Chapter 56 - Andrea Cavalcanti
Summary
The Count of Monte Cristo receives the young Andrea Cavalcanti, acknowledges the letter Andrea received from 'Sinbad the Sailor' (Lord Wilmore), and confirms the presence of his father, the Major. After ensuring Andrea is amenable to the charade, the Count directs him to embrace the Major in the adjoining room while he observes them through a peephole, noting the theatrical nature of their affection. Once the reunion is complete, the Count provides Andrea with instructions for their upcoming appearance at Auteuil and dismisses them, expressing his disdain for the two swindlers he has united before departing to visit the Morrel family.
Characters
- Count / Count of Monte Cristo (the Count, Monsieur le Comte) — The Count receives Andrea Cavalcanti, verifies his backstory against Lord Wilmore's letter, and reveals the presence of Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti. He observes the reunion through a peephole with disdain, noting the two are miserable creatures pretending to be father and son, before providing Andrea with detailed instructions for their upcoming dinner at Auteuil and leaving for the Morrels' residence.
- Andrea Cavalcanti (the young man, Viscount Andrea Cavalcanti) — A tall young man with blond hair and a reddish beard, Andrea is met by the Count and questioned about his past abduction. He readily adopts the persona of a lost noble son, receives his father's identity papers and cash, and embraces Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti in a theatrical reunion while privately confirming their mutual understanding of the scam.
- Bartolomeo Cavalcanti (the Major, Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti, the Marquis Cavalcanti) — An older man from Lucca, the Major is summoned by the Count to pretend to be Andrea's father. He receives a letter from Abbé Busoni, embraces Andrea in a stiff, theatrical manner, and privately confides in Andrea that he is being paid fifty thousand francs for the role, agreeing to play the part of the doting father.
- Baptistin — Baptistin brings a tray of alicante and biscuits to the Major on the Count's whispering command.