The Count of Monte Cristo

Back Forward Menu

his hand to her. Valentine, as her only apology for not having met him,
pointed to the corpse under the sheet, and began to sob again. Neither
dared for some time to speak in that room. They hesitated to break the
silence which death seemed to impose; at length Valentine ventured.

"My friend," said she, "how came you here? Alas, I would say you are
welcome, had not death opened the way for you into this house."

"Valentine," said Morrel with a trembling voice, "I had waited since
half-past eight, and did not see you come; I became uneasy, leaped the
wall, found my way through the garden, when voices conversing about the
fatal event"--

"What voices?" asked Valentine. Morrel shuddered as he thought of the
conversation of the doctor and M. de Villefort, and he thought he could
see through the sheet the extended hands, the stiff neck, and the purple
lips.