Villafort leaves his wife on the evening of his marriage to take a message to the King that there is a plot against him, hoping that he will endear himself to the king and thus rise in stature as a result.  His conscience bothers him somewhat as he knows he is condemning innocent Dantes to a sure death but not so much that he backs off his evil deed. Mercedes stops him briefly to inquire of the fate of  Dantes but he doesnt give her the time of day.

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