CLASSIC ADVENTURE: THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (CHAPS 115-116) LUIGI VAMPA'S BILL OF FARE and THE PARDON

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Previously titled “THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (CHAPS 115-116) LUIGI VAMPA'S BILL OF FARE and THE PARDON” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 7, 2026

1001 Adventure and Mystery Stories For The Road 29 min 2 speakers 3 chapters transcribed

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Jon Hagadorn 0:00

Welcome back, everyone, to 1001 Stories for the Road. This is your host and storyteller, John Hagedorn. As we continue with the Count of Monte Cristo, today chapters 115 and 116. And now chapter 115, Luigi Vampa's Bill of Fair. We awake from every sleep except the one dreaded by danglers. He awoke. To a Parisian accustomed to silken curtains, walls hung with velvet drapery, and the soft perfume of burning wood. the white smoke of which diffuses itself in graceful curves around the room. The appearance of the whitewashed cell which greeted his eyes on awakening seemed like the continuation of some disagreeable dream, but in such a situation a single moment suffices to change the strongest doubt into certainty.

Jon Hagadorn 1:17

"'Yes, yes,' he murmured. "'I am in the hands of the brigands of whom Albert de Morsurf spoke.' His first idea was to breathe, that he might know whether he was wounded. He borrowed this from Don Quixote, the only book he'd ever read, but which he still lightly remembered. "'No,' he cried, "'they have not wounded, but perhaps they have robbed me,' and he thrust his hands into his pockets. They were untouched. The hundred louis he had preserved for his journey from Rome to Venice were in his trousers' pocket.' and in that of his great-coat he found the little note-case containing the letter of credit for five million and fifty thousand francs. "'Singular bandits!' he exclaimed. "'They have left me my purse and pocket-book.

Jon Hagadorn 2:07

As I was saying last night, they intend me to be ransomed. Hello! Here is my watch. Let me see what time it is.' Dangler's watch, one of Breguet's repeaters, which he had carefully wound up on the previous night, struck half-past five. Without this Dangler's would have been quite ignorant of the time, for daylight did not reach his cell. Should he demand an explanation from the bandits, or should he wait patiently for them to propose it? The last alternative seemed the most prudent, so he waited until twelve o'clock. During all this time a sentinel, who had been relieved at eight o'clock, had been watching his door. Dangler suddenly felt a strong inclination to see the person who kept watch over him.

Jon Hagadorn 2:54

He had noticed that a few rays, not of daylight, but from a lamp, penetrated through the ill-joined planks of the door. He approached just as the brigand was refreshing himself with a mouthful of brandy, which, owing to the leather and bottle containing it, sent forth an odor which was extremely unpleasant to Dangler's. "'Frah!' he exclaimed, retreating to the farthest corner of his cell. At twelve this man was replaced by another functionary, and Danglers, wishing to catch sight of his new guardian, approached the door again. He was an athletic, gigantic bandit, with large eyes, thick lips, and a flat nose. His red hair fell in disheveled masses like snakes around his shoulders. "'Aha!' cried Danglers.

What happens to Danglars in Luigi Vampa's captivity?

Jon Hagadorn 3:42

"'This fellow's more like an ogre than anything else. However, I'm rather too old and tough to be very good eating.' We see that Danglers was collected enough to jest. At the same time, as though to disprove the ogreish propensities, the man took some black bread, cheese, and onions from his wallet, which he began devouring voraciously.' "'May I be hanged!' said Danglars, glancing at the bandit's dinner through the crevices of the door. "'May I be hanged if I can understand how people can eat such filth!' And he withdrew to seat himself upon his goatskin, which reminded him of the smell of brandy. "'But the mysteries of nature are incomprehensible, and there are certain invitations contained in even the coarsest food which appeal very irresistibly to a fasting stomach.'

Jon Hagadorn 4:33

Danglers felt his own not to be very well supplied just then, and gradually the man appeared less ugly, the bread less black, and the cheese more fresh, while those dreadful vulgar onions recalled to his mind certain sauces and side dishes, which his cook prepared in a very superior manner whenever he said, "'Monsieur Denizot, let me have a nice little fricassee to-day.' He got up and knocked on the door.

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Chapters

3 chapters

1 What is the main topic discussed in this episode? 0:00–3:42 2 What happens to Danglars in Luigi Vampa's captivity? 3:42–9:50 3 How does Danglars cope with his ransom demands? 9:50–28:32

Speakers

2 identified

Jon Hagadorn 23 min Luigi Vampa

Topics in this episode

Paris 1 Rome 1 Venice 1 Angus 1 Don Quixote 1 John Hagedorn 1 Pampa 1 Pepino 6 Luigi Vampa 2 Café de Paris 1 Breguet 1 Albert de Morsurf 1

Source

Recorded14 Jan 2026

Publisherfeeds.libsyn.com ↗

Transcriptspeaker-named · 100+ languages

Handlerec:15324536

Show notes

CHAP 115 SUMMARY Peppino, the jailor in the catacombs, announces to Danglars the next day that, if the banker would like to eat, he must pay 100,000 francs for a chicken, or 100,000 francs for a loaf of bread. Peppino says he knows that Danglars is carrying over 5 million francs worth of banknotes on his person, and so he asks that, for each individual item, Danglars pay out 100,000 francs so that he might survive. Danglars realizes this is how his ransom is to be meted out, and he does in fact pay 100,000 francs for a chicken, which he considers rather "thin" as he eats it angrily in the cave. This is a small, humorous episode in Danglars capture, allowing Vampa, Peppino, and their men to slowly peel away Danglars' money. It should be noted that this money has effectively been stolen from Boville, who was to use it for charitable ends. Thus, though Vampa is stealing it for himself, he is at least stealing from a thief, one who is doing all he can to maintain his social standing in the face of public shaming. CHAP 116 SUMMARY Danglars continues bargaining his money, thousands by thousands, so that he might eat in the prison for five days. The Count of Monte Cristo finally appears with Vampa when Danglars is down to his last 50,000 francs, and the Count says that he is now pardoning Danglars—and that Villefort and Fernand were not so lucky, as the first is now mad with grief, and the second is dead by suicide. The Count announces that he is actually Edmond Dantes, and that Danglars' utter financial ruin is for the sake of punishment, but the Count allows Danglars to start his life anew somewhere else upon release by Vampa. He also states that the 5 million francs "paid out" to the bandits have been given to the hospice account of Boville, from which Danglars first drew them under criminal circumstances in Rome. This shows that, though he could exact even more damning revenge on Danglars by killing him, the Count has chosen not to – he has placed a limit on his desire for vengeance.

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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

What happens to Danglars in Luigi Vampa's captivity?

This is a preview of the transcript

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