Xi English Question 1 - Reference to Context from Play The Count's Revenge

Lines
"It comes to this, ................. and we are ruined."

Reference
These words are put into the mouth of Albert. He is addressing his mother, the Countess of Morcerf, in his own home, Rue-du-Helder in Paris.

Explanation
Albert is extremely disturbed at the news, he has read in the newspaper about his father's disgrace. He tells his mother, it comes to this meaning that things have come to such a stage that his father is openly and publicly disgraced in the newspaper. He says our honour and self-respect are badly damaged by this disgrace and we are destroyed, we are finished.




Lines
"My father's disgrace is mine ................. down into the mire."

Reference
These lines are uttered by Albert. he is deeply upset about his father's disgrace. It is on this issue that, he is talking to his mother, the Countess of Morcerf.

Explanation
Albert is extremely sensitive. He just could not tolerate his father's disgrace. He regards his father's disgrace, as his own. He is ashamed, even to go by his father's name. He sys my father's name has been utterly disgraced. Our disgrace has become the talk of town.




Lines
"Ah, the crime is .................. whom I shall punish."

Reference
Albert is the speaker of the above lines. He is addressing his mother, the Countess of Morcerf, regarding the disgrace of his father, the Count of Morcerf.

Explanation
He is obviously in disgust, at his mother's suggestion that if the President of the Republic is to be blamed for the disgrace of his father, he would kill him for it. He says, the Deputies are not at fault for condemning my father. They merely performed their duty. After seeing all the proofs, they pronounced my father guilty. I am not after the one, who is behind my father's disgrace. The one who published the news of my father's treachery in the press. He is the one I am after. He is the one I am looking for and he is the one I shall punish.




Lines
"Why? Indeed! it is no ............. and of our good."

Reference
The above words are spoken by Albert to his mother, the Countess of Morcerf.

Explanation
Albert answers his mother's question, as to why he wishes to punish the man, who made his villainy public. He is says, it is now, no longer a matter of right or wrong or of truth or falsehood. Meaning that it is not whether or not his father is guilty of the crime. It is a question of the family's honour and self-respect. Since the family's honour, has been tarnished, he is going to punish the person, responsible for it.




Lines
"But, Ah! are the cloud .............. and returned to Paris."

Reference
The speaker in the above lines is Monte Cristo. He is addressing his friend Albert in his house.

Explanation
Monte Cristo has come, to pay his compliments to the Countess (his former beloved) and Albert. Monte Cristo, after paying his regards to the Countess, turns to Albert. He takes him by the hand, but notices the trace of anguish and worry, on his brow. He says, I see from the wrinkles on your brow, that you are unhappy. That after returning to Paris, from normally where we were holidaying together, you have doubtless, met with some form of tragedy or the other. That's why the look of unhappiness on your face.


Lines
"I need hardly ask you .................. of my father's disgrace."

Reference
Albert is the speaker in the above lines. He is talking to his friend, the Count of Monte Cristo.

Explanation
Albert tells his friend, on his friend's inquiry about his misfortune. Whole Paris is talking of it. Meaning that, you would have heard about his father's disgrace.




Lines
"But, when a man has done ................. The rule|follow."

Reference
Monte Cristo is talking to his friend. Albert.

Explanation
He is in fact, replying to Albert's request for his help to be his second in the duel that he intends to fight against his father's enemy. Monte Cristo says, it would be difficult for him to be his second.

He says if a man insults you, or hits you, a blow then a duel is the best way of taking your revenge of him. Then adds slowly and with deliberation that when a man does you a terrible harm, gives you slow deep and perpetual pain then you should treat him in the same manner. He says, if a man damage your eye, then you should also damage his eye. If he breaks your tooth then you too would be justified in breaking his tooth.

In other words, Monte Cristo believes in punishing in the same manner, as his enemy had harmed him. Monte Cristo, is referring to the torture, Count of Morcerf, Albert's father inflicted upon him.




Lines
"It is Arab custom ............. of a deadly enemy."

