Bienvenue à Marseille | 2025 The Count of Monte Christo, read-a-long

She recognised him! I'm completely sure about it (and was wrong about guessing she wouldn't).

It's amazing to think of the three of them meeting up many years later (twenty years at least) in these sumptuous circumstances so far removed from their origins. I'm trying to understand what Fernand is up to, saying that his family is one of the oldest in France. He was conferred with the title of what was it Baron or Count de Moncerf but he also inherited the family tree? Eh?! It's far removed from the Catalan village outside Marseille where he was born and raised...

It's interesting how Edmond is now Monte-Cristo and Fernand is Moncerf. They are totally different people and nothing like they were before. Transformed into noble people.

I thought the story about the painting was sad.

I've caught up after being a day behind. Why does Alfred not know his parents were poor peasants? Have they hidden this from him. That's interesting...

Mercedes is the only person to have recognised Edmund. Although, did Max Morell ever meet him? Maybe not.

She seems so sad. And half certain? I can’t wait to see more interactions.

Seems Mercedes recognises Edmond, but sees the profound change in him. She warns Albert to be wary.

I want to comment but have to wait till I'm done with work!

Shmoop is back in sync again! I think they did two chapter summaries in one and now the numbering and titles are back to normal.

Ch 41, The Presentation

• Albert gives the Count the grand tour of his house.
• The Count shows off his big brain muscles; he is a very educated dude and knows lots about all kinds of subjects. He's like that secretly smart kid in class who just seems to know everything about everything.
• Alberto shows the Count a portrait of his mom in which she gazes sadly out at the sea. Albert's dad apparently hates this painting, and that's why Albert keeps it in his house.
• Next, we meet Albert's dad who is none other than Fernand, the Count's sworn enemy. Fortunately, Fernand doesn't recognize the Count from all of those years back, and he actually warms up to the Count right away.
• That means that Albert's mom is none other than the beautiful Mercédès. She recognizes the Count instantly, but she doesn't say anything.

Agreed! That really was jarring. Not a good look!

Edmond not showing his best side at the Breakfast, with his boasts of his slave mistress, the boys seem impressed though.

I'm looking forward to that. I'm betting she won't recognise him.

The tension is building. All I can think of now is; when will Mercedes see The Count and, will she recognise him?!

Shmoop:

• Three months have passed, and we're now at Albert's house in Paris, waiting for the Count to arrive for his visit.
• Albert is super excited. He has invited all of his friends, including Lucien Debray and Beauchamp.
• Lucien is the secretary to the minister of the interior.
• Beauchamp is a journalist.
• The Count's welcoming party gets bigger. The Baron of Chateau-Renaud (basically a rich dude with a title) and Maximillian Morrel (remember him?) arrive.
• Max and the Baron go way back. Max saved the Baron's life in Constantinople once on the anniversary of the day when his father's life (Morrel Sr.) was saved by the miraculous kindness of a mysterious benefactor. Max tries to commemorate that great day by acting like Spider Man. Or any superhero. And that's how he came to save the Baron's life.
• The Count arrives in style! And he's a big hit. He tells stories about bandits, and everyone thinks he's pretty rad.The Count is totally intrigued by Max (Maximillian) Morrel.

I think Shmoop is confused at the moment and is putting the summaries with the wrong chapter titles. So when Shmoop says it's giving the summary of Ch 39, The Guests, it's actually giving the summary of the previous chapter (which is called The Compact or The Rendez-vous). So the actual summary of 'The Guests' is the following Shmoop summary (incorrectly listed as Ch 40, The Breakfast).

So you're not the one who is confused, @EineReiseDurchDieZeit , it's Shmoop!

Basically I think we should just look at the Shmoop summaries, which are fine, but ignore the chapter and title as listed by Shmoop (because they're WRONG).

Maybe Shmoop will get back on track with the right chapter titles at some point, I don't know!

I'm on 39 and it's The Guests

Breakfast is next

Perpetually Confused

Chapter 39 today, I think.

I’ve been reading ahead so I’m on a the House at Auteuil.. maybe we’re on the Breakfast now? Not sure?

Thanks for the interesting insights re France vs Italy at the time. Sorry to be dim but I am a bit lost as to what chapter we are on today?

I thought the shudder was to do with Albert being the offspring of Mercedes and Fernand (and maybe Edmunds later plans).

I'm finally caught up. I've got back into it a bit, I felt a bit lost to begin with in the build up to this section and wasn't enjoying it as much.

That’s really interesting @TonTonMacoute , thank you for the insight! And yes, as you mention in your earlier post, there’s a real difference between Italy and France along the coast - it’s much more sedate (especially the driving style!) in France, but I think more friendly (and better food) in Italy!

Now I’d better actually go and read the chapters for yesterday and today or I’ll get really behind…

I’ve had a crazy few days in work, and regrettably fell asleep listening to the Carnival chapter last night 🙄 Bugger! I’ll get caught up in the next few days, I’ve got some time to myself. I must stop listening to it when I’m tired, I want to give it the attention it deserves. Seems like Albert continues to be a bit of a knob, and Edmond is starting to channel the God of Vengeance 😁

So interesting! I hadn’t thought of it that way and the possible continuation of this behaviour into the 20thC.

Even after reunification I think Italy was considerably poorer, and life much harder (especially rural life) than in France.

Books like Christ Stopped at Eboli, written in the 1930s describe extreme rural poverty. And even in the 1970s there were still some villages in certain remote regions who supplemented their very meagre incomes by kidnappings. Those of us who were around at the time must remember John Paul Getty III, who was the most famous victim (principally because his ruthless grandfather refused to pay the ransom, which dragged things out) but there were quite a few others and many wealthy Italians left Italy at that time (including the family of Carla Bruni).

This extremely poor way of life, with landowners and and aristocrats who cared little for the people on their lands, eventually gave rise to the mafia which appears to have started as a sort of co-op and self protection organisation although in time evolved into something else.

Phew - bit of a lecture there, apologies for that. But Dumas seems to have been won over by the rather dangerous and exotic Italy and wanted to write about it.

I loved that Cher song - haven't heard it for ages!

@TonTonMacoute after your mention of bandits etc I now have Cher’s “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” on the brain…

I think Edmond sees himself as a bit of a protector of whose who have fallen foul of the law, an anti establishment figure, maybe even out and out alienated from society. His execution speech is interesting because he seems to be applying Old Testament hard justice to the criminal he thought deserved it, whilst rescuing Peppino who is portrayed as relatively innocent, just passing on food, rather than a murderer - yet their fates would have been the same, which can’t be right. And although Vampa took over the bandits, there’s no evidence he’s a rapist - he killed the other guy (ok he does kidnap and kill rich people).

It’s complicated isn’t it. I agree that the external view means we’re seeing him in the third person now, and he has definitely changed, and while he might be technically in the right, we’re not sure we like him anymore…

Also at the time the book is set, Italy was not one unified country yet whereas France was and had been for a long time.

I wondered the same. Dantes had shuddered earlier in the novel when Faria had told him how long he (Faria) had been imprisoned. Perhaps this more recent shudder is to indicate anxiety beneath Edmond's composed exterior. It has given Franz cause for doubt though so maybe the shudder was done deliberately but why would Edmond want to risk Franz being suspicious?