sound of rapidly advancing
wheels was heard, and almost immediately a carriage appeared, drawn by
a pair of wild, ungovernable horses, while the terrified coachman strove
in vain to restrain their furious speed.

In the vehicle was a young woman and a child of about seven or eight
clasped in each other's arms. Terror seemed to have deprived them even
of the power of uttering a cry. The carriage creaked and rattled as it
flew over the rough stones, and the slightest obstacle under the wheels
would have caused disaster; but it kept on in the middle of the road,
and those who saw it pass uttered cries of terror.

Ali suddenly cast aside his chibouque, drew the lasso from his pocket,
threw it so skilfully as to catch the forelegs of the near horse in its
triple fold, and suffered himself to be dragged on for a few steps by
the violence of the shock, then the animal fell over on the pole, which
snapped, and therefore prevented the other horse from pursuing its way.
Gladly availing himself of this opportunity, the coachman leaped from
his box; but Ali had promptly seized the nostrils of the second horse,
and held them in his iron grasp, till the beast, snorting with pain,
sunk beside his companion. All this was achieved in much less time
than is occupied in the recital. The brief space had, however, been
sufficient for a man, followed by a number of servants, to rush from
the house before which the accident had occurred, and, as the coachman
opened the door of the carriage, to take from it a lady who was
convulsively grasping the cushions with one hand, while with the other
she pressed to her bosom the young boy, who had lost consciousness.

Monte Cristo carried them both to the salon, and deposited them on a
sofa. "Compose yourself, madame," said he; "all danger is over." The
woman looked up at these words, and, with a glance far more expressive
than any entreaties could have been, pointed to her child, who still
continued insensible. "I understand the nature of your alarms, madame,"
said the count, carefully examining the child, "but I assure you there
is not the slightest occasion for uneasiness; your little charge has not
received the least injury; his insensibility is merely the effects of
terror, and will soon pass."

"Are you quite sure you do not say so to tranquillize my fears? See
how deadly pale he is! My child, my darling Edward; speak to your
mother--open your dear eyes and look on me once again! Oh, sir, in p