Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 1).djvu/247

Rh "'. . . ing invited to dine by his Holiness

. . . content with making me pay for my hat

. . . serves for me the fate of Cardinals Caprara

. . . I declare to my nephew Guido Spada

. . . ried in a place he knows

. . . the caves of the small

. . . essed of ingots, gold, money,

. . . know of the existence of this treasure, which

. . . lions of Roman crowns, and which he

. . . ck from the small

. . . ings have been made

. . . ngle in the second;

. . . tire to him

. . . ar † Spada.'"

Faria followed him with excited looks.

"And now," he said, when he saw Dantès had read the last line, "put the two fragments together, and judge for yourself." Dantès obeyed, and the conjoined pieces gave the following:

"This 25th day of April, 1498, be. ., ing invited to dine by his Holiness Alexander VI., and fearing that not. . , content with making me pay for my hat, he may desire to become my heir, and re. . , serves for me the fate of Cardinals Caprara and Bentivoglio, who were poisoned, . . . I declare to my nephew, Guido Spada, my sole heir, that I have bu. . , ried in a place he knows, and has visited with me, that is, in . . , the caves of the small island of Monte-Cristo, all I poss. . , essed of ingots, gold, money, jewels, diamonds, gems; that I alone. . , know of the existence of this treasure, which may amount to nearly two mil. . , lions of Roman crowns, and which he will find on raising the twentieth ro. . , ck from the small creek to the east in a right line. Two open. . , ings have been made in these caves; the treasure is in the furthest a. . , ngle in the second; which treasure I bequeath and leave en. ., tire to him as my sole heir.

"25th April, 1498.

"Well, do you comprehend now?" inquired Faria.

"It is the declaration of Cardinal Spada, and the will so long sought for," replied Edmond, still incredulous.

"Of course; what else could it be?"

"And who completed it as it now is?"

"I did. Aided by the remaining fragment, I guessed the rest; measuring the length of the lines by those of the paper, and divining the