Episodes

CHAPTER 81 THE ROOM OF THE RETIRED BAKER Andrea receives his monthly installment from his “father,” via the Count, who is managing the income for him by drawing on Danglars’ bank. Danglars is convinced that Andrea comes from not one but two rich families, maternal and paternal fortunes both, and so he is growing increasingly willing to marry Eugenie to Andrea. Although the Count appears to be in favor of this match for obscure reasons, he does not wish actually to broker it between Danglars and ...

CHAP 79 THE LEMONADE still in a good mood, Maximilien walks to the Villefort home, where he is scheduled to meet with Valentine (who is now free of her engagement to Franz) and Noirtier. Valentine interprets for her grandfather and says that, either when she reaches the age of eighteen or if her father consents, she and Noirtier will move out of the house and Noirtier will serve as her protector. In these new lodgings, with Valentine’s independent means from Noirtier and her maternal grandpar...

The chapter opens with Fernand de Morcerf meeting Danglars at the latter’s home. Morcerf is there, finally, to confirm what the two men have discussed between themselves for eight years: that Albert is to marry Eugenie. But Morcerf is shocked to find out from Danglars that the banker is asking for a pause on the betrothal; it seems that Danglars wishes to marry Eugenie to another man. Morcerf is flabbergasted by Danglars’ claim and wonders if it has something to do with his daughter (the narrato...

Analysis Albert de Morcerf returns to the house of the Count of Monte Cristo, where, after some discussion, he says that he wishes to speak with Haydee, whose guzla-playing he hears in the other room. The Count warns Albert not to mention that his father, Fernand, served with Haydee’s father, the Ali Pasha, in the Greek wars against the Turks—the Count intimates that this might cause Haydee to become upset. The Count repeats what he has told other characters throughout the novel to this point—th...

One episode this week - voice bad due to pre-back surgery meds. Will be 100% next week. Danglers entertains the Count and tries to push young Cavalcanti on his daughter Eugenie even though he proised her to the patient Morcerf.

Afterward, Villefort finds Franz and asks him to come to the Villefort residence very shortly, where he will be briefed on the situation with Valentine. When Franz does arrive there, Villefort tells him that Valentine has no objections to the match, that it was the dying wish of both Villefort grandparents that Franz be married to Valentine, and that the marriage can take place that day, as soon as Franz brings along as witnesses Albert and Chauteau-Renaud. Franz agrees to all this, returns with...

CHAP 71 The Count and Mercedes walk outside together and into a greenhouse on the Morcerf property. There Mercedes asks the Count if he’s suffered many “sorrows,” and to this the Count assents, saying that he once loved a woman in Malta, that he went away to war and, when he returned, she was married to another—but that this is a “common story.” Mercedes seems affected by this answer, but she says little. She also begs the Count to eat with her, some grapes from the greenhouse or other fruits, b...

The Morcerf ball is held on a hot July night, and many gather to celebrate, though they complain of the heat. Danglars learns from the Count, when he makes his much-anticipated arrival, that some of his German debtors have lost their fortunes too, meaning increasing losses for Danglars. But Danglars warns the Count not to speak of his fortune in front of Andrea Cavalcanti, whom Danglars hopes to marry to Eugenie. It is revealed that the Count has continued to erode the Baron’s fortunes through f...

My apologies to all of you great fans for how long this story has taken- I have been putting the word out there for a second voice to help me with some of the work but so far no luck. Soon I will add some longer readings so we can get to the end- and in the future I will keep these selections shorter! Thanks again for your patience. Meanwhile- in the coming chapter (70) you will find The Count and his long lost love taking a long walk in the garden where they finally get a chance to talk.

The Count received an unexpected visit from Albert Morcerf , who tells him that he and his mother (The Count's old flame, Mercedes) were talking about him the past four days, and that she would like the Count to attent a summer ball that Albert's father has arranged. Albert returns from his trip to the country with his mother, Mercedes, and visits with the Count to invite him to a ball he’s planning on throwing in the next few days. For this, Albert has two reasons: first, because he wishes v...

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 demon...

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” becaus...

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, beca...

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 wa...

.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...

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 ...

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 skill...

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 ...

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 ...

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?

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 Ital...