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M de Blacas returned as speedily as he had departed, but in the ante-cha's authority Villefort's dusty garb, his costume, which was not of courtly cut, excited the susceptibility of M de Breze, as all astonishin such attire The duke, however, overcame all difficulties with a word--his majesty's order; and, in spite of the protestations which the master of ceremonies made for the honor of his office and principles, Villefort was introduced

The king was seated in the sa the door, Villefort found hiistrate's first impulse was to pause

"Co, "co a few steps, waited until the king should interrogate him

"M de Villefort," said Louis XVIII, "the Duc de Blacas assuresinforht, and I believe your majesty will think it equally i else, sir, is the news as bad in your opinion as I aent, but I hope, by the speed I have used, that it is not irreparable"

"Speak as fully as you please, sir," said the king, who began to give way to the emotion which had showed itself in Blacas's face and affected Villefort's voice "Speak, sir, and pray begin at the beginning; I like order in everything"

"Sire," said Villefort, "I will render a faithful report to your iveness if lance at the king after this discreet and subtle exordiuust auditor, and he went on:-"Sire, I have come as rapidly to Paris as possible, to inform your majesty that I have discovered, in the exercise of nificant plot, such as is every day got up in the lower ranks of the people and in the army, but an actual conspiracy--a storm which menaces no less than yourthree ships, he meditates some project, which, however mad, is yet, perhaps, terrible At this o whither I know not, but assuredly to atte either at Naples, or on the coast of Tuscany, or perhaps on the shores of France Your n of the Island of Elba has maintained his relations with Italy and France?"