The Count of Monte Cristo

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"And you do not wish me to go away without fulfilling your original
intentions?" The old man winked violently. "Well, sir," said the young
girl, "do you understand now, and is your conscience perfectly at rest
on the subject?" But before the notary could answer, Villefort had drawn
him aside. "Sir," said he, "do you suppose for a moment that a man can
sustain a physical shock, such as M. Noirtier has received, without any
detriment to his mental faculties?"

"It is not exactly that, sir," said the notary, "which makes me uneasy,
but the difficulty will be in wording his thoughts and intentions, so as
to be able to get his answers."

"You must see that to be an utter impossibility," said Villefort.
Valentine and the old man heard this conversation, and Noirtier fixed
his eye so earnestly on Valentine that she felt bound to answer to the
look.