The Count of Monte Cristo

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to persevere in your suspicions. Any other than yourself would have
considered the disclosure of M. de Villefort insignificant, or else
dictated by venal ambition," These words were an allusion to the
sentiments which the minister of police had uttered with so much
confidence an hour before.

Villefort understood the king's intent. Any other person would, perhaps,
have been overcome by such an intoxicating draught of praise; but
he feared to make for himself a mortal enemy of the police minister,
although he saw that Dandre was irrevocably lost. In fact, the
minister, who, in the plenitude of his power, had been unable to unearth
Napoleon's secret, might in despair at his own downfall interrogate
Dantes and so lay bare the motives of Villefort's plot. Realizing this,
Villefort came to the rescue of the crest-fallen minister, instead of
aiding to crush him.

"Sire," said Villefort, "the suddenness of this event must prove to your