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"But," said Debray to Beauchamp, "if I spoke to the president, you must have been with the procureur." "It was an impossibility; for the last week M. de Villefort has secluded himself. It is natural enough; this strange chain of domestic afflictions, followed by the no less strange death of his daughter" "Strange? What do you mean, Beauchamp?"
The sanctum had not an attractive look; in fact, it was rather dilapidated, while, in addition, the disorder occasioned by the previous night's work had not been repaired, and all was chaos and confusion. Beauchamp was busily engaged in glancing over the rival morning papers when Lucien Debray entered and seated himself at another desk.
"It is very evident what is the matter with her," said Madame de Villefort; "M. de Monte Cristo is relating horrible stories to us, doubtless intending to frighten us to death." "Yes," said Villefort, "really, count, you frighten the ladies." "What is the matter?" asked Debray, in a whisper, of Madame Danglars. "Nothing," she replied with a violent effort. "I want air, that is all."
Debray shrugged his shoulders. "The idea of asking how I hear the news," he said. The baroness did not wait for a repetition; she ran to her husband, who immediately hastened to his agent, and ordered him to sell at any price. When it was seen that Danglars sold, the Spanish funds fell directly. Danglars lost five hundred thousand francs; but he rid himself of all his Spanish shares.
Now, Madame Danglars feared Eugenie's sagacity and the influence of Mademoiselle d'Armilly; she had frequently observed the contemptuous expression with which her daughter looked upon Debray, an expression which seemed to imply that she understood all her mother's amorous and pecuniary relationships with the intimate secretary; moreover, she saw that Eugenie detested Debray, not only because he was a source of dissension and scandal under the paternal roof, but because she had at once classed him in that catalogue of bipeds whom Plato endeavors to withdraw from the appellation of men, and whom Diogenes designated as animals upon two legs without feathers.
"Oh, we have three millions for our police; it is true they are almost always spent beforehand, but, no matter, we shall still have fifty thousand francs to spend for this purpose." "And when you know, will you tell me?" "I promise you. Au revoir, Albert. Gentlemen, good morning." As he left the room, Debray called out loudly, "My carriage."
Asmodeus that diabolical personage, who would have been created by every fertile imagination if Le Sage had not acquired the priority in his great masterpiece would have enjoyed a singular spectacle, if he had lifted up the roof of the little house in the Rue Saint-Germain-des-Pres, while Debray was casting up his figures.
"But you forget," replied Debray, laughing, "that we are Franks by name and franks by nature, as King Charles said, and that the moment she puts her foot in France your slave becomes free." "Who will tell her?" "The first person who sees her." "She only speaks Romaic." "That is different." "But at least we shall see her," said Beauchamp, "or do you keep eunuchs as well as mutes?"
"There are no bandits," cried Debray. "Yes there are, and most hideous, or rather most admirable ones, for I found them ugly enough to frighten me." "Come, my dear Albert," said Debray, "confess that your cook is behindhand, that the oysters have not arrived from Ostend or Marennes, and that, like Madame de Maintenon, you are going to replace the dish by a story.
Debray did not defend himself very warmly, for the idea had sometimes crossed his mind; still, when he recollected the independent, proud spirit of Eugenie, he positively rejected it as utterly impossible, though the same thought again continually recurred and found a resting-place in his heart.
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