1001 Stories For The Road

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. Bertuccio, shocked, sees that Hermine Danglars, the Baron's wife, is in fact the woman with whom Villefort was having an affair, and who bore a child out of wedlock. Furthermore, Villefort is in fact still alive, which means that Bertuccio did not murder him when he stabbed him in the garden, and Andrea Cavalcanti is really Benedetto himself, Bertuccio's adopted son who caused so much mayhem in his home life. At this, however, the Count demands that Bertuccio silently serve the dinner, betraying nothing of what he's learned.

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 for some time. And indeed, these hatreds have existed in France for at least two generations, as the novel has demonstrated in other contexts. What was in France a problem of two different governments and approaches to democracy, becomes here a problem between two different families, which Villefort hopes to reconcile via his daughter's marriage. Villefort has therefore taken one of the primary preoccupations of his professional life, and made it one of his personal and family life. The Count agrees that this is the best course, then takes his leave from the Villeforts, saying that he is off to indulge a strange pastime of his—he is going to go observe a telegraph structure in Paris, a technology of which he is enamored. Before he leaves, he confirms that the Villeforts will be joining him that weekend in Auteuil, at the house of the former Saint-Merans family. Villefort expresses surprise and trepidation that the Count has bought this structure, as even his wife knows that Villefort never wanted anything to do with Auteuil. It seems clear that Villefort is somehow involved in the strange business of murder and mayhem recounted by Bertuccio some weeks ago to the Count. But Villefort swallows these objections and promises that he and his wife will be present that Saturday.

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 officials lay down rules that other characters skirt around, here the notary insists on being scrupulous in his dealings. Active Themes Justice, Revenge, and God's Will Theme Icon Changes of Identity and Station Theme Icon Love, Devotion, and Redemption Theme Icon Debt and Gratitude Theme Icon Through more nodding, Noirtier expresses that he will disinherit everyone in his family, including Valentine, should Villefort proceed with his wish of marrying Valentine to Franz. Noirtier suggests that he objects to this marriage on principle, and that, should it be done, Noirtier will instead give all his money to the poor.

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 Ericksen for 1001. This is the third in the classic 'Anne " series and a GREAT story.. Apple link here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-stories-from-the-gilded-age/id1485751552

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.

The Count begins to weave his web of revenge around Danglars family and wealth, which also brings him into the circle of Villefort. Needless to say, the plot thickens and its good. Check out all of our 1001 podcasts at www.bestof1001stories.com and send me a message telling me who you are and what state/city/country you are from- I need some conversation- its gets lonely here!

Remember Danglars? He was the crooked ship agent who sabotaged Dantes by falesely reporting him to the King as a turncoat and benefitting greatly from that action. The Count has a plan for Danglers and he is putting it in action along with another plan for Villafort. Enjoy alol 12 1001 podcasts episodes (by show, episode, and category) at www.bestof1001stories.com

Bertuccio completes his story,this time relaying his story of how he was an unseen witness to the murder of the jeweler who had come to the Caderousse tavern to possibly buy the huge stone he had been told of. Bertuccio explained how the Abbe Busoni, who had given him the jewel, helped him in his time of need and recommended he become the peronal aide to the count, who was looking for the right person he trust.

Bertuccio, who is the count's right-hand man, relates his story to the Count,beginning with his discovery that his brother, a soldier, has been slain in Nimes by murderers, and the law was not investigationg it as they should. He went to the King's Attorney, whose name was Villafort (the same man who condemned the Count (Dantes) to prison years before , hoping to glorify himself to the King so he could become the king's attorney, even though he knew Dantes was innocent. Now Villafort reats Bertuccio with the same lack of concern- and Bertuccio threatens to kill him. That much you already know- today you get the story of the infant boy that Bertuccio rescued-

