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Updated: June 3, 2025
The bishop, an ally of the intendant, thus relates what followed. On arriving with a party of friends at the chateau, young Duchesneau was shown into a room in which were the governor and his two secretaries, Barrois and Chasseur. He had no sooner entered than Frontenac seized him by the arm, shook him, struck him, called him abusive names, and tore the sleeve of his jacket.
Barrois touched a spring, the false bottom came out, and they saw a bundle of papers tied with a black string. "Is that what you wish for?" said Barrois. "Yes." "Shall I give these papers to M. de Villefort?" "No." "To Mademoiselle Valentine?" "No." "To M. Franz d'Epinay?" "Yes." Franz, astonished, advanced a step. "To me, sir?" said he. "Yes."
"Come, Barrois," said the young girl, "take some of this lemonade; I see you are coveting a good draught of it." "The fact is, mademoiselle," said Barrois, "I am dying with thirst, and since you are so kind as to offer it me, I cannot say I should at all object to drinking your health in a glass of it." "Take some, then, and come back immediately."
Both of the visitors, after saluting the old man and speaking to Barrois, a faithful servant, who had been twenty-five years in his service, took their places on either side of the paralytic. M. Noirtier was sitting in an arm-chair, which moved upon casters, in which he was wheeled into the room in the morning, and in the same way drawn out again at night.
The young man pressed Valentine's hand to his lips, and then left the house by a back staircase. At the same moment that he quitted the room, Villefort and the doctor entered by an opposite door. Barrois was now showing signs of returning consciousness. The crisis seemed past, a low moaning was heard, and he raised himself on one knee. D'Avrigny and Villefort laid him on a couch.
He pointed to each letter of the alphabet. At the letter S the old man stopped her. She opened, and found the word "secret." "Ah, is there a secret spring?" said Valentine. "Yes," said Noirtier. "And who knows it?" Noirtier looked at the door where the servant had gone out. "Barrois?" said she. "Yes." "Shall I call him?" "Yes." Valentine went to the door, and called Barrois.
"Doctor d'Avrigny," said Barrois, staggering as if he would fall. "What is the matter, Barrois?" said Valentine. The old man did not answer, but looked at his master with wild staring eyes, while with his cramped hand he grasped a piece of furniture to enable him to stand upright. "He is going to fall!" cried Morrel.
The same night Gravina offered one thousand Louis, which were accepted, and the papers returned; but the next day Valere went to his hotel, Rue de Provence, where he presented himself as a brother of Barrois.
"Drink it," said the doctor to Barrois. "Impossible, doctor; it is too late; my throat is closing up. I am choking! Oh, my heart! Ah, my head! Oh, what agony! Shall I suffer like this long?" "No, no, friend," replied the doctor, "you will soon cease to suffer." "Ah, I understand you," said the unhappy man.
Noirtier saw him seat himself with an appearance of perfect indifference, at the same time giving a side look at Valentine, which made her understand that she also was to remain in the room. Three-quarters of an hour after, Barrois returned, bringing the notary with him. "Sir," said Villefort, after the first salutations were over, "you were sent for by M. Noirtier, whom you see here.
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