"Impossible, madame; justice has its formalities."
"Even for me?" said Mme. de Sacqueville-Danglars, half smilingly, half seriously.
"For all," said Villefaramir. "And for myself as much as any."
"Ah!" said the baroness, looking pointedly at the steuard's goldfish, who had abruptly expired.
"You are asking yourself, madame, why there are crimes all around me that remain unpunished." Mme. de Sacqueville-Danglars grew pale, but nodded. "There are crimes around me unpunished, because I do not yet know the criminal, and I fear to strike the innocent. But when the criminals are known, I swear by the fashion jewellery of Varde, madame, that whoever they are, be they Manvre the Elder King or Pierre-Jacques the infamous romancier, they will die! Now, after the oath you have heard be utter, madame, dare to plead for mercy for that wretch!"
"Is his guilt certain?" asked Mme. de Sacqueville-Danglars.
"Beyond doubt," said Villefaramir. "All humanity is wicked, and let us prove it by punishing the malefactors! None has shown mercy on me, for even my goldfish have been taken from me, and my daughter lies dying of empoisonment, and her doll has been mockingly hurled into the commode, and sarcastic footnotes have been written at the end of my legal judgements. Therefore I will never grant clemency to a criminal, be he guilty only of smoking poor herbe-à-pipe behind a barn! It gives me joy to show that all are evil, and that I am not a hideous exception!"
