"It must then have been an opera of very few notes, monsieur; and following that law, magistrates would indeed have little to do, beyond perhaps presiding at banquets and judging sack races. But among us, no man cometh to the laws of Terre-moyenne but through the books. Arduous is the task of learning the twelve volumes of the Code de Terre-moyenne, with its various and contradictory readings; and the interpretation of the Letters of Aracharlemagne have occasioned more than one bitter dispute."
"Such as the one about whether the wings of balrogues constitute real property," replied the Count in a somewhat blasé tone of voice. "Yes, yes. But all that you know of the code of Arnor, I know not only of that code, but also of the codes of all nations: the laws of the Snowmen, Haradrins, Elves, Dwarves, Ents, Balrogues, Marchouigres, and Trolls Flambés, are as familiar to me as those of the Hobbites and Dounédains."
"But to what end have you learned all that?" cried Villefaramir, astounded.
Monte Fato smiled. "Bien, monsieur," he said. "I see that, despite your reputation as an homme supérieur, you see everything from the vulgar and material point of view of society, that begins with man and ends in fish and chips and mushrooms and prancing ponies; and that view is as narrow and restricted as a hole that a hobbite is too fat to escape."
