"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 I have 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."
"I say, sir, that with the eyes fixed on the social organization
of nations, you see only the springs of the machine, and lose sight
of the sublime workman who makes them act; I say that you do not
recognize before you and around you any but those office-holders
whose commissions have been signed by a minister or king; and that
the men whom God has put above those office-holders, ministers, andthe men whom God has put above those office-holders, ministers, and
kings, by giving them a mission to follow out, instead of a post to
fill — I say that they escape your narrow, limited field of
observation. It is thus that human weakness fails, from its
debilitated and imperfect organs. Tobias took the angel who
restored him to light for an ordinary young man. The nations took
Attila, who was doomed to destroy them, for a conqueror similar to
other conquerors, and it was necessary for both to reveal their
missions, that they might be known and acknowledged; one was
compelled to say, `I am the angel of the Lord'; and the other, `I
am the hammer of God,' in order that the divine essence in both
might be revealed."
"Then," said Villefort, more and more amazed, and really
supposing he was speaking to a mystic or a madman, "you consider
yourself as one of those extraordinary beings whom you have
mentioned?"
"And why not?" said Monte Cristo coldly.
"Your pardon, sir," replied Villefort, quite astounded, "but you
will excuse me if, when I presented myself to you, I was unaware
that I should meet with a person whose knowledge and understanding
so far surpass the usual knowledge and understanding of men. It is
not usual with us corrupted wretches of civilization to find
gentlemen like yourself, possessors, as you are, of immense fortune
— at least, so it is said — and I beg you to observe that I do not
inquire, I merely repeat; — it is not usual, I say, for such
privileged and wealthy beings to waste their time in speculations
on the state of society, in philosophical reveries, intended at
best to console those whom fate has disinherited from the goods of
this world."
"Really, sir," retorted the count, "have you attained the
eminent situation in which you are, without having admitted, or
even without having met with exceptions? and do you never use your
eyes, which must have acquired so much finesse and certainty, to
divine, at a glance, the kind of man by whom you are confronted?divine, at a glance, the kind of man by whom you are confronted?
Should not a magistrate be not merely the best administrator of the
law, but the most crafty expounder of the chicanery of his
profession, a steel probe to search hearts, a touchstone to try the
gold which in each soul is mingled with more or less of alloy?"
"Sir," said Villefort, "upon my word, you overcome me. I really
never heard a person speak as you do."
"Because you remain eternally encircled in a round of general
conditions, and have never dared to raise your wings into those
upper spheres which God has peopled with invisible or exceptional
beings."
"And you allow then, sir, that spheres exist, and that these
marked and invisible beings mingle amongst us?"
"Why should they not? Can you see the air you breathe, and yet
without which you could not for a moment exist?"
"Then we do not see those beings to whom you allude?"
"Yes, we do; you see them whenever God pleases to allow them to
assume a material form. You touch them, come in contact with them,
speak to them, and they reply to you."
"Ah," said Villefort, smiling, "I confess I should like to be
warned when one of these beings is in contact with me."
"You have been served as you desire, monsieur, for you were
warned just now, and I now again warn you."
"Then you yourself are one of these marked beings?"
"Yes, monsieur, I believe so; for until now, no man has found
himself in a position similar to mine. The dominions of kings are
limited either by mountains or rivers, or a change of manners, or
an alteration of language. My kingdom is bounded only by the world,
for I am not an Italian, or a Frenchman, or a Hindu, or an
American, or a Spaniard — I am a cosmopolite. No country can say it
saw my birth. God alone knows what country will see me die. I adopt
all customs, speak all languages. You believe me to be a Frenchman,
for I speak French with the same facility and purity as yourself.
Well, Ali, my Nubian, believes me to be an Arab; Bertuccio, my