away without fulfilling your original
intentions?" The old man winked violently. "Well, sir," said the young
girl, "do you understand now, and is your conscience perfectly at rest
on the subject?" But before the notary could answer, Villefort had drawn
him aside. "Sir," said he, "do you suppose for a moment that a man can
sustain a physical shock, such as M. Noirtier has received, without any
detriment to his mental faculties?"

"It is not exactly that, sir," said the notary, "which makes me uneasy,
but the difficulty will be in wording his thoughts and intentions, so as
to be able to get his answers."

"You must see that to be an utter impossibility," said Villefort.
Valentine and the old man heard this conversation, and Noirtier fixed
his eye so earnestly on Valentine that she felt bound to answer to the
look.

"Sir," said she, "that need not make you uneasy, however difficult it
may at first sight appear to be. I can discover and explain to you my
grandfather's thoughts, so as to put an end to all your doubts and fears
on the subject. I have now been six years with M. Noirtier, and let him
tell you if ever once, during that time, he has entertained a thought
which he was unable to make me understand."

"No," signed the old man.

"Let us try what we can do, then," said the notary. "You accept this
young lady as your interpreter, M. Noirtier?"

"Yes."

"Well, sir, what do you require of me, and what document is it that you
wish to be drawn up?" Valentine named all the letters of the alphabet
until she came to W. At this letter the eloquent eye of Noirtier gave
her notice that she was to stop. "It is very evident that it is the
letter W which M. Noirtier wants," said the notary. "Wait,"
said Valentine; and, turning to her grandfather, she repeated,
"Wa--We--Wi"--The old man stopped her at the last syllable. Valentine
then took the dictionary, and the notary watched her while she turned
over the pages. She passed her finger slowly down the columns, and when
she came to the word "Will," M. Noirtier's eye bade her stop. "Will,"
said the notary; "it is very evident that M. Noirtier is desirous of
making his will."

"Yes, yes, yes," motioned the invalid.

"Really, sir, you must allow that this is most extraordinary," said
the astonished notary, turning to M. de Villefort. "Yes," said the
procureur, "and I think the will promises to be yet more extraordinary,
for I cannot see how it is to be drawn up without the i