01x01 - The Plotters

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Monsieur Morrel.

Really, Coclès?

I'm sorry, Monsieur.
It's the Pharaon.

The Pharaon, what's happened?

She's here. I saw the signal.
The pilot's going out to now.

But that's good news, Coclès.
Why didn't you say?

Good news.
I was beginning to worry.

She's only three days
overdue, Monsieur.

Yes, I know. But all the same,
these storms we've been having...

They wouldn't worry
Captain Leclère.

Captain Leclère is a fine sailor.

But they worried me, Coclès.
They worried me.

Stand by to drop anchor.

Ready to land main source.

What is it, Penelon?

There's a skiff pulling out.
I think it's Monsieur Morrel.

Yes it is.

Show him on board
and bring him into my cabin.

Let go!

- Ah, Dantès.
- Mr. Morrel.

What's this I hear? What's
happened to poor Captain Leclère?

- Is it true that he's dead?
- I'm afraid it is.

And what's happened?
Was he drowned?

No.
He d*ed of the brain fever.

We burried him
at sea a week ago.

What a dreadful thing.

Brave faithful Leclère.

- I can scarcely believe it.
- The whole ship mourns it.

And I with them.
What an end for such a man.

A captain who survived
ten years' w*r against the English.

Here is his sword
and cross of honour.

Would you like to give them
to his widow, Monsieur Morrel?

Yes, yes, of course.
I'll break the news to her myself.

And at least she shall
be well cared for.

Well, there it is, Edmond.
We're all mortal.

The old must give way
for the young.

Which is just as well
if you come to think of it.

Otherwise,
there wouldn't be any promotion.

You did say the cargo
was quite safe.

Yes, safe and sound. You have
my word for it, Monsieur Morrel.

And if I were you, I would…

But here's Monsieur Danglars,
who will furnish you with every particular.

For my part, I must see to the anchoring
and to dress the ship in mourning.

With your permission, sir.

Yes, you have my permission,
but come back as soon as your task is done.

I will, Monsieur.

Sad business, Monsieur Morrel.

Yes, very sad, Danglars.

A house as important as Morrel and Son
cannot afford such a loss.

- Cannot afford?
- Can ill afford such a loss.

There i agree. Captain Leclère
was a brave and honest man.

A first-rate seaman,
Mr. Morrell.

A proper man to be charged
with your interests.

He had the experience of age.

You think that age is essential
to experience?

- Surely.
- No, Danglars.

I saw young Edmond bringing this ship in.
Leclére would have been proud of him.

He had the pilot at his side
to prompt him.

So does any captain
entering the port of Marseille.

No, what impressed me was the way
the crew jumped to his orders.

They obeyed
his commands to a man.

The Pharaon might have been
a ship of the line.

- I have no doubt he did well enough.
- It was more than well done.

It was a fine piece of seamanship.
Edmond Dantès doesn't lack experience.

He doesn't lack self-confidence.

The breath was hardly
out of the captain's body

before Dantès took
command of the ship.

But as captain's mate, it was
his plain duty to assume command

the moment Leclère d*ed.

Was it also his duty

to lose us a day and a half at Elba,
instead of making direct for Marseille?

Not unless the ship wanted repair.

No, the ship was as sound
as I am.

No, Monsieur Morrel,
it was sheer caprice.

Time wasted for the pleasure
of stretching his legs on shore.

If what you say is true,
then he did wrong.

I shall certainly need
an explanation for the delay.

He'll get one, never fear.

I never knew a fellow
with a more plausible tongue.

What is this grudge
you bear in, Danglars?

Grudge, Monsieur Morrel?
None, upon my honour.

I wouldn't do an ill turn
to a comrade.

Same time, I must confess, I don't share
your enthusiasm for the young man.

Why?

On a long voyage you get
to know your companions.

In my opinion, Dantès is too stuffed
with arrogance and conceit

to have any interests at heart
but his own.

It's an opinion
I take leave to doubt.

I spoke only from a sense
of duty to my employer.

I'm sure you did, Danglars.

And I shall certainly bear in mind
what you have told me.

- He fancies himself captain already.
- And so in fact he is.

- Wanting your signature, Mr. Morrel.
- But why should he not have it?

