Bertuccio, who is the count's right-hand man, relates his story to the Count,beginning with his discovery that his brother, a soldier, has been slain in Nimes by murderers, and the law was not investigationg it as they should. He went to the King's Attorney, whose name was Villafort (the same man who condemned the Count (Dantes) to prison years before , hoping to glorify himself to the King so he could become the king's attorney, even though he knew Dantes was innocent.

Now Villafort reats Bertuccio with the same lack of concern- and Bertuccio threatens to kill him.

That much you already know- today you get the story of the infant boy that Bertuccio rescued-

The Vendetta pT 1
Bertuccio explains that years ago, his brother, who had been a soldier in Napoleon’s army, was murdered by royalist assassins in the city of Nîmes. Seeking justice, Bertuccio visited the public prosecutor of Nîmes, who at the time was Gérard de Villefort. Villefort, a royalist, was unsympathetic to Bertuccio’s story and coolly turned him away. Bertuccio swore revenge on the public prosecutor.

Terrified for his life, Villefort transferred to Versailles, but Bertuccio followed him there. Bertuccio soon discovered that Villefort often came to visit the summerhouse in Auteuil, where he kept his mistress, a widowed baroness. One night, Bertuccio lay in wait for Villefort in the small garden behind the house and stabbed him, leaving him for dead. Villefort had just finished burying a box when Bertuccio pounced on him and grabbed the box, thinking that it contained a treasure. Instead, he found a baby, which had been smothered but started breathing after being given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Chapter 42: Monsieur Bertuccio
After taking leave of the Morcerf family, Monte Cristo purchases a summerhouse in Auteuil. The previous owner was the Marquis of Saint-Méran, whose daughter married Villefort and died soon after.

Chapter 43: The House at Auteuil
Monte Cristo goes to visit his new summerhouse. While he explores the grounds, his steward, Bertuccio, becomes frantic. When Monte Cristo presses him for an explanation of his agitation, Bertuccio unfolds a complex story.

Still a guest of young Morcerf as the day draws on, the Count is introduced to Mercedes.

This is a great chapter. Will she recognize him?

The Count arrives on time in Paris for the long awaited breakfast appointment with the young Albert Morcerf, the son of Mercedes. Alberts notable guests at the table enjoy the discussion.

SOME IMPORTANT CLUES FOR YOU:

The Count had not known that Albert was intertwined with the relative of another of his targets of revenge, and so views this connection as a means by which he (the Count) might come closer to Danglars, and perhaps also to Villefort, who is living in Paris as well. Importantly, Morrel notes that Thomson and French is the firm to which he and his family attribute their salvation, but Morrel is unable to recognize the Count as the envoy from that very same firm – as the Count’s identity has been altered substantially enough to make the drawing of this connection impossible for the young man, who only saw the envoy for a short time many years ago.

Albert has invited 4 guests to be present when the Count arrives for his promised stay with the Count- he and his friends share the conversation of men whosse lives are lived very affluently - just before the Count arrives another guest arrives- and that is Capt. Morrell's son.

The Compact-

In gratitude for what the Count has done for him.Albert sends him a letter vowing his indebtedness and gratitude and offering to find an opening in the top echelon of Parisian society should the Count desire. They agree on having the Count arrive at Albert's residence in exactly 90 days.

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