Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 5).djvu/176

156 "We are listening."

"It appears that the dear child has obtained possession of a bottle containing some drug, which he every now and then uses against those who have displeased him. First, M. and Mme. de Saint-Méran incurred his displeasure, so he poured out three drops of his elixir—three drops were sufficient; then followed Barrois, the old servant of M. Noirtier, who sometimes rebuffed this little wretch—the little joker, therefore, poured out for him the same quantity of the elixir; then it was poor Valentine, who did not rebuff him, but of whom he was jealous; he gave her the same dose as the others, and ah? was over for her as well as the rest."

"Why, what nonsense are you telling us?" said Château-Renaud.

"Yes, it is an extraordinary story!" said Beauchamp, "is it not?"

"It is absurd," said Debray.

"Ah!" said Beauchamp, "you doubt me? Well, you can ask my servant, or rather him who will no longer be my servant to-morrow; it was the talk of the house."

"And this elixir, where is it? what is it?"

"The child conceals it."

"But where did he find it?"

"In his mother's laboratory."

"Does his mother, then, keep poisons in her laboratory?"

"How can I tell? You are questioning me like a procureur du roi. I only repeat what I have been told, I give my authority, I can do no more. The poor wretch would eat nothing, from fear."

"It is incredible!"

"No, my dear fellow, it is not at all incredible! You saw the child of the Rue Richelieu last year, who amused himself with killing his brothers and sisters by sticking pins in their ears while they slept. The generation who follow us is very precocious!"

"Come, Beauchamp," said Château-Renaud, "I will bet anything you do not believe a word of all you have been telling us! but I do not see the Count of Monte-Cristo here!"

"He is worn out," said Debray; "besides, he could not well appear in public, since he has been the dupe of the Cavalcanti, who, it appears, presented themselves to him with false letters of credit, and cheated him out of one hundred thousand francs upon the mortgage of this principality."

"By the way, M. de Château-Renaud," asked Beauchamp, "how is Morrel?"

"Ma foi! I have called three times without once seeing him. Still, his sister did not seem uneasy, and told me that though she had not seen him for two or three days, she was sure he was well."