The Count of Monte Cristo

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past, as I do" (and here she extended to him her hand)--"as I now do at
your entreaty. But bear in mind, that should there fall in your way any
one guilty of conspiring against the government, you will be so much the
more bound to visit the offence with rigorous punishment, as it is known
you belong to a suspected family."

"Alas, madame," returned Villefort, "my profession, as well as the times
in which we live, compels me to be severe. I have already successfully
conducted several public prosecutions, and brought the offenders to
merited punishment. But we have not done with the thing yet."

"Do you, indeed, think so?" inquired the marquise.

"I am, at least, fearful of it. Napoleon, in the Island of Elba, is
too near France, and his proximity keeps up the hopes of his partisans.
Marseilles is filled with half-pay officers, who are daily, under one
frivolous pretext or other, getting up quarrels with the royalists;