"No? But why? What reason have you for answering like that? Why should you?"
"Because, father, though the nature of your declarations has not varied, your attitude, during the last three days, proves that you are experiencing a certain reticence, a certain hesitation."
"What makes you say that?" asked Morestal, trembling all over, but as yet retaining his self-control.
"Your certainty is not absolute."
"How do you know? If you make an accusation, you must prove it."
"I am not making an accusation. I am trying to state my exact impression."
"Your impression! What is that worth beside the facts? And it is facts that I am asserting."
"Facts interpreted by yourself, father, facts of which you cannot be sure. No, no, you cannot! Remember, the other morning, Friday morning, we came back here and, while you were once more showing me the road which you had covered, you said, 'Still, suppose I were mistaken! Suppose we had branched off more to the right! Suppose I were mistaken!'"
"That was an exaggeration of scruple! All my acts, on the contrary, all my reflections ..."
"There was no need to reflect! There was not even any need to return to this road! The fact that you returned to it shows that you were harassed by a doubt."