The Count of Monte Cristo

CHAPITRE 81. The Room of the Retired Baker

Chapter 81 centers on a confrontation between Andrea (Benedetto) and Caderousse in the retired baker’s room on the third floor of a house in the Allées de Meilhan. Caderousse pressures Andrea for money, Andrea confesses that he believes Monte Cristo is his real father and will inherit a fortune, then Caderousse extracts a detailed architectural plan of Monte Cristo’s Champs-Élysées mansion before Andrea leaves. After parting, Caderousse studies the plan with the clear intent of robbing the Count, reasoning that whoever hastens the day Andrea can touch his five hundred thousand francs will not be his worst friend.

Caderousse’s Demands

Caderousse demands thirty thousand francs from Andrea without Andrea spending a single sou, arguing that anything less could not make him an honest man again. Andrea refuses to commit any crime that would endanger his own position, but Caderousse blackmails him by threatening that if recaptured he would be content, while calling Andrea a “heartless creature” who would not want to see his old comrades again. Frightened, Andrea promises to find a way to raise the money and agrees to increase Caderousse’s monthly allowance to five hundred francs, which Caderousse declares he needs to acquire a housekeeper.

Andrea’s Protector

Caderousse learns that Andrea has a “protector” who is extremely kind to him. When pressed on the amount, Andrea reveals that this protector gives him five thousand francs per month—far more than the hundreds Caderousse receives. Caderousse bitterly observes that only bastards are thus fortunate and wonders aloud what anyone could possibly do with such a sum. Andrea confirms he too is in need of capital, and Caderousse wonders whether it is Andrea’s “prince” who will provide it.

Monte Cristo’s Paternity

Andrea confides in Caderousse that he has discovered the identity of his true father: Monte Cristo himself. Andrea explains that the Count cannot acknowledge him openly and so uses Cavalcanti as a front, paying him fifty thousand francs for the deception. More importantly, Andrea claims Monte Cristo has made a will in his favor for five hundred thousand livres, and that a codicil openly acknowledges him as son. Andrea can only inherit, however, by waiting for Monte Cristo’s death. Caderousse feigns amazement, crying out that such a father must be “good, brave, and very honest.”

The Count’s Fortune

Caderousse, overwhelmed with curiosity about Andrea’s protector’s wealth, asks whether the Count is rich. Andrea confirms that Monte Cristo himself does not know the extent of his fortune, citing as evidence a banker’s clerk who recently brought fifty thousand francs in a portfolio and the previous day’s delivery of one hundred thousand francs in gold. The sums sound to Caderousse like rushing cascades of louis, and he eagerly asks whether Andrea can arrange a visit to such a magnificent house.

The Champs-Élysées Mansion

Andrea identifies Monte Cristo’s residence as No. 30 on the Champs-Élysées: a fine house standing alone, situated between a courtyard and a garden. Caderousse fixes on the address with the repetition “No. 30,” and Andrea confirms that Andrea knows the property well. Caderousse, however, insists that it is the interior he longs to see, not the exterior, and laments the beautiful furniture he can only imagine, declaring he must find some way to gain entry.

Drawing the House Plan

When Caderousse asks Andrea to describe the interior, Andrea protests that such a description would require pen, ink, and paper. Caderousse eagerly produces a sheet of white paper, pen, and ink from an old secretaire, and Andrea—taking the pen with an imperceptible smile—begins to draw. He sketches the house, garden, and courtyard, then proceeds to map out the ground floor and first floor in detail, even marking the position of windows. Caderousse devours every detail, including the location of the famous secretaire in the dressing-room.

Ground Floor Layout

Andrea describes the ground floor as containing a dining-room, two drawing-rooms, a billiard-room, the main staircase in the hall, and a little back staircase. The windows are so magnificent and large that even a man of Caderousse’s size could pass through each frame, though they render the staircase unnecessary. There are no shutters in use, since the Count enjoys looking at the sky even at night. On either side of the gate are stables, and a coach-house on the right contains ladders and, above it, the servants’ rooms fitted with bells that connect to the various apartments.