Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Count of Monte Cristo opens as the cargo ship Pharaon is entering the port at Marseilles, France, after a three-month journey. The owner of the ship, M. Morrel, is being rowed out to meet with the captain. Upon arriving, Morrel is told that Captain Leclere died from brain fever while the ship was at sea. Twenty-year-old Edmond Dantes, the ship’s first mate, has taken over the role of captain and has brought the boat safely back home with all cargo and crew aboard.

When Dantes interrupts his conversation with Morrel to attend to the securing of the ship in the harbor, Danglars, the twenty-five-year-old Supercargo (supervisor of the cargo) fills in details about what happened after Captain Leclere’s death. Danglars is jealous of Dantes’s success and insinuates that Dantes has acted suspiciously in his role as captain. Dantes ordered the crew to take the boat to the Island of Elba, which was not a scheduled stop.

When Dantes has made sure the anchor has been properly dropped, he returns to answer more of Morrel’s questions and explains that the trip to Elba was Captain Leclere’s final request. Leclere had asked Dantes to deliver a package to Marshal Bertroud. Elba is the place to which Napoleon has been exiled. Morrel asks Dantes if he saw the ex-emperor; Dantes replies in the affirmative. Morrel suggests that Dantes keep this information to himself because having anything to do with Napoleon might lead to trouble. Morrel also tells Dantes that he is proud of the way he handled the voyage and is going to recommend that Dantes be named permanent captain.

Dantes rushes home to see his father, whom he finds rather weak. Dantes had left his father a sufficient amount of money before he left and wonders why his father has so few groceries in the house. His father explains that their neighbor, Gaspard Caderousse, insisted that he repay a loan, which took most of the money he had.

Soon after, Caderousse pays a visit. Dantes remains civil to the man. However, Caderouuse leaves with the impression that Dantes is too proud of his new accomplishments. Caderousse meets with Danglars, and they plot against Dantes. Danglars believes he is more qualified to be captain of the Pharaon. Caderousse thinks Dantes is too proud.

After leaving his father, Dantes goes to see Mercedes, his betrothed. Mercedes Herrera is with her cousin, Fernand Mondego. Fernand is in love with Mercedes and, therefore, is very jealous of Dantes. Mercedes is aware of Fernand’s feelings and warns him that she will kill herself if anything happens to Dantes. Dantes arrives at her house and renews his vow to marry her.

Caderousse and Danglars are drinking at a local pub when they see Fernand walk by looking dejected. They engage Fernand in a scheme. Danglars writes an anonymous letter to the king’s attorney, providing information about a secret meeting Dantes had with Napoleon. The letter states that proof of this meeting can be found in a package that Dantes has from Marshal Bertrand from the Island of Elba.

After writing this, Danglars throws the letter on the floor and tells Fernand that he was merely joking. He has no intention of delivering such a message. As Danglars walks away, he looks back to see Fernand pick up the letter and disappear.

Chapter 5 begins with a marriage feast as Dantes and Mercedes prepare to be wedded. They are celebrating and about to leave for the wedding ceremony when several of the king’s soldiers appear. They put Dantes under arrest. Dantes is not concerned. He knows he has done nothing wrong. Morrel seeks an explanation from the soldiers and discovers that this is a serious matter, though he does not know all the circumstances. All he knows is that Dantes has been put in jail.

Caderousse becomes suspicious and asks Danglars about the letter he wrote. Danglars claims he threw the letter away, but this does not convince Caderousse. He warns Danglars that he will tell everyone what Danglars has done if Dantes is accused of a crime. Danglars tells Caderousse that Dantes might indeed be guilty because he did stop at Elba. Thus, Danglars talks Caderousse into staying silent. Morrel then asks Danglars to take over as captain of the ship until he can clear Dantes’s name.