Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 2).djvu/348

330 Then AH threw down his chibouk, drew the lasso from his pocket, caught the forelegs of the near horse in its triple fold, suffered himself to be dragged on for a few steps; the lassoed horse fell, and falling on the pole, it snapped, and therefore prevented the other animal from pursuing his headlong way.

Gladly availing himself of this opportunity, the coachman leaped from his box; but AH had promptly seized the nostrils of the second horse, and held them in his iron grasp, till the beast, snorting with pain, sunk beside his companion.

All this was achieved in much less time than is occupied in the recital. The brief space had, however, been sufficient for a person, fol lowed by a number of servants, to rush from the house before which the accident had occurred and, as the coachman opened the door of the carriage, to take from it the lady who was convulsively grasping the cushions with one hand, while with the other she pressed to her bosom her fainting son.

Monte-Cristo carried them both to the salon, and deposited them on a sofa. "Compose yourself, madame," said he, "all danger is over."

The lady looked up at these words, and, with a glance far more expressive than any entreaties could have been, pointed to her child, who still continued insensible.

"I understand, madame," said the count, carefully examining the child, "but there is no occasion for uneasiness; he has not received the least injury; his insensibility is merely the effects of terror."

"Are you quite sure you do not say so to tranquillize my fears? See how deadly pale he is! My child! my darling Edward! speak to your mother. Oh, sir, in pity, send for help! my whole fortune for the recovery of my boy."

With a wave of the hand, Monte-Cristo signed to the distracted mother to calm herself; then, opening a casket that stood near, he drew forth a phial of Bohemian glass, containing a liquid of the color of blood, of which he let fall a single drop on the child's lips. Scarcely had it reached them, ere the boy, though still pale as marble, opened his eyes. At this sight, the delight of the mother equaled her former despair.

"Where am I?" exclaimed she, when her first raptures at her son's recovery were past, "and to whom am I indebted for so happy a termination to my late alarm?"

"Madame," answered the count, "you are under the roof of one who esteems himself fortunate in having saved you pain."

"My wretched curiosity has brought all this about," pursued the lady. "All Paris rung with the praises of Madame Danglars' beautiful horses, and I had the folly to desire to try them."