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Madame de Morcerf entered an archway of trees with her corove of lindens to a conservatory

"It was too warm in the room, was it not, count?" she asked

"Yes, madame; and it was an excellent idea of yours to open the doors and the blinds" As he ceased speaking, the count felt the hand of Mercedes treht dress, and without anything to cover you but that gauze scarf, perhaps you feel cold?"

"Do you knohere I a to the question

"No, madame," replied Monte Cristo; "but you see I reenhouse that you see at the other end of the grove"

The count looked at Mercedes as if to interrogate her, but she continued to walk on in silence, and he refrained fronificent fruits, which ripen at the beginning of July in the artificial temperature which takes the place of the sun, so frequently absent in our cliathered a bunch of Muscatel grapes "See, count," she said, with a smile so sad in its expression that one could alrapes are not to be compared, I knoith yours of Sicily and Cyprus, but you will make allowance for our northern sun" The count bowed, but stepped back "Do you refuse?" said Mercedes, in a tremulous voice "Pray excuse rapes"

Mercedes let theainst an adjoining wall, ripened by the same artificial heat Mercedes drew near, and plucked the fruit "Take this peach, then," she said The count again refused "What, again?" she exclaimed, in so plaintive an accent that it seemed to stifle a sob; "really, you pain me"

A long silence followed; the peach, like the grapes, fell to the ground "Count," added Mercedes with a supplicating glance, "there is a beautiful Arabian custoether eaten bread and salt under the same roof"

"I know it, madame," replied the count; "but we are in France, and not in Arabia, and in France eternal friendships are as rare as the custo bread and salt with one another"

"But," said the countess, breathlessly, with her eyes fixed on Monte Cristo, whose arm she convulsively pressed with both hands, "we are friends, are we not?"

The count becaain rising, dyed his cheeks with crimson; his eyes swam like those of a man suddenly dazzled "Certainly, we are friends," he replied; "why should we not be?" The ansas so little like the one Mercedes desired, that she turned away to give vent to a sigh, which sounded roan "Thank you," she said And they walked on again They went the whole length of the garden without uttering a word "Sir," suddenly exclaimed the countess, after their walk had continued ten minutes in silence, "is it true that you have seen so much, travelled so far, and suffered so deeply?"