in emptying the contents of the phial into the glass. Then she
retired so gently that Valentine did not know she had left the
room. She only witnessed the withdrawal of the arm — the fair round
arm of a woman but twenty-five years old, and who yet spread death
around her.
It is impossible to describe the sensations experienced by
Valentine during the minute and a half Madame de Villefort remained
in the room. The grating against the library-door aroused the young
girl from the stupor in which she was plunged, and which almost
amounted to insensibility. She raised her head with an effort. The
noiseless door again turned on its hinges, and the Count of Monte
Cristo reappeared. "Well," said he, "do you still doubt?"
"Oh," murmured the young girl.
"Have you seen?"
"Alas!"
"Did you recognize?" Valentine groaned. "Oh, yes;" she said, "I
saw, but I cannot believe!"
"Would you rather die, then, and cause Maximilian's death?"
"Oh," repeated the young girl, almost bewildered, "can I not
leave the house? — can I not escape?"
"Valentine, the hand which now threatens you will pursue you
everywhere; your servants will be seduced with gold, and death will
be offered to you disguised in every shape. You will find it in the
water you drink from the spring, in the fruit you pluck from the
tree."
"But did you not say that my kind grandfather's precaution had
neutralized the poison?"
"Yes, but not against a strong dose; the poison will be changed,
and the quantity increased." He took the glass and raised it to his
lips. "It is already done," he said; "brucine is no longer
employed, but a simple narcotic! I can recognize the flavor of the
alcohol in which it has been dissolved. If you had taken what
Madame de Villefort has poured into your glass, Valentine —
Valentine — you would have been doomed!"
"But," exclaimed the young girl, "why am I thus pursued?"
"Why? — are you so kind — so good — so unsuspicious of ill, that
you cannot understand, Valentine?"
"No, I have never injured her."you cannot understand, Valentine?"
"No, I have never injured her."
"But you are rich, Valentine; you have 200,000 livres a year,
and you prevent her son from enjoying these 200,000 livres."
"How so? The fortune is not her gift, but is inherited from my
relations."
"Certainly; and that is why M. and Madame de Saint-Meran have
died; that is why M. Noirtier was sentenced the day he made you his
heir; that is why you, in your turn, are to die — it is because
your father would inherit your property, and your brother, his only
son, succeed to his."
"Edward? Poor child! Are all these crimes committed on his
account?"
"Ah, then you at length understand?"
"Heaven grant that this may not be visited upon him!"
"Valentine, you are an angel!"
"But why is my grandfather allowed to live?"
"It was considered, that you dead, the fortune would naturally
revert to your brother, unless he were disinherited; and besides,
the crime appearing useless, it would be folly to commit it."
"And is it possible that this frightful combination of crimes
has been invented by a woman?"
"Do you recollect in the arbor of the Hotel des Postes, at
Perugia, seeing a man in a brown cloak, whom your stepmother was
questioning upon aqua tofana? Well, ever since then, the infernal
project has been ripening in her brain."
"Ah, then, indeed, sir," said the sweet girl, bathed in tears,
"I see that I am condemned to die!"
"No, Valentine, for I have foreseen all their plots; no, your
enemy is conquered since we know her, and you will live, Valentine
— live to be happy yourself, and to confer happiness upon a noble
heart; but to insure this you must rely on me."
"Command me, sir — what am I to do?"
"You must blindly take what I give you."
"Alas, were it only for my own sake, I should prefer to
die!"
"You must not confide in any one — not even in your father."
"My father is not engaged in this fearful plot, is he, sir?"
asked Valentine, clasping her hands.
"No; and yet your father, a man accustomed to judicialasked Valentine, clasping her hands.
"No; and yet your father, a man accustomed to judicial
accusations, ought to have known that all these deaths have not
happened naturally; it is he who should have watched over you — he
should have occupied my place — he should have emptied that glass —
he should have risen against the assassin. Spectre against
spectre!" he murmured in a low voice, as he concluded his
sentence.
"Sir," said Valentine, "I will do all I can to live. for there
are two beings whose existence depends upon mine — my grandfather
and Maximilian."
"I will watch over them as I have over you."
"Well, sir, do as you will with me;" and then she added, in a
low voice, "oh, heavens, what will befall me?"
"Whatever may happen, Valentine, do not be alarmed; though you
suffer; though you lose sight, hearing, consciousness, fear
nothing; though you should awake and be ignorant where you are,
still do not fear; even though you should find yourself in a
sepulchral vault or coffin. Reassure yourself, then, and say to
yourself: `At this moment, a friend, a father, who lives for my
happiness and that of Maximilian, watches over me!'"
"Alas, alas, what a fearful extremity!"
"Valentine, would you rather denounce your stepmother?"
"I would rather die a hundred times — oh, yes, die!"
"No, you will not die; but will you promise me, whatever
happens, that you will not complain, but hope?"
"I will think of Maximilian!"
"You are my own darling child, Valentine! I alone can save you,
and I will." Valentine in the extremity of her terror joined her
hands, — for she felt that the moment had arrived to ask for
courage, — and began to pray, and while uttering little more than
incoherent words, she forgot that her white shoulders had no other
covering than her long hair, and that the pulsations of her heart
could he seen through the lace of her nightdress. Monte Cristo
gently laid his hand on the young girl's arm, drew the velvet
coverlet close to her throat, and said with a paternal smile, — "Mycoverlet close to her throat, and said with a paternal smile, — "My
child, believe in my devotion to you as you believe in the goodness
of providence and the love of Maximilian."
Then he drew from his waistcoat-pocket the little emerald box,
raised the golden lid, and took from it a pastille about the size
of a pea, which he placed in her hand. She took it, and looked
attentively on the count; there was an expression on the face of
her intrepid protector which commanded her veneration. She
evidently interrogated him by her look. "Yes," said he. Valentine
carried the pastille to her mouth, and swallowed it. "And now, my
dear child, adieu for the present. I will try and gain a little
sleep, for you are saved."
"Go," said Valentine, "whatever happens, I promise you not to
fear."
Monte Cristo for some time kept his eyes fixed on the young
girl, who gradually fell asleep, yielding to the effects of the
narcotic the count had given her. Then he took the glass, emptied
three parts of the contents in the fireplace, that it might be
supposed Valentine had taken it, and replaced it on the table; then
he disappeared, after throwing a farewell glance on Valentine, who
slept with the confidence and innocence of an angel.