s had no fire in that cold and naked
room--she, who was accustomed to stoves which heated the house from
the hall to the boudoir; she had not even one little flower--she whose
apartment had been a conservatory of costly exotics. But she had her
son. Hitherto the excitement of fulfilling a duty had sustained them.
Excitement, like enthusiasm, sometimes renders us unconscious to the
things of earth. But the excitement had calmed down, and they felt
themselves obliged to descend from dreams to reality; after having
exhausted the ideal, they found they must talk of the actual.

"Mother," exclaimed Albert, just as Madame Danglars was descending the
stairs, "let us reckon our riches, if you please; I want capital to
build my plans upon."

"Capital--nothing!" replied Mercedes with a mournful smile.

"No, mother,--capital 3,000 francs. And I have an idea of our leading a
delightful life upon this 3,000 francs."

"Child!" sighed Mercedes.

"Alas, dear mother," said the young man, "I have unhappily spent too
much of your money not to know the value of it. These 3,000 francs
are enormous, and I intend building upon this foundation a miraculous
certainty for the future."

"You say this, my dear boy; but do you think we ought to accept these
3,000 francs?" said Mercedes, coloring.

"I think so," answered Albert in a firm tone. "We will accept them the
more readily, since we have them not here; you know they are buried in
the garden of the little house in the Allees de Meillan, at Marseilles.
With 200 francs we can reach Marseilles."

"With 200 francs?--are you sure, Albert?"

"Oh, as for that, I have made inquiries respecting the diligences and
steamboats, and my calculations are made. You will take your place
in the coupe to Chalons. You see, mother, I treat you handsomely for
thirty-five francs." Albert then took a pen, and wrote:--

Frs.
Coupe, thirty-five francs.............................. 35.
From Chalons to Lyons you will go on by the steamboat.. 6.
From Lyons to Avignon (still by steamboat)............. 16.
From Avignon to Marseilles, seven francs............... 7.
Expenses on the road, about fifty francs............... 50.
Total................................................. 114 frs.

"Let us put down 120," added Albert, smiling. "You see I am generous, am
I not, mother?"

"But you, my poor child?"

"I? do you not see that I reserve e