1) Why is Dantès so reluctant to indulge Abbé Faria and hear out what he assumes is his deranged treasure fantasy?

2) Why does Dumas use a story-within-a-story structure to convey the Spada history? Does it offer any insight about the narrator (Faria) or the listener (Dantès)? Does the inner story offer any commentary on the outer story?

3) Dantès readily accepts Faria as a surrogate father, having earlier entertained the idea that his own father is dead. Do you think he’s given up hope that Mercédès is still waiting for him?

Final sentence of chapter:

”And he held out his good arm to the young man, who fell weeping on his breast.”

previous chapter discussion

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