Napoleon — well, can you expect for an instant, that one
accustomed, at the word of his commander, to rush fearlessly on the
very bayonets of his foe, will scruple more to drive a stiletto
into the heart of one he knows to be his personal enemy, than to
slaughter his fellow-creatures, merely because bidden to do so by
one he is bound to obey? Besides, one requires the excitement of
being hateful in the eyes of the accused, in order to lash one's
self into a state of sufficient vehemence and power. I would not
choose to see the man against whom I pleaded smile, as though in
mockery of my words. No; my pride is to see the accused pale,
agitated, and as though beaten out of all composure by the fire of
my eloquence." Renee uttered a smothered exclamation.
"Bravo!" cried one of the guests; "that is what I call talking
to some purpose."
"Just the person we require at a time like the present," said a
second.
"What a splendid business that last case of yours was, my dear
Villefort!" remarked a third; "I mean the trial of the man for
murdering his father. Upon my word, you killed him ere the
executioner had laid his hand upon him."
"Oh, as for parricides, and such dreadful people as that,"
interposed Renee, "it matters very little what is done to them; but
as regards poor unfortunate creatures whose only crime consists in
having mixed themselves up in political intrigues" —
"Why, that is the very worst offence they could possibly commit;
for, don't you see, Renee, the king is the father of his people,
and he who shall plot or contrive aught against the life and safety
of the parent of thirty-two millions of souls, is a parricide upon
a fearfully great scale?"
"I don't know anything about that," replied Renee; "but, M. de
Villefort, you have promised me — have you not? — always to show
mercy to those I plead for."
"Make yourself quite easy on that point," answered Villefort,
with one of his sweetest smiles; "you and I will always consult
upon our verdicts."
"My love," said the marquise, "attend to your doves, yourupon our verdicts."
"My love," said the marquise, "attend to your doves, your
lap-dogs, and embroidery, but do not meddle with what you do not
understand. Nowadays the military profession is in abeyance and the
magisterial robe is the badge of honor. There is a wise Latin
proverb that is very much in point."
"Cedant arma togae," said Villefort with a bow.
"I cannot speak Latin," responded the marquise.
"Well," said Renee, "I cannot help regretting you had not chosen
some other profession than your own — a physician, for instance. Do
you know I always felt a shudder at the idea of even a destroying
angel?"
"Dear, good Renee," whispered Villefort, as he gazed with
unutterable tenderness on the lovely speaker.
"Let us hope, my child," cried the marquis, "that M. de
Villefort may prove the moral and political physician of this
province; if so, he will have achieved a noble work."
"And one which will go far to efface the recollection of his
father's conduct," added the incorrigible marquise.
"Madame," replied Villefort, with a mournful smile, "I have
already had the honor to observe that my father has — at least, I
hope so — abjured his past errors, and that he is, at the present
moment, a firm and zealous friend to religion and order — a better
royalist, possibly, than his son; for he has to atone for past
dereliction, while I have no other impulse than warm, decided
preference and conviction." Having made this well-turned speech,
Villefort looked carefully around to mark the effect of his
oratory, much as he would have done had he been addressing the
bench in open court.
"Do you know, my dear Villefort," cried the Comte de Salvieux,
"that is exactly what I myself said the other day at the Tuileries,
when questioned by his majesty's principal chamberlain touching the
singularity of an alliance between the son of a Girondin and the
daughter of an officer of the Duc de Conde; and I assure you he
seemed fully to comprehend that this mode of reconciling politicalseemed fully to comprehend that this mode of reconciling political
differences was based upon sound and excellent principles. Then the
king, who, without our suspecting it, had overheard our
conversation, interrupted us by saying, `Villefort' — observe that
the king did not pronounce the word Noirtier, but, on the contrary,
placed considerable emphasis on that of Villefort — `Villefort,'
said his majesty, `is a young man of great judgment and discretion,
who will be sure to make a figure in his profession; I like him
much, and it gave me great pleasure to hear that he was about to
become the son-in-law of the Marquis and Marquise de Saint-Meran. I
should myself have recommended the match, had not the noble marquis
anticipated my wishes by requesting my consent to it.'"
"Is it possible the king could have condescended so far as to
express himself so favorably of me?" asked the enraptured
Villefort.
"I give you his very words; and if the marquis chooses to be
candid, he will confess that they perfectly agree with what his
majesty said to him, when he went six months ago to consult him
upon the subject of your espousing his daughter."
"That is true," answered the marquis.
"How much do I owe this gracious prince! What is there I would
not do to evince my earnest gratitude!"
"That is right," cried the marquise. "I love to see you thus.
Now, then, were a conspirator to fall into your hands, he would be
most welcome."
"For my part, dear mother." interposed Renee, "I trust your
wishes will not prosper, and that Providence will only permit petty
offenders, poor debtors, and miserable cheats to fall into M. de
Villefort's hands, — then I shall be contented."
"Just the same as though you prayed that a physician might only
be called upon to prescribe for headaches, measles, and the stings
of wasps, or any other slight affection of the epidermis. If you
wish to see me the king's attorney, you must desire for me some of
those violent and dangerous diseases from the cure of which so much
honor redounds to the physician."