The Count of Monte Cristo

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at on a little iron plate which served him as a target, when his study
door opened, and Baptistin entered. Before he had spoken a word, the
count saw in the next room a veiled woman, who had followed closely
after Baptistin, and now, seeing the count with a pistol in his hand and
swords on the table, rushed in. Baptistin looked at his master, who made
a sign to him, and he went out, closing the door after him. "Who are
you, madame?" said the count to the veiled woman.

The stranger cast one look around her, to be certain that they were
quite alone; then bending as if she would have knelt, and joining her
hands, she said with an accent of despair, "Edmond, you will not kill my
son?" The count retreated a step, uttered a slight exclamation, and let
fall the pistol he held. "What name did you pronounce then, Madame de
Morcerf?" said he. "Yours!" cried she, throwing back her veil,--"yours,
which I alone, perhaps, have not forgotten. Edmond, it is not Madame de
Morcerf who is come to you, it is Mercedes."