Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 8, 2025
His excitement made him forget his hurts. At length Massetti's arm became so strained and fatigued that it was impossible for him to hold out much longer. His hand was tightly clutched about the haft of his knife, but it was so benumbed that he could not feel the weapon.
At the name Massetti both Maximilian and Valentine started; they glanced at each other and at the man who had spoken, thinking that they had not heard aright. "Massetti!" cried M. Morrel, when his astonishment permitted him to find words. "Did you say Massetti?" "Yes, signor, I said Massetti. The maniac is old Count Massetti's disowned and disinherited son!" "What! The Viscount Giovanni?"
It was early in the evening succeeding the day on which M. Dantès had answered Giovanni Massetti's letter. Zuleika was seated in the vast, sumptuously-furnished salon of the magnificent Morcerf mansion, now, as the reader already knows, the residence of the famous and mysterious Deputy from Marseilles.
Absalom was conducted to young Massetti's chamber by the physician who up to that time had attended the patient. He was an elderly man, but though an Italian showed marked respect for the aged, noble-looking Hebrew. Monte-Cristo and M. Morrel accompanied the two savants, the former confident in Dr. Absalom's power to perform his promise, the latter hoping for his success, yet doubtful of it.
Massetti's unfortunate victim, the beautiful peasant girl Annunziata Solara, is now an inmate of this institution whither she dragged herself when overcome by shame and suffering of the keenest description, seeking to find here an asylum and a cloister where prying eyes could not find her out and where the venomous tongue of scandal could not tear open her wounds and set them to bleeding afresh.
"Yes, yes, but you must remember that last year, young as you were then, you attracted marked attention from several youthful Romans of the best families in the Eternal City, and that one of them, the Viscount Giovanni Massetti, went so far as to ask me for your hand." At the mention of Massetti's name the blush upon Zuleika's cheek deepened.
Then the young man struck fiercely at him, but Vampa dodged the blow and his adversary fell forward from his own impetus on a thick growth of moss beside Massetti's prostrate form. Taking prompt advantage of his opportunity, the chief secured possession of the yet unconscious Annunziata and this time succeeded in bearing her in triumph to a hut he had provided for her reception."
After a sojourn of a few hours longer at the Refuge, Monte-Cristo and his party returned to Rome to go actively to work in Massetti's cause.
"Now," said the Count, "you must not quit the Hôtel de France even for a moment without my permission! Do you promise me that?" "I not only promise it, I swear it!" exclaimed the Viscount, lifting his eyes and his right hand towards Heaven. "It is well," repeated Monte-Cristo, joyously, and turning he left Massetti's chamber.
When Espérance came into the chamber, his presence recalled Annunziata to herself and also dampened Massetti's ardor. The girl arose and, smiling at Espérance, tripped blushingly away. Giovanni was flushed and somewhat angry at the intrusion at the critical moment of his love making. Espérance's face was grave; he felt all the weight of the responsibility he was about to assume.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking