"This is incredible!" cried Monte-Cristo, gazing piercingly at his companion and half suspecting that he was drawing upon his vivid Italian imagination for some of his graphic details.
"But it is true, Signor Count," protested Peppino, earnestly; "every word of it is true!"
"Go on," said Monte-Cristo, hoarsely, again seating himself on the stool. "Tell me about the conspiracy."
"I am coming to it, Signor Count," said the former bandit, assuming a sitting posture upon the edge of the bed. "You know, of course, that the cause of all the Viscount Massetti's trouble was a certain handsome young peasant girl named Annunziata Solara?"
"I have heard it was some woman, but that does not matter; proceed."
"This girl sold flowers in the Piazza del Popolo and on the Corso; there she attracted the attention of Massetti and your son Espérance."
"Espérance!" exclaimed Monte-Cristo, his hands working nervously. "Oh! mon Dieu! the light is commencing to break!"
Peppino smiled reassuringly.
"Have no fear, Signor Count," said he; "in all the unhappy occurrences that brought the poor Viscount under suspicion your son bore a part as noble as it was honorable; you have abundant reason to be proud of him!"