She entered first. Noirtier sat in his chair, alert to every sound, watching the door. When he saw Valentine, his eye brightened. Something grave and solemn in the young woman's approach struck the old man, and his bright eye immediately began questioning her.
"Dear grandfather," she said urgently, "you know my poor grandmother died an hour ago. Now I have no friend in the world except you."
His expressive eyes conveyed the deepest tenderness.
"So only to you can I confide my sorrows and my hopes?"
The paralyzed man indicated "Yes."
Valentine took Maximilian's hand. "Look carefully at this gentleman."
The old man fixed his scrutinizing gaze on Morrel with slight surprise.
"This is Monsieur Maximilian Morrel," she said. "The son of that good merchant from Marseilles whom you surely remember."
"Yes," the old man signaled.
