The Count of Monte Cristo

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and expressions of cordial interest in all that concerned him. To the
captain he promised to write when he had made up his mind as to his
future plans. Then Dantes departed for Genoa. At the moment of his
arrival a small yacht was under trial in the bay; this yacht had been
built by order of an Englishman, who, having heard that the Genoese
excelled all other builders along the shores of the Mediterranean in
the construction of fast-sailing vessels, was desirous of possessing a
specimen of their skill; the price agreed upon between the Englishman
and the Genoese builder was forty thousand francs. Dantes, struck with
the beauty and capability of the little vessel, applied to its owner to
transfer it to him, offering sixty thousand francs, upon condition that
he should be allowed to take immediate possession. The proposal was too
advantageous to be refused, the more so as the person for whom the
yacht was intended had gone upon a tour through Switzerland, and was
not expected back in less than three weeks or a month, by which time
the builder reckoned upon being able to complete another. A bargain was
therefore struck. Dantes led the owner of the yacht to the dwelling of