"Certainly," replied the Hebrew. "I have nothing whatever to conceal; but," he added, with twinkling eyes, "I warn you in advance that you will be no wiser after you have witnessed my operations and their result than you are at present!"
The Viscount was sitting in a large arm-chair, his face buried in his hands. At the entrance of the four men he murmured, without looking up:
"Why has the beautiful vision left me? Why does the divine Juno deny me the light of her presence?"
Dr. Absalom glanced inquiringly at his companions.
"He means Valentine, my wife," explained Maximilian. "She resorted to a pardonable little artifice to lure him hither."
"Let her be sent for at once," said the Hebrew. "I shall have need of her."
"But," objected Monte-Cristo, "Mme. Morrel is taking charge of my daughter, this poor young man's betrothed, who is terribly cast down by her lover's fearful misfortune and cannot be left alone."
"His betrothed!" exclaimed Dr. Absalom. "Better and better! Let her also be brought! I shall have need of her too!"
"You shall be obeyed, Doctor," said Monte-Cristo, and M. Morrel was at once dispatched to the Hôtel de France with instructions to return immediately with his wife and Zuleika.