r burnoose of white cashmire embroidered with pearls and
coral, she hastily quitted the box at the moment when the curtain was
rising upon the fourth act.

"Do you observe," said the Countess G---- to Albert, who had returned
to her side, "that man does nothing like other people; he listens most
devoutly to the third act of 'Robert le Diable,' and when the fourth
begins, takes his departure."

Chapter 54. A Flurry in Stocks.

Some days after this meeting, Albert de Morcerf visited the Count of
Monte Cristo at his house in the Champs Elysees, which had already
assumed that palace-like appearance which the count's princely fortune
enabled him to give even to his most temporary residences. He came to
renew the thanks of Madame Danglars which had been already conveyed to
the count through the medium of a letter, signed "Baronne Danglars,
nee Hermine de Servieux." Albert was accompanied by Lucien Debray, who,
joining in his friend's conversation, added some passing compliments,
the source of which the count's talent for finesse easily enabled him to
guess. He was convinced that Lucien's visit was due to a double feeling
of curiosity, the larger half of which sentiment emanated from the
Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin. In short, Madame Danglars, not being able
personally to examine in detail the domestic economy and household
arrangements of a man who gave away horses worth 30,000 francs and who
went to the opera with a Greek slave wearing diamonds to the amount of a
million of money, had deputed those eyes, by which she was accustomed
to see, to give her a faithful account of the mode of life of this
incomprehensible person. But the count did not appear to suspect that
there could be the slightest connection between Lucien's visit and the
curiosity of the baroness.

"You are in constant communication with the Baron Danglars?" the count
inquired of Albert de Morcerf.

"Yes, count, you know what I told you?"

"All remains the same, then, in that quarter?"

"It is more than ever a settled thing," said Lucien,--and, considering
that this remark was all that he was at that time called upon to make,
he adjusted the glass to his eye, and biting the top of his gold headed
cane, began to make the tour of the apartment, examining the arms and
the pictures.

"Ah," said Monte Cristo "I did not expect that the affair would be so
promptly concluded."

"Oh, things take their course without our assistance. While we are
forgetting