MAURICE
Father, tell me: What do you think of the present state of affairs?
EMIL GRELIEU
Mamma says there is a God and there is righteousness.
MAURICE
Raising his hand.
Mamma says——Let God bless mamma! I don't know—I—. Very well, very well. We shall see; we shall see!
His face twitches like a child's face. He is trying to repress his tears.
MAURICE
I still owe them something for Pierre. Forgive me, father; I don't know whether I have a right to say this or not, but I am altogether different from you. It is wicked but I can't help it. I was looking this morning at your flowers in the garden and I felt so sorry—sorry for you, because you had grown them. Those rascals!