NovelGuide: The Count of Monte Cristo: Novel Summary: Chapter 6-10

Chapter 6-10

Chapter 6: After sleeping in prison for a few hours, Dantes is dragged out of his cell and forced into a rowboat. It soon becomes apparent that Dantes is being sent to The Chateau d'lf, a torture-chamber prison of sorts which is located on an isle off the mainland. When Dantes asks to see the governor, he is put into the dungeon with the "other madmen."

Chapter 7: Villefort is summoned by King Louis XVIII. The district magistrate tells the king lies about Dantes' partisan activities. Villefort impresses the king, who gives him his cross necklace. Soon rumors spread that Napoleon has returned with an army. The collapse of the fragile empire seems eminent.

Chapter 8: Southern France is in chaos. Danglars flees during Napoleon's brief return to power. Dantes' father dies of grief of his son's unjust imprisonment. Mercedes is in similar mourning. .

Chapter 9: Dantes is in despair. Dumas narrates, "His mind was filled with a single thought: that of his happiness destroyed for no apparent reason." The heartbroken man resigns himself to suicide via starvation. It seems death is his only means of escape.

A few days later, Dantes hears the prisoner next to him sawing. Soon he communicates with the other prisoner and learns that he is planning to escape through an underground tunnel.

Chapter 10: Dantes learns that his fellow prisoner is a Bonapartist political prisoner when he pops his head into Dantes' cell through the tunnel. The man's name is Faria; he's sixty-five years old and has been is prison for many years. Faria has made incredible use of the materials in his cell, making his own books, rope, needles and tools. After a brief conversation of Dantes' path to prison, Faria solves the mystery of his imprisonment, citing the dubious plans of Villefort, Danglars and Fernand.

Soon the very wise Faria teaches Dantes everything he knows about politics, history and science. Soon Faria comes up with a new escape plan. Though the new tunnel is complete, Faria has a cataleptic fit, rendering his left arm and leg useless. Since he will only be a burden to Dantes, the old man begs him to leave without him. Dantes swears to stay by Faria until the man dies.