deliberation could
cast the blame of a villainy committed by himself upon an innocent man.
It had seemed very strange to the Count, at the time Luigi Vampa had
written to him, that the brigand chief should be so thoroughly posted in
regard to the innocence of Esperance and the guilt of the Viscount
Massetti, but in the light of the astounding revelations just made by
Peppino it became abundantly clear that Vampa in the young Italian's
case had been actuated by the strongest possible motive, namely, the
desire to shield himself, and that in order to do so effectually he had
not shrunk from the vilest and most complete falsehood. Of course, Vampa
had not wished to inculpate Esperance because of the old-time compact,
the relations that had subsisted between him and Monte-Cristo in the
past; that was equally plain; besides one victim was sufficient, and in
selecting Massetti as that victim the brigand chief had evidently acted
at the instigation of old Pasquale Solara.

Peppino proceeded with his disclosures.

"Signor Count," said he, "I had long suspected that something was on
the carpet between Vampa and old Solara. The moody and morose shepherd
did not at first come to the bandits' haunt, but in response to a signal
he used, a peculiar vibrating whistle, the chief would go out alone and
meet him. This signal and Vampa's actions aroused my curiosity; more
than once I followed the chief and, securely hidden behind a tree or a
rock, witnessed the secret meetings, overhearing portions of the
conversation. Annunziata Solara was frequently mentioned, and the father
seemed to be endeavouring to drive a hard bargain with Vampa. At last
one night they came to an understanding. I heard the chief agree to pay
old Pasquale an enormous sum of money upon the delivery of Annunziata
into his hands, and then I realized that the nefarious sale had been
concluded. It was decided that the ill-fated girl should be passed over
to Vampa at the first opportunity, and that opportunity came when the
Viscount Massetti and your son Esperance were domiciled at the isolated
cabin in the forest.

"I was on the alert and when, after assuring himself of the arrival of
the two young men at his hut, old Pasquale sought the bandits'
rendezvous and sounded his vibrating signal, I heard it. Stealthily
following Vampa, I concealed myself as I had done on previous occasions.
I was now thoroughly familiar with the details of the base transaction
in progress