Mercedes, if
you please."

"We must excuse our worthy neighbor, Caderousse," said Dantes, "he is so
easily mistaken."

"So, then, the wedding is to take place immediately, M. Dantes," said
Danglars, bowing to the young couple.

"As soon as possible, M. Danglars; to-day all preliminaries will be
arranged at my father's, and to-morrow, or next day at latest, the
wedding festival here at La Reserve. My friends will be there, I hope;
that is to say, you are invited, M. Danglars, and you, Caderousse."

"And Fernand," said Caderousse with a chuckle; "Fernand, too, is
invited!"

"My wife's brother is my brother," said Edmond; "and we, Mercedes and I,
should be very sorry if he were absent at such a time."

Fernand opened his mouth to reply, but his voice died on his lips, and
he could not utter a word.

"To-day the preliminaries, to-morrow or next day the ceremony! You are
in a hurry, captain!"

"Danglars," said Edmond, smiling, "I will say to you as Mercedes said
just now to Caderousse, 'Do not give me a title which does not belong to
me'; that may bring me bad luck."

"Your pardon," replied Danglars, "I merely said you seemed in a hurry,
and we have lots of time; the Pharaon cannot be under weigh again in
less than three months."

"We are always in a hurry to be happy, M. Danglars; for when we have
suffered a long time, we have great difficulty in believing in good
fortune. But it is not selfishness alone that makes me thus in haste; I
must go to Paris."

"Ah, really?--to Paris! and will it be the first time you have ever been
there, Dantes?"

"Yes."

"Have you business there?"

"Not of my own; the last commission of poor Captain Leclere; you know
to what I allude, Danglars--it is sacred. Besides, I shall only take the
time to go and return."

"Yes, yes, I understand," said Danglars, and then in a low tone, he
added, "To Paris, no doubt to deliver the letter which the grand marshal
gave him. Ah, this letter gives me an idea--a capital idea! Ah; Dantes,
my friend, you are not yet registered number one on board the good ship
Pharaon;" then turning towards Edmond, who was walking away, "A pleasant
journey," he cried.

"Thank you," said Edmond with a friendly nod, and the two lovers
continued on their way, as calm and joyous as if they were the very
elect of heaven.

Chapter 4. Conspiracy.

Danglars followed Edmond and Mercedes with his eyes until the two lovers
disappeared behind one of the angle