The Count of Monte Cristo

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him to my care. If he proves himself worthy of it, I will do what I can
to advance his interests. You will assist me in the work, will you not?"

"Most undoubtedly. This Major Cavalcanti is an old friend of yours,
then?"

"By no means. He is a perfect nobleman, very polite, modest, and
agreeable, such as may be found constantly in Italy, descendants of very
ancient families. I have met him several times at Florence, Bologna
and Lucca, and he has now communicated to me the fact of his arrival in
Paris. The acquaintances one makes in travelling have a sort of claim on
one; they everywhere expect to receive the same attention which you once
paid them by chance, as though the civilities of a passing hour were
likely to awaken any lasting interest in favor of the man in whose
society you may happen to be thrown in the course of your journey. This
good Major Cavalcanti is come to take a second view of Paris, which he
only saw in passing through in the time of the Empire, when he was on