1001 Stories For The Road

Baroness Danglars visits Villefort at his offices, coming in incognito so as to avoid the attention of others. Villefort does not mince words: he tells her that someone seems to be onto both the details of their affair twenty years ago and the death of the child. Based on the dinner at Auteuil, Villefort believes that the Count must know all, although he’s not sure how Monte Cristo could have found out, as neither Villefort nor Baroness Danglars has told anyone about their tryst. Villefort demonstrates some of his abilities as a prosecutor, noting what the reader already knows: that the Count is aware of his and Hermine’s past misdeeds. Villefort nevertheless really believes that their secret is still hidden – that no one alive could have knowledge of it. But it appears strange that Villefort does not think of the man who tried to kill him, who might still be alive. Active Themes Justice, Revenge, and God’s Will Theme Icon Changes of Identity and Station Theme Icon Love, Devotion, and Redemption Theme Icon De

The Baron Danglars comes to the Count’s home in Paris to meet with him about business matters regarding the Cavalcantis. The Count says that Abbe Busoni has just arrived in Paris, and that he has been meeting with him, excusing himself for being late for the Baron. The Baron complains that, in recent days, his fortune has taken a significant hit on the Spanish question, and the Count, mocking the Baron but pretending to sympathize with him, says that the Baron’s is a “third-class fortune” because it can be affected by fluctuations in the stock or bond markets, or by changes in and garbled messages on the telegraph wires. The Baron insists that he has plenty of money to survive more stock turbulence, but the Count isn’t so sure. The Count uses his meeting with the Baron as another opportunity to bring Danglars down a peg. The Count’s revenge on Danglars, as revealed here and in ensuing chapters, will involve the slow erosion of his wealth and status, and the mockery of that erosion as it occurs. Danglars seems

SummaryAnalysis The narrator turns to the Danglars’ home, where Lucien Debray visits the Baroness, asking what is on her mind after the events at Auteuil earlier that day. The Baroness says that it was nothing, that she is simply feeling faint, but she asks that Debray stay with her and read to her in the night. At this, however, the Baron comes in and tells Lucien to leave—that the younger man will have plenty of time to discuss matters with the Baroness the next day. Hermine is surprised, because typically the Baron does not interfere in her affairs so directly and brusquely. The affair between Lucien and Hermine has been referred to for some time in the novel, but has not been shown “on stage,” as an event unfolding in the text itself. Here, however, their affair is again referenced only glancingly, when the Baron appears to acknowledge that he knows what has been going on, and that he wishes, contrary to normal procedures in the family, to spend some time alone with his wife.   The Baron then has a privat

Andrea Cavalcanti leaves the party at Auteuil alone, as his “father,” the Major, has his own cab and servants. On his way out the door with his own servant, however, Andrea is stopped by a man dressed as a beggar, revealed to the reader to be none other than Caderousse, who is on the run since murdering La Carconte many years before in the botched scheme with the jeweler. It is revealed that Andrea/Benedetto and Caderousse know each other from the past, in the south of France, when Caderousse was on the lam for his crime and Benedetto for starting the fire that led to his stepmother’s death. It has been unclear what has happened to Caderousse in the time since he was sentenced to hard labor in a prison colony for the murders of La Carconte and the jeweler. As it turns out, Benedetto/Andrea and Caderousse know each other from the colony, as will be described in detail later. This is another of the novel’s many coincidences, for, of course, Bertuccio (unbeknownst to Caderousse) is the only witness to the murder

.The dinner is served, and everyone eats heartily, if somewhat suspiciously, the various delights the Count has assembled, including fish from as far away as Russia, carried to the table in specially-fitted water-carriages. After the meal, the Count takes the guests on a tour of the estate, and when he shows them a room in which, he avers, a crime has been committed, Madame Danglars swoons and Villefort rises to comfort her. The Count demonstrates two things in this section. First, he shows that he is capable of bringing in some of the most extreme and expensive delights in all the known (European) world. And second, he makes clear to Villefort and Hermine that he is aware of some crime committed in the house, without explicitly stating that Villefort and Hermine are involved – thus causing them additional agony at the thought of being found out in front of some of the luminaries of French society. lEAVE US A REVIEW AT WWW.BESTOF1001STORIES.COM!!!

