The Count of Monte Cristo

Complete Edition

Alexandre Dumas

• Publisher: Read & Co. Classics
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781473330320
• eBook ISBN: 9781473362956
• Subtopic: Classics

This vintage book contains one of Alexandre Dumas's most famous works, 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Set in early 19th century France during the time of the Bourbon Restoration, it tells the story one man's escape and retribution after being wrongfully imprisoned. It is a wonderfully rich work of romance full of selfishness and betrayal that explores the effects the protagonist's quest for revenge has on those around him. Alexandre Dumas was born in Villers-Cotterts, France in 1802. He became a famous and much-loved author of romantic and adventuring sagas, including 'The Three Musketeers' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Dumas made a lot of money from his writing, but he was almost constantly penniless as a result of his extravagant lifestyle and love of women. His fiction has been translated into almost a hundred languages and has formed the basis for more than 200 motion pictures. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

CHAPTER 1. Marseilles—The Arrival.

On the 24th of February, 1815, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.

As usual, a pilot put off immediately, and rounding the Chateau d’If, got on board the vessel between Cape Morgion and Rion island.

Immediately, and according to custom, the ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean were covered with spectators; it is always an event at Marseilles for a ship to come into port, especially when this ship, like the Pharaon, has been built, rigged, and laden at the old Phocee docks, and belongs to an owner of the city.

The ship drew on and had safely passed the strait, which some volcanic shock has made between the Calasareigne and Jaros islands; had doubled Pomegue, and approached the harbor under topsails, jib, and spanker, but so slowly and sedately that the idlers, with that instinct which is the forerunner of evil, asked one another what misfortune could have happened on board. However, those experienced in navigation saw plainly that if any accident had occurred, it was not to the vessel herself, for she bore down with all the evidence of being skilfully handled, the anchor a-cockbill, the jib-boom guys already eased off, and standing by the side of the pilot, who was steering the Pharaon towards the narrow entrance of the inner port, was a young man, who, with activity and vigilant eye, watched every motion of the ship, and repeated each direction of the pilot.

The vague disquietude which prevailed among the spectators had so much affected one of the crowd that he did not await the arrival of the vessel in harbor, but jumping into a small skiff, desired to be pulled alongside the Pharaon, which he reached as she rounded into La Reserve basin.

When the young man on board saw this person approach, he left his station by the pilot, and, hat in hand, leaned over the ship’s bulwarks.

He was a fine, tall, slim young fellow of eighteen or twenty, with black eyes, and hair as dark as a raven’s wing; and his whole appearance bespoke that calmness and resolution peculiar to men accustomed from their cradle to contend with danger.

“Ah, is it you, Dantes?” cried the man in the skiff. “What’s the matter? and why have you such an air of sadness aboard?”

“A great misfortune, M. Morrel,” replied the young man,—”a great misfortune, for me especially! Off Civita Vecchia we lost our brave Captain Leclere.”

“And the cargo?” inquired the owner, eagerly.

“Is all safe, M. Morrel; and I think you will be satisfied on that head. But poor Captain Leclere—”

“What happened to him?” asked the owner, with an air of considerable resignation. “What happened to the worthy captain?”

“He died.”

“Fell into the sea?”

“No, sir, he died of brain-fever in dreadful agony.” Then turning to the crew, he said, “Bear a hand there, to take in sail!”

All hands obeyed, and at once the eight or ten seamen who composed the crew, sprang to their respective stations at the spanker brails and outhaul, topsail sheets and halyards, the jib downhaul, and the topsail clewlines and buntlines. The young sailor gave a look to see that his orders were promptly and accurately obeyed, and then turned again to the owner.

“And how did this misfortune occur?” inquired the latter, resuming the interrupted conversation.

“Alas, sir, in the most unexpected manner. After a long talk with the harbor-master, Captain Leclere left Naples greatly disturbed in mind. In twenty-four hours he was attacked by a fever, and died three days afterwards. We performed the usual burial service, and he is at his rest, sewn up in his hammock with a thirty-six pound shot at his head and his heels, off El Giglio island. We bring to his widow his sword and cross of honor. It was worth while, truly,” added the young man with a melancholy smile, “to make war against the English for ten years, and to die in his bed at last, like everybody else.”

“Why, you see, Edmond,” replied the owner, who appeared more comforted at every moment, “we are all mortal, and the old must make way for the young. If not, why, there would be no promotion; and since you assure me that the cargo—”

“Is all safe and sound, M. Morrel, take my word for it; and I advise you not to take 25,000 francs for the profits of the voyage.”

Then, as they were just passing the Round Tower, the young man shouted: “Stand by there to lower the topsails and jib; brail up the spanker!”

The order was executed as promptly as it would have been on board a man-of-war.

“Let go—and clue up!” At this last command all the sails were lowered, and the vessel moved almost imperceptibly onwards.

“Now, if you will come on board, M. Morrel,” said Dantes, observing the owner’s impatience, “here is your supercargo, M. Danglars, coming out of his cabin, who will furnish you with every particular. As for me, I must look after the anchoring, and dress the ship in mourning.”

The owner did not wait for a second invitation. He seized a rope which Dantes flung to him, and with an activity that would have done credit to a sailor, climbed up the side of the ship, while the young man, going to his task, left the conversation to Danglars, who now came towards the owner. He was a man of twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, of unprepo...

