ia--I have sailed two months in the
Archipelago, and yet I never saw even the shadow of a bandit or a
pirate."

"I did not tell your excellency this to deter you from your project,"
replied Gaetano, "but you questioned me, and I have answered; that's
all."

"Yes, and your conversation is most interesting; and as I wish to enjoy
it as long as possible, steer for Monte Cristo."

The wind blew strongly, the boat made six or seven knots an hour, and
they were rapidly reaching the end of their voyage. As they drew near
the island seemed to lift from the sea, and the air was so clear that
they could already distinguish the rocks heaped on one another, like
cannon balls in an arsenal, with green bushes and trees growing in the
crevices. As for the sailors, although they appeared perfectly tranquil
yet it was evident that they were on the alert, and that they carefully
watched the glassy surface over which they were sailing, and on which a
few fishing-boats, with their white sails, were alone visible. They were
within fifteen miles of Monte Cristo when the sun began to set behind
Corsica, whose mountains appeared against the sky, showing their rugged
peaks in bold relief; this mass of rock, like the giant Adamastor, rose
dead ahead, a formidable barrier, and intercepting the light that gilded
its massive peaks so that the voyagers were in shadow. Little by little
the shadow rose higher and seemed to drive before it the last rays of
the expiring day; at last the reflection rested on the summit of the
mountain, where it paused an instant, like the fiery crest of a volcano,
then gloom gradually covered the summit as it had covered the base, and
the island now only appeared to be a gray mountain that grew continually
darker; half an hour after, the night was quite dark.

Fortunately, the mariners were used to these latitudes, and knew every
rock in the Tuscan Archipelago; for in the midst of this obscurity Franz
was not without uneasiness--Corsica had long since disappeared, and
Monte Cristo itself was invisible; but the sailors seemed, like the
lynx, to see in the dark, and the pilot who steered did not evince the
slightest hesitation. An hour had passed since the sun had set, when
Franz fancied he saw, at a quarter of a mile to the left, a dark mass,
but he could not precisely make out what it was, and fearing to excite
the mirth of the sailors by mistaking a floating cloud for land, he
remained silent; suddenly a great light