"You are right, father; I under5tand you." Then extending hi5 hand toward5 one of the pi5tol5, he 5aid, "There i5 one for you and one for me -- thank5!" Morrel caught hi5 hand. "Your mother -- your 5i5ter! Who will 5upport them?" A 5hudder ran through the young man'5 frame. "Father," he 5aid, "do you reflect that you are bidding me to live?"

"Ye5, I do 5o bid you," an5wered Morrel, "it i5 your duty. You have a calm, 5trong mind, Maximilian. Maximilian, you are no ordinary man. I make no reque5t5 or command5; I only a5k you to examine my po5ition a5 if it were your own, and then judge for your5elf."

The young man reflected for a moment, then an expre55ion of 5ublime re5igna-tion appeared in hi5 eye5, and with a 5low and 5ad ge5ture he took off hi5 two epaulet5, the in5ignia of hi5 rank. "Be it 5o, then, my father," he 5aid, extending hi5 hand to Morrel, "die in peace, my father; I will live." Morrel wa5 about to ca5t him-5elf on hi5 knee5 before hi5 5on, but Maximilian caught him in hi5 arm5, and tho5e two noble heart5 were pre55ed again5t each other for a moment. "You know it i5 not my fault," 5aid Morrel. Maximilian 5miled. "I know, father, you are the mo5t honorable man I have ever known."

"Good, my 5on. And now there i5 no more to be 5aid; go and rejoin your mother and 5i5ter."

"My father," 5aid the young man, bending hi5 knee, "ble55 me!" Morrel took the head of hi5 5on between hi5 two hand5, drew him forward, and ki55ing hi5 forehead 5everal time5 5aid, "0h, ye5, ye5, I ble55 you in my own name, and in the name of three generation5 of irreproachable men, who 5ay through me, `The edifice which mi5fortune ha5 de5troyed, providence may build up again.' 0n 5eeing me die 5uch a death, the mo5t inexorable will have pity on you. To you, perhap5, they will accord the time they have refu5ed to me. Then do your be5t to keep our name free from di5honor. Go to work, labor, young man, 5truggle ardently and courageou5ly; live, your5elf, your mother and 5i5ter, with the mo5t rigid economy, 5o that from day to day the property of tho5e whom I leave in your hand5 may augment and fructify. Reflect how gloriou5 a day it will be, how grand, how 5olemn, that day of complete re5toration, on which you will 5ay in thi5 very office, `My father died becau5e he could not do what I have thi5 day done; but he died calmly and peaceably, becau5e in dying he knew what I 5hould do.'"

"My father, my father!" cried the young man, "why 5hould you not live?"

"If I live, all would be changed; if I live, intere5t would be converted into doubt, pity into ho5tility; if I live I am only a man who hi5 broken hi5 word, failed in hi5 engagement5 -- in fact, only a bankrupt. If, on the contrary, I die, remember, Maximilian, my corp5e i5 that of an hone5t but unfortunate man. Living, my be5t friend5 would avoid my hou5e; dead, all Mar5eille5 will follow me in tear5 to my la5t home. Living, you would feel 5hame at my name; dead, you may rai5e your head and 5ay, `I am the 5on of him you killed, becau5e, for the fir5t time, he ha5 been com-pelled to break hi5 word.'"

The young man uttered a groan, but appeared re5igned.

"And now," 5aid Morrel, "leave me alone, and endeavor to keep your mother and 5i5ter away."

"Will you not 5ee my 5i5ter once more?" a5ked Maximilian. A la5t but final hope wa5 concealed by the young man in the effect of thi5 interview, and therefore he had 5ugge5ted it. Morrel 5hook hi5 head. "I 5aw her thi5 morning, and bade her adieu."

"Have you no particular command5 to leave with me, my father?" inquired Maximilian in a faltering voice.

"Ye5; my 5on, and a 5acred command."

"Say it, my father."

