THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (CHAPS 105-106) DIVIDING THE PROCEEDS and CEMETERY PERE-LA-CHAISE

The Count heads to Pere Lachaise where the funeral is taking place, and finds Maximilien off to the side of the funeral ceremony itself, overcome with grief. The Count then follows Morrel back to the home of Julie and Emmanuel, and his fears are justified, for as he walks into Morrel's room unannounced, he finds the young soldier drafting a suicide note. The Count begs Morrel not to do this, but Morrel insists that without Valentine, life is no longer worth living. The Count realizes the effect that his ruse with Valentine will have on Young Morrel. And though he wants to tell Morrel the plot he has concocted, he also wants to make sure this plot can succeed. Thus, to protect Maximilien, he asks only that the young man promise him to hold off on the thought of suicide for some time.    To stay his hand, the Count blurts out that he is Edmond Dantes, and that he is the man responsible for saving Old Morrel exactly ten years ago when that man was afraid he would become bankrupt. Julie and Emmanuel come upstairs, but the Count asks Morrel to reveal only that he is the benefactor, not that he is Edmond Dantes. His reasons for this discretion are unclear. The Count has, by now, revealed his identity to Mercedes, Caderousse, and Fernand. He reveals it here to try to convince Morrel that he has a plan in place to help him – that he is not simply a man of society in Paris, but a person with a deep connection to the Morrel family, going back to their days in Marseille.   Catch all 1001 Road stories in order at www.bestof1001stories.com