Reading Help The Count of Monte Cristo Ch.1-10
his commonplace but ambitions followers, not only as a `
` leader and lawgiver, but also as the personification of `
` equality." `
` `
` "He!" cried the marquise: "Napoleon the type of equality! `
` For mercy's sake, then, what would you call Robespierre? `
` Come, come, do not strip the latter of his just rights to `
` bestow them on the Corsican, who, to my mind, has usurped `
` quite enough." `
` `
` "Nay, madame; I would place each of these heroes on his `
` right pedestal -- that of Robespierre on his scaffold in the `
` Place Louis Quinze; that of Napoleon on the column of the `
` Place Vendome. The only difference consists in the opposite `
` character of the equality advocated by these two men; one is `
` the equality that elevates, the other is the equality that `
` degrades; one brings a king within reach of the guillotine, `
` the other elevates the people to a level with the throne. `
` Observe," said Villefort, smiling, "I do not mean to deny `
` that both these men were revolutionary scoundrels, and that `
` the 9th Thermidor and the 4th of April, in the year 1814, `
` were lucky days for France, worthy of being gratefully `
` remembered by every friend to monarchy and civil order; and `
` that explains how it comes to pass that, fallen, as I trust `
` he is forever, Napoleon has still retained a train of `
` parasitical satellites. Still, marquise, it has been so with `
` other usurpers -- Cromwell, for instance, who was not half `
` so bad as Napoleon, had his partisans and advocates." `
` `
` "Do you know, Villefort, that you are talking in a most `
` dreadfully revolutionary strain? But I excuse it, it is `
` impossible to expect the son of a Girondin to be free from a `
` small spice of the old leaven." A deep crimson suffused the `
` countenance of Villefort. `
` `
` "'Tis true, madame," answered he, "that my father was a `
` Girondin, but he was not among the number of those who voted `
` for the king's death; he was an equal sufferer with yourself `
` during the Reign of Terror, and had well-nigh lost his head `
` on the same scaffold on which your father perished." `
` `
` "True," replied the marquise, without wincing in the `
` slightest degree at the tragic remembrance thus called up; `
` "but bear in mind, if you please, that our respective `
` parents underwent persecution and proscription from `
` diametrically opposite principles; in proof of which I may `
` remark, that while my family remained among the stanchest `
` adherents of the exiled princes, your father lost no time in `
` joining the new government; and that while the Citizen `
` Noirtier was a Girondin, the Count Noirtier became a `
` senator." `
` `
` "Dear mother," interposed Renee, "you know very well it was `
` agreed that all these disagreeable reminiscences should `
` forever be laid aside." `
` `
` "Suffer me, also, madame," replied Villefort, "to add my `
` earnest request to Mademoiselle de Saint-Meran's, that you `
` will kindly allow the veil of oblivion to cover and conceal `
` the past. What avails recrimination over matters wholly past `
` recall? For my own part, I have laid aside even the name of `
` my father, and altogether disown his political principles. `
` He was -- nay, probably may still be -- a Bonapartist, and `
` is called Noirtier; I, on the contrary, am a stanch `
` royalist, and style myself de Villefort. Let what may remain `
` of revolutionary sap exhaust itself and die away with the `
` old trunk, and condescend only to regard the young shoot `
` which has started up at a distance from the parent tree, `
` without having the power, any more than the wish, to `
` separate entirely from the stock from which it sprung." `
` `
` "Bravo, Villefort!" cried the marquis; "excellently well `
` said! Come, now, I have hopes of obtaining what I have been `
` for years endeavoring to persuade the marquise to promise; `
` namely, a perfect amnesty and forgetfulness of the past." `
` `
` "With all my heart," replied the marquise; "let the past be `
` forever forgotten. I promise you it affords me as little `
` pleasure to revive it as it does you. All I ask is, that `
` Villefort will be firm and inflexible for the future in his `
` political principles. Remember, also, Villefort, that we `
` have pledged ourselves to his majesty for your fealty and `
` strict loyalty, and that at our recommendation the king `
` consented to forget the past, as I do" (and here she `
` extended to him her hand) -- "as I now do at your entreaty. `
` But bear in mind, that should there fall in your way any one `
` guilty of conspiring against the government, you will be so `
` much the more bound to visit the offence with rigorous `
` punishment, as it is known you belong to a suspected `
` family." `
` `
