The Count of Monte Cristo (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

1
The midwife,
the one I committed
to the lunatic asylum, has escaped.
- What?
- She escaped shortly before
the Count tells us this fantastic story
of a baby in a box.
Do you think the midwife
told him about it?
How can you even know her?
Who is this Count?
My husband made inquiries into his past,
but encountered nothing.
How can someone
with such a fortune be anonymous?
It's unheard of.
If the box you buried was empty,
where is the child now?
Listen to me!
The baby was in the box,
dead, when I buried it.
How many times must I tell you?
When you took the baby from me,
he was still breathing.
- And you know it.
- A minute later, it stopped.
Hermine, you know that.
Monte Cristo is lying.
He never found any box.
Are you sure?
Tell me you're sure!
Stop the carriage.
Are you sure?
You do realize
that if this ever comes out,
it will be the end of me?
and you?
Please, go.
- How much did you give to Debray?
- A quarter. Same as you.
You kept half for yourself?
It's a bit greedy,
don't you think?
I am the one who gets
the information, not you.
Apparently, there's a ship
carrying a large cargo of coffee
from Brazil to Calais,
which is two weeks overdue.
And?
Perhaps it sunk, which means
the price of coffee will go up.
You're welcome
to use your own money
on commodities such as coffee,
but not mine.
I know that.
And you can be sure I will.
The Count of Monte Cristo
to see Baron Danglars.
The Count of Monte Cristo
is here to see you.
Send him in.
A man true to his word.
How rare.
Baroness,
I hope I'm not intruding.
Not at all, I was just leaving.
I'm sorry I upset you
with that story about the box.
It was nothing.
You seemed very taken
with the plight of that little baby.
I have to go.
So good of you to see me
at such short notice, Baron.
Oh, not at all. You are,
after all, the talk of the town.
Not town. This is a city!
What a city it is!
I think I'm going to make Paris
my permanent home.
There's a vibrancy in the air,
isn't there? You feel it?
Perhaps you've been here too long.
For me, the city is fresh.
Ready for the plucking,
so to speak.
In this folder, you will find securities
in the amount of 10 million francs
previously entrusted to the banking house
of Thompson & French in Rome.
No doubt you'll need
to do some checks,
which shouldn't take more
than a few days.
But can I assume I have
an account with you as of now?
At the opera, you said 4 million.
I want you to open
an account in my name
and deposit 10 million francs into it.
Is that not possible?
Of course it is.
I'll just need some days to
- To check.
- To check.
Do you know, I've been doing
some checking on you.
One can never be too sure
about a man's credentials these days.
You worked for a bank in Spain,
yes?
Started speculating stocks
and did very well out there.
That's how you made
your fortune, not so?
Well, little by little.
Little by lots, I'd say.
Before that, you were
in the shipping business.
Worked for a company called
Morrel & Son in Marseille.
Is my information correct?
I was a young man then.
By all accounts,
you left abruptly.
- May I ask why?
- Well, I
I saw no future
in the shipping business.
See, I heard you left
because Morrel snubbed you
and chose someone younger
to captain his flagship.
I hardly remember
that period of my life.
Anyway,
back to the business at hand.
While you're doing your checking,
I was wondering if I could have
an advance for 300,000 francs,
just for my day-to-day expenses.
That is a vast amount, sir.
- There are other bankers in Paris.
- No, no, no.
No, wait.
Leave the securities with me,
and I'll have the 300,000 francs
delivered to you by this afternoon.
To my townhouse,
at the Champs-Élysées, number 30.
- Good day to you, Baron.
- Good day.
I would like to make
good use of my money,
so if you hear of any interesting
investment opportunities, do let me know.
Of course, Count.
Mr. Debray
What a surprise.
Why did you not come yesterday?
I couldn't get away
what with him hovering over me.
I'm free tomorrow afternoon.
How are you placed?
- I am perfectly placed.
- Shall I book us a room at the hotel?
- Sure.
- Same time?
Same time.
Welcome to Paris, Haydee.
I'm sorry, but the Count
is out at the moment.
Can I show you your apartment?
Upstairs is for you.
This way.
This is Isabelle, your maid.
- Isabelle will show you everything.
- Follow me.
Through here is your living room.
This way, please.
Your bedroom.
Who lives here?
The upstairs is reserved
exclusively for your use.
What? It can't be.
Back, are you? Good.
Where is she?
- Where is she?
- She's upstairs.
- Is there a problem?
- Come and see for yourself.
I'm the Count of Monte Cristo.
Good morning.
Is your apartment to your liking?
- What has upset her?
- She doesn't know why she's here.
In what way am I to serve you,
master?
You are not here
to serve me, Haydee.
When I bought you from the Sultan of Amir,
I bought your freedom.
