THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - CHAPTERS 4-6 B

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - CHAPTERS 6-9 B

My answers to yesterday's questions!

- Twisting of scripture - Seek and ye shall find - Found in Matthew 7:7 - Jesus tells us to Ask, seek, and knock. However, knowing we serve a just and honest God it is good to understand that when our motives are sinful Galations 6:7 tells us that God will not be mocked. Whatever a man does he will reap. Sow a sinful nature, reap destruction. Sow to the Spirit, reap eternal life. This also shows us that Danglars has at least some form of spiritual knowledge.

-The planner/leader is clearly Danglars. His actions with the letter how he threw out a hook and line and reeled Fernand in are very revealing about his nature. The sheep is definitely Fernand, but he is not completely oblivious. He can tell there is a "private animosity against Dantes." Isn't his it takes one who knows to recognize one who does line so telling? (Chpt. 4 pg. 35) The one who feels remorse is Caderousse. He has become a problem when he starts drinking to the health of Dantes.

-Fernand's "nail in the coffin moment" is Mercedes remark to him in chpt. 4 when she gives Fernand a place of honor at her left. She trusts him and holds him to the position of brother in her eyes. His physical response tells all .Oh Fernand, what have you set in motion?

-As everything comes together Dante can hardly believe it and is overcome with emotion thinking that this much happiness can not come "so easily." A few paragraphs below he calls her the "Madame Dantes." Remember Mercedes corrected one of our savory characters who addressed her as that in our last reading and said it was bad luck. Then Dantes corrects Danglars who refers to him as "Captain" for the same reason.

-He is arrested because of the letter he carries. His noble act is making him look like a traitor to the king and Danglars and Fernand are capitalizing on this! Remember France is recovering from Napoleon who has 2x been exiled.

-After the arrest Caderousse realizes what has happened. (He was drunk during the planning.) He says, " You wait and see, Danglars! It will bring us misfortune!"

-Chapter 7 exchange simplified. We have another engagement celebration going on with the "cream" of society. Newly engaged are Deputy Crown Prosecutor, Monsieur de Villefort and Mademoiselle Renee de Saint-Meran. De Villefort's fiancee's parents are glad to see the restoration of a king since they are aristocrats. However it comes up that de Villefort's father was a revolutionary. Determined not to live in his shadow anything that comes his way smelling of Napoleon is going to get the smack down. At about that moment a messenger arrives bringing the news of the arrest of Dante and the "letter of denunciation." De Villefort promises his mother-in-law that he will do his duty and be "pitiless" but also tells his fiancee he will be "merciful."

Extra credit simile - There were a couple, but the one I grabbed is Fernand's physical response to Mercedes words. "....the blood draining but by bit as it flooded his heart."

And that is where we leave our story! I will try and do a post next week on chapters 7-9, but my family comes first with the Thanksgiving celebration! Blessings to you all and Happy Thanksgiving!!