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the famous return from Elba, a return which was `
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unprecedented in the past, and will probably remain without `
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a counterpart in the future. `
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Louis XVIII. made but a faint attempt to parry this `
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unexpected blow; the monarchy he had scarcely reconstructed `
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tottered on its precarious foundation, and at a sign from `
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the emperor the incongruous structure of ancient prejudices `
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and new ideas fell to the ground. Villefort, therefore, `
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gained nothing save the king's gratitude (which was rather `
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likely to injure him at the present time) and the cross of `
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the Legion of Honor, which he had the prudence not to wear, `
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although M. de Blacas had duly forwarded the brevet. `
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Napoleon would, doubtless, have deprived Villefort of his `
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office had it not been for Noirtier, who was all powerful at `
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court, and thus the Girondin of '93 and the Senator of 1806 `
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protected him who so lately had been his protector. All `
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Villefort's influence barely enabled him to stifle the `
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secret Dantes had so nearly divulged. The king's procureur `
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alone was deprived of his office, being suspected of `
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royalism. `
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However, scarcely was the imperial power established -- that `
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is, scarcely had the emperor re-entered the Tuileries and `
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begun to issue orders from the closet into which we have `
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introduced our readers, -- he found on the table there Louis `
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XVIII.'s half-filled snuff-box, -- scarcely had this `
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occurred when Marseilles began, in spite of the authorities, `
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to rekindle the flames of civil war, always smouldering in `
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the south, and it required but little to excite the populace `
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to acts of far greater violence than the shouts and insults `
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with which they assailed the royalists whenever they `
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ventured abroad. `
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Owing to this change, the worthy shipowner became at that `
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moment -- we will not say all powerful, because Morrel was a `
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prudent and rather a timid man, so much so, that many of the `
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most zealous partisans of Bonaparte accused him of `
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"moderation" -- but sufficiently influential to make a `
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demand in favor of Dantes. `
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Villefort retained his place, but his marriage was put off `
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until a more favorable opportunity. If the emperor remained `
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on the throne, Gerard required a different alliance to aid `
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his career; if Louis XVIII. returned, the influence of M. de `
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Saint-Meran, like his own, could be vastly increased, and `
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the marriage be still more suitable. The deputy-procureur `
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was, therefore, the first magistrate of Marseilles, when one `
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morning his door opened, and M. Morrel was announced. `
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Any one else would have hastened to receive him; but `
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Villefort was a man of ability, and he knew this would be a `
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sign of weakness. He made Morrel wait in the ante-chamber, `
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although he had no one with him, for the simple reason that `
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the king's procureur always makes every one wait, and after `
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passing a quarter of an hour in reading the papers, he `
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ordered M. Morrel to be admitted. `
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Morrel expected Villefort would be dejected; he found him as `
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he had found him six weeks before, calm, firm, and full of `
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that glacial politeness, that most insurmountable barrier `
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which separates the well-bred from the vulgar man. `
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He had entered Villefort's office expecting that the `
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magistrate would tremble at the sight of him; on the `
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contrary, he felt a cold shudder all over him when he saw `
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Villefort sitting there with his elbow on his desk, and his `
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head leaning on his hand. He stopped at the door; Villefort `
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gazed at him as if he had some difficulty in recognizing `
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him; then, after a brief interval, during which the honest `
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shipowner turned his hat in his hands, -- `
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"M. Morrel, I believe?" said Villefort. `
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"Yes, sir." `
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"Come nearer," said the magistrate, with a patronizing wave `
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of the hand, "and tell me to what circumstance I owe the `
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honor of this visit." `
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"Do you not guess, monsieur?" asked Morrel. `
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"Not in the least; but if I can serve you in any way I shall `
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be delighted." `
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"Everything depends on you." `
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"Explain yourself, pray." `
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"Monsieur," said Morrel, recovering his assurance as he `
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proceeded, "do you recollect that a few days before the `
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landing of his majesty the emperor, I came to intercede for `
