Welcome back, everyone, to 1001 Stories for the Road.

This is your host and storyteller, John Hagadorn.

And we're reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandra Dumas.

Today, two chapters, chapter 49, Haiti, and chapter 50, the Morrell family.

Enjoy.

And now our story.

It will be recollected that the new, or rather old, acquaintances of the Count of Monte Cristo,

residing in the blue messlay, were no other than Maximilian, Julie, and Emmanuel.

The very anticipations of delight to be enjoyed in his forthcoming visit, the bright, pure

gleam of heavenly happiness if diffused over the almost deadly warfare in which he had

voluntarily engaged, illumined his whole countenance with a look of ineffable joy and calmness,

as immediately after Villefort's departure, his thoughts flew back to the cheering prospect

before him, of tasting at least a brief respite from the fierce and stormy passions of his mind.

Even Ali, who had hastened to obey the Count's summons,

went forth from his master's presence in charmed amazement

at the unusual animation and pleasure depicted on features ordinarily so stern and cold.

While, as though dreading to put to flight the agreeable ideas hovering over his patron's

meditations, whatever they were, the faithful Nubian walked on tiptoe towards the door,

holding his breath, lest its faintest sound should dissipate his master's happy reverie.

It was noon, and Monte Cristo had set apart one hour to be passed in the apartments of Haiti,

as though his oppressed spirit could not at all once admit the feeling of pure and unmixed

joy, but required a gradual succession of calm and gentle emotions to prepare his mind to

...