M. Morrel's interest and amus.e.m.e.nt changed to wonder and amazement; he was thoroughly mystified and bewildered.

"The common people of Rome are not very far astray in their estimate of this Dr. Absalom!" he muttered. "This certainly looks as if the man were a magician!"

"Pshaw!" returned Monte-Cristo, with a display of impatience he rarely exhibited. "The learned Hebrew is compelled to take his precautions; that is all. Follow me, and no matter what you may see or hear, if you wish our enterprise to be crowned with success utter not a word, not a sound, until I give you permission!"

The Count entered the corridor, followed by his perplexed and astounded friend. Immediately the door closed noiselessly behind them and they found themselves amid thick darkness. Monte-Cristo took M. Morrel by the hand, leading him forward until their progress was completely barred by what appeared to be the end of the corridor. Here the Count paused and said some words in Hebrew. A faint response came promptly from beyond the corridor in the same language, and immediately the light of a lamp flashed upon the visitors. A door had opened and on the threshold stood the strangest looking specimen of humanity Maximilian had ever beheld.

The new comer was a very aged man, with stooped shoulders, a long white beard that reached to his waist and a profusion of snowy hair that escaped from beneath a cap of purple velvet at the side of which hung a bright crimson ta.s.sel. He wore a long Persian caftan of pink satin, profusely and beautifully embroidered with gold, full oriental trousers of red velvet and elaborately adorned slippers of tiger skin. On his long, bony fingers sparkled several diamond rings undoubtedly of immense value and a cl.u.s.ter of brilliant emeralds magnificently set in gold adorned his breast. This singular vision of eastern luxury, wealth and sumptuousness held the lamp, which was of wrought bronze and resembled those found among the ruins of ancient Pompeii, above his head and by its light Maximilian could see that his eyes were keen and piercing and that his countenance betokened the highest intellectuality.

"Who is it that thus summons the sage from his meditations?" asked the old man, in a remarkably youthful voice. This time he spoke in Italian.

"One who served you in the past, oh! Dr. Absalom," replied Monte-Cristo, also using the language of Italy, "and who now solicits a service of you in return. Remember the mob of Athens and the Frank who interposed to save you from destruction!"

The old man lowered his lamp and held it close to his famous visitor's face; then he joyfully exclaimed:

"Welcome, Edmond Dantes, Count of Monte-Cristo! Welcome to the abode of your devoted servant Israel Absalom! Whatever he can do to serve you shall be done, no matter at what cost!"

Then, for the first time, he observed that the Count was not alone and fixed his keen eyes on M. Morrel with a look of suspicion and inquiry.

"One of my dearest friends, M. Maximilian Morrel, Captain in the Army of France," said Monte-Cristo, in answer to this look. "You can have as full confidence in him as in me."

Dr. Absalom bowed profoundly to M. Morrel, and without another word led the way to an inner apartment. It was a vast chamber, closed like the front of the house, brilliantly illuminated by a huge chandelier suspended from the ceiling in which burned twenty wax candles of various hues. The room was provided with all the apparatus and paraphernalia of a chemist's laboratory of modern days, also containing many strange instruments and machines such as aided the researches and labors of the old-time disciples of alchemy.

In the centre of the apartment stood a vast table covered with gigantic parchment-bound tomes and rolls of yellow ma.n.u.script. Behind this table was a huge, high-backed chair of elaborate antique workmanship resembling the throne of some Asiatic sovereign of the remote past. In this chair the physician seated himself after having installed his visitors each upon a commodious and comfortable Turkish divan.

Maximilian noticed that the floor of the room was covered with soft and elegant Persian rugs and that the walls were hung with exquisitely beautiful tapestry. Monte-Cristo had warned him to prepare to be greatly surprised, but Dr. Absalom's lavish display of wealth, luxury and taste in the midst of the filthy, dilapidated Ghetto, nevertheless, absolutely stunned him. The Count had also cautioned him not to speak without his permission--a useless injunction, for the young Frenchman was too much amazed to utter a syllable.

After seating himself the Hebrew sage, who seemed to be a man of business as well as of science, requested the Count to state in what he could serve him. Thereupon Monte-Cristo succinctly related the history of the Viscount Ma.s.setti, told of his mental malady, his confinement in the insane asylum and ended by asking the physician if he could and would cure him.

"I have already heard somewhat of this unfortunate young man," replied Dr. Absalom, "and the fact of his insanity was also imparted to me, but before expressing an opinion as to what my science can do in his case, I must have the particulars."

