The hall bell rang.  Parent gave a bound as if a bullet had gone through him.  “There she is,” he said.  “What shall I do?” And he ran and locked himself up in his room, to have time to bathe his eyes.  But in a few moments another ring at the bell made him jump again, and then he remembered that Julie had left, without the housemaid knowing it, and so nobody would go to open the door.  What was he to do?  He went himself, and suddenly he felt brave, resolute, ready for dissimulation and the struggle.  The terrible blow had matured him in a few moments.  He wished to know the truth, he desired it with the rage of a timid man, and with the tenacity of an easy-going man who has been exasperated.

Nevertheless, he trembled.  Does one know how much excited cowardice there often is in boldness?  He went to the door with furtive steps, and stopped to listen; his heart beat furiously.  Suddenly, however, the noise of the bell over his head startled him like an explosion.  He seized the lock, turned the key, and opening the door, saw his wife and Limousin standing before him on the stairs.

With an air of astonishment, which also betrayed a little irritation, she said: 

“So you open the door now?  Where is Julie?”

His throat felt tight and his breathing was labored as he tried to. reply, without being able to utter a word.

“Are you dumb?” she continued.  “I asked you where Julie is?”

“She—­she—­has—­gone——­” he managed to stammer.

His wife began to get angry.  “What do you mean by gone?  Where has she gone?  Why?”

By degrees he regained his coolness.  He felt an intense hatred rise up in him for that insolent woman who was standing before him.

“Yes, she has gone altogether.  I sent her away.”

“You have sent away Julie?  Why, you must be mad.”

“Yes, I sent her away because she was insolent, and because—­because she was ill-using the child.”

“Julie?”

“Yes—­Julie.”

“What was she insolent about?”

“About you.”

“About me?”

“Yes, because the dinner was burnt, and you did not come in.”

“And she said——­”

“She said—­offensive things about you—­which I ought not—­which I could not listen to——­”

“What did she, say?”

“It is no good repeating them.”

“I want to hear them.”

“She said it was unfortunate for a man like me to be married to a woman like you, unpunctual, careless, disorderly, a bad mother, and a bad wife.”

The young woman had gone into the anteroom, followed by Limousin, who did not say a word at this unexpected condition of things.  She shut the door quickly, threw her cloak on a chair, and going straight up to her husband, she stammered out: 

“You say?  You say?  That I am——­”

Very pale and calm, he replied:  “I say nothing, my dear.  I am simply repeating what Julie said to me, as you wanted to know what it was, and I wish you to remark that I turned her off just on account of what she said.”