` "Alas, madame," returned Villefort, "my profession, as well `
` as the times in which we live, compels me to be severe. I `
` have already successfully conducted several public `
` prosecutions, and brought the offenders to merited `
` punishment. But we have not done with the thing yet." `
` `
` "Do you, indeed, think so?" inquired the marquise. `
` `
` "I am, at least, fearful of it. Napoleon, in the Island of `
` Elba, is too near France, and his proximity keeps up the `
` hopes of his partisans. Marseilles is filled with half-pay `
` officers, who are daily, under one frivolous pretext or `
` other, getting up quarrels with the royalists; from hence `
` arise continual and fatal duels among the higher classes of `
` persons, and assassinations in the lower." `
` `
` "You have heard, perhaps," said the Comte de Salvieux, one `
` of M. de Saint-Meran's oldest friends, and chamberlain to `
` the Comte d'Artois, "that the Holy Alliance purpose removing `
` him from thence?" `
` `
` "Yes; they were talking about it when we left Paris," said `
` M. de Saint-Meran; "and where is it decided to transfer `
` him?" `
` `
` "To Saint Helena." `
` `
` "For heaven's sake, where is that?" asked the marquise. `
` `
` "An island situated on the other side of the equator, at `
` least two thousand leagues from here," replied the count. `
` `
` "So much the better. As Villefort observes, it is a great `
` act of folly to have left such a man between Corsica, where `
` he was born, and Naples, of which his brother-in-law is `
` king, and face to face with Italy, the sovereignty of which `
` he coveted for his son." `
` `
` "Unfortunately," said Villefort, "there are the treaties of `
` 1814, and we cannot molest Napoleon without breaking those `
` compacts." `
` `
` "Oh, well, we shall find some way out of it," responded M. `
` de Salvieux. "There wasn't any trouble over treaties when it `
` was a question of shooting the poor Duc d'Enghien." `
` `
` "Well," said the marquise, "it seems probable that, by the `
` aid of the Holy Alliance, we shall be rid of Napoleon; and `
` we must trust to the vigilance of M. de Villefort to purify `
` Marseilles of his partisans. The king is either a king or no `
` king; if he be acknowledged as sovereign of France, he `
` should be upheld in peace and tranquillity; and this can `
` best be effected by employing the most inflexible agents to `
` put down every attempt at conspiracy -- 'tis the best and `
` surest means of preventing mischief." `
` `
` "Unfortunately, madame," answered Villefort, "the strong arm `
` of the law is not called upon to interfere until the evil `
` has taken place." `
` `
` "Then all he has got to do is to endeavor to repair it." `
` `
` "Nay, madame, the law is frequently powerless to effect `
` this; all it can do is to avenge the wrong done." `
` `
` "Oh, M. de Villefort," cried a beautiful young creature, `
` daughter to the Comte de Salvieux, and the cherished friend `
` of Mademoiselle de Saint-Meran, "do try and get up some `
` famous trial while we are at Marseilles. I never was in a `
` law-court; I am told it is so very amusing!" `
` `
` "Amusing, certainly," replied the young man, "inasmuch as, `
` instead of shedding tears as at the fictitious tale of woe `
` produced at a theatre, you behold in a law-court a case of `
` real and genuine distress -- a drama of life. The prisoner `
` whom you there see pale, agitated, and alarmed, instead of `
` -- as is the case when a curtain falls on a tragedy -- going `
` home to sup peacefully with his family, and then retiring to `
` rest, that he may recommence his mimic woes on the morrow, `
` -- is removed from your sight merely to be reconducted to `
` his prison and delivered up to the executioner. I leave you `
` to judge how far your nerves are calculated to bear you `
` through such a scene. Of this, however, be assured, that `
` should any favorable opportunity present itself, I will not `
` fail to offer you the choice of being present." `
` `
` "For shame, M. de Villefort!" said Renee, becoming quite `
` pale; "don't you see how you are frightening us? -- and yet `
` you laugh." `
` `
` "What would you have? 'Tis like a duel. I have already `
` recorded sentence of death, five or six times, against the `
` movers of political conspiracies, and who can say how many `
` daggers may be ready sharpened, and only waiting a favorable `
` opportunity to be buried in my heart?" `
` `
` "Gracious heavens, M. de Villefort," said Renee, becoming `
` more and more terrified; "you surely are not in earnest." `
` `
` "Indeed I am," replied the young magistrate with a smile; `
` "and in the interesting trial that young lady is anxious to `
` witness, the case would only be still more aggravated. `
` Suppose, for instance, the prisoner, as is more than `
