bel ami-第19节

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you！〃　and　she　kissed　him　with　such　evident　affection　that　he　felt
consoled。

She　took　the　flowers；　inhaled　their　perfume；　and　put　them　in　an
empty　vase。　Then　she　said　as　she　noted　the　effect：　〃Now　I　am
satisfied；　my　mantelpiece　looks　pretty；〃　adding　with　an　air　of
conviction：

〃Vaudrec　is　charming；　you　will　become　intimate　with　him　at　once；〃

A　ring　announced　the　Count。　He　entered　as　if　he　were　at　home。　After
gallantly　kissing　Mme。　Du　Roy's　hand；　he　turned　to　her　husband　and
cordially　offered　his　hand；　saying：　〃How　are　you；　my　dear　Du　Roy？〃

He　had　no　longer　that　haughty　air；　but　was　very　affable。　One　would
have　thought　in　the　course　of　five　minutes；　that　the　two　men　had
known　one　another　for　ten　years。　Madeleine；　whose　face　was　radiant；
said：　〃I　will　leave　you　together。　I　have　work　to　superintend　in　the
kitchen。〃　The　dinner　was　excellent　and　the　Count　remained　very　late。
When　he　was　gone；　Madeleine　said　to　her　husband：　〃Is　he　not　nice？　He
improves；　too；　on　acquaintance。　He　is　a　good；　true；　faithful　friend。
Ah；　without　him〃

She　did　not　complete　her　sentence　and　Georges　replied：　〃Yes；　he　is
very　pleasant；　I　think　we　shall　understand　each　other　well。〃

〃You　do　not　know；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　have　work　to　do　to…night
before　retiring。　I　did　not　have　time　to　tell　you　before　dinner；　for
Vaudrec　came。　Laroche…Mathieu　brought　me　important　news　of　Morocco。
We　must　make　a　fine　article　of　that。　Let　us　set　to　work　at　once。
Come；　take　the　lamp。〃

He　carried　the　lamp　and　they　entered　the　study。　Madeleine　leaned；
against　the　mantelpiece；　and　having　lighted　a　cigarette；　told　him
the　news　and　gave　him　her　plan　of　the　article。　He　listened
attentively；　making　notes　as　she　spoke；　and　when　she　had　finished　he
raised　objections；　took　up　the　question　and；　in　his　turn；　developed
another　plan。　His　wife　ceased　smoking；　for　her　interest　was　aroused
in　following　Georges's　line　of　thought。　From　time　to　time　she
murmured：　〃Yes；　yes；　very　goodexcellentvery　forcible〃　And　when
he　had　finished　speaking；　she　said：　〃Now　let　us　write。〃

It　was　always　difficult　for　him　to　make　a　beginning　and　she　would
lean　over　his　shoulder　and　whisper　the　phrases　in　his　ear；　then　he
would　add　a　few　lines；　when　their　article　was　completed；　Georges　re…
read　it。　Both　he　and　Madeleine　pronounced　it　admirable　and　kissed
one　another　with　passionate　admiration。

The　article　appeared　with　the　signature　of　〃G。　du　Roy　de　Cantel；〃
and　made　a　great　sensation。　M。　Walter　congratulated　the　author；　who
soon　became　celebrated　in　political　circles。　His　wife；　too；
surprised　him　by　the　ingenuousness　of　her　mind；　the　cleverness　of
her　wit；　and　the　number　of　her　acquaintances。　At　almost　any　time
upon　returning　home　he　found　in　his　salon　a　senator；　a　deputy；　a
magistrate；　or　a　general；　who　treated　Madeleine　with　grave
familiarity。

Deputy　Laroche…Mathieu；　who　dined　at　Rue　Fontaine　every　Tuesday；　was
one　of　the　largest　stockholders　of　M。　Walter's　paper　and　the
latter's　colleague　and　associate　in　many　business　transactions。　Du
Roy　hoped；　later　on；　that　some　of　the　benefits　promised　by　him　to
Forestier　might　fall　to　his　share。　They　would　be　given　to
Madeleine's　new　husbandthat　was　allnothing　was　changed；　even　his
associates　sometimes　called　him　Forestier；　and　it　made　Du　Roy
furious　at　the　dead。　He　grew　to　hate　the　very　name；　it　was　to　him
almost　an　insult。　Even　at　home　the　obsession　continued；　the　entire
house　reminded　him　of　Charles。

