1) It’s one thing for Dantès, a youth, to trust others naïvely, but why does the Marquis de Saint-Méran trust Villefort so unquestioningly about selling all his government bonds?

2) Danglars earlier criticizes Dantès for acting as though he’s already been promoted to captain (even though Dantès speaks in humble tones about the prospect); what would Danglars make of Villefort, who openly admits to the marquis that ambitiousness about advancing his career is fueling his desire to prosecute Dantès?

3) Who’s more reprehensible—Villefort, who occasionally feels compunction about denying an innocent man freedom and happiness yet sacrifices Dantès to protect himself, or Danglars, who gives no thought at all to Dantès’ innocence and sleeps without a care?

4) So much for Renée as a beacon of humanity! Do women have any power in this story to curb the excesses of the men around them?

Final sentence of chapter:

“As for Edmond, we know what had become of him …”

previous chapter discussion