The Count motioned to M. Morrel, who, having by this time partially recovered from his bewilderment, at once proceeded to give the aged Hebrew the information he required. When he had concluded Dr. Absalom said, in a quiet, confident tone:

"Count of Monte-Cristo, the case is plain. I can and will cure this stricken young Italian!"

"I was sure of it!" cried the Count, joyously and triumphantly. M.

Morrel was not less delighted, but, at the same time, he could not feel as confident as his friend of the Jew's ability to perform his promise.

The physician spoke a few words in Hebrew to Monte-Cristo. The reply of the latter seemed to give him entire satisfaction, for he said in Italian:

"In that event there will be no opposition from either the authorities of Rome or those of the insane asylum. I will be at the asylum at noon to-morrow, fully prepared to restore Ma.s.setti to health and reason!"

The Count and Maximilian arose and bidding the sage adieu were conducted by him to the corridor. They were soon in the street and made their way out of the Ghetto as speedily as possible.

CHAPTER XXIII.

A MODERN MIRACLE.

Monte-Cristo, whose power and influence seemed to be absolutely boundless, presented himself on the following morning at the insane asylum where the Viscount Ma.s.setti was under treatment armed with a permit from the Papal Secretary of State, Cardinal Monti, for the Hebrew physician, Dr. Israel Absalom, to a.s.sume charge of the case of the n.o.ble patient. The director of the inst.i.tution shrugged his shoulders when this permit was exhibited to him by M. Morrel, who had accompanied the Count for the purpose of introducing him to that official.

"Messieurs," said he, in very good French, "I am bound to respect this paper, but I solemnly protest against trusting the patient to this Hebrew charlatan and wash my hands of all responsibility in the premises!"

"M. the director," replied Monte-Cristo, in a dignified tone, "notwithstanding the repeated a.s.sertion of your physician who has been in charge of young Ma.s.setti ever since his arrival here that his malady was entirely curable, he has made but little if any progress with the sufferer, who to-day is still insane. Dr. Absalom, even though he be a charlatan as you maintain, but which, if you will pardon me, I must decline to admit, could not make a more conspicuous and complete failure!"

"M. the Count," said the director, coldly, evidently not relishing Monte-Cristo's bluntness, "all that the most advanced science can do has been done. Insanity is a disease slow and difficult of cure; time is required to produce results and it will be fully a year before the Viscount can, even under the most favorable circ.u.mstances, be thoroughly restored."

"Your experience ent.i.tles your opinion to respect," returned the Count, with equal coldness, "but still I cannot accept that opinion as final."

"As you please," said the official, haughtily. "After your Jewish physician, if he really be such, has vainly administered his nostrums and ineffectually mumbled his incantations, you will be glad enough to have the regular pract.i.tioner of the asylum resume the functions of which you now see fit so summarily to deprive him."

"Perhaps," answered the Count, smiling. "It is part of my creed never to despise science in whatever form it may come!"

The director bowed with satirical politeness.

At noon precisely Dr. Absalom arrived. He had discarded his gaudy and fantastic attire of the previous day and appeared in the ordinary street dress of a European. If he had seemed imposing to Maximilian at his house in the Ghetto, he looked still more imposing to him now, shorn as he was of all oriental accessories and depending for effect upon the wondrous intellectual aspect of his countenance alone. The only article of luxury he had about him was a ma.s.sive gold-headed cane on which his years caused him to lean heavily.

Monte-Cristo and M. Morrel received him with the utmost courtesy and deference, but the director hardly noticed him and with difficulty concealed his disgust. The Hebrew sage, however, was used to the uncivil manner in which the Italians treated the people of his nation and showed not the faintest sign of displeasure, though the Count and Maximilian could scarcely restrain themselves from resenting the official's insulting behavior.

Without delay Dr. Absalom was conducted to young Ma.s.setti's chamber by the physician who up to that time had attended the patient. He was an elderly man, but though an Italian showed marked respect for the aged, n.o.ble-looking Hebrew. Monte-Cristo and M. Morrel accompanied the two savants, the former confident in Dr. Absalom's power to perform his promise, the latter hoping for his success, yet doubtful of it.

As the party entered the apartment of the maniac the Italian physician said to his Jewish confrere:

"Dr. Absalom, I would very much like to witness your mode of treatment.

Will you kindly permit me to remain in the room?"

"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 Hotel de France with instructions to return immediately with his wife and Zuleika.

When they had arrived and their presence in an adjoining apartment was announced to Dr. Absalom by Maximilian, the Hebrew said: