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We will now relate as passing in the house of the king's attorney after the departure of Mada the time of the conversation between Maximilian and Valentine, which we have just detailed M de Villefort entered his father's room, followed by Mada the oldto Barrois, a faithful servant, who had been twenty-five years in his service, took their places on either side of the paralytic

M Noirtier was sitting in an arm-chair, which moved upon casters, in which he heeled into the rooht He was placed before a large glass, which reflected the whole apartment, and so, without any attempt to move, which would have been impossible, he could see all who entered the roo on around hih almost as immovable as a corpse, looked at the new-co at once, by their ceremonious courtesy, that they were coht and hearing were the only senses re, and they, like two solitary sparks, remained to anirave; it was only, however, by hts and feelings that still occupied his ave expression to his inner life was like the distant gleaht across so dwells beyond the silence and obscurity Noirtier's hair was long and white, and flowed over his shoulders; while in his eyes, shaded by thick black lashes, was concentrated, as it often happens with an organ which is used to the exclusion of the others, all the activity, address, force, and intelligence which were forh the ility of the body, anting, the speaking eye sufficed for all He coh which his thanks were conveyed In short, his whole appearance produced on thecould be er or joy suddenly lighting up these organs, while the rest of the rigid and marble-like features were utterly deprived of the power of participation Three persons only could understand this language of the poor paralytic; these were Villefort, Valentine, and the old servant of e have already spoken But as Villefort saw his father but seldoed, and as he never took any pains to please or gratify him when he was there, all the old hter Valentine, by means of her love, her patience, and her devotion, had learned to read in Noirtier's look all the varied feelings which were passing in his ible to others, she answered by throwing her whole soul into the expression of her countenance, and in this irl and the helpless invalid, whose body could scarcely be called a living one, but who, nevertheless, possessed a fund of knowledge and penetration, united with a will as powerful as ever although clogged by a body rendered utterly incapable of obeying its impulses Valentine had solved the problehts, and to convey her own in return, and, through her untiring and devoted assiduity, it was seldom that, in the ordinary transactions of every-day life, she failed to anticipate the wishes of the living, thinking mind, or the wants of the almost inanimate body As to the servant, he had, as we have said, been with his master for five and twenty years, therefore he knew all his habits, and it was seldo, so pro to all the necessities of the invalid Villefort did not need the help of either Valentine or the doe conversation which he was about to begin As we have said, he perfectly understood the old man's vocabulary, and if he did not use it more often, it was only indifference and ennui which prevented hio into the garden, sent away Barrois, and after having seated hiht hand, while Madame de Villefort placed herself on the left, he addressed him thus:-"I trust you will not be displeased, sir, that Valentine has not come with us, or that I dismissed Barrois, for our conference will be one which could not with propriety be carried on in the presence of either Madame de Villefort and I have a communication to make to you"