Welcome back, everyone to 1001 Stories for the Road.

This is your host, John Hagadorn, and chapter 13 of the Count of Monte Cristo, titled The Hundred Days.

True to Life, The Hundred Days, refers to the period of March 20th through July 8th, 1815,

following Napoleon Bonaparte's escape from exile on Elba and his brief return to power in France,

and culminating in his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and the restoration of King Louis 18th to the throne.

Our summary? After Napoleon is back in power, Morrell intercedes on Dante's behalf but to

no avail. Danglars flees to Madrid, afraid of Dante's revenge. Fernand joins Napoleon's army,

and Dante's father dies. After 100 days in power,

Napoleon is deposed, and Louis XVI assumes the throne. And now, Chapter 13, the 100 days.

Monsieur Nordier was a true prophet, and things progressed rapidly, as he had predicted.

Everyone knows the history of the famous return from Elba, a return which was unprecedented in the past,

and will probably remain without counterpart in the future.

Louis XIII made but a faint attempt to parry this unexpected blow.

The monarchy he had scarcely reconstructed, tattered on its precarious foundation, and at a sign

from the emperor, the incongruous structure of ancient prejudices and new ideas fell to the ground.

Villefort, thereafter, gained nothing save the king's gratitude, which was rather

likely to injure him at the present time, and the cross of the Legion of Honor, which he had

the prudence not to wear, although Monsieur de Blakis had duly forwarded the brevet. Napoleon would,

doubtless, have deprived Villefort of his office had it not been for Nordier, who was

all-powerful at court, and thus the Girondin of 93, and the senator of 1806 protected him

who so lately had been his protector. All Villefort's influence barely enabled him to stifle

the secret Dante's had so nearly divulged. The king's procurer alone was deprived of his office, being suspected of royalism.

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