Edmond cried out in agony and, losing all sense, rushed toward the door shouting, "Help! Someone help us!" But Faria found enough strength to grab him.
"Silence," the priest hissed, "or we're both finished. We have to think of you now, my dear friend. We need to make your captivity bearable or your escape possible. It would take years to rebuild what I've accomplished here, and it would all be destroyed instantly if the guards knew we'd been communicating. Besides, I promise you, the cell I'm about to leave won't stay empty long.
Some other unfortunate soul will take my place, and you'll be like a guardian angel to him. Maybe he'll be young and strong like you, and he'll help you escape where I've only been a burden. You won't have half a corpse dragging you down anymore. Finally, fate has done something for you, it's giving you back more than it's taking away. It was time for me to die."
