The Count of Monte Cristo

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"I think, sir, you exaggerate your situation," said Madame Danglars,
whose beautiful eyes sparkled for a moment. "The paths of which you were
just speaking have been traced by all young men of ardent imaginations.
Besides the pleasure, there is always remorse from the indulgence of our
passions, and, after all, what have you men to fear from all this? the
world excuses, and notoriety ennobles you."

"Madame," replied Villefort, "you know that I am no hypocrite, or, at
least, that I never deceive without a reason. If my brow be severe, it
is because many misfortunes have clouded it; if my heart be petrified,
it is that it might sustain the blows it has received. I was not so in
my youth, I was not so on the night of the betrothal, when we were all
seated around a table in the Rue du Cours at Marseilles. But since
then everything has changed in and about me; I am accustomed to brave
difficulties, and, in the conflict to crush those who, by their own free
will, or by chance, voluntarily or involuntarily, interfere with me in
my career. It is generally the case that what we most ardently desire