The Count of Monte Cristo

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sad and solitary, he would have used his influence to my advantage, and
since, as you say, he resembles the sun, he would have warmed my heart
with one of his life-giving rays. You say he loves you, Maximilian; how
do you know that he does? All would pay deference to an officer like
you, with a fierce mustache and a long sabre, but they think they may
crush a poor weeping girl with impunity."

"Ah, Valentine, I assure you you are mistaken."

"If it were otherwise--if he treated me diplomatically--that is to say,
like a man who wishes, by some means or other, to obtain a footing in
the house, so that he may ultimately gain the power of dictating to its
occupants--he would, if it had been but once, have honored me with the
smile which you extol so loudly; but no, he saw that I was unhappy,
he understood that I could be of no use to him, and therefore paid no
attention to me whatever. Who knows but that, in order to please Madame
de Villefort and my father, he may not persecute me by every means in