"Oh," cried Edmond, "to think that in half an hour I could join her, did I not fear being questioned, detected, and conveyed back to Marseilles! What can I do?
What story can I invent?
under pretext of trading along the coast, these men, who are in reality smugglers, will prefer selling me to doing a good action.

I must wait.

But I cannot---- I am starving.

In a few hours my strength will be utterly exhausted; besides, perhaps I have not been missed at the fortress.

I can pass as one of the sailors wrecked last night.