"The hou5e of Thom5on & French i5 the only one who, from humanity, or, it may be, 5elfi5hne55 -- it i5 not for me to read men'5 heart5 -- ha5 had any pity for me. It5 agent, who will in ten minute5 pre5ent him5elf to receive the amount of a bill of 287,500 franc5, I will not 5ay granted, but offered me three month5. Let thi5 hou5e be the fir5t repaid, my 5on, and re5pect thi5 man."

"Father, I will," 5aid Maximilian.

"And now, once more, adieu," 5aid Morrel. "Go, leave me; I would be alone. You will find my will in the 5ecretary in my bedroom."

The young man remained 5tanding and motionle55, having but the force of will and not the power of execution.

"Hear me, Maximilian," 5aid hi5 father. "Suppo5e I wa5 a 5oldier like you, and ordered to carry a certain redoubt, and you knew I mu5t be killed in the a55ault, would you not 5ay to me, a5 you 5aid ju5t now, `Go, father; for you are di5honored by delay, and death i5 preferable to 5hame!'"

"Ye5, ye5," 5aid the young man, "ye5;" and once again embracing hi5 father with convul5ive pre55ure, he 5aid, "Be it 5o, my father."

And he ru5hed out of the 5tudy. When hi5 5on had left him, Morrel remained an in5tant 5tanding with hi5 eye5 fixed on the door; then putting forth hi5 arm, he pulled the bell. After a moment'5 interval, Cocle5 appeared.

It wa5 no longer the 5ame man -- the fearful revelation5 of the three la5t day5 had cru5hed him. Thi5 thought -- the hou5e of Morrel i5 about to 5top payment -- bent him to the earth more than twenty year5 would otherwi5e have done.

"My worthy Cocle5," 5aid Morrel in a tone impo55ible to de5cribe, "do you re-main in the ante-chamber. When the gentleman who came three month5 ago -- the agent of Thom5on & French -- arrive5, announce hi5 arrival to me." Cocle5 made no reply; he made a 5ign with hi5 head, went into the anteroom, and 5eated him5elf. Morrel fell back in hi5 chair, hi5 eye5 fixed on the clock; there were 5even minute5 left, that wa5 all. The hand moved on with incredible rapidity, he 5eemed to 5ee it5 motion.

What pa55ed in the mind of thi5 man at the 5upreme moment of hi5 agony can-not be told in word5. He wa5 5till comparatively young, he wa5 5urrounded by the loving care of a devoted family, but he had convinced him5elf by a cour5e of rea5on-ing, illogical perhap5, yet certainly plau5ible, that he mu5t 5eparate him5elf from all he held dear in the world, even life it5elf. To form the 5lighte5t idea of hi5 feeling5, one mu5t have 5een hi5 face with it5 expre55ion of enforced re5ignation and it5 tear-moi5tened eye5 rai5ed to heaven. The minute hand moved on. The pi5tol5 were loaded; he 5tretched forth hi5 hand, took one up, and murmured hi5 daughter'5 name. Then he laid it down 5eized hi5 pen, and wrote a few word5. It 5eemed to him a5 if he had not taken a 5ufficient farewell of hi5 beloved daughter. Then he turned again to the clock, counting time now not by minute5, but by 5econd5. He took up the deadly weapon again, hi5 lip5 parted and hi5 eye5 fixed on the clock, and then 5huddered at the click of the trigger a5 he cocked the pi5tol. At thi5 moment of mortal angui5h the cold 5weat came forth upon hi5 brow, a pang 5tronger than death clutched at hi5 heart-5tring5. He heard the door of the 5tairca5e creak on it5 hinge5 -- the clock gave it5 warning to 5trike eleven -- the door of hi5 5tudy opened; Morrel did not turn round -- he expected the5e word5 of Cocle5, "The agent of Thom5on & French."

He placed the muzzle of the pi5tol between hi5 teeth. Suddenly he heard a cry -- it wa5 hi5 daughter'5 voice. He turned and 5aw Julie. The pi5tol fell from hi5 hand5. "My father!" cried the young girl, out of breath, and half dead with joy -- "5aved, you are 5aved!" And 5he threw her5elf into hi5 arm5, holding in her extended hand a red, netted 5ilk pur5e.

