"Ah," added the turnkey, "there was no occasion for watching
him: he would have stayed here fifty years, I'll answer for
it, without any attempt to escape."

"Still," said the governor, "I believe it will be requisite,
notwithstanding your certainty, and not that I doubt your
science, but in discharge of my official duty, that we
should be perfectly assured that the prisoner is dead."
There was a moment of complete silence, during which Dantes,
still listening, knew that the doctor was examining the
corpse a second time.

"You may make your mind easy," said the doctor; "he is dead.
I will answer for that."

"You know, sir," said the governor, persisting, "that we are
not content in such cases as this with such a simple
examination. In spite of all appearances, be so kind,
therefore, as to finish your duty by fulfilling the
formalities described by law."

"Let the irons be heated," said the doctor; "but really it
is a useless precaution." This order to heat the irons made
Dantes shudder. He heard hasty steps, the creaking of a
door, people going and coming, and some minutes afterwards a
turnkey entered, saying, --

"Here is the brazier, lighted." There was a moment's
silence, and then was heard the crackling of burning flesh,