The Count of Monte Cristo

Alexandre Dumas

Translator: Anonymous

Complete Summary

What follows is a complete summary of The Count of Monte Cristo. I made a summary as I read each chapter. For those daunted by the length of the book, the summary might be a way to familiarise yourself with the story. Others might wish to use it as a tool to help guide them in their own reading.

The story begins at the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and spans over twenty years. It is the story of Edmund Dantes, wrongly imprisoned for political reasons, who escapes prison, finds a fortune bequeathed to him by a fellow prisoner, uses that fortune to adopt a new identity as the Count of Monte Cristo, and then seeks revenge upon those who did him wrong. That’s the whole plot in two sentences. But if you’re interested in the details, you can read below.

Use the Chapter Menu on the bar, above, to quickly navigate to chapters.

SPOILER WARNING. What appears below gives away all key aspects of the plot.

Chapter 1: Marseilles – The Arrival

New Characters

Edmond Dantes (Captain of The Pharaon), M.Morrel (Owner of The Pharaon), Captain Leclere (Former captain of The Pharaon. Dead by fever), Danglars (Agent of The Pharaon)

Summary

Dantes brings The Pharaon into harbour after a trading voyage. The ship’s captain, Leclere has died of fever and Dantes has taken command of the ship as required. He is shown to be competent. Morrel, an owner of the ship, expresses his pleasure at Dantes’ command and promises to speak with his business partner to have Dantes permanently appointed to the position. As Dante attends to various tasks, Danglars speaks with Morrel, suggesting first, that Dante acted inappropriately by delaying their trip at the island of Elba where Napoleon is in exile. Dantes reveals it had been Leclere’s dying wish he do so to deliver a package to Marshal Bertrand. Next, Danglars suggests Dantes holds a letter for Morrel from Captain Leclere, suggesting that Dantes is withholding it. Dantes denies any letter and politely refuses an invitation to dine with Morrel on the excuse that he must see his father and will later want to see his girl, Mercedes.

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Chapter 2: Father and Son

Characters

Edmond Dantes, Danglars

New Characters

Caderousse (Neighbour; a tailor), Senior Dantes (Edmond Dantes’ father)

Summary

Dantes returns home to find his father in a poor state. He has lived on only 60 francs for three months since Caderousse demanded repayment of 140 francs owed by Dantes. Dantes tells his father and Caderousse of his (assumed) captaincy and speaks of his desire to see Mercedes. Caderousse plants some doubt in his mind, saying that Mercedes is also pursued by other men. When Dantes leaves, we find that Caderousse is reporting back to Danglars and is not well disposed to Dantes. Caderousse confirms Dantes’ ambition to be the captain of The Pharaon and his desire to marry Mercedes.

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Chapter 3: The Catalans

Characters

Chapter 8: The Château d’If

Characters

Edmond Dantes, Mercedes

New Characters

Gendarmes, Gaoler

Summary

Dantes is temporarily put in a prison cell, but then is moved by Gendarmes who escort him to a boat at night. He does not know where he is going and the gendarmes are forbidden to tell him. Eventually, he persuades them to talk to him and they indicate they are rowing to the Château d’If, a notorious prison on an island for political prisoners. The conditions here are much harsher. Dantes spends the night standing without sleep. He regrets not having escaped, knowing he might have been able to start his life anew abroad. The next morning when his gaoler comes, he demands to see the prison governor. The gaoler says it is not allowed. Dantes refuses any comforts the gaoler says are available to him and continues to press to see the governor. When the gaoler refuses, Dantes asks him to get a message to Mercedes. The gaoler says it is not worth the risk to him. Dantes threatens violence if he does not help. The gaoler returns with a corporal and four soldiers who escort Dantes to the dungeon below.

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Chapter 9: The Evening of the Betrothal

Characters

M.Villefort, Marquis de Saint-Meran, Marquise de Saint-Meran, Renee, Mercedes, Fernand, M.Morrel, Caderousse, Danglars

Summary

Villefort returns to Saint-Meran’s place to find the guests in the salon. He advises the Marquis to sell all his funds at once and then asks him to procure a letter of introduction to the king from M.de Salvieux to speed things up and ensure no one else gets to deliver his news. He then leaves to return home but finds Mercedes waiting for him. She begs news of Dantes but Villefort tells her he no longer knows where he is and that Dantes is a criminal. Then Villefort suffers a pang of conscience that he is condemning an innocent man because of his own father’s crimes. Meanwhile, Fernand has met Mercedes as she returns home and insinuates himself with her as he tries to comfort her. Both Morrel and Caderousse are disturbed by news of Dantes’s arrest. Caderousse is getting drunk again. Meanwhile, Danglars is pleased with how things have gone.

Quote

Danglars was one of those men born with a pen behind the ear, and an inkstand in place of a heart. Everything with him was multiplication and subtraction. The life of a man was to him of far less value than a numeral, especially when, by taking it away, he could increase the sum of his own desires.

- page 69

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Chapter 10: The King’s closet at the Tuileries

Characters

M.Villefort

New Characters

King Louis XVIII, Duke Blacas [M. de Blacas], Baron M. Dandre (Chief of Police)

Summary

Blacas has received the letter of introduction from M. de Salvieux recommending Villefort to the king. He is concerned that Villefort’s presence means a new threat from Bonaparte is looming. He tries to convince the king of this, but when Dandre arrives the king encourages him to tell Blacas that he is needlessly alarmed. Dandre and the king paint a portrait of Napoleon wiling away his days in boredom and impotence; of a man given up on ambition who has allowed some of his key supporters to return to France to start anew. Blacas assures the king that his messenger is in earnest, having travelled 220 leagues in only three days to deliver his intelligence. When Blacas tells the king Villefort’s name, Louis suddenly takes him more seriously, having heard of Villefort. He knows of Villefort’s father and his desire to rise above that history. Villefort is brought in and he exaggerates the danger. He suggests that Napoleon is advanced in a conspiracy to overthrow the king, and that this intelligence comes from Dantes, whom he has interrogated. Even so, the king assures Villefort that Napoleon will have little support no matter where he escapes to, and presents little threat. But Dandre returns pale and trembling, suggesting he has terrible news.

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Chapter 11: The Corsican Ogre

Characters

Prison Doctor

Summary

Dantes makes plans with Faria for their escape, but a part of the prison is rebuilt which cuts off access to their former escape route. Nevertheless, Faria continues to give instructions to Dantes until one night he is again overcome by an attack of the malady that partially paralysed him before. Faria is convinced he will die this time, but allows Dantes to administer the medicine which saved him last time. Faria dies, nevertheless. Dantes retreats to his own cell knowing that the turnkey will soon come with their dinners. Dantes moves back into their connecting tunnel between the cells to listen to what is happening after his own food is delivered. He hears the turnkey’s discovery of the body and the conversation between the governor and doctor as the doctor pronounces Faria dead. The governor, not wishing to take chances, has a brazier brought into the cell and a hot iron placed against Faria's ankle to make sure he is dead. The governor is then convinced. Faria’s body is to be left in the cell until his burial. No religious mass will be said in his honour since the prison chaplain has taken a leave of absence. When they have left, Dantes once again enters Faria’s cell.

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Chapter 20: The Cemetery of the Château D’If

Characters

Edmond Dantes

New Characters

Two gravediggers

Summary

Dantes returns to Faria’s cell and contemplates his corpse. He is briefly overcome with a sense of despair and considers suicide or a violent end with the guards. Then he has the idea of swapping places with Faria’s corpse. He removes the corpse to the bed in his own cell where he disguises it, then sews himself from the inside into Faria’s winding sheet. When the gravediggers come they haul him outside, but instead of burying him they throw him into the sea where it is the custom to dispose of corpses from the prison.

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Chapter 21: The Island of Tiboulen

Characters

Chapter 26: The Pont Du Gard Inn

Characters

Edmond Dantes (disguised as an Abbe)

New Characters

Madeleine Radelle (La Carconte, Wife of Caderousse), Trinette (Chambermaid), Pecaud (Hostler)

Summary

The scene changes to a small roadside inn, the Pont du Gard, which is run by Caderousse and his wife, Madeleine. The inn has fallen on hard times since passing traffic has declined after a nearby canal has been employed for shipping goods, in preference to stage coaches. A priest turns up, evidently Dantes in disguise, who establishes Caderousse’s identity and explains that he was called to Dantes’ prison cell to administer last rights. He says that it was Dantes’ dying wish that his friends and father divide the wealth of a valuable diamond given to him by a rich man he befriended in prison. The ‘priest’ begins to asks questions of Caderousse, clearly trying to find out as much as he can. He ascertains that his father starved to death a year after he was imprisoned, according to Caderousse. Caderousse, upon learning that the diamond is to be divided equally in its value to the remaining four beneficiaries – himself, Danglars, Mercedes and Fernand – sees there is profit in it for him if he can disqualify Danglars and Fernand because they were not the friends that the supposedly dead Dantes believed them to be. His wife, however, is suspicious of the ‘priests’ motives, and warns her husband to say nothing. However, her intransigence is softened when the ‘priest’ shows her the diamond which is to be sold to fund the inheritance. So she withdraws upstairs, leaving Caderousse to speak. Caderousse promises to tell the ‘priest’ a story about Dantes’ supposed friends.

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Vicomte Albert de Morcerf, Baron Franz d’Epinay, Signor Pastrini

New Characters

Luigi Vampa (Bandit), Teresa (Grew up with Luigi Vampa and is his betrothed), Cucumento (Bandit),Carlini (Cucumento’s man), Rita (Carlini’s girl), Diovolaccio (Bandit), Rita's Father

Summary

The next day Pastrini tells Morcerf and Franz that carriages will be available until Sunday, it now being Thursday. They hope to rent a room with a window also, but a Russian prince has let the whole fifth floor. They visit St Peter’s Basilica with the carriage then decide that they will see the Colosseum at night and approach it by first exiting the city gates and skirting the city before entering again to avoid other sights along the way. Pastrini warns against it, saying they will likely be attacked by the bandit, Luigi Vampa, if they try it. Franz jokes that they will take weapons and capture Vampa, and will be rewarded by the Pope if they do. Pastrini says it is best not to fight back against bandits. Pastrini claims to have known Vampa since he was a boy. He says Vampa is only 22 years old and once held him up. However, Vampa gave him an expensive watch when he recognised Pastrini. Pastrini now begins to tell Vampa’s story:

Vampa was an orphan who was taught to read and write by the curate of Palestrina. He met Teresa, a girl a year younger, who tended sheep in Palestrina. They became close and grew up together. While Vampa remained aloof from others, Teresa had influence over him. Vampa was given a gun after a wolf was spotted near the flock. He carved his own stock for it and he devoted much of his time to learning to use the gun. He later killed the wolf. Vampa’s reputation grew as did Teresa’s beauty.

Pastrini’s story now digresses to a bandit, Cucumento, who was gaining a reputation at this time. He abducted a girl, Rita, who was the daughter of the surveyor of Frosinone. It turned out she was the lover of one of the young men in Cucumento’s troop, Carlini. He persuaded Cucumento to ask a ransom from her father rather than let the troop defile her. Cucumento agreed, but when Carlini came back after negotiating this with her father he found Cucumento raping Rita. He restrained himself from attacking Cucumento. Cucumento told Carlini that the men would draw lots for Rita that night before she was returned to her father. Diovolaccio won the draw but when he returned he was holding Rita’s lifeless body. She had been stabbed in the heart. Carlini had killed her. He now demanded the body. At midnight Rita’s father arrived. Carlini told him how she died and that he had killed Rita to save her honour. He invited her father to kill him in turn, but the father refused, believing Carlini did the right thing. The band decided to leave the forest, but the next morning before leaving, Carlini found Rita’s father hanging from a tree. Carlini vowed revenge, but Carlini was killed two days later in a skirmish with Roman carbineers. However, it was clear that Cucumento shot him from behind while the exchange took place.

Pastrini says this is a subject often spoken about by Vampa and Teresa, who, as they grew, agreed to marry when she was 19 and he was 20. Then, one day, Cucumento crossed their paths. He was fleeing Roman carbineers. They hid Cucumento and didn’t betray him to the carbineers despite a good reward on offer for his capture. Vampa offered them a purse of gold which Vampa refused, but which was a temptation to Teresa. Cucumento is compared to the serpent in Eden and Teresa to Eve as the chapter closes.

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Chapter 34: Vampa

New Characters

Count of San-Felice, Carmela (Daughter to the Count), a Cavalier

Characters

Vicomte Albert de Morcerf, Baron Franz d’Epinay, Signor Pastrini, Luigi Vampa, Teresa, Cucumento

Summary

Pastrini continues his story of Luigi Vampa and Teresa. He narrates how during carnival time Count San-Felice held a grand masked ball. Teresa and Vampa attended. They both wore their best clothes. During a dance Teresa was called upon to dance in Carmela’s group to form a quadrille. A cavalier who danced with her showed interest in Teresa. Luigi was insanely jealous and after the dance forced Teresa away. He wanted to know what she was thinking as she danced, and Teresa admitted she was thinking she would give half my life for a costume like the one Carmela wore. Luigi says she would have it. That night there was a fire next to Carmela’s bedroom and she was rescued through the window by a stranger – Luigi of course. An entire wing of the villa was destroyed and no one from the villa saw him afterwards. Luigi had used the confusion to steal Carmela’s dress, pearl necklace and diamond pins. The next day he presented them to Teresa on the border of the forest and asked her to change into Carmela’s clothes in a grotto. While she changed Luigi saw a traveller who seemed lost. He offered to ride a short way with the man to show him the way. The traveller offered a gift of Venetian sequins in thanks and introduced himself as Sinbad the Sailor.

At this point Franz interrupts Pastrini’s narrative to ask about the man, but is unwilling to tell of his own encounter with a man calling himself Sinbad the Sailor.

Pastrini resumes his narrative. He tells how, as Luigi returned to Teresa, he saw a man carrying her off. The man had too much of a head start for Luigi to catch them, so Luigi shot him dead. It turned out it was Cucumento who had followed them and had now used Luigi’s brief absence to abduct Teresa. Luigi now dressed in Cucumento’s clothes. When Teresa saw him dressed thus, she was full of admiration and swore to follow him wherever he led. He led her into the forest where they were stopped by a sentry of Cucumento’s bandits. The sentry agreed to lead them to Rocca Bianca, their hideout. Luigi announced to the bandits that he not only wished to join their gang, he wished to lead them. He told them how he acquired Teresa’s dress and how he now wore the cloths of the dead Cucumento. They agreed to accept him as their leader.

With the story over, Albert declares he believes it a myth and still wants to skirt outside the city walls at night to get to the Colosseum. Franz, however, is not so sure, and insists they approach the Colosseum by the streets, staying within the city walls.

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Chapter 35: The Colosseum

Characters

Edmond Dantes (‘Sinbad the Sailor’, also the Count of Monte Cristo), Vicomte Albert de Morcerf, Baron Franz d’Epinay, Signor Pastrini, Luigi Vampa

New Character

Countess G.

