ome, gentlemen, let us all propose some
place. Where shall we lodge this new guest in our great capital?"

"Faubourg Saint-Germain," said Chateau-Renaud. "The count will find
there a charming hotel, with a court and garden."

"Bah, Chateau-Renaud," returned Debray, "you only know your dull
and gloomy Faubourg Saint-Germain; do not pay any attention to him,
count--live in the Chaussee d'Antin, that's the real centre of Paris."

"Boulevard de l'Opera," said Beauchamp; "the second floor--a house with
a balcony. The count will have his cushions of silver cloth brought
there, and as he smokes his chibouque, see all Paris pass before him."

"You have no idea, then, Morrel?" asked Chateau-Renaud; "you do not
propose anything."

"Oh, yes," returned the young man, smiling; "on the contrary, I have
one, but I expected the count would be tempted by one of the brilliant
proposals made him, yet as he has not replied to any of them, I will
venture to offer him a suite of apartments in a charming hotel, in the
Pompadour style, that my sister has inhabited for a year, in the Rue
Meslay."

"You have a sister?" asked the count.

"Yes, monsieur, a most excellent sister."

"Married?"

"Nearly nine years."

"Happy?" asked the count again.

"As happy as it is permitted to a human creature to be," replied
Maximilian. "She married the man she loved, who remained faithful to
us in our fallen fortunes--Emmanuel Herbaut." Monte Cristo smiled
imperceptibly. "I live there during my leave of absence," continued
Maximilian; "and I shall be, together with my brother-in-law Emmanuel,
at the disposition of the Count, whenever he thinks fit to honor us."

"One minute," cried Albert, without giving Monte Cristo the time to
reply. "Take care, you are going to immure a traveller, Sinbad the
Sailor, a man who comes to see Paris; you are going to make a patriarch
of him."

"Oh, no," said Morrel; "my sister is five and twenty, my brother-in-law
is thirty, they are gay, young, and happy. Besides, the count will be in
his own house, and only see them when he thinks fit to do so."

"Thanks, monsieur," said Monte Cristo; "I shall content myself with
being presented to your sister and her husband, if you will do me the
honor to introduce me; but I cannot accept the offer of any one of these
gentlemen, since my habitation is already prepared."

"What," cried Morcerf; "you are, then, going to an hotel--that will be
very dull for you."

"Was I so