"The sun is not shining," said Morrel, more alarmed by Noirtier's expression than by Valentine's indisposition.He ran towards her.The young girl smiled."Cheer up," said she to Noirtier."Do not be alarmed, Maximilian; it is nothing, and has already passed away.But listen! Do I not hear a carriage in the court-yard?" She opened Noirtier's door, ran to a window in the passage, and returned hastily."Yes,"said she, "it is Madame Danglars and her daughter, who have come to call on us.Good-by; -- I must run away, for they would send here for me, or, rather, farewell till I see you again.Stay with grandpapa, Maximilian; I promise you not to persuade them to stay."Morrel watched her as she left the room; he heard her ascend the little staircase which led both to Madame de Villefort's apartments and to hers.As soon as she was gone, Noirtier made a sign to Morrel to take the dictionary.Morrel obeyed;guided by Valentine, he had learned how to understand the old man quickly.Accustomed, however, as he was to the work, he had to repeat most of the letters of the alphabet and to find every word in the dictionary, so that it was ten minutes before the thought of the old man was translated by these words, "Fetch the glass of water and the decanter from Valentine's room."Morrel rang immediately for the servant who had taken Barrois's situation, and in Noirtier's name gave that order.
The servant soon returned.The decanter and the glass were completely empty.Noirtier made a sign that he wished to speak."Why are the glass and decanter empty?" asked he;"Valentine said she only drank half the glassful." The translation of this new question occupied another five minutes."I do not know," said the servant, "but the housemaid is in Mademoiselle Valentine's room: perhaps she has emptied them.""Ask her," said Morrel, translating Noirtier's thought this time by his look.The servant went out, but returned almost immediately."Mademoiselle Valentine passed through the room to go to Madame de Villefort's," said he; "and in passing, as she was thirsty, she drank what remained in the glass; as for the decanter, Master Edward had emptied that to make a pond for his ducks." Noirtier raised his eyes to heaven, as a gambler does who stakes his all on one stroke.From that moment the old man's eyes were fixed on the door, and did not quit it.
It was indeed Madame Danglars and her daughter whom Valentine had seen; they had been ushered into Madame de Villefort's room, who had said she would receive them there.
That is why Valentine passed through her room, which was on a level with Valentine's, and only separated from it by Edward's.The two ladies entered the drawing-room with that sort of official stiffness which preludes a formal communication.Among worldly people manner is contagious.
Madame de Villefort received them with equal solemnity.
Valentine entered at this moment, and the formalities were resumed."My dear friend," said the baroness, while the two young people were shaking hands, "I and Eugenie are come to be the first to announce to you the approaching marriage of my daughter with Prince Cavalcanti." Danglars kept up the title of prince.The popular banker found that it answered better than count."Allow me to present you my sincere congratulations," replied Madame de Villefort."Prince Cavalcanti appears to be a young man of rare qualities.""Listen," said the baroness, smiling; "speaking to you as a friend I can say that the prince does not yet appear all he will be.He has about him a little of that foreign manner by which French persons recognize, at first sight, the Italian or German nobleman.Besides, he gives evidence of great kindness of disposition, much keenness of wit, and as to suitability, M.Danglars assures me that his fortune is majestic -- that is his word.""And then," said Eugenie, while turning over the leaves of Madame de Villefort's album, "add that you have taken a great fancy to the young man.""And," said Madame de Villefort, "I need not ask you if you share that fancy.""I?" replied Eugenie with her usual candor."Oh, not the least in the world, madame! My wish was not to confine myself to domestic cares, or the caprices of any man, but to be an artist, and consequently free in heart, in person, and in thought." Eugenie pronounced these words with so firm a tone that the color mounted to Valentine's cheeks.The timid girl could not understand that vigorous nature which appeared to have none of the timidities of woman.
"At any rate," said she, "since I am to be married whether Iwill or not, I ought to be thankful to providence for having released me from my engagement with M.Albert de Morcerf, or I should this day have been the wife of a dishonored man.""It is true," said the baroness, with that strange simplicity sometimes met with among fashionable ladies, and of which plebeian intercourse can never entirely deprive them, -- "it is very true that had not the Morcerfs hesitated, my daughter would have married Monsieur Albert.
