from Valentine's room."

Morrel rang immediately for the servant who had taken Barrois's
situation, and in Noirtier's name gave that order. The servant soon
returned. The decanter and the glass were completely empty. Noirtier
made a sign that he wished to speak. "Why are the glass and decanter
empty?" asked he; "Valentine said she only drank half the glassful." The
translation of this new question occupied another five minutes. "I
do not know," said the servant, "but the housemaid is in Mademoiselle
Valentine's room: perhaps she has emptied them."

"Ask her," said Morrel, translating Noirtier's thought this time by
his look. The servant went out, but returned almost immediately.
"Mademoiselle Valentine passed through the room to go to Madame de
Villefort's," said he; "and in passing, as she was thirsty, she drank
what remained in the glass; as for the decanter, Master Edward had
emptied that to make a pond for his ducks." Noirtier raised his eyes to
heaven, as a gambler does who stakes his all on one stroke. From that
moment the old man's eyes were fixed on the door, and did not quit it.

It was indeed Madame Danglars and her daughter whom Valentine had seen;
they had been ushered into Madame de Villefort's room, who had said she
would receive them there. That is why Valentine passed through her room,
which was on a level with Valentine's, and only separated from it by
Edward's. The two ladies entered the drawing-room with that sort of
official stiffness which preludes a formal communication. Among worldly
people manner is contagious. Madame de Villefort received them with
equal solemnity. Valentine entered at this moment, and the formalities
were resumed. "My dear friend," said the baroness, while the two young
people were shaking hands, "I and Eugenie are come to be the first to
announce to you the approaching marriage of my daughter with Prince
Cavalcanti." Danglars kept up the title of prince. The popular banker
found that it answered better than count. "Allow me to present you
my sincere congratulations," replied Madame de Villefort. "Prince
Cavalcanti appears to be a young man of rare qualities."

"Listen," said the baroness, smiling; "speaking to you as a friend I can
say that the prince does not yet appear all he will be. He has about him
a little of that foreign manner by which French persons recognize, at
first sight, the Italian or German nobleman. Besides, he gives evidence
of great kindness of dispositio