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The count soon heard Andrea's voice, singing a Corsican song, acco this song, which ht of Andrea in the recollection of Benedetto, Mada to Monte Cristo of her husband's strength ofhad lost three or four hundred thousand francs by a failure at Milan The praise ell deserved, for had not the count heard it from the baroness, or by one of those , the baron's countenance would not have led hiins to conceal his losses; a month since he boasted of thelars is so skilful, he will soon regain at the Bourse what he loses elsewhere"

"I see that you participate in a prevalent error," said Madalars speculates, whereas he never does"

"Truly, madame, I recollect M Debray toldof hilars; "but you began a sentence, sir, and did not finish"

"Which?"

"M Debray had told you"-"Ah, yes; he told me it was you who sacrificed to the demon of speculation"

"I was once very fond of it, but I do not indulge now"

"Then you are wrong, madame Fortune is precarious; and if I were a woht be ood fortune, still in speculation you know there is great risk Well, I would secure for myself a fortune independent of hi lars blushed, in spite of all her efforts "Stay," said Monte Cristo, as though he had not observed her confusion, "I have heard of a lucky hit that was made yesterday on the Neapolitan bonds"

"I have none--nor have I ever possessed any; but really we have talked long enough of money, count, we are like two stockbrokers; have you heard how fate is persecuting the poor Villeforts?"

"What has happened?" said the count, sinorance

"You know the Marquis of Saint-Meran died a few days after he had set out on his journey to Paris, and the marchioness a few days after her arrival?"

"Yes," said Monte Cristo, "I have heard that; but, as Claudius said to Hamlet, 'it is a law of nature; their fathers died before them, and they mourned their loss; they will die before their children, ill, in their turn, grieve for them'"