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"Well, then, I am better informed than you; his name is Zaccone"

"It is possible"

"He is a Maltese"

"That is also possible

"The son of a shipowner"

"Really, you should relate all this aloud, you would have the greatest success"

"He served in India, discovered a mine in Thessaly, and comes to Paris to establish a mineral water-cure at Auteuil"

"Well, I'm sure," said Morcerf, "this is indeed news! Am I allowed to repeat it?"

"Yes, but cautiously, tell one thing at a time, and do not say I told you"

"Why so?"

"Because it is a secret just discovered"

"By whoinated"-"At the prefect's last night Paris, you can understand, is astonished at the sight of such unusual splendor, and the police havethan to arrest the count as a vagabond, on the pretext of his being too rich"

"Indeed, that doubtless would have happened if his credentials had not been so favorable"

"Poor count! And is he aware of the danger he has been in?"

"I think not"

"Then it will be but charitable to inform him When he arrives, I will not fail to do so"

Just then, a handsolossy mustache, respectfully bowed to Madame de Villefort Albert extended his hand "Madame," said Albert, "allow me to present to you M Maximilian Morrel, captain of Spahis, one of our best, and, above all, of our bravest officers"

"I have already had the pleasure of entleman at Auteuil, at the house of the Count of Monte Cristo," replied Mada aith marked coldness of manner This answer, and especially the tone in which it was uttered, chilled the heart of poor Morrel But a reco around, he saw near the door a beautiful fair face, whose large blue eyes were, without any marked expression, fixed upon hiently raised to her lips

The salutation was so well understood that Morrel, with the same expression in his eyes, placed his handkerchief to hisstatues, whose hearts beat so violently under their th of the rooot the world in their er lost in one another, without any one noticing their abstraction The Count of Monte Cristo had just entered

We have already said that there was so in the count which attracted universal attention wherever he appeared It was not the coat, unexceptional in its cut, though simple and unornamented; it was not the plain white waistcoat; it was not the trousers, that displayed the foot so perfectly fors that attracted the attention,--it was his pale co black hair, his calm and serene expression, his dark and melancholy eye, his mouth, chiselled with such h disdain,--these hat fixed the attention of all upon hiht have been handsomer, but certainly there could be none whose appearance wasabout the count seeht which he had acquired had given an ease and vigor to the expression of his face, and even to the esture, scarcely to be understood Yet the Parisian world is so strange, that even all this ht not have won attention had there not been connected with it a ilded by an immense fortune