New Characters

M de Château-Renaud

Characters

Albert de Morcerf, Lucien Debray, Beauchamp, John, Germain, Maximillian Morel, Edmond Dantes (Count of Monte Cristo)

Summary

Albert explains to his guests he is set to wed Mlle.Eugene Danglars, daughter of M.Danglars, now a government minister (who plotted against Edmond Dantes). He is set to give a speech in the Chamber of Deputies that day. Beauchamp intends to report on the speech. Debray says Albert will be marrying money, not quality; that his own social position is too high for her. Danglars is only recently elevated to his position. Two men arrive, M.de Château-Renaud and M.Maximillian Morel (who had tried to have Dantes released from prison). Château-Renaud introduces Morrel to Albert and the other guests as captain of the Spahis, a French cavalry unit in Africa. He says Morrel saved his life, although Morrel is modest about it. Albert warns against them telling a long story, since he is expecting a visit from the Count at 10:30am, but Château-Renaud nevertheless begins to tell how he went to the Holy Land to fight Arabs. His Arabian Horse died during a siege after bad weather. He had been set upon by two Arabs after his horse died and had fought them, but they were on the verge of killing him when he was saved by Morrel, who had vowed to save the life of a man that day to honour the anniversary – September 5 – of his father being saved [See Chapter 30, in which his business is saved by Dantes’ secret intervention just before the father is about to kill himself].

Now Albert tells his own history with the Count of Monte Cristo, especially the Count’s intervention with Vampa’s bandits, and speculates upon the Count’s origin. He assumes the Count may have been a fisherman risen up in the world who has bought a title. He tells his friends of his wealth which he believes is hidden in a secret chamber, and once again it is speculated as to whether the Count is a vampire. His friends mock Albert, not believing the story of the Count, but then the Count arrives at the door precisely at 10:30am as he promised. The Count is introduced to the guests, and he has a moment of unguarded reaction when he hears hears Morrel’s name. Albert tells the count of Morrel’s brave deed in saving Château-Renaud and the Count acknowledges him to be a ‘noble heart’. Beauchamp and Debray are immediately impressed by the Count and agree between themselves that he is a great man. As he settles to the company the Count asks to be forgiven for any ways that seem foreign since he has travelled widely but never been to Paris before. Albert, uncertain about the breakfast he has to offer, is assured by the Count that he has had to eat a great variety of food in many places and he is, besides, hungry, since he hasn’t eaten for 24 hours, due to a detour he took to Nimes seeking information. The Count describes to Albert’s guests the sleeping pills he manufactures himself from hashish and opium, and shows them the emerald casket in which he keeps them. He hollowed it out himself and has presented the Pope and Sultan with similar emeralds. Albert is eager for his friends to believe his story about bandits in Italy, and so asks the Count to corroborate it. The Count explains he gained Vampa’s trust and placed him in the Count’s debt after he tried to capture the Count, but the Count captured him instead. Instead of turning Vampa over to the authorities he let him go with the promise that Vampa would never disturb him or his friends. The Count explains he does not work for the good of society, but is merely neutral to it. He looks out only for his own interests. Albert disagrees, calling him a philanthropist, but the Count insists he acted only on his own principles when he saved Albert, and he expects to benefit from the acquaintance in Paris. Albert says Paris is prosaic compared to the life the Count has led and the Count will find it boring, but promises to help the Count any way he can, except to offer accommodation, since he soon expects to be married. The Count appears to know something of Albert’s future father-in-law, M.Danglars, but when questioned he insists they have never met. He only knows of him since they have a line of credit through several houses in Europe, he says, including Thompson & French in Rome. Morrel says he would be interested in the Count’s help in contacting that house, since he knows they had something to do with the mysterious financial help his family received, even though they have denied it. Morrel tells the Count that his sister has now been happily married nine years to Emmanual Herbert. Offers are now made to the Count for accommodation in Paris, but he says he has arranged for accommodation already. Ali, his mute Nubian servant has been in Paris a week to furnish his new accommodation, and M.Bertuccio, his steward, is also with him. Château-Renaud jokes that all he now needs is a mistress, but the Count says he has a slave woman who fulfils that role. They tell him she becomes free when she enters France, but the Count explains no one can tell her that since she only speaks Romaic. The Count then ominously says that everyone who serves him is free to quit his service, but after that they ‘no longer have need of me or anyone else’. Albert’s guests are all impressed by the Count. Beauchamp wants to write a newspaper article about him. Then they leave and Albert is left alone with the Count.

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Chapter 42: The Presentation

Characters

Albert de Morcerf, Edmond Dantes (Count of Monte Cristo), Count Morcerf (Albert’s father and former competitor for Mercedes’s hand with Edmond, Fernand), Countess Morcerf (Mercedes)

Summary

Once the other visitors are gone Albert gives the Count a tour of his residence and the many fine artworks he possesses. The Count displays his great knowledge of art as he is shown about. Finally, he is shown a picture painted by Leopold Robert in which he takes great interest. Albert says it is a picture of his mother, but he has it since his father dislikes the work. The Count takes further interest in the family coat of arms, which he questions Albert over, establishing that the family lineage must be traced back at least to the Crusades and the thirteenth century. Albert extends an invitation for the Count to visit his parents, who are keen to meet him since he rescued their son. He is introduced to the Count of Morcerf (Fernand) who shows no evidence that he recognises the Count. Morcerf talks of his time in the army and how he resigned after the July Revolution. He has now entered industry. The Count praises him for his achievements and adaptability. When Albert’s mother appears, she seems taken aback by the appearance of the Count, but she quickly dismisses her reaction, saying that she was overcome by meeting the saviour of her son. The Count takes his leave but the Countess asks him to visit them another time. Albert offers the Count the use of his own coupe to return the favour the Count did him and Franz in Rome, but the Count’s man, M.Bertuccio, has already acquired a carriage. The Count assures Albert he is welcome to visit any time after the next day, to allow him time to get his accommodation in order. As he leaves, the Count sees Countess Morcerf peeking out the window at him. When Albert returns to his mother, he expresses concern about her health, but she reassures him that she has just been bothered by the scent of the flowers. Albert has them removed. The Countess next questions Albert concerning the Count of Monte Cristo’s character. Albert says he believes the Count to be of an ancient family, disinherited, who has made his own way in the world. However, his mother primarily wants to know if Albert trusts him. Albert does. Next, she questions him as to the Count’s age. Albert believes, given what the Count has told him and his general appearance, that the Count is no more than 35 years old. The Countess believes him to be older. It is obvious that the Countess – Mercedes – has recognised the Count to be Edmond, or suspects he might be her former lover, and is concerned about his intentions.

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Chapter 43: Monsieur Bertuccio

Characters

Edmond Dantes (Count of Monte Cristo), M.Bertuccio, A Notary

New Characters

A Notary

Summary

The Count returns to his new town residence where he meets his steward, M.Bertuccio. Bertuccio informs him that his new cards have been printed and one has been sent to Baron Danglars as he was ordered to do. A notary awaits the Count to complete the sale of a house outside the city. The notary is surprised to find the Count knows nothing of the house or where it is. The notary informs him the house is at Auteuil, near the outskirts of Paris. The Count comments that he thought the house was a country house, as was advertised, but when the notary offers to look for another house for him, the Count completes the purchase and even gives him a generous tip for his troubles. The Count tells Bertuccio that he intends to travel to Auteuil to inspect his new house and expects Bertuccio to accompany him. Bertuccio seems reluctant. It is apparent that the location holds some significance for him which makes him uneasy. Nevertheless, he agrees to accompany the Count.

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Chapter 44: The House at Auteuil

Characters

Edmond Dantes (Count of Monte Cristo), M.Bertuccio

New Characters

A Stewart

Summary

When they arrive at 28 Rue de la Fonatine, Bertuccio initially refuses to get out of the carriage, but then agrees to knock at the door. It is answered by a steward who welcomes them. The steward tells the Count that the house was formerly owned by the Marquis of Saint-Meran. He explains Saint-Meran had had a daughter who married M. de Villefort. The daughter died twenty-one years ago.

The Count dismisses the Steward and asks Bertuccio to help him explore the house with a lantern. Bertuccio reveals a knowledge of the house when he says a staircase goes to the garden. He is evidently reluctant to go there. Bertuccio initially refuses to go further, expressing distress that the Count should have purchased this particular property. The Count understands Bertuccio may have a shady past, but he now becomes suspicious about Bertuccio. He can no longer tolerate Bertuccio’s behaviour when he stops at a clump of trees. Bertuccio cries, Move away, I entreat you; you are in the exact spot. The Count recalls to Bertuccio that the Abbe Busoni had recommended him, and says he might write to Busoni. The Count says that the Abbe had told the Count that Bertuccio had a heavy burden on his conscience, but the Count had assumed that he meant Bertuccio had been a thief. Now, the Count is concerned Bertuccio has committed a crime which may bring them trouble in France. He suspects Bertuccio has committed murder. Bertuccio confirms this is true, and that he did it in the very spot where the Count now stands. What is more, his victim buried his child only two paces away. Bertuccio is afraid there is some kind of divine providence that has led him back to the spot. The Count wants to hear the story, but Bertuccio tells him it is only fit to be told in confession. The Count then dismisses Bertuccio from his service, not wishing to employ a servant who will be spooked in the house, or draw the attention of the law. At that, Bertuccio agrees to tell the Count the whole story, honestly, including details not given to his confessor, the Abbe Busoni. Bertuccio begins by telling him his victim was M. de Villefort. He tells the Count that he was a villain, although the Count denies it. Bertuccio says he once had evidence of it. Curious, the Count agrees to listen to his version of events.

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Chapter 45: The Vendetta

Characters

Edmond Dantes (Count of Monte Cristo), M.Bertuccio (Stewart), Gaspard Caderousse, Madeleine Radelle (La Carconte)

New Characters

Benedetto, Assanta (sister to M. Bertuccio), Joannes (Jeweller)

Summary

Bertuccio’s story begins with an account of his brother, a soldier loyal to Bonaparte, returning from the war. He sent a letter requesting money be left for him with an innkeeper at Nimes. Eager to see his brother again, Bertuccio decided to take the money to him in person. However, his brother had fallen victim to massacres of Bonaparte loyalists before Bertuccio’s arrival. Bertuccio, feeling responsible for his brother’s widow, sought help for her – a pension – from Villefort, as well as justice. Villefort refused to give him either, saying Bertuccio’s request came at the wrong time, since his brother fought for the wrong side. Angered, Bertuccio swore a vendetta against him. Villefort took precautions to avoid Bertuccio after that, and Bertuccio was careful not to be too brash: he could not afford to be caught for murder since he still felt responsible for his brother’s widow. However, he tracked Villefort to the house at Auteuil, where Bertuccio decided to lay in wait for him. That night, as he waited in the garden, he heard moaning, and eventually Villefort emerged with a small box, which he proceeded to bury. Bertuccio then attacked Villefort, stabbing him in the chest. He then dug up the box, thinking it treasure, and escaped to a river. When he opened the box, he discovered a new-born baby, seemingly dead but still warm. The child was wrapped in linen. The linen was embroidered with a H and N, and a baron’s coronet. He resuscitates the child and took it to an asylum, saying he found the child. He tore the linen in two and kept half before handing the baby over. When he told his sister, Assunta, what he did, she told him he should have brought the child home with him.

Bertuccio began smuggling again. When he returned home one day, he discovered a cradle. Assunta had tracked down the child, now almost eight months old. She had convinced his wards to allow her to take the boy, using the half of the linen they possessed and knowledge of its provenance to convince them. She called the boy Benedetto. Unfortunately, Bertuccio judged that Benedetto had an inherently bad character. As a child he stole and soon associated with criminals. Bertuccio failed to persuade him to take up smuggling. Benedetto said Assunta gave him money so he has no need. He also stole from her. And Bertuccio felt incapable of punishing a child whose father he had killed. Benedetto knew he wouldn't be touched. So Bertuccio planned on trapping Benedetto on a ship to force him to become a ship’s clerk. But before he could undertake this plan his ship was raided by customs officers in the Gulf of Lyons and he was forced to escape. He made it to the tavern owned by Caderousse and Madeleine Radelle (La Carconte), who was clearly ill. Before he revealed himself, Bertuccio overherd a transaction between them and a jeweller, Joannes.

[Background for this next part can be found in Chapters 26 and 27]

Caderousse and La Carconte were negotiating the sale of a diamond. They wanted to sell it for 50,000 francs which the Abbe Busoni told them it was worth. Joannes did not entirely trust them. They had a valuable gem but they were clearly poor. He asked La Carconte to repeat to story of its provenance, which Caderousse had already told him while she was not present. She told the same story: that it was bequeathed to Edmond Dantes by a man he looked after in prison, who in turn bequeathed it to them through the agency of the Abbe. Satisfied, Joannes agreed to buy the diamond for 45,000 francs. They were reluctant to sell at that price. Joannes pointed out that there were many risks in not selling. They might never meet the Abbe again to confirm their story for others, they might be accused of theft, their diamond might be seized, and even if it was returned it might be switched with a cheap imitation. They decided to sell. They were paid in notes and coin. They counted their money thoroughly. Meanwhile a storm had begun. Yet Joannes had to return to Beaucaire. But Caderousse encouraged him to stay for the night. Joannes left, nevertheless. La Carconte admonished Caderousse for letting him leave. Like Lady Macbeth, she implied they might have killed him. Caderousse was shocked by her suggestion. But at that moment there was a knock at the door. It was Joannes. The storm was too severe and he had decided to accept their hospitality, after all. The chapter ends with La Conconte ominously double locking the door.

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Chapter 46: The Rain of Blood

Characters

Edmond Dantes (Count of Monte Cristo and Abbe Busoni), M.Bertuccio (Stewart), Gaspard Caderousse, Madeleine Radelle (La Carconte), Joannes (Jeweller), Benedetto, Assanta

New Characters

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Chapter 50: Haidee

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Haidee

Summary

This chapter marks the first time we get to see Haidee in any detail. We first see her at the end of Chapter 46 when she arrives from Italy and the Count spends the night with her. The Count is in high spirits as he anticipates visiting Maximillian Morel and his daughter Julie, now residing at Rue Meslay. But he has set aside an hour to see Haidee.

Haidee is living separately in her own apartment provided by the Count with three French maids and one Greek maid. Her apartment is exotically decorated in an Oriental manner. She reclines on cushions like an Oriental woman and is seductively dressed. She is not yet twenty years old. The Count arrives and asks permission to see her. Haidee asks why he seeks permission, and the Count responds that now she is in France she is a free woman and can do as she please. She can leave him and seek the company of other men if she wants. He does not presume to have ready access to her. But Haidee insists that the Count and her father are the only men she has ever loved. The Count says she can go anywhere and do anything she wants, but must remember never to reveal her true identity to anyone, or speak of her past. He advises her to adjust to her current culture and climate, and says that she must understand that he will soon be old while she will still be young for a long time to come. He understands it is natural for her to seek another. But Haidee is adamant that she will not leave him. While her father is now dead, she insists she would die if the Count were to die. The Count is content and kisses her hand.

He leaves Haidee and travels to see the Morrel family in his carriage.

