ever renounce the sentiment which has instinctively taken possession
of my mind. I feel as if it were ordained that this man should be
associated with all the good which the future may have in store for me,
and sometimes it really seems as if his eye was able to see what was to
come, and his hand endowed with the power of directing events according
to his own will."

"He must be a prophet, then," said Valentine, smiling.

"Indeed," said Maximilian, "I have often been almost tempted to
attribute to him the gift of prophecy; at all events, he has a wonderful
power of foretelling any future good."

"Ah," said Valentine in a mournful tone, "do let me see this man,
Maximilian; he may tell me whether I shall ever be loved sufficiently to
make amends for all I have suffered."

"My poor girl, you know him already."

"I know him?"

"Yes; it was he who saved the life of your step-mother and her son."

"The Count of Monte Cristo?"

"The same."

"Ah," cried Valentine, "he is too much the friend of Madame de Villefort
ever to be mine."

"The friend of Madame de Villefort! It cannot be; surely, Valentine, you
are mistaken?"

"No, indeed, I am not; for I assure you, his power over our household
is almost unlimited. Courted by my step-mother, who regards him as the
epitome of human wisdom; admired by my father, who says he has never
before heard such sublime ideas so eloquently expressed; idolized by
Edward, who, notwithstanding his fear of the count's large black eyes,
runs to meet him the moment he arrives, and opens his hand, in which he
is sure to find some delightful present,--M. de Monte Cristo appears
to exert a mysterious and almost uncontrollable influence over all the
members of our family."

"If such be the case, my dear Valentine, you must yourself have felt,
or at all events will soon feel, the effects of his presence. He meets
Albert de Morcerf in Italy--it is to rescue him from the hands of the
banditti; he introduces himself to Madame Danglars--it is that he may
give her a royal present; your step-mother and her son pass before his
door--it is that his Nubian may save them from destruction. This man
evidently possesses the power of influencing events, both as regards
men and things. I never saw more simple tastes united to greater
magnificence. His smile is so sweet when he addresses me, that I forget
it ever can be bitter to others. Ah, Valentine, tell me, if he ever
looked on you with one of those swee