There's this business
of putting in at Elba

but provided he can satisfy me on
that score, you see, Danglars,

I too know Edmond Dantès
and I prefer my judgment to yours.

Edmond, is your task done?

Now it is.
The vessel rides at anchor.

- You wish to talk to me?
- Yes, I do.

Danglars, take your account books
and wait for me in my office, will you?

Very well.

Edmond, tell me
why you stopped at Elba.

I don't know.

When Captain Leclère lay dying,
he gave me a sealed package

and instructed me to deliver it
to Marshal Bertrand.

It was not an order that you
would have wished me to disobey.

Of course not.
Did you see the Marshal?

Yes.
Come in.

Yes, I delivered it to Marshal Bertrand.
What is it, Penelon?

Customs officer
coming aboard, sir.

Yes, I'm sorry.
Give him this, will you?

Edmond, close the door.

How is the Emperor?

From his appearance,
very well.

You mean
you actually saw him?

He came into the marshal's
apartment while I was there.

And you spoke to him?

It was him who spoke to me,
monsieur.

What did he say?

He just asked me questions
about the Pharaon.

Where we come from,
where we were bound,

and what was our cargo.
I told him I was only the mate

and that the ship belonged
to the Morrel and Son of Marseille.

But do you know,
he stopped me at once.

"I know them", he said.
Yes.

"Morrell and Son have been
ship owners for generations."

"There was even a
Morrell in the same regiment"

"when I was garrisoned
at Valence."

But it's true.
Old Policar Morrell, my uncle.

They made him a Captain soon
afterwards. You must meet him.

You must tell him that
the Emperor remembers him.

- Of course I will, if you wish.
- I insist. He'll burst with pride.

Edmond, you did right
to obey Captain Leclère's wishes.

But, all the same,
you should take care.

Aye?

Yes.

You've landed at Elba,
you've handed a packet to the Marshal

and spoken with the Emperor.

If such things became known here,
you might well find yourself compromised.

Why?

I didn't know
what was in the package.

And I only spoke a few words
with Bonaparte,

and there was
no mention of politics.

I believe you, Edmond,
but there are others who might not.

In these days, with the Bourbon
on the throne of France,

a wise man keeps
his own counsel.

- I shall mine.
- Yes, I'm sure you will.

- Tell me, is the ship's business done?
- Yes, everything's arranged.

Fine, then I can give you
a lift back to the shore in my skiff.

That's very kind of you,
Monsieur Morrel.

Tell me, Edmond,

have you been satisfied
with Danglars in this voyage?

- I think he does his duties well enough.
- But as a comrade?

We aren't comrades.
He doesn't like me.

Why not?

Well, it's possibly my fault.
We quarrelled and...

I challenged him.

I shouldn't have done so because
it was a very silly business

and I think he did quite right to refuse,
but I'm afraid he hasn't forgiven me.

Edmond, if you have no plans tonight,
I should like you to dine with me.

That's very kind of you, Mr. Morrel,
but I must beg to be excused.

There's somebody I must visit.

Oh, so that's it.

The lovely Mercedes.
How stupid of me.

- She called on me three times last week.
- On you, Monsieur?

Yes, on me.
Requesting news of you.

Not in so many words,
but her concern

over the whereabouts of the Pharaon
touched me very deeply.

My dear Edmond, you have
a very handsome mistress.

She's not my mistress.
She's my betrothed.

That's sometimes
one and the same thing.

Not with us, monsieur.

Anyway, you should marry her
as soon as you can.

At once, if she'd have me.

She'll be a fool if she doesn't,
but she will, I promise you.

I told you I've seen her
rather more recently than you.

I know you have, but you don't mean
to say that she's told you that.

No, she told me nothing.
She's very proud.

She confided nothing in me,
but she had no need to.

Her eyes betrayed her secret.

Take it from me, Edmond.

Mercedes, the Catalan,
loves Captain Dantès.

Well, that's...

Did you...?

- Did you say...?
- Must I speak more plainly, Captain?

Monsieur Morrrel, I...

Mr. Morrel, you make me
the happiest man in the world.

- This was my dearest wish.
- And the right one, as it's come true.

Edmond, my arm.

But how can I ever
thank you enough?

By proving me an excellent judge of seamen
and by inviting me to your wedding.

No guests shall be more welcome!

