and leave things for the present to take their course."

After their departure, Fernand, who had now again become the
friend and protector of Mercedes, led the girl to her home,
while the friends of Dantes conducted the now half-fainting
man back to his abode.

The rumor of Edmond's arrest as a Bonapartist agent was not
slow in circulating throughout the city.

"Could you ever have credited such a thing, my dear
Danglars?" asked M. Morrel, as, on his return to the port
for the purpose of gleaning fresh tidings of Dantes, from M.
de Villefort, the assistant procureur, he overtook his
supercargo and Caderousse. "Could you have believed such a
thing possible?"

"Why, you know I told you," replied Danglars, "that I
considered the circumstance of his having anchored at the
Island of Elba as a very suspicious circumstance."

"And did you mention these suspicions to any person beside
myself?"

"Certainly not!" returned Danglars. Then added in a low
whisper, "You understand that, on account of your uncle, M.
Policar Morrel, who served under the other government, and
who does not altogether conceal what he thinks on the
subject, you are strongly suspected of regretting the
abdication of Napoleon. I should have feared to injure both