Alexandre Dumas Pere

Set at the height of the "tulipomania" that gripped Holland in 17th century, this is the story of Cornelius van Baerle, a humble grower whose sole desire is to grow the perfect specimen of the tulip negra. When his godfather is murdered, Cornelius finds himself caught up in the deadly politics of the time, imprisoned and facing a death sentence. His jailor's daughter Rosa, holds both the key to his survival and his chance to produce the ultimate tulip.

The Black Tulip

The Vicomte de Bragelonne is the third Dumas novel to include d'Artagnan and his companions, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. The novel is set during the 1660s and worried about the early rule of Louis XIV. The principal half of the original focuses for the most part on Athos and Athos who are dealing with two separate plans. The protagonist of the novel is the musketeers. The book-length finds it much of the time broken into smaller parts. The time frame is set somewhere in the range of 1660 and 1673 against the background of the transformation of Louis XIV from child monarch to Sun King.After 35 years of loyal service, d'Artagnan leaves as lieutenant of the Musketeers. He takes steps to help the exiled Charles II to retake the throne of England. With their help, Charles II is reestablished to the throne, and d'Artagnan is rewarded luxuriously. Part One of the book discusses romantic events at the court of Louis XIV. Raoul de Bragelonne tries to marry his childhood love Louise de La Vallière. Philippe turns out to be terribly desirous of Buckingham and has him banished after their wedding. Aramis learns of a secret prisoner who looks similar to Louis XIV and convinces the Jesuits to name him their new king.

The Vicomte De Bragelonne

This exciting novel takes place a few years after the historical tragedy of the lynching of the Dutch Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis. The city of Haarlem has offered a large prize to the person who can grow a black tulip -- a feat nearly completed by young Cornelius van Baerle when he is suddenly thrown into prison!

At the age of nineteen, Edmond Dant�s seems to have the perfect life. He is about to become the captain of a ship, he is engaged to a beautiful and kind young woman, Merc�d�s, and he is well liked by almost everyone who knows him. This perfect life, however, stirs up dangerous jealousy among some of Dant�s's so-called friends. Danglars, the treasurer of Dant�s's ship, envies Dant�s's early career success; Fernand Mondego is in love with Dant�s's fianc�e and so covets his amorous success; his neighbor Caderousse is simply envious that Dant�s is so much luckier in life than he is.Together, these three men draft a letter accusing Dant�s of treason. There is some truth to their accusations: as a favor to his recently deceased captain, Dant�s is carrying a letter from Napoleon to a group of Bonapartist sympathizers in Paris. Though Dant�s himself has no political leanings, the undertaking is enough to implicate him for treason. On the day of his wedding, Dant�s is arrested for his alleged crimes.The deputy public prosecutor, Villefort, sees through the plot to frame Dant�s and is prepared to set him free. At the last moment, though, Dant�s jeopardizes his freedom by revealing the name of the man to whom he is supposed to deliver Napoleon's letter. The man, Noirtier, is Villefort's father. Terrified that any public knowledge of his father's treasonous activities will thwart his own ambitions, Villefort decides to send Dant�s to prison for life. Despite the entreaties of Monsieur Morrel, Dant�s's kind and honest boss, Dant�s is sent to the infamous Ch�teau d'If, where the most dangerous political prisoners are kept.While in prison, Dant�s meets Abb� Faria, an Italian priest and intellectual, who has been jailed for his political views. Faria teaches Dant�s history, science, philosophy, and languages, turning him into a well-educated man. Faria also bequeaths to Dant�s a large treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo, and he tells him how to find it should he ever escape. When Faria dies, Dant�s hides himself in the abb�'s shroud, thinking that he will be buried and then dig his way out. Instead, Dant�s is thrown into the sea, and is able to cut himself loose and swim to freedom.Dant�s travels to Monte Cristo and finds Faria's enormous treasure. He considers his fortune a gift from God, given to him for the sole purpose of rewarding those who have tried to help him and, more important, punishing those who have hurt him. Disguising himself as an Italian priest who answers to the name of Abb� Busoni, he travels back to Marseilles and visits Caderousse, who is now struggling to make a living as an innkeeper. From Caderousse he learns the details of the plot to frame him. In addition, Dant�s learns that his father has died of grief in his absence and that Merc�d�s has married Fernand Mondego. Most frustrating, he learns that both Danglars and Mondego have become rich and powerful and are living happily in Paris. As a reward for this information, and for Caderousse's apparent regret over the part he played in Dant�s's downfall, Dant�s gives Caderousse a valuable diamond. Before leaving Marseilles, Dant�s anonymously saves Morrel from financial ruin.

Tome II

The Count of Monte Cristo

At the age of nineteen, Edmond Dantès seems to have the perfect life. He is about to become the captain of a ship, he is engaged to a beautiful and kind young woman, Mercédès, and he is well liked by almost everyone who knows him. This perfect life, however, stirs up dangerous jealousy among some of Dantès's so-called friends. Danglars, the treasurer of Dantès's ship, envies Dantès's early career success; Fernand Mondego is in love with Dantès's fiancée and so covets his amorous success; his neighbor Caderousse is simply envious that Dantès is so much luckier in life than he is.Together, these three men draft a letter accusing Dantès of treason. There is some truth to their accusations: as a favor to his recently deceased captain, Dantès is carrying a letter from Napoleon to a group of Bonapartist sympathizers in Paris. Though Dantès himself has no political leanings, the undertaking is enough to implicate him for treason. On the day of his wedding, Dantès is arrested for his alleged crimes.The deputy public prosecutor, Villefort, sees through the plot to frame Dantès and is prepared to set him free. At the last moment, though, Dantès jeopardizes his freedom by revealing the name of the man to whom he is supposed to deliver Napoleon's letter. The man, Noirtier, is Villefort's father. Terrified that any public knowledge of his father's treasonous activities will thwart his own ambitions, Villefort decides to send Dantès to prison for life. Despite the entreaties of Monsieur Morrel, Dantès's kind and honest boss, Dantès is sent to the infamous Château d'If, where the most dangerous political prisoners are kept.While in prison, Dantès meets Abbé Faria, an Italian priest and intellectual, who has been jailed for his political views. Faria teaches Dantès history, science, philosophy, and languages, turning him into a well-educated man. Faria also bequeaths to Dantès a large treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo, and he tells him how to find it should he ever escape. When Faria dies, Dantès hides himself in the abbé's shroud, thinking that he will be buried and then dig his way out. Instead, Dantès is thrown into the sea, and is able to cut himself loose and swim to freedom.Dantès travels to Monte Cristo and finds Faria's enormous treasure. He considers his fortune a gift from God, given to him for the sole purpose of rewarding those who have tried to help him and, more important, punishing those who have hurt him. Disguising himself as an Italian priest who answers to the name of Abbé Busoni, he travels back to Marseilles and visits Caderousse, who is now struggling to make a living as an innkeeper. From Caderousse he learns the details of the plot to frame him. In addition, Dantès learns that his father has died of grief in his absence and that Mercédès has married Fernand Mondego. Most frustrating, he learns that both Danglars and Mondego have become rich and powerful and are living happily in Paris. As a reward for this information, and for Caderousse's apparent regret over the part he played in Dantès's downfall, Dantès gives Caderousse a valuable diamond. Before leaving Marseilles, Dantès anonymously saves Morrel from financial ruin.

Tome I

The Count of Monte' Cristo

Tome III

The Black Tulip is a historical novel and Romantic Poetry, written by Alexandre Dumas pere in 1850.

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Alexandre Dumas Pere

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