bel ami-第18节

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so　many　ships！〃

An　hour　later　they　departed　in　order　to　breakfast　with　the　old
couple；　who　had　been　informed　several　days　before　of　their　intended
arrival。　Both　Duroy　and　his　wife　were　charmed　with　the　beauties　of
the　landscape　presented　to　their　view；　and　the　cabman　halted　in
order　to　allow　them　to　get　a　better　idea　of　the　panorama　before
them。　As　he　whipped　up　his　horse；　Duroy　saw　an　old　couple　not　a
hundred　meters　off；　approaching；　and　he　leaped　from　the　carriage
crying：　〃Here　they　are；　I　know　them。〃

The　man　was　short；　corpulent；　florid；　and　vigorous；　notwithstanding
his　age；　the　woman　was　tall；　thin；　and　melancholy；　with　stooping
shouldersa　woman　who　had　worked　from　childhood；　who　had　never
laughed　nor　jested。

Madeleine；　too；　alighted　and　watched　the　couple　advance；　with　a
contraction　of　her　heart　she　had　not　anticipated。　They　did　not
recognize　their　son　in　that　fine　gentleman；　and　they　would　never
have　taken　that　handsome　lady　for　their　daughter…in…law。　They　walked
along；　passed　the　child　they　were　expecting；　without　glancing　at　the
〃city　folks。〃

Georges　cried　with　a　laugh：　〃Good　day；　Father　Duroy。〃

Both　the　old　man　and　his　wife　were　struck　dumb　with　astonishment；
the　latter　recovered　her　self…possession　first　and　asked：　〃Is　it
you；　son？〃

The　young　man　replied：　〃Yes；　it　is　I；　Mother　Duroy；〃　and　approaching
her；　he　kissed　her　upon　both　cheeks　and　said：　〃This　is　my　wife。〃

The　two　rustics　stared　at　Madeleine　as　if　she　were　a　curiosity；　with
anxious　fear；　combined　with　a　sort　of　satisfied　approbation　on　the
part　of　the　father　and　of　jealous　enmity　on　that　of　the　mother。

M。　Duroy；　senior；　who　was　naturally　jocose；　made　so　bold　as　to　ask
with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye：　〃May　I　kiss　you　too？〃　His　son　uttered　an
exclamation　and　Madeleine　offered　her　cheek　to　the　old　peasant；　who
afterward　wiped　his　lips　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　The　old　woman；
in　her　turn；　kissed　her　daughter…in…law　with　hostile　reserve。　Her
ideal　was　a　stout；　rosy；　country　lass；　as　red　as　an　apple　and　as
round。

The　carriage　preceded　them　with　the　luggage。　The　old　man　took　his
son's　arm　and　asked　him：　〃How　are　you　getting　on？〃

〃Very　well。〃

〃That　is　right。　Tell　me；　has　your　wife　any　means？〃

Georges　replied：　〃Forty　thousand　francs。〃

His　father　whistled　softly　and　muttered：　〃Whew！〃　Then　he　added：　〃She
is　a　handsome　woman。〃　He　admired　his　son's　wife；　and　in　his　day　had
considered　himself　a　connoisseur。

Madeleine　and　the　mother　walked　side　by　side　in　silence；　the　two　men
joined　them。　They　soon　reached　the　village；　at　the　entrance　to　which
stood　M。　Duroy's　tavern。　A　pine　board　fastened　over　the　door
indicated　that　thirsty　people　might　enter。　The　table　was　laid。　A
neighbor；　who　had　come　to　assist；　made　a　low　courtesy　on　seeing　so
beautiful　a　lady　appear；　then　recognizing　Georges；　she　cried：　〃Oh
Lord；　is　it　you？〃

He　replied　merrily：　〃Yes；　it　is　I；　Mother　Brulin；〃　and　he　kissed　her
as　he　had　kissed　his　father　and　mother。　Then　he　turned　to　his　wife：

