The Count of Monte Cristo

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nervous heaving of his chest and shoulders. Silence prevailed for an
instant, during which Monte Cristo gazed intently on the picture.

"You have there a most charming mistress, viscount," said the count in
a perfectly calm tone; "and this costume--a ball costume,
doubtless--becomes her admirably."

"Ah, monsieur," returned Albert, "I would never forgive you this mistake
if you had seen another picture beside this. You do not know my mother;
she it is whom you see here. She had her portrait painted thus six
or eight years ago. This costume is a fancy one, it appears, and the
resemblance is so great that I think I still see my mother the same
as she was in 1830. The countess had this portrait painted during
the count's absence. She doubtless intended giving him an agreeable
surprise; but, strange to say, this portrait seemed to displease my
father, and the value of the picture, which is, as you see, one of the
best works of Leopold Robert, could not overcome his dislike to it.