Valentine Confesses Fear of Defying Her Father
Valentine confesses she feels trapped in a life of bondage, too timid to resist her father’s commands for fear of utter ruin: her father Gérard de Villefort is a powerful, widely respected public figure with close ties to the king who could crush anyone who opposes him with a single word, and she avoids defying him as much for Maximilian’s safety as her own.
Maximilian Defends His Suitability as Valentine’s Suitor
Maximilian argues that he is a suitable match for Valentine despite class differences, noting that outdated noble distinctions no longer hold weight in France as old royalist families have intermarried with imperial military families; he cites his promising military career, his small but unencumbered fortune, and his late father’s reputation as an honorable Marseille shipowner to support his case.
Valentine Laments Her Late Mother’s Absence
Valentine laments the early death of her mother, saying that if her mother were alive, she would have no fear of her father’s disapproval, as her mother would protect her and Maximilian; Maximilian ruefully notes that if her mother were still alive, Valentine would likely never have noticed him given her high social standing.
Valentine Recounts Reading News of Maximilian’s Legion of Honor Appointment
Valentine recounts the day Maximilian’s appointment as an officer of the Legion of Honor was announced in the newspaper: she had been reading the paper to her paralyzed grandfather Noirtier, and was so nervous to speak Maximilian’s name aloud in front of the household that she nearly skipped the paragraph, only reading it to avoid raising suspicions about her secret affection for him.
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