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"What are the two fish?" asked Danglars

"M Chateau-Renaud, who has lived in Russia, will tell you the name of one, and Major Cavalcanti, who is an Italian, will tell you the name of the other"

"This one is, I think, a sterlet," said Chateau-Renaud

"And that one, if I lars, ask these gentleht"

"Sterlets," said Chateau-Renaud, "are only found in the Volga"

"And," said Cavalcanti, "I know that Lake Fusaro alone supplies laa, and the other frouests simultaneously

"Well, this is just what amuses me," said Monte Cristo "I am like Nero--cupitor i you at this moment This fish, which seems so exquisite to you, is very likely no better than perch or salmon; but it seemed impossible to procure it, and here it is"

"But how could you have these fish brought to France?"

"Oh, nothing ht over in a cask--one filled with river herbs and weeds, the other with rushes and lake plants; they were placed in a wagon built on purpose, and thus the sterlet lived twelve days, the laht, and both were alive whenone with lars!"

"I cannot help doubting," answered Danglars with his stupid smile

"Baptistin," said the count, "have the other fish brought in--the sterlet and the lamprey which calars opened his bewildered eyes; the company clapped their hands Four servants carried in two casks covered with aquatic plants, and in each of which was breathing a fish similar to those on the table

"But why have two of each sort?" asked Danglars

"Merely because one ht have died," carelessly answered Monte Cristo

"You are certainly an extraordinary lars; "and philosophersto be rich"

"And to have ideas," added Madaive me credit for this, madame; it was done by the Romans, who much esteemed them, and Pliny relates that they sent slaves from Ostia to Rome, who carried on their heads fish which he calls the oldfish It was also considered a luxury to have theht to see thee color three or four tih all the prismatic shades, after which they were sent to the kitchen Their agony formed part of their merit--if they were not seen alive, they were despised when dead"