e is the genuine
virtue. And I say Yes to one, or No to the other, and am just as much
bewildered about it in the case of John with the top-boots as I am in
the case of John with the pigtail. Ah, nice little Mousey! come, kiss
me. What is your own private notion of a virtuous man, my
pret-pret-pretty? A man who keeps you warm, and gives you plenty to
eat. And a good notion, too, for it is intelligible, at the least."

"Stay a minute, Count," I interposed. "Accepting your illustration,
surely we have one unquestionable virtue in England which is wanting in
China. The Chinese authorities kill thousands of innocent people on
the most frivolous pretexts. We in England are free from all guilt of
that kind--we commit no such dreadful crime--we abhor reckless
bloodshed with all our hearts."

"Quite right, Marian," said Laura. "Well thought of, and well
expressed."

"Pray allow the Count to proceed," said Madame Fosco, with stern
civility. "You will find, young ladies, that HE never speaks without
having excellent reasons for all that he says."

"Thank you, my angel," replied the Count. "Have a bon-bon?" He took
out of his pocket a pretty little inlaid box, and placed it open on the
table. "Chocolat a la Vanille," cried the impenetrable man, cheerfully
rattling the sweetmeats in the box, and bowing all round. "Offered by
Fosco as an act of homage to the charming society."

"Be good enough to go on, Count," said his wife, with a spiteful
reference to myself. "Oblige me by answering Miss Halcombe."

"Miss Halcombe is unanswerable," replied the polite Italian; "that is
to say, so far as she goes. Yes! I agree with her. John Bull does
abhor the crimes of John Chinaman. He is the quickest old gentleman at
finding out faults that are his neighbours', and the slowest old
gentleman at finding out the faults that are his own, who exists on the
face of creation. Is he so very much better in this way than the
people whom he condemns in their way? English Society, Miss Halcombe,
is as often the accomplice as it is the enemy of crime. Yes! yes!
Crime is in this country what crime is in other countries--a good
friend to a man and to those about him as often as it is an enemy. A
great rascal provides for his wife and family. The worse he is the
more he makes them the objects for your sympathy. He often provides
also for himself. A profligate spendthrift who is always borrowing
money will get more from his friends