Matrimonial Projects — The Count of Monte Cristo

The morning after his fight with Hermine, Baron Danglars watches from behind a curtain as his wife drives out and Debray fails to visit as usual. He spends the morning in his study with bad figures, receives Major Cavalcanti on time for their business meeting, speaks angrily in the Chamber, and then goes to Monte Cristo's house on the Champs-Élysées.

Danglars is in trouble. Jacopo Manfredi has gone bankrupt, the Spanish telegraph cost him seven hundred thousand francs, and Monte Cristo calmly adds it all up to one million seven hundred thousand francs lost this month. The Count explains that some fortunes are solid and some are only smoke. He tells Danglars he has a third-rate fortune that can die after a few more bad months.

The talk turns to marriage. Danglars prefers Andrea Cavalcanti over Albert de Morcerf for his daughter Eugénie. Monte Cristo feeds the story of hidden Italian millions, praises Busoni's drafts, and warns the banker not to lend Andrea extra money. Danglars likes the idea of a rich noble son-in-law after so much loss.

Then the Count steers him toward scandal. Danglars says Morcerf's fine name is false, that the count was once a fisherman called Fernand Mondego, and hints at dark stories from Greece. Monte Cristo plays the calm host and suggests he write to Yanina to ask what Fernand Mondego did to Ali Tepelini. Danglars rushes out delighted, thinking he has found a weapon, not knowing the Count aimed him at it.