bel ami-第24节

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her　hands　to　her　heart；　she　burst　into　tears。

When　she　began　to　weep；　he　took　his　hat：　〃Ah；　you　are　crying　again！
Good　evening！　Is　it　for　this　that　you　sent　for　me？〃

She　took　a　step　forward　in　order　to　bar　the　way；　and　drawing　a
handkerchief　from　her　pocket　she　wiped　her　eyes。　Her　voice　grew
steadier：　〃No；　I　came　toto　give　youpolitical　newsto　give　you
the　means　of　earning　fifty　thousand　francsor　even　more　if　you　wish
to。〃

Suddenly　softened　he　asked：　〃How？〃

〃By　chance　last　evening　I　heard　a　conversation　between　my　husband
and　Laroche。　Walter　advised　the　minister　not　to　let　you　into　the
secret　for　you　would　expose　it。〃

Du　Roy　placed　his　hat　upon　a　chair　and　listened　attentively。

〃They　are　going　to　take　possession　of　Morocco！〃

〃Why；　I　lunched　with　Laroche　this　morning；　and　he　told　me　the
cabinet's　plans！〃

〃No；　my　dear；　they　have　deceived　you；　because　they　feared　their
secret　would　be　made　known。〃

〃Sit　down；〃　said　Georges。

He　sank　into　an　armchair；　while　she　drew　up　a　stool　and　took　her
seat　at　his　feet。　She　continued：

〃As　I　think　of　you　continually；　I　pay　attention　to　what　is　talked　of
around　me；〃　and　she　proceeded　to　tell　him　what　she　had　heard
relative　to　the　expedition　to　Tangiers　which　had　been　decided　upon
the　day　that　Laroche　assumed　his　office；　she　told　him　how　they　had
little　by　little　bought　up；　through　agents　who　aroused　no
suspicions；　the　Moroccan　loan；　which　had　fallen　to　sixty…four　or
sixty…five　francs；　how　when　the　expedition　was　entered　upon　the
French　government　would　guarantee　the　debt；　and　their　friends　would
make　fifty　or　sixty　millions。

He　cried：　〃Are　you　sure　of　that？〃

She　replied：　〃Yes；　I　am　sure。〃

He　continued：　〃That　is　indeed　fine！　As　for　that　rascal　of　a　Laroche；
let　him　beware！　I　will　get　his　ministerial　carcass　between　my
fingers　yet！〃

Then；　after　a　moment's　reflection；　he　muttered：　〃One　might　profit　by
that！〃

〃You　too　can　buy　some　stock；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　only　seventy…two
francs。〃

He　replied：　〃But　I　have　no　ready　money。〃

She　raised　her　eyes　to　hiseyes　full　of　supplication。

〃I　have　thought　of　that；　my　darling；　and　if　you　love　me　a　little；
you　will　let　me　lend　it　to　you。〃

He　replied　abruptly；　almost　harshly：　〃No；　indeed。〃

She　whispered　imploringly：　〃Listen；　there　is　something　you　can　do
without　borrowing　money。　I　intended　buying　ten　thousand　francs'
worth　of　the　stock；　instead；　I　will　take　twenty　thousand　and　you　can
have　half。　There　will　be　nothing　to　pay　at　once。　If　it　succeeds；　we
will　make　seventy　thousand　francs；　if　not；　you　will　owe　me　ten
thousand　which　you　can　repay　at　your　pleasure。〃

He　said　again：　〃No；　I　do　not　like　those　combinations。〃

She　tried　to　persuade　him　by　telling　him　that　she　advanced　nothing
that　the　payments　were　made　by　Walter's　bank。　She　pointed　out　to　him
that　he　had　led　the　political　campaign　in　〃La　Vie　Francaise；〃　and
that　he　would　be　very　simple　not　to　profit　by　the　results　he　had
helped　to　bring　about。　As　he　still　hesitated；　she　added：　〃It　is　in
reality　Walter　who　will　advance　the　money；　and　you　have　done　enough
for　him　to　offset　that　sum。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　do　it。　If　we　lose　I　will　pay　you　back
ten　thousand　francs。〃

