The Count of Monte Cristo
Friendship is something that is both fascinating and beautiful.
It was thanks to its power that the boy was able to escape the bandits' clutches.
"And yet," my friend said to me, "there is nothing so inconstant as the human heart."
Act 3: 5/22, Stormy
Hey! Albert!
Wake up!
I can't believe you were still in bed.
I have an important visitor coming today. I've been really busy.
You didn't have to come if you don't want to.
Who's the visitor?
Someone who did me a favor on Luna.
Oh, that fake Count something-or-other.
Eugenie! That's going too far!
Speaking of visitors, Renaud said that he's bringing someone, too.
What?
You know, Albert, you must be the perfect target for a con artist.
She's losing her temper...
What are you angry about?
Who says I'm angry? I'm just enjoying our drive.
This isn't a race.
Oh, that's right. You love puttering around at a crawl with no destination in mind.
Both behind the wheel and in life.
My life is none of your business!
Get out.
Sure, just watch me. I don't want to ride with you, anyway.
What are you talking about? We're already here.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why you and I are engaged!
Then maybe you should ride in Debray's car on the way...
Oh, boy...
Hey, would you be careful?
Are you okay?
Yes.
Hey, Albert! Come take a look!
Hey!
Geez, are women all you're good at handling, Mr. bigshot private secretary?
Every dull drive needs a little stimulation, doesn't it?
Next to me is a hack newspaper reporter,
...and in the back seat is a couple who just got engaged!
That was amazing!
It was nothing. I was in a special forces unit in the army.
Muscle reinforcement processing, huh? I'd heard rumors about it...
Thank you for your assistance.
I-I'll get it myself.
Um... What is your name, if I might ask?
It's Valentine.
I-I'm...
Hey, Maximilien! Sorry I'm late!
There I was, out on recon, and I stumbled into an enemy nest.
And when I accidentally dropped my favorite grenade, I went as pale as a ghost!
From inside the hole, I could hear the Erindanians making threatening clicking noises.
Anyway, I don't subscribe to the theory that they're a sentient race.
In termperament, they're vicious and cruel. Would you like a piece?
In termperament, they're vicious and cruel.
Thank you.
Well, I don't want to go into detail with these ladies present, Thank you.
Well, I don't want to go into detail with these ladies present,
...but just once, they ought to round up those human rights proponents...
It's delicious!
...but just once, they ought to round up those human rights proponents...
...and send 'em in there to have a nice chat with them!
You're a lucky man, Franz!
Once you're married, you'll be able to eat like this every day!
Um... Where was I?
Oh, right! Just then, I thought I was done for!
And who do you suppose showed up then?
None other than Space Cavalry Captain Maximilien Morrel,
...the man I owe my life to!
You're quite a man to look after a klutz who stumbled his way onto a battlefield.
Where do you hail from?
My family is from Marseilles.
That's a rough place.
And you?
Paris, of course! Admittedly, from the old part of town.
Marseilles... What sort of place is it?
When I was young, it was a beautiful harbor town.
At any rate, it's not a place that a young lady should venture into.
We haven't climbed up here in a long time.
What a great breeze.
Those clouds look a bit menacing, though.
Something interesting catch your eye?
Why do you suppose there's a need to divide the world with city walls?
The ugliness of the outside world exists for the express purpose...
...of making the beauty of our kingdom stand out all the more.
Maybe, but there's plenty of great things outside the walls.
Don't you think we should open our eyes a little more?
Oh, have you grown up a little from going on your trip?
I suppose you're right.
So go ahead and take on all the troubles that exist outside the walls.
That should quiet those pangs of boredom of yours a little.
That is what we should be looking at.
The High Court of Justice. Danglars Bank.
And the place your father works at, Space Forces lmperial Headquarters.
The triangle of power.
That is the true "great thing" that we should inherit, don't you think?
To me, it feels like we're the ones who have been sealed in.
I am now no longer alone in my solitude.
For I am now surrounded by the Furies, the goddesses of vengeance.
In the darkness, I awaited the dawn.
And once dawn came, I cursed my flesh until night fell once more.
I even prayed that I would lose my sanity.
But those prayers went unheeded.
I even strove for death, but the Devil's cold, pitiless hand held me back.
Soon... It won't be long now...
The Count of Monte Cristo
Boy, what a lousy drive that was...
Maybe it was punishment for skipping the Cabinet meeting...
Have the candidates for the next President been chosen yet?
The word on the street is that His Excellency Morcerf is the front runner.
You've heard a few things from your father, right, Albert?
Maximilien, you should watch your step around Beauchamp.
He's a terrible man who will use even his friends' scandals as fodder for articles,
...and he won't think twice about it.
That's what they call "impartial journalism."
I read your articles all the time.
But I do not approve of the content.
I get that all the time.
Where are the ladies?
They went home, saying something about their dresses being soaked.
Renaud's antique, too.
If they'd said something, I would have given them a lift home.
That'd be like tossing food to a monkey.
So, the Count of Monte Cristo, huh?
I can't say that the name is familiar.
There's no documents on him at the Cabinet Secretariat, either.
It's probably an alias. Or maybe...
A pretender or a con man, huh?
I'll thank you to stop engaging in idle gossip about an honored guest of the Morcerf home.
Where'd you say that you ran into this "honored guest" of yours, again?
At Luna's Carnival this past spring.
Apparently, the honored son of the family was abducted by bandits.