The Vendetta pT 1 Bertuccio explains that years ago, his brother, who had been a soldier in Napoleon's army, was murdered by royalist assassins in the city of Nîmes. Seeking justice, Bertuccio visited the public prosecutor of Nîmes, who at the time was Gérard de Villefort. Villefort, a royalist, was unsympathetic to Bertuccio's story and coolly turned him away. Bertuccio swore revenge on the public prosecutor. Terrified for his life, Villefort transferred to Versailles, but Bertuccio followed him there. Bertuccio soon discovered that Villefort often came to visit the summerhouse in Auteuil, where he kept his mistress, a widowed baroness. One night, Bertuccio lay in wait for Villefort in the small garden behind the house and stabbed him, leaving him for dead. Villefort had just finished burying a box when Bertuccio pounced on him and grabbed the box, thinking that it contained a treasure. Instead, he found a baby, which had been smothered but started breathing after being given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Chapter 42: Monsieur Bertuccio After taking leave of the Morcerf family, Monte Cristo purchases a summerhouse in Auteuil. The previous owner was the Marquis of Saint-Méran, whose daughter married Villefort and died soon after. Chapter 43: The House at Auteuil Monte Cristo goes to visit his new summerhouse. While he explores the grounds, his steward, Bertuccio, becomes frantic. When Monte Cristo presses him for an explanation of his agitation, Bertuccio unfolds a complex story.

Still a guest of young Morcerf as the day draws on, the Count is introduced to Mercedes. This is a great chapter. Will she recognize him?

The Count arrives on time in Paris for the long awaited breakfast appointment with the young Albert Morcerf, the son of Mercedes. Alberts notable guests at the table enjoy the discussion.

SOME IMPORTANT CLUES FOR YOU: The Count had not known that Albert was intertwined with the relative of another of his targets of revenge, and so views this connection as a means by which he (the Count) might come closer to Danglars, and perhaps also to Villefort, who is living in Paris as well. Importantly, Morrel notes that Thomson and French is the firm to which he and his family attribute their salvation, but Morrel is unable to recognize the Count as the envoy from that very same firm – as the Count's identity has been altered substantially enough to make the drawing of this connection impossible for the young man, who only saw the envoy for a short time many years ago.

Albert has invited 4 guests to be present when the Count arrives for his promised stay with the Count- he and his friends share the conversation of men whosse lives are lived very affluently - just before the Count arrives another guest arrives- and that is Capt. Morrell's son.

The Compact- In gratitude for what the Count has done for him.Albert sends him a letter vowing his indebtedness and gratitude and offering to find an opening in the top echelon of Parisian society should the Count desire. They agree on having the Count arrive at Albert's residence in exactly 90 days. Join us at our new website at www.bestof1001stories.com and browse all 12 1001 podcasts.

The count, upon heariung from Franz that the Viscount has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom, immediatly calls for a carriage and is soon taking Franz to the outlaw hideout. Now you can enjoy searching all of our shows for categories, novels (in order), and authors you enjoy. Try it at www.bestof1001stories.com

When Albert fails to come back after his rendezvous Franz becomes worried.

The Carnival at Rome- part two, finds Albert caught up in what appears to be a promising get together with a beautiful girl as the carnival ends and the big ball begins. Check out all 12 of our shows at www.bestof1001stories.com

Franz and Albert become involved in the celebrations around Rome, soon forgetting the atrocity they just witnessed. Reminding us that fun and games in Rome were much different than today.

"Mazzolata" is the Roman word for mandaia, the Roman equivalent of the guillotine. In part one the Count takes the two men toward the place of the executions where the festivities start. The count asks the two men to take particulat attention to the first man's execution, and seems to derive pleasure from discussing the procedure in detail. Franz is getting a close look at the Count's pent-up hatred now.

Enjoying dinner with the Count, Franz and he get into a deep doscussion about revenge and death. Franz indicates that they still have business to attent do that evening but the count bids them to stay saying that he will provide all they need for the festivities tomorrow.Itnow looks like Franz has a suspicion about the countbut he is not sure what to do.

Franz and Albert finalloy get their chance to meet the mysterious Coiunt of Monte Cristo, who offers them a ride to see the beginning of the big celebration, which kicks off with a beheading. Stop by our website at www.bestof1001stories.com Support us at patreon ! Visit www.patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork

Franz and Albert take in an opera, and while Albert is busy checking out the ladies with his early version of binoclars Franz spies a beautiful Greek Lady in the box across the way accompanied by two men, one, a black man, and two, a shadowwy figure in a cloak. Enjoy our website at www.bestof1001stories.com- over 2,500 stories to enjoy!

