"You say you have indubitable proof of this. How was it obtained?"
"From a man named Peppino, who overheard all the details of the nefarious bargain and conspiracy entered into by the brigand chief and old Pasquale Solara."
"Pasquale Solara? My father! Oh! Signor Count, what do you mean?"
"Be calm, my child, and listen to me. Your father despicably sold you to Luigi Vampa for a large sum of money and they together so arranged the abduction that all suspicion would fall with crushing force upon the shoulders of the young Italian!"
Annunziata put her hand to her forehead and stood still, rooted to the spot by horror and amazement. She had no great love for her moody and morose father, who never had done anything calculated to inspire affection for him in the bosom of his daughter, but, at the same time, it seemed incredible and horrible to her that her parent should have been guilty of this unnatural behavior towards her, of this unmanly conduct with regard to an innocent guest who in all confidence was partaking of the hospitality his roof afforded. She looked at Monte-Cristo doubtingly and then at Mme. de Rancogne, who was smiling upon her encouragingly.
"As God is my judge," said she, solemnly, "I believe Giovanni Massetti to have been my abductor!"
"Of course," returned Monte-Cristo, "but you are in error!"
"I saw his face! Surely I ought to have been able to recognize that!"
"Certainly; but, I tell you, everything was so arranged as to deceive you into believing the young Italian the criminal, the despicable wretch who had failed to respect a woman's honor!"
"It may be as you assert, but I cannot rid myself of my firm and deep-rooted belief in the matter. I have forgiven the Viscount Massetti for the foul wrong he did me, but to the latest day of my earthly existence I shall believe him guilty!"
Suddenly fixing her eyes upon Zuleika with a gaze of bewildering intensity, Annunziata stood as if anxious to speak to her of some very important topic.
Monte-Cristo's daughter divined this, and, going to the former flower-girl, said to her: "Is there anything I can do for you, Sister Annunziata? If so you have only to ask it!"
Annunziata laid her hand upon Zuleika's shoulder, asking, in a tone that notwithstanding all her efforts to control it was not a little unsteady and tremulous: "Do you love him?--do you love the Viscount Massetti?"
"Yes," answered Zuleika, lowering her eyes beneath the intensity of the other's look.
"So I thought, but oh! daughter of a noble family, beware of the perfidious young man! He will not hesitate to deceive you as he deceived me! Then he will leave you to your fate as he left me to mine, and life-long sorrow and misery will be your portion!"