Reference
The Countess of Morcerf is the speaker and she is speaking to her son. Albert.

Explanation
The Countess is referring to an Arab custom. which is that an Arab never eats or drinks, in the house of his deadly enemy. Albert is astonished at this disclosure that his dear friend Monte Cristo has never eaten or drunk in his house even though he is his dearest friend. But Albert cannot understand in what way, can Monte Cristo be regarded as a deadly enemy.

It is fairly obvious, the Countess is ware that, under the grab of Monte Cristo, it is Edmond Pantes, her former lover, who regards her house, as the house of his enemy (her husband).




Lines
"Ah, the mysterious stranger! .............. count want with us."

Reference
The above lines are spoken by the Count of Morcerf. He is speaking to Albert his only son.

Explanation
Morcerf is speaking in a sarcastic tone, to his son about the frequent visits of the Count of Monte Cristo to his house. He refers to him, as the mysterious stranger because Monte Cristo is a stranger for him. Besides his visits to his own house have always been kept secretive. So Morcerf says, what did the stranger the count who is foreign to him who has created quite a stir in Paris, whan with them. In a sarcastic manner, he says that did the noble, the handsome, the ever kind count want with us.




Lines
“I MEAN TO THROW --------------------- PIERCE HIM THROUGH THE HEART.”

Reference
The speaker is Albert and he is answering his friend Beachamp, on his inquiry that he was serious about challenging Monte Cristo, his father’s enemy.

Explanation
He clarifies, I mean to challenge the Count of Monte Cristo. He says, I will give him choice of weapons and if he chooses swords – being an expert swordsman, I would pierce the tip of my sword, through his heart, at dawn, to-morrow morning. Albert has made up his mind about avenging his family honour, despite the fact that Monte Cristo, is his friend.




Lines
“THE VILLAIN RESOLVED TO--------------------- HATCHED AGAINST MORTAL MAN.”

Reference
These words are uttered by Monte Cristo. He is addressing the Countess, who has gone to his house, to request him to spare her son, Albert’s life.

Explanation
In answer to the Contess’s question, ‘why did he disgrace her husband’? he bids her to sit down and narrates the story of how her husband, Count of Morcerf formerly Fern and Mondego, hatched a devilish plot to marry Mercedes. He plotted the plan to marry Mercedes (as the Countess was formerly known. He was determined to win her hand. With the help of plotters and schemers, he made a devilish plan to put Monte Cristo, out of the way. It was the most terrible plot a person could ever plot against a human being. With the help of false evidence, he got Monte Cristo, improved for 20 years in an underground dungeon.


Lines
“NO, EDMOND. I CANNOT ---------------- 14 YEARS OF WRONGFUL IMPROSONMENT.”

Reference
The speaker in the above lines is the Countess of Morcerf. She is addressing the Count of Monte Cristo.

Explanation
The countess had gone to Monte Cristo’s house, to ask him, why he had brought about disgrace of her family and to request him to spare the life of her son, Albert. Monte Cristo then narrated the events of 20 years ago, when he was condemned as a traitor to his country by the Count of Morcerf then a fisherman. He was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. But luckily, after 14 years Monte Cristo escaped from the prison and pursued Morcerf and finally disgraced him by publishing the news that it was he who was a traitor. After learning the true facts, the Countess does not blame Monte Cristo for humiliating her husband. She says even if you take a far more worse revenge than you have for being wrongfully kept in prison for 14 years I shall not blame you.




Lines
“I CANNOT EXPECT TO------------------- ADMIRE AND RESPECT YOU?”

Reference
The Countess of Morcerf is making a fervent appeal to the Count of Monte Cristo to spare the life of her only son, Albert.

