The Count of Monte Cristo

The False News Spreads

That evening, Le Messager publishes the false report of Don Carlos’ escape and the Barcelona uprising in his favor. The public praises Danglars’ foresight, and people who held or purchased Danglars’ sold Spanish bonds believe they are ruined, spending a distressed evening.

The Truth Revealed

The next morning, Le Moniteur publishes an official correction stating the Don Carlos report was entirely unfounded: Don Carlos has not left Bourges, and the Spanish peninsula is in a state of profound peace. The error is attributed to a fog-interfered, misinterpreted telegraph signal.

Danglars’s Loss

Spanish fund values rebound to 1% above their pre-drop level. Accounting for both the 500,000 franc loss from his forced sale and the 1 million francs in missed gains he would have earned if he had held his bonds, Danglars’ total loss from the scheme comes to 1 million francs.

第六十二章 Ghosts

The Count of Monte Cristo hosts a dinner party at his house in Auteuil, where guests arrive throughout the evening and steward Bertuccio discovers disturbing connections between the visitors—particularly recognizing a woman from his past and confronting the ghost of a murder he believed he had committed.

The House at Auteuil

The exterior of the house at Auteuil appears modest and unremarkable, contrasting sharply with the magnificence within. Monte Cristo had specifically ordered no external alterations, preserving the appearance of an ordinary residence while concealing the extraordinary luxury within its walls.

Bertuccio’s Transformations

The steward Bertuccio has worked with remarkable speed and taste to transform the house, rivaling the famous feat of the Duc d’Antin who removed an entire avenue of trees overnight for Louis XIV. In three days, Bertuccio planted poplars and sycamores around a newly laid lawn while filling the interior with flowers. The house, once sad and gloomy with the smell of time, now lives, sings, and blooms like a cherished home where one’s soul resides.