第458章

"But," said Morrel, "the culprit -- the murderer -- the assassin.""Do not alarm yourself, sir; justice will be done," said Villefort."My father has revealed the culprit's name; my father thirsts for revenge as much as you do, yet even he conjures you as I do to keep this secret.Do you not, father?""Yes," resolutely replied Noirtier.Morrel suffered an exclamation of horror and surprise to escape him."Oh, sir,"said Villefort, arresting Maximilian by the arm, "if my father, the inflexible man, makes this request, it is because he knows, be assured, that Valentine will be terribly revenged.Is it not so, father?" The old man made a sign in the affirmative.Villefort continued: "He knows me, and I have pledged my word to him.Rest assured, gentlemen, that within three days, in a less time than justice would demand, the revenge I shall have taken for the murder of my child will be such as to make the boldest heart tremble;"and as he spoke these words he ground his teeth, and grasped the old man's senseless hand.

"Will this promise be fulfilled, M.Noirtier?" asked Morrel, while d'Avrigny looked inquiringly.

"Yes," replied Noirtier with an expression of sinister joy.

"Swear, then," said Villefort, joining the hands of Morrel and d'Avrigny, "swear that you will spare the honor of my house, and leave me to avenge my child." D'Avrigny turned round and uttered a very feeble "Yes," but Morrel, disengaging his hand, rushed to the bed, and after having pressed the cold lips of Valentine with his own, hurriedly left, uttering a long, deep groan of despair and anguish.We have before stated that all the servants had fled.M.de Villefort was therefore obliged to request M.d'Avrigny to superintend all the arrangements consequent upon a death in a large city, more especially a death under such suspicious circumstances.

It was something terrible to witness the silent agony, the mute despair of Noirtier, whose tears silently rolled down his cheeks.Villefort retired to his study, and d'Avrigny left to summon the doctor of the mayoralty, whose office it is to examine bodies after decease, and who is expressly named "the doctor of the dead." M.Noirtier could not be persuaded to quit his grandchild.At the end of a quarter of an hour M.d'Avrigny returned with his associate; they found the outer gate closed, and not a servant remaining in the house; Villefort himself was obliged to open to them.But he stopped on the landing; he had not the courage to again visit the death chamber.The two doctors, therefore, entered the room alone.Noirtier was near the bed, pale, motionless, and silent as the corpse.The district doctor approached with the indifference of a man accustomed to spend half his time amongst the dead; he then lifted the sheet which was placed over the face, and just unclosed the lips.

"Alas," said d'Avrigny, "she is indeed dead, poor child!""Yes," answered the doctor laconically, dropping the sheet he had raised.Noirtier uttered a kind of hoarse, rattling sound; the old man's eyes sparkled, and the good doctor understood that he wished to behold his child.He therefore approached the bed, and while his companion was dipping the fingers with which he had touched the lips of the corpse in chloride of lime, he uncovered the calm and pale face, which looked like that of a sleeping angel.A tear, which appeared in the old man's eye, expressed his thanks to the doctor.

The doctor of the dead then laid his permit on the corner of the table, and having fulfilled his duty, was conducted out by d'Avrigny.Villefort met them at the door of his study;having in a few words thanked the district doctor, he turned to d'Avrigny, and said, -- "And now the priest.""Is there any particular priest you wish to pray with Valentine?" asked d'Avrigny.

"No." said Villefort; "fetch the nearest.""The nearest," said the district doctor, "is a good Italian abbe, who lives next door to you.Shall I call on him as Ipass?"

"D'Avrigny," said Villefort, "be so kind, I beseech you, as to accompany this gentleman.Here is the key of the door, so that you can go in and out as you please; you will bring the priest with you, and will oblige me by introducing him into my child's room.""Do you wish to see him?"

"I only wish to be alone.You will excuse me, will you not?

A priest can understand a father's grief." And M.de Villefort, giving the key to d'Avrigny, again bade farewell to the strange doctor, and retired to his study, where he began to work.For some temperaments work is a remedy for all afflictions.As the doctors entered the street, they saw a man in a cassock standing on the threshold of the next door."This is the abbe of whom I spoke," said the doctor to d'Avrigny.D'Avrigny accosted the priest."Sir," he said, "are you disposed to confer a great obligation on an unhappy father who has just lost his daughter? I mean M.de Villefort, the king's attorney.""Ah," said the priest, in a marked Italian accent; "yes, Ihave heard that death is in that house."

"Then I need not tell you what kind of service he requires of you.""I was about to offer myself, sir," said the priest; "it is our mission to forestall our duties.""It is a young girl."

"I know it, sir; the servants who fled from the house informed me.I also know that her name is Valentine, and Ihave already prayed for her."

"Thank you, sir," said d'Avrigny; "since you have commenced your sacred office, deign to continue it.Come and watch by the dead, and all the wretched family will be grateful to you.""I am going, sir; and I do not hesitate to say that no prayers will be more fervent than mine." D'Avrigny took the priest's hand, and without meeting Villefort, who was engaged in his study, they reached Valentine's room, which on the following night was to be occupied by the undertakers.On entering the room, Noirtier's eyes met those of the abbe, and no doubt he read some particular expression in them, for he remained in the room.D'Avrigny recommended the attention of the priest to the living as well as to the dead, and the abbe promised to devote his prayers to Valentine and his attentions to Noirtier.In order, doubtless, that he might not be disturbed while fulfilling his sacred mission, the priest rose as soon as d'Avrigny departed, and not only bolted the door through which the doctor had just left, but also that leading to Madame de Villefort's room.