You are the daughter
of the honourable Ali Pasha, are you not?
Isabelle, make us some tea
and serve it to us
in my living room downstairs.
The questions I'm about to ask
will not be easy to answer.
For that,
I apologize in advance.
Did you witness
the murder of your father?
Yes.
I didn't know your father,
but I think I know the man
responsible for his death.
There is a Fernand Mondego
who lives here in Paris,
who served in Algiers at the same time
your father was murdered.
Would you recognize Fernand
if you were to see him again?
- I would.
- Are you sure?
You were only a child
when you last saw him.
Do you know him personally,
Fernand Mondego?
I do.
I cannot talk about the evil
he has done me.
But it is no worse
than the evil he has done you
by depriving you of your father.
Do you wish to avenge his death?
Yes.
Are you all right?
- You've been a bit distracted of late.
- I'm fine.
Marie, send one of the footmen
to arrange a dress fitting at La Femina.
An hour sometime tomorrow
afternoon should be fine.
How many ballroom gowns
can you buy in one week?
Is money all you think about?
You seem to spend it
easily enough.
The dress is for the spring ball
you have arranged in the house.
Good morning.
Have you heard the latest
about Monte Cristo?
He's opened an account with Danglars
to the tune of 10 million francs.
- Has Danglars verified his credit?
- According to Beauchamp, yes.
The money in gold
arrived yesterday from Rome.
You'll be marrying one of the richest
girls in Paris, Albert.
- That's not Danglars' money, Fernand.
- Don't be naive.
Hermine is having
an affair with Lucien Debray,
secretary of the Minister
of the Interior.
He slips her inside information
before the public get wind of it,
which she uses to trade stocks
using her husband's credit.
- You know this for a fact?
- They've been doing it for months.
- Albert told me.
- Please don't spread it around, Papa.
I believe it's rather underhand
what they're up to.
It's positively illegal,
never mind underhand.
This match you have
set your heart on,
I'm not sure Albert shares
your enthusiasm for it.
Eugenia is a lovely girl!
It'll serve both our families
handsomely.
I don't understand why parents always think
they know what's best for their children.
It's because we've lived longer than you.
It's what's called life experience.
- Something you've yet to gain out there.
- You know what I want better than I do?
I know what you need.
What you want is hardly relevant.
- I have to go.
- But you haven't eaten.
I'll eat later. I promised
to attend Eugenia's singing lesson.
He's known Eugenia for years.
They grew up together.
- Who is it?
- It's me.
Where have you been,
my little rosebud?
I read in the gossip column
that young Albert is about to tie the knot
with Baron Danglars's daughter.
Yeah, Eugenia.
That's if the Count de Morcerf
gets his way, though.
You won't believe what I heard
about Dangler's wife, Hermine.
- Oh, well, if you tell me.
- She is intimate with Debray,
who gives her inside information
on future stock movements.
Where does he get
his information from?
He's the secretary
of the Minister of the Interior.
But here's the cream
on top of it all.
- Good day to you, sir.
- Good day to you.
Come to look
at the telegraph tower, have you?
Sit, sir.
I get the odd visitor.
There was an artist here yesterday.
Painted a picture of the tower.
Tells me people in Paris are fascinated
with this new means of communication.
I'm sorry, I don't suppose
you have any water, do you?
One moment.
Bless you.
- To your good health, sir.
- And yours.
- Hot today, isn't it?
- Very.
Would you mind showing me
how the telegraph works?
Not at all.
It's actually rather simple.
Must be the heat.
Slowly does it.
You all right?
You've suddenly collapsed.
Strange
Look at the time.
Sorry, I must be off.
Thanks so much
for the hospitality.
- Hermine!
- Debray?
- Where's the Baron?
- In his drawing room.
What's going on, Mum?
Wait here, Eugenia.
There's been
an uprising in Spain.
Barcelona has turned against the King.
You must sell your spanish bonds now.
- All of them.
- An uprising?
It came in by telegraph
a moment ago.
- Spanish stocks will fall.
- They won't fall. They'll crash.
Oh, my God.
Take my buggy.
It's outside.
Hurry, Baron!
The Stock Exchange closes in an hour.
- Thank God for the telegraph.
- Or where would we be without it?
Did you manage to offload them?
I lost a few hundred thousand
as the price dipped.
A mere trifle compared
to what some down there are losing.
Count!
How are you?
Did you have
any spanish bonds or stocks?
Yes, I still do.
Surely you should sell.
You must have heard the news by now.
I've decided to hang on to them.
Did you have any to sell?
Oh, I did until yesterday.
Six million worth, sold a lot of them.
- In the nick of time, I'd say.
- For what reason did you sell?
Instinct.
You're a lucky man.
You have to have
foresight in this business.
- An instinct, it would seem.
- Yes, the two working in tandem.