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Chapter 51: The Morrel Family

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Monsieur and Madame Herbault (ie Emmanuel and Julie), Maximilian Morrel, Cocles, Penelon

Summary

The discussion in this chapter refers back to Chapter 30, in which the fortunes of the Morrel family are saved when Julie is directed to find a purse with a diamond and letter from ‘Sinbad the Sailor’. The Morrels are now evidently doing well at No.7 Rue Meslay. Emmanuel has purchased the whole property and divided the garden with a wall to hide his workshop from view. Their house also has a study and music room. The Count is greeted by Cocles at the gate and Maximilian enthusiastically brings him to Julie in the garden. She instructs Maximilian to take him to the salon, and instructs the old sailor, Penelon, now turned gardener, to take Emmanuel there to meet him. Maximilian tells the Count of their happiness. He tells the Count that both Julie and he inherited 250,000 francs from their father’s estate. When Julie married Emmanuel, he vowed he would earn just as much in his business as a merchant before he retired. It took him six years, and the day he had achieved his goal he wound up his business. He even refrained from selling the business so that M.Morrel’s good name would never be associated with any negative publicity or future failing. They now live modestly on 25,000 francs a year. When Julie returns with Emmanuel, the Count expresses his happy mood, which has been lifted by observing their happiness. But Julie assures him that they have also known hardship, from which they were delivered by the hand of an ‘angel’. She refers, of course, to the purse the Count anonymously directed her to years before. She feels sure the Count cannot understand how important this has been to them, born as he is (as they assume) to wealth. In fact, the Count has to hide the emotion he feels as she tells him her story. She shows him the purse and speaks of the diamond and letter signed ‘Sinbad the Sailor’. They want nothing more than to be able to express their gratitude to their benefactor in person. The Count suggests they don’t have to speak of it to him, but they are happy to have the excuse to talk about it. Maximilian and Julie describe how Penelon saw the man who called upon their father, whom they believe responsible for their good fortune, embarking a ship in 1829. Julie is beginning to put the clues together. She has realised that this man was represented by Thomas & French at Rome, as is the Count. She thinks to herself that the Count’s voice seems familiar. The Count points out that Thomas & French have denied involvement in the affair, and deflects by suggesting Lord Wilmore, a man he describes as eccentric, may have been the responsible ‘angel’. Unfortunately, Lord Wilmore has gone on a lone trip from which he may never return, the Count explains. Maximilian tells the Count that their father had had a superstitious belief that their benefactor was Edmond Dantes, arisen from the dead. This hits too close to home for the Count, since he is, of course, Edmond Dantes. He suddenly makes excuses to leave. He assures them of his friendship and his desire to occasionally visit in the future. They think him strange but good hearted, and Julie is left with the lingering impression that the Count’s voice seems familiar.

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Chapter 52: Pyramus and Thisbe

Characters

Maximilian Morrel, M de Villefort, Danglers, M Noirtier

New Character

Valentine de Villefort

Summary

The talk turns to Albert and his intended marriage to Eugenie Danglars. The Count tells Albert that he intends to invite the Danglars and Villeforts to dinner at his country house in Auteuil. But he thinks that if he invited Albert and his parents it would look like the Count was arranging a matrimonial meeting, which would displease Albert’s mother, and the Count values her good opinion of him. Yet the Count also knows that if he does not invite the Morcerfs then the Danglars will also be angry with him. Albert agrees his own mother would be upset to be invited and his father not to be, but he doesn’t want to attend the dinner, either. The Count advises him to have a good excuse which he can prove to be true. Albert decides to take his mother to the seaside for a few days, since she has expressed her desire to go. It is now Tuesday and the dinner would be Saturday. He will leave the next day. But he invites the Count to his own home for dinner with his mother that night – his father will be busy. But the Count cannot come that night. Albert jokingly asks him for the proof, since the Count said he must have proof of his own excuse. So the Count calls Baptistin, who says that the Count has plans to meet with Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti and his son that night. The Count explains he knows the major fleetingly from his travels, but feels obliged to meet with him based on their slim acquaintance. The major wants the Count to act as a mentor for his son.

Albert says he has had news from Franz in Italy. Franz still sees the Count as a mysterious and remarkable man. Albert confirms for the Count that Franz’s father was General d’Epinay, killed by Bonapartists in 1815. Albert tells the Count that Franz is engaged to marry Mademoiselle de Villefort, although he is just as reluctant as Albert, himself, to marry. As Albert prepares to take leave of the Count he compliments him on his polished manners and his high quality servants. Albert would happily employ Baptistin if he became available. And he jokingly offers to help the major’s son find a wife – it is unclear whether he would offer Eugenie – and says he wishes he could remain a bachelor for another ten years. Albert leaves.

The Count summons Bertuccio and tells him to have the house readied for dinner this coming Saturday. Bertuccio is surprised by the suddenness of the request and asks who will be coming. But the Count admonishes him for lacking confidence and initiative since they came to France, and says he doesn’t know who is coming to dinner.

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Chapter 56: Major Cavalcanti

Characters

The Count of Monte Cristo, Baptistin

New Characters

Major Calalcanti

Summary

Bertuccio leaves for Auteuil for the dinner preparations and two hours later Major Cavalcanti arrives. The Major is an insecure and forgetful man who feigns understanding and emotion to get through the conversation. To start with, he is uncertain whether he has the correct house and whether the Count is expecting him. The Count has to say the Major’s name and army rank to convince him he knows who he is. The Count asks the Major for a letter he carries from Abbe Busoni. The letter states that the Major has a half million franc fortune (the Major is surprised to hear this) and only requires the return of his son to him, missing since he was five years old, for his happiness. The Count tells the Major that it is within his power to do this. The Major points out that the letter has a post script. Busoni writes that he has given the Major 2000 francs travelling expenses, but he would like the Count to give the Major a further 48,000 francs, which the Count still owes Busoni. The Count confirms to the Major that he will do this. He offers the Major a drink and biscuit, and when Baptistin enters to hear the request, he tells the Count that the Major’s son has arrived and is in the drawing room, waiting. The Count returns to the Major and draws from him the story of his son. The son was born out of wedlock and the Major tried to hide this. The Count suggests the Major did not do this out of shame but to protect the mother, which the Major agrees was his purpose, now that it has been put like that. When the Major asks if the Count would like to know the woman’s identity, the Count reveals he already knows: Olivia Corsinari, a marchioness. He even knows the Major later married her against the wishes of her family.

The Count asks for the marriage and birth certificates from the Major, and insists they are indispensable, since they will be needed by the son, especially to make a good marriage match. But the Major is not aware he needed to bring them and looks perplexed. Again, the Count is prepared. He has had Busoni send them to him. The Count impresses on the Major how important it is not to lose them, but to give them to his son when they meet. The Major confirms for the Count that his wife has now been dead for ten years, and weeps for her briefly. The Count advises the Major not to tell people the real story of his son’s long absence – that he had been taken by gypsies – because it will not be believed. He advises, instead, that his son should be said to have been at a provincial finishing school. If anyone finds out the truth, he might say that an unfaithful tutor, bought over by the enemies of his family, took him.

The Count now reveals he has a surprise, the obvious nature of which the Major fails to glean, until he is told, and then says that he had guessed it. The Count assures the Major he will give him and his son privacy. But first, the Major asks for 8000 francs of the 48,000 promised. He has spent his travelling money. He offers a receipt but the Count says that between trustworthy gentlemen it won’t be needed until the entire amount is paid. The Count also advises the Major not to wear his current outfit in Paris, since it has been out of fashion for some time. He would be better served wearing his military uniform. The Count now withdraws to give the promised privacy for the Major’s meeting with his son.

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Chapter 57: Andrea Cavalcanti

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Major Cavalcanti

New Characters

Andrea Cavalcanti

Summary

The Count finds Andrea Cavalcanti stretched out on his sofa in the drawing room. They introduce themselves and the Count asks for the letter of introduction Andrea carries. Andrea says he withheld the letter on account of its strange signature, Sinbad the Sailor. The Count explains it is a nom de guerre of his eccentric friend, Lord Wilmot. The Count asks Andrea to confirm his history, which Andrea repeats as though learned by rote: his parentage, his father’s income, his abduction by his tutor, his attempts to find his father and the letter which directed him to the Count. The Count tells Andrea that his father is in the next room. He explains that his father received a letter of ransom which he paid, and that Andrea was subsequently brought from Nice to Paris via a series of coaches. The Count says that his father is anxious to know whether he has been treated well, and whether he has maintained the high moral standards required by his social rank. The Count claims he has heard good things from Lord Wilmot on whose behalf he acts. Andrea assures the Count that his education and manners were well attended by his kidnappers in order to preserve his personal and hereditary worth. That is, so he was worth something to them. The Count warns Andrea not to spread his story about when he enters Parisian society. It is of a Romantic nature and will not be believed by some, which may give him a bad reputation and cause people to distrust him. Instead, he should focus on maintaining a good reputation and seeking honourable friendships which will help him overcome any prejudices that might exist against his past. The Count says he cannot play the role since he morally distrusts his best friends, and Lord Wilmot says Andrea has had a sometimes ‘stormy’ youth.

Andrea is to receive 50,000 livre a year while ever he remains in Paris. Andrea says he will never leave Paris. The Count warns him that ‘Man proposes, God disposes’ (echoing another phrase in Chapter 52: Pyramus and Thisbe concerning the plans of the buyer of the walled-off garden once belonging to the property of the Villeforts: ‘“man proposes,” “money disposes”’). The Count explains that the income will be paid by his father, but Lord Wilmot is security and has opened an account with 6000 francs on Andrea’s behalf at M.Danglar’s bank. The Count says Andrea’s father can only stay a few days in Paris since his duty requires him to return to Italy. Andrea barely suppresses his happiness at this news.

The Count directs Andrea to the next room and then opens a spy hole in a picture to watch and listen. Andrea speaks loudly and embraces the Major, so the Count may hear his affectionate greeting, but then he gets down to business. He asks the Major for the documents of marriage and birth he needs to prove his ancestry and carefully reads them over. He then asks the Major whether being condemned to the galleys is still a punishment in Italy. The Major is shocked at the question and asks why. Andrea tells him that false documents like these would send a man to jail in France. Andrea makes it plain: the Major is being paid to be his ‘father’ and he is being paid to be the Major’s ‘son’. He feels confident saying this because he believes them to be alone and they are speaking Italian. He asks whether the Major trusts the Count. The Major says he does and says they should continue to play their parts. They think the Count does not know the truth. Andrea asks if the Major received a letter from Abbe Busoni. He had and gives it to Andrea to read. The letter acknowledges the Major’s poverty and offers him a chance to become rich. It instructs him to go to the Count at their current time and place and to adopt the backstory of his having had a son to a Marchioness, and was abducted. Andrea, too, received a similar letter outlining the time and place of the meeting, his new identity, with promises of money and a letter of introduction.

They both suspect this ruse is meant to dupe somebody, but since the letter has led to the Count and the Count has conformed to and confirmed the claims made by the letter, they believe they are not the intended victims. They resolve, therefore, to maintain their charade.

The Count enters the drawing room and asks Andrea to detail his financial circumstances. Andrea currently has no money. The Count tells the Major he should pay his son money, but then slips the money to Andrea in front of the Major. He says it’s for expenses to settle in Paris and that it is from his father. Andrea begins to thank the Major but the Count says the Major does not wish him to know it comes from him. By this action, the Count seems to enter into their charade.

The Count says they will next be expected to appear for a dinner on Saturday at his country house in Auteuil. He tells the Major that his new banker, M.Danglars, will be there. He tells the Major to wear his full dress military uniform. The Count watches them through the window as they leave, both pretending to be father and son. The Count is disgusted by them, and decides to visit the Morrels.

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Chapter 58: In the Lucerne Patch

Characters

Maximilian Morrel, Valentine de Villefort

Summary

Maximilian waits at the gate outside the de Villefort mansion. Valentine is late, but she has been held up by a visit from Eugenie. She brings Eugenie into the garden so Maximilian can see why she is delayed. Valentine comes to speak to Maximilian after Eugenie’s departure. Maximilian wonders what they have been speaking about, since they looked intimate. Valentine denies knowing Eugenie well, but they were speaking together upon their common situation, of being engaged to men they do not love. Maximilian wonders whether Eugenie loves another, but Valentine says she did not speak about that. She did say, however, that she would prefer to live alone as an artist.

Valentine cannot stay long. She has been summoned by Mme de Villefort on the matter of her fortune. Valentine says she would prefer to live in poverty and be left alone. She seeks reassurance that Maximilian would still love her if she was poor. He says he would; that she is the only woman he will ever love. Maximilian has bumped into Albert who has told him that Franz is returning from Italy. Valentine is concerned she will be pressured to marry, but feels confident the pressure will not come from her step mother. She says Mme de Villefort secretly objects to the marriage; to the idea of marriage herself. She tells Maximilian how a year before she had planned to enter a monastery. Mme de Villefort supported the decision, but Valentine changed her mind because her grandfather was so unhappy about it. Mme de Villefort supported it because Valentine would then be required renounce her fortune – she was heir to her mother and grandparents, and is heir to the Saint-Merans – which would revert to her father. Upon her father’s death, Edward, Mme de Villefort’s own son, would then benefit. Maximilian suggests just giving half her fortune to Edward, but Valentine says that is hard to do when Mme de Villefort pretends she is indifferent to it.

Telegraph Man

Summary

The Count travels to the telegraph tower at Montlhery where he finds a small but immaculately kept garden behind a gate. Upon entering the garden he comes across the telegraph operator bent down harvesting strawberries. He is startled, thinking that the Count might be an inspector, but the Count assures him he is not. The man explains he was on a one hour break and must return to work in ten minutes. But he is preoccupied with his garden. He thinks some strawberries are missing and wonders if it was a local boy who stole them or whether dormice come to eat his crop. The Count expresses an interest in the telegraph and the man admits he is happy not to understand the signals he sends. He feels more a part of the machine, then, and not responsible for what is transmitted. ‘Is it possible that I have met with a man without ambition’ the Count muses to himself. ‘That would spoil my plans.’

It is time for the man to return to work and the Count asks him his personal circumstances as they return to the tower. He is 55 years old, receives 1000 francs a year, must work 25 years for a pension and has grown used to the monotony. He gardens during breaks and holidays. The Count thinks he is poorly remunerated for his work. He reaffirms that the man has no interest in the messages he sends. He next enquires how messages are send between telegraph towers, as well as how he would feel about owning a two acre garden. Naturally, the man would love that. And what would happen if he missed a signal? the Count asks. The man says he would be fined 100 francs: a tenth of his income. The Count asks what would happen if he altered a signal. The man says he would lose his job and pension. But the Count proposes he send a signal for him and ignore the incoming signal from the tower to his right. The Count offers 15,000 francs, 15 years pay, to do it. The man is reluctant, so the Count offers 10,000 francs more, which would buy him a small house with two acres to garden, as well as give him an income of 1000 francs a year from the money initially offered. The man agrees to transmit three signals for the Count, which go all the way to the Minister for the Interior.

Debray receives the message from the signals and drives to Danglar’s house to warn him that Don Carlos has escaped, has returned to Spain and is stirring up support. He should sell his Spanish bonds immediately at any cost. Danglars is not home but Mme Danglar sells all the bonds. Danglars loses 500,000 francs on the transaction. When the news spreads, Danglars is thought to have been lucky, but when an update arrives the following day, saying that the report of Don Carlos’s escape was false, the value of the bonds rebounds well beyond their former worth, meaning Danglars has also lost on the profit, too. Effectively, he has lost one million francs in total. Meanwhile, the Count cryptically tells Morrel, ‘I have just discovered how a gardener may get rid of the dormice that eat his peaches.’