She　was　so　delighted　that　she　rose；　took　his　head　between　her　hands；
and　kissed　him。　At　first　he　did　not　repulse　her；　but　when　she　grew
more　lavish　with　her　caresses；　he　said：

〃Come；　that　will　do。〃

She　gazed　at　him　sadly。　〃Oh；　Georges；　I　can　no　longer　even　embrace
you。〃

〃No；　not　to…day。　I　have　a　headache。〃

She　reseated　herself　with　docility　at　his　feet　and　asked：

〃Will　you　dine　with　us　to…morrow？　It　would　give　me　such　pleasure；〃

He　hesitated　at　first；　but　dared　not　refuse。

〃Yes；　certainly。〃

〃Thank　you；　dearest。〃　She　rubbed　her　cheek　against　the　young　man's
vest；　as　she　did　so；　one　of　her　long　black　hairs　caught　on　a　button；
she　twisted　it　tightly　around；　then　she　twisted　another　around
another　button　and　so　on。　When　he　rose；　he　would　tear　them　out　of
her　head；　and　would　carry　away　with　him　unwittingly　a　lock　of　her
hair。　It　would　be　an　invisible　bond　between　them。　Involuntarily　he
would　think；　would　dream　of　her；　he　would　love　her　a　little　more　the
next　day。

Suddenly　he　said：　〃I　must　leave　you；　for　I　am　expected　at　the
Chamber　for　the　close　of　the　session。　I　cannot　be　absent　to…day。〃

She　sighed：　〃Already！〃　Then　adding　resignedly：　〃Go；　my　darling；　but
you　will　come　to　dinner　tomorrow〃；　she　rose　abruptly。　For　a　moment
she　felt　a　sharp；　stinging　pain；　as　if　needles　had　been　stuck　into
her　head；　but　she　was　glad　to　have　suffered　for　him。

〃Adieu；〃　said　she。

He　took　her　in　his　arms　and　kissed　her　eyes　coldly；　then　she　offered
him　her　lips　which　he　brushed　lightly　as　he　said：　〃Come；　come；　let
us　hurry；　it　is　after　three　o'clock。〃

She　passed　out　before　him　saying：　〃To…morrow　at　seven〃；　he　repeated
her　words　and　they　separated。

Du　Roy　returned　at　four　o'clock　to　await　his　mistress。　She　was
somewhat　late　because　her　husband　had　come　home　for　a　week。　She
asked：

〃Can　you　come　to　dinner　to…morrow？　He　will　be　delighted　to　see　you。〃

〃No；　I　dine　at　the　Walters。　We　have　a　great　many　political　and
financial　matters　to　talk　over。〃

She　took　off　her　hat。　He　pointed　to　a　bag　on　the　mantelpiece：　〃I
bought　you　some　sweetmeats。〃

She　clapped　her　hands。　〃What　a　darling　you　are！〃　She　took　them；
tasted　one；　and　said：　〃They　are　delicious。　I　shall　not　leave　one。
Come；　sit　down　in　the　armchair；　I　will　sit　at　your　feet　and　eat　my
bonbons。〃

He　smiled　as　he　saw　her　take　the　seat　a　short　while　since　occupied
by　Mme。　Walter。　She　too；　called　him　〃darling；　little　one；　dearest；〃
and　the　words　seemed　to　him　sweet　and　caressing　from　her　lips；　while
from　Mme。　Walter's　they　irritated　and　nauseated　him。

Suddenly　he　remembered　the　seventy　thousand　francs　he　was　going　to
make；　and　bluntly　interrupting　Mme。　de　Marelle's　chatter；　he　said：

〃Listen；　my　darling；　I　am　going　to　intrust　you　with　a　message　to
your　husband。　Tell　him　from　me　to　buy　to…morrow　ten　thousand　francs'
worth　of　Moroccan　stock　which　is　at　seventy…two；　and　I　predict　that
before　three　months　are　passed　he　will　have　made　eighty　thousand
francs。　Tell　him　to　maintain　absolute　silence。　Tell　him　that　the
expedition　to　Tangiers；　is　decided　upon；　and　that　the　French
government　will　guarantee　the　Moroccan　debt。　It　is　a　state　secret　I
am　confiding　to　you；　remember！〃

