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

Chapter 27 Summary

The Story

• Caderousse, stricken by poverty, salivates over the idea of having more than one-fifth of that diamond, and so he tells Edmond-disguised-as-Abbé-Busoni about the scheme that Dangler and Fernand cooked up so many years ago to get Edmond imprisoned.
• When Caderousse spills the beans, Edmond-disguised-as-Abbé-Busoni realizes that Faria's suspicions and hypotheses about how Edmond wound up in prison were right all along.
• Fortunately for him, Caderousse is genuinely wracked with guilt over Edmond's false imprisonment fourteen years ago. Edmond is touched by Caderousse's display of guilt and torment, and he (still disguised as Abbé Busoni) proclaims that Caderousse is the "dead" Edmond's only real friend.
• He gives Caderousse the entire diamond, and, well, you can imagine how the old innkeeper feels about that.
• OK, now to pour some more salt on Edmond's wounds: Edmond discovers that, after going to work for a Spanish merchant, Danglers then found his way to a Spanish bank and turned into Donald Trump. Apparently, he's somewhere in Paris, rolling in his millions of dollars at this very minute.
• Our favorite brooding brooder, Fernand, has gone and married Mercédès. After he returned from being a soldier in Greece, he and the little lady got hitched. At that point, Edmond had only been in prison for a year and a half. They both believe that Edmond is dead, and they, too, make their happy home in the city of lights (Paris).
• Sucks? You bet.
• But, now let's add some vinegar to Edmond's wounds. Caderousse tells Edmond-disguised-as-Abbé-Busoni that his padre (Dantès Sr.) died of starvation – he was so sad that his son had been sent to prison that he didn't (or maybe couldn't) eat. Apparently, Mercédès and Morrel (remember him?) both tried to nurse the heartbroken old man, but he refused their help. During his last days, Morrel left a purse full of money for the old man, but the old man refused.
• Edmond-disguised-as-Abbé-Busoni asks for the purse, and Caderousse, impassioned and heartbroken himself, proclaims the unfairness of life. Remember how Morrel was a successful merchant back in the day with ships and goods and a business? Well, every ship but one (the Pharaon) has sunk. Like Caderousse, he is completely broke – destitute even.
• Caderousse reflects on how unfair it is that the good guys never win. Edmond-disguised-as-Abbé-Busoni responds that this is not always the way things go down. Wink, wink.

Caderousse went on a bit, didn’t he? I couldn’t decide if it was a genuine baring of his soul to the ‘Abbé’ as a sort of confession, or making a desperate case to be the only person to receive the diamond. I decided it’s a bit of both, but as mentioned, there may be more to come from Caderousse and his wife.

The main purpose of the rather suspiciously detailed information he provided is to get the reader up to date with where all the key players are before the revenge proper begins. It’s been said already that realism isn’t one of the novels strengths: yes, you have to suspend your disbelief in places, but that said, I’m happy to do so if I’m enjoying a book 😀

[24 hrs without gas or electricity - 0/10, would not recommend 🥶]

There was rather a cynical tone to this chapter, with all the bad guys having done really well in the last 14 years, and all the good guys having lost everything. However, I guess that gives Edmond more to get his teeth into when he rights all the wrongs.

I know. That was a bit of a reach.

I liked his account though. It was interesting to see where they all ended up. His father's story is very sad.

It seems to me that Dantès has the measure of Caderousse and took pity on him. He appreciated his honesty. I agree with DuPain that he seems to be the type to follow orders. I have the impression that he wouldn't have given Dantès a second thought if his own life had worked out better. He has linked his misfortune to the day of the arrest.

I'm not quite sure how Caderousse knows what was in Mercedes' heart? He seems to know a lot of detail.

Seems like Edmond is really rewarding him for a LOT of information.