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Chapter 63: Ghosts

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Bertuccio, Baptistin, M.Morrel, M.Debray, M. and Mme Danglars, M. and Mme de Villefort, M. de Chateau-Renaud, Major Cavalcanti, Andrea Cavalcanti

Summary

The Count’s house at Auteuil has been well-prepared by Bertuccio. Lawn has been laid, poplars planted and flowers decorate the house. The house has a library, conservatory, greenhouse and billiard table. The Count arrives at 5pm and inspects the house. He expresses his approval to Bertuccio. M.Morrel (Captain of Spahis) arrives an hour later. He is riding Medeah, his new horse he bought with money he ‘won’ from the Count and his friends. He has ridden fast to arrive first. He has outridden M.Debray and Mme Danglars who arrive shortly after. The Count observes a note passed surreptitiously between Mme Danglars and the minister’s secretary. Mme Danglars then asks Morrel if he would sell her his horse. The Count answers for Morrel. He tells her Morrel cannot sell the horse since he has wagered that he can tame the horse within six months. Keeping the horse is therefore a matter of honour. Besides, M.Danglars tells his wife, she has enough horses. The Count shows Mme Danglars some enormous porcelain pots in which plants grow. He says they were made centuries ago in China and lost at sea for two centuries before they were recovered. He shows M.Danglars some paintings which Danglars admits the government could not afford to buy for its museum.

Major Cavalcanti and his ‘son’ are announced by Baptistin. The major is wearing full dress uniform and Andrea has new clothes. Immediately there is criticism of their outfits. Chateau-Renaud says they look like they have never worn good clothes before. The Count says they are descended from princes and have an enormous fortune. The Count comments on Danglars mood to his wife. She says he lost money on speculation.

When Bertuccio sees Mme Danglars he is disturbed and upset. He recognises her as the woman in the garden waiting for M. de Villefort. Then he sees M. de Villefort in the company and looks like he’s seen Banquo’s ghost. He insists M. de Villefort is the man he killed.

[Background for Bertuccio's supposed murder of M. de Villefort can be found in Chapter 45]

The Count says he either didn’t do the job properly or merely dreamed the murder. When he next sees Andrea he exclaims “Benedetto?” The Count reprimands Bertuccio for being late with dinner. The Count conducts Mme de Villefort into the dining room and encourages M. de Villefort to conduct Mme Danglars.

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Chapter 64: The Dinner

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Bertuccio, Baptistin, M.Morrel, M.Debray, M. and Mme Danglars, M. and Mme de Villefort, M. de Chateau-Renaud, Major Cavalcanti, Andrea Cavalcanti

Summary

The Count and his guests enter the dining room. As they enter the Count notes that Mme Danglars and M de Villefort look self-conscious as he escorts her in. On the table is a sumptuous feast with food from all over the world. The Count explains that when a person gains a certain degree of wealth as he has, then the only things desirable are those things that are hard to acquire. He has fish on the table from Italy and Russia, not because they taste better than local fish, but because it is so difficult to transport them alive and at such an expense so they can be cooked fresh. It is a practice dating back to the Romans. Chateau-Renaud notes the changes in the house since the Count purchased it only six days ago. The gardens have been extensively refurbished and a door has even been repositioned. Chateau-Renaud thought it had been a melancholy house. Mme Villefort realises the house had previously belonged to the Saint-Merans. M de Villefort says it had been a part of Valentine’s marriage-portion, but the house would have fallen into ruin had it been left too much longer unoccupied. The Count boasts that there is a room upstairs hung with red damask that reminds him of a scene – like Desdemona’s chamber – where someone has been murdered. The guests all go upstairs to inspect the room. Mme de Villefort thinks the room frightful. Mme Danglars seems agitated and unable to talk. Danglars, himself, is not impressed by the supposed atmospehere of the room. The Count opens a door, hidden behind drapery, to reveal a hidden stairway. He asks his guests to imagine a murderer descending the stairs. Mme Danglars is overcome and half faints. Debray offers to take her into the garden to get some air, but she refuses. The Count seems to relent and suggests the room may have been occupied by a wholesome family and the staircase used by a doctor to quietly enter. But Mme Danglars is overcome, nevertheless, and faints. Mme de Villefort offers the Count some of the same tincture he used on Edward, and the Count restores Mme Danglars to consciousness with it. She tries to assure the Count she was merely overcome by her mood and the circumstances of the story he told. But the Count now returns to his story. He says he really believes a crime has been committed in the room, and since the king’s attorney is present, he will make a declaration. He takes his guests into the garden, under the plantain tree. Here, he says, his gardener dug up a box with the remains of an infant child inside. The Count feels Mme Danglars arm stiffen against him. M de Villefort says that that is no proof of a crime. The Count asserts the child was alive when buried. The garden is a secret place, not a cemetery where a dead infant would normally be buried. Danglars remarks to Cavalcanti, who has asked what the punishment is for infanticide, that it is death by beheading. The Count, who sees that Mme Danglars and M de Villefort have difficulty coping with the scene he has prepared for them, relents and suggests they return indoors. M. de Villefort quietly asks Mme Danglars to see him the next day at his office or at Court.

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Chapter 65: The Beggar

Characters

Andrea Cavalcanti [Benedetto Bossuet], Caderousse, Count of Monte Cristo, M. and Mme Danglars, M. and Mme de Villefort, Major Cavalcanti,

This chapter picks up the action from the beginning of the previous chapter, where Mme Danglars leaves her house watched by her husband. She goes to see M de Villefort for their agreed upon meeting, somewhat hiding her identity from anyone who might see her. Villefort receives her and expresses regret that it has been so long since they have spoken privately. He speaks regretfully of things done in youth which might have been avoided. How traces of the past seem unavoidable. He feels a sense of regret for this, which he believes women cannot know as fully, since so much of the decisions in their lives are not in their own hands. He speaks of the Count’s revelation about the buried child during the dinner at Auteuil. He fears what was meant by the Count’s remarks and what might come of them. Mme Danglars tries to dismiss the whole incident as mere chance working against them, but Villefort disagrees. He does not believe the Count’s story. He believes nothing was buried there for the Count to find. That is not to say Villefort didn’t bury the body. He describes in detail how he placed the baby in the chest and buried it. But just as he finished it he was attacked and stabbed, then left for dead. At the time they had to hide their affair, so neither of them could speak publically about it. It took him six months to recover from the wound. After his recovery he heard that Mme Danglar’s husband, M de Nargonne, had died, and she had married M. Danglars.

Fearing that there would be evidence at the house at Auteuil, along with the child’s body that could expose them, and not trusting the Corsican who attacked him [Bertuccio] to leave Mme Danglars alone, he paid out the tenant of nine years and then travelled to Auteuil. He waited until night to dig for the casket, but found no casket where it had been buried. Considering that the Corsican would have dug it up, thinking it treasure, and instead finding a baby, he reasons that he may have buried it in some other part of the garden. So Villefort dug all about but found nothing. He finally realised that the Corsican may have dug up the child and found it alive, and decided to save it. Mme Danglars is distraught at the thought Villefort may have buried her child alive. But Villefort is thinking more practically. He believes that if this was, indeed, the scenario, it would mean someone knows their secret, and the Count’s performance at the dinner makes him Villefort’s prime suspect. He describes how he attempted to search for the child, and discovered that a baby had been delivered to a nearby foundling hospital on the 20^th September that year with a torn napkin which displayed half of a crown and the letter H. Mme Danglars recognises the described napkin as the style used by her and her first husband. The H stands for ‘Hermine’, her first name. Villefort tells her that a woman bearing the matching other half of the napkin claimed the child six months later. He tried to track the woman but his final intelligence of her was at Chalon. He does not know who she was. Over the years he has made efforts to find the child and woman, but in the last three years his efforts have waned. He now resolves to put all his energy into solving the mystery. He is also suspicious of the Count’s intentions. He now thinks, given what he now knows, that the Count had sometimes been looking at them with malice. Villefort questions Mme Danglars as to whether she told anyone or kept a journal about their secret. She says she has not. Within the next week, he tells her, he is resolved to find out everything he can about the Count and his interest in the disinterred child.

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Chapter 69: A Summer Ball

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Albert de Morcerf, Bertuccio

Summary

Albert returns from Treport with his mother and takes her home. He then immediately goes to see the Count. He approaches the Count with open arms, but realises the Count never becomes emotionally close with anyone. Albert shakes his hand and enquires how the dinner went at Auteuil. He says that M. Danglars dined with them and met Andrea Calvalcanti. Albert refers Andrea as the ‘Italian Prince’, but the Count corrects him, saying Andrea claims only to be a count. Again, the Count is distancing himself from what he says by claiming he reports what others say. The Count says the dinner went off as planned. He says no one spoke of Albert during the dinner. Eugenie was not there. Albert expresses his desire that his engagement with Eugenie could be ended and believes she would desire the same. She would be fine as a mistress, but not as a wife for life, he says. Instead, he wishes he could find a wife like his mother. He spent four days in Treport with her and enjoyed it the entire time. He has written to Franz to encourage him to take an interest in Eugenie, but he will not break his engagement, despite his unhappiness with Valentine. Albert remarks that the Count doesn’t like Franz, but the Count assures him he likes everyone, except a few specific people whom he hates. Albert says Franz is trying to fit in with Valentine’s family, despite his feelings, and will soon arrive in France, at M. de Villefort’s request, to marry Valentine, immediately.

Albert returns to his own troubles. He would pay 100,000 francs to be rid of Eugenie, he says. The Count assures him that M. Danglars would pay twice the amount to be rid of Albert. Danglars will say he is proud, selfish and vain, but the truth is that he has found another for his daughter.

Albert says his father is holding a summer ball and asks the Count to invite Andrea. The Count says he cannot since he barely knows him; he only met him a few days before. He invited the Cavalcantis to his dinner, he says, on the advice of Abbe Busoni, who may be wrong about their character. Besides, the Count does not want to be thought to be placing Andrea in Eugenie’s way, especially if they end up marrying. The Count says he, himself, cannot come to the ball. But Albert asks him to do so for his mother’s sake, whom he says, spoke of the Count constantly while they were away. She thinks he is a mystery. The Count relents and accepts the invitation. Danglars will be there, Albert says, and his father has extended an invitation to the d’Aguesseau (ie Chancellor of France under Louis XV), M de Villefort, but he has little hope of seeing him there.

As Albert prepares to leave he says he feels he has spoken too opening about Danglars to the Count. The Count says he hasn’t, and hopes he will continue to speak to him frankly. The Count asks Albert to bring Franz to see him as soon as he arrives in France. Albert leaves. Bertuccio appears and tells the Count that ‘she’ [Mme Danglars] went to the Palais and was there half an hour. The Count now directs Bertuccio to go to Normandy to purchase a small estate there.

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Chapter 70: The Inquiry

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo (as Abbe Busoni and Lord Wilmore), M. de Villefort (as police officer)

Summary

M. de Villefort makes an enquiry about the Count to M. de Boville, former inspector of prisons. Boville investigates for two days and reports that the Count is an acquaintance of Abbe Busoni and Lord Wilmore. Villefort asks for further information about these two people. Boville replies that that the Abbe was in Paris a month where he lived behind Saint-Sulpice, leading a simple life of study and receiving few visitors. Lord Wilmore was a traveller who spent a lot of money. He doesn’t speak French but writes it perfectly.

The next day a man (we later learn it is Villefort, but it is easy to suspect him) visits Busoni’s residence, only to be turned away. He leaves his card and asks to see Busoni that night. When he returns he is admitted. Busoni (whom we know to be the Count in disguise) remains in poor light with a cowl over his head, in the manner of a priest. He asks if the man is with the police. The man hesitantly says yes, and claims to be there on behalf of public safety. He asks Busoni if he knows the Count, and Busoni says he does. His name is Monsieur Zaccone and was the son of a Maltese shipbuilder. Upon questioning, the Abbe reveals the following: that he knew the Count as a child growing up; that the Count bought the rock island of Monte Cristo to qualify for a title; that he may not be as rich as he appears, perhaps 200,000 francs per annum, which would give him a capital of 4 million francs; that he is not the Count’s confessor; that he believes the Count to be Lutheran; that he is charitable, having been made a Knight of Jesus Christ by the Pope (strange thing for a Lutheran!); that he is a Quaker; that Lord Wilmore is an enemy, now residing somewhere in Chaussee de Antin, Paris; that he has never been to France before; that he bought Auteuil to turn it into a lunatic asylum.

The man offers alms for the poor before leaving but the Abbe refuses, saying he helps the poor from his own resources, and that the man might do the same. The man – Villefort – travels back to Villefort’s place, and leaves an hour later for an appointed meeting with Lord Wilmore. He arrives ten minutes early. Wilmore arrives exactly at the appointed time. Wilmore explains he can’t speak French but can understand it, while the man says he understands English well enough. Upon being questioned, Lord Wilmore reveals the following about the Count: that he served a petty sovereign in India where Wilmore first met the Count, fighting against him; that he had been captured and sent to England where he was imprisoned in a hulk; that he escaped by swimming; that he served in the Grecian ranks during the insurrection in Greece; that he discovered a silver mine in Thessaly which he told no one about; that he asked for a mining grant after the battle of Navarro; that he made his fortune from the mine – one to two million a year – although if the mine failed his fortunes might be reversed; that he came to France to speculate on the railways and a new type of telegraph; that he is a miser, spending only 5-600,000 francs a year; that he bought Auteuil in the hope of discovering mineral springs, which is why he has been digging there. During his questioning, Lord Wilmore has also used the name used by Abbe Busoni for the Count: Monsieur Zaccone. Lord Wilmore says he hates the Count because he seduced the wife of a friend. He has fought three duels with him. The first time his arm was broken by the Count, the second time he received a chest wound and the third time he received a nasty wound on the arm. He displays the scar. The man – Villefort – takes leave of Lord Wilmore and returns home. Lord Wilmore removes his disguise – hair, whiskers, false teeth and wound – to become the Count of Monte Cristo once more.

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Chapter 71: The Ball

Characters

Mme de Morcerf (Mercedes), Albert de Morcerf, M. Danglars, Mme Danglars, Mme de Villefort, Maximilian Morrel, Count of Monte Cristo

Summary

Early on the Saturday of the de Morcerf ball M. de Villefort’s carriage happens upon Mme Danglars. She tells him she is too ill to attend the ball, but he insists she must, suggesting that doing so is somehow important. She agrees to go.

Later in the evening, Mme de Morcerf (Mercedes) has personally organised the servants and decorations for the occasion. A tent has been set up in the garden for the guests to dine. Once the servants have been organised she re-enters the house to begin greeting guests. Mme Danglars arrives looking very good. Mercedes takes her son, Albert, to meet her. He greets her but is looking about. He admits he is looking for Mme Danglars daughter. Mme Danglars, however, is interested in the Count. Albert says she is the seventeenth person to ask after him. The Count is the talk of the town and very fashionable. She says he was at the opera the day before where he threw a bouquet with a ring attached to one of the ballet dancers. She says the Count’s Greek mistress is not expected at the ball. She encourages Albert to speak to Mme de Villefort who is trying to attract his attention. He thinks she wants to ask him about the Count. Instead, she asks him about Franz. He tells her he has left on his journey for France. She is then eager to speak about the Count. Unbidden, she tells Albert everything her husband found out about the Count from Abbe Busoni and Lord Wilmore. She wants him to spread this information discretely while talking to other guests. She anticipates the Count’s arrest. Albert says the Count should be warned. Albert tries to introduce Mme de Villefort to Maximilian Morcerf, but she says she already met him at Auteuil and then rudely snubs him. But Maximilian doesn’t really notice because he has just then spotted Valentine across the room.