And I accept very gladly.

Please, Fernand,
it's quite useless to go on.

But your mother
wanted us to get married.

My mother is dead.

But the wishes of the dead
are sacred.

We were children then.

If my mother had lived,

she would never have forced
me to marry against my will.

- We are cousins, Mercedes.
- That's not a reason!

That's the greatest reason
in the world.

We Catalans hold into marriage
to be a sacred law.

It's a custom, not a law.

I don't despise it.

But I don't have to obey it.

I don't understand you.

I don't know how any woman
can talk like this.

But I love you, Mercedes.

I have dreamed for ten years
of becoming your husband.

I beg you not to ask
for what you know is impossible.

I've always told you that I can
only love you as my brother.

You know I'm truly fond of you.

Loved by you, if I could tempt fortune,
you would bring me luck.

I would grow rich and bring you
happiness in return.

You forget.
You're a soldier.

There isn't a w*r, so you earn
your bread as a fisherman.

So remain a fisherman.

Accept my friendship
and ask for nothing more.

How cruel you are.

And I would be cruel
to pretend other than I feel.

You still love Dantès?

Yes.

Then you're a fool.

He's a sailor
with a pretty face,

who deceives you a dozen times
every voyage he makes.

I k*ll him!

You might try,
but I tell you this, Fernand.

If you provoke him,
you will lose my friendship.

If you harm him,
I will hate you till the day I die.

Mercedes!

Edmond!

Edmond, here I am!

Ah, mignon.

What is it, Edmond?

Pardon, I...

I didn't see that there were
three of us.

- Who is this gentleman?
- Someone who shall be your friend.

The man I love best
in all the world after you.

We are like brother and sister.

Come, Edmond,
don't you remember him?

It's my cousin, Fernand.

Yes, of course.
Do forgive me.

I didn't think to meet
an enemy in this house.

An enemy? Never!

There will be no enemies in my house.
None, do you understand?

There is only Fernand, my cousin.

And he will clasp your hand
in friendship.

Oh, Edmond.

Will you marry me, Mercedes?

You know I will.

I don't mean next month
or next week, but tomorrow.

Say you will.

Mercedes.

Yes, Edmond.
Yes, yes.

Look at him, Danglars!

Poor Fernand, the rejected lover.
What a picture.

I find it sad. I thought
the Catalans had more spirit.

She loves Dantès.

She will marry him.
If I k*ll him, she will k*ll herself.

Women say these things.
They never do them.

She hasn't said it, and she
would do it. I know Mercedes.

If you can't stick your Kn*fe in Dantès ribs,
you must find another remedy.

Rip your feeling on a barrel.

You talk like a fool.
There's no remedy for me.

But there is.

Absence severs as well as death.

What absence?
The Pharaon doesn't sail for months.

No, ships have a habit
of returning to port.

No, my dear Fernand, I had in mind
a more permanent absence,

the kind provided by a prison.

- A prison?
- Yes.

The walls of a dungeon would
separate Dantès and Mercedes

as effectually as any tombstone.

So now you're going to put
poor Dantès in the prison?

Has he k*lled?
Has he robbed?

- No, he has not.
- Hold your tongue.

I won't, why should I?
I like Dantès.

Why should poor Dantès
go to prison?

Captain Dantès, your health.

Let him run on.
He's drunk.

Either sober, he still makes sense.
What crime has Dantès committed?

Not so fast, Fernand.
First, tell me this.

Is Dantès in prison
as good as Dantès dead?

Better, while Dantès lives,
so does Mercedes.

And passion needs fulfilment
to survive.

Whatever she feels now,
she'd want a man in the end,

and take one.
You, Fernand.

I know you're kind.

You see a man down in his luck
and you amuse yourself.

You don't know me at all.
Pamphile, pen, ink and paper.

Oui, monsieur.

You really have evidence
to send Dantès to prison?

I have knowledge,
which might serve equally well.

On the voyage home,
the Pharaon stopped at Elba.

I think he delivered secret documents
to Marshal Bertrand.

What do you think?
What use is this?

Very little.

But I know that Dantès returned
with a letter from the Marshal

to the Bonapartist
Committee in Paris.

- Did he let you see it?
- He was careless in concealing it.

Such a letter would have
to be delivered personally.

