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"Valentine," he answered, "duringwatch over you, all I have observed has been what people visited you, what nourishe was served; then, when the latter appeared dangerous to me, I entered, as I have now done, and substituted, in the place of the poison, a healthful draught; which, instead of producing the death intended, caused life to circulate in your veins"

"Poison--death!" exclai herself under the influence of so, sir?"

"Hush, er upon her lips, "I did say poison and death But drink some of this;" and the count took a bottle fro a red liquid, of which he poured a few drops into the glass "Drink this, and then take nothing ht" Valentine stretched out her hand, but scarcely had she touched the glass when she drew back in fear Monte Cristo took the glass, drank half its contents, and then presented it to Valentine, who smiled and sed the rest "Oh, yes," she exclaie which refreshedbrain Thank you, sir, thank you!"

"This is how you have lived during the last four nights, Valentine," said the count "But, oh, how I passed that time! Oh, the wretched hours I have endured--the torture to which I have sublass, and how I trembled lest you should drink it before I could find tiht of her terror, "you say you endured tortures when you saw the deadly poison poured into lass; but if you saw this, you must also have seen the person who poured it?"

"Yes" Valentine raised herself in bed, and drew over her chest, which appeared whiter than snow, the embroidered cambric, still moist with the cold dews of delirium, to which were now added those of terror "You saw the person?" repeated the young girl "Yes," repeated the count

"What you telltoo dreadful What?--attempt to murder me in my father's house, in my roo oodness of providence--it is impossible, it cannot be!"

"Are you the first that this hand has stricken? Have you not seen M de Saint-Meran, Madame de Saint-Meran, Barrois, all fall? Would not M Noirtier also have fallen a victi for the last three years neutralized the effects of the poison?"