human
So you open the door now? Where is Julie? His throat felt tight, and his breathing was labored and he tried to reply, without being able to utter a word, so she continued:
gpt
Are you dumb? I asked you where Julie is? And then he managed to say:
human
She ... she ... has ... gone ... Whereupon his wife began to get angry.
gpt
What do you mean by _gone_? Where has she gone? Why? By degrees he regained his coolness, and he felt immense hatred for that insolent woman who was standing before him, rise up in him:
human
Yes, she has gone altogether ... I sent her away ...
gpt
You have sent away Julie?... Why you must be mad.
human
Yes, I have sent her away because she was insolent ... and because, because she was ill-using the child.
gpt
Julie?
human
Yes ... Julie.
gpt
What was she insolent about?
human
About you.
gpt
About me?
human
Yes, because the dinner was burnt, and you did not come in.
gpt
And she said ...?
human
She said ... offensive things about you ... which I ought not ... which I could not listen to ...
gpt
What did she say?
human
It is no good repeating them.
gpt
I want to hear them.
human
She said it was unfortunate for a man like me to be married to a woman like you, unpunctual, careless, disorderly, a bad mother and a bad wife ...
gpt
You say? ... you say? ... that I am ...?
human
I say nothing, my dear. I am simply repeating what Julie said to me, as you wanted to know what it was, and I wish you to remark that I turned her off just on account of what she said.
gpt
I suppose you have had dinner?
human
No, I waited for you. She shrugged her shoulders impatiently.
gpt
It is very stupid of you to wait after half past seven, she said.
human
You might have guessed that I was detained, that I had a good many things to do, visits and shopping.
gpt
Well, you were quite right. I am not finding fault with you.
human
Are you very well? Parent took his hand, and shaking it gently, replied:
gpt
Yes, I am very well. But the young woman had felt a reproach in her husband's last words.
human
Finding fault! ... Why do you speak of finding fault? ... One might think that you meant to imply something.
gpt
Not at all, he replied, by way of excuse.
human
I simply meant, that I was not at all anxious although you were late, and that I did not find fault with you for it. She, however, took the high hand, and tried to find a pretext for a quarrel.
gpt
Although I was late? ... One might really think that it was one o'clock in the morning, and that I spent my nights away from home.
human
Certainly not, my dear. I said _late_, because I could find no other word. You said you should be back at half past six, and you returned at half past eight. That was surely being late! I understand it perfectly well ... I am not at all surprised ... even. But ... but ... I can hardly use any other word.
gpt
But you pronounce them, as if I had been out all night.
human
Oh! no, ... oh! no ...
gpt
Whatever is the matter with the child?
human
I told you, that Julie had been rather unkind to him?
gpt
What has the wretch been doing to him?
human
Oh! Nothing much. She gave him a push, and he fell down.
gpt
Who did all that mischief? she asked.
human
It was Julie who ... But she interrupted him furiously:
gpt
That is too much, really! Julie speaks of me as if I were a shameless woman, beats my child, breaks my plates and dishes, turns my house upside down, and it appears that you think it all quite natural.
human
Certainly not, as I have got rid of her!
gpt
Really ... you have got rid of her! ... But you ought to have given her in charge. In such cases, one ought to call in the Commissary of Police!
human
But ... my dear ... I really could not ... there was no reason ... It would have been very difficult.
gpt
There, you will never be anything but a poor, wretched fellow, a man without a will, without any firmness or energy. Ah! she must have said some nice things to you, your Julie, to make you turn her off like that. I should like to have been here for a minute, only for a minute. Then she opened the drawing-room door and ran to George, took him into her arms and kissed him, and said:
human
Georgie, what is it, my darling, my pretty one, my treasure? But as she was fondling him he did not speak, and she repeated:
gpt
What is the matter with you? And he having seen, with his child's eyes, that something was wrong, replied:
human
Julie beat papa.
gpt
Ha!... ha!... ha!... ha! she beat ... she beat ... my husband ... ha!... ha! ha!... How funny!... Do you hear, Limousin? Julie has beaten ... has beaten ... my ... husband ... Oh! dear oh! dear ... how very funny!
human
No ... no ... it is not true, it is not true ... It was I, on the contrary, who threw her into the dining room so violently that she knocked the table over. The child did not see clearly, I beat her!
gpt
Here, my darling. Henriette said to her boy
human
gpt
Yes, it was Julie, he replied. But then, suddenly turning to another idea, she said,
human
But the child has had no dinner? You have had nothing to eat, my pet?
gpt
No, mamma. Then she again turned furiously onto her husband.
human
Why, you must be mad, utterly mad! It is half past eight, and George has had no dinner!
gpt
But, my dear, we were waiting for you, as I did not wish to dine without you. As you come home late every day, I expected you every moment.
human
It is really intolerable to have to do with people who can understand nothing, who can divine nothing, and do nothing by themselves. So, I suppose, if I were to come in at twelve o'clock at night, the child would have had nothing to eat? Just as if you could not have understood that, as it was after half past seven, I was prevented from coming home, that I had met with some hindrance!...
gpt
My dear friend, you are altogether unjust. Parent could not guess that you would come here so late, as you never do so, and then, how would you expect him to get over the difficulty all by himself, after having sent away Julie?
human
Well, at any rate, he must get over the difficulty himself, for I will not help him. Let him settle it