Franz and Albert arrive in Rome for the big celebration and the innkeeper at first advises them to avoid the coliseum, which is the top tourist site, at night. Albert scoffs at the advice and the innkeeper Pastrini tells a long story about how the top outlaw got his rank. Franz is surprised to hear the outlaw knows Sinbad the Sailor. Albert ignores the story and the warnings.

Franz and Albert Montcerf take a sightseeing trip to Rome and decide to risk being attacked by brigands by taking a risky path outside the city...

Publication The Count of Monte Cristo was originally published in the Journal des Débats in eighteen parts. Serialization ran from 28 August 1844 to 15 January 1846. The first edition in book form was published in Paris by Pétion in 18 volumes with the first two issued in 1844 and the remaining sixteen in 1845.[11] Most of the Belgian pirated editions, the first Paris edition and many others up to the Lécrivain et Toubon illustrated edition of 1860 feature a misspelling of the title with "Christo" used instead of "Cristo". The first edition to feature the correct spelling was the L'Écho des Feuilletons illustrated edition, Paris 1846. This edition featured plates by Paul Gavarni and Tony Johannot and was said to be "revised" and "corrected", although only the chapter structure appears to have been altered with an additional chapter entitled La Maison des Allées de Meilhan having been created by splitting Le Départ into two.[12] Front page of translation into Judeo-Tunisian Arabic, 1889 English translations The first appearance of The Count of Monte Cristo in English was the first part of a serialization by W. Harrison Ainsworth in volume VII of Ainsworth's Magazine published in 1845, although this was an abridged summary of the first part of the novel only and was entitled The Prisoner of If. Ainsworth translated the remaining chapters of the novel, again in abridged form, and issued these in volumes VIII and IX of the magazine in 1845 and 1846 respectively.[12] Another abridged serialization appeared in The London Journal between 1846 and 1847. The first single volume translation in English was an abridged edition with woodcuts published by Geo Pierce in January 1846 entitled The Prisoner of If or The Revenge of Monte Christo.[12] In April 1846, volume three of the Parlour Novelist, Belfast, Ireland: Simms and M'Intyre, London: W S Orr and Company, featured the first part of an unabridged translation of the novel by Emma Hardy. The remaining two parts would be issued as the Count of Monte Christo volumes I and II in volumes 8 and 9 of the Parlour Novelist respectively.[12] The most common English translation is an anonymous one originally published in 1846 by Chapman and Hall. This was originally released in ten weekly installments from March 1846 with six pages of letterpress and two illustrations by M Valentin.[13] The translation was released in book form with all twenty illustrations in two volumes in May 1846, a month after the release of the first part of the above-mentioned translation by Emma Hardy.[12] The translation follows the revised French edition of 1846, with the correct spelling of "Cristo" and the extra chapter The House on the Allées de Meilhan. Most English editions of the novel follow the anonymous translation. In 1889, two of the major American publishers Little Brown and T.Y. Crowell updated the translation, correcting mistakes and revising the text to reflect the original serialized version. This resulted in the removal of the chapter The House on the Allées de Meilhan, with the text restored to the end of the chapter called The Departure.[14][15]

A young, adventurous Baron named Franz DiPinay ventures onto the island of Monte Cristo when the boat he had hired to take him elsewhere comes ashore after spotting a campfire on the beach. Franz becomes the first to be entangled in the intricate web of revenge that Dantes has planned-

