Contents
Chapter 87.
Overview
Reeling from his father’s disgrace, Albert seeks the source of the denunciation. He confronts Danglars, demanding a duel, but learns Danglars wrote to Yanina at the Count of Monte Cristo’s suggestion. Realizing Monte Cristo orchestrated events, Albert redirects his challenge and goes to demand an explanation from the count.
Summary
Beauchamp recounts leaving the Chamber of Peers after Haïdée’s devastating testimony and urges Albert to withdraw from Paris to let the scandal fade. Albert refuses, vowing to find and kill whoever engineered his father’s downfall. Pressed by Albert, Beauchamp shares a lead from Yanina: a banker there had recently been questioned by a Paris correspondent—Danglars.
Convinced Danglars acted from jealousy and to break his engagement, Albert rushes with Beauchamp to the banker’s house, prepared to challenge him. Finding Andrea Cavalcanti present, Albert declares himself ready to fight either man. Danglars tries to deflect the confrontation to legal authorities, but Albert insists this is a matter of honor and demands a duel.
Threatened, Danglars claims he only made routine inquiries about the Morcerf family before the proposed marriage. Under Albert’s questioning, Danglars reveals he wrote to Yanina at the suggestion of the Count of Monte Cristo and even showed the count the reply. He argues he refused the marriage without public exposure and denies personal malice.
Albert connects prior signs—Monte Cristo’s knowledge of Ali Pasha, Haïdée’s recital, warnings about names, and the Normandy trip—and concludes the count orchestrated the exposure. Beauchamp agrees that Danglars is only a secondary agent. Albert suspends his challenge to Danglars, states he will first confront Monte Cristo, and departs to demand an explanation from the count.
Who Appears
- Albert de MorcerfShattered by his father’s disgrace; confronts Danglars, demands a duel, then shifts his challenge toward Monte Cristo.
- Baron DanglarsBanker confronted by Albert; admits writing to Yanina at Monte Cristo’s advice; avoids a duel, claiming routine prudence.
- BeauchampJournalist friend; counsels prudence, provides the Yanina lead, and endorses confronting Monte Cristo.
- undefinedPresent at Danglars’s home; nearly drawn into Albert’s challenge but remains a bystander.
- undefinedAbsent yet implicated; allegedly urged Danglars to write to Yanina, steering events toward Morcerf’s exposure.