Music, movement, and admiration awaken a feeling Luigi has never known—and cannot control. What began as wonder turns inward, sharp and consuming.

In this passage of The Count of Monte Cristo, Teresa is invited into an aristocratic quadrille, stepping away from Luigi’s arm and into a circle of wealth and refinement. Dazzled by jewels, silks, and attention, she dances with visible agitation, while Luigi watches from the shadows. As praise is whispered and hands touch, jealousy takes hold of him with physical force, flooding his senses with pain, rage, and violent imaginings.

This moment matters because it marks a decisive inner fracture. Luigi realizes, for the first time, that Teresa might be drawn beyond him—and that desire, once awakened, can become as dangerous as any bandit’s blade.

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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.