The Count of Monte Cristo

The Locked Door

The carriage stopped at the door of the house. Villefort leaped out, saw that his servants were surprised at his early return, but could read no other expression on their features. Neither spoke to him; they merely stood aside to let him pass. As he passed by M. Noirtier’s room, he perceived two figures through the half-open door, but anxiety carried him on further. He ascended the stairs to his wife’s room, closed the landing door, and said, “No one must disturb us.” He approached the door, touched the crystal handle, which yielded. “Not locked,” he cried. He entered the little room in which Edward slept, but the child was not there. “Not here,” he said; “doubtless she is in her bedroom.” He rushed towards the door, found it bolted, and stopped, shuddering. “Héloïse!” he cried. He fancied he heard the sound of a piece of furniture being removed. He repeated the name, but the door remained closed. Villefort burst it open with a violent blow.

The Poisoned Wife

At the entrance of the room which led to her boudoir, Madame de Villefort was standing erect, pale, her features contracted, and her eyes glaring horribly. “Héloïse, Héloïse! What is the matter? Speak!” The young woman extended her stiff white hands towards him. “It is done, monsieur,” she said with a rattling noise which seemed to tear her throat. “What more do you want?” and she fell full length on the floor. Villefort ran to her and seized her hand, which convulsively clasped a crystal bottle with a golden stopper. Madame de Villefort was dead. Villefort, maddened with horror, stepped back to the threshold of the door, fixing his eyes on the corpse. “My son! Where is my son? Edward, Edward!” The name was pronounced in such a tone of anguish that the servants ran up. “Where is my son? Let him be removed from the house, that he may not see——” “Master Edward is not downstairs, sir,” replied the valet. “Then he must be playing in the garden; go and see.” “No, sir; Madame de Villefort sent for him half an hour ago; he went into her room, and has not been downstairs since.”