ou see, madame, how rightly I spoke when I said I required a preceptor
to guide me in all my sayings and doings here." At this instant the
favorite attendant of Madame Danglars entered the boudoir; approaching
her mistress, she spoke some words in an undertone. Madame Danglars
turned very pale, then exclaimed,--"I cannot believe it; the thing is
impossible."

"I assure you, madame," replied the woman, "it is as I have said."
Turning impatiently towards her husband, Madame Danglars demanded, "Is
this true?"

"Is what true, madame?" inquired Danglars, visibly agitated.

"What my maid tells me."

"But what does she tell you?"

"That when my coachman was about to harness the horses to my carriage,
he discovered that they had been removed from the stables without his
knowledge. I desire to know what is the meaning of this?"

"Be kind enough, madame, to listen to me," said Danglars.

"Oh, yes; I will listen, monsieur, for I am most curious to hear what
explanation you will give. These two gentlemen shall decide between us;
but, first, I will state the case to them. Gentlemen," continued the
baroness, "among the ten horses in the stables of Baron Danglars, are
two that belong exclusively to me--a pair of the handsomest and most
spirited creatures to be found in Paris. But to you, at least, M.
Debray, I need not give a further description, because to you my
beautiful pair of dappled grays were well known. Well, I had promised
Madame de Villefort the loan of my carriage to drive to-morrow to the
Bois; but when my coachman goes to fetch the grays from the stables they
are gone--positively gone. No doubt M. Danglars has sacrificed them to
the selfish consideration of gaining some thousands of paltry francs.
Oh, what a detestable crew they are, these mercenary speculators!"

"Madame," replied Danglars, "the horses were not sufficiently quiet
for you; they were scarcely four years old, and they made me extremely
uneasy on your account."

"Nonsense," retorted the baroness; "you could not have entertained any
alarm on the subject, because you are perfectly well aware that I have
had for a month in my service the very best coachman in Paris. But,
perhaps, you have disposed of the coachman as well as the horses?"

"My dear love, pray do not say any more about them, and I promise
you another pair exactly like them in appearance, only more quiet and
steady." The baroness shrugged her shoulders with an air of ineffable
contempt