` probable, to have served under 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 `
`
` leader and lawgiver, but also as the personification of `
` equality." `
` `
` "He!" cried the marquise: "Napoleon the type of equality! `
` For mercy's sake, then, what would you call Robespierre? `
` Come, come, do not strip the latter of his just rights to `
` bestow them on the Corsican, who, to my mind, has usurped `
` quite enough." `
` `
` "Nay, madame; I would place each of these heroes on his `
` right pedestal -- that of Robespierre on his scaffold in the `
` Place Louis Quinze; that of Napoleon on the column of the `
` Place Vendome. The only difference consists in the opposite `
` character of the equality advocated by these two men; one is `
` the equality that elevates, the other is the equality that `
` degrades; one brings a king within reach of the guillotine, `
` the other elevates the people to a level with the throne. `
` Observe," said Villefort, smiling, "I do not mean to deny `
` that both these men were revolutionary scoundrels, and that `
` the 9th Thermidor and the 4th of April, in the year 1814, `
` were lucky days for France, worthy of being gratefully `
` remembered by every friend to monarchy and civil order; and `
` that explains how it comes to pass that, fallen, as I trust `
` he is forever, Napoleon has still retained a train of `
` parasitical satellites. Still, marquise, it has been so with `
` other usurpers -- Cromwell, for instance, who was not half `
` so bad as Napoleon, had his partisans and advocates." `
` `
` "Do you know, Villefort, that you are talking in a most `
` dreadfully revolutionary strain? But I excuse it, it is `
` impossible to expect the son of a Girondin to be free from a `
` small spice of the old leaven." A deep crimson suffused the `
` countenance of Villefort. `
` `
` "'Tis true, madame," answered he, "that my father was a `
` Girondin, but he was not among the number of those who voted `
` for the king's death; he was an equal sufferer with yourself `
` during the Reign of Terror, and had well-nigh lost his head `
` on the same scaffold on which your father perished." `
` `
` "True," replied the marquise, without wincing in the `
` slightest degree at the tragic remembrance thus called up; `
` "but bear in mind, if you please, that our respective `
` parents underwent persecution and proscription from `
` diametrically opposite principles; in proof of which I may `
` remark, that while my family remained among the stanchest `
` adherents of the exiled princes, your father lost no time in `
` joining the new government; and that while the Citizen `
` Noirtier was a Girondin, the Count Noirtier became a `
` senator." `
` `
` "Dear mother," interposed Renee, "you know very well it was `
` agreed that all these disagreeable reminiscences should `
` forever be laid aside." `
` `
` "Suffer me, also, madame," replied Villefort, "to add my `
` earnest request to Mademoiselle de Saint-Meran's, that you `
` will kindly allow the veil of oblivion to cover and conceal `
` the past. What avails recrimination over matters wholly past `
` recall? For my own part, I have laid aside even the name of `
` my father, and altogether disown his political principles. `
` He was -- nay, probably may still be -- a Bonapartist, and `
` is called Noirtier; I, on the contrary, am a stanch `
` royalist, and style myself de Villefort. Let what may remain `
` of revolutionary sap exhaust itself and die away with the `
` old trunk, and condescend only to regard the young shoot `
` which has started up at a distance from the parent tree, `
` without having the power, any more than the wish, to `
` separate entirely from the stock from which it sprung." `
` `
` "Bravo, Villefort!" cried the marquis; "excellently well `
` said! Come, now, I have hopes of obtaining what I have been `
` for years endeavoring to persuade the marquise to promise; `
` namely, a perfect amnesty and forgetfulness of the past." `
` `
` "With all my heart," replied the marquise; "let the past be `
` forever forgotten. I promise you it affords me as little `
` pleasure to revive it as it does you. All I ask is, that `
` Villefort will be firm and inflexible for the future in his `
` political principles. Remember, also, Villefort, that we `
` have pledged ourselves to his majesty for your fealty and `
` strict loyalty, and that at our recommendation the king `
` consented to forget the past, as I do" (and here she `
` extended to him her hand) -- "as I now do at your entreaty. `
` But bear in mind, that should there fall in your way any one `
` guilty of conspiring against the government, you will be so `
` much the more bound to visit the offence with rigorous `
` punishment, as it is known you belong to a suspected `
` family." `
` `
` "Alas, madame," returned Villefort, "my profession, as well `
