The Count of Monte Cristo · Chapter
A Conjugal Scene explained
After leaving the Count of Monte Cristo's party, Debray accompanies Madame Danglars home.
What happens
After leaving the Count of Monte Cristo's party, Debray accompanies Madame Danglars home. In her private chambers, a tense conversation reveals her agitation over the Count's story. Baron Danglars confronts his wife, accusing her of using insider information from Debray to speculate on the Spanish loan, which has just cost him 700,000 francs. He demands she repay a quarter of the loss, exposing the financial and marital discord between them.
Themes in this chapter
Wealth and Corruption
Danglars' obsession with money and his accusations against his wife reveal how wealth corrupts personal relationships and leads to moral decay.
Betrayal and Deception
Madame Danglars' secret financial dealings with Debray and the false telegraphic despatch highlight themes of deception and betrayal within marriage.
Class and Social Mobility
The Danglars' argument over money and social standing underscores the precarious nature of social mobility through wealth in Parisian high society.
Characters to notice
- Baron Danglars
Confronts his wife about her financial dealings and demands repayment for losses on the Spanish loan.
- Madame Danglars
Shows nervous irritability and is accused by her husband of using secret information from Debray to speculate.
- Lucien Debray
Accompanies Madame Danglars home and is suspected by Danglars of being involved in the financial loss.
- Eugénie Danglars
Mentioned as having gone to bed after practicing music; her mother comments on her infatuation with music.
- Louise d'Armilly
Playing the piano while Eugénie is in bed.
Key passages
“Debray, with the air of a man familiar with the house, entered first into the court, threw his bridle into the hands of a footman, and returned to the door to receive Madame Danglars, to whom he offered his arm, to conduct her to her apartments.”
Debray acted as if he owned the place, handing his horse to a servant and then escorting Madame Danglars inside.
Shows Debray's intimate familiarity with the Danglars household.
“Well, since I gave you a fourth of my gains, I think you owe me a fourth of my losses; the fourth of 700,000 francs is 175,000 francs.”
Danglars demands that his wife repay him 175,000 francs, arguing that since she shared in his profits, she must also share in his losses.
Highlights Danglars' mercenary view of marriage and his financial accusations.
“Either the diplomatist must give his lessons gratis, and I will tolerate him, or he must never set his foot again in my house; —do you understand, madame?”
Danglars gives his wife an ultimatum: either Debray stops receiving money from her, or he is banned from their home.
Reveals Danglars' jealousy and his focus on financial control.