At last, the name Edmond Dantès stares back from the prison register — and beside it, the line that sealed his fate.

The Englishman’s gaze hardens as he compares the ink, the slant of each letter, the flourish of the final stroke. It is unmistakable — the handwriting of Villefort himself, the man whose ambition had destroyed him. The truth lies in plain sight, preserved by bureaucracy and indifference.

Quietly, he folds the denunciation — the letter written by Danglars, the proof of betrayal — and slips it into his pocket. The inspector, content with his newfound fortune and his newspaper, notices nothing.

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The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.