The Count arrives and all eyes turn to him. He bows politely to Mercedes and then begins a conversation with Albert. They talk about people in the room. They talk mockingly about two scientists who have been elevated for minor discoveries, and an academic who is likely to be made an ambassador, having merely written an opera and a few articles. The Count doesn’t want to be introduced to any of them. Just then Danglars joins them and the Count greets him as ‘Baron’. Danglars says he prefers not to use his title, but Albert says he uses his title because it’s virtually all he has. The Count remarks that titles, unlike wealth, are for life. He gives the example of two millionaires who have just become bankrupts. Danglars laments that he had just lent them 200,000 francs, which is now obviously lost.

Mercedes notices that the Count has refused all offers of food made to him in her house, so far. She is bothered by this and asks Albert when she sees him to encourage the Count to eat. But the Count refuses Albert, even the offer of an ice when he has complained about the stifling heat. Mercedes has the blinds thrown open to let air into the room, and then approaches the Count. She offers him her arm to be escorted into the cooler garden. The Count seems surprised and momentarily fixes his eyes upon Mercedes before accepting her offer.

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Chapter 72: Bread and Salt

Characters

Mme de Morcerf (Mercedes), Count of Monte Cristo, Albert de Morcerf, M. Danglars, Mme Danglars, Mme de Villefort, Maximilian Morrel

Summary

As he is led into the garden the Count agrees that it had been hot inside and it was a good idea to come out into the garden. The Count feels Mercedes’s hand tremble as he speaks. She leads him to the greenhouse where she picks grapes and offers them. But the Count refuses, saying he never eats Muscatel grapes. She picks a peach and offers that, but he again refuses. Mercedes says that in Arabian custom two people eating bread and salt under the same roof become eternal friends. The Count says they are not in Arabia but France where eternal friendship is as rare as the custom she describes. She asks if they are friends and he replies, “Certainly we are friends … Why should we not be?” She asks if he is a happy man. He replies that he is as happy now as he was once miserable. Is he married? No. When she asks about Haidee, seen at the opera with him, he replies that Haidee is a slave whom he has adopted as a daughter. He had intended to marry in Malta before he was taken away by the war. He had expected his fiancée would wait for him, but he found she was married when he returned from service. He has forgiven her, but he has never returned to Malta since. Mercedes, possibly feeling that his confiding in her has softened him, offers him grapes again, but he again refuses. “Inflexible man!” she murmurs.

Albert interrupts them. There has been a misfortune. M de Villefort has arrived to fetch his wife and daughter. Madame Saint-Meran has arrived in Paris with news that her husband has died. Valentine has fallen senseless at this news. M. Saint-Meran was Mme Villefort’s maternal grandfather. He was coming to Paris to hasten the marriage between Franz and Valentine. Now the marriage will be delayed. Albert wonders why he wasn’t also the grandfather to Mme Danglars, but his mother tells him he has spoken amiss. Mercedes takes the Count’s hand and Albert’s and asks the Count if they are friends. He does not presume to call himself that, he says, but he is always her respectful servant. Mercedes leaves and Albert asks whether there has been a disagreement between the Count and his mother. The Count points out that his mother had said they were friends. Valentine, Mme de Villefort and Morrel have already gone by the time they return to the dining room.

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Chapter 73: Madame de Saint-Meran

Characters

M. de Villefort, Mme Saint-Meran, Valentine, Mme de Villefort, Maximilian Morrel, M. de Noirtier, Barrois, Maximilian

New Character

(Dr) M. de Avigny

Summary

After Mme de Villefort and Valentine had departed for the ball, M. de Villefort had sat in his study to contemplate the events of the past two weeks and to consider documents related to all those people that he considers to be known enemies. Upon thinking about it, he cannot believe any of his known enemies would have been this patient to wait so long to do him harm. But he believes the Count has heard the story of the dead child somewhere, maybe from Abbe Busoni through the Corsican. But he is convinced he has no prior association with the Count, and is perplexed as to the Count’s interest in the matter. As he considers this he hears a carriage in the yard and Mme Saint-Meran enters, crying, saying that her husband is dead. She explains how he died shortly after eating his usual lozenges. He shrieked and when she got to him he was dead already. She called a doctor, nevertheless, but it was too late. The doctor said he died of an apoplectic stroke. It was her M. Saint-Meran’s wish that his body would be returned to Paris if he ever died away from the city. She has come ahead of his body, which is being transported in a lead coffin. She is anxious to speak to Valentine. Villefort, rather than say Valentine is at a ball, sends Mme Saint-Meran to rest. Meanwhile, he takes a carriage to the ball, where Valentine faints when she realises the news. They return home and Valentine visits her grandmother while Mme de Villefort leaves them alone. Meanwhile, Barrois goes to see her grandfather, Noirtier, who communicates that he wishes to see Valentine before she goes to bed. She does this and they express the importance of each to the other.

The next morning Mme Saint-Meran wants to speak to Villefort about Valentine’s marriage. She asks whether M. de Epinay approves of his son marrying the granddaughter of a Jacobin. Villefort replies that that sort of thing no longer matters, and Noirtier would be treated with civility, at least, by Valentine’s in-laws. He argues that Franz is a good match for Valentine. Mme Saint-Meran decides, based upon this, that Valentine should be married as soon as possible because she, herself, is convinced she will die soon. She rejects Valentine’s objection to a speedy marriage merely for the sake of her dead grandfather. Mme Saint-Meran argues that she married while her mother was on her deathbed. Her certainty that she will die is based on an experience while asleep in Mme de Villefort’s room. She thought her soul hovered above her body, and that she saw a white figure whom she thought to be her dead husband take a glass away.

Mme Saint-Meran says she wishes to be informed when M. de Epinay arrives. In the meantime, she also wishes to see a notary, presumably about her will. Valentine says she needs a doctor, not a notary. As Valentine waits beside her grandmother, she feels unhappy that her grandmother is not an ally against the marriage. She believes, given her grandmother’s belief in the nobility, she would never approve of Maximilian. The notary arrives and Mme Saint-Meran sends Valentine out. She meets M. de Avigny in the dining room. She tells the doctor about her grandfather’s death and her grandmother’s state: that she believes she will die based upon her supernatural vision. The doctor thinks she has been hallucinating. He agrees to see Mme Saint-Meran. Valentine, meanwhile, walks into the garden for respite, and soon discovers that Maximilian is waiting at their secret meeting place.

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Chapter 74: The Promise

Characters

Valentine de Villefort, Maximilian Morrel, M. de Villefort, Dr. de Avigny, Barrois, M. Noirtier

Summary

Valentine tells Maximilian that she is to be married the day after Franz d’Epinay arrives in Paris. Maximilian tells her that he was talking to the Count at his residence when a carriage arrived with Albert de Morcerf and Franz d’Epinay. This means she will probably be married the next day. Maximilian asks if she is willing to put up a struggle against the intended marriage. Valentine says she cannot disobey her father or go against her sick grandmother’s wishes. Maximilian says it is correct that she take this position. She does not know how to interpret his tone or what he has said and asks what else she can do. Maximilian suggests she secretly marry him, instead, and escape overseas until a family reconciliation can be effected. She feels she cannot. Maximilian presses her, suggesting that in that case she will marry Franz d’Epinay not just through a contract, but by a matter of her own will. She asks what he would do if his sister was made such a proposition. But he speaks only of his feelings for her. He has pinned his hopes of happiness upon her from the moment they met. But because she is resolved to marry Franz d’Epinay, he will leave her so she may have some peace of mind in her marriage. Valentine is concerned by the way he speaks and demands to know what he will do. He assures her he will simply leave her. He will not approach or challenge d’Epinay. He does not know the man, nor does d’Epinay know him, and he has no personal animosity towards him, or intention to punish him. Valentine asks who would be punished. Maximilian says he, alone, should be punished, being the only guilty person. “My life has been entwined with yours … in losing you I lose my life”, he says. But he will not kill himself straight away. Instead, he will wait until the moment she is married, because he still holds hope that something might happen in his favour before the contract is signed. He says to Valentine, “You have your duty and your conscience will be at rest” [Note: all this is very manipulative by modern standards, but I suspect that Maximilian is meant to represent a Romantic type. Goethe’s Sorrows of Young Werther was a huge influence on the notion of suicide as a response to unrequited love in the 18^th and 19^th centuries] Valentine relents and agrees to do as Maximilian proposes. He says that when they are married her grandfather, M. Noirtier, can live with them. Valentine promises to refuse to marry Franz d’Epinay, no matter what: to hold out until their plan can take effect. Until then, they will not see each other or do anything to arouse suspicion. Valentine will send the notary M.Deschamps to Maximilian with a signal she is ready. Their plan is that Valentine will then come to the garden wall, Maximilian will help her over, and they will escape to his sister’s house. For the moment, they depart.

The day after the next day Maximilian receives a letter. In it Valentine says she has failed to argue her way out of the marriage. She will meet him that night at the garden gate as planned. She is full of regret because her grandmother, Mme Saint-Meran, has become worse. She is delirious. Maximilian prepares a horse and carriage and acquires two ladders to help get Valentine over the wall. He waits outside the garden that night but Valentine doesn’t come. After an hour and three quarters past the appointed meeting time he jumps the fence and finds the house almost completely dark: not what one would have expected from a marriage, at least. He hears voices and hides. M de Villefort and Dr d’Avrigny walk into the garden.

Villefort is mourning someone who has just died. Maximilian is momentarily afraid it is Valentine, but realises Mme Saint-Meran has died. Villefort thinks she died of grief for her husband. The doctor, while saying it is possible to do so, does not believe she did. She had three successive fits and died after the third. The doctor thinks she may have been poisoned with either brucine or strychnine, possibly given to her by mistake. He can’t be sure. Could Barrois, he wonders have mixed up the brucine used for Noirtier’s condition (which he has become used to) with Mme Saint-Meran’s medicine? Villefort says he suspects no foul play. There might have been an error. The doctor suggests getting another doctor to help him examine the body to help determine whether it was foul play or an accident. Villefort is reluctant. The presence of a second doctor would require an inquest, which would be public. It would cause a scandal detrimental to his position as King’s attorney. It would also give pleasure to his enemies to see him in that position. The doctor agrees to refrain from this course of action and says he will take the blame for negligence if anything is said in the future. Nevertheless, he recommends that Villefort be wary of a possible enemy. They leave the garden.

Maximilian sees a window open in the house and thinks he hears sobbing. A shadow appears at the window and he thinks he hears himself being called. He enters the house, climbs the stairs, follows the sound of the sobbing and enters a room where he finds the corpse of Mme Saint-Meran, covered, with Valentine next to it, sobbing. He tells Valentine how he climbed into the garden and heard voices. He lies and says it was servants he heard speaking. She says it was her grandmother’s last wish, thinking to protect her, that she should marry as soon as possible. The signing of the contract was delayed when her grandmother died. She says Maximilian should leave. She says the safest route out will be through her grandfather’s room. She takes him there and has Barrois stand guard outside the door. Valentine presents Maximilian to her grandfather. She declares her love for Maximilian, explains who he is, his good name, and how Noirtier liked the Morrel family. She says she would rather die than marry anyone else. Maximilian tells Valentine to return to her vigil beside her dead grandmother. Meanwhile, he opens the dictionary to show he understands how Valentine and her grandfather communicate. He tells Noirtier of his love for Valentine and how they met. He also explains the plan they had intended to enact that night. Noirtier indicates his disapproval of the plan. Maximilian, searching for another solution, suggests that he could speak to Franz d’Epinay. D’Epinay might stand aside for them. If he did not, Maximilian could challenge him to a duel. If d’Epinay was killed, Maximilian could marry Valentine. If Maximilian was killed, Valentine wouldn’t go ahead with the marriage, anyway. Again, Noirtier indicates his disapproval with this course of action. Instead, he indicates that Maximilian should wait and place his trust in Noirtier to come up with another solution. Maximilian doesn’t understand what Noirtier could do, paralysed as he is, but Noirtier assures him the marriage will not go ahead. Maximilan swears he will abide by Noirtier’s directives not to act, and to trust him. Noirtier asks him to leave the premises without returning to Valentine. Maximilan embraces Noirtier and kisses him on the forehead as Valentine had done. He is then conducted back to the garden by Barrois, where he finds the gate, again, and leaves.

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Chapter 75: The Villefort Family Vault

Characters

M. de Villefort, Mme Villefort, Valentine Villefort, Franz d’Epinay, Maximilian Morrel, M. Noirtier, Beachamp, Lucien Debray, Raoul de Chateau Renaud, Albert de Morcerf, Edward, Notary

Summary

Two days later mourners assemble outside the residence of M de Villefort. Among them is the carriage bearing the body of M. de Saint-Meran, just arrived in Paris. Permission is sought and obtained from authorities for a double funeral. The Saint-Merans represent the old aristocracy of Louis XVIII and King Charles X. Beachamp, Debray and Chateau-Renaud are at the funeral. They speculate upon the cause of Mme Saint-Meran’s death – grief/apoplexy – and remark that Franz will now be marrying into a fortune of 80,000 livres per year; twice that when M.Noirtier dies. Franz rides in the front carriage of the procession with M. de Villefort. Chateau-Renaud recognises Maximilian Morrel and asks how he knows the family. He replies that he knew Mme Saint-Meran. Albert introduces Maximilian to Franz. Maximilian feels hypocritical for being civil to Franz, but remembers the promise he made Noirtier and keeps his peace. The coffins are placed in the family vault of the Villeforts (the Saint-Merans were Mme de Villefort’s parents). When the funeral is ended, Maximilian watches Franz enter the carriage with M. de Villefort once more, and imagines some evil being concocted between them.

Franz and Villefort return to Villefort’s study without visiting the rest of the family first. Villefort reminds Franz of his obligation to marry Valentine as soon as possible. Franz assures him of his good intentions, but suggests that now is not a good time while the family is in mourning. Villefort dismisses the idea, saying that Valentine will be happy to fulfil her grandmother’s dying wish. He says the contract should be signed this day, since the intention had been to sign it three days before. The civil ceremony can take place three months hence, after the official mourning period is ended, at Mme de Villefort’s newly inherited Saint-Meran estate. Franz agrees to sign the contract, and they arrange to meet half an hour later after Franz has had an opportunity to find and return with Albert de Morcerf and Raoul de Chateau-Renaud to act as witnesses. Valentine is conducted to the drawing room by her father, and half an hour later the notary arrives, along with Franz, Albert and Chateau-Renaud. Mme de Villefort looks after Edward during this scene, remaining quiet. The mood of the scene is sombre, not joyous. The notary informs the gathering that Noirtier has disinherited Valentine as he said he would, but notes that the will cannot withstand a legal challenge. Nevertheless, Villefort reaffirms his intention not to challenge the will. Franz says he is not interested in the money. His only hope is to be happy. Villefort assures Franz that Noirtier would have acted in the same manner no matter who Valentine was to marry. She has become important to him in his infirmity and he is acting selfishly, Villefort assumes. In fact, Noirtier has probably even forgotten Franz’s name, he tells Franz.

It is at that moment that Barrois enters, announcing that his master, Noirtier, wishes to speak to M. Franz de Quesnel, Baron d’Epinay, using his full name and title to show Noirtier knows exactly with whom he is dealing. Everyone is amazed. Villefort asks Valentine to go see what this is about, but Franz insists he wishes to meet with Noirtier and introduce himself. He wants the opportunity to win Noirtier’s favour. Franz leaves the room to go see Noirtier, and Villefort follows him.

