12
THE BRIDE OF MONTE-CRISTO.
CHAPTER X.
A PURSUING SHADOW.
, rT      -o loft the room in which Bernard sat
When Danglars and Hermine left the room.      ^  ^ ^
bottle of wine that stood on the table.
" We have had company," Beppo said.
"Yes- good company," Nicolo assented.
"" Danglars said, with his vulgar -sumption of goodnat-
ure "Tt'givesonenerveandstrength when there is worktobe done.
'SsS X^ays right," Nicolo chimed in.
" Ind S" when you have done your work, you shall have
more of it. "                                                   -,
"We will not fail, "both the villains asserted.
< Good! Now you know the secret of yonder panel, and the one
in the room below?"
''Sen! when you have struck the blow, you know the other
staircase and the trap-door?"
"Yes."
" Also the way from the cellar.
" We have been shown all, signor."
" Very well. Wait for an hour or so, and then do the work.  You
understand?"
a "Yes "
 Then come to me at the house in the Rue du Helder. You will
be admitted by the private door."
Sgte Stmlt, Danglars waited until Hermine had locked
the doorarTd then descended the staircase, and, passing by the room
in which the drugged man lay, entered another apartment.
<?WelV' Dangfars said, with an air of satisfaction, as the door
was closed, " he will soon be out of the way!"
" Yes; but it seems to me to be a very clumsy way of doing it.
It seems like courting detection."
 At first sight, it does, yet, on closer inspection, not so. Put on
your cloak and hat, and we will return as soon a* possible to the
Bue du Helder."
Hermine made no reply. She was in a nervous and agitated state
of mind Her soul had suddenly revolted against the mire of deceit
aMcrime into which she was being dragged deeper and deeper.
Tlfe hng was probably only transient, but while it lasted i was
real. Still the felt that she had gone too far to retreat, and in silence
she obeyed Danglars' orders.                          -
In less than ten minutes more they were being driven rapidly to-
ward the Rue du Helder.
When the street was reached, the carriage drew up before the pri-
vate entrance, and the pair entered the house
At first sight, it would seem, as Hermine had said to be a very
clumsy way of committing a crime of such magnitude, but .Dan-
glars had a dark scheme of his own, the particulars of which he had
not imparted to his companion, but which will reveal itself m due
entering the private apartment in which he before had received
the two villains, Beppo and Nicolo, Danglars opened a closet, and
produced some biscuits and a bottle of wine.
Hermine had sunk into a chair, the agitation of her f eehngs al-
most overpowering her.
" You look bad, Hermine," Danglars said. " Try a glass of this
wine    You need not be afraid this is drugged.    Ha! ha! ha!
" Wretch!" Hermine cried, in a sudden spasm of nervous anger.
" Why did I ever again associate myself with such as you?"
" None of that, hysterical nonsense," Danglars answered, roughly.
"You know well enough why you did so. lt was because you
couldn't help yourself. Take a glass of this wine, and one of your
favorite yellow-covered novels, while I attend to some accounts 1
have to go over."
He poured out a glass of the wine, and handed it to her. She
drank it, and then, as with a laugh, he pointed to the same closet
from which he had taken the wine and biscuits, she rose, and, tak-
ing one of the latest romances from a shelf, turned her back to him,
and began reading.
Danglars, meanwhile, had taken a locked cash-book from one ot
tlie drawers of the desk, and was soon equally absorbed in the rows
of figures that covered its pages.
An hour or more passed thus, when the door was opened noise,
lessly, and Benedetto entered.
Hermine, whose face was turned toward the door, was the first to
perceive him.
She half rose to her feet.
"Well?" she began.
" Do not get excited, Hermine, ma mere," the young miscreant
interrupted; "itis done."
Danglars, who had been aroused from his task by the sound of
Hermine's voice, turned toward him.
' ' You are a noble boy, " he said.    ' ' Give us the particulars. ' '
Benedetto broke into a laugh.
" Congratulations for nobility of character sound well coming
from your lips, most noble Viscount Morini," he said.
Danglars uttered an angry snarl.
" Cease your sarcasm," he said, " and let us hear how you have
succeeded.
" That is more practical, and we all are practical here, even if we
are scions of nobility.   Well, 1 tell you I succeeded."
" And the child?"
"Is with the Ogress."
"Good!"
" Spare me your congratulations, step-father, and tell me how you
have got along."
"Equally well."                            >(
" Where are our noble accomplices?'
" They have not reported yet."
 ' Then you do not know whether they have succeeded or not?"
" They could not fail."
" 1 would rather be sure of it than take your word.
" They will be here shortly."
" Then you and Madame Hermine return to your congenial occu-
pations, while 1 will enjoy a weed and meditate upon my past life
with a view to reform."
While he was speaking the young villain had poured himself out
a glass of wine, which he now swallowed, and lifting a c.gar,
threw himself into an easy chair and hid himself in clouds of smoke.
Still another hour or so passed in silence, broken only by
comments from Benedetto, when a knock came upon the door aud _
servant admitted the two assassins, Beppo and Nicolo.
 Well, " Danglars said, when the door was closed.     Is the work
done?"
it w BepTo who spoke, and Nicolo nodded in token of his coa-
flrmation of the other's assertion.
" And the body?"                                               
" We opened the door and threw it down the trap
"Then the rats have left little by which it could be id
now " Benedetto said, with his usual sneering laugh     mile our
worthy friends here have left something that rats won t eat.    ^
" Not so, young signor," Beppo said, with an evil grin.
left nothing."
" And you swear that he is dead?"
As on the previous occasion, the dagger was Produced and,U
hilt kissed by each in succession; then Danglars again opened the
drawer, in which were the glittering gold corns.
" Here is half of what I promised you," he said. _    You
have the rest, and as much more when the work is^^       
Beppo and Nicolo exchanged glances expressive of disoonte
this arrangement.                                                                  ,
"You had better give them the whole of ft now   wo    ^
father," Benedetto said.    " 1 want men to help ^^m
ing about money they are going to earn, and not about money
have earned and can't get."                            nano-lars counted out
With a grimace at Benedetto's interference, Dang* cou
the balance of the money.                                               Nicolo!"
" We knew his Excellency was only in jest, didn t we,
Beppo remarked, as he pocketed his share.
Nicolo assented, and then asked:
" What does his Excellency wish us to do now !                 ^
 You come with me and I will show you," Benedetto^
on Danglars agreeing to it, the two assassins turned
"a few moments more and the three well-met mi
out of the house.                                                      f an adjacent
As they did so, a man emerged from the shadow oi            ^
, .... _... r.-, v r,rr,rpaler.. and followed them, 
as tney uiu ho, a, mu *,.*_ &----------                   ,
house where he had been concealed, and followed them,
neath his breath he muttered:                                    , 
" Whom the gods would destroy they first make maa.