The Count of Monte Cristo

Immediate Wedding Plans and Dantès’ Arrest

Immediate Wedding Plans and Dantès’ Arrest

CAPÍTULO 5. The Marriage Feast

Chapter 5 depicts the immediate aftermath of Edmond Dantès’s arrest during what was meant to be his marriage feast. Caderousse confronts Danglars, suspecting foul play from the previous night’s conspiracy, while Dantès calmly surrenders and bids farewell to Mercédès. As grief spreads among the loved ones left behind, Morrel returns with grave news: Dantès has been charged as a Bonapartist agent. Danglars skillfully manipulates Caderousse into silence, maneuvers himself into command of the Pharaon, and privately celebrates the success of his plot, leaving Fernand to comfort Mercédès and friends to tend to the broken old father.

Caderousse Confronts Danglars Over Dantès’s Arrest

Caderousse, sobering after the previous night’s intoxication, recalls the conspiracy discussed with Danglars and Fernand. He confronts Danglars, accusing him of orchestrating an ill turn. Danglars denies involvement, claiming he tore up the letter, though Caderousse insists he saw it merely thrown aside. When Caderousse asks after Fernand, Danglars dismisses him as having gone to attend to his own affairs, and the two turn their attention to what can be done for their “poor friends.”

Dantès’s Arrest and Farewell to Mercédès

Dantès cheerfully shakes hands with sympathizers before surrendering to the arresting officer, assuring them the matter is merely a misunderstanding that may not even require imprisonment. He descends the staircase with the magistrate and soldiers, enters a waiting carriage, and departs for Marseilles. Mercédès cries out a heartbroken farewell from the balcony; Dantès calls back that they will soon meet again as the vehicle rounds Fort Saint Nicholas.

Loved Ones Grieve After Dantès’s Imprisonment

Morrel promises to take the first conveyance to Marseilles and return with news, then departs. The remaining guests fall into terrified silence. Mercédès and old Dantès, each absorbed in grief, eventually raise their eyes and rush into a mutual embrace. Fernand soon appears, pours himself a trembling glass of water, and by chance sits near the half-fainting Mercédès, instinctively drawing his chair back.

Guests Debate the Cause of Dantès’s Arrest

Caderousse whispers to Danglars that he suspects Fernand is the cause of the calamity, but Danglars dismisses him as too stupid to devise such a scheme. The guests canvass various theories: Danglars suggests Dantès may have hidden contraband, and when old Dantès mentions the small case of coffee and tobacco his son had brought him, Danglars exploits this to support the contraband explanation. Mercédès, however, breaks into hysterical sobbing, heedless of these rationalizations.

Morrel Reveals Bonapartist Charges Against Dantès

A lookout shouts that Morrel is returning, but the shipowner arrives pale and grave. He announces that the affair has taken a more serious turn than expected. When pressed, he reveals that Dantès has been charged with being an agent of the Bonapartist faction—a formidable accusation in that era. Mercédès cries out despairingly, and the old man sinks into a chair.

Danglars Convinces Caderousse to Stay Silent

Caderousse, conscience-stricken, tells Danglars he cannot let an innocent girl and old man suffer and intends to confess everything. Danglars seizes his arm and warns him of the danger: Dantès visited Elba, and if compromising documents are found, anyone supporting him will be considered an accomplice. The selfish reasoning takes hold, and Caderousse agrees to wait and see how events unfold.

Fernand Escorts Mercédès Home, Dantès’s Father Is Relocated

Danglars and Caderousse depart together, relieved to leave the scene. Fernand, resuming his role as Mercédès’s protector, leads the grief-stricken girl home, while other friends of Dantès carry his nearly lifeless father to the Allées de Meilhan.

Rumor of Dantès’s Arrest Spreads Through Marseille

The rumor of Edmond’s arrest as a Bonapartist agent spreads rapidly throughout Marseilles, framing public perception of the young sailor.

Morrel Questions Danglars About His Hidden Suspicions

Morrel, seeking further news from M. de Villefort, encounters Danglars and Caderousse and asks if Danglars ever shared his suspicions about the Elba stop with anyone. Danglars claims he did not, whispering that he feared harming both Dantès and Morrel, given that Morrel’s uncle served under the previous government and is suspected of Bonapartist sympathies. Morrel commends his discretion, mentioning he had even considered Danglars’s interests in the event Dantès became captain of the Pharaon.