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Chapter 76: A Signed Statement

Characters

M. de Villefort, Valentine Villefort, Franz d’Epinay, M. Noirtier, Barrois

Summary

As Villefort enters Noirtier’s room he whispers to Valentine that she must not understand anything her grandfather communicates if it will delay her marriage to Franz. Villefort then introduces Franz to Noirtier. Noirtier indicates to Valentine that he wishes her to open drawers in his secretary desk. She finds the correct drawer but he is not interested in any of the papers it contains. Using the dictionary and guided by Valentine’s questioning, Noirtier is able to communicate that there is a secret spring in the secretary desk that Barrois knows about. Barrois is called in and asked to open the secret drawer. Hidden inside are papers Noirtier indicates he wishes Franz to read. It is entitled:

Extract from the Report of a meeting of the Bonapartist Club in the Rue Saint-Jacques, held February 5th, 1815.

Franz remembers that this was the day of his father’s death, murdered after leaving that club. General Flavien de Quesnal, Franz’s father, had served Napoleon from 1804 to 1814, but had recently received the title of baron from Louis XVIII. A note had arrived from the island of Elba where Napoleon was in exile, requesting the General’s presence at a meeting on the 5^th of November: the next day. He was considered to be a possible ally. The President of the club arrived to take him to the meeting. He was required to wear a blindfold on his journey. When he arrived at the meeting the General was asked to remove the blindfold. He was surprised by some of the prominent people at the meeting. He was asked where his loyalty lay. The General said the letters just arrived from Elba should tell them. He was told that the letter recommended him as an ally, and that further instructions would arrive on the boat, Pharaon, belonging to Morrel, whose captain was devoted to the emperor. The General refused to swear fealty to Napoleon – he had only recently sworn fealty to the king – and he reasserted his loyalty to his new oath. The General was told that having come blindfolded to the meeting, he should have realised their intent. Still he refused to swear loyalty. At this point he was told he must die. But the president assured him that his death would be their last resort. He must assure them that their secret will remain with him. He remained silent, but when the doors were ominously closed he stepped forward, saying he had a son and should hear what they demanded of him. He was asked merely to swear his silence about what he had learned that night. He swore this oath. The president of the assembly and three others took the General to a coach and asked where he should be taken. The General insulted the President by saying he wanted to go anywhere away from him, and by suggesting they were cowards to intimidate him, four against one.

The President stopped the carriage and challenged the General to a duel, one on one. The President had only a cane sword without a guard. The President received two wounds on his arm during the duel, but he defeated the General, who died. The report ends by stating that the General was therefore killed honourably, and not in an ambush. Signed, Beaurepaire, Deschamps and Lecharpal.

Franz demands to know who the President was so he might kill him. Valentine immediately understands the significance of the scars on her grandfather’s arm. Villefort tries to discourage Franz, saying the identity was secret in the document and there will be no way of discovering it. But Noirtier indicates he can tell Franz the identity of the President. Using the dictionary he spells out the word MYSELF. He confirms it was him who killed Franz’s father. Franz slumps into a chair. Villefort leaves the room with the idea of killing Noirtier.

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Chapter 77: Progress of Cavalcanti the Younger

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Major Cavalcanti, Andrea Cavalcanti, M.Danglars, Mme Danglars, Eugenie Danglars, Albert de Morcerf, Mademoiselle Louise d’Armilly (singing teacher)

Summary

The outcome of this chapter is that Andrea Cavalcanti is increasingly favoured as a fiancée by Danglars.

We begin with news that Major Cavalcanti is now living the high life and enjoying himself gambling. Andrea, meanwhile, has his papers that ‘prove’ his parentage and has been accepted into Parisian society where he is thought to have a good fortune and name. Some even claim to know the quarries upon which his family fortune is built.

The Count visits Mme Danglars. She is uneasy about him now when she thinks about his possible ill intentions, but when she sees the Count, with his good manners and brilliant eyes, it is difficult for her to think any evil of him. When he arrives Andrea Cavalcanti is with Mme Danglars looking at drawings, presumably Eugenie’s. Eugenie escapes to her study to play piano and sing with her singing teacher, Mademoiselle d’Amilly. As the Count speaks to Mme Danglars he notices that Andrea is distracted by the music from the other side of the door. Danglars enters and encourages Andrea to join him and the the ladies in Eugenie’s study, where Andrea begins to accompany them singing. Mme Danglars speaks to the Count of her husband’s strength of mind, since he has lost 400,000 francs that morning but has maintained his equanimity. The Count assures her that her husband’s fortunes shall return, but advises her to secure her own fortune in the meantime. He speaks of some Neapolitan bonds that are doing well. She is reluctant to talk about money matters, and switches the conversation to the Villeforts’ misfortunes and how Franz has now broken his promise to marry Valentine.

M Danglars re-enters from the study and Mme Danglars admonishes him for leaving their daughter alone with Andrea when her fiancée has not been given this privilege yet. He points out that they are with Mademoiselle d’Armilly, and he doesn’t care what Albert de Morcerf would think, since he seems disinterested in their daughter. He is rarely there to see her. He praises Prince Cavalcanti to the Count. The Count questions whether he is a prince and questions Danglars as to how much he really knows about Andrea.

Albert de Morcerf’s arrival is announced. Danglars prevents his wife from extracting Andrea from her daughter’s study. When Albert enters, Danglars tells him Eugenie is in her study with Andrea. They are singing. Albert says that Andrea’s tenor voice suits her soprano. Danglars agrees that Andrea and Eugenie suit each other. Albert says his own voice would never go well with soprano. Albert asks to see Eugenie but Danglars wants to wait until they finish their song. So Albert insists they hear another song after that before he is announced. Danglars, taking the Count aside, says to him that Albert is too cool and proud, without any outward feeling for his daughter. The Count defends Albert while Danglars praises Andrea. Again, the Count questions how much Danglars knows about Andrea. Given that Danglars has reason to mistrust the Count now, this is a good strategy to make Danglars become stubborn in his choice. It is now Danglars who asserts his belief that Andrea is of good family and fortune. The Count argues against breaking off the marriage with Albert de Morcerf. He says the family is counting on the marriage, and he wonders at Danglars’ lack of concern when he is clearly a good friend of Mme de Morcerf (Mercedes) since they spoke for an hour together in the garden at the ball. Danglars resolves to speak to M. de Morcerf, Albert’s father, and ascertain once and for all if the marriage should go ahead.

Meanwhile, Albert has been praising the music and has applauded when it finishes. The study door is opened. Andrea leaps from the chair where he has been sitting next to Eugenie, and looks embarrassed. Albert does not appear disturbed by this.

They have begun to take tea when Danglars returns, agitated, with a message from Greece. Albert asks after King Otho. Danglars gives him a suspicious look. The Count feigns pity to Danglars. Albert remarks privately to the Count about the look Danglars gave him. The Count denies any knowledge concerning the message from Greece.

As they prepare to leave, Danglars takes the Count aside and says that he was right about the history of the names Fernand and Yanina. He then asks the Count to take Albert away, since he can’t stand the sight of him. Meanwhile, Albert is indifferent to the evident contempt Eugenie displays for his attempt to praise a cameo of her. The Count reiterates his advice to Mme Danglars to seek a private fortune as they leave. Andrea remains in the house after they are gone.

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Chapter 78: Haidee

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Albert de Morcerf, Haidee, Ali, Baptistin, Myrtho

New Character

Myrtho

In Haidee’s Story

Ali Tepelana and Vasiliki (Haidee’s parents), unnamed French officer (Albert’s father), Serasker Koorshid, Selim

Summary

As they leave the Danglar’s residence in the Count’s carriage Albert laughs. He feels the Count’s plot to set Andrea up with Eugenie has worked well. The Count denies such an intention. Albert is certain Andrea wants Eugenie and believes they will soon be married. But the Count says he has been asked by Danglars to press Albert’s father to have the matter of the marriage decided quickly. He wishes to stay on good terms with everyone, he says. Albert speculates upon the nature of the quarrel between his father and Danglars.

When they arrive at the Count’s residence he invites Albert inside. Albert marvels at the speed with which the Count’s servants answer his needs. He explains they know his habits well and can therefore anticipate his desires. The Count says Haidee will be playing the guzla, so they will have music. He tells Albert that she is a slave but was originally a rich princess. She lost her position due to the misfortunes of war. He asks Albert if he knows of the Pasha of Yanin, Ali Tepelana. Albert recalls it was in his service that his father made his fortune. The Count says that Ali Tepelana and his wife, Vasiliki, were Haidee’s parents. Albert asks to meet Haidee. The Count agrees to introduce her if Albert promises never to speak of the meeting to anyone else, and not to tell Haidee the identity of his father. Albert is taken into Haidee’s room. The door is guarded by three French attendants commanded by Myrtho. The Count addresses Haidee in Romaic and tells her that Albert is a friend. She asks with which language she should speak to Albert. Albert can’t speak Greek, so she is asked to speak in Italian, a language she is not as fluent in. They sit to take tea and smoke chibouques. Albert speaks enthusiastically of the Eastern atmosphere in the room. He asks can he question Haidee about the East. She speaks of her memories from early childhood. Of seeking alms for the poor with her mother. She left Greece when she was 5 years old. Albert asks to hear her history, hoping she will mention his father. The Count, in Greek, tells her to speak of her father’s fate, but not the name of the traitor or treason.

Haidee’s Story

Haidee recalls memories of her father ruling and passing sentence on prisoners. Apart from that her memories are sorrowful. She recalls the events of the night they escaped from the Palace Yanina, led by their father, to a boat which was guarded on the beach by loyal Palikares (Greek militia). The garrison had been approached by Serasker Koorshid on behalf of the sultan to have Ali Tepelana taken into custody. Ali had sent a trusted French officer to negotiate with the sultan. In the meantime, he decided to flee to an island he had prepared for this kind of circumstance. Albert interrupts the story to ask of the French officer’s name, but the Count gives a signal to Haidee, who says she does not remember.

They escaped to the island where Haidee’s father had hidden a fortune, supplies and a huge cache of gunpowder. Selim, a trusted officer, was under instruction to blow everything up if Ali gave the order. Ali waited days to hear news if he had been pardoned. He planned to flee if he was not, or blow themselves up with the enemy if he couldn’t. After a few days four boats appeared. Ali ordered Vasiliki and Haidee into a cavern. Haidee gave her father a last kiss.

Albert is moved by Haidee’s version of these events.

Vasiliki held some hope that everything would be okay, since she had seen the trusted French officer on one of the boats before entering the cavern. She asked Selim the plan. He said that if he was sent Ali’s ring, then everything would be okay. If he was sent Ali’s poniard, he would light the gunpowder that would kill everyone. Vasiliki asked to be killed by her husband’s poniard, first, if it should come to that. But they next heard cries of joy. The French officer seemed to have brokered a peace with the emperor. A man approached the cavern door to say that Ali had been pardoned and fully reinstated. But Selim demanded to see the ring before they came out. The ring was left and Selim confirmed the ring’s authenticity. He extinguished the fire he held, at which point four soldiers of Serasker Koorshid approached and killed him. Vasiliki fled with Haidee into passageways and found another door back into the building. From there she heard her husband being told his enemies had an order to take his head. He thereupon shot two men and his Palikares leapt from the floor where they are being guarded and engaged in battle. Ali called to Selim during the melee to blow the powder, but Vasiliki, who could not open door, called to him that Selim was dead. Then there was an explosion as Koorshid’s men shot from beneath the floor. Ali was mortally wounded and his troops were killed. Then twenty soldiers impale Ali with their poniards.

Albert regrets asking for the story, but the Count says Haidee finds some solace in telling it. She says it is because it helps to remind her of the Count’s goodness to her. Albert wants to know how she came to be with the Count. She says she was given to a man who had served Koorshid and then sold to slave merchants. Haidee and her mother were taken to Constantinople where she saw her father’s head above the city gates. Her mother died at the sight of it. Haidee was eventually sold to Sultan Mahmood, who later sold her to the Count. He bought her with the emerald that was a match for the emerald inlaid into his hashish box.

Haidee reiterates how good the Count is to her. The Count says that the telling of the history is over.

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Chapter 79: We Hear From Yanina

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Albert de Morcerf, M. Danglars, Count de Morcerf, Franz d’Epinay, M. Villefort, Mme de Villefort, Beauchamp, Baptistin

New Character

Philip

Florentin (Albert de Morcerf’s valet de chambre)

Summary

Beauchamp and Albert arrive at the Count’s residence where Beauchamp tells the Count that the ‘absurd reports’ have died away. They find the Count arranging papers. He says they are for Andrea Cavalcanti who is marring Eugenie Danglars. Beauchamp is surprised to hear this news since he has been away. The Count assures Beauchamp that he had nothing to do with the arrangement, and Albert assures him that he is happy about it. The Count says he has warned Danglars about Andrea: he disappeared for ten years and it is not known what he did in that time. The Count has requested papers from Major Cavalcanti at Danglars’s request, which he is now arranging. The Count notices that Albert is in a poor mood. Albert assures him it is not for love of Eugenie, just a headache. The Count reveals he is also in a poor mood. M. de Villefort claims to have heard of Caderousse and Danglars believes he recognises him, so the police are paying close attention to the case. They keep sending suspected accomplices of Caderousse to the Count’s house in the hope that he may be able to identify them. The Count doesn’t like the thought of so many villains knowing the lay of his house. He suggests going on a trip to get away from their troubles. He proposes a sea voyage from Normandy. Beauchamp declines and tells Albert in an aside that he wishes to keep an eye on the newspaper and hopefully discover something about the writer of the article against Albert’s father. He leaves.

Albert says he will journey with the Count after he has informed his mother of his plans. He assures the Count that she will raise no objection. She holds the Count in high esteem and often talks about him. The Count tells Bertuccio to send word ahead to make sure his horses are ready at each appointed village for their journey.

As they journey Albert marvels at the speed of the horses. The Count says they were all bred from a common mother and he will command a high price for them when he no longer needs them. Albert reckons that the Count and Bertuccio must be the two richest men in Europe. The Count says that Bertuccio has no personal wealth. But he can be trusted because he has no family to support, he is given wide freedoms, has a secure position because he is the best at what he does, and because the Count has the power of life and death over him. Albert is shocked when the Count reaffirms this to be true. After an 8 hour journey they arrive at 2:30am.

After a night’s sleep they spend three days hunting and fishing. At the end of the third day Florentin, Albert’s valet de chambre, arrives riding swiftly. He bears a letter. When Albert begins to read he suddenly reacts badly. The Count seems to guess what it is about, making a comment about the sins of fathers. Albert says he must return to his mother immediately and asks for a horse. He does not wish to explain the matter to the Count, but hands him a news article which came with the letter. The Count reads the article as Albert leaves. It refers to the previous article from weeks before, except this time it explicitly names Albert’s father as the traitor at Yanina.

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Chapter 87: The Trial

Characters

Beauchamp, Albert de Morcerf, Count de Morcerf, Haidee

New Character

President of Committee

Summary

Albert arrives in Paris at 8am the following morning. Beauchamp tells him that the latest article appeared in a government paper this time. Beauchamp knows the editor and spoke to him about it. The editor said the information proving the case against Count de Morcerf had arrived with a man from Yanina. After Beauchamp sent his valet de chambre with the news for Albert, his father entered the House of Peers without any knowledge of the article. Morcerf was not considered a real noble in the House and had few allies, generally due to his haughty nature. All had read the newspaper article. A rival of Morcerf’s read out the article in the House, and when finished said there should be an investigation to protect the reputation of the House and that of Count de Morcerf. Morcerf was shocked, but agreed to cooperate and supply any evidence he had on the matter. He had papers that he kept, suspecting the matter might one day be raised. He suggested the investigation should start that day. Eight o’clock in the evening was set as the appointed time. As Albert listens to Beauchamp’s recount, he wonders how it would be possible to defend himself when he is guilty.

