Franz refuses to let the mystery rest, even after daylight and reason have failed him once before. The island continues to test his certainty about what he has truly experienced.

In this passage of The Count of Monte Cristo, Franz undertakes a second, longer search of the grotto, again finding nothing to explain the vanished splendor of the previous night. When he returns, food is prepared, and he watches Sinbad’s yacht diminish toward Corsica, prompting a conversation that reframes his host not as a dream-figure, but as a man who lives beyond law, borders, and consequence.

This moment matters because it deepens the contradiction at the heart of Franz’s experience: the wonders he witnessed are unreachable, yet the man behind them is vividly real—feared, admired, and utterly unconcerned with authority.

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The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.

If you enjoy this show, be sure to check out Odyssey: A Daily Odyssey through Homer's The Odyssey — wherever you listen to podcasts!