ETCHEPARE. So you believe I'm guilty--you too! Tell me now! Do you believe me guilty too?
ETCHEPARE [_to Mouzon_] Ah, so you've managed that too; you've thought of that too, to torture me through my wife--and it was you put it into her head to speak to me about my children. I don't know what you can have told her, but you've almost convinced her that I'm a scoundrel, and you hoped she'd succeed in sending me to the guillotine in the name of my children, because you know I worship them and they are everything to me. You are right; I dare say there isn't another father living who loves his little ones more than I love mine. [_To Yanetta_] You know that, Yanetta! You know that! And you know too that with all my faults I'm a true Christian, that I believe in God, in an almighty God. Well, then, listen! My two boys--my little Georges, my little André--I pray God to kill them both if I'm a criminal!
YANETTA [_with the greatest exultation_] He is innocent! I tell you he's innocent! I tell you he's innocent! [_A pause_] Ah, now you can bring your proofs, ten witnesses, a hundred if you like, and you might tell me you saw him do it--I should tell you: It's not true! It's not true! You might prove to me that he had confessed to it himself, and I would tell you it wasn't true! Oh, you must feel it, your worship. You have a heart--you know what it is when one loves one's children--so you must be certain, you too, that he's innocent. You are going to give him back to me, aren't you? It's settled now and you will give him back to me?
MOUZON. If he is innocent, why did he lie just now?
ETCHEPARE. It was you who lied--you! You told me you had witnesses who saw me leave my house that night--and you hadn't anyone!
MOUZON. If I had no one at that moment, I have someone now. Yes, there is a witness who has declared that you were not at home on the night of the crime, and that witness is your wife!
MOUZON [_to the recorder_] Give me her interrogatory.
_While Mouzon looks through his papers Yanetta gazes for some time at her husband, then at Mouzon. She is reflecting deeply. Finally she seems to have made up her mind._
MOUZON. There. Your wife has just told us that you left the house at ten o'clock and did not return until five in the morning.