The Countdown Begins (The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 5)

📚 Summary: Dantès, brimming with confidence, announces that his wedding to Mercédès will take place at 3 PM, mere hours away. He dismisses concerns about legal formalities, as neither he nor Mercédès have fortunes to settle. Meanwhile, Danglars feigns surprise while collecting crucial details for his scheme, and Fernand’s jealousy reaches a breaking point. With Dantès set to leave for Paris the next morning, the conspirators realize their window of opportunity is closing fast.

✨ What Happens:

• Dantès confirms that his wedding will take place at 3 PM, sealing his fate.
• He jokes that neither he nor Mercédès have wealth, so the marriage contract was quick to arrange.
• Danglars, in a “timid tone,” asks about the wedding formalities—not out of curiosity, but to confirm the timeline for his betrayal.
• Dantès reveals his travel plans: a trip to Paris for a secret commission, giving his enemies the perfect moment to strike.
• Fernand, overwhelmed with jealousy, grips the table for support and nearly collapses.
• The company laughs and applauds, oblivious to the betrayal already in motion.

💡 Thoughts & Reflections:

• The real countdown begins. Every second of Dantès’ happiness is ticking toward disaster.
• Fernand’s jealousy is now unbearable. His physical reaction shows he is on the verge of action.
• Danglars is playing the long game. While Fernand burns with passion, Danglars carefully extracts information.
• Dantès’ greatest weakness? Trust. He shares his plans openly, never suspecting those around him.

📖 Tidbits & Speculation:

• Napoleonic Code & Marriage: In 19th-century France, marriages required a contract and a waiting period—but these could be bypassed with wealth or influence, as M. Morrel has done for Dantès.
• Paris in 1815: Dantès’ journey coincides with Napoleon’s escape from Elba. Any association with Bonapartists, real or fabricated, is dangerous.
• Dumas’ Narrative Clock: The timeline is tightening—Dantès is unknowingly giving his enemies the perfect moment to act.

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