The Count of Monte Cristo

Maximilian Waits for Valentine at Villefort’s Gate

Maximilian arrives first at the gate behind the large chestnut-trees surrounding M. de Villefort’s house. He watches intently for Valentine’s shadow and listens anxiously for the sound of her light step on the gravel walk, having come to their appointed meeting spot before her.

Valentine Arrives with Eugénie Danglars After a Delay

Valentine eventually appears, but she is accompanied by Eugénie Danglars. The delay was caused by a visit from Madame Danglars and her daughter that ran longer than expected. To honor her promise to Maximilian and show that the delay was not her fault, Valentine proposes to Eugénie that they walk in the garden, allowing Maximilian to see her passing and to receive her reassuring looks as she maneuvers her companion away from the gate.

Maximilian Contrasts Valentine and Eugénie Danglars

While he waits, Maximilian mentally contrasts the two young women: Valentine, fair and graceful, with soft languishing eyes and a figure bending like a weeping willow; and Eugénie Danglars, a brunette with a fierce, haughty expression and a posture as straight as a poplar. The comparison only confirms his preference for Valentine. When the visitors finally leave, Valentine re-enters the garden alone, seats herself briefly on a bench to ensure she is not watched, and then hurries to join Maximilian at the gate.

The Pair Discuss Their Unwanted Marriage Arrangements

The reunited pair quickly addresses the reason for the girls’ apparent intimacy. Valentine explains that she and Eugénie were having a confidential conversation: Eugénie confessed her repugnance to marrying M. de Morcerf, while Valentine admitted her own distress at the prospect of marrying M. d’Épinay. Maximilian assures Valentine that she possesses an indefinable charm—a sweetness of character—that Eugénie lacks, though Valentine credits his love for the flattering perception.

Maximilian Asks About Eugénie’s Views on Marriage

Curious about what he observed, Maximilian asks Valentine whether Eugénie objects to the Morcerf marriage because she loves someone else. Valentine reveals that Eugénie claimed to love no one, disliked marriage entirely, and even wished her father might lose his fortune so that she could live independently as an artist, like her friend Mademoiselle Louise d’Armilly. Maximilian suggests that Eugénie’s words reflect Valentine’s own situation, prompting her to threaten to leave before Maximilian refocuses the conversation on their limited time together.

Maximilian Announces Franz de Morcerf’s Imminent Return

Valentine explains that she must leave soon because Madame de Villefort requested her presence for a communication concerning her fortune. Reassuring Maximilian, she adds that she recently encountered M. de Morcerf, who shared news that his friend Franz has written announcing his immediate return. This revelation alarms Valentine, who turns pale and leans against the gate at the thought that Franz’s return may bring her forced marriage closer.

They Discuss Madame de Villefort’s Motives for Delaying Marriage

The two discuss Madame de Villefort’s complex motives. Valentine suspects that her stepmother secretly objects to the marriage to M. d’Épinay, though she never opposes it openly. Maximilian sees this as hopeful, but Valentine clarifies that Madame de Villefort opposes marriage itself—she once supported Valentine’s wish to enter a convent, only vetoed by Valentine’s devotion to her grandfather, M. Noirtier. Maximilian guesses that Madame de Villefort’s reluctance stems from greed: as a wealthy heiress, Valentine’s fortune would pass to her father and ultimately to Edward if she took the veil, a motive Valentine defends as maternal love rather than vice.

Maximilian Reveals His Friend Is the Count of Monte Cristo

Shifting to a more vulnerable register, Maximilian asks whether he may confide in a friend about their love. He describes the extraordinary, instinctive sympathy he felt upon first meeting this man—an almost prophetic figure whom he has known only eight or ten days, yet whose presence feels ordained. Valentine is wary, warning that such a brief acquaintance is too thin a foundation for the title of friend, but Maximilian persists, sensing that this person is destined to be associated with his future happiness.