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"Oh, to be sure!" responded Danglars, who had now approached the group, "nothing more than a mistake, I feel quite certain"

Dantes descended the staircase, preceded by the e awaited hiistrate, and the vehicle drove off towards Marseilles

"Adieu, adieu, dearest Ed out her arms to him from the balcony

The prisoner heard the cry, which sounded like the sob of a broken heart, and leaning from the coach he called out, "Good-by, Mercedes--we shall soon ain!" Then the vehicle disappeared round one of the turnings of Fort Saint Nicholas

"Wait for me here, all of you!" cried M Morrel; "I will take the first conveyance I find, and hurry to Marseilles, whence I will bring you word how all is going on"

"That's right!" exclaio, and return as quickly as you can!"

This second departure was followed by a long and fearful state of terrified silence on the part of those ere left behind The old father and Mercedes rerief; but at length the two poor victims of the same blow raised their eyes, and with a si rushed into each other's arms

Meanwhile Fernand lass of water with a tre it, went to sit down at the first vacant place, and this was, by mere chance, placed next to the seat on which poor Mercedes had fallen half fainting, when released from the warm and affectionate embrace of old Dantes Instinctively Fernand drew back his chair

"He is the cause of all this misery--I am quite sure of it," whispered Caderousse, who had never taken his eyes off Fernand, to Danglars

"I don't think so," answered the other; "he's too stupid to iine such a scheme I only hope the ht it"

"You don't mention those who aided and abetted the deed," said Caderousse

"Surely," answered Danglars, "one cannot be held responsible for every chance arrow shot into the air"

"You can, indeed, when the arrow lights point doard on so canvassed in every different forlars," said one of the party, turning towards him, "of this event?"

"Why," replied he, "I think it just possible Dantesarticle on board ship considered here as contraband"

"But how could he have done so without your knowledge, Danglars, since you are the ship's supercargo?"