The Son Of Monte Cristo Part 81 (1/2)

Fanfar passed his hand over his troubled brow ”My dear old friend,” he said, ”take pity on me, and tell me all you know; do not compel me to ask so many questions”

”Well, then, listen You as well as I, beca of Monsieur Esperance for so long I have found out that the night of the _soiree_, while ere saving those two old people in there, he was also doing soo hoo home for over two hours, then he and Monsieur Goutran had a person with theirl--she had been shot!”

”What preposterous tale is this?”

”It is true, sir I did not believe it myself, at first, and as I felt sure you would doubt the story, I took the liberty of bringing the witnesses with me Caraman and Coucon are here, sir”

”Oh! Bobi+chel, why could you not have said this before? Let et at the truth!”

Fanfar, in addition to his impatience, felt a certain remorse If any accident happened to Esperance he felt in a measure responsible

Carareat trouble

”My good friends,” said Fanfar, taking Mada fit to break her heart, while Coucon was gnawing the ends of his ood friends, I do not yet believe that what Bobi+chel tells me is true He says that the Vicorowled Coucon

”Then, Mada, and we must have all our wits about us”

Madame held out her arms to Fanfar, as she fell on her knees before hiive myself”

”Pray tell me the whole”

”I have broken allto you before, and yet all the time I had a presentiree that Fanfar could scarcely understand her, but he finally ed to soothe her She had little to explain, however She told how Esperance and Goutran had coirl who had been wounded by a pistol shot, and who seeirl night and day She told how, in obedience to the Vico very weary and sleepy

”I can't say how it happened,” she sighed ”I had been greatly fatigued

I only meant to rest, not to sleep, but when I opened ht I jumped up, and ran to the door and listened, but all was silent; then I stole to the bed, I thought she was asleep, of course Suddenly it occurred to me that the silence was too profound I tore open the curtain, the bed was eht have been carried to some other room, she was too weak to walk, you understand, and perhaps Coucon had helped, so I went to him and he rubbed his eyes and yawned”

”Madame Caraman!” exclaimed Coucon

”Yes, you did, and were as stupid as possible At all events, he had heard nothing, seen nothing Then I took it into my head that the Vicomte had taken her away And--and--I can't tell you what I thought, but did not like to go to the Vicomte I knew if she was in his room, that he would not like any one to know it This was an infairl, I ao on with your story, my dear lady,” said Fanfar, with a shade of ireat deal of precious tio to the Vico some books on medicine, and I told him Oh! how sorry I was for him I had no idea that he would care, but he beca me aside, a little rudely I must confess, he ran to the room I had just left, and when he found I had told him the siht irl had an attack of delirium, she could not have opened the , besides it was fastened inside The doors were all bolted too I did not knohat to think Monsieur Esperance was in such a rage that I don't like to think of hiht, I had no business to sleep in that way”

”Go on; tell o away?”

”We have not seen hi He put his hat on his head, and went out without saying a word to us”

Fanfar reflected

”You have no idea where he went?”

”Not the slightest Oh! ill the Count say to us!”