Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 19, 2025
"Certainly; and that is why M. and Madame de Saint-Meran have died; that is why M. Noirtier was sentenced the day he made you his heir; that is why you, in your turn, are to die it is because your father would inherit your property, and your brother, his only son, succeed to his." "Edward? Poor child! Are all these crimes committed on his account?" "Ah, then you at length understand?"
Meanwhile, Barrois had returned for the first time to old Noirtier, who having heard the noise in the house, had, as we have said, sent his old servant to inquire the cause; on his return, his quick intelligent eye interrogated the messenger. "Alas, sir," exclaimed Barrois, "a great misfortune has happened. Madame de Saint-Meran has arrived, and her husband is dead!"
They will all disappear, like the fabrics children build with cards, and which fall, one by one, under the breath of their builder, even if there are two hundred of them. Three months since it was M. de Saint-Meran; Madame de Saint-Meran two months since; the other day it was Barrois; to-day, the old Noirtier, or young Valentine."
"What has happened?" said the count, simulating total ignorance. "You know the Marquis of Saint-Meran died a few days after he had set out on his journey to Paris, and the marchioness a few days after her arrival?"
Villefort rose, and ran towards his mother-in-law, for it was she. "Why, what can have happened?" he exclaimed, "what has thus disturbed you? Is M. de Saint-Meran with you?" "M. de Saint-Meran is dead," answered the old marchioness, without preface and without expression; she appeared to be stupefied. Villefort drew back, and clasping his hands together, exclaimed "Dead! so suddenly?"
First, M. and Madame de Saint-Meran incurred his displeasure, so he poured out three drops of his elixir three drops were sufficient; then followed Barrois, the old servant of M. Noirtier, who sometimes rebuffed this little wretch he therefore received the same quantity of the elixir; the same happened to Valentine, of whom he was jealous; he gave her the same dose as the others, and all was over for her as well as the rest."
Since the death of Madame de Saint-Meran, I have known that a poisoner lived in my house. M. d'Avrigny warned me of it.
"But I do not think so." "Have pity on me doctor! So many dreadful things have happened to me lately that I am on the verge of madness." "Has any one besides me seen Madame de Saint-Meran?" "No." "Has anything been sent for from a chemist's that I have not examined?" "Nothing." "Had Madame de Saint-Meran any enemies?" "Not to my knowledge." "Would her death affect any one's interest?"
"May not Barrois, the old servant, have made a mistake, and have given Madame de Saint-Meran a dose prepared for his master?" "For my father?" "Yes." "But how could a dose prepared for M. Noirtier poison Madame de Saint-Meran?" "Nothing is more simple. You know poisons become remedies in certain diseases, of which paralysis is one.
"It is said to have been a congestion of the brain, or apoplexy, which is the same thing, is it not?" "Nearly." "It is difficult to believe that it was apoplexy," said Beauchamp. "Madame de Saint-Meran, whom I once saw, was short, of slender form, and of a much more nervous than sanguine temperament; grief could hardly produce apoplexy in such a constitution as that of Madame de Saint-Meran."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking