The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapters 20-24Summary Report

Who, What, Where, When, Why, How…

Chapter 20: Who, Where, WhenWho: • Mr. and Mrs. de Saint Meran (Valentine’s maternal grandparents)• Barrois (Nortier’s servant)• Valentine (Villefort’s daughter)• Nortier (Villefort’s father)• Villefort/Madam Villefort• Notary (Writes the will)• DanglarsWhen: • a little time after the Count of Monte Cristo’s visit with Albert upon his arrival to ParisWhere: • Paris, France

Chapter 20: What, Why, How• Nortier lives with Villefort, his father• Nortier’s only love in life is his daughter, Valentine (she is the apple of his eye)• In three months, Valentine is set to marry Franz d’ Epinay (Albert’s friend from Carnival)• Nortier is unhappy about this marriage• Nortier cannot speak, and he is paralyzed, so he communicates with his eyes• Franz’s mother died during child birth and his father was assassinated• Nortier is so upset about Valentine marrying Franz, so he orders for a notary to come and change

his will• He will not leave his inhertience to Valentine if she goes forward in marrying Franz, so he will

leave his fortune to charity if the marriage happens• The Count of Monte Cristo inquires about Edward and it is revealed that he has a lack of an

inhertience• A message comes through that King Carlos has returned to Spain so Danglars sells his shares• Then the next day another message comes through that the King Carols has not returned to Spain

stating it was an error in the telegraph message• As a result, shares rose to double the price, so Danglars could have made a million francs but

didn’t because he sold his shares after the first message.

Chapter 21Who• Lucien Debray• Mr. and Mrs. Danglars• The Count of Monte Cristo• Abbe Busconi

When: • during the Count of Monte Cristo’s time in Paris upon vising Albert

Where: • Paris, France

Chapter 21: What, Why, How• Lucien Debray and Mrs. Danglars are having a meeting…conspiring about the illegal sales of

stock/shares• Danglars tells Debray to leave and loses his temper because he just lost 700,000 francs in the

Spanish loan • Now, Mrs. Danglars gets information from Debray, and she tells her husband, so he will sell or

buy the stock suggested by Debray who has insider information• This last meeting caused Danglars to lose a lot of money• Normally, when Mrs. Danglars gives him information, he will give her 25% of profits• He is angry with her, so he makes her pay 25% of the loss• Danglars goes to see The Count of Monte Cristo but is kept waiting because Abbe Busconi is

there meeting with the Count• When he and the Count of Monte Cristo are speaking, the Count manipulates the conversation

to discuss the marriage between Eugenie Danglars and Albert• Since Danglars’ daughter will be marrying Fernand’s son, the Count probes Danglars to

question how Fernand became a Count and how he gained his fortune since Danglars knew he was once a poor fisherman.

• Before allowing his daughter to marry Albert, The Count suggests that Danglars writes a letter to a correspondent in Greece inquiring Fernand’s role in the Ali Pasha Affair

• Basically, the Count of Monte Cristo suspects Fernand has some connection in the death of Ali Pasha and wants to use Danglars to investigate Fernand’s past

Chapter 22: Who, Where, When Who:• Albert• The Count of Monte Cristo• Mercedes• Fernand• Mr. and Mrs. de Saint Meran• Mr. and Mrs. Villefort• Max• ValentineWhere: • The Count of Monte Cristo’s home, Fernand’s home at the ball, Paris, FranceWhen: • Some time after the Count’s arrival to Paris

Chapter 22: What, How, Why• Albert visits the Count of Monte Cristo and invites him to the ball• He tells the Count that Mercedes wants to see the Count • He tells him that Franz is about to arrive in 5-6 days• Mr. and Mrs. de Saint Meran are staying with Villefort for a visit• Everyone is infatuated by the Count and want to see him at the ball• Max and Valentine are in love but Valentine is still arranged to marry

Franz• Danglars says that he doesn’t care for titles except for the title,

millionaire, and The Count of Monte Cristo points out that millionaire doesn’t always last a life time (foreshadowing)• Danglars continues to lose even more money because the Count of

Monte Cristo tells him that he pulled his money out of an account that is now bankrupt, and Danglars says that he lost money with them

