"I think M. Krafft is right."
The Commandant was taken aback, and said:
"You … you surprise me!… However, right or wrong, we are what we are. And there's no reason why we should know these people. Isn't it so, my dear?"
"No, father," she replied. "I would like to know them."
The Commandant said nothing, and pretended that he had not heard. He himself was much less insensible of Christophe's influence than he cared to appear. His vehemence and narrow-mindedness did not prevent his having a proper sense of justice and very generous feelings. He loved Christophe, he loved his frankness and his moral soundness, and he used often bitterly to regret that Christophe was a German. Although he always lost his temper in these discussions, he was always eager for more, and Christophe's arguments did produce an effect on him though he would never have been willing to admit it. But one day Christophe found him absorbed in reading a book which he would not let him see. And when Céline took Christophe to the door and found herself alone with him, she said:
"Do you know what he was reading? One of M. Weil's books."
Christophe was delighted.
"What does he say about it?"
"He says: 'Beast!'… But he can't put it down."
Christophe made no allusion to the fact with the Commandant. It was he who asked: