ct, had followed the reading of the letter, and
instinctively comprehended all the misery which such a denunciation
must entail. "Yes, and that's all settled; only it will be an infamous
shame;" and he stretched out his hand to reach the letter.

"Yes," said Danglars, taking it from beyond his reach; "and as what I
say and do is merely in jest, and I, amongst the first and foremost,
should be sorry if anything happened to Dantes--the worthy Dantes--look
here!" And taking the letter, he squeezed it up in his hands and threw
it into a corner of the arbor.

"All right!" said Caderousse. "Dantes is my friend, and I won't have him
ill-used."

"And who thinks of using him ill? Certainly neither I nor Fernand,"
said Danglars, rising and looking at the young man, who still remained
seated, but whose eye was fixed on the denunciatory sheet of paper flung
into the corner.

"In this case," replied Caderousse, "let's have some more wine. I wish
to drink to the health of Edmond and the lovely Mercedes."

"You have had too much already, drunkard," said Danglars; "and if you
continue, you will be compelled to sleep here, because unable to stand
on your legs."

"I?" said Caderousse, rising with all the offended dignity of a drunken
man, "I can't keep on my legs? Why, I'll wager I can go up into the
belfry of the Accoules, and without staggering, too!"

"Done!" said Danglars, "I'll take your bet; but to-morrow--to-day it is
time to return. Give me your arm, and let us go."

"Very well, let us go," said Caderousse; "but I don't want your arm at
all. Come, Fernand, won't you return to Marseilles with us?"

"No," said Fernand; "I shall return to the Catalans."

"You're wrong. Come with us to Marseilles--come along."

"I will not."

"What do you mean? you will not? Well, just as you like, my prince;
there's liberty for all the world. Come along, Danglars, and let the
young gentleman return to the Catalans if he chooses."

Danglars took advantage of Caderousse's temper at the moment, to take
him off towards Marseilles by the Porte Saint-Victor, staggering as he
went.

When they had advanced about twenty yards, Danglars looked back and
saw Fernand stoop, pick up the crumpled paper, and putting it into his
pocket then rush out of the arbor towards Pillon.

"Well," said Caderousse, "why, what a lie he told! He said he was going
to the Catalans, and he is going to the city. Hallo, Fernand!"

"Oh, you don't see straight," said