Across the Harbor
The boat departs the quay under the guard of a dozen soldiers, with a chain lowered to allow it to exit the port. It passes the Tête de Mort and Anse du Pharo, then sails out past the Ile Ratonneau lighthouse, leaving the inner harbor behind as it heads toward open sea.
Passing Mercédès’ Dwelling
As the boat travels along the coast, Dantès spots a single light on the beach at the Point des Catalans, the home of his fiancée Mercédès, the only person awake in the area. He considers shouting to her but restrains himself out of pride, not wanting his guards to see him as irrational. A rise in land soon blocks his view of the light as the boat continues further out to sea.
Destination Revealed
Unable to contain his anxiety, Dantès asks a gendarme for their destination. The gendarme directs him to look ahead, where Dantès sees the ominous black rock of the Château d’If rising 100 yards away. Shocked that he is being taken to the fortress known for holding only political prisoners, he demands to know why he is being imprisoned there without inquiry, and is told all formalities have already been completed.
Failed Escape Attempt
Convinced he is being unjustly imprisoned despite Villefort’s promises, Dantès makes a sudden attempt to jump overboard and swim to shore. Four gendarmes seize him before he can exit the boat, and one threatens to shoot him if he resists further. Realizing escape is impossible for the moment, Dantès stops struggling, seething with rage but unable to act.
Arrival at the Château d’If
The boat docks at the Château d’If, and Dantès is escorted by armed guards up a flight of steps to the fortress gate, which closes behind him. He is led through the fortress courtyard, past rows of soldiers with fixed bayonets, before being turned over to an under-jailer who leads him to a cell for the night.
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