treacherously dealt
him a crushing blow that sent him reeling to the ground, where he lay
motionless and unconscious. Then the chief again threw himself upon the
soil, springing up once more to face Esperance. The latter aimed a
pistol at him, but he whirled it from his hand. Then the young man
struck fiercely at him, but Vampa dodged the blow and his adversary fell
forward from his own impetus on a thick growth of moss beside Massetti's
prostrate form. Taking prompt advantage of his opportunity, the chief
secured possession of the yet unconscious Annunziata and this time
succeeded in bearing her in triumph to a hut he had provided for her
reception."

Peppino then proceeded to relate what the reader has already learned
from Annunziata's pitiful recital to Mme. de Rancogne in the Refuge at
Civita Vecchia. When he had concluded, he glanced at his auditor and
said:

"Are you satisfied, Signor Count?"

"I am," answered Monte-Cristo, in a hoarse voice that sounded strangely
unlike his own. "You have fully earned the freedom of yourself and your
comrade Beppo. The tale of black iniquity you have so vividly told me
might seem improbable in other ears but to me it bears the impress of
truth. One point, however, is obscure. I cannot imagine in what manner
you learned the particulars of certain events in your narrative, events
which you could not have witnessed with your own eyes. Enlighten me on
this point."

"Willingly," answered Peppino, without the slightest hesitation. "I
learned the details you speak of partly from Vampa himself and partly
from old Solara. The twain compared notes after the latter had openly
joined the bandits, and I took good care to overhear their
conversation."

Monte-Cristo had arisen and now paced the cell for several moments
plunged in deep thought. His brow was cloudy and dark, but his eyes
sparkled fiercely and his hands were clenched so tightly that his nails
left red marks in his flesh. The Italian still sitting on the edge of
his bed watched him narrowly, not knowing what to make of his
preoccupation and agitated by a vague fear lest he might refuse to
fulfil his promise. At length Monte-Cristo appeared to have solved the
knotty problem that had perplexed him and to have arrived at a decision.
He came in front of the Italian, halted and, gazing steadfastly at him,
said:

"My good fellow, I have, as you know, obtained freedom for yourself and
Beppo by pledging my word to the Procureur d