coming, holding their
breath in fear and expectation. As for Vampa, he could hardly be kept
still; his fingers worked nervously as if he desired to strangle the
dying witness, and he glanced at him with the flashing eyes of a
ferocious tiger brought to bay.

Old Pasquale continued, amid the deepest silence:

"I do not seek to shield myself. Vampa is guilty both of the abduction
and of the plot to ruin the Viscount Massetti, but I was his tempter and
to me he owes his crime! However, with the murder of my son Lorenzo I
had nothing to do--the chief alone is responsible for that! But I
tempted him with the beauty of my poor daughter Annunziata! Greedy for
gold I sold her to him! The abduction was proposed by me and executed by
him! The plan to throw young Massetti under suspicion also originated
with me, Vampa and myself carrying it out together. In forming the plan
I was actuated by a desire to obtain vengeance upon old Count Massetti
for a wrong he did me in the past! Now, your Eminence, you know the
whole black history!"

Pasquale Solara ceased and sank back into the arms of the two soldiers
who were supporting him, totally overcome by the terrible exertions he
had made in delivering his crushing testimony, and lay there a helpless,
quivering mass. As they were about to remove him from the witness stand
a sudden thought occurred to him, and with a herculean effort he
straightened himself up, making a sign to the Court that he had
something further to communicate.

"Speak, witness," said Cardinal Monti, in response to this sign.

"Your Eminence," resumed the shepherd, slowly and painfully, "I wish to
say yet another word. I received my death wound at the hands of the
Viscount Massetti!"

There was a quick stir among those who heard this unexpected accusation
and a score of eyes, including those of Cardinal Monti and his
associates on the judicial bench, were instantly fixed upon the young
Italian, who glanced at Monte-Cristo and the lawyers with a look of
consternation. The Count was about to address the Court in explanation,
when old Solara, who had paused to recover breath, added:

"But I richly deserve what I received and it is fitting that I should
die by the hand of the man I sought to ruin! The wound, however, was
dealt me in a perfectly fair duel and with my latest breath I shall
exonerate the Viscount from all blame in the matter as I do now!"

The concluding portion of old Solara's last speech was a sur