"It's written in the holy scriptures," Monte Cristo said coldly, "that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. If God himself decreed this law, who am I to show more mercy than the Almighty?"
"Edmond," Mercédès said, extending her arms toward him, "I've adored you since the day we met. I've cherished your memory all these years. Please, my friend, don't force me to destroy the noble image of you I've kept in my heart. If you knew how many prayers I've said for you! While I thought you were alive, and even after I believed you were dead... Yes, dead! I imagined your body buried in some dark dungeon, or thrown into a pit by cruel jailers, and I wept for you."
