Albert, Franz and the Count of Monte Cristo John D. Rockefeller once said, “A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship” (http://www. brainyquote. com/). In the book The Count of Monte Cristo, a novel written by Alexandre Dumas, a man by the name of Edmond Dantes is wrongfully accused by his so called “friends” and is put in the dreadful prison, Chateau d’If. After his good pal Abbe Faria dies, he escapes and finds a treasure, with the money he swears to get revenge in the most painful way possible, all are going down.
When he is out of prison he makes his way to Carnival in Rome, Italy, there he meets Albert and Franz; through that time period many opinions formed about one another and gave them the opportunity to form what Albert and Franz thought was a friendship. Albert certainly had a first impression and an opinion formed of the Count, but after the Count saved his life he felt the need to repay him for his gratitude. “That is what I should call assaulting us with politeness. Signor Pastrini, your Count of Monte Cristo is a very gentlemanly fellow” (Dumas 186). Albert has the first impression that the Count is very gracious and kind.
The way the servant conducted the Count made him seem like a perfect gentleman. “‘You are really a most valuable friend, and I hope you will consider me as eternally obliged to you in the first place for the carriage and now for this service[of saving his life from the Italian gangsters]” (Dumas 213). He cannot be more thankful for all that the Count has done for him. “‘… I owe you my life…. My father, the Count of Morcerf, who is of Spanish origin, holds a high position both in France and in Spain, and he and all who love me will be only too Gates 2 pleased to be of any service to you’ (Dumas 215).
His life flashed before his eyes and giving him that type of respect was the least he could do for the Count. Albert always looked at the Count in a positive light. Franz had his doubts but certainly they turned positive. “‘It seems to me that if this man is as well-mannered as our host says he is, he would have conveyed his invitation to us in some other way, either in writing…” (Dumas 186). Franz was very iffy about meeting him because he thought that he was not the best man to be seen with. From what he saw at the Colosseum, the Count seemed dangerous. ‘I think he is a charming man who does the honors of his table to perfection; a man who has seen much, studied much, and thought much; who, like Brutus, belongs to the school of the stoics, and who possesses most excellent cigars” (Dumas 193). After getting through that trust barrier, he felt as if the Count was like royalty. “‘… all but eight hundred piasters. ’ The Count went to his desk, opened a drawer filled with gold and said: … ‘Thank you. Take what you please. ’” The Count gave Franz what he needed to pay the ransom to get Albert back from the Italian gangsters.
Franz at first had issues with the Count but later really trusted the Count; enough to consider him a friend of his. During the Carnival in Rome, Italy, the Count meets Albert and Franz. First impressions and opinions were shaped about one another and gave them the chance to create what Albert and Franz would think was a friendship. Aristotle said, “Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies” (http://www. brainyquote. com/). Gates 3 Works Cited BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 14 May 2012. Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo. New York: Modern Library, 1996. Print.