` as the times in which we live, compels me to be severe. I `
` have already successfully conducted several public `
` prosecutions, and brought the offenders to merited `
` punishment. But we have not done with the thing yet." `
` `
` "Do you, indeed, think so?" inquired the marquise. `
` `
` "I am, at least, fearful of it. Napoleon, in the Island of `
` Elba, is too near France, and his proximity keeps up the `
` hopes of his partisans. Marseilles is filled with half-pay `
` officers, who are daily, under one frivolous pretext or `
` other, getting up quarrels with the royalists; from hence `
` arise continual and fatal duels among the higher classes of `
` persons, and assassinations in the lower." `
` `
` "You have heard, perhaps," said the Comte de Salvieux, one `
` of M. de Saint-Meran's oldest friends, and chamberlain to `
` the Comte d'Artois, "that the Holy Alliance purpose removing `
` him from thence?" `
` `
` "Yes; they were talking about it when we left Paris," said `
` M. de Saint-Meran; "and where is it decided to transfer `
` him?" `
` `
` "To Saint Helena." `
` `
` "For heaven's sake, where is that?" asked the marquise. `
` `
` "An island situated on the other side of the equator, at `
` least two thousand leagues from here," replied the count. `
` `
` "So much the better. As Villefort observes, it is a great `
` act of folly to have left such a man between Corsica, where `
` he was born, and Naples, of which his brother-in-law is `
` king, and face to face with Italy, the sovereignty of which `
` he coveted for his son." `
` `
` "Unfortunately," said Villefort, "there are the treaties of `
` 1814, and we cannot molest Napoleon without breaking those `
` compacts." `
` `
` "Oh, well, we shall find some way out of it," responded M. `
` de Salvieux. "There wasn't any trouble over treaties when it `
` was a question of shooting the poor Duc d'Enghien." `
` `
` "Well," said the marquise, "it seems probable that, by the `
` aid of the Holy Alliance, we shall be rid of Napoleon; and `
` we must trust to the vigilance of M. de Villefort to purify `
` Marseilles of his partisans. The king is either a king or no `
` king; if he be acknowledged as sovereign of France, he `
` should be upheld in peace and tranquillity; and this can `
` best be effected by employing the most inflexible agents to `
` put down every attempt at conspiracy -- 'tis the best and `
` surest means of preventing mischief." `
` `
` "Unfortunately, madame," answered Villefort, "the strong arm `
` of the law is not called upon to interfere until the evil `
` has taken place." `
` `
` "Then all he has got to do is to endeavor to repair it." `
` `
` "Nay, madame, the law is frequently powerless to effect `
` this; all it can do is to avenge the wrong done." `
` `
` "Oh, M. de Villefort," cried a beautiful young creature, `
` daughter to the Comte de Salvieux, and the cherished friend `
` of Mademoiselle de Saint-Meran, "do try and get up some `
` famous trial while we are at Marseilles. I never was in a `
` law-court; I am told it is so very amusing!" `
` `
` "Amusing, certainly," replied the young man, "inasmuch as, `
` instead of shedding tears as at the fictitious tale of woe `
` produced at a theatre, you behold in a law-court a case of `
` real and genuine distress -- a drama of life. The prisoner `
` whom you there see pale, agitated, and alarmed, instead of `
` -- as is the case when a curtain falls on a tragedy -- going `
` home to sup peacefully with his family, and then retiring to `
` rest, that he may recommence his mimic woes on the morrow, `
` -- is removed from your sight merely to be reconducted to `
` his prison and delivered up to the executioner. I leave you `
` to judge how far your nerves are calculated to bear you `
` through such a scene. Of this, however, be assured, that `
` should any favorable opportunity present itself, I will not `
` fail to offer you the choice of being present." `
` `
` "For shame, M. de Villefort!" said Renee, becoming quite `
` pale; "don't you see how you are frightening us? -- and yet `
` you laugh." `
` `
` "What would you have? 'Tis like a duel. I have already `
` recorded sentence of death, five or six times, against the `
` movers of political conspiracies, and who can say how many `
` daggers may be ready sharpened, and only waiting a favorable `
` opportunity to be buried in my heart?" `
` `
` "Gracious heavens, M. de Villefort," said Renee, becoming `
` more and more terrified; "you surely are not in earnest." `
` `
` "Indeed I am," replied the young magistrate with a smile; `
` "and in the interesting trial that young lady is anxious to `
` witness, the case would only be still more aggravated. `
` Suppose, for instance, the prisoner, as is more than `
` probable, to have served under 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 `
`