Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 3).djvu/299

Rh "Well, what is it!"

"If I guess rightly, will you confess it."

"Yes."

"On your honor?"

"On my honor."

"You were going to ask me if the Count of Monte-Cristo were arrived, or expected."

"Not at all. It is not of him that I am now thinking. I was going to ask you if you had received any news of M. Franz?"

"Yes, yesterday."

"What did he tell you?"

"That he was leaving at the same time as his letter."

"Well, now then, the count?"

"The count will come, be satisfied."

"You know that he has another name besides Monte-Cristo?"

"No, I did not know it."

"Monte-Cristo is the name of an island, and he has a family name."

"I never heard it."

"Well, then, I am better informed than you; his name is Zaccone."

"It is possible."

"He is a Maltese."

"That is also possible."

"The son of a shipowner."

"Really, you should relate all this aloud, you would have the greatest success."

"He served in India, discovered a mine in Thessaly, and comes to Paris to form an establishment of mineral waters at Auteuil."

"Well! I'm sure," said Morcerf; "this is indeed news! Am I allowed to repeat it?"

"Yes, but cautiously; tell one thing at a time, and not say I told you."

"Why so!"

"Because it is a secret just discovered."

"By whom?"

"The police."

"Then the news originated"

"At the prefect's last night. Paris, you can understand, is astonished at the sight of such unusual splendor, and the police have made inquiries."

"Good! nothing more is wanting than to arrest the count as a vagabond, on the pretext of his being too rich."

"Indeed, this would doubtless have happened if his credentials had not been so favorable."

"Poor count! And is he aware of the danger he has been in?"

"I think not."