"Nor I to you," retorted the widow, in a tone whose disdainful bitterness she strove in vain to stifle, as a matter of prudence. And with a courtesy to Monsieur Antoine she withdrew. Julien chafed at his bit in silence, incapable of humiliating himself by apologies, and Marcel followed with a keen glance the horticulturist's awkward and excited movements. "What's the matter, uncle?" he said when Madame Thierry had gone out. "You are brooding over something good or something evil. Tell us the truth, that will be the better way." "The truth, the truth," rejoined Monsieur Antoine, "we shall see the truth, aye, and know it when the time comes! And perhaps everybody won't laugh at it!" Julien, who was still painting, lost his patience. He put down his palette, and, removing the carelessly twisted handkerchief which the painters of that time wore in the studio instead of a cap, he walked straight to Monsieur Thierry and forcibly interrupted his noisy, excited promenade. Then, with a serious and determined expression, he asked him to explain his vague threats. "Monsieur my uncle," he said, "you act as if you propose to drive me to extremities; but I shall not on that account fail in the respect I owe you. Consider simply, I beg you, that I am not a child who can be made to tremble by contracting the eyebrows and assuming a deep voice. You would do better to observe and understand the real fact, that is to say the sorrow which I really feel for having offended you. Do not ask me how that disaster happened: oblivion of one's surroundings, absent-mindedness cannot be explained; but, since the thing is done, what do you propose to do to punish me, or what do you require me to do to atone for it? I am ready to prove my repentance or to submit to the consequences of my wrong-doing. Decide and do not threaten any more; that will be more worthy of you and of me." Monsieur Antoine stopped short, apparently unmoved, but in reality greatly mortified by the superiority of the defendant's attitude over the judge's at that moment. He was afraid in a measure of appearing ridiculous, and a diabolical idea suggested itself to his mind as a means of putting an end to his embarrassment. "Everything depends on Madame d'Estrelle," he said. "If she wishes, if she demands it, I will do all that I had promised to do for your mother, and I will even forgive you, notwithstanding the wicked thing you did; but I will do it on the condition that she comes to my house to-morrow with the rest of you, as she promised." "But," said Marcel, "if everything is made up between you, didn't you remind her just now of the appointment?" "I am not speaking to you, attorney," retorted Antoine; "do me the favor to leave the room, I want to talk with Master Julien alone." "Go on, go on," said Marcel. "I am just going, for someone has been waiting in my office for me fully an hour. I will return and find out what you have decided."