isoner to the tier
beneath."

"To the dungeon, then," said the corporal.

"Yes; we must put the madman with the madmen." The soldiers seized
Dantes, who followed passively.

He descended fifteen steps, and the door of a dungeon was opened, and
he was thrust in. The door closed, and Dantes advanced with outstretched
hands until he touched the wall; he then sat down in the corner until
his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. The jailer was right; Dantes
wanted but little of being utterly mad.

Chapter 9. The Evening of the Betrothal.

Villefort had, as we have said, hastened back to Madame de Saint-Meran's
in the Place du Grand Cours, and on entering the house found that the
guests whom he had left at table were taking coffee in the salon. Renee
was, with all the rest of the company, anxiously awaiting him, and his
entrance was followed by a general exclamation.

"Well, Decapitator, Guardian of the State, Royalist, Brutus, what is the
matter?" said one. "Speak out."

"Are we threatened with a fresh Reign of Terror?" asked another.

"Has the Corsican ogre broken loose?" cried a third.

"Marquise," said Villefort, approaching his future mother-in-law, "I
request your pardon for thus leaving you. Will the marquis honor me by a
few moments' private conversation?"

"Ah, it is really a serious matter, then?" asked the marquis, remarking
the cloud on Villefort's brow.

"So serious that I must take leave of you for a few days; so," added he,
turning to Renee, "judge for yourself if it be not important."

"You are going to leave us?" cried Renee, unable to hide her emotion at
this unexpected announcement.

"Alas," returned Villefort, "I must!"

"Where, then, are you going?" asked the marquise.

"That, madame, is an official secret; but if you have any commissions
for Paris, a friend of mine is going there to-night, and will with
pleasure undertake them." The guests looked at each other.

"You wish to speak to me alone?" said the marquis.

"Yes, let us go to the library, please." The marquis took his arm, and
they left the salon.

"Well," asked he, as soon as they were by themselves, "tell me what it
is?"

"An affair of the greatest importance, that demands my immediate
presence in Paris. Now, excuse the indiscretion, marquis, but have you
any landed property?"

"All my fortune is in the funds; seven or eight hundred thousand
francs."

"Then sell out--sell out, marquis, or you will lose it all."