Well today’s chapter was a convenient bit of exposition - thanks to Caderousse’s good memory! Not sure he deserves the reward he got even if he wasn’t one of the really bad guys - he seems the type of person who would have been “only following orders” in WW2…but I have a feeling we will see more of him, and his wife, and maybe they’ll eventually get their just deserts (will this involve redemption for Caderousse or will he just let things happen as before?)

Danglars and especially Villefort were far more to blame than Caderousse. I hope Edmond's revenge reflects that.

Yes today really tested my determination not to read ahead. I can't wait to hear what Caderousse has to say!

I hope you get your power back very soon @Orland0 🌻
Lots of people without power here too.
The Count is a good distraction.

Yes I was also very tempted to continue reading today.....

Caderousse has a lot to say 😮 I’m on Chapter 28 now…

I have listened on. I got home from work to find our electric’s gone down, so no heating and walking around with a torch and candles 😖. Thankfully I grew up in the eighties so have such things to hand. To conserve my tablet battery, I’ve been lying in bed, in the dark, bundled under several blankets listening to the Count. I wish I knew which translation it is, Audible doesn’t say.

I have more to say, but MN seems to eat battery life fast. I will be back when Scottish Power see fit to get me back on the grid 😢

Well this is an exciting chapter. Lets hope Caderousse tells the truth and Edmund helps him. Really want to read ahead!

Very difficult to not read on today! Will Caderousse tell Dantes a pack of lies? Will Dantes take revenge on Caderousse?

I do tend to agree with @AgualusasLover that quite a lot of belief suspension has to go on at these parts of the plot! However, I'm still enjoying it very much.

Can's get a handle on why Caderousse's wife really doesn't want him to speak with the priest, especially when there is the chance of a bog payoff. Am prepared to accept this may be revealed soon.

There was a Radio dramatisation of MG, with Sean Bean.

I'm also a big lover of Natalie Zemon Davis (she was a wonderful scholar and human being) and of The Return of Martin Guerre (both book and film are brilliant). I wasn't a big fan of Somersby, but I think that's because I encountered the story in its original 16th c French context first, and Hollywood moving it to the US Civil War just seemed WRONG, ha.

I was just looking at the Wiki page on Martin Guerre and apparently Dumas knew the story: that's a good call on your part @AgualusasLover !

From the wiki page:
Alexandre Dumas, père, included a fictional account of the events in his novel The Two Dianas as well as in his multi-volume Celebrated Crimes (1841).

So Martin's story must have provided some of the inspiration for Dantes' change of identity.

Excellent chapter today. I'm looking forward to hearing what Caderousse has to say.

I remember that one - great movie! I haven’t seen the French one.

I went to see that when it first came out with my flatmate of the time and when we came out she said 'I'm confused, was he Sommersby or not' 😂. So I am willing to believe there are plenty of people who will not put two and two together.

Ah, I didn't know that. Makes sense of course.

I only knew Leghorn the chicken breed but I've just checked and Leghorns are from Tuscany and named after the port as well. I had assumed it was describing a physical attribute.

I didn't realise that Martin Guerre was originally a book! I loved the film. Also really enjoyed the Richard Gere/Jodie Foster take on the same story transposed to the US in Sommersby.

Chapter 26 Summary

The Pont du Gard Inn

• Now it gets really interesting, folks. Edmond pretends to be an Italian priest named Abbé Busoni.
• He's back in Marseilles, and he's got revenge on the brain.
• Remember Caderousse? Edmond visits Caderousse's inn disguised as the Italian priest, and he pretends he's the executor (or dude-in-charge-of) Edmond Dantès's will.
• Caderousse and his wife are really poor. Times are hard.
• Edmond-disguised-as-Abbé-Busoni fibs to everyone that Edmond Dantès has died in prison, but that he has left a single diamond to be split between the people that he loved most: his padre, his girlfriend Mercédès, Caderousse, Danglers (whaa?), and Fernand (double whaaa?).

Leghorn is where Shelley drowned and is buried.

Ooh this has brought back memories, I'm sure I read this in my teens.