The Count of Monte Cristo

Back Forward Menu

The Englishman seemed to appreciate this extreme delicacy, made his bow
and went away, proceeding with a characteristic British stride towards
the street mentioned. M. de Boville was in his private room, and the
Englishman, on perceiving him, made a gesture of surprise, which seemed
to indicate that it was not the first time he had been in his presence.
As to M. de Boville, he was in such a state of despair, that it was
evident all the faculties of his mind, absorbed in the thought which
occupied him at the moment, did not allow either his memory or his
imagination to stray to the past. The Englishman, with the coolness of
his nation, addressed him in terms nearly similar to those with which
he had accosted the mayor of Marseilles. "Oh, sir," exclaimed M. de
Boville, "your fears are unfortunately but too well founded, and you see
before you a man in despair. I had two hundred thousand francs placed
in the hands of Morrel & Son; these two hundred thousand francs were the
dowry of my daughter, who was to be married in a fortnight, and these
two hundred thousand francs were payable, half on the 15th of this
month, and the other half on the 15th of next month. I had informed M.