Maurice Leblanc

“ There's the great word at last!" sneered Morestal. "Peace! You too have allowed yourself to be poisoned by the theories of the day! Peace at the price of disgrace: that's it, is it not?"
"Peace at the price of an infinitesimal sacrifice of self-esteem."
"That means dishonour."
"No, no," Philippe answered, in an outburst of enthusiasm. "It is the beauty of a nation to raise itself above those miserable questions. And France is worthy of it. ”

“ You do not know it, father, but since the last forty years, since that execrable date, since that accursed war the memory of which obsesses your mind and closes your eyes to every reality of life, a new France has come into existence, a France whose gaze is fixed upon other truths, a France that longs to shake off the evil past, to repudiate all that remains to us of the ancient barbarism and to rid herself of the laws of blood and war. ”

“ Philippe lowered his head and, with half-closed eyes, whispered:
"Through my father!"
"That's not true!" shouted old Morestal, purple with rage. "That's not true! I prepare ... I! ..."
"Here is the paper which I found in Private Baufeld's pocket," said Philippe, handing a sheet of note-paper to Le Corbier. "It gives a sort of plan of escape, the road which the fugitive is to follow, the exact spot at which he is to cross the frontier so as to avoid the watchers." ”

“ It is a love that sometimes moves me to tears, when I think of what she has been, of what she is, so beautiful, so intelligent, so great, so adorable for her charm and her good faith! I love her because she is the mother of every lofty idea. ”

“ That a nation which has never known fear, which has always, at the tragic hours of its history, settled its quarrels in the old barbarous fashion, sword in hand, that such a nation should have raised itself to so magnificent a conception of beauty and civilization, that, I say, is its finest claim to glory! ”

“ And Jorancé joined in:
"Come, come, Philippe ... this is not serious.... You are not going to back out, to withdraw...."
Le Corbier silenced them and, addressing Philippe:
"Explain yourself, monsieur," he said. "I do not understand."
Philippe looked at his father again and, slowly, in a voice which he strove to render firm as he spoke, answered:
"I say, monsieur le ministre, that certain particulars in my evidence are not accurate and that it is my duty to correct them."
"Speak, monsieur," said the under-secretary, with some harshness.
Philippe did not hesitate. ”

“ My instructions are extremely limited. I cannot go beyond them. I will ask you, therefore, M. Philippe Morestal, to tell me, or rather to confirm to me, what you know on this subject."
"I know nothing."
A moment of stupefaction followed. Morestal, utterly bewildered, did not even think of protesting. He evidently looked upon his son as mad.
"You know nothing?" said the under-secretary, who did not yet clearly see Philippe's object. "All the same, you have declared that you heard M. Jorancé's exclamation, 'We are in France! ... They are arresting the French commissary! ”