THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - CHAPTERS 92-94

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - CHAPTERS 92-94

So many points to think about in these chapters! I'm going to call these the round about chapters, because we visit some major thoughts only to come back to them in just a short time!

- The courage of Albert - at the start we have the conversation between Morrel and the count about Albert's courage despite doing what society would call cowardly. We then revisit this same idea when Morcerf confronts the count.

-Morrel's reference to his love for someone and the count's willingness to help if ever a need arises only to have Valentine's poisoning a few pages later.

- Love - the possibility of it for the count- as Mercedes and the count have had their different interactions I have hoped that they would finally be together but Haydee? I am not sure what to do with this one! The count realizing there could be two Mercedes in the world? I understand both of them have been fractured, broken by people. But what about Mercedes?

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Can you imagine the little thrill that must have shot up Morcerf's back when he saw his son return? The possibility of being avenged? The possibility of sins being returned to their dark forgotten hole and life going on? But Albert never comes to his father. The servant shares the results of the duel. The family ties are severed.

Did you not love the satisfying confrontation between Monte Cristo and Morcerf. The dawning realization to Morcerf of this hate he has "instinctively" had. The feeling that he had always known the count, but of course that was impossible, wasn't it? The father calling into question the courage of his son for walking away from a duel. It was no lack of courage the count tells Morcerf. It was the realization that someone else was guiltier of the destruction of the family than he was - Morcerf himself. (Do you get the irony of Morcerf's displeasure of his son's dishonorable act when the whole reason we are at this point is because of HIS many dishonorable acts?) Morcerf demands all the layers of veneer be stripped off the count. He wants to know who he really is and the count walks into the adjoining room, strips off his finery and puts on his simple fishing clothes and returns. Morcerf - Fernand - collapses in disbelief. He returns home to find Mercedes and Albert on their way out. They never see him, they never look back as the cab pulls away. Our chapter closes with the sound of a single shot.

Then we move to Valentine and Morrel. Yes, innocent Valentine is the next victim in the series of poisonings at the Villefort home. Morrel calls on the count for help and we are confronted with the count's lack of care or concern for this innocent woman's life. After all she is Villefort's daughter. An avenging angel is wiping the family out (with the help of a shared poison recipe). Not a bit of care until Morrel confesses that it is Valentine that he loves. It's flashback time! The weight of interfering in the process of "justice" where the count's enemies' children are concerned. We just had Mercedes begging for the life of Albert, remember? The count gives us the fantastic quote about being an impassive spectator comparing himself to the devil, laughing at the evil that people are able to keep secret when they are rich only to have it wound them in their heart later. Through all of this Valentine lives thanks to Noirtier's actions. We know who the poisoner is and the Villefort's gain a new neighbor. Hmmm I wonder who that is!