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a young man, the mate of my ship, who was accused of being `
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concerned in correspondence with the Island of Elba? What `
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was the other day a crime is to-day a title to favor. You `
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then served Louis XVIII., and you did not show any favor -- `
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it was your duty; to-day you serve Napoleon, and you ought `
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to protect him -- it is equally your duty; I come, `
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therefore, to ask what has become of him?" `
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Villefort by a strong effort sought to control himself. `
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"What is his name?" said he. "Tell me his name." `
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"Edmond Dantes." `
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Villefort would probably have rather stood opposite the `
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muzzle of a pistol at five-and-twenty paces than have heard `
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this name spoken; but he did not blanch. `
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"Dantes," repeated he, "Edmond Dantes." `
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"Yes, monsieur." Villefort opened a large register, then `
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went to a table, from the table turned to his registers, and `
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then, turning to Morrel, -- `
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"Are you quite sure you are not mistaken, monsieur?" said `
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he, in the most natural tone in the world. `
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Had Morrel been a more quick-sighted man, or better versed `
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in these matters, he would have been surprised at the king's `
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procureur answering him on such a subject, instead of `
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referring him to the governors of the prison or the prefect `
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of the department. But Morrel, disappointed in his `
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expectations of exciting fear, was conscious only of the `
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other's condescension. Villefort had calculated rightly. `
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"No," said Morrel; "I am not mistaken. I have known him for `
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ten years, the last four of which he was in my service. Do `
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not you recollect, I came about six weeks ago to plead for `
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clemency, as I come to-day to plead for justice. You `
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received me very coldly. Oh, the royalists were very severe `
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with the Bonapartists in those days." `
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"Monsieur," returned Villefort, "I was then a royalist, `
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because I believed the Bourbons not only the heirs to the `
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throne, but the chosen of the nation. The miraculous return `
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of Napoleon has conquered me, the legitimate monarch is he `
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who is loved by his people." `
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"That's right!" cried Morrel. "I like to hear you speak `
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thus, and I augur well for Edmond from it." `
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"Wait a moment," said Villefort, turning over the leaves of `
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a register; "I have it -- a sailor, who was about to marry a `
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young Catalan girl. I recollect now; it was a very serious `
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charge." `
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"How so?" `
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"You know that when he left here he was taken to the Palais `
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de Justice." `
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"Well?" `
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"I made my report to the authorities at Paris, and a week `
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after he was carried off." `
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"Carried off!" said Morrel. "What can they have done with `
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him?" `
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"Oh, he has been taken to Fenestrelles, to Pignerol, or to `
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the Sainte-Marguerite islands. Some fine morning he will `
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return to take command of your vessel." `
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"Come when he will, it shall be kept for him. But how is it `
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he is not already returned? It seems to me the first care of `
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government should be to set at liberty those who have `
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suffered for their adherence to it." `
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"Do not be too hasty, M. Morrel," replied Villefort. "The `
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order of imprisonment came from high authority, and the `
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order for his liberation must proceed from the same source; `
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and, as Napoleon has scarcely been reinstated a fortnight, `
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the letters have not yet been forwarded." `
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"But," said Morrel, "is there no way of expediting all these `
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formalities -- of releasing him from arrest?" `
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"There has been no arrest." `
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"How?" `
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"It is sometimes essential to government to cause a man's `
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disappearance without leaving any traces, so that no written `
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forms or documents may defeat their wishes." `
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"It might be so under the Bourbons, but at present" -- `
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"It has always been so, my dear Morrel, since the reign of `
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Louis XIV. The emperor is more strict in prison discipline `
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than even Louis himself, and the number of prisoners whose `
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names are not on the register is incalculable." Had Morrel `
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even any suspicions, so much kindness would have dispelled `
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them. `
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"Well, M. de Villefort, how would you advise me to act?" `
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asked he. `
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"Petition the minister." `
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