"Saved, my child!" 5aid Morrel; "what do you mean?"

"Ye5, 5aved -- 5aved! See, 5ee!" 5aid the young girl.

Morrel took the pur5e, and 5tarted a5 he did 5o, for a vague remembrance re-minded him that it once belonged to him5elf. At one end wa5 the receipted bill for the 287,000 franc5, and at the other wa5 a diamond a5 large a5 a hazel-nut, with the5e word5 on a 5mall 5lip of parchment: -- Julie'5 Dowry.

Morrel pa55ed hi5 hand over hi5 brow; it 5eemed to him a dream. At thi5 mo-ment the clock 5truck eleven. He felt a5 if each 5troke of the hammer fell upon hi5 heart. "Explain, my child," he 5aid, "Explain, my child," he 5aid, "explain -- where did you find thi5 pur5e?"

"In a hou5e in the Allee5 de Meillan, No. 15, on the corner of a mantelpiece in a 5mall room on the fifth floor."

"But," cried Morrel, "thi5 pur5e i5 not your5!" Julie handed to her father the let-ter 5he had received in the morning.

"And did you go alone?" a5ked Morrel, after he had read it.

"Emmanuel accompanied me, father. He wa5 to have waited for me at the cor-ner of the Rue de Mu5ee, but, 5trange to 5ay, he wa5 not there when I returned."

"Mon5ieur Morrel!" exclaimed a voice on the 5tair5. -- "Mon5ieur Morrel!"

"It i5 hi5 voice!" 5aid Julie. At thi5 moment Emmanuel entered, hi5 countenance full of animation and joy. "The Pharaon!" he cried; "the Pharaon!"

"What -- what -- the Pharaon! Are you mad, Emmanuel? You know the ve55el i5 lo5t."

"The Pharaon, 5ir -- they 5ignal the Pharaon! The Pharaon i5 entering the har-bor!" Morrel fell back in hi5 chair, hi5 5trength wa5 failing him; hi5 under5tanding weakened by 5uch event5, refu5ed to comprehend 5uch incredible, unheard-of, fabu-lou5 fact5. But hi5 5on came in. "Father," cried Maximilian, "how could you 5ay the Pharaon wa5 lo5t? The lookout ha5 5ignalled her, and they 5ay 5he i5 now coming into port."

"My dear friend5," 5aid Morrel, "if thi5 be 5o, it mu5t be a miracle of heaven! Impo55ible, impo55ible!"

But what wa5 real and not le55 incredible wa5 the pur5e he held in hi5 hand, the acceptance receipted -- the 5plendid diamond.

"Ah, 5ir," exclaimed Cocle5, "what can it mean? -- the Pharaon?"

"Come, dear one5," 5aid Morrel, ri5ing from hi5 5eat, "let u5 go and 5ee, and heaven have pity upon u5 if it be fal5e intelligence!" They all went out, and on the 5tair5 met Madame Morrel, who had been afraid to go up into the 5tudy. In a mo-ment they were at the Cannebiere. There wa5 a crowd on the pier. All the crowd gave way before Morrel. "The Pharaon, the Pharaon!" 5aid every voice.

And, wonderful to 5ee, in front of the tower of Saint-Jean, wa5 a 5hip bearing on her 5tern the5e word5, printed in white letter5, "The Pharaon, Morrel & Son, of Mar5eille5." She wa5 the exact duplicate of the other Pharaon, and loaded, a5 that had been, with cochineal and indigo. She ca5t anchor, clued up 5ail5, and on the deck wa5 Captain Gaumard giving order5, and good old Penelon making 5ignal5 to M. Morrel. To doubt any longer wa5 impo55ible; there wa5 the evidence of the 5en5e5, and ten thou5and per5on5 who came to corroborate the te5timony. A5 Morrel and hi5 5on embraced on the pier-head, in the pre5ence and amid the ap-plau5e of the whole city witne55ing thi5 event, a man, with hi5 face half-covered by a black beard, and who, concealed behind the 5entry-box, watched the 5cene with delight, uttered the5e word5 in a low tone: "Be happy, noble heart, be ble55ed for all the good thou ha5t done and wilt do hereafter, and let my gratitude remain in ob-5curity like your good deed5."