Beauchamp says that rumours Morcerf had fled, possibly out of the country, abounded before the committee was to begin. But he turned up on time wearing his military uniform. Morcerf presented documents to the committee along with Ali Pasha’s official ring that suggested Morcerf had been trusted by the Vizier. He said that he was so well liked that Ali Pasha gave him his wife, Vasiliki and her daughter on his deathbed.

At this point in Beauchamp’s telling, Albert remembers Haidee’s story.

Beauchamp says that the President of the Committee asked what became of the mother and daughter. Morcerf said that they disappeared and he had had no means with which to make a search for them. He admitted that he had no-one to back up his story, but had pointed out that the Committee had his evidence and no-one had come forward to speak against him. This was unfortunate, since the President had been opening a letter he had just received. The letter purported to be from someone who witnessed Ali Pasha’s death and knew what became of Vasiliki and her daughter. They were waiting in the lobby to be heard. The Committee agreed to hear from this person. A woman, veiled, and her servant entered. The woman was asked to remove her veil. She was dressed in Grecian clothes.

Albert guesses that it was Haidee.

Haidee revealed who she was to the Committee and offered documents including a birth certificate, a baptism certificate and a record of sale bearing an imperial seal, which documented the sale of her and her mother by a French officer for 400,000 francs. An interpreter read from the Arabic: The sale documented that El-Kobbir bought them from Fernand Mondego and he was selling them to the Count of Monte Cristo. Haidee confirmed that this was the same Count of Monte Cristo residing in Paris, but she said he was currently in Normandy and had no knowledge of her actions. She was acting on her own, she said. She said she has harboured revenge in her heart for many years and she had access to newspapers. Morcerf denied knowing Haidee, but she shrieked angrily that she knew him: that he surrendered the castle at Yanina, offered a false pardon, obtained her father’s ring which persuaded Selim the firekeeper all was well, who stabbed Selim, who sold her and her mother, who raised her father’s head on a spike, and who bears the same scar on his right arm as that of Fernand Mondego. Morcerf instinctively tries to hide his hand. The mood of the committee had turned against him, when it had been in his favour before Haidee entered. The President of the Committee gave Morcerf the opportunity to defend himself against Haidee’s accusations. Morcerf said he had no reply. The President asked him if Haidee had told the truth. Instead of responding, Morcerf tore open his military coat and fled. The House unanimously voted him guilty.

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Chapter 88: The Challenge

Characters

Beauchamp, Albert de Morcerf, M. Danglars, Andrea Cavalcanti

Summary

While Beauchamp admits that the outcome for Albert’s father was bad, they can at least rest assured it was only Providence which brought about his fall, not unknown players. But Albert is not convinced. He believes a sinister hand is at work against his father, and he wants revenge. Beauchamp says he will help him if this is the path Albert wishes to take. In speculating about who is behind the matter, Beauchamp says that when speaking to a banker at Yanina, the name of M.Danglars was raised in connection to the affair. Albert has also spoken to a Parisian banker about Danglars. He is immediately convinced that Danglars is behind his father’s fall and is determined to kill him if he proves to be right. Beauchamp advises restraint.

They go to Danglar’s house and force their way into his study. Andrea is present. Albert decides that he will kill Andrea if Danglars refuses to fight. He just needs to fight someone. He challenges Danglars to a duel. Andrea tries to step between them and Albert threatens him. This makes Danglars think that this anger has been caused by the annulment of the marriage arrangement. Albert says it is not. Danglars says that if Albert presses the matter he will kill him. He assures Albert he had nothing to do with his father’s downfall. Albert accuses him of having written to Yanina to find out the details of his father’s history there. Danglars admits he did write, but only on advice, to seek assurances about Albert’s family, since they would be joined in marriage. He says the Count of Monte Cristo advised him to do this. He offers to show Albert the correspondence. He says once he knew the story behind his father’s part at Yanina he merely refused Count de Morcerf’s proposal that the wedding go ahead. He had no interest in the matter after that.

Albert begins to change his mind. He realises that the Count knew the history of Yanina. He had bought Haidee. He had advised Danglars to write the letter. He had allowed Albert to speak to Haidee and probably told her in Romaic not to reveal the identity of the French officer. And he took Albert to Normandy just as his father’s ruin was about to happen. Albert tells Danglars that he hasn’t yet finished with him, but he will go to the Count of Monte Cristo to ascertain the truth of the situation.

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Chapter 89: The Insult

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo, Beauchamp, Albert de Morcerf, Maximilian Morrel, Chateau-Renaud, Lucien Debray, Mme Danglars (Mercedes), Baptistin

Summary

Beauchamp warns Albert that the Count of Monte Cristo is a different opponent to Danglars. Danglars is a banker who is given to caution. The Count is a nobleman who will possibly beat Albert. Albert says he does not fear dying for his family’s honour. Beauchamp says his mother might die of grief if he is killed. Albert says that would be better than dying of shame. They enter the Count’s residence and are met by Baptistin who tells them the Count has just returned and is having a bath, will have a short sleep after and then attend the opera. Albert decides to go to the opera to try to meet the Count. He asks Beauchamp to come, too, and asks him to get Franz, Debray and Morrel to also attend.

Albert visits his mother. She has locked herself away, full of grief and humiliation. At that moment his resolve for revenge weakens. He asks her if M. de Morcerf (not his father) has enemies. He says he asks her because she notices things, like the way the Count refused to eat at their ball. He says the Count has Oriental ways, and that Orientals will refuse hospitality in order to receive full liberty for revenge. Mercedes refuses to believe the Count is their enemy. Albert asks if his mother has a special reason for wanting conciliation with the Count. She dodges the question. Albert says he must go out that night, despite her not feeling well. When he leaves, Mercedes asks her footman to follow Albert.

Albert arrives early at the opera. Chateau-Renaud is already there. Beauchamp has told him what has happened. The Count doesn’t arrive until the beginning of the second act. He sees the angry glares of Albert during the act and decides to ignore him. At the end of the second act, Albert, Beauchamp and Chateau-Renaud go to the Count’s box. Albert says he has come to seek explanation. There is a heated exchange in which Albert almost throws his glove at the Count. The Count says he considers the glove to have been thrown and that he will return it with a bullet. Albert and his friends leave. Maximilian, who is with the Count, is confused, since he has not been apprised of the circumstances. The Count tells him that Albert is angry about Haidee’s part in his father’s downfall. Maximilian now realises why he was asked to the opera. The Count says he will kill Albert before 10am the next day and make him suffer.

At the end of the next scene Beauchamp returns to the Count’s box and apologises on his own behalf for what just happened. He suggests that the Count could give Albert some explanation about his connection to Yanina. The Count refuses any explanation. He doesn’t answer to anyone. And he is angry at Beauchamp for suggesting this. The Count tells him he will kill Albert the following morning, using any weapons Albert chooses at any place of his choosing. Beauchamp tells him it will be pistols at 8am at Bois de Vincennes. He leaves the Count, rattled by his confidence. The Count tells Maximilian that Albert does not know the real story behind his actions, but God knows and God would be on his side. He asks Maximilian to second him the next morning, and to bring his brother, Emanuel, if he can. He then returns to the pleasures of the opera.

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Chapter 90: A Nocturnal Interview

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo (Edmond), Mme de Morcerf (Mercedes), Ali, Baptistin

After the aborted duel the Count drops Emmanuel home and Maximilian rides with him to the Champs-Elysées. They discuss Albert’s actions. The Count says Albert is not a coward. Maximilian acknowledges that Albert has fought two duels in the past, but he feels his actions were cowardly, nevertheless. The Count feels Albert is brave, but a more important concern stopped his hand. The Count offers breakfast to Maximilian but Maximilian says he is not hungry and must go. The Count guesses that he has a lover he is distracted by, but Maximilian declines to give him details. Nevertheless, the Count says he will help Maximilian in his affair should he ever encounter obstacles.

Upon arriving home Bertuccio reports that Mercedes and Albert are preparing to leave their house. The Count writes a letter (from the previous chapter) and sends it with Bertuccio for Albert. Haidee enters the room and is overjoyed to see the Count. The Count is again struck by romantic notions about Haidee, feeling like she is another Mercedes. Baptistin announces that Count de Morcerf has arrived. Haidee is concerned, fearing the Count might be injured in an encounter with him. The Count assures her he will be okay and gives her a kiss on the forehead to send her away.

Flashback: Morcerf had watched Mercedes packing through a window of her bedroom. He then went to a window to await the return of his son from the duel, but when Albert arrived he did not come to see his father. Wondering why, Morcerf sent for a servant to find out. After that, he left in his coach with a military cloak and two swords to go to the residence of the Count of Monte Cristo.

Morcerf questions the Count about the duel with his son. The Count tells him that Albert was not a coward, but he apologised because there was someone who was to blame more than Monte Cristo: Albert’s father. Morcerf declares the Count to be his enemy and challenges him to fight right then without any witnesses. The Count says they need no witnesses because they know each other so well. Morcerf disagrees with this, so the Count lists Morcerf’s infamies: that he was Fernand, a deserter, at the Battle of Waterloo; that he was Lieutenant Fernand, a spy to the French army in Spain; that he was Captain Fernand who betrayed Ali Pasha; and that he is Lieutenant General Count de Morcerf, peer of France. The Count’s litany not only accuses Morcerf, but suggests his social position is undeserved. Morcerf acknowledges that the Count has discovered his past, but he does not know who the Count really is. The Count suddenly disappears into a dressing room where he changes into a sailor’s outfit and lets down his hair. He returns and tells Morcerf that he shows him a face he must have dreamed of since he married Mercedes, his own betrothed. Morcerf is shocked as he recognises Edmond Dantes. He flees the room and tells his valet to get him back home. As he arrives home Albert and Mercedes are leaving. He hides as they pass and hears Albert say that this is no longer their home. As the coach takes them away, the sound of a pistol shot can be heard from the bedroom of Count de Morcerf.

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Chapter 94: Valentine

Characters

Maximilian Morrel, Valentine de Villefort, M. Noirtier, Mme Danglers, Eugenie Danglars,

Summary

That night the Danglars’s house is fitted out sumptuously for the wedding, and Eugenie looks beautiful. Much of Parisian society is there. At 9pm precisely the Count makes his entrance and all eyes turn to him. The contract is read in silence and soon the signing begins. First Danglars signs, then Cavalcanti’s representative, then Mme Danglars. Mme Danglars comments to Mme de Villefort that it is a pity the incident at the Count of Monte Cristo’s house has prevented M. de Villefort from attending. The Count explains that the body of the murdered man outside his house had been searched. He was found to be wearing a waistcoat in which there was a letter addressed to M. Danglars. Because it was evidence, the Count turned it over to Villefort, as he is the King’s chief attorney. At this point, Andrea begins to move towards an exit. The Count explains that the murdered man was an old escaped galley slave called Caderousse. Upon hearing this, Danglars turns pale. They return to the matter of the wedding and ‘Prince’ Cavalcanti is called upon to sign. But there are suddenly soldiers entering the house and blocking the doors. An officer of the police approaches Danglars and asks for Andrea Cavalcanti. He says Andrea is a galley slave who escaped and murdered Caderousse. But Andrea is gone.

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Chapter 98: The Departure for Belgium

Characters

Eugenie, Danglars, Louise d’Armilly, M. Danglars, Mme Danglars

Valentine has survived for four days after her poisoning. She is carefully guarded by her parents, Dr d’Avrigny and a trusted nurse, and a strict routine is followed to take care of her. Her door is kept locked. At night she is delirious and sees visions of people entering her room: her stepmother approaching threateningly; Maximilian with his arms outstretched; even the Count of Monte Cristo. Valentine has come to see them as figments of her own imagination. On the fourth day she hears of the drama surrounding Eugenie’s aborted wedding, but she is too sick to be moved by it. That night, she once again thinks she sees something. The door to her library opens and a figure enters her room. She again assumes the figure is a figment of her imagination and reaches for her medicine left at her bedside, since she finds it helps dispel her visions. But the figure reacts to her movement and stays her hand. Instead, the person takes the medicine and drinks some of it. Valentine recognises that this is the Count and he is real. He allows her to drink the draught he just tested. The Count reassures her of his intentions and says he is weary, having watched over her for four days, hoping to protect her to fulfil the promise he made to Maximilian. He says he has watched from behind the library door. It connects to the house next door which he has now rented. Valentine is at first affronted by his intrusions, but he assures her he has only watched the comings and goings in her room and monitored what she has been given. He has seen further attempts to poison her and he has had to remove the poison and substitute his own draught to help her recover. He offers Valentine some new medicine and drinks half to allay her suspicion. Valentine realises he must have seen the person who has been trying to kill her. He admits that he has. Valentine also realises, now, why her grandfather made her drink some of his medicine, to fortify her against an attack he assumed was coming. The Count says this is true, but the dose four days ago could have been enough to kill her, anyway. Naturally, Valentine wants to know who is trying to kill her. The Count, rather than tell her, points out that it is midnight, an hour favoured by murderers. He suggests she lie in her bed pretending to be asleep and he will wait outside the library door to see if the murderer appears.

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Chapter 102: Locusta

Characters

Valentine de Villefort, Count of Monte Cristo, Mme de Villefort

Summary

[Locusta was a first century Roman poisoner, who possibly helped in the assassinations of Claudius and Britannicus]

Valentine waits in the dark, pretending to sleep, wondering who has been trying to kill her and why. Eventually, the clock strikes half past twelve and she hears a floor creak in Edward’s room. Edward’s door opens. Someone whispers her name to ascertain if she is asleep. It is Mme de Villefort. In one hand she holds a phial. Valentine forces herself not to react, since she guesses her stepmother holds a knife in the other hand. Mme de Villefort pours the contents of her phial into Valentine’s glass. She leaves the room and the Count re-enters. He smells the liquid in the glass and confirms the poison has now been changed, which would negate the precautions taken by Valentine’s grandfather. The Count explains that Valentine has become a target because she is wealthy and stands in the way of her half-brother, Edward, inheriting her fortune through his father. By killing the Saint-Merans and by killing Valentine, the money would be left to Villefort and eventually to Mme de Villefort’s son, Edward. The Count says Valetine’s stepmother has been fomenting this plan ever since Valentine saw her with a man in a brown clock in the Hotel des Postes, Perugia. The Count tells Valentine she cannot run because she will always be in danger of assassination. The Count says that to survive, Valentine must trust him entirely and confide in no-one else. Valentine promises to do all she can to live for the sake of her grandfather and Maximilian. The Count tells her she must have hope, even if she awakes and finds herself in a vault or coffin (at this point it seems the Count’s plan is similar to the plot of Romeo and Juliet - to fake Valentine’s death) They each talk with endearments that liken the Count to a father (in effect, Villefort has failed to protect her): VALENTINE: “At this moment, a friend, a father, who lives for my happiness and that of Maximilian watches over me.” COUNT: “You are my own darling child, Valentine!...” He lifts the blankets, as a father might, up to her neck to cover her chest, which Dumas somewhat sexualises (“… the pulsations of her heart could be seen through the lace of her nightdress.”). The Count gives Valentine a pastille which she takes, and he watches her succumb to its effects. He then empties most of the glass into the fireplace and then departs the room.

