Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

Chapter 45: The Vendetta
Bertuccio talks about his brother’s death, Villefort’s refusal to avenge the death or compensate his sister-in-law and his plan to kill Villefort.  One night, concealed in the bushes at the house at Auteuil, Bertuccio sees Villefort and a pregnant girl.  Villefort leaves the house with a box and starts digging in the garden.  Bertuccio stabs Villefort, opens the box and revives a strangled child.  Bertuccio leaves the child at the hospital but the baby is brought home by his sister-in-law.  The baby, Benedetto grows up to be a spoiled, mean-spirited child.
Bertuccio tells the Count that he fled from custom agents one night by jumping out of his boat, swimming to shore and hiding at Caderousse’s inn.  Bertuccio sees the jeweler looking at the diamond, hears the story about the priest’s (Dantes) visit and listens as the three argue over a selling price.  A raging storm causes the jeweler to spend the night at the inn.
 
Chapter 46: The Rain of Blood
Bertuccio stays hidden under the stairs of the inn.  He listens as Caderousse, his wife and the jeweler eat supper then go to bed.  He wakes to pistol fire, hears a struggle and then a thud.  Bertuccio watches Caderousse, covered in blood, take the diamond, gold and money and leave the house.  Bertuccio enters, sees the wife dead on the stairs then finds the jeweler dead upstairs.  As he goes downstairs, Bertuccio is met by custom agents who believe he is the murderer.  As a trial nears, the priest (Dantes) appears and corroborates Bertuccio's story.  Caderousse confesses to the murders and Bertuccio is released.  The priest recommends Bertuccio to the Count of Monte Cristo (Dantes). 
During this time, Benedetto and friends go to his mother’s house for money.  They torture her then leave her for dead.
The Count and Bertuccio leave the Auteuil house and return to Paris.  There the Count greets the young Greek woman who was with him in Rome.
 
Chapter 47: Unlimited Credit
Danglars tries calling at the Count’s house but is not received.  The Count watches Danglars from an upstairs window then summons his servant.  He directs the servant to purchase the horses from Danglars’ carriage.  The Count directs Bertuccio to go find and purchase a seaside home.  The Count travels to Danglars’ house with his two new horses.  Danglars thinks the Count is a fake.  The Count presents Danglars with a letter from a bank in Rome which guarantees the Count unlimited credit.  Danglars thinks this is absurd and demands to know what sum the Count requires.  The Count asks for 6 million francs, half in gold and half in bank notes.  He says he will be in Paris for one year.
 
Chapter 48: The Dappled Greys
Danglars introduces the Count to his wife.  The Count says he is grateful for friends to help him navigate the city.  During their discussion, Madame Danglars finds out her horses were sold that morning.  The Count remarks that he bought two horses.  Danglars explains to his wife that they were offered a great sum of money for the horses.  (The Count is happy he caused an argument between husband and wife.)  When the Count gets back to his house, he orders the horses to be returned to Madame Danglars.
The Count travels to his Auteuil house.  He directs his servant Ali to watch for and stop a runaway carriage that he expects will pass by.  Ali stops the carriage carrying a woman, Heloise de Villefort and her young son, Edward.  The Count brings them inside and revives the unconscious boy with a vial of red liquid.  Heloise is grateful for the Count’s help; the boy acts rude and spoiled.  The incident is talked about throughout the social circles causing Villefort to pay the Count a visit.
 
Chapter 49: Ideology
Villefort is a respectable magistrate with a young wife, Heloise, an 18-year old daughter from his first marriage, Valentine, and son, Edward.  Villefort rarely goes out but visits the Count with thanks and gratitude for saving his wife and son.  The Count dismisses his praise but engages in conversation with Villefort.  The men talk of France’s legal system, politics, people and religion.  Villefort respects the Count and invites him to his house where he can introduce the Count to his father, Noirtier and his daughter, Valentine.
 
Chapter 50: Haydee
The Greek girl, Haydee, lives in an apartment unconnected to the Count’s.  The Count visits her and tells her in Paris she is free.  He encourages her to go out, live as she pleases and not be tied to him.  Haydee says she only has affection for him.  She has traveled with him throughout Italy, Spain and France.  They talk about her father’s death.  Haydee tells the Count she could not bear losing him.
 
Chapter 51: The Morrel Family
Nine years have passed since the Count saved Morrel and his family.  Maximilian happily greets the Count at their house and introduces him to his sister, Julie, and brother-in-law, Emmanuel.  Cocles, the former bank teller, now works at the house.  Julie tells the Count about their benefactor, Sinbad the Sailor, who saved them from ruin.  Maximilian says that his father believed the benefactor rose from the grave.  His last words were, “Maximilian, it was Edmond Dantes!”  The Count is stunned.  He quickly thanks Julie for her friendship and leaves.  Julie thinks she’s heard his voice before.
 
