But did he know what was meant by the terrible word 'vendetta'?"

"He knew so well, that from that moment he shut himself in his house,
and never went out unattended, seeking me high and low. Fortunately, I
was so well concealed that he could not find me. Then he became alarmed,
and dared not stay any longer at Nimes, so he solicited a change of
residence, and, as he was in reality very influential, he was nominated
to Versailles. But, as you know, a Corsican who has sworn to avenge
himself cares not for distance, so his carriage, fast as it went, was
never above half a day's journey before me, who followed him on foot.
The most important thing was, not to kill him only--for I had an
opportunity of doing so a hundred times--but to kill him without being
discovered--at least, without being arrested. I no longer belonged to
myself, for I had my sister-in-law to protect and provide for. For three
months I watched M. de Villefort, for three months he took not a step
out-of-doors without my following him. At length I discovered that he
went mysteriously to Auteuil. I followed him thither, and I saw him
enter the house where we now are, only, instead of entering by the
great door that looks into the street, he came on horseback, or in his
carriage, left the one or the other at the little inn, and entered by
the gate you see there." Monte Cristo made a sign with his head to
show that he could discern in the darkness the door to which Bertuccio
alluded. "As I had nothing more to do at Versailles, I went to Auteuil,
and gained all the information I could. If I wished to surprise him,
it was evident this was the spot to lie in wait for him. The house
belonged, as the concierge informed your excellency, to M. de
Saint-Meran, Villefort's father-in-law. M. de Saint-Meran lived at
Marseilles, so that this country house was useless to him, and it was
reported to be let to a young widow, known only by the name of 'the
baroness.'

"One evening, as I was looking over the wall, I saw a young and handsome
woman who was walking alone in that garden, which was not overlooked by
any windows, and I guessed that she was awaiting M. de Villefort. When
she was sufficiently near for me to distinguish her features, I saw she
was from eighteen to nineteen, tall and very fair. As she had a loose
muslin dress on and as nothing concealed her figure, I saw she would ere
long become a mother. A few moments after, the little door was opened
and a man en