sed than I should."

"That is to say," replied Villefort with hesitation, "that human nature
being weak, every man, according to your creed, has committed faults."

"Faults or crimes," responded Monte Cristo with a negligent air.

"And that you alone, amongst the men whom you do not recognize as your
brothers--for you have said so," observed Villefort in a tone that
faltered somewhat--"you alone are perfect."

"No, not perfect," was the count's reply; "only impenetrable, that's
all. But let us leave off this strain, sir, if the tone of it is
displeasing to you; I am no more disturbed by your justice than are you
by my second-sight."

"No, no,--by no means," said Villefort, who was afraid of seeming
to abandon his ground. "No; by your brilliant and almost sublime
conversation you have elevated me above the ordinary level; we no longer
talk, we rise to dissertation. But you know how the theologians in their
collegiate chairs, and philosophers in their controversies, occasionally
say cruel truths; let us suppose for the moment that we are theologizing
in a social way, or even philosophically, and I will say to you, rude
as it may seem, 'My brother, you sacrifice greatly to pride; you may be
above others, but above you there is God.'"

"Above us all, sir," was Monte Cristo's response, in a tone and with
an emphasis so deep that Villefort involuntarily shuddered. "I have my
pride for men--serpents always ready to threaten every one who would
pass without crushing them under foot. But I lay aside that pride before
God, who has taken me from nothing to make me what I am."

"Then, count, I admire you," said Villefort, who, for the first time
in this strange conversation, used the aristocratic form to the unknown
personage, whom, until now, he had only called monsieur. "Yes, and I
say to you, if you are really strong, really superior, really pious,
or impenetrable, which you were right in saying amounts to the
same thing--then be proud, sir, for that is the characteristic of
predominance. Yet you have unquestionably some ambition."

"I have, sir."

"And what may it be?"

"I too, as happens to every man once in his life, have been taken by
Satan into the highest mountain in the earth, and when there he showed
me all the kingdoms of the world, and as he said before, so said he to
me, 'Child of earth, what wouldst thou have to make thee adore me?' I
reflected long, for a gnawing ambition had long preyed upon me, and then