Welcome back, everyone to Chapter 53 of the Count of Mardi Cristo.

To remind you in Chapter 52, toxicology, the Count had his talk with Madame Pillefort,

all about toxicology and poisons, promising at the end of the discussion

to send her a small vial of the potion the next day, leaving us to wonder who she will use it on.

Keeping in mind that according to Monte Cristo, modern societies are only thinly disguised tyrannies,

oppressing the common man and refusing refusing him as rights as an individual and his equal protection under the law.

Villafort, then, is the living embodiment of, as well as the agent of, this tyranny.

In today's chapter, chapter 53, titled Robert Le Diablo,

Monty Cristo in Haiti caused quite a stir when they appear in their box at the opera.

Monte Cristo visits Madame Dangler's box, in which Eugenie, Albert, and Fernand are all sitting.

While Monte Cristo leans over the balcony with more surf,

Haiti catches sight of the box and nearly faints.

Monte Cristo takes leave of the danglers and more surf families

and returns to Haiti, who's beside herself with emotion.

She will tell Monte Cristo some very interesting news about more surf.

And now our story.

The pretext of an opera engagement was so much more feasible, as their chance to be on that

very night a more than ordinary attraction at the Academy Royal.

Lavasseur, who had been suffering under severe illness,

made his reappearance in the character of Bertrand, and, as usual, the announcement of the most

admired production of the favorite composer of the day had attracted a brilliant and fashionable

audience. Morsef, like most other young men of rank and fortune, had his orchestra stall,

...