cries of terror.
Ali suddenly cast aside his chibouque, drew the lasso from his
pocket, threw it so skilfully as to catch the forelegs of the near
horse in its triple fold, and suffered himself to be dragged on for
a few steps by the violence of the shock, then the animal fell over
on the pole, which snapped, and therefore prevented the other horse
from pursuing its way. Gladly availing himself of this opportunity,
the coachman leaped from his box; but Ali had promptly seized the
nostrils of the second horse, and held them in his iron grasp, till
the beast, snorting with pain, sunk beside his companion. All this
was achieved in much less time than is occupied in the recital. The
brief space had, however, been sufficient for a man, followed by a
number of servants, to rush from the house before which the
accident had occurred, and, as the coachman opened the door of the
carriage, to take from it a lady who was convulsively grasping the
cushions with one hand, while with the other she pressed to her
bosom the young boy, who had lost consciousness.
Monte Cristo carried them both to the salon, and deposited them
on a sofa. "Compose yourself, madame," said he; "all danger is
over." The woman looked up at these words, and, with a glance far
more expressive than any entreaties could have been, pointed to her
child, who still continued insensible. "I understand the nature of
your alarms, madame," said the count, carefully examining the
child, "but I assure you there is not the slightest occasion for
uneasiness; your little charge has not received the least injury;
his insensibility is merely the effects of terror, and will soon
pass."
"Are you quite sure you do not say so to tranquillize my fears?
See how deadly pale he is! My child, my darling Edward; speak to
your mother — open your dear eyes and look on me once again! Oh,
sir, in pity send for a physician; my whole fortune shall not be
thought too much for the recovery of my boy."
With a calm smile and a gentle wave of the hand, Monte CristoWith a calm smile and a gentle wave of the hand, Monte Cristo
signed to the distracted mother to lay aside her apprehensions;
then, opening a casket that stood near, he drew forth a phial of
Bohemian glass incrusted with gold, containing a liquid of the
color of blood, of which he let fall a single drop on the child's
lips. Scarcely had it reached them, ere the boy, though still pale
as marble, opened his eyes, and eagerly gazed around him. At this,
the delight of the mother was almost frantic. "Where am I?"
exclaimed she; "and to whom am I indebted for so happy a
termination to my late dreadful alarm?"
"Madame," answered the count, "you are under the roof of one who
esteems himself most fortunate in having been able to save you from
a further continuance of your sufferings."
"My wretched curiosity has brought all this about," pursued the
lady. "All Paris rung with the praises of Madame Danglars'
beautiful horses, and I had the folly to desire to know whether
they really merited the high praise given to them."
"Is it possible," exclaimed the count with well-feigned
astonishment, "that these horses belong to the baroness?"
"They do, indeed. May I inquire if you are acquainted with
Madame Danglars?"
"I have that honor; and my happiness at your escape from the
danger that threatened you is redoubled by the consciousness that I
have been the unwilling and the unintentional cause of all the
peril you have incurred. I yesterday purchased these horses of the
baron; but as the baroness evidently regretted parting with them, I
ventured to send them back to her, with a request that she would
gratify me by accepting them from my hands."
"You are, then, doubtless, the Count of Monte Cristo, of whom
Hermine has talked to me so much?"
"You have rightly guessed, madame," replied the count.
"And I am Madame Heloise de Villefort." The count bowed with the
air of a person who hears a name for the first time. "How grateful
will M. de Villefort be for all your goodness; how thankfully willwill M. de Villefort be for all your goodness; how thankfully will
he acknowledge that to you alone he owes the existence of his wife
and child! Most certainly, but for the prompt assistance of your
intrepid servant, this dear child and myself must both have
perished."
"Indeed, I still shudder at the fearful danger you were placed
in."
"I trust you will allow me to recompense worthily the devotion
of your man."
"I beseech you, madame," replied Monte Cristo "not to spoil Ali,
either by too great praise or rewards. I cannot allow him to
acquire the habit of expecting to be recompensed for every trifling
service he may render. Ali is my slave, and in saving your life he
was but discharging his duty to me."
"Nay," interposed Madame de Villefort, on whom the authoritative
style adopted by the count made a deep impression, "nay, but
consider that to preserve my life he has risked his own."
"His life, madame, belongs not to him; it is mine, in return for
my having myself saved him from death." Madame de Villefort made no
further reply; her mind was utterly absorbed in the contemplation
of the person who, from the first instant she saw him, had made so
powerful an impression on her. During the evident preoccupation of
Madame de Villefort, Monte Cristo scrutinized the features and
appearance of the boy she kept folded in her arms, lavishing on him
the most tender endearments. The child was small for his age, and
unnaturally pale. A mass of straight black hair, defying all
attempts to train or curl it, fell over his projecting forehead,
and hung down to his shoulders, giving increased vivacity to eyes
already sparkling with a youthful love of mischief and fondness for
every forbidden enjoyment. His mouth was large, and the lips, which
had not yet regained their color, were particularly thin; in fact,
the deep and crafty look, giving a predominant expression to the
child's face, belonged rather to a boy of twelve or fourteen than
to one so young. His first movement was to free himself by a