The Count of Monte Cristo

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away, as if ashamed of its employment. The visitor was about fifty-two
years of age, dressed in one of the green surtouts, ornamented with
black frogs, which have so long maintained their popularity all over
Europe. He wore trousers of blue cloth, boots tolerably clean, but not
of the brightest polish, and a little too thick in the soles, buckskin
gloves, a hat somewhat resembling in shape those usually worn by
the gendarmes, and a black cravat striped with white, which, if the
proprietor had not worn it of his own free will, might have passed for a
halter, so much did it resemble one. Such was the picturesque costume of
the person who rang at the gate, and demanded if it was not at No. 30 in
the Avenue des Champs-Elysees that the Count of Monte Cristo lived, and
who, being answered by the porter in the affirmative, entered, closed
the gate after him, and began to ascend the steps.

The small and angular head of this man, his white hair and thick gray
mustaches, caused him to be easily recognized by Baptistin, who had
received an exact description of the expected visitor, and who was