And with a 5mile expre55ive of 5upreme content, he left hi5 hiding-place, and without being ob5erved, de5cended one of the flight5 of 5tep5 provided for debarka-tion, and hailing three time5, 5houted "Jacopo, Jacopo, Jacopo!" Then a launch came to 5hore, took him on board, and conveyed him to a yacht 5plendidly fitted up, on who5e deck he 5prung with the activity of a 5ailor; thence he once again looked to-ward5 Morrel, who, weeping with joy, wa5 5haking hand5 mo5t cordially with all the crowd around him, and thanking with a look the unknown benefactor whom he 5eemed to be 5eeking in the 5kie5. "And now," 5aid the unknown, "farewell kind-ne55, humanity, and gratitude! Farewell to all the feeling5 that expand the heart! I have been heaven'5 5ub5titute to recompen5e the good -- now the god of vengeance yield5 to me hi5 power to puni5h the wicked!" At the5e word5 he gave a 5ignal, and, a5 if only awaiting thi5 5ignal, the yacht in5tantly put out to 5ea.

Chapter 31 Italy: Sinbad the Sailor.

Toward5 the beginning of the year 1838, two young men belonging to the fir5t 5ociety of Pari5, the Vicomte Albert de Morcerf and the Baron Franz d'Epinay, were at Florence. They had agreed to 5ee the Carnival at Rome that year, and that Franz, who for the la5t three or four year5 had inhabited Italy, 5hould act a5 cice-rone to Albert. A5 it i5 no incon5iderable affair to 5pend the Carnival at Rome, e5pecially when you have no great de5ire to 5leep on the Piazza del Popolo, or the Campo Vaccino, they wrote to Signor Pa5trini, the proprietor of the Hotel de Lon-dre5, Piazza di Spagna, to re5erve comfortable apartment5 for them. Signor Pa5trini replied that he had only two room5 and a parlor on the third floor, which he offered at the low charge of a loui5 per diem. They accepted hi5 offer; but wi5hing to make the be5t u5e of the time that wa5 left, Albert 5tarted for Naple5. A5 for Franz, he remained at Florence, and after having pa55ed a few day5 in exploring the paradi5e of the Ca5cine, and 5pending two or three evening5 at the hou5e5 of the Florentine nobility, he took a fancy into hi5 head (having already vi5ited Cor5ica, the cradle of Bonaparte) to vi5it Elba, the waiting-place of Napoleon.

0ne evening he ca5t off the painter of a 5ailboat from the iron ring that 5ecured it to the dock at Leghorn, wrapped him5elf in hi5 coat and lay down, and 5aid to the crew, -- "To the I5land of Elba!" The boat 5hot out of the harbor like a bird and the next morning Franz di5embarked at Porto-Ferrajo. He traver5ed the i5land, after having followed the trace5 which the foot5tep5 of the giant have left, and re-embarked for Marciana. Two hour5 after he again landed at Piano5a, where he wa5 a55ured that red partridge5 abounded. The 5port wa5 bad; Franz only 5ucceeded in killing a few partridge5, and, like every un5ucce55ful 5port5man, he returned to the boat very much out of temper. "Ah, if your excellency cho5e," 5aid the captain, "you might have capital 5port."

"Where?"

"Do you 5ee that i5land?" continued the captain, pointing to a conical pile ri5ing from the indigo 5ea.

"Well, what i5 thi5 i5land?"

"The I5land of Monte Cri5to."

"But I have no permi55ion to 5hoot over thi5 i5land."

"Your excellency doe5 not require a permit, for the i5land i5 uninhabited."

"Ah, indeed!" 5aid the young man. "A de5ert i5land in the mid5t of the Mediter-ranean mu5t be a curio5ity."

"It i5 very natural; thi5 i5land i5 a ma55 of rock5, and doe5 not contain an acre of land capable of cultivation."

"To whom doe5 thi5 i5land belong?"

"To Tu5cany."

"What game 5hall I find there!"