prise.
Massetti drew a long breath of relief. It was scarcely probable that he
would be prosecuted by the Roman authorities for fighting a duel with
the shepherd under the circumstances, and the wounded man had
voluntarily removed every suspicion of foul play from him. Monte-Cristo
and the lawyers cast congratulatory glances at the young Italian. His
rehabilitation now only needed Vampa's conviction and sentence to be
perfect, and it could not for an instant be doubted that they would
speedily follow.

The effect of her father's testimony or rather confession upon
Annunziata had been startling. It completely shattered all her
convictions, placing her misfortunes in a new and horrible light. The
Viscount was innocent as he had steadily asserted, and her parent stood
revealed to her in all his moral hideousness; he was a monster, a demon;
he had made his fearful revelations only when death was upon him and
reparation was impossible; besides, there was nothing noble or elevating
about his remorse--it was thoroughly characteristic of the
man--altogether selfish, induced solely by the fear of consequences in
the world to come. Annunziata felt as if all faith in humanity had been
withdrawn from her, and as she gradually realized the full meaning of
her father's words she closed her eyes and with a gasp sank fainting
into the arms of Mme. de Rancogne, who, hardly less shocked and
surprised than the poor girl herself, used every effort to revive her,
finally succeeding.

In the little group consisting of Zuleika, Valentine, M. Morrel and
Esperance uncertainty prevailed for some moments. They had been unable
to catch what old Solara had said, to glean more than a general idea
that his testimony had been against Vampa. As soon, however, as his
emotion permitted him to do so Giovanni went to them and communicated
the glad tidings. Zuleika was almost overcome by the immensity of her
joy and with difficultly restrained herself from embracing her lover
directly in the face of the august Court and the assembled spectators.
Valentine was ready to weep with delight and her husband felt as much
triumph as if he had won a decisive victory over the combined enemies of
France. As for Esperance, he was both enraptured and ashamed--enraptured
that the dark stain was removed from Giovanni's name and ashamed that he
had been so blind and unjust as to wrongfully suspect him.

When the gist of Pasquale Solara's evidence was whispered around am