The captain, too, was disturbed, though he could give himself no satisfactory reason for his uneasiness. Ali, with the characteristic superstition of the Nubian race, had prostrated himself upon the deck, and was making signs the Moslems of his country use to drive away malignant spirits. The night, however, passed without accident, though the singular lightning continued for several hours. Next morning the sun rose, encircled by a ruddy band, fringed on the outer rim with a faint yellow, while its beams had a sullen glare instead of their normal brilliancy. The lightning of the previous night was absent, but soon another and not less disquieting phenomenon manifested itself; as far as the eye could reach the sea seemed boiling, and, at intervals, a puff, as if of vapor, would filter through the waves, rising and disappearing in the heavens. Meanwhile the wind had fallen, and amid an almost dead calm the sails of the Alcyon hung listlessly, with only an occasional flapping. The yacht moved forward, indeed, but so slowly that it scarcely appeared to move at all. Monte-Cristo and Haydee came on deck at dawn, but the young girl displayed such terror at the unwonted aspect of the sun and the sea that the Count speedily persuaded her to return with him to the cabin. There she cowered upon a divan, hiding her face in her hands and moaning piteously. Her fiance, distressed at her condition, endeavored to soothe and comfort her, but utterly without avail; her fears could neither be banished nor allayed. At length he threw himself on a rug at her feet, and, disengaging her hands from her face, drew them about his neck; Haydee clasped him frantically and clung to him as if she deemed that embrace a final one. As they were sitting thus, the Alcyon received a sudden and violent shock that shook the noble yacht from stem to stern. Instantly there was a sound of hurrying feet on deck, and the captain could be heard shouting hoarsely to the sailors. Monte-Cristo leaped up and caught Haydee in his arms. At that moment Ali darted down the companion-way and stood trembling before his master. "What was that shock?" demanded the Count, hurriedly. The agitated Nubian made a sign signifying he did not know, but that all was yet safe. "Remain with your mistress, Ali," said Monte-Cristo. "I am going to see what is the matter." "Oh! no, no," cried Haydee, imploringly, as the Count placed her again on the divan and was moving away. "Oh! no, no; do not leave me, my lord, or I shall die!" Ashy pale, Haydee arose from the divan, and cast herself on her knees at Monte-Cristo's feet. "Swear to me, at least, that you will not needlessly expose yourself to danger," she uttered, in a pleading tone. "I swear it," answered the Count. "Ali will faithfully guard you while I am gone," he added, "and ere you can realize my absence, I shall be again at your side." With these words he tore himself away and hastened to the deck.