your father had no hand
whatever in the defeat and death of the vizier; or if by chance he had,
indeed, the misfortune to"--

"I have told you, my dear count, that I would not for one moment admit
of such a proposition."

"You reject this means of information, then?"

"I do--most decidedly."

"Then let me offer one more word of advice."

"Do so, then, but let it be the last."

"You do not wish to hear it, perhaps?"

"On the contrary, I request it."

"Do not take any witnesses with you when you go to Beauchamp--visit him
alone."

"That would be contrary to all custom."

"Your case is not an ordinary one."

"And what is your reason for advising me to go alone?"

"Because then the affair will rest between you and Beauchamp."

"Explain yourself."

"I will do so. If Beauchamp be disposed to retract, you ought at least
to give him the opportunity of doing it of his own free will,--the
satisfaction to you will be the same. If, on the contrary, he refuses
to do so, it will then be quite time enough to admit two strangers into
your secret."

"They will not be strangers, they will be friends."

"Ah, but the friends of to-day are the enemies of to-morrow; Beauchamp,
for instance."

"So you recommend"--

"I recommend you to be prudent."

"Then you advise me to go alone to Beauchamp?"

"I do, and I will tell you why. When you wish to obtain some concession
from a man's self-love, you must avoid even the appearance of wishing to
wound it."

"I believe you are right."

"I am glad of it."

"Then I will go alone."

"Go; but you would do better still by not going at all."

"That is impossible."

"Do so, then; it will be a wiser plan than the first which you
proposed."

"But if, in spite of all my precautions, I am at last obliged to fight,
will you not be my second?"

"My dear viscount," said Monte Cristo gravely, "you must have seen
before to-day that at all times and in all places I have been at your
disposal, but the service which you have just demanded of me is one
which it is out of my power to render you."

"Why?"

"Perhaps you may know at some future period, and in the mean time
I request you to excuse my declining to put you in possession of my
reasons."

"Well, I will have Franz and Chateau-Renaud; they will be the very men
for it."

"Do so, then."

"But if I do fight, you will surely not object to giving me a lesson or
two in shooting and fencing?"

"That, too, is impossible."