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Chapter 103: Valentine

Characters

Valentine de Villefort, Mme de Villefort, M. de Villefort, Dr d’Avrigny, M. Noirtier, Maximilian Morrel

New Character

Nurse

Summary

Valentine’s nightlight continues to burn until its oil runs out. Eventually, Mme de Villefort re-enters the room and checks Valentine and her glass. She sees that the glass is now only a quarter full and that Valentine shows every sign that she is dead. Mme de Villefort empties the glass in the fire place. She leaves the room at half past four in the morning. Two hours later the nurse enters the room but assumes Valentine is asleep. She sits in the armchair to get some extra sleep herself and is awoken by the clock striking eight. She is concerned that Valentine has not moved and then realises she seems to be dead. She calls for help and Dr d’Avrigny and Villefort head to Valentine’s room where they find the servants already gathered about. Villefort asks for his wife to be called. He has trouble comprehending what has happened. Mme de Villefort enters the room to find the doctor checking Valentine’s glass. Mysteriously, the glass is again partially full of the same substance she placed in it earlier that night. When he realises that it is no longer brucine he tests the liquid with nitric acid. The liquid turns blood red. Mme de Villefort, seemingly overpowered with emotion, rushes back to her room and collapses. The doctor tells the nurse to assist her. Nothing can be done for Valentine he tells the nurse, because she is dead. Finally, the truth bears down on Villefort and he cries out ‘Dead – dead!” just as Maximilian enters the room.

Maximilian had gone to visit Noirtier that morning as he normally did. No servant appeared to conduct him to the room so he went up himself. Noirtier indicated to Maximilian that he wanted something from a servant, but no servant came when Maximilian rang the bell. Noirtier realised something might be wrong and conveyed his concern for Valentine to Maximilian. Maximilian then rushed to Valentine’s room just in time to hear Villefort’s anguished cry that his daughter was dead.

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Chapter 104: Maximilian

Characters

Valentine de Villefort, M. de Villefort, Dr d’Avrigny, M. Noirtier, Maximilian Morrel, Count of Monte Cristo (as Abbe Busoni)

New Character

Doctor of Death

Summary

Villefort orders Maximilian out of the room. Dr d’Avrigny escorts him out. But Maximilian returns a few minutes later carrying M.Noirtier, still sitting in his chair, up the stairs and into the room. He calls Noirtier ‘father’ and asks him to confirm that Valentine had been his betrothed. Noirtier confirms it. Maximilian falls to his knees in grief and clutches at Valentine’s hand. Villefort is now more conciliatory. He says that he did not know of the engagement, but he sees that Maximilian’s grief is real. He says that all that can be done now is to call a priest. Maximilian says Villefort can call the priest, but he will be Valentine’s avenger. He now addresses Villefort in his role as chief procurer, and says that Valentine was assassinated. He says that having reported this, it is now Villefort’s job to find the murderer. Villefort denies that Valentine was murdered. He says his family has merely been fated to ill-luck over the last few months. But Maximilian outlines the timeline of Valentine’s poisoning: how her grandfather tried to build her immunity to the poison, how the murderer increased the dose and then eventually changed the type of poison. He also reveals that he secretly heard the conversation between Dr d’Avrigny and Villefort in the garden concerning the deaths in the family. He calls for the doctor to admit it. The doctor, who has clearly been uncomfortable with Villefort’s denial, admits it and also calls for justice. At this point, Noirtier indicates that he wishes to communicate something and confirms that he knows the identity of the murderer. But he also indicates that he wishes to speak to Villefort about it alone. After fifteen minutes the doctor and Maximilian return to the room. They are asked by Villefort to swear that they will not reveal the identity of the murderer to anyone. It is a matter of family honour. Maximilian is not happy about this, but Villefort assures him of his intention to seek revenge, and calls upon Noirtier to confirm his resolve. He says that revenge will be carried out within three days. Noirtier reassures them of his support for Villefort’s plan. The doctor is instructed to go find the doctor of death. He returns to the house with this doctor, who takes a cursory look at Valentine and issues a death certificate. Next, Villefort wants the nearest priest brought to the house. The doctor who issued the certificate says he knows of a priest living next door to Villefort. This doctor and Dr d’Avrigny go outside and see the priest in the doorway of his house. The priest tells them that he heard what happened from the servants who fled the house. He has already said prayers for Valentine. Dr d’Avrigny asks him to return with him to watch over Valentine. When they enter Valentine’s room Noirtier catches the priest’s eye and decides to remain in the room with him. After Dr d’Avrigny leaves the room, the priest bolts the door behind him, as well as the door that leads into Mme de Villefort’s room.

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Chapter 105: Danglars' Signature

Characters

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Chapter 108: The Lion's Den

Characters

Andrea (Benedetto), Bertuccio

New Characters

Gaol Keeper, prisoners

Summary

Andrea has been imprisoned in the court of Saint-Bernard, otherwise known as the ‘Lion’s Den’, a prison division within the main prison of La Force. When Andrea arrives other prisoners comment on his clothes, his youth and haughty appearance. His clothes are clean and expensive, but the gaolers have deliberately torn them. Andrea asks a gaol keeper for a loan of 20 francs so he can buy a dressing gown to keep warm. He says he has rich relations and he will get his money back. The prisoners mock him and say he is obviously a gentleman. The gaoler tells them they can lend Andrea the money, but Andrea refuses to acknowledge himself as their comrade. The prisoners prepare to hurt him with cruel games, but they stop when Andrea gives them a secret signal taught to him by Caderousse. They back off. The keeper tries to work out why this has happened and begins examining Andrea’s hands, when there is a call for ‘Benedetto’ by the inspector, to be taken to the visitor’s room. This timely call convinces Andrea that he has a mysterious protector who will work to soon get him out. Bertuccio awaits him in the visitors’ room with an order that they be taken to a private room for their interview. This again reinforces Andrea’s belief in his protector. They go to the room. Bertuccio repeats Andrea’s crimes to him, but Andrea is not interested in discussing this. He wants to know who sent Bertuccio. Bertuccio says no-one did. When he saw Andrea on a horse in the Champs-Élysées, he recognised him. He is implying that he came of his own accord. Andrea wants to talk about the identity of his father. Bertuccio reminds Andrea that he is Andrea’s adopted father. But Andrea wants to talk about the person who raised him in Parisian society: the Count of Monte Cristo. Bertuccio warns Andrea against speaking of the Count and reminds him that he is in a vulnerable position if he makes trouble. But he agrees to tell Andrea who his real father is. Just at that moment there is an interruption. The examining magistrate has arrived to speak to Andrea. Bertuccio promises to come the next day to talk and will leave some money for Andrea at the gate to help meet his needs in prison.

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Chapter 109: The Judge

Characters

M. de Villefort, Mme de Villefort, M. Noirtier, Edward,

Summary

M. Noirtier seems calm after the night he spent with Abbe Busoni. Villefort has mostly secluded himself in his room since then, preparing for the trial against Andrea/Benedetto. All the servants in the house have been replaced with new servants. Villefort has only seen Noirtier once since Valentine’s death. Villefort was in the garden and saw the old man looking out a window, staring intently with hatred at a place in the garden. Villefort realised he was staring at Mme de Villefort. She was playing with Edward. Noirtier then turned a judgmental eye upon Villefort. Villefort said to Noirtier through the window that he had only to wait one day more and then he would do what he said he would do.

The next day, Villefort anticipates the opening of the assizes, saying to himself, “justice must strike wherever there is guilt.” A valet bring him a hot chocolate, sent from his wife. He considers that he would rather die than do what he has to do, and he drinks the chocolate. It is not poisoned. Mme de Villefort sends word that she wishes to go to the trial that afternoon. Villefort goes to her room, orders Edward out and then demands to know where she keeps her poison hidden, used to kill members of the family. She does not answer. Villefort tells her how he came to realise she was a poisoner and that he now speaks as a judge, not as a husband. He wonders whether she has poison left for herself, because she will not escape hanging, otherwise. She is confused and upset. He makes it clear. He does not want her hanged because the trial and execution would bring disgrace upon him and Edward. He demands to know where the poison is. She begs for her life. He says if he finds her alive upon his return from the court he will arrest her and send her to prison. He says farewell and double locks the door against her. She faints.

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Chapter 110: The Assizes

Summary

Maximilian discusses recent events with Emmanuel and Julie. Julie thinks that what has happened to the Morcerfs, Danglars and Villeforts is like a story where a wicked fairy has brought vengeance to all. Emmanuel thinks that the Supreme Being would have determined there was nothing good in their past lives for this to have happened. Julie thinks this judgement is rash and reminds him of their father’s fate. He had been about to suicide but he was stopped. Emmanuel says that was because the Supreme Being sent someone to stop him.

The Count arrives to collect Maximilian. He tells Emmanuel and Julie that he and Maximilian are going to Marseilles. They are distraught at suddenly hearing this. The Count says he intends to cure Maximilian of his melancholy. Maximilian says they are heading to Italy and that he has agreed to place himself under the Count’s orders for a month. Julie tries to thank the Count for all he has done for them. The Count discourages her, saying he has already received thanks enough. The Count says he may not see them again. He leaves with Maximilian.

They meet Ali outside who has just returned from seeing M.Noirtier after delivering a letter from the Count. Ali says that Noirtier agreed with the terms in the letter. They leave in the Count’s carriage but stop on the road on a hill overlooking Paris. The Count looks across the city for the last time and reflects that his mission, watched over by God, is now over. Maximilian says he regrets leaving Paris where Valentine’s body now resides. The Count admonishes him. He says that those we love reside in our hearts. Only weak minds allow storm clouds to overcome them. For stronger minds “the soul forms its own horizons.”

The next morning they take the Count’s steamboat to Marseilles. When they arrive, Maximilian reflects that this is the port where his father brought the Pharon. They hear the loud cries of a woman’s grief and Maximilian recognises Albert de Morcert in a lieutenant’s uniform boarding a ship for Algiers. The Count leaves Maximilian and heads to his old house at Allees de Meillan, where he was known as Edmond Dantes. He has now given the house to Mme de Morcerf – Mercedes – for her use. She has already retrieved the money hidden there. The Count follows Mercedes from a distance back to the house from the port. He enters and finds her in the garden. He offers her consolation. He says that Albert would have been burdened by his life if he had found no purpose. Mercedes thanks the Count for bringing her back to the house. The Count says he does not deserve thanks since he is the cause of her misfortune. She says she does not hate him, but blames herself. When she thought Edmond dead she lacked courage, while Edmond kept his faith and trusted in God. She is aged beyond her years while Edmond remains young. She feels abandoned by God. She says she has pointlessly mourned for Edmond for years, she failed to support her husband when he became a traitor for her sake, and now she has said goodbye to her son. The Count tells her to steel herself for the future. He says that he was overcome by adversity, but God’s providence gave him the means to achieve justice, and the will and the character to become everything he needed to succeed. He intimates that he became God’s instrument. Mercedes says that she, alone, recognised him, and feels she understands him and what drove him. She believes him to be good. But now there is a gulf between them, like the gulf of time between the present and the long-ago past. And she lives between two great losses: the death of the Edmond Dantes she knew, and the death of her husband. The Count assures her that he will ensure Albert finds happiness, and says she needn’t have given all the money back, since at least half was hers due to her vigilance and economy. She understands that he means to offer her money, but refuses. He asks whether she, would accept the money if Albert were to accept it on her behalf. She says she would, but feels no power now, to act independently. The Count asks will they see each other again. Mercedes says they will meet again in heaven as a morbid sign that she still holds hope for herself. The Count leaves. Mercedes watches her son’s ship leaving port from the window while repeating the Count’s name over and over.

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Chapter 114: The Past

Characters

Count of Monte Cristo (Edmond Dantes), Maximilian Morrel

New Character

Guard

Summary

Summary

Maximilian arrives at the isle of Monte Cristo on the morning of 5^th of October, as agreed upon with the Count. He meets the Count upon arrival and notes that the Count is visibly happier than he has seen him in the past. Maximilian is glad of this as he believes the Count’s mood will make it easier for him to allow Maximilian to die. The Count asks whether, after a month of waiting, if Maximilian is truly so much in grief still that he wishes to die, or is he just tired and worn out by waiting in hope. Maximilian says he has merely extended his suffering for another month by waiting. He admits that the Count instilled some sense of hope in him, but he never knew what it was he had to hope for. Maximilian says he has come to the island to die, as their agreement allows. He says that he could not do it in Julie’s presence, and Emmanuel would try to stop him. There is still three hours before the allotted time at midday before Maximilian is allowed to take his life, so the Count takes him back to his residence at the grotto. The surroundings are sumptuous. Maximilian says he always thought the Count was from a wiser, more advanced world. The Count says he is: from a world of grief. The Count says that death is either a benevolent release from suffering, or else a violent tearing of the soul from the body. He admits that he now longs for a peaceful death. Maximilian asks if the Count has brought him to the island to give him a peaceful death. The Count says yes. The Count asks Maximilian if he regrets anything. Maximilian says no. The Count asks if Maximilian regrets him, meaning to die and leave him. Maximilian does not answer. The Count suggests he should not leave the world if he has any regrets. In the Count’s mind, unspoken to Maximilian, he sees saving Maximilian as a counterbalance to the evils he has performed. But he wonders whether Maximilian has been unhappy enough to truly merit happiness. The Count begs Maximilian to live and offers him his own fortune – over a hundred million. But Maximilian is resolute. It is 11:30am. The Count unlocks a box and offers Maximilian a substance on a spoon. He then takes another spoon of the substance for himself. But Maximilian stays the Count’s hand – the Count should not take his own life – and then Maximilian quickly consumes the substance. He begins to lose consciousness. He believes he is dying. Before Maximilian totally loses consciousness, a door opens and he sees the figure of Valentine. He believes this is a vision of heaven opening. When Maximilian is unconscious the Count takes Valentine’s hand. He tells her he has saved both her and Maximilian and now they can be happy together. The Count says he feels that his saving them is an atonement to God. He hopes Valentine will reinforce this belief by showing her gratitude. Valentine says that if he doubts her gratitude, he should ask Haidee, whom she now calls ‘sister’. The Count is pleased that Valentine calls Haidee sister, and says he hopes she will acknowledge Haidee as such in public. He says he will be gone by tomorrow and Haidee will have her freedom once again. Haidee has entered the room to hear this. The Count asks Haidee to forget his name and be happy. While Haidee is obedient, Valentine points out that Haidee is clearly unhappy about this. Haidee admits that she loves her life with the Count and that she loves him. This changes everything for the Count. He feels that God has granted him happiness as his ending, rather than the suffering he anticipated. Haidee and the Count leave, while Valentine continues to wait by Maximilian’s side. In an hour, signs of life return to Maximilian and he awakes. He feels betrayed by the Count and before he sees Valentine he reaches for a knife to end his own life. Valentine stops him.

The next day, Maximilian and Valentine walk along the beach together. The Captain of the yacht, Jacabo, hands them a letter from the Count. The letter explains that the Count has left them a boat so they can return to France and marry. The Count has left his fortune to Maximilian to share with Valentine. The Count explains the secret of his conduct towards Maximilian:

There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, that we may appreciate the enjoyment of living.

In the distance, across the water, they can see the sail of the Count and Haidee’s boat. They wonder if they will ever see them again. They decide that all they can do, as the Count’s letter urges, is ‘Wait and see’.

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