Volume I Part 13 (2/2)
”Valentine,” whispered Villefort, in a broken voice, ”kiss me Now I can die easy”
”Oh, father, father, you , but I die happy, since I know you will be well taken care of Monsieur Morrel,” he said, turning to the young man, ”you knohat unhappiness I once caused your father?”
”No, Monsieur de Villefort, I have forgotten everything, and only know that you are Valentine's father,” said Maxi”
”No, no!” said Villefort, anxiously; ”I dare not--I a I can do; I can tell Valentine who she is, and Monsieur de Flany will corroborate hter, look at hter of the Rajah Duttjah and his wife Naya TheForest, in England, by a Brahmin, as also a prisoner there; in the portfolio there you will find the paper relating to the , I aentlemen will tell you later on all the details Your parents are both dead
There is a letter in the portfolio from your mother's brother, the Rajah Siwadji Daola It ritten in 1818 If Daola still lives, he will find out that I deceived him; that I saw his sister die, and that Naya's child still lives”
”But, father,” said Valentine, passionately, ”if ht hter”
”Thanks, Valentine But before ives way, I lass of wine; I have one lass of red wine for Monsieur de Villefort, and Valentine put her arainst her bosom
”I want you to look after my son, Valentine,” whispered Villefort ”Oh, ould I not give if I could wear the chains instead of hialley-slave? If it is in your power to do anything for Benedetto, do not fail to do it He is a scoundrel, but I was the cause of his downfall Have mercy on him, and I die peacefully!”
”Father,” said Valentine, soleo in search of Benedetto, and bring hiel,” stammered Villefort ”Farewell
Ah--this--is--death!”
A shi+ver ran through Villefort's fra breath--he was dead
As soon as Valentine's first grief subsided, the physician persuaded her to stay in her rooentlemen conferred about the wonderful confession they had heard
”If I only knew,” said Flahtfully, ”what the papers written in the Indian language contain--I--”
”Monsieur de Flaive me the documents I will translate them for you”
”Really? How can you do it?” asked the district-attorney, doubtingly
”Very easily Besides my profession as a doctor, I a able to go to India: the home of the lotus flower has always had attractions for ive you the translation to-htfully
They then separated
The next day, as D'Avigny was sitting with his daughter, Julie, Valentine and Maxiht knock was heard at the door, and in obedience to the summons to come in, Ali, Monte-Cristo's black servant, appeared on the threshold
Valentine and Maximilian uttered a cry of surprise Ali bowed deeply, handed the physician a letter, and disappeared
D'Avigny opened it and read the following:
”Waiting and hoping! In these tords lies the eous and God will help”
As soon as Monsieur de Villefort's remains were buried, Valentine, Maximilian and Julie returned to Marseilles Valentine wished to o to Italy for the rerandfather, and the Herbaults D'Avigny's last words at the parting were:
”Beware of Benedetto!”