id me the
honor to bring his daughter. In that case your mother would hold me in
aversion, and I do not at all wish that; on the contrary, I desire to
stand high in her esteem."

"Indeed, count," said Morcerf, "I thank you sincerely for having used so
much candor towards me, and I gratefully accept the exclusion which you
propose. You say you desire my mother's good opinion; I assure you it is
already yours to a very unusual extent."

"Do you think so?" said Monte Cristo, with interest.

"Oh, I am sure of it; we talked of you an hour after you left us the
other day. But to return to what we were saying. If my mother could know
of this attention on your part--and I will venture to tell her--I am
sure that she will be most grateful to you; it is true that my father
will be equally angry." The count laughed. "Well," said he to Morcerf,
"but I think your father will not be the only angry one; M. and Madame
Danglars will think me a very ill-mannered person. They know that I
am intimate with you--that you are, in fact; one of the oldest of my
Parisian acquaintances--and they will not find you at my house; they
will certainly ask me why I did not invite you. Be sure to provide
yourself with some previous engagement which shall have a semblance of
probability, and communicate the fact to me by a line in writing. You
know that with bankers nothing but a written document will be valid."

"I will do better than that," said Albert; "my mother is wishing to go
to the sea-side--what day is fixed for your dinner?"

"Saturday."

"This is Tuesday--well, to-morrow evening we leave, and the day after we
shall be at Treport. Really, count, you have a delightful way of setting
people at their ease."

"Indeed, you give me more credit than I deserve; I only wish to do what
will be agreeable to you, that is all."

"When shall you send your invitations?"

"This very day."

"Well, I will immediately call on M. Danglars, and tell him that my
mother and myself must leave Paris to-morrow. I have not seen you,
consequently I know nothing of your dinner."

"How foolish you are! Have you forgotten that M. Debray has just seen
you at my house?"

"Ah, true."

"Fix it this way. I have seen you, and invited you without any ceremony,
when you instantly answered that it would be impossible for you to
accept, as you were going to Treport."

"Well, then, that is settled; but you will come and call on my mother
before to-morrow?"

"Before