第六十九章 The Inquiry
M. de Villefort keeps his promise to Madame Danglars and initiates an investigation into how the Count of Monte Cristo learned the secrets of the house at Auteuil. He writes to M. de Boville, a former prison inspector now holding a high position in the police, requesting detailed information about the Count’s background.
Promise to Madame Danglars
Villefort commits to investigating the Count’s knowledge of the Auteuil house’s dark history. This promise sets in motion a chain of inquiries that will involve multiple contacts within the Parisian authorities.
Inquiry to M. de Boville
M. de Boville, who rose from prison inspector to a prestigious police position, requires two days to gather the necessary intelligence. At the end of this period, he provides Villefort with initial information identifying the Count as an acquaintance of Lord Wilmore, a wealthy foreigner currently in Paris, and the Abbé Busoni, a highly respected Sicilian priest active in the East.
Description of Abbé Busoni
The Abbé Busoni maintains modest lodgings in a small two-storied house behind Saint-Sulpice. His residence reflects ascetic simplicity—a dining room with plain walnut furniture and an unadorned parlor. He prefers the upstairs sitting room, which serves as both library and study, filled with theological works and manuscripts where he immerses himself for months at a time. The abbé’s valet screens all visitors through a wicket gate, turning away those whose appearance displeases him with the stock response that the abbé is not in Paris. The abbé maintains a reputation for charity, always leaving funds for distribution to the poor.
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