bel ami-第22节

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disappeared；　Du　Roy　asked；　hoping　for　another　place　of　meeting　than
La　Trinite：　〃Where　shall　I　see　you　to…morrow？〃

She　did　not　reply；　she　seemed　transformed　into　a　statue　of　prayer。
He　continued：　〃Shall　I　meet　you　to…morrow　at　Park　Monceau？〃

She　turned　a　livid　face　toward　him　and　said　unsteadily：　〃Leave　me
leave　me　nowgogo　awayfor　only　five　minutesI　suffer　too　much
near　you。　I　want　to　praygo。　Let　me　pray　alonefive　minuteslet
me　ask　Godto　pardon　meto　save　meleave　mefive　minutes。〃

She　looked　so　pitiful　that　he　rose　without　a　word　and　asked　with
some　hesitation：　〃Shall　I　return　presently？〃

She　nodded　her　head　in　the　affirmative　and　he　left　her。　She　tried　to
pray；　she　closed　her　eyes　in　order　not　to　see　Georges。　She　could　not
pray；　she　could　only　think　of　him。　She　would　rather　have　died　than
have　fallen　thus；　she　had　never　been　weak。　She　murmured　several
words　of　supplication；　she　knew　that　all　was　over；　that　the　struggle
was　in　vain。　She　did　not　however　wish　to　yield；　but　she　felt　her
weakness。　Some　one　approached　with　a　rapid　step；　she　turned　her
head。　It　was　a　priest。　She　rose；　ran　toward　him；　and　clasping　her
hands；　she　cried：　〃Save　me；　save　me！〃

He　stopped　in　surprise。

〃What　do　you　want；　Madame？〃

〃I　want　you　to　save　me。　Have　pity　on　me。　If　you　do　not　help　me；　I　am
lost！〃

He　gazed　at　her；　wondering　if　she　were　mad。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　The　priest　was　a　young　man　somewhat
inclined　to　corpulence。

〃Receive　my　confession；〃　said　she；　〃and　counsel　me；　sustain　me；　tell
me　what　to　do。〃

He　replied：　〃I　confess　every　Saturday　from　three　to　six。〃

Seizing　his　arm　she　repeated：　〃No；　now；　at　onceat　once！　It　is
necessary！　He　is　here！　In　this　church！　He　is　waiting　for　me。〃

The　priest　asked：　〃Who　is　waiting　for　you？〃

〃A　manwho　will　be　my　ruin　if　you　do　not　save　me。　I　can　no　longer
escape　himI　am　too　weaktoo　weak；〃

She　fell　upon　her　knees　sobbing：　〃Oh；　father；　have　pity　upon　me。
Save　me；　for　God's　sake；　save　me！〃　She　seized　his　gown　that　he　might
not　escape　her；　while　he　uneasily　glanced　around　on　all　sides　to　see
if　anyone　noticed　the　woman　at　his　feet。　Finally；　seeing　that　he
could　not　free　himself　from　her；　he　said：　〃Rise；　I　have　the　key　to
the　confessional　with　me。〃

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Du　Roy　having　walked　around　the　choir；　was　sauntering　down　the　nave；
when　he　met　the　stout；　bold　man　wandering　about；　and　he　wondered：
〃What　can　he　be　doing　here？〃

The　man　slackened　his　pace　and　looked　at　Georges　with　the　evident
desire　to　speak　to　him。　When　he　was　near　him；　he　bowed　and　said
politely：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　for　disturbing　you；　but　can　you　tell　me
when　this　church　was　built？〃

Du　Roy　replied：　〃I　do　not　know；　I　think　it　is　twenty　or　twenty…five
years。　It　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　here。　I　have　never　seen　it
before。〃　Feeling　interested　in　the　stranger；　the　journalist
continued：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　are　examining　into　it　very
carefully。〃

The　man　replied：　〃I　am　not　visiting　the　church；　I　have　an
appointment。〃　He　paused　and　in　a　few　moments　added：　〃It　is　very　warm
outside。〃

