human
Come, now is the time. Courage! courage! Now is the moment!
gpt
It is I! Here I am! I suppose you did not expect me? They all three looked at him carefully, for they thought that he was mad, and he continued:
human
One might think that you did not know me again. Just look at me! I am Parent, Henri Parent. You did not expect me, eh? You thought it was all over, and that you would never see me again. Ah! But here I am once more, you see, and now we will have an explanation.
gpt
Oh! Good Heavens! And seeing this stranger who seemed to be threatening his mother, George sprang up, ready to seize him by the collar, while Limousin, who was thunderstruck, looked at this specter in horror, who, after panting for a few moments, continued:
human
So now we will have an explanation; the proper moment for it has come! Ah! you deceived me, you condemned me to the life of a convict, and you thought that I should never catch you!
gpt
Are you mad? he asked.
human
What do you want? Go on your way immediately, or I shall give you a thrashing! But Parent replied:
gpt
What do I want? I want to tell you who these people are. George, however, was in a rage and shook him; was even going to strike him, but the other said:
human
Just let me go. I am your father ... There, look whether they recognize me now, the wretches!
gpt
Well, he said,
human
Paul, Paul, stop him; make him be quiet; do not let him say this before my son! Limousin had also got up, and he said in a quite low voice:
gpt
Hold your tongue! Hold your tongue! Do understand what you are doing! But Parent continued furiously:
human
I quite know what I am doing, and that is not all. There is one thing that I will know, something that has tormented me for twenty years. And then turning to George, who was leaning against a tree in consternation, he said:
gpt
Listen to me. When she left my house, she thought it was not enough to have deceived me, but she also wanted to drive me to despair. You were my only consolation, and she took you with her, swearing that I was not your father, but that he was your father! Was she lying? I do not know, and I have been asking myself the question for the last twenty years.
human
Well, I call upon you now to tell me which of us two 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:
gpt
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!
human
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.
gpt
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 _Hôtel des Continents_.... I should be glad to know.... Good evening.... I hope you will enjoy yourselves very much....