Just a man! There's no
fatherhood left in your heart--you don't think of them. Yes--you are
lying--I tell you, you are lying! When you say I'm not worthy to bring
them up you're lying! It's only a saying--only words. You know it isn't
true--you know I've nourished them, cared for them, loved them, consoled
them, and I have taught them to say their prayers every night, and I
would go on doing so. You know that no other woman will ever fill my
place--but that makes no difference to you. You forget them--you want to
punish me, so you want to take them from me. I'm justified in saying to
you that it's an act of cowardly wickedness and a vile piece of
vengeance! Ah! The children! You want to gamble with them now. No--to
take them away from me--think, Pierre, think; it isn't possible, what
you are saying!

ETCHEPARE. You are right; I am revenging myself! What you think an
impossibility is done already. My mother has taken the children and gone
away with them.

YANETTA. I shall find them again.

ETCHEPARE. America is a big country.

YANETTA. I shall find them again!

ETCHEPARE. Then I shall tell them why I have taken them away from you!

YANETTA. Never! Never that! I'll obey you, but swear--

_The recorder enters._

THE RECORDER. Etchepare, come and sign your discharge. You will be
released at once.

YANETTA. Wait a moment, Monsieur, wait a moment. [_To Etchepare_] I
agree to separation if I must. I will disappear--you will never hear of
me again. But in return for this wicked sacrifice swear solemnly that
you will never tell them.

ETCHEPARE. I swear.

YANETTA. You swear never to tell them anything that may lessen their
affection for me?

ETCHEPARE. I swear.

YANETTA. Promise me too--I beg you, Pierre--in the name of our happiness
and my misery--promise to keep me fresh in their memory--let them pray
for me, won't you?

ETCHEPARE. I swear it.

YANETTA. Then go--my life is done with.

ETCHEPARE. Good-bye.

_He goes out with the recorder. At the door the latter meets
Mouzon._

THE RECORDER [_to Etchepare_] They are coming to show you the way out.

THE RECORDER [_to Mouzon_] The woman Etchepare is there.

MOUZON. Ah, she's there. Monsieur Vagret has been speaking of her. Well,
I withdraw my complaint; I ask nothing better than that she shall be set
at liberty. Now that I am a Councillor I don't want to be coming back
from Pau every week for the examination. Proceed with the necessary