of my friends, the Abbe Busoni, whom you perhaps saw pass
by, has just arrived in Paris; not having seen him for a long time, I
could not make up my mind to leave him sooner, so I hope this will be
sufficient reason for my having made you wait."

"Nay," said Danglars, "it is my fault; I have chosen my visit at a wrong
time, and will retire."

"Not at all; on the contrary, be seated; but what is the matter
with you? You look careworn; really, you alarm me. Melancholy in a
capitalist, like the appearance of a comet, presages some misfortune to
the world."

"I have been in ill-luck for several days," said Danglars, "and I have
heard nothing but bad news."

"Ah, indeed?" said Monte Cristo. "Have you had another fall at the
Bourse?"

"No; I am safe for a few days at least. I am only annoyed about a
bankrupt of Trieste."

"Really? Does it happen to be Jacopo Manfredi?"

"Exactly so. Imagine a man who has transacted business with me for I
don't know how long, to the amount of 800,000 or 900,000 francs during
the year. Never a mistake or delay--a fellow who paid like a prince.
Well, I was a million in advance with him, and now my fine Jacopo
Manfredi suspends payment!"

"Really?"

"It is an unheard-of fatality. I draw upon him for 600,000. francs, my
bills are returned unpaid, and, more than that, I hold bills of
exchange signed by him to the value of 400,000. francs, payable at his
correspondent's in Paris at the end of this month. To-day is the 30th.
I present them; but my correspondent has disappeared. This, with my
Spanish affairs, made a pretty end to the month."

"Then you really lost by that affair in Spain?"

"Yes; only 700,000 francs out of my cash-box--nothing more!"

"Why, how could you make such a mistake--such an old stager?"

"Oh, it is all my wife's fault. She dreamed Don Carlos had returned to
Spain; she believes in dreams. It is magnetism, she says, and when she
dreams a thing it is sure to happen, she assures me. On this conviction
I allow her to speculate, she having her bank and her stockbroker; she
speculated and lost. It is true she speculates with her own money, not
mine; nevertheless, you can understand that when 700,000. francs leave
the wife's pocket, the husband always finds it out. But do you mean to
say you have not heard of this? Why, the thing has made a tremendous
noise."

"Yes, I heard it spoken of, but I did not know the details, and then no
one can be more ignorant than I a