The Count of Monte Cristo - Chapter 16 – A Learned Italian

At last, Edmond Dantès meets the man behind the tunnel—the frail but brilliant Abbé Faria, known among the guards as the “mad priest.” Far from insane, Faria reveals himself as a scholar, inventor, and visionary, a prisoner whose mind has never been shackled. He forged tools from scraps, wrote treatises in blood and soot, and memorized the wisdom of centuries. Though his escape attempt has failed, his knowledge and resolve ignite new hope in Edmond. Together, they begin to dream—not only of survival, but of freedom.