Revised Chat for the Count of Monte Crisco, pages 501-596

[Andrea]

For people following chapters this is approximately chapter XLV - LIII or 45 - 53

[Ellen]

I'm on Chapter 50 (he's visiting the Morrel family) and I'm sucked in but all the characters are a bit confusing.

Also, I'm wondering about that servant that killed the guy in Montecristo's garden. Did Dantes know about that in advance? If so, how? I could have missed it since I put the book down for a long time and, as I said, there are so many darned characters, it's hard to keep them all straight! At least for me.

[Andrea]

I'm not at this part yet Ellen, I'll try to catch up to you this weekend so we can chat!

[Kara]

Andrea -- spoilers! Don't read until you're done with this section.

I don't think he did, though it's not necessarily clear from the story. Perhaps he knew that Bertuccio had a vendetta against Villefort, but not about the baby.

It's funny how much the book seems to waver between luck / circumstance, and how much Monte Cristo can manipulate things.

[Ellen]

Thanks, Kara. That's a great observation about luck and circumstance. On the one hand, everybody - even Monte Cristo - is so subject to that. And on the other, so much only seems that way to the people involved, who are really subject to his manipulations.