Bienvenue à Paris - The Count of Monte Christo, thread 2

[LeylaOfCircassia]

Welcome back - we now find ourselves in Paris, where we have discovered:

• the Count has unlimited resources
• apparently unlimited patience
• is being rather harsh on Mercedes
• has unmasked adultery and a rather tragic act and reunited father, mother and son, but with an incestuous twist, everyone remains in innocent ignorance
• grandparents have died, there may have been foul play
• a couple of women don't want to marry a couple of men, who in turn, also don;t want to marry them

If you are new and joining us - God Speed.

Previous thread here

Next week, from 31st
Monday - Lemonade
Tuesday - The Accusation
Wednesday - The Retired Baker’s Room
Thursday - Breaking and Entering
Friday - The Hand of God
Saturday - Beauchamp
Sunday - rest

There was a chat about poison between the Count and Madame de Villefort. I remember she seemed knowledgeable on the subject.
I'll look over the 'Lemonade' chapter again. I think the doctor said something alright.

I've found it, it's in the chapter : The promise.

At least this is my interpretation. -

'But how could a potion that had been prepared for Monsieur Nortier poison Madame d Saint-Meran?

'Quite simply. As you know, in some illnesses, poisons become remedies; paralysis is one of those. About three months ago, after trying everything to restore the power of speech and movement to Monsieur Noirtier, I decided to resort to one final remedy; so, as I say, for the past three months I have been treating him with brucine,. The last potion that I ordered for him contained six centigrammes. These six centigrams had no effect on Monsiour N's paralysed organs; he has in any case become accustomed to them by successive doses; but the same six centigrams would be enough to kill anyone else but him.'

Yes, I remember that passage.
Thank you @lifeturnsonadime

There was a random discussion about poison and building up a tolerance between the Count and Mme Villefort ages ago (and we found out they had met last summer in Italy). Then the doctor suggested that the granny might have been poisoned accidently with granddad's medicine (mentioning the same build up of tolerance that the Count mentioned) but Villefort said 'lets not make a big thing about it'. Then yesterday the poor servant got poisoned and today the doctor and Villefort are discussing suspects.

Thank you!

The chapter The Accusation also mentions the fact that Nortier was not killed due to previous exposure to the brucine.

“But why did it not kill my father?” “I told you one evening in the garden after Madame de Saint-Méran’s death—because his system is accustomed to that very poison, and the dose was trifling to him, which would be fatal to another; because no one knows, not even the assassin, that, for the last twelve months, I have given M. Noirtier brucine for his paralytic affection, while the assassin is not ignorant, for he has proved that brucine is a violent poison.”

Valentine is being set up! Oh no!!

Big time!

So I think it's pointing towards Valentine being set up by her mother in law who will be, undoubtedly jealous of her wealth and want it for her young son. But is our Count complicit and why would he seek revenge through her?

Her stepmother though? Yes, she's a wagon!

Yes Fuzzy her step mother! I can't believe I typed her mother in law!

In my defence I've been in a work corporate event all day and have a mangled brain clearly!

No worries 😄

Oh, I think he's involved, but it's surely the stepmother he has in his sights, poor Valentine is just the bait. It won't look good for Villefort that his wife is such a snake.

Yes, I'd say so too, TonTon.

Yeah, Valentine is a 'perfect female' with her loyal and loving behaviour. No way is she going to get punished (plus Morrell loves her so it would be a punishment for him and he is the Count's favourite).

Of course, that doesn't bode well for Alfred because he's a snobbish twit.

Yes I agree the Count is after Mme de Villefort (to get back at Villefort himself) but it’s a bit risky egging on a ruthless poisoner - what if she had actually managed to killed Noirtier? Or even Valentine? And poor Barrois of course - just a servant I suppose, so doesn’t matter…🙄

I’ve just read up to the end of tomorrow’s chapter - oooh! 😄 The Count has really been pulling all the strings hasn’t he!

Also, one of those nice book coincidences you sometimes get - there was a passing mention of Brunhild and Fredegund (more frenchified spelling but the same people, two Frankish queens from the 6th century) - I’m currently a book about them so it was nice to see the reference!

I think Albert will be given the chance to turn out ok, and I’d guess he’ll be more like his mother than his father, and make the right choice. But we’ll see!

And another thing…a couple of times a character says “Begorrah” - I assume this is a translation of a southern French word/phrase, to show they’re speaking with a non-Parisian accent? Does anyone with the French version know what they’re actually saying? (It makes me think of the way people from the south of France use “putain” for pretty much anything whereas it’s ruder in the north 😂)

I'll have a look! 😅

When Andrea and Danglars were having the talk about his proposed engagement to Eugénie, it made me smile when he said 'I have my identity papers to prove who I am!' Not a bit dodgy. Not at all ;)

In the English translation version I’m reading there is often the expression ‘Pardieu’ which is Good Lord translated so I presume this is the same?

I can see 'pardieu' and 'diable'.

Thanks both! Sounds like it’s an attempt to literally translate “pardieu” (I assume “begorrah” comes from “by god”?)

Begorrah!!! What an utterly bizarre translation! Pardieu can be directly translated as By God.
Diable is Devil.

Elsewhere they use Parbleu, which is milder and sort of means By Jove

@DuPainDuVinDuFromage I have found 'begorrah' in that chapter and it's 'tudieu' in the original.
Great chapter, begorrah!

That's interesting @FuzzyCaoraDhubh because I haven't come across tudieu anywhere in my French version. According to Reverso it's a very mild expletive which they translate as goodness!

Nowhere near as juicy as my favourite French expletive, used frequently throughout Call My Agent (god I loved that programme) of putain de merde. When frustrated, I can exclaim this quite loudly and not worry about offending anyone in the vicinity. Most satisfying!