The Count of Monte Cristo

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he wanted. "Ah," said Valentine, "the thing you desire begins with the
letter N; it is with N that we have to do, then. Well, let me see, what
can you want that begins with N? Na--Ne--Ni--No"--

"Yes, yes, yes," said the old man's eye.

"Ah, it is No, then?"

"Yes." Valentine fetched a dictionary, which she placed on a desk
before Noirtier; she opened it, and, seeing that the odd man's eye was
thoroughly fixed on its pages, she ran her finger quickly up and down
the columns. During the six years which had passed since Noirtier first
fell into this sad state, Valentine's powers of invention had been too
often put to the test not to render her expert in devising expedients
for gaining a knowledge of his wishes, and the constant practice had
so perfected her in the art that she guessed the old man's meaning as
quickly as if he himself had been able to seek for what he wanted. At