Mother and Son — The Count of Monte Cristo

Albert stays silent while Beauchamp congratulates him on a disagreeable affair ended and Château-Renaud taps his cane. Beauchamp calls his forbearance magnificent and advises exile to Naples, the Hague, or St. Petersburg before simpletons force a worse fight. Albert replies that he already meant to quit France and remembers their service as seconds only. He ignores Beauchamp's offered hand, whispers goodbye with a look of proud anger, and gallops to the Rue du Helder.

He thinks he sees his father's pale face behind a bedroom curtain, sighs, and inventories his apartments. He removes his mother's portrait from its gilt frame, locks Turkish arms and English guns, leaves pocket money and jewels in a drawer, and lists everything on the table. His valet asks what to tell the Count of Morcerf; Albert orders him to say the duel did not take place and that he apologized to the Count of Monte Cristo. Fernand drives away as Albert enters Mercédès's room and finds her packing keys and linen the same way.

Mother and son discover matching resolutions. Albert will renounce rank and fortune, borrow bread money from Franz, and refuse the Morcerf name. Mercédès offers her father's name, Herrera, and says the grave opens when she leaves this house. Bertuccio hands Monte Cristo's letter at the carriage door. It restores the buried louis from the Allées de Meilhan fig-tree for the woman Edmond adored. Mercédès looks to heaven, says she accepts it as dowry for a convent, and walks downstairs on her son's arm.