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Major Cavalcante's Visit

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Brief overview

Monte Cristo coaches a hired Italian major to play the long-lost father of Andrea Cavalcanti.

  1. The Count scripts the reunion in advanceMontecristo knows the name, the hour, the papers and the young man waiting in the blue drawing-room before the Major says a word.
  2. The Major performs grief for moneyHe takes a third biscuit while mourning the mother and works at a false tear, but his eyes only truly sparkle at eight thousand francs.
  3. Paperwork is what makes the fraud stand upIn France marriage is a civil affair, so the certificate and baptismal register matter more than the sentiment.
Executive Summary AI
  • A shabby, oddly dressed visitor of about fifty-two arrives by cab at No. 30 in the Avenue de Champs-Elysees, the house of the Count of Montecristo, who has been expecting him at seven o'clock that evening.
  • The visitor presents himself as the Marquis Bartolomeo Cavalcante, ex-major in the Austrian service, sent by the Abbe Bussoni with a letter describing him as a patrician of Lucca with an income of half a million who lost an adored son, stolen at the age of five, fifteen years ago.
  • The letter's postscript is what the Major really cares about: a draft for two thousand francs for travel and a credit on Montecristo for a further forty-eight thousand francs, which the Count accepts without dispute.
  • The Major has brought none of the papers the story requires, so Montecristo produces them himself, the marriage certificate to Oliva Corsinari from the church of San Paolo de Montecatini and Andrea Cavalcanti's baptismal register from the curate of Saravetza.
  • Montecristo rehearses the cover story for Paris, hands over eight thousand francs on account, tells the Major to change his clothes and take rooms at the Hotel de Prensay in the Rue de Richelieu, then leaves him to meet Andrea alone.
Key Quote
“Half a million, said he, magnificent.”
— Montecristo
Key Quote
“Because you are robbed by your steward, you must make some reformation in that quarter.”
— Montecristo
Key Quote
“You have opened my eyes, said the Italian gravely. I will show the gentleman the door.”
— Major Cavalcante

Transcript

0:00 CHAPTER LIV.
0:22 MAJOR CAVALCANTE.
0:24 Both the Count and Baptistine had told the truth when they announced to morcerf the proposed visit of the major which had served monte cristo as a pretext for declining albert's invitation him, had two hours before left for Hauteuil, when a cab stopped at the door, and after depositing
0:46 its occupant at the gate, immediately hurried away, as if ashamed of its employment. The visitor was
0:52 about fifty-two years of age, dressed in one of the green surtoutes ornamented with black frogs
0:57 which have so long maintained their popularity all over Europe. He wore trousers of blue cloth,
1:03 boots tolerably clean but not of the brightest polish, and a little too thick in the soles, buckskin gloves, a hat somewhat resembling in shape those usually worn by the gendarmes, and a black cravat striped with white, which, if the proprietor had not worn it of his own free will, might have passed for a halter, so much did it resemble one. Such was the picturesque costume of the person who
1:26 rang at the gate, and demanded, if it was not at No. 30 in the Avenue de Champs-Élysées,
1:31 that the Count of Montecristo lived, and who, being answered by the porter in the affirmative,
1:37 entered, closed the gate after him, and began to ascend the steps.
1:41 The small and angular head of this man, his white hair and thick grey moustaches,
1:46 caused him to be easily recognized by Baptistine, who had received an exact description of the
1:51 expected visitor, and who was awaiting him in the hall. Therefore, scarcely had the stranger
1:56 time to pronounce his name before the Count was apprised of his arrival. He was ushered into a
2:01 simple and elegant drawing-room, and the Count rose to meet him with a smiling air ah my dear sir you are most welcome i was expecting you indeed said the italian was your excellency then aware of my visit full information concerning my arrival. Of course. Ah, so much the better. I feared this
2:26 little precaution might have been forgotten. What precaution? That of informing you beforehand of
2:32 my coming. Oh, no, it has not. But you're sure you're not mistaken? Very sure. It really was I
2:40 whom Your Excellency expected at seven o'clock this evening. I will prove it to you beyond a
2:45 doubt. Oh, no, never mind that, said the Italian. It is not worth the trouble.
2:51 Yes, yes, said Montecristo. His visitor appeared slightly uneasy. Let me see, said the Count.
2:57 Are you not the Marquis Bartolomeo Cavalcante? Bartolomeo Cavalcante joyfully replied the
3:03 Italian. Yes, I really am he. Ex-major in the austrian service was i a major timidly asked the old soldier yes said monte cristo you were a major that is the title the french give to the post which you filled in italy Major. I do not demand more, you understand. Your visit here to-day is not of your own
3:25 suggestion, is it? said Montecristo. No, certainly not. You were sent by some other person? Yes,
3:33 by the excellent Abbe Bussoni. Exactly so, said the delighted Major. And you have a letter?
3:41 Yes, there it is. Give it to me, then. And Monte Cristo took the letter, which he opened
3:47 and read. The Major looked at the Count with his large staring eyes, and then took a survey of the
3:53 apartment, but his gaze almost immediately reverted to the proprietor of the room.
3:58 Yes, yes, I see. Major Cavalcanti, a worthy patrician of Luca, a descendant of the Cavalcanti
4:04 of Florence, continued Monte Cristo, reading aloud,rician of Lucca, a descendant of the Cavalcanti of Florence,
4:09 continued Montecristo, reading aloud, possessing an income of half a million.
4:12 Montecristo raised his eyes from the paper and bowed.
4:15 Half a million, said he, magnificent.
4:18 Half a million, is it? said the major.
4:24 Yes, in so many words. And it must be so, for the Abbe knows correctly the amount of all the largest fortunes in Europe. Well, be it half a million, then, but on my word of honour I had no idea that it was so
4:31 much. Because you are robbed by your steward, you must make some reformation in that quarter.
4:37 You have opened my eyes, said the Italian gravely. I will show the gentleman the door.
4:43 Montecristo resumed the perusal of the letter.
4:49 "'And who needs only one more thing to make him happy?' "'Yes, indeed, but one,' said the Major, with a sigh.
4:52 "'Which is to recover a lost and adored son.
4:55 A lost and adored son!

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