The Carnival at Rome — The Horse Races and the Moccoletti Begin (The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 36 – Part 19)

In The Count of Monte Cristo, the Corso clears for the Carnival horse races as fireworks signal the sudden shift from revelry to spectacle. Carriages withdraw with precision, soldiers sweep the street, and unbridled horses race through the crowd’s roar before the winner is announced.   The moment passes as quickly as it arrives, and the tide of carriages returns, restoring the flow of the Carnival. A new contest begins as vendors fill the streets with moccoletti, candles to be guarded and extinguished in equal measure.   The race yields to a different struggle, as flame becomes the focus of the crowd.   ⸻   New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com   Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm   Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod   Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A   ⸻   The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.