four? I will givethem to you on condition that you let me go."

"Why do you offer me 4,000,000 for what is worth 5,000,000?This is a kind of usury, banker, that I do not understand."

"Take all, then - take all, I tell you, and kill me!"

"Come, come, calm yourself. You will excite your blood, andthat would produce an appetite it would require a million aday to satisfy. Be more economical."

"But when I have no more money left to pay you?" asked theinfuriated Danglars.

"Then you must suffer hunger."

"Suffer hunger?" said Danglars, becoming pale.

"Most likely," replied Vampa coolly.

"But you say you do not wish to kill me?"

"No."

"And yet you will let me perish with hunger?"

"Ah, that is a different thing."

"Well, then, wretches," cried Danglars, "I will defy yourinfamous calculations - I would rather die at once! You maytorture, torment, kill me, but you shall not have mysignature again!"

"As your excellency pleases," said Vampa, as he left thecell. Danglars, raving, threw himself on the goat-skin. Whocould these men be? Who was the invisible chief? What couldbe his intentions towards him? And why, when every one elsewas allowed to be ransomed, might he not also be? Oh, yes;certainly a speedy, violent death would be a fine means ofdeceiving these remorseless enemies, who appeared to pursuehim with such incomprehensible vengeance. But to die? Forthe first time in his life, Danglars contemplated death witha mixture of dread and desire; the time had come when theimplacable spectre, which exists in the mind of every humancreature, arrested his attention and called out with everypulsation of his heart, "Thou shalt die!"

Danglars resembled a timid animal excited in the chase;first it flies, then despairs, and at last, by the veryforce of desperation, sometimes succeeds in eluding itspursuers. Danglars meditated an escape; but the walls weresolid rock, a man was sitting reading at the only outlet tothe cell, and behind that man shapes armed with gunscontinually passed. His resolution not to sign lasted twodays, after which he offered a million for some food. Theysent him a magnificent supper, and took his million.

From this time the prisoner resolved to suffer no longer,but to have everything he wanted. At the end of twelve days,after having made a splendid dinner, he reckoned hisaccounts, and found that he had only 50,000 francs left.Then a strange reaction took place; he who had justabandoned 5,000,000 endeavored to save the 50,000 francs hehad left, and sooner than give them up he resolved to enteragain upon a life of privation - he was deluded by thehopefulness that is a premonition of madness. He who for solong a time had forgotten God, began to think that miracleswere possible - that the accursed cavern might bediscovered by the officers of the Papal States, who wouldrelease him; that then he would have 50,000 remaining, whichwould be sufficient to save him from starvation; and finallyhe prayed that this sum might be preserved to him, and as heprayed he wept. Three days passed thus, during which hisprayers were frequent, if not heartfelt. Sometimes he wasdelirious, and fancied he saw an old man stretched on apallet; he, also, was dying of hunger.

On the fourth, he was no longer a man, but a living corpse.He had picked up every crumb that had been left from hisformer meals, and was beginning to eat the matting whichcovered the floor of his cell. Then he entreated Peppino, ashe would a guardian angel, to give him food; he offered him1,000 francs for a mouthful of bread. But Peppino did notanswer. On the fifth day he dragged himself to the door ofthe cell.

"Are you not a Christian?" he said, falling on his knees."Do you wish to assassinate a man who, in the eyes ofheaven, is a brother? Oh, my former friends, my formerfriends!" he murmured, and fell with his face to the ground.Then rising in despair, he exclaimed, "The chief, thechief!"

"Here I am," said Vampa, instantly appearing; "what do youwant?"

"Take my last gold," muttered Danglars, holding out hispocket-book, "and let me live here; I ask no more forliberty - I only ask to live!"

"Then you suffer a great deal?"

"Oh, yes, yes, cruelly!"

"Still, there have been men who suffered more than you."

"I do not think so."

"Yes; those who have died of hunger."

Danglars thought of the old man whom, in his hours ofdelirium, he had seen groaning on his bed. He struck hisforehead on the ground and groaned. "Yes," he said, "therehave been some who have suffered more than I have, but thenthey must have been martyrs at least."

"Do you repent?" asked a deep, solemn voice, which causedDanglars' hair to stand on end. His feeble eyes endeavoredto distinguish objects, and behind the bandit he saw a manenveloped in a cloak, half lost in the shadow of a stonecolumn.

"Of what must I repent?" stammered Danglars.

"Of the evil you have done," said the voice.

"Oh, yes; oh, yes, I do indeed repent." And he struck hisbreast with his emaciated fist.

"Then I forgive you," said the man, dropping his cloak, andadvancing to the light.

"The Count of Monte Cristo!" said Danglars, more pale fromterror than he had been just before from hunger and misery.

"You are mistaken - I am not the Count of Monte Cristo."

"Then who are you?"

"I am he whom you sold and dishonored - I am he whosebetrothed you prostituted - I am he upon whom you trampledthat you might raise yourself to fortune - I am he whosefather you condemned to die of hunger - I am he whom youalso condemned to starvation, and who yet forgives you,because he hopes to be forgiven - I am Edmond Dantes!"Danglars uttered a cry, and fell prostrate. "Rise," said thecount, "your life is safe; the same good fortune has nothappened to your accomplices - one is mad, the other dead.Keep the 50,000 francs you have left - I give them to you.The 5,000,000 you stole from the hospitals has been restoredto them by an unknown hand. And now eat and drink; I willentertain you to-night. Vampa, when this man is satisfied,let him be free." Danglars remained prostrate while thecount withdrew; when he raised his head he saw disappearingdown the passage nothing but a shadow, before which thebandits bowed. According to the count's directions, Danglarswas waited on by Vampa, who brought him the best wine andfruits of Italy; then, having conducted him to the road, andpointed to the post-chaise, left him leaning against a tree.He remained there all night, not knowing where he was. Whendaylight dawned he saw that he was near a stream; he wasthirsty, and dragged himself towards it. As he stooped downto drink, he saw that his hair had become entirely white.