Du　Roy　looked　at　him　and　suddenly　thought　that　he　resembled
Forestier。　〃Are　you　from　the　provinces？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　I　am　from　Rennes。　And　did　you；　sir；　enter　this　church　from
curiosity？〃

〃No；　I　am　waiting　for　a　lady。〃　And　with　a　smile　upon　his　lips；　he
walked　away。

He　did　not　find　Mme。　Walter　in　the　place　in　which　he　had　left　her；
and　was　surprised。　She　had　gone。　He　was　furious。　Then　he　thought　she
might　be　looking　for　him；　and　he　walked　around　the　church。　Not
finding　her；　he　returned　and　seated　himself　on　the　chair　she　had
occupied；　hoping　that　she　would　rejoin　him　there。　Soon　he　heard　the
sound　of　a　voice。　He　saw　no　one；　whence　came　it？　He　rose　to　examine
into　it；　and　saw　in　a　chapel　near　by；　the　doors　of　the
confessionals。　He　drew　nearer　in　order　to　see　the　woman　whose　voice
he　heard。　He　recognized　Mme。　Walter；　she　was　confessing。　At　first　he
felt　a　desire　to　seize　her　by　the　arm　and　drag　her　away；　then　he
seated　himself　near　by　and　bided　his　time。　He　waited　quite　awhile。
At　length　Mme。　Walter　rose；　turned；　saw　him　and　came　toward　him。　Her
face　was　cold　and　severe。

〃Sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　beseech　you　not　to　accompany　me；　not　to　follow
me　and　not　to　come　to　my　house　alone。　You　will　not　be　admitted。
Adieu！〃　And　she　walked　away　in　a　dignified　manner。

He　permitted　her　to　go；　because　it　was　against　his　principles　to
force　matters。　As　the　priest　in　his　turn　issued　from　the
confessional；　he　advanced　toward　him　and　said：　〃If　you　did　not　wear
a　gown；　I　would　give　you　a　sound　thrashing。〃　Then　he　turned　upon　his
heel　and　left　the　church　whistling。　In　the　doorway　he　met　the　stout
gentleman。　When　Du　Roy　passed　him；　they　bowed。

The　journalist　then　repaired　to　the　office　of　〃La　Vie　Francaise。〃　As
he　entered　he　saw　by　the　clerks'　busy　air　that　something　of
importance　was　going　on；　and　he　hastened　to　the　manager's　room。　The
latter　exclaimed　joyfully　as　Du　Roy　entered：　〃What　luck！　here　is
Bel…Ami。〃

He　stopped　in　confusion　and　apologized：　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I　am
very　much　bothered　by　circumstances。　And　then　I　hear　my　wife　and
daughter　call　you　Bel…Ami　from　morning　until　night；　and　I　have
acquired　the　habit　myself。　Are　you　displeased？〃

Georges　laughed。　〃Not　at　all。〃

M。　Walter　continued：　〃Very　well；　then　I　will　call　you　Bel…Ami　as
everyone　else　does。　Great　changes　have　taken　place。　The　ministry　has
been　overthrown。　Marrot　is　to　form　a　new　cabinet。　He　has　chosen
General　Boutin　d'Acre　as　minister　of　war；　and　our　friend　Laroche…
Mathieu　as　minister　of　foreign　affairs。　We　shall　be　very　busy。　I
must　write　a　leading　article；　a　simple　declaration　of　principles；
then　I　must　have　something　interesting　on　the　Morocco　questionyou
must　attend　to　that。〃

Du　Roy　reflected　a　moment　and　then　replied：　〃I　have　it。　I　will　give
you　an　article　on　the　political　situation　of　our　African　colony；〃
and　he　proceeded　to　prepare　M。　Walter　an　outline　of　his　work；　which
was　nothing　but　a　modification　of　his　first　article　on　〃Souvenirs　of
a　Soldier　in　Africa。〃

