Count of Monte Cristo: Chapter 82
Dec. 8th, 2016 08:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osprey_archerWe're moving right along in The Count of Monte Cristo! I'm about two thirds of the way through the book, and the plot-nooses are tightening around the necks of Dantes' enemies...
Although also, worrisomely, around the necks of Dantes' enemies' innocent children. Albert de Moncerf, the son of Fernand, has just stormed into a newspaper office to challenge one of his friends to a duel because the friend printed something that like maybe five people might realize refers to Albert's father. No matter! Albert will avenge his father's honor!
Never mind that by doing so he'll tip off absolutely everyone that his father's honor was in peril in the first place. Oh Albert.
EVEN MORE CONCERNINGLY, there have been a spate of poisonings in Villefort's house - my money is on Mme. de Villefort, getting in touch with her inner Lucrezia Borgia - EXCEPT that no one in the household suspects her; right now suspicion centers on sweet, innocent, cinnamon-roll-like Valentine, the daughter of the house.
I can't even blame the good doctor who suspects her, because the deaths have been mowing down her grandparents and leaving her the heiress to a large fortune, so she is the obvious suspect. But she couldn't have done it! If she were a murderess, wouldn't she also be the kind of person who would say to hell with convention and run away with Morrel, and none of this namby-pampy wittering around about how she has to marry Franz like a good daughter?
However, I am also not sure what Mme. de Villefort's master plan is. Possibly she's planning to cap off her poisoning spree by poisoning Valentine, thus securing both of Valentine's fortunes for the Villefort family and ultimately for her own son? Only of course Valentine will be SAVED bythe power of Morrel's love probably the Count's encyclopedic knowledge of poison and medicine, let's be realistic.
Although also, worrisomely, around the necks of Dantes' enemies' innocent children. Albert de Moncerf, the son of Fernand, has just stormed into a newspaper office to challenge one of his friends to a duel because the friend printed something that like maybe five people might realize refers to Albert's father. No matter! Albert will avenge his father's honor!
Never mind that by doing so he'll tip off absolutely everyone that his father's honor was in peril in the first place. Oh Albert.
EVEN MORE CONCERNINGLY, there have been a spate of poisonings in Villefort's house - my money is on Mme. de Villefort, getting in touch with her inner Lucrezia Borgia - EXCEPT that no one in the household suspects her; right now suspicion centers on sweet, innocent, cinnamon-roll-like Valentine, the daughter of the house.
I can't even blame the good doctor who suspects her, because the deaths have been mowing down her grandparents and leaving her the heiress to a large fortune, so she is the obvious suspect. But she couldn't have done it! If she were a murderess, wouldn't she also be the kind of person who would say to hell with convention and run away with Morrel, and none of this namby-pampy wittering around about how she has to marry Franz like a good daughter?
However, I am also not sure what Mme. de Villefort's master plan is. Possibly she's planning to cap off her poisoning spree by poisoning Valentine, thus securing both of Valentine's fortunes for the Villefort family and ultimately for her own son? Only of course Valentine will be SAVED by
