Festivity curdles into spectacle as the square fills beyond capacity. Life presses forward to witness death.

In this passage of The Count of Monte Cristo, the Piazza del Popolo becomes a living amphitheatre. Crowds surge into every available space—balconies, steps, walls, and even shoulders—as families arrive to witness the execution. Laughter and jest ripple through the mass, revealing that for many, this grim ceremony is merely the opening act of Carnival.

When silence suddenly falls and the church doors open, ritual replaces noise. Penitents emerge with tapers, followed by the executioner bearing his hammer, and then the condemned. Peppino walks firmly, Andrea barely supported by priests, both unbandaged, both kissing the crucifix as they advance. The Count’s earlier words prove true: nothing in life draws the gaze like death itself.

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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.