A Scheme Takes Shape (The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 4)

✨ Summary:

Fernand, consumed by jealousy, openly admits his hatred for Dantès but refuses to kill him, fearing Mercédès’ vow to take her own life if Edmond dies. Caderousse, drunk and oblivious, insists that Dantès must not be harmed, citing their friendship and past generosity. Meanwhile, Danglars, ever the manipulator, refines his plan—hinting that imprisonment, not murder, is the perfect way to separate Edmond from Mercédès without bloodshed.

🔍 What Happens:

• Fernand’s Jealousy Boils Over – He confesses his hatred for Dantès and his desperation to stop the marriage.
• Caderousse’s Drunken Interference – Though initially protesting any harm to Dantès, he quickly loses focus under the influence of wine.
• Danglars’ Subtle Manipulation – He steers the conversation toward a non-violent solution: falsely accusing Dantès of a crime.
• The Plan Begins to Take Shape – Danglars suggests that a prison sentence would separate Dantès and Mercédès as effectively as death.

💡 Thoughts & Reflections:

• Danglars’ Genius in Evil – Unlike Fernand’s raw, emotional jealousy, Danglars is calculating. He doesn’t just want to hurt Dantès—he wants to make sure Dantès never recovers.
• Caderousse’s Unreliable Morality – He protests any harm to Dantès but is too drunk to stop anything, making him a passive accomplice.
• Fernand’s Breaking Point – His refusal to kill Dantès shows he still fears Mercédès’ judgment, but will that hesitation last?
• The Shadow of False Accusations – Danglars is planting the idea that a well-placed lie could destroy Dantès without violence—a terrifyingly effective strategy in post-Napoleonic France.

📖 Tidbits & Research:

• Political Paranoia & False Arrests – Under the Bourbon monarchy, even a whisper of Bonapartist ties could land someone in prison, making Danglars’ scheme dangerously plausible.
• Alcohol as a Manipulative Tool – Danglars keeps refilling Caderousse’s glass, ensuring that his moral objections stay buried under intoxication.
• French vs. Spanish Stereotypes – Danglars’ comment about the French "inventing" while the Spanish "ruminate" reflects 19th-century nationalistic biases, painting the French as quick-witted schemers.

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