That's too funny. Were you seduced by one of Luna's wily vixens?
Damn it...
And that's when the Count rescued me from their clutches.
I guess you owe him your life, then.
It's clear that he's incredibly wealthy, as well as very kind.
And would you say that this millionaire's money pouch was stuffed full of forged bills?
Look at this!
If he wasn't of noble birth, would he have a watch as beautiful as this?
Con artists use trinkets like that all the time to win people's trust.
He's no con artist!
He commands a huge spaceship,
...he travels with aliens and a woman of unmatched beauty from Eastern Space,
...he's free from the rule of any government,
...and he mingles freely with people of all classes.
In everything he does, he breaks with tradition.
And then, once night falls,
...he wanders the darkness in search of the lifeblood of beautiful maidens.
I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
The Count has a ruthless side that doesn't care about human life at all.
Franz!
Calm down, Albert!
You know, there was a case of a sailor who contracted a local disease on some planet,
...and went around sucking all the blood he could find, wasn't there?
You should be careful, too, Albert.
I hear they prefer the blood of virgin girls and boys.
You think he's a vampire or something? That's ridiculous.
It's a lot more plausible than Lunar bandits.
Or kindhearted rich people.
His Excellency, the Count of Monte Cristo.
Show him in at once.
I beg your pardon. The door was open.
It's an honor to see you again.
The honor is all mine, Viscount Morcerf.
Please, call me Albert.
Surely you and I are on familiar terms by now, Count.
And now, as promised, allow me to introduce you to my friends.
You already know Franz.
This is Lucien Debray.
He is a shrewd civil servant, who already holds a key position in the Interior Ministry...
...in spite of his young age.
This is Beauchamp. He's a newspaper reporter.
He can tell you anything you might want to know about Paris.
Admittedly, it's more of a third-rate gossip sheet than a newspaper.
Most fascinating.
Cavalry Captain Maximilien Morrel, hero of the Eridanus campaign.
Nice to meet you.
Ah, the very paragon of a faithful, brave soldier, I see.
You know the Captain?
Not at all.
We've heard that you've come to us from somewhere far away.
You're trying to interview him already? Don't be rude to our guest.
I'm just doing my job.
On many worlds, photographs are seen as an abominable custom.
I must ask you to abstain.
Sorry, sorry...
In the course of visiting many foreign lands as a sailor,
...l've become thoroughly tainted by the customs of other worlds.
I must seem quite the savage to the people of Paris.
What sorts of places have you been to?
I have traveled to many places.
To Eastern Space. To Northern Space. Even to the core of the galaxy.
Even the lmperium?
Of course. To a sailor, there are no such things as borders.
Could that not be considered treason against the state?
I see no reason to swear loyalty to people who do nothing to protect me.
Do you not agree?
I see you possess rather bold opinions.
True enough.
I suggest that you experience being cast out into the vast universe all alone.
I expect that you will soon understand that the only person one can count upon is oneself.
Set the table for tea at once.
And where do you hail from?
I came into this world in a land that is beyond your imagination.
A place that you'd rather not mention?
Franz! Don't be rude!
If we're going to be associating as friends, shouldn't we at least know that much?
That is quite understandable.
The reason that distinguished gentlemen such as yourselves are interested in me...
...is because of the air of mystery surrounding me, is it not?
Were that not the case, surely a rustic aristocrat from the frontiers of space...
...would not have been given a seat at your table.
Well, you have us there.
But that's exactly why we want to know more about you, Count!
You're as naive as ever, I see.
Peppo!
Is something the matter?
Huh? Um, no.
All right, what are you up to?
I wound up here.
I quit the bandit gang.
So I came here to Paris to look for work.
But what are you doing HERE?
I followed you here, Albert.
I'm lying, I'm lying! It's just a coincidence.
There happened to be an opening here, that's all.
Tell me, Peppo...
So, you remembered my name.
Are you planning to stay here for good?
Can't I?
Well, it's, how can I put it...?
Don't worry. Let's just agree to keep each other's secrets, okay?
Are you interested in learning that man's real identity?
Don't worry about it too much. He's nobody special.
What do you want to do tonight? Hit Le Queen?
That's okay, I'll pass.
As will I.
What the heck is this?
The Count of Monte Cristo's voice...
What about it?
It isn't on the recording.
What sorts of places have you been to?
Even the lmperium?
Some might see...
It's probably a mechanical malfunction.
So, is this a malfunction, too?
What a beautiful woman.
T-That's my mother.
She is rather young.
This vista is that of Marseilles, is it not?
She likes paintings like this. I don't know why she chose that place as the setting.
It is magnificent.
Actually, my father hates this painting.
He was going to take it down and burn it, but we placated him by hanging it in my room.
Edmond...
Is there something about this painting?
No. I'm afraid that it is time that I took my leave of you.
Don't say that! Please, have dinner with us!
My mother and father are looking forward to meeting you, too.
If you're interested in paintings, my mother and father have many others in their collection.
My, what a stirring painting this is.
This is what my father likes.
The ones that my mother has collected are over here.
This must be your visitor.
My mother's past, which I never knew.
The men in her past.
Adults who live in the past.
Act 4: A Mother's Secrets
Next time on Gankutsuou, The Count of Monte Cristo, act 4,
Act 4: A Mother's Secrets ..."A Mother's Secrets".
Bide your time, and hold out hope!