"And you will keep your word, my noble child!" said Monte-Cristo, gazing tenderly and admiringly at her. "Now I will remove this Tunis dress in which I have been, without doubt, exceedingly ridiculous in your eyes, for you are altogether unacquainted with the associations that surround it and endear it to me, dignify it, so to speak, beyond any other costume I have ever worn!"
Zuleika lifted her hands in protest, exclaiming:
"You could not, dear father, appear ridiculous in my eyes, no matter in what garb you were clothed!"
Monte-Cristo smiled approvingly, but a trifle incredulously and quitted the circular apartment. When he returned he was clad in the costume he had worn on coming from the yacht.
"Take a last look around you, Zuleika," he said, in a tone he vainly endeavored to render firm. "We are now about to quit this place forever!"
He took her hand and led her from the room. Slowly and as if regretfully they passed through the salle-à-manger and the apartment they had first entered, gaining the stairway and preparing to ascend it. At the foot of the steps Monte-Cristo paused and turned to Ali. He was ghastly pale and trembled slightly. With a powerful effort he, however, controlled his agitation.
"Ali," said he, in a voice that sounded strangely in Zuleika's ear, "is everything in readiness?"
The faithful Nubian, scarcely less affected than his master, bowed affirmatively.
"Then farewell, ye grottoes of Monte-Cristo!" cried the Count, excitedly. "Farewell forever!"