"That while the writing of different persons done with the
right hand varies, that performed with the left hand is
invariably uniform."

"You have evidently seen and observed everything."

"Let us proceed."

"Oh, yes, yes!"

"Now as regards the second question."

"I am listening."

"Was there any person whose interest it was to prevent your
marriage with Mercedes?"

"Yes; a young man who loved her."

"And his name was" --

"Fernand."

"That is a Spanish name, I think?"

"He was a Catalan."

"You imagine him capable of writing the letter?"

"Oh, no; he would more likely have got rid of me by sticking
a knife into me."

"That is in strict accordance with the Spanish character; an
assassination they will unhesitatingly commit, but an act of
cowardice, never."

"Besides," said Dantes, "the various circumstances mentioned
in the letter were wholly unknown to him."

"You had never spoken of them yourself to any one?"

"To no one."

"Not even to your mistress?"

"No, not even to my betrothed."

"Then it is Danglars."

"I feel quite sure of it now."

"Wait a little. Pray, was Danglars acquainted with Fernand?"

"No -- yes, he was. Now I recollect" --

"What?"

"To have seen them both sitting at table together under an
arbor at Pere Pamphile's the evening before the day fixed
for my wedding. They were in earnest conversation. Danglars
was joking in a friendly way, but Fernand looked pale and
agitated."

"Were they alone?"

"There was a third person with them whom I knew perfectly
well, and who had, in all probability made their
acquaintance; he was a tailor named Caderousse, but he was
very drunk. Stay! -- stay! -- How strange that it should not
have occurred to me before! Now I remember quite well, that
on the table round which they were sitting were pens, ink,
and paper. Oh, the heartless, treacherous scoundrels!"
exclaimed Dantes, pressing his hand to his throbbing brows.

"Is there anything else I can assist you in discovering,
besides the villany of your friends?" inquired the abbe with
a laugh.

"Yes, yes," replied Dantes eagerly; "I would beg of you, who
see so completely to the depths of things, and to whom the
greatest mystery seems but an easy riddle, to explain to me
how it was that I underwent no second examination, was never
brought to trial, and, above all, was condemned without ever
having had sentence passed on me?"

"That is altogether a different and more serious matter,"
responded the abbe. "The ways of justice are frequently too
dark and mysterious to be easily penetrated. All we have
hitherto done in the matter has been child's play. If you
wish me to enter upon the more difficult part of the
business, you must assist me by the most minute information
on every point."

"Pray ask me whatever questions you please; for, in good
truth, you see more clearly into my life than I do myself."

"In the first place, then, who examined you, -- the king's
attorney, his deputy, or a magistrate?"

"The deputy."


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