me as the Baron d'
Epinay had seen it. Here time seemed to have been defied. The marble of
which the magnificent apartment was built was as bright and beautiful as
ever, the antique bas-reliefs of priceless value were well preserved,
and the four superb statues with baskets on their heads were yet in
their places in the corners of the oblong room and yet perfect, though
no pyramids of splendid fruit now filled the baskets. In the centre of
the salle-a-manger the dining-table still stood with its dishes of
silver and plates of Japanese china. It was at this table that both the
Baron d' Epinay and Maximilian Morrel had taken that wonderful green
preparation, that key to the gate of divine dreams, the hatchis of
Alexandria, the hatchis of Abou-Gor. It was at this table that
Maximilian, when falling under the influence of the potent drug, had
caught his first glimpse of his beloved Valentine after her supposed
death; it was at this table that he had been reunited to her on awaking
from his hatchis dream. It was in this room that Haydee had confessed
her love for Monte-Cristo and had been taken to his heart.

All these recollections came thronging upon the Count as he stood gazing
about him. The thought of Haydee almost melted him to tears, but he
forced back the briny drops, and, taking Zuleika tenderly in his arms,
cried out, in a voice full of emotion:

"Oh! Haydee, Haydee, I have lost you, but you live for me again in this
blessed treasure you have bequeathed to me--our darling daughter!"

Zuleika flung her arms about her father's neck and kissed him fervently.

"I know not," she said, effusively, "what memories, what associations,
this room recalls, but it has made you think of my mother and I bless
it!"

When they both had grown calmer, Monte-Cristo said to his daughter:

"There is yet another apartment for us to see. Let us go to it."

They entered the adjoining chamber. It was a strangely furnished
apartment. Circular in shape it was surrounded by a large divan, which,
as well as the walls, ceiling and floor, was covered with what had been
magnificent skins of the large-maned lions of Atlas, striped Bengal
tigers, spotted panthers of the Cape, bears of Siberia and foxes of
Norway, but all these elegant furs that were strewn in profusion, one
over another, had been eaten by moths and worms and rotted by the
dampness until they scarcely held together. The divan was that upon
which the Baron d' Epinay had recline