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Fernand gave a groan, which resembled a sob, and dropped his head into his hands, his elbows leaning on the table. "Well, Fernand, I must say," said Caderousse, beginning the conversation, with that brutality of the common people in which curiosity destroys all diplomacy, "you look uncommonly like a rejected lover;" and he burst into a hoarse laugh. "Bah!" said Danglars, "a lad of his make was not born to be unhappy in love. You are laughing at him, Caderousse." "No," he replied, "only hark how he sighs! Come, come, Fernand," said Caderousse, "hold up your head, and answer us. It's not polite not to reply to friends who ask news of your health." "My health is well enough," said Fernand, clinching his hands without raising his head. "Ah, you see, Danglars," said Caderousse, winking at his friend, "this is how it is; Fernand, whom you see here, is a good and brave Catalan, one of the best fishermen in Marseilles, and he is in love with a very fine girl, named Mercedes; but it appears, unfortunately, that the fine girl is in love with the mate of the Pharaon; and as the Pharaon arrived to-day -- why, you understand!" "No; I do not understand," said Danglars. "Poor Fernand has been dismissed," continued Caderousse. "Well, and what then?" said Fernand, lifting up his head, and looking at Caderousse like a man who looks for some one on whom to vent his anger; "Mercedes is not accountable to any person, is she? Is she not free to love whomsoever she will?" "Oh, if you take it in that sense," said Caderousse, "it is another thing. But I thought you were a Catalan, and they told me the Catalans were not men to allow themselves to be supplanted by a rival. It was even told me that Fernand, especially, was terrible in his vengeance." Fernand smiled piteously. "A lover is never terrible," he said. "Poor fellow!" remarked Danglars, affecting to pity the young man from the bottom of his heart. "Why, you see, he did not expect to see Dantes return so suddenly -- he thought he was dead, perhaps; or perchance faithless! These things always come on us more severely when they come suddenly."

"Ah, ma foi, under any circumstances," said Caderousse, who drank as he spoke, and on whom the fumes of the wine began to take effect, -- "under any circumstances Fernand is not the only person put out by the fortunate arrival of Dantes; is he, Danglars?" "No, you are right -- and I should say that would bring him ill-luck." "Well, never mind," answered Caderousse, pouring out a glass of wine for Fernand, and filling his own for the eighth or ninth time, while Danglars had merely sipped his. "Never mind -- in the meantime he marries Mercedes -- the lovely Mercedes -- at least he returns to do that." During this time Danglars fixed his piercing glance on the young man, on whose heart Caderousse's words fell like molten lead. "And when is the wedding to be?" he asked. "Oh, it is not yet fixed!" murmured Fernand. "No, but it will be," said Caderousse, "as surely as Dantes will be captain of the Pharaon -- eh, Danglars?" Danglars shuddered at this unexpected attack, and turned to Caderousse, whose countenance he scrutinized, to try and detect whether the blow was premeditated; but he read nothing but envy in a countenance already rendered brutal and stupid by drunkenness.