The Count of Monte Cristo

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this state lasted till about three o'clock in the morning, when a deep,
heavy slumber overcame the young girl, from which she did not awake till
daylight. On the evening of the day on which Valentine had learned of
the flight of Eugenie and the arrest of Benedetto,--Villefort having
retired as well as Noirtier and d'Avrigny,--her thoughts wandered in a
confused maze, alternately reviewing her own situation and the events
she had just heard.

Eleven o'clock had struck. The nurse, having placed the beverage
prepared by the doctor within reach of the patient, and locked the
door, was listening with terror to the comments of the servants in the
kitchen, and storing her memory with all the horrible stories which had
for some months past amused the occupants of the ante-chambers in the
house of the king's attorney. Meanwhile an unexpected scene was passing
in the room which had been so carefully locked. Ten minutes had elapsed
since the nurse had left; Valentine, who for the last hour had
been suffering from the fever which returned nightly, incapable of