Chapter 52: Pyramus and Thisbe
Valentine sits in the garden beside an iron gate, on the other side is Maximilian Morrel.  Maximilian loves Valentine but is worried her father will not approve of him.  A match between Valentine and Franz has been arranged but Franz isn’t coming home for a year.  Valentine says Maximilian is her only friend besides her grandfather.  She is forgotten by her father, harassed by her step-mother and overshadowed by her brother.  Maximilian has a small fortune and comes from a respectable house.  He believes a match between them is possible.  Valentine tells Maximilian about a time when her father became unhappy at hearing the name Morrel.  Maximilian and Valentine part when she is called to the house to meet the Count.
 
Chapter 53: Toxicology
The Count visits Villefort’s house but finds he is out.  The Count talks with Heloise and Edward and meets Valentine.  The Count asks if they might have met in Italy, Heloise remembers that they spoke of medical matters.  Valentine goes to get her grandfather for supper and Edward is sent out of the room.  Heloise tells the Count that Noitier has paralysis and his mind if fading.  They talk about the effects of poison, how people build tolerance to poison and what can happen to the food chain when an animal ingests poison.  Heloise asks for the prescription for the red liquid that revived her son the day of the runaway carriage.  The Count reminds her that a small dose is a remedy while a large dose is poisonous. 
 
Chapter 54: Robert Le Diable
At the opera, Albert and Chateau-Renaud discuss a horse race winner named Vampa.  Madame Danglars, her daughter, Eugenie, and Lucien Debray enter another theatre box.  Chateau-Renaud asks Albert about his objections against Eugenie, Albert says she’s not his type.  Albert and Chateau-Renaud visit the countess from Rome during intermission.  She tells them she was sent the gold cup from yesterday’s horse race.  Albert tells her he is certain the Count is the owner of the horse.  They talk about the Count buying Madame Danglars’ horses, how he saved Heloise and Edward from the runaway carriage and now owns a winning horse.  The Count and Haydee enter their theatre box.  During second intermission, Albert visits Madame Danglars box.  Madame Danglars asks Albert if he will ask the Count to visit their box.  During the third act, Fernand enters Madame Danglars box.  The Count also visits, where he is introduced to Eugenie.  As they are talking, the Count notices something wrong with Haydee, excuses himself and returns to his box.  Haydee recognized Fernand as the man who sold her father to the Turks and reaped fortune.  Haydee says she cannot stand the sight of Fernand and they leave.
 
Chapter 55: A Talk About Stocks
At the Count’s house in Paris, Albert tells Lucien Debray that he doesn’t want to marry Eugenie, says his mother dislikes Danglars and that his father will insist on the match.  Albert tells Lucien he should give Madame Danglars false stock information and teach her a lesson.  The Count says he is planning a dinner for Saturday night at Auteuil and wants them to come.  The Danglars and Villeforts are also invited.  Albert declines as he and his mother will be traveling.  The Count tells Albert he is expecting Major Cavalcanti and his son.  When Albert leaves, the Count tells Bertuccio to go prepare the house in Auteuil.

Chapter 56: Major Cavalcanti
The Major arrives at the Count’s house, explaining he was sent by Abbe Busoni (the priest, who is Dantes).  He wishes to find his son, who was kidnapped at five years old by gypsies.  The Count is interrupted and told another visitor has arrived.  The Count directs his servant to show his guest into another room.  The Count gives the Major papers regarding his marriage to Olivia Corsinari and baptism of his son, Andrea.  The Count tells the Major that his son is in the other room.  The Major says he has spent all of his money traveling.  The Count gives him money and assures he will have credit for more.
 
Chapter 57: Andrea Cavalcanti
Andrea greets the Count with a letter of introduction from Sinbad the Sailor.  Andrea tells the Count that he was taken away by his tutor at a young age and that he has been searching for his father with no luck.  When the Count says the Major is in the next room, Andrea is startled.  The Count tells Andrea that he will be his guide in Paris and the Major will give him allowance.  The Count watches in secret as the father and son meet.  They are stiff and unemotional with each other.  Andrea looks at the papers supplied by the Count, he thinks they are fake.  Andrea and the Major talk about the letters directing them to the Count.  They find they are both being paid to act as father and son.  The Count reenters, Andrea and the Major embrace.  The Count invites them to the party on Saturday night.