Volume II Part 76 (1/2)

Benedetto looked at thely cried:

”You are too late! I have killed Monte-Cristo's son!”

The next minute he had disappeared, and, while the waves rushed over him, Fanfaro and Gontraly exclaimed:

”Too late! Too late! Oh, poor, poor father!”

CHAPTER XLIX

THE SPECTRE

Just as Benedetto had uttered thewords to the friends of Spero, the form of a man appeared in the doorway He threw one horror-stricken look at the bodies, a second one at the ex-convict, swung hied in after Benedetto It was Anselmo

The water was ice-cold, but neither of theht of saving hie

Benedetto did not knoas being pursued Who would risk his own life to follow hiine so But now he heard so behind him If he could reach the bushes of Nemilly he would be safe He did not dare turn about--he felt frightened and his teeth chattered

At length the long-looked-for bank was seen--a few more strokes and he would be saved No he pressed upon the sand Dripping, tre himself upon dry land and looked back at the dark waters He could see nothing: his pursuer had evidently given up the project

Anselreatest difficulty to keep hirasped a plank; he clambered on it, and reached the shore with its aid He landed about one hundred feet away from Benedetto Now he saw the hated wretch But was it a vision, a play of his excited fancy? It seeain! Behind hi the scoundrel, and they were both flying toward the shore

Benedetto did not turn around Did he fear to see the white form? Both caht nor to the left Now his foot touched the water Then caht air:

”Benedetto--my son! Benedetto--wait for me!”

With a cry of terror, Benedetto turned around There stood his mother whom he had murdered She pressed her hand to the breast her son's steel had penetrated Now she stretched out her long, bony fingers toward him--she threw her lean arm around his neck, and he could not cry out

Slowly they both walked toward the river They set foot on the dark space--they sank deeper and deeper, and no the waves rushed over theed nature was done penance to The mother, whom Benedetto had stabbed in the breast, had drawn her son with her into a watery grave

The nextfishermen found the body of an unknown man in the bushes--it was Anselan to rise--his last as:

”Jane!”

CHAPTER L

Deep silence reigned in the Monte-Cristo palace--the silence of death

Everything was draped in , and on a catafalque rested the bodies of Spero and Jane

They were all dead--Danglars, Villefort, Mondego, Caderousse and Benedetto--but Monte-Cristo was alive to close the eyes of his dearly beloved son