That evening, at the dinner table, Edith launched a surprise attack.
"I''ve decided to change my surname to ''Liberty''," she announced, her words muffled by the food in her mouth. "my father''s surname is not pleasant to hear."
"Oh, Notre Dame! My nerves are starting to ache again. I can''t control you grown-up children!" Aunt Adele exclaimed, pressing her temples. "With Miss Edith Liberty in the house, next we''ll have Monsieur Philippe Fraternity, and maybe someday I''ll be made Aunt Adele Republic! Well, do as you please! I''m old, I can''t care for so much!"
"I support every decision of yours, Edith," Margot consoled her mother, patting her arm, still smiling gently at her younger sister.
Later, Edith told Andre about changing her surname.
"So now, ''Liberty'' really is me!" She leaned back on the revolutionary''s writing desk with both hands, jollily swinging her legs back and forth.
"Not bad, but are you emulating that Duke Philippe ?galité? He''s no good exemplar!" Andre commented.②
"You shouldn''t speak that way of Citizen Philippe ?galité! For a nobleman to understand and support the revolution, isn''t it even more estimable?" Edith immediately retorted, displeased.
"You don''t understand. People like him have their own calculations. Don''t assume everyone too kind-hearted," Andre shook his head.
"Didn''t he decisively vote for the death of Louis Capet?"
"Behind this was a plot by the royalists. Edith, you''re too young and naive," Andre made an impatient gesture.
"It''s he who turned the Palais-Royal into the birthplace of the Revolution!" Edith raised her voice.
"The Revolution needs no birthplace. The Revolution was given birth by the hearts of people," Andre said coldly.
The girl was momentarily speechless, sulking on the creaky chair.
There was a brief silence in the cramped room.
"But why should we make each other upset for an old man of the royal family?" Andre laughed suddenly. "Like we did in the past, every time after an argument, we held hands and made up immediately, can''t we do it again?"
He reached for her hand, yet she dodged it.
"I was a child then, but now I am a woman!" Edith was instead a