ely afterwards the window would be
closed, like a gravestone falling on a sepulchre, and the neighbors
would say to each other in a low voice, "Will there be another funeral
to-day at the procureur's house?" Madame Danglars involuntarily
shuddered at the desolate aspect of the mansion; descending from the
cab, she approached the door with trembling knees, and rang the bell.
Three times did the bell ring with a dull, heavy sound, seeming to
participate, in the general sadness, before the concierge appeared and
peeped through the door, which he opened just wide enough to allow his
words to be heard. He saw a lady, a fashionable, elegantly dressed lady,
and yet the door remained almost closed.

"Do you intend opening the door?" said the baroness.

"First, madame, who are you?"

"Who am I? You know me well enough."

"We no longer know any one, madame."

"You must be mad, my friend," said the baroness.

"Where do you come from?"

"Oh, this is too much!"

"Madame, these are my orders; excuse me. Your name?"

"The baroness Danglars; you have seen me twenty times."

"Possibly, madame. And now, what do you want?"

"Oh, how extraordinary! I shall complain to M. de Villefort of the
impertinence of his servants."

"Madame, this is precaution, not impertinence; no one enters here
without an order from M. d'Avrigny, or without speaking to the
procureur."

"Well, I have business with the procureur."

"Is it pressing business?"

"You can imagine so, since I have not even brought my carriage out yet.
But enough of this--here is my card, take it to your master."

"Madame will await my return?"

"Yes; go." The concierge closed the door, leaving Madame Danglars in
the street. She had not long to wait; directly afterwards the door was
opened wide enough to admit her, and when she had passed through, it was
again shut. Without losing sight of her for an instant, the concierge
took a whistle from his pocket as soon as they entered the court, and
blew it. The valet de chambre appeared on the door-steps. "You will
excuse this poor fellow, madame," he said, as he preceded the baroness,
"but his orders are precise, and M. de Villefort begged me to tell you
that he could not act otherwise."

In the court showing his merchandise, was a tradesman who had been
admitted with the same precautions. The baroness ascended the steps; she
felt herself strongly infected with the sadness which seemed to magnify
her own, and still guide