Reception and legacy The original work was published in serial form in the Journal des Débats in 1844. Carlos Javier Villafane Mercado described the effect in Europe: The effect of the serials, which held vast audiences enthralled ... is unlike any experience of reading we are likely to have known ourselves, maybe something like that of a particularly gripping television series. Day after day, at breakfast or at work or on the street, people talked of little else. . The Montecristo Cuban cigar brand is allegedly named after the fondness of cigar rollers for listening to the novel read by a lector during their work. George Saintsbury stated that "Monte Cristo is said to have been at its first appearance, and for some time subsequently, the most popular book in Europe. Perhaps no novel within a given number of years had so many readers and penetrated into so many different countries."[19] This popularity has extended into modern times as well. The book was "translated into virtually all modern languages and has never been out of print in most of them. There have been at least twenty-nine motion pictures based on it ... as well as several television series, and many movies [have] worked the name 'Monte Cristo' into their titles."[ The title Monte Cristo lives on in a "famous gold mine, a line of luxury Cuban cigars, a sandwich, and any number of bars and casinos—it even lurks in the name of the street-corner hustle three-card monte." Modern Russian writer and philologist Vadim Nikolayev determined The Count of Monte-Cristo as a megapolyphonic novel The novel has been the inspiration for many other books, from Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur (1880),[22] then to a science fiction retelling in Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination,[23] and to Stephen Fry's The Stars' Tennis Balls (entitled Revenge in the U.S.) Fantasy novelist Steven Brust's Khaavren Romances series have all used Dumas novels (particularly the Three Musketeers series) as their chief inspiration, recasting the plots of those novels to fit within Brust's established world of Dragaera His 2020 novel The Baron of Magister Valley follows suit, using The Count of Monte Cristo as a starting point ] Jin Yong has admitted some influence from Dumas, his favorite non-Chinese novelist.[28] Some commentators feel that the plot of A Deadly Secret resembles The Count of Monte Cristo, except that they are based in different countries and historical periods.

Background to elements of the plot A short novel titled Georges by Dumas was published in 1843, before The Count of Monte Cristo was written. This novel is of particular interest to scholars because Dumas reused many of the ideas and plot devices in The Count of Monte Cristo.[5] Dumas wrote that the germ of the idea of revenge as one theme in his novel The Count of Monte Cristo came from an anecdote (Le Diamant et la Vengeance[6]) published in a memoir of incidents in France in 1838, written by an archivist of the Paris police.[7][8] The archivist was Jacques Peuchet, and the multi-volume book was called Memoirs from the Archives of the Paris Police in English.[9] Dumas included this essay in one of the editions of his novel published in 1846.[10] Peuchet related the tale of a shoemaker, Pierre Picaud, living in Nîmes in 1807, who was engaged to marry a rich woman when three jealous friends falsely accused him of being a spy on behalf of England in a period of wars between France and England. Picaud was placed under a form of house arrest in the Fenestrelle Fort, where he served as a servant to a rich Italian cleric. When the cleric died, he left his fortune to Picaud, whom he had begun to treat as a son. Picaud then spent years plotting his revenge on the three men who were responsible for his misfortune. He stabbed the first with a dagger on which the words "Number One" were printed, and then he poisoned the second. The third man's son he lured into crime and his daughter into prostitution, finally stabbing the man himself. This third man, named Loupian, had married Picaud's fiancée while Picaud was under arrest.[6] In another of the true stories reported by Ashton-Wolfe, Peuchet describes a poisoning in a family.[10] This story is also mentioned in the Pléiade edition of this novel,[8] and it probably served as a model for the chapter of the murders inside the Villefort family. The introduction to the Pléiade edition mentions other sources from real life: a man named Abbé Faria existed, was imprisoned but did not die in prison; he died in 1819 and left no large legacy to anyone.[8] As for Dantès, his fate is quite different from his model in Peuchet's book, since that model is murdered by the "Caderousse" of the plot.

An Englishman from a firm to which Morell owes money stops by for a long talk with Morrell...who is awaiting news of his ship.

The innkeeper takes time to give the traveller answers regarding persons of the past whom he knew well....

A solitary priest approaches a small empty tavern near the banks of a river and inquires of the owner, who name we know. Our website: www.bestof1001stories.com

Dantes visits the old home of his father and also searches Catalan for Mercedes

This is one chapter we've all been waiting for....

Dante's ship mates decide on taking a one day rest for repairs at the Island of Monte Cristo, which gives Dantes and excuse to look around without being suspected.

Dantes gets closer to his goalof being able to explore the Island of Monte Cristo

Dantes takes a big chance

Dantes's dungeon mate suffers his third attack and he tries to save him but has no success. He overhears the jailer say they will remove the body that night. Dantes has a plan.

The old man, now fully trusting Dantes, reveals the size and location of the treasure which had been bequesthed to him by the last living member of the wealthy Spada family for which he had worked. Dantes is finally convinced the abbe is not mad. Enjoy great literature with my narration at these two podcasts: 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales 1001 Stories From The Gilded Age Our website: www.bestof1001stories.com