Part 1, Search for the Father, The Family Summary

Jacques mentions that he visited Solferino, the village where he was born. He says the doctor who cut his umbilical cord sends his greetings to Lucie. He also says no one in Solferino remembers Henri. Lucie does not understand. Lucie suffered from illness as a child, leaving her partially deaf and mute. Jacques then mentions the time Henri went to see a murderer's execution at the local prison. Henri witnessed the man's head being cut off, came home, vomited and refused to speak about it again. As a child, Jacques is scared he will be executed too. The grandmother tells Jacques he will end up in the gallows.

Jacques explains that his grandmother has a hard life as well, which is why she is so strict. Her father was murdered and...