This chapter marks the beginning of the Count’s grand dinner at Auteuil. Bertuccio has decked out the home in preparation, save for one room, which the Count will show his guests after the food has been served. The Count sees that Lucien Debray, Chateau-Renaud, the Baron Danglars (angry from his losses on the market), Hermine Danglars, Villefort and Heloise, and Major and Andrea Cavalcanti arrive. As in the previous scene in the theater, the narrator (and the Count) have arranged things so that all the most important characters are present in the same place. Of course, the Count has also made sure that this is not just any location, but the house in which Villefort and the Baroness Danglars had their illicit tryst many years ago. Active Themes Justice, Revenge, and God’s Will Theme Icon Changes of Identity and Station Theme Icon Debt and Gratitude Theme Icon Literary Devices Imagery   As he calls for Bertuccio, the Count reveals how these characters intertwine with the servant’s story of a Corsican vendetta.

The Count does as he said he would do and goes on a trip to visit the telegraph operator nearby. First, he notices that the operator spends a great deal of time tending the garden at the foot of the telegraph tower. Then, when he observes the man working in the tower, he learns from the man that operators are paid very little, and that, if they make any mistakes in relaying information to the next post, they are docked a substantial amount of their next month’s pay. The Count is especially skilled at getting people to do what he wants, by convincing them that their interests align with his own. Here, the Count demonstrates what could potentially be a reason for the operator to mind his station at all times – that he is punished if he misses a message. Then, in the next scene, the Count will make an offer that would more than compensate for any penalty the operator might suffer in this scenario.       

The Count arrives, again paying a visit to Villefort and his wife. He finds them both dismayed at the idea that their daughter has been disinherited from 900,000 francs, but Villefort insists to his wife and the Count that the marriage between Valentine and Franz is to go on, and that to change it now would be to bring down rumor and scorn on Valentine’s name. Heloise notes that Noirtier, a wealthy man, is giving away money that could go to Edouard, who carries on the family name. But Villefort insists that the right course here is to ensure that Valentine and Franz marry. The Count asks why Villefort cares so much about this wedding, and Heloise notes that the D’Epinay family, who are Royalists, have had a long-standing dispute with the Noirtiers, who are Bonapartists, and that he hopes to bury this dispute with the marriage. It is revealed why Villefort cares so much about the wedding of Franz and Valentine – he hopes to move beyond the hatreds of Royalists and Bonapartists that have existed in his family f

The notary arrives, and wonders if he will be able to serve a man in Noirtier’s condition, as he fears that Noirtier’s disability is not only physical but mental, and that, therefore, he would not be in a position to make a change to his will and testament. But Valentine demonstrates that she is in fact capable of interpreting Noirtier’s speech, and Noirtier himself shows that he is sound of mind by accurately accounting for the 900,000 francs that he has in government bonds—doing this by means of nodding and blinking to Valentine’s and the notary’s questions. The notary is therefore satisfied that Noirtier is in a position to draw up a new will. The notary is a representative of official authority, and he insists on performing this addendum to Noirtier’s will by the book. The novel has an interesting under-layer of institutional life, as depicted in Villefort’s encounters with the French crown early on and in the Count’s dealings with various bankers and real estate officials. Although oftentimes these offic

The elder Nortier, who now is almost totally debilitated with the exception of hi eye movements, is told by his son that Vantine is to marry Franz . When they leave, he calls for Valentine to let her know he is enraged about the decision...but where does she stand? For all our Sherlock episodes, to join our newsletter, or to leave a review- visit us at www.bestof1001stories.com

Maximilian Morell and Valentine meet in Max's hay patch (Lucerne is a nutrient rich version of hay feed for horses) to share opinions and news- and he tells her that Franz is returning soon. Her parents have promised her to Franz but she's all against it.

The Count introdes Major Cavalcanti to his newly found "son" Andrea, gives them money and their story with the promise of more money coming, and send them on the way. They will become important pawns in his scheme, one part of which will be to bankrupt Danglars.    

