t smiles? if so, depend on it, you
will be happy."

"Me?" said the young girl, "he never even glances at me; on the
contrary, if I accidentally cross his path, he appears rather to avoid
me. Ah, he is not generous, neither does he possess that supernatural
penetration which you attribute to him, for if he did, he would have
perceived that I was unhappy; and if he had been generous, seeing me
sad and solitary, he would have used his influence to my advantage, and
since, as you say, he resembles the sun, he would have warmed my heart
with one of his life-giving rays. You say he loves you, Maximilian; how
do you know that he does? All would pay deference to an officer like
you, with a fierce mustache and a long sabre, but they think they may
crush a poor weeping girl with impunity."

"Ah, Valentine, I assure you you are mistaken."

"If it were otherwise--if he treated me diplomatically--that is to say,
like a man who wishes, by some means or other, to obtain a footing in
the house, so that he may ultimately gain the power of dictating to its
occupants--he would, if it had been but once, have honored me with the
smile which you extol so loudly; but no, he saw that I was unhappy,
he understood that I could be of no use to him, and therefore paid no
attention to me whatever. Who knows but that, in order to please Madame
de Villefort and my father, he may not persecute me by every means in
his power? It is not just that he should despise me so, without any
reason. Ah, forgive me," said Valentine, perceiving the effect which her
words were producing on Maximilian: "I have done wrong, for I have given
utterance to thoughts concerning that man which I did not even know
existed in my heart. I do not deny the influence of which you speak,
or that I have not myself experienced it, but with me it has been
productive of evil rather than good."

"Well, Valentine," said Morrel with a sigh, "we will not discuss the
matter further. I will not make a confidant of him."

"Alas," said Valentine, "I see that I have given you pain. I can only
say how sincerely I ask pardon for having griefed you. But, indeed, I am
not prejudiced beyond the power of conviction. Tell me what this Count
of Monte Cristo has done for you."

"I own that your question embarrasses me, Valentine, for I cannot say
that the count has rendered me any ostensible service. Still, as I have
already told you I have an instinctive affection for him, the source of
which I