by Alexandre Dumas, translated by Robin Buss, 1996, 2003, first published 1844-5
1243 pages – WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOK!
All human wisdom is contained in these two words: ‘wait’ and ‘hope’!
Recommended by Tim Wolsey.
Edmond Dantes, a fine young sailor, is thrown into prison in Chateau d’If for 14 long years. He befriends Abbe Faria, also imprisoned, after the Abbe digs over many years, only to come out near Edmond’s dungeon. Abbe Faria teaches Edmond everything! They plan another escape but Abbe has a seizure and knows the next one will kill him. He tells Edmond where treasure is buried on the Island of Monte Cristo. When Abbe dies, Edmond places his body in Edmond’s dungeon in his bed and Edmond sews himself up in the burial shroud. The workers carry him out, tie a cannonball onto his foot and throw him into the sea.
Edmond escapes, makes his way to Monte Cristo, and finds the buried treasure. He is rich beyond belief. He plots his revenge against the three men who caused his false imprisonment; all who have become wealthy and respected in Parisian society. Edmond takes on the character of the Count of Monte Cristo and enters Parisian society. Only Mercedes recognizes him. He works out intricate plots of revenge against Fernand, Danglars, and Villefort. Also, Caderousse, the man who got drunk when Fernand and Danglars plotted against Edmond and could have saved Edmond but he was a coward.
Edmond did not know why he had been imprisoned until he met Abbe Faria and told Abbe all the details. The Abbe was so smart, he explained to Edmond what happened and that is when Edmond vowed to get his revenge if he ever got free. He did get free, he did get his revenge, and what a story! We reap what we sow! Each villain had continued on in their lives of deceit and Edmond knew all their sins. He brought these to light (to Parisian society) over a month’s time spent in Paris.
The Count never ends up with Mercedes, his fiance and love, when they were cruelly separated. She had ended up married to Fernand and Edmond could not overcome that she did not wait for him. He does make sure she is taken care of, though, after Fernand commits suicide once his secret murder and betrayal of Hayde’s father is discovered. Hayde is a beautiful Greek girl whom the Count buys after Fernand has sold her into slavery.
Danglars is ruined by clever tricks in which he loses all his millions. The Count has mercy on him in the end and lets him go with 50,000 francs rather than letting him starve to death as happened to Edmond’s beloved father while Edmond was in prison.
Villefort goes insane when it is discovered he buried a son alive, after his wife has poisoned 4 people, herself, and her son.
My favorite parts are when Edmond and Abbe Faria meet in prison and Abbe teaches Edmond and figures out what got Edmond into prison:
“I regret having helped you in your investigation and said what I did to you,” he [Abbe] remarked. “Why is that?” Dantes asked. “Because I have insinuated a feeling into your heart that was not previously there: the desire for revenge.”
Also, any time he was at sea – beautiful descriptions of sea and islands:
It was around six in the evening, and light the colour of opal, pierced by the golden rays of the autumn sun, spread over a bluish sea. . . Bit by bit, the sun, whose last rays we were describing, fell below the western horizon; but, as though confirming the brilliant fantasies of mythology, its prying flames reappeared at the crest of every wave as if to reveal that the god of fire had just hidden his face in the bosom of Amphitrite, who tried in vain to hide her lover in the folds of her azure robe.
And anytime he talked about God:
Here is what he did for you, the God whom you refuse to recognize even in your last hour. He gave you health, strength, secure work and even friends; in short, life as it must appear sweet to a man, offering an easy conscience and the satisfaction of his natural desires. But instead of making use of these gifts of the Lord, which He so rarely grants in all their fullness, what did you do? You abandoned yourself to idleness and drunkenness, and in your drunkenness you betrayed one of your best friends. . . “Oh, God,” he said [Caderouse on his death bed], “Oh God, forgive me for denying you. You do indeed exist. You are the father of men in heaven and their judge on earth. Oh, my Lord, I have long mistaken You! My Lord God, forgive me! My God, my Lord, receive my soul!” And closing his eyes, Caderousse fell backwards with a last cry and a final gasp.
And so many examples of good and bad people, and a superb hero – Edmond Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo!
Edmond has second thoughts about how far he is taking his revenge when he sees Villefort go mad and start digging up his backyard:
“Where is Monsieur de Villefort?” The servant did not answer but merely pointed towards the garden…There…he saw Villefort, a spade in his hand, digging the ground in a kind of fury. ‘It’s not here,’ he was saying. ‘And it’s not here, either.’…Monte Cristo shrank back in horror, exclaiming: ‘He is mad!’…he rushed out into the street, wondering for the first time whether he had had the right to do what he had done. ‘Enough!’ he said. ”Let that be enough, and we will save the last one.”
That’s why he spared Danglars, the worst of the three, the one who spearheaded the whole plan that got Edmond thrown in prison.
The end is with Maximilien Morrel and Valentine (brought back from the grave, Morrel was the son of shipowner Morrel, the only person who tried again and again to have Edmond released from prison). They are reunited on the island of Monte Cristo. They are looking out to sea, where Monte Cristo and Haydee are on a ship on the horizon. “He is gone!” cried Morrel. “Gone! Farewell, my friend! My father!”…”Who knows if we shall ever see them again?” Morrel said, wiping away a tear. “My dearest,” said Valentine, “has the count not just told us that all human wisdom was contained in these two words – ‘wait’ and ‘hope’?”
Excerpts from the letter the Count wrote to Maximilien: “…Tell the angel who will watch over your life, Morrel, to pray sometimes for a man who, like Satan, momentarily thought himself the equal of God and who, with all the humility of a Christian, came to realize that in God’s hands alone reside supreme power and infinite wisdom. These prayers may perhaps ease the remorse that he takes with him in the depth of his heart…So, do live and be happy, children dear to my heart, and never forget that, until the day when God deigns to unveil the future of mankind, all human wisdom is contained in these two words: ‘wait’ and ‘hope’!
Your friend
Edmond Dantes
Count of Monte Cristo”