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This darkness and silence alarmed Morrel still rief, and deter in order to see Valentine once ained the edge of the clu to pass as quickly as possible through the flower-garden, when the sound of a voice, still at some distance, but which was borne upon the wind, reached him

At this sound, as he was already partially exposed to view, he stepped back and concealed hi perfectly motionless He had formed his resolution If it was Valentine alone, he would speak as she passed; if she was accompanied, and he could not speak, still he should see her, and know that she was safe; if they were strangers, he would listen to their conversation, andof this hitherto incomprehensible mystery The moon had just then escaped from behind the cloud which had concealed it, and Morrel saw Villefort coentleman in black They descended, and advanced towards the cluentle them approach, drew back mechanically, until he found himself stopped by a sycamore-tree in the centre of the cluentlemen stopped also

"Ah, my dear doctor," said the procureur, "heaven declares itself against my house! What a dreadful death--what a blow! Seek not to console reat a sorrow--the wound is too deep and too fresh! Dead, dead!" The cold sweat sprang to the young man's brow, and his teeth chattered Who could be dead in that house, which Villefort himself had called accursed? "My dear M de Villefort," replied the doctor, with a tone which redoubled the terror of the young man, "I have not led you here to console you; on the contrary"-"What can you mean?" asked the procureur, alarmed

"I mean that behind the misfortune which has just happened to you, there is another, perhaps, still greater"

"Can it be possible?"to tell me?"

"Are we quite alone, my friend?"

"Yes, quite; but why all these precautions?"

"Because I have a terrible secret to communicate to you," said the doctor "Let us sit down"

Villefort fell, rather than seated himself The doctor stood before him, with one hand placed on his shoulder Morrel, horrified, supported his head with one hand, and with the other pressed his heart, lest its beatings should be heard "Dead, dead!" repeated he within hi