Gaetano slips silently into the dark water, leaving behind only a faint phosphorescent trail before vanishing at the island’s edge. Half an hour later he returns the same way, bringing news: the fire belongs to Spanish smugglers, accompanied by two Corsican bandits. Far from fearing them, Gaetano explains the strange solidarity of men who live outside the law—sailors offering refuge to fugitives pursued by gendarmes, and bandits repaying kindness by revealing safe landing places. Franz presses him further, learning that Gaetano smuggles “occasionally,” and that the men ashore are known to him. Smugglers, he insists, are not thieves, and even the bandits are victims of circumstance—a claim Franz meets with thoughtful skepticism as he weighs the risks of landing.

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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 ofThe Count of Monte Cristo.