The　manager　having　read　the　article　said：　〃It　is　perfect；　you　are　a
treasure。　Many　thanks。〃

Du　Roy　returned　home　to　dinner　delighted　with　his　day；
notwithstanding　his　failure　at　La　Trinite。　His　wife　was　awaiting　him
anxiously。　She　exclaimed　on　seeing　him：

〃You　know　that　Laroche　is　minister　of　foreign　affairs。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　just　written　an　article　on　that　subject。〃

〃How？〃

〃Do　you　remember　the　first　article　we　wrote　on　'Souvenirs　of　a
Soldier　in　Africa'？　Well；　I　revised　and　corrected　it　for　the
occasion。〃

She　smiled。　〃Ah；　yes；　that　will　do　very　well。〃

At　that　moment　the　servant　entered　with　a　dispatch　containing　these
words　without　any　signature：

〃I　was　beside　myself。　Pardon　me　and　come　to…morrow　at　four　o'clock
to　Park　Monceau。〃

He　understood　the　message；　and　with　a　joyful　heart；　slipped　the
telegram　into　his　pocket。　During　dinner　he　repeated　the　words　to
himself；　as　he　interpreted　them；　they　meant；　〃I　yieldI　am　yours
where　and　when　you　will。〃　He　laughed。

Madeleine　asked：　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Nothing　much。　I　was　thinking　of　a　comical　old　priest　I　met　a　short
while　since。〃

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Du　Roy　arrived　at　the　appointed　hour　the　following　day。　The　benches
were　all　occupied　by　people　trying　to　escape　from　the　heat　and　by
nurses　with　their　charges。

He　found　Mme。　Walter　in　a　little　antique　ruin；　she　seemed　unhappy
and　anxious。　When　he　had　greeted　her；　she　said：　〃How　many　people
there　are　in　the　garden！〃

He　took　advantage　of　the　occasion：　〃Yes；　that　is　true；　shall　we　go
somewhere　else？〃

〃Where？〃

〃It　matters　not　where；　for　a　drive；　for　instance。　You　can　lower　the
shade　on　your　side　and　you　will　be　well　concealed。〃

〃Yes；　I　should　like　that　better；　I　shall　die　of　fear　here。〃

〃Very　well；　meet　me　in　five　minutes　at　the　gate　which　opens　on　the
boulevard。　I　will　fetch　a　cab。〃

When　they　were　seated　in　the　cab；　she　asked：　〃Where　did　you　tell　the
coachman　to　drive　to？〃

Georges　replied：　〃Do　not　worry；　he　knows。〃

He　had　given　the　man　his　address　on　the　Rue　de　Constantinople。

Mme。　Walter　said　to　Du　Roy：　〃You　cannot　imagine　how　I　suffer　on　your
accounthow　I　am　tormented；　tortured。　Yesterday　I　was　harsh；　but　I
wanted　to　escape　you　at　any　price。　I　was　afraid　to　remain　alone　with
you。　Have　you　forgiven　me？〃

He　pressed　her　hand。　〃Yes；　yes；　why　should　I　not　forgive　you；　loving
you　as　I　do？〃

She　looked　at　him　with　a　beseeching　air：　〃Listen：　You　must　promise
to　respect　me；　otherwise　I　could　never　see　you　again。〃

At　first　he　did　not　reply；　a　smile　lurked　beneath　his　mustache；　then
he　murmured：　〃I　am　your　slave。〃

She　told　him　how　she　had　discovered　that　she　loved　him；　on　learning
that　he　was　to　marry　Madeleine　Forestier。　Suddenly　she　ceased
speaking。　The　carriage　stopped。　Du　Roy　opened　the　door。

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked。

He　replied：　〃Alight　and　enter　the　house。　We　shall　be　undisturbed
there。〃

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　repeated。

〃At　my　rooms；　they　are　my　bachelor　apartments　which　I　have　rented
for　a　few　days　that　we　might　have　a　corner　in　which　to　me