sual calm
demeanor, Franz rose with the audience, and was about to join the
loud, enthusiastic applause that followed; but suddenly his purpose was
arrested, his hands fell by his sides, and the half-uttered "bravos"
expired on his lips. The occupant of the box in which the Greek girl sat
appeared to share the universal admiration that prevailed; for he left
his seat to stand up in front, so that, his countenance being fully
revealed, Franz had no difficulty in recognizing him as the mysterious
inhabitant of Monte Cristo, and the very same person he had encountered
the preceding evening in the ruins of the Colosseum, and whose voice and
figure had seemed so familiar to him. All doubt of his identity was now
at an end; his singular host evidently resided at Rome. The surprise
and agitation occasioned by this full confirmation of Franz's former
suspicion had no doubt imparted a corresponding expression to his
features; for the countess, after gazing with a puzzled look at
his face, burst into a fit of laughter, and begged to know what had
happened. "Countess," returned Franz, totally unheeding her raillery, "I
asked you a short time since if you knew any particulars respecting the
Albanian lady opposite; I must now beseech you to inform me who and what
is her husband?"

"Nay," answered the countess, "I know no more of him than yourself."

"Perhaps you never before noticed him?"

"What a question--so truly French! Do you not know that we Italians have
eyes only for the man we love?"

"True," replied Franz.

"All I can say is," continued the countess, taking up the lorgnette,
and directing it toward the box in question, "that the gentleman, whose
history I am unable to furnish, seems to me as though he had just
been dug up; he looks more like a corpse permitted by some friendly
grave-digger to quit his tomb for a while, and revisit this earth of
ours, than anything human. How ghastly pale he is!"

"Oh, he is always as colorless as you now see him," said Franz.

"Then you know him?" almost screamed the countess. "Oh, pray do, for
heaven's sake, tell us all about--is he a vampire, or a resuscitated
corpse, or what?"

"I fancy I have seen him before; and I even think he recognizes me."

"And I can well understand," said the countess, shrugging up her
beautiful shoulders, as though an involuntary shudder passed through her
veins, "that those who have once seen that man will never be likely
to forget him." The sensati