The notary then announces that the signing of the contract will once again resume just then, an officer and two gendarmes enter the salon and ask for Andrea Cavalcanti, 'an escaped convict accused of murdering another escaped convict by the name of Caderousse.' A search begins for young Cavalcanti, but he seems to have disappeared. Monte Cristo speculates that the letter might have concerned a plot against Danglars, so he sent the vest and the letter to the public prosecutor, Villefort. It was a letter addressed to Baron Danglars.

Monte Cristo continues, and he says that the vest on the murdered Caderousse has been examined and that a piece of paper was found in one of the pockets. Andrea Cavalcanti (Benedetto) immediately pricks up his ears. Madame Danglars sighs she wishes that Monsieur Villefort were here, whereupon Monte Cristo steps up and says that, unfortunately, he is the cause of Villefort's absence. At exactly nine o'clock, Monte Cristo arrives and soon after, a notary calls for the signing of the wedding contract.Д«aron Danglars signs, then hands the pen to the representative of Major Cavalcanti (the Major himself has disappeared). EugГ©nie Danglars is announcing her engagement to young Cavalcanti to an enormous crowd of her father's friends. Three days later, the Danglars' mansion is all aglitter with guests adorned with diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones. The doctor leaves then and goes to Valentine's room, where he discovers an Italian priest - AbbГ© Busoni (Monte Cristo, in disguise). The doctor then asks Noirtier if it was he who began giving Valentine increasingly potent doses of brucine - to make her immune if someone tried to poison her. Noirtier tells the doctor, with signs, that Valentine was poisoned by the same person who killed Barrois, and moreover, that Barrois was poisoned by accident he drank a glass of liquid that was meant for Noirtier. Doctor d'Avrigny stays behind with Noirtier and questions the old gentleman about Barrois' (Noirtier's servant's) death. Monte Cristo instructs Maximilien to 'be strong' and not to 'lose hope.'Д«ack at the Villefort residence, Doctor d'Avrigny announces guardedly that Valentine is still alive, and Villefort suggests that Valentine be put in her own bed.

He says that he fears that Valentine has been murdered.

Maximilien goes immediately to Monte Cristo.

There, Valentine suffers another attack, and this time she becomes so cold and so lifeless that Doctor d'Avrigny is called. Valentine leaves the room and collapses on the landing, where Maximilien finds her and carries her to old Noirtier's room. Madame Danglars and EugГ©nie arrive to announce EugГ©nie's engagement to 'Prince' Cavalcanti, a title that somehow 'sounds better' to Madame Danglars than does 'Count.' EugГ©nie protests her engagement she does not look forward to marriage and becoming 'a wife or a slave of a man.' She wants to be free, and she needs to be free, she says. She says that she'll be fine only minutes ago, she drank a glass of sugared water. Valentine tells him that she is 'slightly indisposed,' but that she is gaining strength she has been taking slow, but increasing doses of her grandfather's medicine (brucine). He meets Valentine and is immediately concerned about her health. Leaving Monte Cristo, Maximilien walks to the Villefort residence.

The count of monte cristo summary