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Maximilian's Plea

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Brief overview

Facing a forced marriage, Valentine finally agrees to flee with Morrel, but the appointed night brings silence.

  1. Duty beats love until death is the priceValentine calls resistance sacrilege and only yields when Morrel promises to kill himself.
  2. The escape is planned to the minuteTwo ladders hidden in the clover-field, a horse and cabriolet concealed, the meeting set for a quarter to nine.
  3. The dark house is the real newsNo lights at the windows on a contract night, and Villefort speaking of a fresh death, mean the plan has already been overtaken.
Executive Summary AI
  • At the gate under the chestnut trees, Maximilian Morrel tells Valentine that Franz d'Epinay reached Paris that morning and that the marriage contract will be signed the following day.
  • Valentine refuses to fight the match, calling it sacrilege to resist her father's order and her dying grandmother's wish, which drives Morrel to cold, formal bitterness.
  • Only when Morrel calmly describes how he would write to his brother-in-law and the prefect of police and end his own life does Valentine break, declaring she would rather die of shame than of remorse and promising to follow him, with Noirtier told first so his consent justifies her.
  • Her letter arrives two days later: prayers at the church of St. Philippe de Roule changed nothing, the signature is fixed for nine o'clock that evening, and she will meet him at the gate at a quarter to nine.
  • Morrel waits past ten, scales the wall, and finds the house dark rather than lit for a ceremony; hidden by a sycamore, he overhears Villefort and Doctor d'Avenray speak of a death and of a terrible secret still to come.
Key Quote
“I come to bring and to hear bad tidings.”
— Morell
Key Quote
“What do you mean by a struggle? Oh, it would be sacrilege.”
— Valentine
Key Quote
“I will take you to my sister, who is worthy also to be yours.”
— Morel

Transcript

0:00 THE PROMISE chapter seventy three part i the promise it was indeed maximilian morrel who had passed a wretched existence since the previous day
0:32 with the instinct peculiar to lovers he had anticipated after the return of madame de saint-meran and the death of the marquis that something would occur at monsieur de villefort's in connection with his attachment for Valentine.
0:46 His presentiments were realized, as we shall see, and his uneasy forebodings had goaded
0:51 him pale and trembling to the gate under the chestnut trees.
0:56 Valentine was ignorant of the cause of this sorrow and anxiety, and as it was not his
1:01 accustomed hour for visiting her, she had gone to the spot simply by accident, or perhaps through sympathy.
1:08 Morell called her, and she ran to the gate.
1:10 "'You are here at this hour?' said she.
1:13 "'Yes, my poor girl,' replied Morell.
1:16 "'I come to bring and to hear bad tidings.'
1:19 "'This is, indeed, a house of mourning,' said Valentine.
1:23 Speak, Maximilian, although the cup of sorrow seems already full.
1:27 Dear Valentine, said Morel, endeavoring to conceal his own emotion, listen, I entreat you. What I am about to say. This morning the subject was introduced, and my
1:46 dear grandmother, on whom I depended as my only support, not only declared herself favorable to
1:51 it, but is so anxious for it that they only await the arrival of M. d'Ipinay. And the following day
1:58 the contract will be signed. A deep sigh escaped the young man, who gazed long and mournfully at her he loved alas replied he it is dreadful thus to hear my condemnation from your own lips
2:12 the sentence is passed and in a few hours will be executed it must be so and i will not endeavor to prevent it but since you say nothing remains but for m d'epinay to arrive that the contract may be signed, and the following day you will be his.
2:28 Tomorrow you will be engaged to M. d'Epinay, for he came this morning to Paris."
2:34 Valentine uttered a cry.
2:35 "'I was at the house of Monte-Cristo an hour since,' said Morrel.
2:39 We were speaking.
2:40 He of the sorrow your family had experienced, and I of your grief when a carriage rolled
2:45 into the courtyard never till then had i placed any confidence in presentiments but now i can't help believing them valentine at the sound of that carriage i shuddered footsteps of the commander did Don Juan. The door at last opened. Albert de Morsurf entered,
3:07 and I began to hope my fears were vain, when after him another young man advanced, and the count
3:12 exclaimed, Ah, here is the Baron Franz de Epinay. I summoned all my strength and courage to my
3:18 support. Perhaps I turned pale and trembled, but certainly I smiled, and five minutes after I left, without having
3:26 heard one word that had passed. Poor Maximilian, murmured Valentine. Valentine, the time has
3:32 arrived that you must answer me. And remember, my life depends on your answer. What do you intend
3:38 doing? Valentine held down her head. She was overwhelmed. Listen, said Moral, it is not the first time you have
3:46 contemplated our present position,
3:48 which is a serious and urgent one.
3:50 I do not think it is a moment to
3:52 give way to useless sorrow.
3:55 Leave that for those who like
3:56 to suffer at their leisure, and indulge
3:58 their grief in secret. There are
4:00 such in the world, and God will doubtless
4:02 reward them in heaven for their resignation
4:04 on earth.
4:11 But those who mean to contend must not lose one precious moment, but must return immediately the blow which fortune strikes. Do you intend to struggle against our ill fortune? Tell me,

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