Table of contents

• ALEXANDRE DUMAS
• CHAPTER 1. Marseilles—The Arrival.
• CHAPTER 2. Father and Son.
• CHAPTER 3. The Catalans.
• CHAPTER 4. Conspiracy.
• CHAPTER 5. The Marriage-Feast.
• CHAPTER 6. The Deputy Procureur du Roi.
• CHAPTER 7. The Examination.
• CHAPTER 8. The Chateau D’If.
• CHAPTER 9. The Evening of the Betrothal.
• CHAPTER 10. The King’s Closet at the Tuileries.
• CHAPTER 11. The Corsican Ogre.
• CHAPTER 12. Father and Son.
• CHAPTER 13. The Hundred Days.
• CHAPTER 14. The Two Prisoners.
• CHAPTER 15. Number 34 and Number 27.
• CHAPTER 16. A Learned Italian.
• CHAPTER 17. The Abbe’s Chamber.
• CHAPTER 18. The Treasure.
• CHAPTER 19. The Third Attack.
• CHAPTER 20. The Cemetery of the Chateau D’If.
• CHAPTER 21. The Island of Tiboulen.
• CHAPTER 22. The Smugglers.
• CHAPTER 23. The Island of Monte Cristo.
• CHAPTER 24. The Secret Cave.
• CHAPTER 25. The Unknown.
• CHAPTER 26. The Pont du Gard Inn.
• CHAPTER 27. The Story.
• CHAPTER 28. The Prison Register.
• CHAPTER 29. The House of Morrel & Son.
• CHAPTER 30. The Fifth of September.
• CHAPTER 31. Italy: Sinbad the Sailor.
• CHAPTER 32. The Waking.
• CHAPTER 33. Roman Bandits.
• CHAPTER 34. The Colosseum.
• CHAPTER 35. La Mazzolata.
• CHAPTER 36. The Carnival at Rome.
• CHAPTER 37. The Catacombs of Saint Sebastian.
• CHAPTER 38. The Compact.
• CHAPTER 39. The Guests.
• CHAPTER 40. The Breakfast.
• CHAPTER 41. The Presentation.
• CHAPTER 42. Monsieur Bertuccio.
• CHAPTER 43. The House at Auteuil.
• CHAPTER 44. The Vendetta.
• CHAPTER 45. The Rain of Blood.
• CHAPTER 46. Unlimited Credit.
• CHAPTER 47. The Dappled Grays.
• CHAPTER 48. Ideology.
• CHAPTER 49. Haidee.
• CHAPTER 50. The Morrel Family.
• CHAPTER 51. Pyramus and Thisbe.
• CHAPTER 52. Toxicology.
• CHAPTER 53. Robert le Diable.
• CHAPTER 54. A Flurry in Stocks.
• CHAPTER 55. Major Cavalcanti.
• CHAPTER 56. Andrea Cavalcanti.
• CHAPTER 57. In the Lucerne Patch.
• CHAPTER 58. M. Noirtier de Villefort.
• CHAPTER 59. The Will.
• CHAPTER 60. The Telegraph.
• CHAPTER 61. How a Gardener May Get Rid of the Dormice that Eat His Peaches.
• CHAPTER 62. Ghosts.
• CHAPTER 63. The Dinner.
• CHAPTER 64. The Beggar.
• CHAPTER 65. A Conjugal Scene.
• CHAPTER 66. Matrimonial Projects.
• CHAPTER 67. At the Office of the King’s Attorney.
• CHAPTER 68. A Summer Ball.
• CHAPTER 69. The Inquiry.
• CHAPTER 70. The Ball.
• CHAPTER 71. Bread and Salt.
• CHAPTER 72. Madame de Saint-Meran.
• CHAPTER 73. The Promise.
• CHAPTER 74. The Villefort Family Vault.
• CHAPTER 75. A Signed Statement.
• CHAPTER 76. Progress of Cavalcanti the Younger.
• CHAPTER 77. Haidee.
• CHAPTER 78. We hear From Yanina.
• CHAPTER 79. The Lemonade.
• CHAPTER 80. The Accusation.
• CHAPTER 81. The Room of the Retired Baker.
• CHAPTER 82. The Burglary.
• CHAPTER 83. The Hand of God.
• CHAPTER 84. Beauchamp.
• CHAPTER 85. The Journey.
• CHAPTER 86. The Trial.
• CHAPTER 87. The Challenge.
• CHAPTER 88. The Insult.
• CHAPTER 89. A Nocturnal Interview.
• CHAPTER 90. The Meeting.
• CHAPTER 91. Mother and Son.
• CHAPTER 92. The Suicide.
• CHAPTER 93. Valentine.
• CHAPTER 94. Maximilian’s Avowal.
• CHAPTER 95. Father and Daughter.
• CHAPTER 96. The Contract.
• CHAPTER 97. The Departure for Belgium.
• CHAPTER 98. The Bell and Bottle Tavern.
• CHAPTER 99. The Law.
• CHAPTER 100. The Apparition.
• CHAPTER 101. Locusta.
• CHAPTER 102. Valentine.
• CHAPTER 103. Maximilian.
• CHAPTER 104. Danglars Signature.
• CHAPTER 105. The Cemetery of Pere-la-Chaise.
• CHAPTER 106. Dividing the Proceeds.
• CHAPTER 107. The Lions’ Den.
• CHAPTER 108. The Judge.
• CHAPTER 109. The Assizes.
• CHAPTER 110. The Indictment.
• CHAPTER 111. Expiation.
• CHAPTER 112. The Departure.
• CHAPTER 113. The Past.
• CHAPTER 114. Peppino.
• CHAPTER 115. Luigi Vampa’s Bill of Fare.
• CHAPTER 116. The Pardon.
• CHAPTER 117. The Fifth of October.