El Examen

No sooner had Villefort left the salon, than he assumed the grave air of a man who holds the balance of life and death in his hands.

Now, in spite of the nobility of his countenance, the command of which, like a finished actor, he had carefully studied before the glass, it was by no means easy for him to assume an air of judicial severity.

Except the recollection of the line of politics his father had adopted, and which might interfere, unless he acted with the greatest prudence, with his own career, Gérard de Villefort was as happy as a man could be. Already rich, he held a high official situation, though only twenty-seven. He was about to marry a young and charming woman, whom he loved, not passionately, but reasonably, as became a deputy attorney of the king; and besides her personal attractions, which were very great, Mademoiselle de Saint-Méran’s family possessed considerable political influence, which they would, of course, exert in his favor.

The dowry of his wife amounted to fifty thousand crowns, and he had, besides, the prospect of seeing her fortune increased to half a million at her father’s death. These considerations naturally gave Villefort a feeling of such complete felicity that his mind was fairly dazzled in its contemplation.

A la puerta se encontró con el comisario de policía, que lo estaba esperando. La vista de este oficial hizo bajar a Villefort del tercer cielo a la tierra; compuso su semblante, como ya hemos descrito antes, y dijo: «He leído la carta, señor, y ha obrado usted bien al arrestar a este hombre;