She　listened　to　him　gravely　and　murmured：

〃Thank　you。　I　will　tell　my　husband　this　evening。　You　may　rely　upon
him；　he　will　not　speak　of　it；　he　can　be　depended　upon；　there　is　no
danger。〃

She　had　eaten　all　of　her　bonbons　and　began　to　toy　with　the　buttons
on　his　vest。　Suddenly　she　drew　a　long　hair　out　of　the　buttonhole　and
began　to　laugh。

〃See！　Here　is　one　of　Madeleine's　hairs；　you　are　a　faithful　husband！〃
Then　growing　serious；　she　examined　the　scarcely　perceptible　thread
more　closely　and　said：　〃It　is　not　Madeleine's；　it　is　dark。〃

He　smiled。　〃It　probably　belongs　to　the　housemaid。〃

But　she　glanced　at　the　vest　with　the　care　of　a　police…inspector　and
found　a　second　hair　twisted　around　a　second　button；　then　she　saw　a
third；　and　turning　pale　and　trembling　somewhat；　she　exclaimed：　〃Oh；
some　woman　has　left　hairs　around　all　your　buttons。〃

In　surprise；　he　stammered：　〃Why　youyou　are　mad。〃

She　continued　to　unwind　the　hairs　and　cast　them　upon　the　floor。　With
her　woman's　instinct　she　had　divined　their　meaning　and　gasped　in　her
anger；　ready　to　cry：

〃She　loves　you　and　she　wished　you　to　carry　away　with　you　something
of　hers。　Oh；　you　are　a　traitor。〃　She　uttered　a　shrill；　nervous　cry：
〃Oh；　it　is　an　old　woman's　hairhere　is　a　white　oneyou　have　taken
a　fancy　to　an　old　woman　now。　Then　you　do　not　need　mekeep　the　other
one。〃　She　rose。

He　attempted　to　detain　her　and　stammered：　〃NoCloyou　are　absurd
I　do　not　know　whose　it　islistenstayseestay〃

But　she　repeated：　〃Keep　your　old　womankeep　herhave　a　chain　made
of　her　hairof　her　gray　hairthere　is　enough　for　that〃

Hastily　she　donned　her　hat　and　veil；　and　when　he　attempted　to　touch
her　she　struck　him　in　the　face；　and　made　her　escape　while　he　was
stunned　by　the　blow。　When　he　found　that　he　was　alone；　he　cursed　Mme。
Walter；　bathed　his　face；　and　went　out　vowing　vengeance。　That　time　he
would　not　pardon。　No；　indeed。

He　strolled　to　the　boulevard　and　stopped　at　a　jeweler's　to　look　at　a
chronometer　he　had　wanted　for　some　time　and　which　would　cost
eighteen　hundred　francs。　He　thought　with　joy：　〃If　I　make　my　seventy
thousand　francs；　I　can　pay　for　it〃and　he　began　to　dream　of　all　the
things　he　would　do　when　he　got　the　money。　First　of　all　he　would
become　a　deputy；　then　he　would　buy　the　chronometer；　then　he　would
speculate　on　'Change；　and　then；　and　thenhe　did　not　enter　the
office；　preferring　to　confer　with　Madeleine　before　seeing　Walter
again　and　writing　his　article；　he　turned　toward　home。　He　reached　Rue
Drouot　when　he　paused；　he　had　forgotten　to　inquire　for　Count　de
Vaudrec；　who　lived　on　Chaussee　d'Antin。　He　retraced　his　steps　with　a
light　heart；　thinking　of　a　thousand　thingsof　the　fortune　he　would
make；of　that　rascal　of　a　Laroche；　and　of　old　Walter。

He　was　not　at　all　uneasy　as　to　Clotilde's　anger；　knowing　that　she
wo