Welcome back everyone to 1001 Stories for the Road.

This is your host, John Hagadorn, and this is Chapter 18 of the Count of Monte Cristo.

The title of this chapter is the treasure.

A summary?

Faria begins to talk about a hidden treasure,

and Dantes becomes worried, thinking that his friend is insane after all. Faria convinces Dantes that the treasure truly exists by telling him a story behind it. The treasure once belonged to the

Spada family, the wealthiest family in Italy, in the 15th century.

Caesar Spada hid the treasure on the uninhabited island of Monte Cristo, hoping to keep it out of the hands of a murderous, thieving pope.

Due to a mishap, however, the location of the treasure remained a secret even from the family.

During his employment, as the private secretary to the last living member of the Spada family,

Faria stumbled into the secret message, written in a mysterious ink.

Faria explains that Spada left all he had to Faria, so the treasure actually belongs to him.

The treasure also belongs to Dante's, who has become his spiritual son over the course of the

past two years. So Faria shows Dante's the piece of paper that reveals the treasure location.

And now, Chapter 18, the treasure.

When Dante's return next morning to the chamber of his companion in captivity, he found

Ferrea seated and looking composed. In the ray of light which entered by the narrow

window of his cell, he held open in his left hand, of which alone, it will be recollected,

he retained the use.

"'A sheet of paper, which, from being constantly rolled into a small compass,

"'had the form of a cylinder and was not easily kept open.

"'He did not speak, but showed the paper to Dantes.

...