10
THE BRIDE OF MONTE-CRISTO.




!
,
and now you have stolen my child and taken my Maximilian s love
away from me.   We were so happy before you came."
Haydee withdrew her embrace and seized Valentine by either arm.
" Valentine," she said, " you are talking foolishly. 1 only took
your child to save it from its enemies. Could you not trust even
your child's life with me?"
"Yes yes- forgive me, dear friend. I was mad, yes, mad, like
my poor father. The sins of the fathers cannot be taken from the
children."
"Will you come with me?"
"Where?"
" To my house in the Champs Elysees."
" Yes, if you will let me see Edmond and Maximilian."
"1 will do so."
" Then I will go with you at once."
Haydee glanced inquiringly toward the physician; the eyes of
Julie followed her glance, and also rested on his face.
He understood the meaning of the glances.
" Yes," he answered.    " If any person can save her, this lady
can."
" Then we will go at once," Julie said, eagerly. Come, Valen-
tine, and let me help you to dress."
" 1 will leave you until you are ready," Haydee said.   " I wish
to speak a few words with this gentleman here."
The physician followed her into an adjoining apartment.
" Do you think her reason will survive the shock?" she asked,
when he had closed the door.
"Under your influence I have every hope that it may. If you
can manage to humor her until her husband returns, there is little
doubt all will be well."
" I shall do my best," Haydee said, " and have little doubt I shall
succeed. My husband had mastered nearly all the secrets of the
human mind, and from him 1 gained a little smattering of knowl-
edge."
" 1 have already seen, madame, that apart from your beauty you
have a marvelous power over the human will. Pardon me, but I
speak only as a man of science, nor think me impertinent if 1 ask
you the name of your husband."
' ' He was known as the Count of Monte-Cristo, ' ' Haydee, answered.
" Monte-Cristo!" the physician repeated. " Can it be possible you
are the wife of that wonderful man?"
" Yes," Haydee answered.   " Were you acquainted with him?"
" Not personally; but I know of him through Dr. D'Aurigny."
" 1 have heard my husband speak of the physician in question.
He was the family physician of Monsieur de Villefort."
" He was, madame. ' '
" And your own name, monsieur?"
" D'Aumale."
" Can I be honored by retaining you as one of my physicians?"
" The honor will be altogether on my side, madame."
" Then it is settled.   You will accompany poor Madame Morrel
and myself to my house?"
" 1 am entirely at your commands. "
Before there was time for any more to be said, Julie, accompanied
by Valentine, made her appearance.
Haydee advanced and took both Valentine's hands in her own.
" You do not fear me now?" she said, tenderly.
" Forgive me, my benefactress," Valentine murmured.
" There is nothing to forgive, " Hay dee said.    "Nothing but love
and pity in my heart for you.   Come now, the carriage is waiting. "
Placing her arm about the other's waist, she led her down-stairs to
the front door, at which the carriage was waiting; a sergeant of gen
darmes stood there on guard.
He saluted respectfully as the trio approached.
" Pardon, mesdames," he said, " but I have no authority to allow
any person to leave the house until the arrival of the prefect."
" We must leave it, nevertheless," Haydee replied. " As soon as
Monsieur the Prefect arrives, send him to my residence, 35 Rue de
Champs Elysees."
" Your name, madame?"
" I am the Countess of Monte-Cristo.   Your own?"
" Pierre Dumazard, madame," the sergeant, on whom the name
evidently made a great impression, replied with a military salute.
" Then call at my house to-morrow, and if you suffer any blame
for your actions, my steward will recompense you well. "¦
Without any further objection the sergeant stood aside and allowed
the party 1o pass and enter the carriage, which, drawn by two mag-
nificent horses, in a short time conveyed them to the countess'
house.
Though the hour was late, considerably past midnight, there was
no sign of any of the inmates having retired.
A. whole staff of servants were on duty inthe magnificent entrance
hall, and a chamberlain in gorgeous uniform led the way to a suite
of rooms on the second floor.
Haydee still retained Valentine's hand in her own; during the
ride but few words had passed, but the occasional pressure gave the
poor mother more assurance than any words could have done.
When the antechamber was reached the countess dismissed the
chamberlain, and turning to Dr. D'Aumale, said:
" Be kind enough to wait here a short while, doctor. 1 think I
can in this case be the best physician."
" 1 have every confidence in that supposition, madame," the doc.
tor answered, bowing, "and shall be well satisfied to wait here
until morning if my services are not required."
The countess, accompanied by Julie and Valentine, passed into the
next apartment, which was an elegantly furnished sitting-room, one
of the walls of which was adorned with a full length portrait of the
count in his character of Sinbad the Sailor.
Haydee paused before it, and repeated the words:
" Wait and hope."
Then turning to Julie she whispered a few words in her ear.
An involuntary cry of astonishment left Julie's lips?
"Impossible!" she ejaculated.
A smile that seemed a reflection of that on the pictured face on
the wall played upon the countess' lips.
" Come," she said.
With a hand in that of each of her companions she raised a
portiere of Gobelin tapestry that concealed a door leading into an-
other apartment. The tapestry fell again as they passed through,
and for the space of half an hour or more was not again raised. Then
Haydee came out alone.
Passing through the sitting-room to the antechamber, she found
the physician still awaiting her.
" How is the patient now?" he asked.
" She is asleep," was the answer. " I gave her a powerful, but
harmless sleeping draught, and her slumber is tranquil as that ofa
child."
" 1 bow to a skill superior to my own," D'Aumale said, with an
air of the deepest respect, " and presume there is no need of my re-
maining any longer."
" But you will call to-morrow, will you not? If not as a physician,
at least as a friend."
" I shall be honored, madame.''
The countess gave him her hand, which he raised respectfullj to
his lips, and then took his leave.
Hardly had he done so than the chamberlain announced:
" Monsieur the Prefect of Police."
CHAPTER IX.
INVESTIGATIONS.
As the chamberlain announced the official's visit, a peculiar smile
flitted for an instant over the Countess of Monte-Cristo's face.
' ' Admit him, ' ' she commanded.
The chamberlain, with a low bow, quitted the antechamber, while
the countess passed into the central apartment.
Hardly had she seated herself than the visitor was ushered in.
He was a middle-aged man, rather corpulent, with a pompous air,,
and wearing the red ribbon of the legion in his button-hole.
He bowed and asked:                                                      ,
" Do 1 err in supposing 1 address the Countess of Monte Cristo.
" Such is my title, sir."                                          %    n
" Allow me to introduce myself as the Prefect, of Police.
" My chamberlain has already informed me such was your officiai
position.   Otherwise you would scarcely have been admitted at this-
hour."
The prefect's face grew a little red at the words of the countess.
" You are right, madame," he answered, " and having come   -
my official character, the fact implies that 1 come on official
ness."
The countess slightly inclined her head in assent.                    »e
" Therefore you must not think me discourteous if 1 mter ë
you."
" Certainly not, sir."                                         1            nf M*-
" Then what do you know of the affair of the abduction
dame Morrel's child?"                                                     flerbault
' ' Very little.   1 chanced to call at the house of Madame a
just as Madame Morrel discovered her loss."
' ' You are an old friend of both ladies ? "                            were
" Oh, yes, and they were friends of my husband before     .
of mine."