The Count of Monte Cristo

Back Forward Menu

"Are you looking for anything, Mr. Procureur?" asked Benedetto, with his
most ingratiating smile. M. de Villefort answered nothing, but sat, or
rather threw himself down again upon his chair. "And now, prisoner,
will you consent to tell your name?" said the president. "The brutal
affectation with which you have enumerated and classified your crimes
calls for a severe reprimand on the part of the court, both in the name
of morality, and for the respect due to humanity. You appear to consider
this a point of honor, and it may be for this reason, that you have
delayed acknowledging your name. You wished it to be preceded by all
these titles."

"It is quite wonderful, Mr. President, how entirely you have read my
thoughts," said Benedetto, in his softest voice and most polite manner.
"This is, indeed, the reason why I begged you to alter the order of the
questions." The public astonishment had reached its height. There was no
longer any deceit or bravado in the manner of the accused. The audience
felt that a startling revelation was to follow this ominous prelude.