"Monsieur," replied the count, with a chilling air, "I am very happy to have been the means of preserving a son to his mother, for they say that the sentiment of maternity is the most holy of all; and the good fortune which occurred to me, monsieur, might have enabled you to dispense with a duty which, in its discharge, confers an undoubtedly great honor;for I am aware that M.de Villefort is not usually lavish of the favor which he now bestows on me, -- a favor which, however estimable, is unequal to the satisfaction which Ihave in my own consciousness." Villefort, astonished at this reply, which he by no means expected, started like a soldier who feels the blow levelled at him over the armor he wears, and a curl of his disdainful lip indicated that from that moment he noted in the tablets of his brain that the Count of Monte Cristo was by no means a highly bred gentleman.He glanced around.in order to seize on something on which the conversation might turn, and seemed to fall easily on a topic.He saw the map which Monte Cristo had been examining when he entered, and said, "You seem geographically engaged, sir? It is a rich study for you, who, as I learn, have seen as many lands as are delineated on this map.""Yes, sir," replied the count; "l have sought to make of the human race, taken in the mass, what you practice every day on individuals -- a physiological study.I have believed it was much easier to descend from the whole to a part than to ascend from a part to the whole.It is an algebraic axiom, which makes us proceed from a known to an unknown quantity, and not from an unknown to a known; but sit down, sir, I beg of you."Monte Cristo pointed to a chair, which the procureur was obliged to take the trouble to move forwards himself, while the count merely fell back into his own, on which he had been kneeling when M.Villefort entered.Thus the count was halfway turned towards his visitor, having his back towards the window, his elbow resting on the geographical chart which furnished the theme of conversation for the moment, --a conversation which assumed, as in the case of the interviews with Danglars and Morcerf, a turn analogous to the persons, if not to the situation."Ah, you philosophize," replied Villefort, after a moment's silence, during which, like a wrestler who encounters a powerful opponent, he took breath; "well, sir, really, if, like you, I had nothing else to do, I should seek a more amusing occupation.""Why, in truth, sir," was Monte Cristo's reply, "man is but an ugly caterpillar for him who studies him through a solar microscope; but you said, I think, that I had nothing else to do.Now, really, let me ask, sir, have you? -- do you believe you have anything to do? or to speak in plain terms, do you really think that what you do deserves being called anything?"Villefort's astonishment redoubled at this second thrust so forcibly made by his strange adversary.It was a long time since the magistrate had heard a paradox so strong, or rather, to say the truth more exactly, it was the first time he had ever heard of it.The procureur exerted himself to reply."Sir," he responded, "you are a stranger, and Ibelieve you say yourself that a portion of your life has been spent in Oriental countries, so you are not aware how human justice, so expeditions in barbarous countries, takes with us a prudent and well-studied course.""Oh, yes -- yes, I do, sir; it is the pede claudo of the ancients.I know all that, for it is with the justice of all countries especially that I have occupied myself -- it is with the criminal procedure of all nations that I have compared natural justice, and I must say, sir, that it is the law of primitive nations, that is, the law of retaliation, that I have most frequently found to be according to the law of God.""If this law were adopted, sir," said the procureur, "it would greatly simplify our legal codes, and in that case the magistrates would not (as you just observed) have much to do.""It may, perhaps, come to this in time," observed Monte Cristo; "you know that human inventions march from the complex to the simple, and simplicity is always perfection.""In the meanwhile," continued the magistrate, "our codes are in full force, with all their contradictory enactments derived from Gallic customs, Roman laws, and Frank usages;the knowledge of all which, you will agree, is not to be acquired without extended labor; it needs tedious study to acquire this knowledge, and, when acquired, a strong power of brain to retain it.""I agree with you entirely, sir; but all that even you know with respect to the French code, I know, not only in reference to that code, but as regards the codes of all nations.The English, Turkish, Japanese, Hindu laws, are as familiar to me as the French laws, and thus I was right, when I said to you, that relatively (you know that everything is relative, sir) -- that relatively to what Ihave done, you have very little to do; but that relatively to all I have learned, you have yet a great deal to learn.""But with what motive have you learned all this?" inquired Villefort, in astonishment.Monte Cristo smiled."Really, sir," he observed, "I see that in spite of the reputation which you have acquired as a superior man, you look at everything from the material and vulgar view of society, beginning with man, and ending with man -- that is to say, in the most restricted, most narrow view which it is possible for human understanding to embrace.""Pray, sir, explain yourself," said Villefort, more and more astonished, "I really do -- not -- understand you --perfectly."