One　evening　Du　Roy；　who　liked　sweetmeats；　asked：

〃Why　do　we　never　have　sweets？〃

His　wife　replied　pleasantly：　〃I　never　think　of　it；　because　Charles
disliked　them。〃

He　interrupted　her　with　an　impatient　gesture：　〃Do　you　know　I　am
getting　tired　of　Charles？　It　is　Charles　here；　Charles　there；　Charles
liked　this；　Charles　liked　that。　Since　Charles　is　dead；　let　him　rest
in　peace。〃

Madeleine　ascribed　her　husband's　burst　of　ill　humor　to　puerile
jealousy；　but　she　was　flattered　and　did　not　reply。　On　retiring；
haunted　by　the　same　thought；　he　asked：

〃Did　Charles　wear　a　cotton　nightcap　to　keep　the　draft　out　of　his
ears？〃

She　replied　pleasantly：　〃No；　a　lace　one！〃

Georges　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said　scornfully：　〃What　a　bird！〃

From　that　time　Georges　never　called　Charles　anything　but　〃poor
Charles；〃　with　an　accent　of　infinite　pity。　One　evening　as　Du　Roy　was
smoking　a　cigarette　at　his　window；　toward　the　end　of　June；　the　heat
awoke　in　him　a　desire　for　fresh　air。　He　asked：

〃My　little　Made；　would　you　like　to　go　as　far　as　the　Bois？〃

〃Yes；　certainly。〃

They　took　an　open　carriage　and　drove　to　the　Avenue　du　Bois　de
Boulogne。　It　was　a　sultry　evening；　a　host　of　cabs　lined　the　drive；
one　behind　another。　When　the　carriage　containing　Georges　and
Madeleine　reached　the　turning　which　led　to　the　fortifications；　they
kissed　one　another　and　Madeleine　stammered　in　confusion：　〃We　are　as
childish　as　we　were　at　Rouen。〃

The　road　they　followed　was　not　so　much　frequented；　a　gentle　breeze
rustled　the　leaves　of　the　trees；　the　sky　was　studded　with　brilliant
stars　and　Georges　murmured；　as　he　pressed　his　wife　to　his　breast：
〃Oh；　my　little　Made。〃

She　said　to　him：　〃Do　you　remember　how　gloomy　the　forest　at　Canteleu
was？　It　seemed　to　me　that　it　was　full　of　horrible　beasts　and　that　it
was　interminable；　while　here　it　is　charming。　One　can　feel　the
caressing　breezes；　and　I　know　that　Sevres　is　on　the　other　side。〃

He　replied：　〃In　our　forests　there　are　nothing　but　stags；　foxes；
roebucks；　and　boars；　with　here　and　there　a　forester's　house。〃　He
paused　for　a　moment　and　then　asked：　〃Did　you　come　here　in　the
evening　with　Charles　occasionally？〃

She　replied：　〃Frequently。〃

He　felt　a　desire　to　return　home　at　once。　Forestier's　image　haunted
him；　however；　he　could　think　of　nothing　else。　The　carriage　rolled　on
toward　the　Arc　de　Triomphe　and　joined　the　stream　of　carriages
returning　home。　As　Georges　remained　silent；　his　wife；　who　divined
his　thoughts；　asked　in　her　soft　voice：　〃Of　what　are　you　thinking？
For　half　an　hour　you　have　not　uttered　a　word。〃

He　replied　with　a　sneer：　〃I　am　thinking　of　all　those　fools　who　kiss
one　another；　and　I　believe　truly　that　there　is　something　else　to　be
done　in　life。〃

She　whispered：　〃Yes；　but　it　is　nice　sometimes！　It　is　nice　when　one
has　nothing　better　to　do。〃

