Publicly disgraced, Fernand finally recognizes Edmond. In the meantime, Cavalcanti is murdered by Benedetto, and the latter's arrest ruins the Danglars family's engagement party. But Bertuccio, on Edmond's behalf, makes a deal with him.
Edmond continues to ingratiate himself with his intended victims and their families, and discovers that the wife of Danglars was once De Villefort's mistress, and bore him an illegitimate child. But what happened to the infant?