I have the philosophy of the one and the wit of the other.
When society gossips about who he “really is,” the Count plays along. The allusions to occult men of legend deepen his air of myth. But it’s also a wink: identity is performance, and he knows the role. Emotionally, the line is cool delight—the freedom to be unreadable. It reminds readers that masks can be armor and tool. The Count’s genius is to use rumor as camouflage. He lets people see the story they want, while he does his work.