mpanied by all the leading men of the day at the bar, in literature,
or the army, for M. de Villefort moved in the first Parisian circles,
less owing to his social position than to his personal merit. The cousin
standing at the door ushered in the guests, and it was rather a relief
to the indifferent to see a person as unmoved as themselves, and who did
not exact a mournful face or force tears, as would have been the case
with a father, a brother, or a lover. Those who were acquainted
soon formed into little groups. One of them was made of Debray,
Chateau-Renaud, and Beauchamp.

"Poor girl," said Debray, like the rest, paying an involuntary tribute
to the sad event,--"poor girl, so young, so rich, so beautiful! Could
you have imagined this scene, Chateau-Renaud, when we saw her, at the
most three weeks ago, about to sign that contract?"

"Indeed, no," said Chateau-Renaud--"Did you know her?"

"I spoke to her once or twice at Madame de Morcerf's, among the rest;
she appeared to me charming, though rather melancholy. Where is her
stepmother? Do you know?"

"She is spending the day with the wife of the worthy gentleman who is
receiving us."

"Who is he?"

"Whom do you mean?"

"The gentleman who receives us? Is he a deputy?"

"Oh, no. I am condemned to witness those gentlemen every day," said
Beauchamp; "but he is perfectly unknown to me."

"Have you mentioned this death in your paper?"

"It has been mentioned, but the article is not mine; indeed, I doubt if
it will please M. Villefort, for it says that if four successive deaths
had happened anywhere else than in the house of the king's attorney, he
would have interested himself somewhat more about it."

"Still," said Chateau-Renaud, "Dr. d'Avrigny, who attends my mother,
declares he is in despair about it. But whom are you seeking, Debray?"

"I am seeking the Count of Monte Cristo" said the young man.

"I met him on the boulevard, on my way here," said Beauchamp. "I think
he is about to leave Paris; he was going to his banker."

"His banker? Danglars is his banker, is he not?" asked Chateau-Renaud of
Debray.

"I believe so," replied the secretary with slight uneasiness. "But Monte
Cristo is not the only one I miss here; I do not see Morrel."

"Morrel? Do they know him?" asked Chateau-Renaud. "I think he has only
been introduced to Madame de Villefort."

"Still, he ought to have been here," said Debray; "I wonder what will
be talked about to-night; this