They all three stared at this man, who seemed to be insane. He continued:
“One would suppose that you did not know me again. Just look at me! I am Parent, Henri Parent. 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.”
Henriette, terrified, hid her face in her hands, murmuring: “Oh! Good heavens!”
Seeing this stranger, who seemed to be threatening his mother, George sprang up, ready to seize him by the collar. Limousin, thunderstruck, looked in horror at this apparition, who, after gasping for breath, continued:
“So now we will have an explanation; the proper moment has come! Ah! you deceived me, you condemned me to the life of a convict, and you thought that I should never catch you!”
The young man took him by the shoulders and pushed him back.
“Are you mad?” he asked. “What do you want? Go on your way immediately, or I shall give you a thrashing!”
“What do I want?” replied Parent. “I want to tell you who these people are.”
George, however, was in a rage, and shook him; and was even going to strike him.
“Let me go,” said Parent. “I am your father. There, see whether they recognize me now, the wretches!”