racle she escaped, I know not. He--this
Benedetto--is to-day in Paris. He has come to avenge himself on
Monte-Cristo."

Fanfar questioned Sanselme, who avowed everything except that Jane was
his daughter. He would not have admitted this had he been threatened
with the guillotine. Fanfar listened attentively.

"It is as clear as day to me," he said, at last, "that all this is
Benedetto's work. Therefore we will first find him, and of him we will
demand an account of this new crime. Sanselme, you have been a great
criminal. Are you ready to prove your repentance?"

"I will obey you in whatsoever you order. Save Jane, no matter what
becomes of me."

"Then all of you will make ready for the fray. I will summon the Count
of Monte-Cristo, as it was agreed I should do in case of danger. He will
be here in three days, and we must be able to say to him that we have
saved his son."

"Yes, we must say that," cried the Zouave, "or Coucon will be dead."

"To work then," said Fanfar, rising. "Sanselme, come into my cabinet,
there are several questions I wish to ask. But first, who is this
woman?"

"Benedetto never told me," answered Sanselme.

Fanfar went to the mad woman, who was crouching near the door.

"Who are you?" he said. "What is your name?"

She laughed in a stupid way.

"I have no name, I am dead!"

CHAPTER LVIII.

GOUTRAN AND CARMEN.

Goutran was really in love, although for a time his attention had been
distracted by the strange affair of Jane Zeld. But now that calm was in
a measure restored, Goutran thought of Carmen with quickened pulse. He
no longer hesitated. He resolved to write to a millionaire uncle of his
who spent his last days hunting wolves in the Ardennes, and beg him to
come up and lay his proposal before the banker. He told Esperance what
he meant to do, and the Vicomte encouraged the plan.

When he had come to this conclusion, he was astonished to find that the
same indecision again attacked him. Why did he hesitate? He would have
been at a loss to say. He determined, however, on one of two things,
either to ask Carmen's hand or never see her again. He had been with
Esperance for forty-eight hours, encouraging him and ministering to
Jane, and now he felt the need of fresh air. He walked toward Saint
Cloud, softly saying to himself among the green trees:

"I love her! I love her!"

On his return the decision was made. He would write to his uncle the
next day. As he entered th