"No, monsieur le ministre."
CHAPTER VII
MARTHE ASKS A QUESTION
The conflict was immediate. Between Morestal and Philippe, the duel set in at once. The events of the previous days had cleared the way for it: at the first word, they stood up to each other like irreconcilable adversaries, the father spirited and aggressive, the son anxious and sad, but inflexible.
Le Corbier at once foresaw a scene. He went out of the tent, ordered the sentry to stand away, made sure that the group of Germans could not hear the sound of the raised voices. Then, after carefully closing the fly, he returned to his place.
"You are mad! You are mad!" said Morestal, who had come up to his son. "How dare you?"
And Jorancé joined in:
"Come, come, Philippe ... this is not serious.... You are not going to back out, to withdraw...."