〃Come　into　our　room；〃　said　he；　〃you　can　lay　aside　your　hat。〃

They　passed　through　a　door　to　the　right　and　entered　a　room　paved
with　brick；　with　whitewashed　walls　and　a　bed　with　cotton　hangings。

A　crucifix　above　a　holy…water　basin　and　two　colored　prints；
representing　Paul　and　Virginia　beneath　a　blue　palm…tree；　and
Napoleon　I。　on　a　yellow　horse；　were　the　only　ornaments　in　that　neat；
but　bare　room。

When　they　were　alone；　Georges　embraced　Madeleine。

〃Good　morning；　Made！　I　am　glad　to　see　the　old　people　once　more。　When
one　is　in　Paris　one　does　not　think　of　this　place；　but　when　one
returns；　one　enjoys　it　just　the　same。〃

At　that　moment　his　father　cried；　knocking　on　the　partition　with　his
fist：　〃Come；　the　soup　is　ready。〃

They　re…entered　the　large　public…room　and　took　their　seats　at　the
table。　The　meal　was　a　long　one；　served　in　a　truly　rustic　fashion。
Father　Duroy；　enlivened　by　the　cider　and　several　glasses　of　wine；
related　many　anecdotes；　while　Georges；　to　whom　they　were　all
familiar；　laughed　at　them。

Mother　Duroy　did　not　speak；　but　sat　at　the　board；　grim　and　austere；
glancing　at　her　daughter…in…law　with　hatred　in　her　heart。

Madeleine　did　not　speak　nor　did　she　eat；　she　was　depressed。
Wherefore？　She　had　wished　to　come；　she　knew　that　she　was　coming　to　a
simple　home；　she　had　formed　no　poetical　ideas　of　those　peasants；　but
she　had　perhaps　expected　to　find　them　somewhat　more　polished；
refined。　She　recalled　her　own　mother；　of　whom　she　never　spoke　to
anyonea　governess　who　had　been　betrayed　and　who　had　died　of　grief
and　shame　when　Madeleine　was　twelve　years　old。　A　stranger　had　had
the　little　girl　educated。　Her　father　without　doubt。　Who　was　he？　She
did　not　know　positively；　but　she　had　vague　suspicions。

The　meal　was　not　yet　over　when　customers　entered；　shook　hands　with
M。　Duroy；　exclaimed　on　seeing　his　son；　and　seating　themselves　at　the
wooden　tables　began　to　drink；　smoke；　and　play　dominoes。　The　smoke
from　the　clay　pipes　and　penny　cigars　filled　the　room。

Madeleine　choked　and　asked：　〃Can　we　go　out？　I　cannot　remain　here　any
longer；〃

Old　Duroy　grumbled　at　being　disturbed。　Madeleine　rose　and　placed　her
chair　at　the　door　in　order　to　wait　until　her　father…in…law　and　his
wife　had　finished　their　coffee　and　wine。

Georges　soon　joined　her。

〃Would　you　like　to　stroll　down　to　the　Seine？〃

Joyfully　she　cried：　〃Yes。〃

They　descended　the　hillside；　hired　a　boat　at　Croisset；　and　spent　the
remainder　of　the　afternoon　beneath　the　willows　in　the　soft；　warm；
spring　air；　and　rocked　gently　by　the　rippling　waves　of　the　river。
They　returned　at　nightfall。　The　evening　repast　by　candle…light　was
more　painful　to　Madeleine　than　that　of　the　morning。　Neither　Father
Duroy　nor　his　wife　spoke。　When　the　meal　was　over；　Madeleine　drew　her
husband　outside　in　order　not　to　have　to　remain　in　that　room；　the
atmosphere　of　which　was　heavy　with　smoke　and　the　fumes　of　liquor。

When　they　were　alone；　he　said：　〃You　are　already　weary。〃

She　attempted　to　protest；　he　interrupted　her：

〃I　have　seen　it。　If　you　wish　we　will　leave　tomorrow。〃

She　whispered：　〃I　should　like　to　go。〃

They　walked　along　and　entered　a　narrow　path　among　high　trees；　hedged
in　on　either　side　by　impenetrable　brushwood。

