Character Thursday: Haidee

I skipped one week (sorry Fanda) due to strict schedule of unending business I need to finish. It was crazy. I don't want to miss it again, so here I am, with a young, female, adorable character from Dumas' Monte Cristo (again). Getting bored? Well, sorry, but I must write about her somewhere since I love her dearly.

Haidee is not mentioned in the story until much later, when Edmond has returned from faraway unknown land and reborn as The Count of Monte Cristo. She is introduced as a slave of Monte Cristo, a Greek, bought from Constantinople, and later as the daughter of Ali Pasha, a great Pasha from Yanina.

The extreme beauty of the countenance, that shone forth in loveliness that mocked the vain attempts of dress to augment it, was peculiarly and purely Grecian; there were the large, dark, melting eyes, the finely formed nose, the coral lips, and pearly teeth, that belonged to her race and country. And, to complete the whole, Haidee was in the very springtide and fulness of youthful charms -- she had not yet numbered more than twenty summers.

But what makes her beautiful is not only her appearance, which is of excellent beauty, but also her personality. She has the humility of a slave and pride of a queen. The Count has always treated her like a princess but she remains obedient to the Count, even though she knows the Count wouldn't be angry a bit to her if she declined him anything.

But her pride is clearly shown at the trial of Count de Morcerf, Albert's father.

The blush of mingled pride and modesty which suddenly suffused the cheeks of the young woman, the brilliancy of her eye, and her highly important communication, produced an indescribable effect on the assembly.

There she is, looking without any emotion, the punishment that falls upon the traitor and killer of her beloved father. She is indeed an amazing girl.

What I love the best from Haidee is her love for the count. The Count is at least 20 years older than Haidee, and yet she loves him so.

You are wrong, my lord. The love I have for you is very different from the love I had for my father. My father died, but I did not die. If you were to die, I should die too.

I think she would be a great
Haidee

And she was true to her words. In contrary of Mercedes who married another man after Dantes was missing, Haidee takes a pledge never to love anybody else, and would rather die than doing so. Perhaps Dumas intended to make this comparison between Haidee and Mercedes. And I'm so happy that Monte Cristo at last finds peace, if not happiness.

"Oh, yes," she cried, "I do love you! I love you as one loves a father, brother, husband! I love you as my life, for you are the best, the noblest of created beings!"

At the end of the novel, she rescues Monte Cristo from a silly bad ending, and changes the course of the last chapter to a happy ending. She is a blessing to the troubled-hearted Count, who has revenged so many people, yet has found remorse instead of satisfaction.

"Let it be, then, as you wish, sweet angel; God has sustained me in my struggle with my enemies, and has given me this reward; he will not let me end my triumph in suffering; I wished to punish myself, but he has pardoned me. Love me then, Haidee! Who knows? perhaps your love will make me forget all that I do not wish to remember."