# LXI: How a Gardener May Get Rid of the Dormice That Eat His Peaches explained — The Count of Monte Cristo

> Chapter companion for The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

## What happens

The Count of Monte Cristo visits a telegraph operator at Montlhéry, observing his modest garden and living conditions. He learns the operator's routine, pay, and the consequences of errors. Monte Cristo then tempts the man with a bribe of fifteen thousand francs to deliberately alter a signal, leading to a financial loss for Danglars.

## Themes in this chapter

### Wealth and Corruption

Monte Cristo uses his immense wealth to bribe the telegraph operator, corrupting the system for personal revenge and causing financial ruin to Danglars.

### Betrayal and Deception

The deliberate alteration of the telegraph signal is an act of deception that betrays the trust placed in the operator and manipulates public information.

## Character check-ins

### Edmond Dantès

As the Count of Monte Cristo, he orchestrates a scheme to manipulate the telegraph signal, causing Danglars to lose a million francs.

### Baron Danglars

Indirectly affected; the altered telegraph signal leads to a false news report that causes him to lose a million francs.

### Maximilian Morrel

Present at Monte Cristo's house when the news of Danglars' loss arrives, and is told by Monte Cristo about the discovery of how to get rid of dormice.

## Key lines

> I have just discovered how a gardener may get rid of the dormice that eat his peaches.

Monte Cristo reveals to Morrel that he has found a method to eliminate the pests (dormice) that ruin a gardener's peaches, metaphorically referring to his scheme against Danglars.

_This line serves as the chapter's title and encapsulates Monte Cristo's cunning plan to cause Danglars' financial loss._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_count_of_monte_cristo_se/chapters/lxi-how-a-gardener-may-get-rid-of-the-dormice-that-eat-his-peaches
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_count_of_monte_cristo_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_count_of_monte_cristo_se/chapters