The Count of Monte Cristo

Journey to Marseilles and Maximilian’s Grief

During the ten leagues of silence that follow, Monte Cristo questions Maximilian about his decision to leave Paris, and Morrel confesses that departing feels like losing Valentine a second time. The count philosophizes that lost friends reside in the heart, not the earth, and counsels that weakened minds darken their own horizons. They reach Châlons, where the count’s steamboat awaits, and the vessel glides with such speed that towns and autumn-shaken trees flash past. As Paris recedes, a superhuman serenity surrounds the count, and even Morrel’s melancholy lifts momentarily as wind clears his brow.

Marseilles Arrival and Quay Nostalgia

Marseilles comes into view, described as the younger sister of Tyre and Carthage and successor to their Mediterranean empire. Powerful memories are stirred by the round tower of Fort Saint-Nicolas, Puget’s City Hall, and the brick quays of the port where the men played as children. They stop on the Canebière, where a vessel is setting sail for Algiers amid noisy farewells. Maximilian, unmoved by the spectacle, leads the count to the spot where his father once embraced him upon the Pharaon’s arrival. The count smiles and indicates he was present that day, pointing toward a corner of a street where a groaning woman waves farewell to a departing passenger.

Maximilian Departs for His Father’s Grave

Morrel recognizes the departing youth as Albert de Morcerf in a lieutenant’s uniform, and the count confirms his identification with a knowing smile. The count then asks if Maximilian has any business in the land, and Morrel replies brokenly that he must weep over his father’s grave. The count directs him to wait, stating he too has a pious visit to make, and they part sorrowfully. Maximilian turns east toward the cemetery while Monte Cristo watches until he disappears from sight, then walks slowly toward the Allées de Meilhan.