She　asked：　〃Where　are　we？〃

He　replied：　〃In　the　forestone　of　the　largest　in　France。〃

Madeleine；　on　raising　her　head；　could　see　the　stars　between　the
branches　and　hear　the　rustling　of　the　leaves。　She　felt　strangely
nervous。　Why；　she　could　not　tell。　She　seemed　to　be　lost；　surrounded
by　perils；　abandoned；　alone；　beneath　that　vast　vaulted　sky。

She　murmured：　〃I　am　afraid；　I　should　like　to　return。〃

〃Very　well；　we　will。〃

On　their　return　they　found　the　old　people　in　bed。　The　next　morning
Madeleine　rose　early　and　was　ready　to　leave　at　daybreak。　When
Georges　told　his　parents　that　they　were　going　to　return　home；　they
guessed　whose　wish　it　was。

His　father　asked　simply：　〃Shall　I　see　you　soon　again？〃

〃Yesin　the　summer…time。〃

〃Very　well。〃

His　mother　grumbled：　〃I　hope　you　will　not　regret　what　you　have
done。〃

Georges　gave　them　two　hundred　francs　to　appease　them；　and　the　cab
arriving　at　ten　o'clock；　the　couple　kissed　the　old　peasants　and　set
out。

As　they　were　descending　the　side　of　the　hill；　Duroy　laughed。　〃You
see；〃　said　he；　〃I　warned　you。　I　should；　however；　not　have　presented
you　to　M。　and　Mme。　du　Roy　de　Cantel；　senior。〃

She　laughed　too　and　replied：　〃I　am　charmed　now！　They　are　nice　people
whom　I　am　beginning　to　like　very　much。　I　shall　send　them　confections
from　Paris。〃　Then　she　murmured：　〃Du　Roy　de　Cantel。　We　will　say　that
we　spent　a　week　at　your　parents'　estate；〃　and　drawing　near　him；　she
kissed　him　saying：

〃Good　morning；　Georges。〃

He　replied：　〃Good　morning；　Madeleine；〃　as　he　slipped　his　arm　around
her　waist。




CHAPTER　X。

JEALOUSY


The　Du　Roys　had　been　in　Paris　two　days　and　the　journalist　had
resumed　work；　he　had　given　up　his　own　especial　province　to　assume
that　of　Forestier；　and　to　devote　himself　entirely　to　politics。　On
this　particular　evening　he　turned　his　steps　toward　home　with　a　light
heart。　As　he　passed　a　florist's　on　Rue　Notre　Dame　de　Lorette　he
bought　a　bouquet　of　half…open　roses　for　Madeleine。　Having　forgotten
his　key；　on　arriving　at　his　door；　he　rang　and　the　servant　answered
his　summons。

Georges　asked：　〃Is　Madame　at　home？〃　〃Yes；　sir。〃

In　the　dining…room　he　paused　in　astonishment　to　see　covers　laid　for
three：　the　door　of　the　salon　being　ajar；　he　saw　Madeleine　arranging
in　a　vase　on　the　mantelpiece　a　bunch　of　roses　similar　to　his。

He　entered　the　room　and　asked：　〃Have　you　invited　anyone　to　dinner？〃

She　replied　without　turning　her　head　and　continuing　the　arrangement
of　her　flowers：　〃Yes　and　no：　it　is　my　old　friend；　Count　de　Vaudrec；
who　is　in　the　habit　of　dining　here　every　Monday　and　who　will　come
now　as　he　always　has；〃

Georges　murmured：　〃Very　well。〃

He　stopped　behind　her；　the　bouquet　in　his　hand；　the　desire　strong
within　him　to　conceal　itto　throw　it　away。　However；　he　said：

〃Here；　I　have　brought　you　some　roses！〃

She　turned　to　him　with　a　smile　and　said：　〃Ah；　how　thoughtful　of
you！〃　and　she　kissed　him　with　such　evident　affection　that　he　felt
consoled。

She　took　the