Caderousse Confronts Danglars Over Dantès’s Arrest
Caderousse, sobering after the previous night’s intoxication, recalls the conspiracy discussed with Danglars and Fernand. He confronts Danglars, accusing him of orchestrating an ill turn. Danglars denies involvement, claiming he tore up the letter, though Caderousse insists he saw it merely thrown aside. When Caderousse asks after Fernand, Danglars dismisses him as having gone to attend to his own affairs, and the two turn their attention to what can be done for their “poor friends.”
Dantès’s Arrest and Farewell to Mercédès
Dantès cheerfully shakes hands with sympathizers before surrendering to the arresting officer, assuring them the matter is merely a misunderstanding that may not even require imprisonment. He descends the staircase with the magistrate and soldiers, enters a waiting carriage, and departs for Marseilles. Mercédès cries out a heartbroken farewell from the balcony; Dantès calls back that they will soon meet again as the vehicle rounds Fort Saint Nicholas.
Loved Ones Grieve After Dantès’s Imprisonment
Morrel promises to take the first conveyance to Marseilles and return with news, then departs. The remaining guests fall into terrified silence. Mercédès and old Dantès, each absorbed in grief, eventually raise their eyes and rush into a mutual embrace. Fernand soon appears, pours himself a trembling glass of water, and by chance sits near the half-fainting Mercédès, instinctively drawing his chair back.
Guests Debate the Cause of Dantès’s Arrest
Caderousse whispers to Danglars that he suspects Fernand is the cause of the calamity, but Danglars dismisses him as too stupid to devise such a scheme. The guests canvass various theories: Danglars suggests Dantès may have hidden contraband, and when old Dantès mentions the small case of coffee and tobacco his son had brought him, Danglars exploits this to support the contraband explanation. Mercédès, however, breaks into hysterical sobbing, heedless of these rationalizations.
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