The Count of Monte Cristo

M. de Boville Arrives to Collect Charity Funds

As Monte Cristo prepares to depart, the valet announces the arrival of M. de Boville, the Receiver-General of Parisian charities, who has come to collect a 5-million-franc donation from Danglars; Monte Cristo remarks he arrived just in time to secure Danglars’ signatures before Boville’s arrival, then leaves after exchanging a formal bow with Boville.

Danglars Lies to Boville About the Missing Five Million

Danglars lies to Boville, claiming the Count of Monte Cristo just withdrew the full 5 million francs earmarked for charity via an unlimited credit line, presenting the count’s 5.1-million-franc receipt from the Rome-based house of Thomson & French as proof; he falsely claims the count also holds large credit lines with Rothschild and Lafitte, and left a 100,000-franc surplus in his account, leaving Boville awestruck and planning to solicit further charitable donations from the count.

Discussion of the Morcerfs’ Charitable Donation

Boville brings up the example of the Morcerfs, who recently donated their entire 1.2–1.3 million franc fortune to hospitals rather than spend money they considered guiltily acquired, with the mother retiring to the countryside and the son enlisting in the army; Danglars dismisses their choice as excessive scruples, while Boville notes he registered their official deed of gift the prior day.

第一百零四章 Danglars’ Signature

This chapter centers on banker Danglars’ dealings with bank receiver M. de Boville, his secret plans to flee Paris amid reputational and financial complications from the Benedetto affair, and the personal impact of the scandal on his family, including his daughter Eugénie’s decision to enter a strict convent.