The Count stays busy here and in chapter 56 weaving together false identities for Major Cavalconti and the young man who will assume the identity of the Majors son Andrea for what purpose we are not sure at this point- but both are supplied with money and are quite willing to be used for purposes they are not aware of.    Check out our 12 podcasts at www.bestof1001stories.com 

The Count’s plans for vengeance are moving more swiftly. Now that the Count has gotten to know the families of Fernand, Danglars, and Villefort, he can begin the long-term chess-match that will result in the revelation of their crimes. The house in Auteuil is an important setting for these revelations, since the Count now owns it, and Villefort and his mistress, as-yet unnamed, committed their crimes there.     Albert also reports that Franz, who is to marry Valentine de Villefort, is bored in Italy and will soon be returning to Paris. The Count’s servant Baptistin arrives in the room to announce that a man named Cavalcanti, the descendent of an old and wealthy Italian family and a friend of the Count’s from Italy, will soon be visiting Paris. Albert leaves, but not before asking the Count if he will dine with him and his mother. The Count does not agree, saying that he is busy with other matters, and Albert asks himself why the Count is so hesitant to make his mother’s acquaintance more thoroughly.

Robert Le Diable is the name of a play to which Paris society has flocked- and here the author uses this gathering of highbrows to describe how these nabobs acted in their day. This chapter, a portrait of society gathering at a theatrical performance, is short on exposition of plot and long on dialogue. All the members of Parisian society so far described in the novel are present: Baroness Danglars, who is revealed to be having an affair with Lucien Debray; Hermine and the Baron’s daughter, Eugenie, whom Albert has been considering marrying; Morcerf and the Countess G, who has returned to Paris from Italy; and, eventually, the Count of Monte Cristo and Haydee, who make a grand appearance much to the chattering of others in the house.. When the Count leaves their private box to socialize she sees him with a man for whom she carries a deep hatred-   Check out the beginning of our narration of Anne of the Island now at 1001 Stories From The Gilded Age now playing every Sun and Wed noon ET and narrated by Gizelle

The Count stops by the Villafortmansion and becomes engaged in a private conversation with Madame de Villafort after meeting her lovely stepdaughter Valentine, who much impressed him with her bearing and the young brat Edward. The conversation turned to poisons, a subject which the Madame was deeply interested in, and he guided her interest along purposely. We are not told what his objectives were, but we are left with the possibility that she will use it on Valentine-if her son doesn't snatch it from her first.  

Two lovers meet in the back garden of the Villafort mansion- Valentine, the stepdaughter of Madame Villafort, and Maximilian, the youngest son of Capt.Morrell. Valentine, who carries a huge inheritance from her deceased mother, and is hated by her current stepmother, knows her father will put Maximilion in jail if he finds out he wants to marry his daughter, who is promised to Franz D'Pinay. Join us atwww.bestof1001wstories.com for all our 1001 podcasts.

It's "Back to School" time for Anne Shirley of Green Gables- as well as your kids and neighbor's kids-Coming Sunday Aug 10 (tomorrow as I write this) at noon EDT  -Chapter 1 of the 3rd 'Anne of Green Gables' story- called 'Anne of the Island'- narrated by Gizelle Erickson- who is introducing herself soon over at 1001 Stories From The Gilded Age.  Its a combination romance/adventure/coming of age story that will take you back to a simpler time! Join us at 1001 Stories From The Gilded Age Apple Users: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-stories-from-the-gilded-age/id1485751552 Spotify" https://open.spotify.com/show/5sUUFDVTatnGt7FiNQvSHe Website ( and ALL our Anne  stories) at 1001 Stories from The Gilded Age: www.bestof1001stories.com

Before making his promised visit to the Morrell Family the Count sees his young slave girl Haidee and lets her know she is no longer a slave as they are now living in France where slavery is illegal.  She professes her love for him and admits she has no desire to know anyone else.  After comes a very moving family who do not reconize the count but want to share their happiness at how their destinies were shaped by a man who saved their father's life and fortune- they ask if the Count knew the man.

The Count embroils himself in a philosophical discussion with Villafort after Villafort travels to the Count's residence to thank him for saving his wife's life.