• Mercedes was watching the Count of Monte Cristo at the ball and notices that he doesn’t eat or drink anything• Mercedes invites the Count of Monte Cristo to walk the garden• He tells her that he has suffered, never married• He adopted a slave (Hayedee) as his family; she was bought from

slavery in Constantinople and she is the daughter of a prince• Tells her he loved a girl and was to be married and had to leave but she

never waited and upon his return was married• Mercedes asked if he has forgiven the girl and those who separated

him. He says that he has forgiven the girl• They are interrupted because Villefort, Madam Villefort and Valentine

have to leave because her grandfather, Monsieur de Saint Meran died• The Count of Monte Cristo tells Mercedes that he is not her friend but

her servant

Chapter 23: Who, Where, WhenWho• Valentine• Villefort and Madam Villefort•Max• Dr. d’ Arigny• Franz• Nortier•White FigureWhere: Villefort’s home and garden; Paris, FranceWhen: days after the ball at Fernand’s home

Chapter 23: What, Why, How• Valentine’s grandmother was sad about the death of husband and was in bed• Monsieur and Madam Villefort and Valentine were visiting her bedside• Valentine places a glass of orangeade next to her grandmother’s bed• Was distressed…seems to suspect Villefort or Madam Villefort• Valentines visits her grandfather, Nortier, and then returns the next day to her grandmother whose

symptoms were worse• Her grandmother, Madam de Saint Meran tells Valentine and Villefort that she requests the marriage

between Franz and Valentine to be sped up because she doesn’t think that she will live much longer• Madam de Saint Meran confesses that she saw a white figure enter her room at night• Valentine gives her grandmother more orangeade• Madam de Saint Meran asks for a notary to write her will• They also call Dr. d’Arigny • Valentine went to the garden and Max Morrel was out there waiting for her• Her wedding contract will be signed the day after tomorrow (2 days) when Franz is expected to arrive• Franz arrived that very morning so her wedding will happen sooner than expected • Max says he will commit suicide after Valentine marries Franz• Although Valentine has pleaded to her father not to marry Franz, she is obedient.• She promises Max that she will run a way with him and get married

• Valentine writes Max and says the marriage contract will be signed at 9 o’cock the next night (but she believes they are keeping it from Nortier• Max went to meet Valentine, so they could run away and get married• While in the garden he overheard Villefort and the doctor talking: Madam de

Saint Meran died and they suspect it poison• They are going to keep this a secret and be cautious…believe it may have been a

servant who accidently gave her Nortier’s medicine• Valentine tells Max to go through her grandfather’s room and Max meets Nortier• Valentine tells Nortier that she loves/wants to marry Max• Nortier likes Max and communicates with his eyes that the contract will not be

signed and to trust him and wait..Valentine’s marriage to Franz will not happen• Nortier will not approve of Valentine eloping with Max…he promises Morrel that

the marriage contract will not be signed• Max went home

Chapter 24: Who, Where, WhenWho:NortierMax MorrelVillefort, Madam Villefort, EdwardValentineBarroisFranz d’EpinayNotaryWhere: Villefort’s homeWhen: After Madam de Saint Meran’s funeral

Chapter 24: What, How, Why• Villefort wants to put forth Madam de Saint Meran’s last wishes to have Valentine married• Franz arrives to Villefort’s home along with a notary and two witnesses• The notary tells Franz that Valentine has been disinherited from Nortier’s fortune• Franz said he just wants happiness, not her money• Nortier has summoned to meet with Franz• Nortier communicated to Valentine that he needed a key and she had difficulty fulfilling this request, so the

servant had to step in and help• Unlocked a secret drawer• Inside were a bundles of papers, and Nortier wanted Franz to read them• The letter revealed how Franz’s father, General Quesnel, died• He was aksed to join a secret Bonapartist meeting because they were trying to recruit him• The president was taking him home (the president was Nortier)• Quesnel declined the offer to join…now knew all of the faces of the members• General Quesnel insulted Nortier…they pulled over the carriage and had a duel • General Quesnel was killed by Nortier• Since the letter did not reveal the name, Franz wanted to know who killed his father• Nortier used the dictionary and communicated to Franz, “Myself”• Villefort was angry with his father for ruining the marriage between Franz and Valentine• Nortier stopped the signing of the marriage contract just like he promised Max Morrel