“I should have liked to have made you the offer of these horses. I have almost given them away, as it is; but, as I before said, I was anxious to get rid of them upon any terms. They were only fit for a young man.”
“I am much obliged by your kind intentions towards me,” said Monte Cristo; “but this morning I purchased a very excellent pair of carriage-horses, and I do not think they were dear. There they are. Come, M. Debray, you are a connoisseur, I believe, let me have your opinion upon them.”
As Debray walked towards the window, Danglars approached his wife.
“I could not tell you before others,” said he in a low tone, “the reason of my parting with the horses; but a most enormous price was offered me this morning for them.
Some madman or fool, bent upon ruining himself as fast as he can, actually sent his steward to me to purchase them at any cost; and the fact is, I have gained 16,000 francs by the sale of them.
Come, don’t look so angry, and you shall have 4,000 francs of the money to do what you like with, and Eugénie shall have 2,000.
There, what do you think now of the affair? Wasn’t I right to part with the horses?”
Madame Danglars surveyed her husband with a look of withering contempt.
“Great heavens?” suddenly exclaimed Debray.
“What is it?” asked the baroness.
“I cannot be mistaken; there are your horses! The very animals we were speaking of, harnessed to the count’s carriage!”