"Nothing is easier," the young man replied, without any excitement. "I was born I know not where, that is true: but it is a blessing for me. The whole earth is my country. To whatever nation they may belong, men are my countrymen. I do not know my parents: but who knows whether this is not also a blessing for me? By their desertion they freed me from respect and gratitude for the cares they might have bestowed on me, and left me at liberty to act as I pleased, without having reason to fear their control. I never had but one friend: but how many men can flatter themselves with possessing even so much? Mine is kind, sincere, and devoted. I have always felt him near me, when I wanted him to share my joy or sorrow; to support me and attach me by his friendship to the great human family, from which I should be exiled without him. I do not possess a shilling: that is also true—but what do I care for wealth? I am strong, brave, and intelligent; ought not man to work? I accomplish my task like the rest, perhaps better, for I envy nobody and am happy with my lot. You see clearly, my dear Adolfo, that life is to me at least a good and beautiful thing, as I said just now. I defy you, the skeptic and disabused man, to prove to me the contrary."
"Perfectly answered, on my word," the adventurer said. "All these reasons, though specious and easy to refute, do not the less appear very logical, and I shall not take the trouble to discuss them. Still, I will remark, my friend, that when you treat me as a skeptic, you are mistaken; disabused, perhaps, I am, but a skeptic I shall never be."
"Oh, oh!" the two young men exclaimed simultaneously. "That demands an explanation, don Adolfo."
"And I will give it you, if you insist upon it: but what is the good? Stay, I have a proposal to make to you, which I think will please you."
"Go on; speak."
"It is now nearly morning, in a few hours it will be day, none of us are sleepy, so let us remain as we are and continue to talk."
"Certainly; I desire nothing better for my part," the count said.
"And I the same. But what shall we talk about?" Dominique observed.
"If you like, I will tell you an adventure or a story—give it which name you like—that I heard this very day, and whose correctness I can guarantee; for the person who told it me, I have known a long time, and he played an important part in it."
"Why not tell us your own story, don Adolfo? It must be filled with touching events and curious incidents," the count said meaningly.