Georges'　thoughts　were　busy　with　the　dead；　he　said　to　himself
angrily：　〃I　am　foolish　to　worry；　to　torment　myself　as　I　have　done。〃
After　remonstrating　thus　with　himself；　he　felt　more　reconciled　to
the　thought　of　Forestier；　and　felt　like　exclaiming：　〃Good　evening；
old　fellow！〃

Madeleine；　who　was　bored　by　his　silence；　asked：　〃Shall　we　go　to
Tortoni's　for　ices　before　returning　home？〃

He　glanced　at　her　from　his　corner　and　thought：　〃She　is　pretty；　so
much　the　better。　Tit　for　tat；　my　comrade。　But　if　they　begin　again　to
annoy　me　with　you；　it　will　get　somewhat　hot　at　the　North　Pole！〃

Then　he　replied：　〃Certainly；　my　darling；〃　and　before　she　had　time　to
think　he　kissed　her。　It　seemed　to　Madeleine　that　her　husband's　lips
were　icy。　However　he　smiled　as　usual　and　gave　her　his　hand　to　assist
her　to　alight　at　the　cafe。




CHAPTER　XI。

MADAME　WALTER　TAKES　A　HAND


On　entering　the　office　the　following　day；　Du　Roy　sought　Boisrenard
and　told　him　to　warn　his　associates　not　to　continue　the　farce　of
calling　him　Forestier；　or　there　would　be　war。　When　Du　Roy　returned
an　hour　later；　no　one　called　him　by　that　name。　From　the　office　he
proceeded　to　his　home；　and　hearing　the　sound　of　ladies'　voices　in
the　drawing…room；　he　asked　the　servant：　〃Who　is　here？〃

〃Mme。　Walter　and　Mme。　de　Marelle；〃　was　the　reply。

His　heart　pulsated　violently　as　he　opened　the　door。　Clotilde　was
seated　by　the　fireplace；　it　seemed　to　Georges　that　she　turned　pale
on　perceiving　him。

Having　greeted　Mme。　Walter　and　her　two　daughters　seated　like
sentinels　beside　her；　he　turned　to　his　former　mistress。　She　extended
her　hand；　he　took　and　pressed　it　as　if　to　say：　〃I　love　you　still！〃
She　returned　the　pressure。

He　said：　〃Have　you　been　well　since　we　last　met？〃

〃Yes；　have　you；　Bel…Ami？〃　And　turning　to　Madeleine　she　added：　〃Will
you　permit　me　to　call　him　Bel…Ami？〃

〃Certainly；　my　dear；　I　will　permit　anything　you　wish。〃

A　shade　of　irony　lurked　beneath　those　words；　uttered　so　pleasantly。

Mme。　Walter　mentioned　a　fencing…match　to　be　given　at　Jacques　Rival's
apartments；　the　proceeds　to　be　devoted　to　charities；　and　in　which
many　society　ladies　were　going　to　assist。　She　said：　〃It　will　be　very
entertaining；　but　I　am　in　despair；　for　we　have　no　one　to　escort　us；
my　husband　having　an　engagement。〃

Du　Roy　offered　his　services　at　once。　She　accepted；　saying：　〃My
daughters　and　I　shall　be　very　grateful。〃

He　glanced　at　the　younger　of　the　two　girls　and　thought：　〃Little
Suzanne　is　not　at　all　bad；　not　at　all。〃

She　resembled　a　doll；　being　very　small　and　dainty；　with　a　well…
proportioned　form；　a　pretty；　delicate　face；　blue…gray　eyes；　a　fair
skin；　and　curly；　flaxen　hair。　Her　elder　sister；　Rose；　was　plainone
of　those　girls　to　whom　no　attention　is　ever　paid。　Her　mother　rose；
and　turning　to　Georges；　said：　〃I　shall　count　on　you　next　Thursday　at
two　o'clock。〃

He　replied：　〃Count　upon　me；　Madame。〃

When　the　door　closed　upon　Mme。　Walte