The Count of Monte Cristo

Origins of the Morcerf Family Residence

The house on Rue du Helder was being prepared on the morning of May 21st for the Count of Monte Cristo’s visit. Albert de Morcerf occupied a pavilion at the corner of a large court, opposite the servants’ apartments. Between the court and garden stood the large, fashionable dwelling of the Count and Countess of Morcerf, built in the heavy imperial style. A high wall surrounded the property, broken by a gilded iron carriage gate and a small servant’s door near the concierge’s lodge. The residence revealed both a mother’s careful consideration—she was reluctant to part from her son yet understood his need for independence—and the “intelligent egoism” of a young viscount content to live in gilded indolence.

Layout of Albert’s Pavillon

Albert’s pavilion featured two windows facing the street, three overlooking the court, and two at the back opening into the garden. The street-facing windows allowed Albert to observe all passersby, satisfying a young man’s desire to watch the world traverse his horizon.

The Secret Small Garden Gate

A small gate near the concierge’s entrance appeared never to have been opened—its surface covered with dust and dirt. However, well-oiled hinges and locks revealed its true nature. This door escaped the concierge’s surveillance and jurisdiction, swinging open at a “cabalistic word” or a concerted tap from outside, like the famous portal of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.”

Ground Floor Apartment Features

A long corridor formed the antechamber, leading to Albert’s breakfast-room on the right (overlooking the court) and the salon on the left (overlooking the garden). Shrubs and creeping plants concealed these ground-floor rooms from prying eyes. The downstairs salon served as an Algerian divan exclusively for smokers.