His hand placed upon his heart was unable to redress its throbbings, while, with the other he wiped the perspiration from his temples.

From time to time chills ran through his whole body, and clutched his heart in a grasp of ice.

Then he thought he was going to die.

Yet the hours passed on without any unusual disturbance, and Dantes knew that he had escaped the first peril.

It was a good augury.