Welcome. Welcome back, everyone to 1001 Stories for the Road and the Count of Monte Cristo.

Chapter 23, the island of Monte Cristo.

And now our story.

Thus, at length, by one of the unexpected strokes of fortune which sometimes befalled those

who have for a long time been the victims of an evil destiny, Dante's was about to secure

the opportunity he wished for by simple and natural means, and land on the island without

incurring any suspicion.

One night more, and he would be on his way. The night was one of feverish distraction, and in

its progress, visions good and evil passed through Dante's mind. If he closed his eyes,

he saw Cardinal Spada's letter written on the wall in characters of flame.

If he slept for a moment, the wildest dreams haunted his brain. He ascended into grottoes paid with

emeralds, with panels of rubies, and the roof glowing with diamond stalactites. Pearls fell

drop by drop as subterranean waters filter in their caves.

Edmund, amazed, wonderstruck, filled his pockets with the radiant gems and then returned to

daylight when he discovered that his prizes had all changed into common pebbles.

He then endeavored to re-enter the marvelous grottoes, but they had suddenly receded,

and now the path became a labyrinth, and then the entrance vanished, and in vain did he tax his memory

for the magic and mysterious word which opened the splendid caverns of Alibaba to the Arabian

fishermen. All was useless, the treasure disappeared disappeared and had again reverted to the genie

from whom for a moment he had hoped to carry it off. The day came at length, and was almost as

feverish as the night had been, but it brought reason to the aid of imagination, and Dantes was

then enabled to arrange a plan which had hitherto been vague and

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