The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 99 summary

What happens

1. Madame Danglars waits unsuccessfully at Lucien Debray’s rooms, then returns home without discovering Eugénie’s escape.
2. She decides that Villefort can protect her family by allowing Andrea to escape or delaying his prosecution.
3. The next morning, wary servants admit her into Villefort’s closely guarded house.
4. Villefort identifies Andrea as Benedetto, describes his criminal record, and refuses to interfere with legal proceedings.
5. He vows to punish the criminals responsible for the deaths in his household, whoever they are.
6. A dispatch announces Benedetto’s arrest at Compiègne, and Villefort welcomes the murder case as part of his coming court session.

In this chapter

What to notice

Villefort reveals a personal motive beneath his claims of legal duty. Condemning others helps him endure the knowledge of his own faults.

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