Mercédès’s Later Life as Countess
To support Albert’s education and distract herself from her persistent grief over Edmond, Mercédès cultivated skills in drawing, music, and other refined pursuits as Fernand’s fortune grew. She rose to become one of the most prominent ladies in Paris as Comtesse de Morcerf, though Caderousse notes that despite her wealth and high social standing, she remains deeply unhappy.
Exchange of the Diamond for Morrel’s Purse
When Caderousse fell into destitution, he sought assistance from Fernand and Danglars: Danglars refused to receive him, while Fernand sent him 100 francs via his valet. As Caderousse left Fernand’s home, Mercédès dropped a purse containing 25 louis at his feet. Later, the abbé gives Caderousse a diamond worth 50,000 francs (originally intended to be shared among Edmond’s friends) on the condition that Caderousse hand over the faded red silk purse that Pierre Morrel had left on old Dantès’ chimney, which Caderousse had kept in his possession.
Caderousse’s Plan to Verify the Diamond
After receiving the diamond, Caderousse’s wife La Carconte suspects the gem may be counterfeit, warning that the abbé may have given it to him to extract his secrets without payment. To verify the diamond’s authenticity, Caderousse plans to travel to the Beaucaire fair, where Parisian jewelers are present, to have the stone appraised, leaving La Carconte to watch their home in his absence.
第二十八章 The Prison Register
An Englishman claiming to represent the firm of Thomson & French visits Marseilles seeking information about the struggling Morrel & Son, and upon learning of their financial distress, purchases M. de Boville’s two hundred thousand franc debt from the desperate prison inspector at full value. In exchange for this generous payment, the Englishman extracts information about the Château d’If from the registers, specifically requesting details about the Abbé Faria and the notorious prisoner Edmond Dantès, whose story of tunneling between cells and escaping in a burial sack the inspector recounts with evident satisfaction. The Englishman studies the prison records with particular attention to Dantès’ file, noting Villefort’s damning marginalia and pocketing the original accusation document, thereby securing crucial evidence of the conspiracy that wrongfully imprisoned the future Count of Monte Cristo.
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