Cardinal Monti resumed his seat amid loud murmurs of applause and satisfaction. When these died away the clerk declared the Court adjourned, the convict was removed and the audience slowly dispersed.
Mme. de Rancogne and Annunziata Solara immediately returned to the Refuge in Civita Vecchia, where the poor girl lay prostrated for many weeks. After his confession of his infamous deeds she had no further desire to see her despicable and degraded father.
Monte-Cristo and his party rode joyously back to the Hôtel de France in the Count's barouche.
That evening no happier persons existed upon earth than Giovanni and Zuleika.
CHAPTER XXX.
JOY UNBOUNDED.
The news of the result of Luigi Vampa's trial spread with the utmost rapidity throughout Rome and occasioned the wildest rejoicing, still further augmenting the popularity of Monte-Cristo and Captain Morrel, who were credited by the Roman populace with having brought about the dreaded brigand chief's conviction and inspired his sentence. Everywhere, while the vast importance of old Pasquale Solara's testimony was recognized and admitted, the wretched shepherd himself was execrated as an unnatural, heartless father, as a diabolical scoundrel without a single redeeming trait. The fact of his having turned State's evidence saved him from the heavy hand of the law, but his mortal wound would soon rid the world of him and this circumstance occasioned hearty congratulation in all quarters.
The morning succeeding Vampa's trial a messenger arrived at the Hôtel de France from the Count Massetti, bearing a brief note in which the aged nobleman begged his son to come to him at once. Giovanni exhibited this note triumphantly to Zuleika and the friends who had labored so untiringly and successfully in his cause, and, together with the Count of Monte-Cristo and M. Morrel, immediately repaired to the Palazzo Massetti in Monte-Cristo's barouche. The old Count received his son with open arms and cordially greeted Monte-Cristo and Maximilian.