Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 5).djvu/98

78 pressed the cold lips of Valentine with his own, hurriedly left, uttering the long, deep groan of a soul plunged in despair.

We have before stated that all the servants had fled. Villefort was, therefore, obliged to request d'Avrigny to superintend all those arrangements consequent upon a death in a large city, more especially a death under such suspicious circumstances. It was something terrible to witness the silent agony, the mute despair of Noirtier, whose tears silently rolled down his cheeks. Villefort retired to his study, and d'Avrigny left to summon the doctor of the mayoralty, whose office it is to examine bodies after decease, and who is expressly named "the doctor of the dead." Noirtier could not be persuaded to quit his grandchild. At the end of a quarter of an hour d'Avrigny returned with his associate; they found the outer gate closed, and not a servant remaining in the house; Villefort himself was obliged to open it. But he stopped on the landing; he had not the courage to revisit the room of death. The two doctors, therefore, entered the room alone. Noirtier was near the bed, pale, motionless, and silent as the corpse. The district doctor approached with the indifference of a man accustomed to spend half his time among the dead; he then lifted the sheet which was placed over the face and just unclosed the lips.

"Alas!" said d'Avrigny, "she is indeed dead, poor child! You can leave."

"Yes," answered the doctor laconically, dropping the sheet he had raised. Noirtier uttered a kind of hoarse, rattling sound; the old man's eyes sparkled, and the good doctor understood that he wished to behold his child. He therefore approached the bed, and while his companion was dipping the fingers with which he had touched the lips of the corpse in chloride of lime, he uncovered that calm and pale face, which looked like that of a sleeping angel.

A tear, which appeared in the old man's eye, expressed his thanks to the doctor. The doctor of the dead then laid his procès-verbal on the corner of the table, and, having executed his office, was conducted out by d'Avrigny. Villefort met them at the door of his study: having in a few words thanked the district doctor, he returned to d'Avrigny, and said:

"And now the priest."

"Is there any particular priest you wish to pray with Valentine?" asked d'Avrigny.

"No," said Villefort; "fetch the nearest."

"The nearest," said the district doctor, "is a good Italian abbé, who lives next door to you. Shall I call on him as I pass?"

"D'Avrigny," said Villefort, "be so kind, I beseech you, as to bring this gentleman here with you. Here is the key of the door, so that you