How stupid of him not to sell.
Albert!
Nice of you to drop by.
From my mother.
It's a ball that we have every spring.
You're welcome to bring
a guest with you, if you wish.
Tell your mother
I most graciously accept.
Some tea? Coffee?
Isabelle.
Did you hear about the faux pas
the government made?
Concerning the uprising?
Yes.
It was all nonsense. Some mistake
with the telegraph system.
People lost fortunes
dumping stocks at bonds.
I was at the exchange yesterday.
The selling was frantic.
Prices kept plummeting.
Baron Danglars,
who initiated the sell-off,
has apparently lost
more than a million francs.
Oh, my.
He must be devastated.
I wouldn't like to be
around him now.
Is it true you're
marrying his daughter?
It is my father's wish.
You don't seem happy about it.
Does your mother
approve of this marriage?
Not entirely.
I mean, she likes Eugenia.
I do, too. She has a wonderful
singing voice, but
But what?
I've known her
since we were little.
She's a friend.
A good friend.
But I doubt we'll ever be lovers.
I like you, Albert.
I'm going to help you
in whatever way I can.
Concerning Eugenia?
How?
We'll see.
I'll see you at the ball, Count.
Jacopo.
I need you to go to Rome
and find Vampa.
Tell him I'm bringing in
the favour he owes me.
I need him here in Paris.
Lieutenant Morrel!
How are you, young man?
Oh, well, splendid. Thank you.
Forgive me for intruding.
Did I hear the name Morrel
mentioned here a moment ago?
You did, sir.
You wouldn't by any chance
be related to the owner
of the shipping company Morrel & Son
in Marseille, would you?
He was our father.
You speak of him
in the past tense?
He passed away.
You knew him, sir?
How is Morrel & Son
doing these days?
When my father died,
Julie and I sold the business
and moved here to Paris.
I'm new to the city,
but please take my card.
If ever you need anything,
please don't hesitate to call on me.
Valentine, come here.
Valentine.
Grandpapa, can I leave you
for a moment? I won't be long.
- Max
- I've been waiting half the day for you.
Can you not talk some sense
into your stubborn father's head?
- I can't go against him, Max.
- Run away with me.
You can travel
with my sister's passport.
- It's impossible.
- Take my hand.
Do you pass by here every day
at this hour with your grandfather?
- Yes.
- Then you will find me here.
Franz d'Epinay's returning
from Italy this week.
- How do you know?
- He wrote to my father.
My grandmother's coming
all the way from Marseille
to witness the signing
of the marriage contract.
One more reason
to run away with me.
I can't abandon my grandpapa!
It's out of the question.
Valentine!
If my father sees you,
he'll kill me.
Valentine!
Tomorrow, same time.
I love you.
Heloise needs help with Edward.
Well?
The midwife is still at large.
- How could she just disappear?
- We'll find her. Don't worry.
And the Count of Monte Cristo?
Messengers arrive at his townhouse
every half hour or so.
With invitations to tea,
lunch, dinner, soirees,
most of which he ignores.
Every second day,
he attends lessons in weaponry,
which he's very good at.
His instructor describes him
as a dangerous man.
And the name, Zaccone?
The Count's birth name
is Jacques Zaccone,
son of a shipbuilder in Malta,
Italian-French ancestry.
And how did the Count
make his fortune?
He has two diamond mines in West Africa
and a large silver mine in Thessaly.
Any evidence to back this up,
or is it all hearsay?
It's hearsay,
but from a reliable source.
I like to deal in facts, Boville.
I want you to keep an eye
on Monte Cristo and on the house.
I can't. Inspector Robert insists
I stop pulling men off cases
for a crime that doesn't exist.
I can, however, keep an eye
on him out of hours, but
How much?
A hundred a week should cover it.
Did you see the two policemen
outside the gate?
How do you know
they're policemen?
Well, Jacopo has an instinct
for these sorts of things.
They've been watching
the house since yesterday.
- Why?
- They want to find out who I am.
And only two people in Paris,
besides me, know my true identity.
Jacopo and you.
Jacopo, I can trust with my life.
You, however
aren't cut from the same cloth.
What are you saying, Count?
What I'm saying is
we might have a little problem.
I would never betray you.
Not even when they start pulling out
your teeth and fingernails with pliers?
Oh, don't look so worried.
You've served me well,
and those who do, I protect.
Jacopo.
Sit, both of you.
Some sherry, Caderousse?
You look like you need it.
If Villefort sent those men,
and I assume he did,
one of them or both
will follow you home, Caderousse.
And then they will know
where you live.
They will find out
who you're friendly with
and what you do with your time,
those sorts of things.
That's why they call them inspectors,
which we can't have.
So, Jacopo will accompany you home,
and make sure you aren't followed.
