The Serpent
- Valentine pretends to be asleep when the poisoner enters her room again.
- Valentine discovers that the poisoner is none other than her stepmother, Mrs. Villefort.
- She tells the Count what she has learned, and she tells him she really can't believe it and that she can't understand why her stepmother would want to kill her. She's a little naïve, but the Count is charmed by this.
- The Count tells Valentine that her stepmother wants her to die so that Villefort's inheritance will go to her son, Edward.
- Valentine feels badly for Edward and for the fact that his stepmother would go to such gruesome heights for money.
- The Count begins to plot a way to reveal Mrs. Villefort's murderous ways. He tells Valentine to trust him no matter what happens.
- He makes her take a tiny pill.