you,
'Assassin, you have killed my child!'--hold--if that should happen,
although I am a Christian, M. d'Avrigny, I should kill myself."

"Well," said the doctor, after a moment's silence, "I will wait."
Villefort looked at him as if he had doubted his words. "Only,"
continued M. d'Avrigny, with a slow and solemn tone, "if any one falls
ill in your house, if you feel yourself attacked, do not send for me,
for I will come no more. I will consent to share this dreadful secret
with you, but I will not allow shame and remorse to grow and increase in
my conscience, as crime and misery will in your house."

"Then you abandon me, doctor?"

"Yes, for I can follow you no farther, and I only stop at the foot of
the scaffold. Some further discovery will be made, which will bring this
dreadful tragedy to a close. Adieu."

"I entreat you, doctor!"

"All the horrors that disturb my thoughts make your house odious and
fatal. Adieu, sir."

"One word--one single word more, doctor! You go, leaving me in all the
horror of my situation, after increasing it by what you have revealed
to me. But what will be reported of the sudden death of the poor old
servant?"

"True," said M. d'Avrigny; "we will return." The doctor went out first,
followed by M. de Villefort. The terrified servants were on the stairs
and in the passage where the doctor would pass. "Sir," said d'Avrigny
to Villefort, so loud that all might hear, "poor Barrois has led too
sedentary a life of late; accustomed formerly to ride on horseback,
or in the carriage, to the four corners of Europe, the monotonous walk
around that arm-chair has killed him--his blood has thickened. He was
stout, had a short, thick neck; he was attacked with apoplexy, and I was
called in too late. By the way," added he in a low tone, "take care to
throw away that cup of syrup of violets in the ashes."

The doctor, without shaking hands with Villefort, without adding a word
to what he had said, went out, amid the tears and lamentations of the
whole household. The same evening all Villefort's servants, who had
assembled in the kitchen, and had a long consultation, came to
tell Madame de Villefort that they wished to leave. No entreaty, no
proposition of increased wages, could induce them to remain; to every
argument they replied, "We must go, for death is in this house." They
all left, in spite of prayers and entreaties, testifying their regret
at leaving so good a master and mistress, and especi