is the father of this young man; he
or I, your husband or your lover. Come! Come! tell us." Limousin rushed
at him, but Parent pushed him back, and sneering in his fury, he said:
"Ah! you are brave now! You are braver than you were that day when you
ran downstairs because I was going to half murder you. Very well! If she
will not reply, tell me yourself. You ought to know as well as she. Tell
me, are you this young fellow's father? Come! Come! Tell me!"

Then he turned to his wife again: "If you will not tell me, at any rate
tell your son. He is a man, now, and he has the right to know who is his
father. I do not know, and I never did know, never, never! I cannot tell
you, my boy." He seemed to be losing his senses, his voice grew shrill
and he worked his arms about as if he had an epileptic attack. "Come!...
Give me an answer.... She does not know.... I will make a bet that she
does not know ... No ... she does not know, by Jove!... She used to go
to bed with both of us! Ha! ha! ha!... nobody knows ... nobody.... How
can any one know such things?... You will not know, either, my boy, you
will not know any more than I do.... never.... Look here.... Ask her ...
you will find that she does not know.... I do not know either.... You
can choose ... yes, you can choose ... him or me.... Choose.... Good
evening.... It is all over.... If she makes up her mind to tell you,
come and let me know, will you? I am living at the _Hotel des
Continents_.... I should be glad to know.... Good evening.... I hope you
will enjoy yourselves very much...."

And he went away gesticulating, and talking to himself under the tall
trees, into the empty, cool air, which was full of the smell of the sap.
He did not turn round to look at them, but went straight on, walking
under the stimulus of his rage, under a storm of passion, with that one
fixed idea in his mind, and presently he found himself outside the
station. A train was about to start and he got in. During the journey,
his anger calmed down, he regained his senses and returned to Paris,
astonished at his own boldness, and feeling as aching and knocked up, as
if he had broken some bones, but nevertheless he went to have a _bock_
at his brewery.

When she saw him come in, Mademoiselle Zoe was surprised and said:
"What! back already? are you tired?" "I am tired ... very tired.... You
know, when one is not used to going out.... But I have done with it. I
shall not go into the country again. I