It would hardly be likely to arrive
if you posted it.

Then it must be still
in his possession.

Then I can denounce him.

If you denounced him,

they would make you sign
a declaration and then confront him.

What of it?

He won't be in prison forever
and when he comes out

he'll seek out the man
who betrayed him.

Let him come.

- I'll k*ll him a bit more gladly.
- He might k*ll you.

Can't you see the real danger?

Mercedes would learn the truth.

- I hadn't thought of that.
- It's as well I'm here to think for you.

No, my friend.
There's a simpler way.

Just as effective.

The anonymous denunciation
written with the left hand.

"Monsieur the procureur du Roi is informed
by a friend of the throne and religion,"

"that Edmond Dantès, mate of the ship
Pharaon, now arrived at Marseille,"

"has been entrusted
with a letter from the usurper"

"to the Bonapartist's
Committee in Paris."

"This letter
is still in his possession."

There.

- Now do you understand?
- Yes it's very clever.

But one thing
I don't understand

I hate Dantès.
I declare it openly.

Why do you hate him, Danglars?

Whatever makes you think i do?

When you feel like i do you never
mistake the sentiments of others.

I assure you in this instance
you're very much mistaken.

If i have an attitude of Dantès
it is one of total indifference.

For you, my friend, i have the sympathy
one feels for a friend in distress.

My only aim was to show you
there is a way out of your difficulties.

However, since you seem
to doubt my...

I was wrong!

Anyway, it doesn't matter.
You have given me the w*apon I need.

All that's needed now
is to address it.

Monsieur...

... le procurer...

... du roi.

There.
That's settled.

Yes, it's settled. It's all settled.
Only been in from a shame.

It would indeed.

No one will be sorrier than I
if anything happened to the worthy Dantès.

In terms of what purpose?

You're good, heaven's Caderousse!

You didn't think I was serious!
It was a joke, man!

Look!

Does that satisfy you?

Well, that's all right.

Dantès is my friend, my dear friend!
I won't have him ill-used.

Now friends, a toast.

Captain Dantès
and his lovely bride.

- Why...
- Do as I say or you're lost.

To Captain Dantès
and his bride.

- Hey, look!
- What's that?

Look!
It's magic to hear!

Edmond!
My dear friend.

Mademoiselle.

You'll never believe it. We were
just drinking your health.

We do believe it
because we heard you.

It was a gesture as kind
as it was unexpected.

It was natural that Caderousse
and I should raise our glasses

to your future happiness,
Captain Dantès.

I think it was noble
of poor Fernand here to join us.

It was.

He brought us your news
with a breaking heart,

but he accepts
defeat like a man.

You can be proud of your cousin,
mademoiselle.

I am more than proud.
Dear Fernand.

My dear fellow, you are my ship's captain
and a bridegroom on the same day.

I've yet to offer you
my congratulations.

I've yet to become a bridegroom,
Mr. Danglars.

- You can soon set that to rights.
- And that's exactly what we intend.

Wonderful news!
Another bottle!

No, no!

- Not now!
- But tomorrow, Captain…

Tomorrow...
We invite you all to our feast!

- Even poor Fernand!
- Especially Fernand.

- My wife's brother is my brother.
- Tomorrow…?

Of course! We're always
in a hurry to be happy!

Well, that's true!

But that's not the only reason
for our haste. I have to go to Paris.

Really, Captain Dantès?
Have you business there?

Not mine, no.

It's something I promised to do
for poor Captain Leclère.

The wishes of a dying man.
Their fulfilment is a sacred duty.

They are to me.
And now, if you'll excuse me…

- Edmond!
- Not another word!

We've delayed you
too long already.

Mademoiselle Mercedes,

Captain Dantès
is the luckiest man alive!

- Goodbye, my dear chap!
- Goodbye, Monsieur Danglars!

- Till tomorrow!
- Goodbye!

Edmond...

You fool,
would you ruin it all now?

What's happened?
Is he gone?

He's gone, that's all.
What do you want with him?

There's something I must tell him.
I can't remember.

You're drunk, Caderrouse.
Come, take my arm.

I don't want your arm!

My dear friend Dantès...

Come on, I'll take you home.

There's something I have to tell him
but I can't remember.

Goodbye, Fernamd.