bly sold you to
Luigi Vampa for a large sum of money and they together so arranged the
abduction that all suspicion would fall with crushing force upon the
shoulders of the young Italian!"

Annunziata put her hand to her forehead and stood still, rooted to the
spot by horror and amazement. She had no great love for her moody and
morose father, who never had done anything calculated to inspire
affection for him in the bosom of his daughter, but, at the same time,
it seemed incredible and horrible to her that her parent should have
been guilty of this unnatural behavior towards her, of this unmanly
conduct with regard to an innocent guest who in all confidence was
partaking of the hospitality his roof afforded. She looked at
Monte-Cristo doubtingly and then at Mme. de Rancogne, who was smiling
upon her encouragingly.

"As God is my judge," said she, solemnly, "I believe Giovanni Massetti
to have been my abductor!"

"Of course," returned Monte-Cristo, "but you are in error!"

"I saw his face! Surely I ought to have been able to recognize that!"

"Certainly; but, I tell you, everything was so arranged as to deceive
you into believing the young Italian the criminal, the despicable wretch
who had failed to respect a woman's honor!"

"It may be as you assert, but I cannot rid myself of my firm and
deep-rooted belief in the matter. I have forgiven the Viscount Massetti
for the foul wrong he did me, but to the latest day of my earthly
existence I shall believe him guilty!"

Suddenly fixing her eyes upon Zuleika with a gaze of bewildering
intensity, Annunziata stood as if anxious to speak to her of some very
important topic.

Monte-Cristo's daughter divined this, and, going to the former
flower-girl, said to her:

"Is there anything I can do for you, Sister Annunziata? If so you have
only to ask it!"

Annunziata laid her hand upon Zuleika's shoulder, asking, in a tone that
notwithstanding all her efforts to control it was not a little unsteady
and tremulous:

"Do you love him?--do you love the Viscount Massetti?"

"Yes," answered Zuleika, lowering her eyes beneath the intensity of the
other's look.

"So I thought, but oh! daughter of a noble family, beware of the
perfidious young man! He will not hesitate to deceive you as he deceived
me! Then he will leave you to your fate as he left me to mine, and
life-long sorrow and misery will be your portion!"

Zuleika gazed pityingly at the peasant girl.

"You loved h