able midnight scene in Monte-Cristo's study young
Madame de Morcerf had acted like one overwhelmed. She said nothing, even
to her husband or Louise d' Armilly, concerning her wretched father, but
it was plain that intense grief and shame were preying upon her. This
greatly distressed Albert and, seeing his beloved wife droop day by day,
he, without saying a word to any one, formed a startling and perilous
resolution. He determined to find Danglars' abode, to see his
father-in-law and endeavor to persuade him to relinquish his career of
crime. In this he was actuated by two powerful motives--the desire to
relieve Eugenie's distress and suspense and the wish to avoid the
scandal that would be sure to come should the former banker be caught
red-handed in the commission of some fearful crime and a legal
investigation reveal his identity.

Zuleika studiously avoided referring to the attempted robbery and the
recognition of Danglars by her father and Eugenie. She was aware of the
part Monte-Cristo had played in his enemy's fall and disgrace, and did
not deem it prudent to awaken the bitter recollections of the lurid and
dreadful past.

Mlle. d' Armilly also said nothing in reference to the reappearance of
Danglars, but it was very clear to the observant Zuleika that she
expected and dreaded further harm from Monte-Cristo's revengeful enemy.
At night she locked herself in her chamber, and, notwithstanding the
almost unbearable heat of the weather, securely closed and fastened all
her windows.

The Count himself was as reserved as ever, never once mentioning either
the midnight invasion of his mansion or the unexpected advent of his
most deadly foe. To everybody in the household he seemed either to have
forgotten or to have succeeded in dismissing from his mind those events
so fraught with excitement and possibilities of future disaster. But
Monte-Cristo, though he preserved an impassible exterior, had neither
forgotten nor dismissed them. He had simply applied to himself his own
famous maxim, "Wait and Hope." He was waiting and hoping for the best,
for God in His inscrutable wisdom to bring mysterious good out of
apparent evil.

Meanwhile Captain de Morcerf had been busily engaged in making thorough
but cautious investigations. He had formed the acquaintance of a former
Agent de la Surete, who had been of great use to him in describing the
various outlaws and prowlers of Paris, and in pointing out to him their
secret dens