Explanation
She says, I cannot expect to have a deep impression upon your heart nor expect to change you mind. But will you not listen to the request of the one who loved you once who never willfully did you any wrong and who has never stopped admiring or respecting you. Would you not spare the life of my son. The Countess begs of Monte Cristo. This entreaty the Countess makes after Monte Cristo, reveals him to her and narrates the events of 20 years ago. How he was wrongfully confined to prison for 20 years by her husband Morcerf and how he escaped after 14 years and disgraced her husband by publishing the news that he had accepted bribes from the Turks and surrendered to them, the fortress of Yanina in 1823. Thus after listening to Monte Cristo story she implores him to save the life of her son, Albert.




Lines
“AH, MORREL. WHEN A------------------- THE HEART FROM HIS BREAST.”

Reference
This speech is made by Monte Cristo to his friend, Morrel.

Explanation
Morrel had come to inform Monte Cristo (at night), that all arrangements had been made about the duel. That it was to take place at 8 O’clock, in the morning at Bois-de-Vincenes. Prior to uttering the above words, Monte Cristo, signed his will and asked Morrel to be a witness. It is then that Monte Cristo utters, the above words. He says to Morrel, when a man decides to take his revenge, he should first of all remove his heart from his chest. Monte Cristo is referring to the Countess whom he still admires and due to whose entreaties, he agrees to spare his (Albert’s) life.




Lines
“NONETHELESS, I THINK THAT------------------- WISH IT WERE NOT.”

Reference
These words are spoken by the Countess of Morcerf, to her husband the Count of Morcerf.

Explanation
They are discussing their son, Albert who had gone to fight a duel against Monte Cristo for disgracing his father Count of Morcerf. The duel was to have taken place at 8 O’clock. It is past 9 O’clock, so both are concerned about Albert. Morcerf expresses his fear that Monte Cristo is an excellent shot and it is he who will fire first. Despite his apprehensions the Countess says, that it will be Albert, who will be victorious in the duel. She knows that he will because she had requested Monte Cristo not to kill her son. And Monte Cristo had promised not to kill Albert. But the countess says, in some ways, she wished her son was not victorious because his life would be saved but it would be Monte Cristo who will give his life.




Lines
“DOUBTLESS, THEN, YOU MADE------------------ GAVE SOME EXPLANATIONS.”

Reference
These are Morcerf’s words, which he addresses to his son, Albert.

Explanation
He says these words because Albert informs his father that the duel never took place. That he apologized to Monte Cristo. This he did because the Countess unveiled the events of 20 years ago and told the whole story of Morcerf’s crime to her son, Albert. She had requested Monte Cristo, to spare the life of her son, Albert. Thus it is due to the efforts of the countess, that Albert’s life is saved. On this, the count of Morcerf says the above words. He says, without doubt, you must have apologized to Monte Cristo or given some explanation that is why you are save.




Lines
“YOU HAVE CAME BACK ---------------- THE TOMB YOU SHALL RETURN.”

Reference
These words are spoken by the count of Morcerf, to Monte Cristo.

Explanation
He is in great anger. He is astonished to find that (Monte Cristo) Edmond Dantes, as he was known formerly (20 years ago) has re-appeared before him. Count of Morcerf, through a conspiracy, condemned his friend, Edmond Dantes to 20 years of imprisonment in an underground dungeon. But after 14 years, Edmond Dantes escaped and came to Paris. Here he took the title of the count of Monte Cristo. In order to take his revenge he published the news of Morcerf’s crimes. That he had taken bribes from the Turks and surrendered the fortress of Yanina, in 1823. Albert had challenged Monte Cristo for disgracing his father. But because of the countess, both Albert and Monte Cristo, don’t fight. The Countess took her son into confidence and told him all about his father’s misdeeds. Likewise she apologized to Monte Cristo and begged of him to spare her son’s life. Monte Cristo could not turn down the request of his former beloved. Thus the duel is averted. Now Monte Cristo and Count of Morcerf, come face to face. It is then, that Morcerf utters the above remarks. He says, to Monte Cristo, that you have come back from you grave (underground dungeon), and to the grave you shall return. Saying these words he pulls out a pistol and points it towards Monte Cristo meaning to shoot him.