The Count of Monte Cristo

Edmond:　　 A heaviness lays o’r me — Cruelty lies
　　　　　　In minds of my accusers —
Mercédès:　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cannot be!
　　　　　　What reason? What the purpose of such cries
　　　　　　Of outrage?
Edmond: 　　　　　　　Lies, deceit. O’ now I see
　　　　　　How Future taunts me. Me! I’ve no defense
　　　　　　If Truth should fail me, parting from my side
　　　　　　Bein’ ill-equipped.
Mercédès: 　　　　　　　　　　In failing to make sense
　　　　　　Of all this horror! Fancy n’er can hide
　　　　　　Nor overcome what we between us feel.
　　　　　　The braver heart in love will always rise
　　　　　　Above adversity.
Edmond:　　　　　　　　　　I hoped to seal
　　　　　　Our marriage — Providence? The hows and whys!
　　　　　　　My last request: N’er leave me, nor forsake —
　　　　　　　The shackles of this nightmare, we will shake.

and Edmond, later as the Count of Monte Cristo:

Myself the question asked: But how does such
A turn of fate come shatter every dream?
How so-called friends are acting — More the touch
Of jealousy when love is of the theme.
What plan is put in place? Another’s word —
Where innocence is slaughtered on the breeze,
Evaporating, stunned by what is heard
As opportunity steps forth to seize —
Those feelings of revenge sought by the heart,
All these we justify and crave the thought.
To mete a punishment and thus impart
The sting of accusation as is wrought.
　　With time to kill, but Time will kill me not
　　Until I play my hand ‘gainst that ill-got.

Ferrick Gray
© 2021