"But whence does he derive the title of count?"
"You are aware that may be bought."
"In Italy!"
"Everywhere."
"And his immense riches, as they are called?"
"As regards that," replied the abbé, "immense is the word used!"
"How much do you suppose he possesses?"
"From one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand livres per annum."
"This is reasonable," said the visitor; "I have heard he had three or four millions."
"Two hundred thousand per annum would make four millions of capital."
"But I was told he had four millions per annum?"
"That is not probable."
"Do you know this island of Monte-Cristo?"
"Certainly; every one who has returned from Palermo, from Naples, or from Eome to France, by sea, must know it, since he has passed close to it, and must have seen it."
"I am told it is a delightful place?"
"It is a rock."
"And why has the count bought a rock?"
"For the sake of being a count. In Italy one must have a county be a count."
"You have, doubtless, heard the adventures of M. Zaccone's youth?
"The father's?"
"No, the son's."
"I know nothing certain; at that period of his life, I lost sight of my young comrade."
"Was he in the army?"
"I think he entered the service."
"In what force?"
"In the navy."
"Are you not his confessor?"
"No, sir; I believe he is a Lutheran."
"A Lutheran?"
"I say, I believe such is the case, I do not affirm it; besides, liberty of conscience is established in France."
"Doubtless, and we are not now inquiring into his creed, but his actions; in the name of the prefect of police, I demand, what do you know of him?"
"He passes for a charitable man. Our holy father, the pope, has made him a knight of Jesus Christ for the services he rendered to the
