Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 2).djvu/49

Rh August rolled by in unceasing efforts on the part of Morrel to renew his credit or revive the old. On the 20th of August it was known at Marseilles that he had taken a place in the malle-poste, and then it was said that it was at the end of the month the docket was to be struck, and

Morrel had gone away before, that he might not be present at this cruel act; but had left his chief clerk Emmanuel and his cashier Cocles to meet it. But, contrary to all expectation, when the 31st of August came, the house opened as usual, and Cocles appeared behind the grating of the counter, examined all bills presented with the same scrutiny, and, from first to last, paid all with the same precision. There came in, moreover, two payments on indorsed paper which Morrel had anticipated,