“Raillery, my dear, is in this case quite out of place. What secret motive have you for undertaking his defence?”
“I? I have none. What motive could I have?”
“Then, why take sides against us?”
“Why, I have not taken sides against you!”
“How can you deny it?”
“I do deny it, mother, with your permission. My father imputed intentions to M. Louis which perhaps he never had. I merely observed it would be more just to wait for proofs before condemning him. That is all, and a very small affair.”
“Wait for proofs before condemning him, do you say?... Well, he has them. Adams has confessed everything.... He acknowledges that M. Louis endeavored to convert him, lent him books, taught him the catechism, and, what was worse, dwelt a great deal on hell as a place he could not fail to go to if he, Adams, remained a Protestant. The poor fellow has not recovered from his terror yet!... Your father has talked to him very kindly, given him good advice, mingled with kind reproaches. Adams was affected, and ended by saying he never wished to see M. Louis again; and he did a lucky thing!”
“It seems to me that Adams is either a simpleton or a hypocrite.”
“Eugénie, that is altogether too much!”