Jacopo will act
as our go-between from now on.
You'll not come here again.
I'm not
I'm not in any danger, am I?
Not yet.
- You have a lovely home.
- Thank you.
How are you enjoying Paris?
Very many sides for this city.
May I ask what is that?
Many of our guests
ask the same question.
There is a note in it.
Shall I read it to you?
Please do.
"Dear Mr. Morrel,"
"I hope this helps you overcome
the difficulties you are presently facing."
"Please use the diamond
to replace the lost Pharaoh."
Our father was
on the verge of bankruptcy
when it was given
to him by an unknown gentleman.
It gave him four more
very happy years.
And you have no idea
of the identity of this benefactor?
It is a mystery to us.
My father believed it was given
to him by someone from the grave,
a young man who was
very dear to him.
- May I ask his name?
- Edmund Dantes.
It's Valentine.
- I'm so sorry.
- Valentine, what is it?
My father saw me talking to you and said
I'm not allowed to see you anymore.
I'm not allowed
to even be here now.
I had to slip out of my house
undetected. I'm sorry.
Valentine
Haydee?
Yes?
I've been invited to attend a ball
at the Morcerf mansion.
You must come as my guest.
If you recognize Fernand,
be very careful not to show it.
Of course.
All right.
Silk from Shanghai
in pastel shades of blue and grey.
Show it off.
Next.
Very fine silk,
just arrived from India.
Hand embroidered by the fashion house
Balucci in Florence.
- Why are the sleeves so puffed up?
- It is the fashion, darling.
We'll take all the dresses,
everything, and all the shoes.
The Count of Monte Cristo.
At last we meet.
- Count Morcerf, I presume.
- Indeed.
Welcome.
I've been waiting to thank you
for saving my son's life in Rome.
It was nothing.
Countess,
thank you for inviting us.
My husband and I are very honored
to have you here, Count.
May I introduce my protege,
Mlle Haydee?
Please go in. There'll be
dancing in the ballroom later.
- It's him.
- You have no doubts?
None at all.
Max, I may need to mingle.
Please keep Haydee company if I do so.
With pleasure, Count.
- Count!
- Franz.
- How splendid to see you.
- Finally back from Italy, are you?
Albert tells me you've settled
effortlessly into the parisian society.
Everyone has been very kind to me.
Grandpapa,
the reason I'm attending
the ball this evening
is because I'm being forced to.
The man father wants me
to marry will be there.
Valentine!
Valentine!
Gerard, where are you?
Easy, easy.
Breathe. Come on, breathe.
God, it worked.
- You have to go to the ball alone.
- No!
Frantz expects you there.
Heloise and I will stay with Edward.
Go now,
the carriage is outside waiting.
Thank goodness you're here.
- And alone.
- I didn't know you were going to be here.
The Count of Monte Cristo
kindly invited me.
Have you thought
over what I said?
- Valentine!
- Franz!
I've been expecting you
for over an hour.
Come.
The dancing's about to begin.
Excuse us.
Count, may I introduce you
to Eugenia Danglars?
The Count of Monte Cristo.
I hear you have a wonderful
singing voice, my dear.
If I do, it is all thanks
to my music teacher.
Louise, come and meet
the Count of Monte Cristo.
Don't believe Eugenia, Count.
She is far too modest.
- You could have ruined me, you fool.
- It's not my fault.
I sold at a loss, and now the shares
have completely recovered,
and I am down one million
francs because of you.
I expect you to repay me
half that amount.
No.
If you do not, I will put a stop
to your little dalliance with my wife.
You understand?
I expect the money
by midday tomorrow.
They all also think
I'm the laughingstock of Paris.
You can take a knock, Danglars.
You'll step right back up
as you always do.
What do you make
of this Count of Monte Cristo?
I like him.
He's straight.
Yes, but you like anyone
who's wealthy.
Who's the woman
he brought with him?
She's a student of chemistry,
I believe.
The Count is a chemist,
amongst other things.
I missed you the other day.
I hope you're feeling better now.
I have of late been having
peculiar moments where
I do not quite feel myself.
And what do you feel?
That would be hard
to put into words.
So many things are.
The woman you brought with you.
My protégé.
The one I told you about.
I believe she's living
in the same house as you.
She has the upstairs,
I have the downstairs.
- People will gossip.
- They all think what they want.
Are you happily married, Madame?
You're very direct, Count.
Is that a flaw?
Not really.
I feel like I know
you from a long time ago, but
Unless you mistake me
for someone else.
Who are you referring to?
I must be wrong.
I shouldn't leave my guests
for too long.
You asked to see me.
You are Vampa?
What do you want?
The Count of Monte Cristo
needs you to come to Paris.
I'm afraid it is not possible.
He saved your cousin Peppino
from being executed.
Is nice. You will like it.