The Count of Monte Cristo was an enormous commercial and critical success, captivating readers with its intricate plot and universal themes. Following its publication, Alexandre Dumas earned a fortune but died poor due to an extravagant lifestyle, chronic overspending, and political upheaval.

Success of the Novel
The novel, published in serial form from 1844 to 1846, was an immediate sensation and remains one of the most widely read French authors globally.
Popularity: The serialization format, coupled with Dumas' ability to create suspenseful, page-turning narratives, ensured massive popularity among the 19th-century reading public.
Themes: Its exploration of justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness, along with a complex plot and well-developed characters, resonated strongly with readers and secured its place as a classic of world literature.
Enduring Legacy: The book has been translated into numerous languages and adapted into countless films, TV series, and stage productions, demonstrating its lasting cultural influence.
Life of Dumas After Publication
Dumas became one of the most famous and wealthy Frenchmen of his day, but his life after the novel's publication was marked by extravagance and financial difficulty.
Flamboyant Lifestyle: He lived a life as dramatic as his heroes, engaging in numerous love affairs and foreign adventures. He was known for his extreme generosity, often granting money and gifts to anyone who asked.
Château de Monte-Cristo: A testament to his success, Dumas built an extravagant mansion on the outskirts of Paris, which he named the Château de Monte-Cristo, along with a theater, the Théâtre Historique, specifically for his plays.
Financial Ruin: Despite earning millions, his lavish spending habits outpaced his income, leading to significant debt. He eventually had to sell the Château de Monte-Cristo property just two years after its completion.
Exile and Travel: In 1851, to escape his creditors, Dumas fled to Brussels. He later traveled to Russia and then Italy, where he founded a newspaper, Indipendente, and supported Garibaldi's campaign for Italian independence.
Later Years and Death: Dumas returned to France in 1864 and continued to write prolifically. He died of a stroke at his son's home near Dieppe in December 1870, far from a rich man, despite his monumental literary success.

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.

113 THE PAST SUMMARY

the Count returns to Marseilles with Maximilien Morrel, witnessing Albert's departure for Africa before visiting Mercédès, who accepts her fate, and then revisiting his old prison cell at the Château d'If, where he receives Abbé Faria's manuscript and reflects on his past before telling Max to meet him on the Isle of Monte Cristo on October 5th for their final encounter, signaling the end of his vengeance and the start of a new path.

114 PEPPINOKey Events in Chapter 114:
The Withdrawal: After fleeing Paris, Baron Danglars goes to the banking firm of Thomson and French in Rome to cash a receipt for five million francs from the Count, planning to use the money to rebuild his fortune.

Peppino's Role: Peppino, a young man connected to Vampa, works at the bank and informs Vampa of Danglars's large withdrawal, setting the trap.

The Ambush: The next day, as Danglars travels by carriage towards Venice, he is intercepted by Vampa's bandits, led by Peppino, and taken to the catacombs.

False Security: Danglars is placed in a comfortable cell with a bed and, remembering Albert de Morcerf's experience, assumes he'll be held for a reasonable ransom, believing he'll still have plenty of money left, and falls asleep contentedly.

The Count's Indirect Vengeance: This event is part of Monte Cristo's broader plan, as Vampa and his bandits are essentially working for the Count, systematically stripping Danglars of his wealth.
In essence, Chapter 114 marks Danglars's capture and the beginning of his financial ruin at the hands of the Count, though Danglars remains blissfully ignorant