The Count of Monte Cristo

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repeatedly at Albert, in order to observe the impressions which he
doubted not had been made on him by the words of their entertainer; but
whether with his usual carelessness he had paid but little attention to
him, whether the explanation of the Count of Monte Cristo with regard
to duelling had satisfied him, or whether the events which Franz knew
of had had their effect on him alone, he remarked that his companion did
not pay the least regard to them, but on the contrary ate like a man
who for the last four or five months had been condemned to partake of
Italian cookery--that is, the worst in the world. As for the count, he
just touched the dishes; he seemed to fulfil the duties of a host by
sitting down with his guests, and awaited their departure to be served
with some strange or more delicate food. This brought back to Franz, in
spite of himself, the recollection of the terror with which the count
had inspired the Countess G----, and her firm conviction that the man in
the opposite box was a vampire. At the end of the breakfast Franz took
out his watch. "Well," said the count, "what are you doing?"