bel ami-第27节

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prove　it。

Knowing　the　straitened　circumstances　of　the　Prince　de　Carlsbourg　who
owned　one　of　the　fairest　mansions　on　Rue　du　Faubourg　Saint…Honore；
he　proposed　to　buy　it。　He　offered　three　million　francs　for　it。　The
prince；　tempted　by　the　sum；　accepted　his　offer；　the　next　day；　Walter
took　possession　of　his　new　dwelling。　Then　another　idea　occurred　to
himan　idea　of　conquering　all　Parisan　idea　a　la　Bonaparte。

At　that　time　everyone　was　raving　over　a　painting　by　the　Hungarian；
Karl　Marcovitch；　exhibited　by　Jacques　Lenoble　and　representing
〃Christ　Walking　on　the　Water。〃　Art　critics　enthusiastically　declared
it　to　be　the　most　magnificent　painting　of　the　age。　Walter　bought　it；
thereby　causing　entire　Paris　to　talk　of　him；　to　envy　him；　to　censure
or　approve　his　action。　He　issued　an　announcement　in　the　papers　that
everyone　was　invited　to　come　on　a　certain　evening　to　see　it。

Du　Roy　was　jealous　of　M。　Walter's　success。　He　had　thought　himself
wealthy　with　the　five　hundred　thousand　francs　extorted　from　his
wife；　and　now　he　felt　poor　as　he　compared　his　paltry　fortune　with
the　shower　of　millions　around　him。　His　envious　rage　increased　daily。
He　cherished　ill　will　toward　everyonetoward　the　Walters；　even
toward　his　wife；　and　above　all　toward　the　man　who　had　deceived　him；
made　use　of　him；　and　who　dined　twice　a　week　at　his　house。　Georges
acted　as　his　secretary；　agent；　mouthpiece；　and　when　he　wrote　at　his
dictation；　he　felt　a　mad　desire　to　strangle　him。　Laroche　reigned
supreme　in　the　Du　Roy　household；　having　taken　the　place　of　Count　de
Vaudrec；　he　spoke　to　the　servants　as　if　he　were　their　master。
Georges　submitted　to　it　all；　like　a　dog　which　wishes　to　bite　and
dares　not。　But　he　was　often　harsh　and　brutal　to　Madeleine；　who
merely　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　treated　him　as　one　would　a　fretful
child。　She　was　surprised；　too；　at　his　constant　ill　humor；　and　said：
〃I　do　not　understand　you。　You　are　always　complaining。　Your　position
is　excellent。〃

His　only　reply　was　to　turn　his　back　upon　her。　He　declared　that　he
would　not　attend　M。　Walter's　fetethat　he　would　not　cross　the
miserable　Jew's　threshold。　For　two　months　Mme。　Walter　had　written　to
him　daily；　beseeching　him　to　come　to　see　her；　to　appoint　a　meeting
where　he　would；　in　order　that　she　might　give　him　the　seventy
thousand　francs　she　had　made　for　him。　He　did　not　reply　and　threw　her
letters　into　the　fire。　Not　that　he　would　have　refused　to　accept　his
share　of　the　profits；　but　he　enjoyed　treating　her　scornfully；
trampling　her　under　foot；　she　was　too　wealthy；　he　would　be
inflexible。

The　day　of　the　exhibition　of　the　picture；　as　Madeleine　chided　him
for　not　going；　he　replied：　〃Leave　me　in　peace。　I　shall　remain　at
home。〃

After　they　had　dined；　he　said　suddenly；　〃I　suppose　I　shall　have　to
go　through　with　it。　Get　ready　quickly。〃

〃I　shall　be　ready　in　fifteen　minutes；〃　she　said。

As　they　entered　the　courtyard　of　the　Hotel　de　Carlsbourg　it　was　one
blaze　of　light。　A　magnificent　carpet　was　spread　upon　the　steps
leading　to　the　entrance；　and　upon　each　one　stood　a　man　in　livery；　as
rigid　as　marble。

Du　Roy's　heart　was　torn　with　jealousy。　He　and　his　wife　ascended　the
steps　and　gave　their　wraps　to　the　footmen　who　approached　them。

At　the　entrance　to　the　drawing…room；　two　children；　one　in　pink；　the
other　in　blue；　handed　bouquets　to　the　ladies。

The　rooms　were　already　well　filled。　The　majority　of　the　ladies　were
in　street　costumes；　a　proof　that　they　came　thither　as　they　would　go
to　any　exhibition。　The　few　who　intended　to　remain　to　the　ball　which
was　to　follow　wore　evening　dress。

Mme。　Walter；　surrounded　by　friends；　stood　in　the　second　salon　and
received　the　visitors。　Many　did　not　know　her；　and　walked　through　the
rooms　as　if　in　a　museumwithout　paying　any　heed　to　the　host　and
hostess。

When　Virginie　perceived　Du　Roy；　she　grew　livid　and　made　a　movement
toward　him；　then　she　paused　and　waited　for　him　to　advance。　He　bowed
ceremoniously；　while　Madeleine　greeted　her　effusively。　Georges　left
his　wife　near　Mme。　Walter　and　mingled　with　the　guests。　Five　drawing…
rooms　opened　one　into　the　other；　they　were　carpeted　with　rich；
oriental　rugs；　and　upon　their　walls　hung　paintings　by　the　old
masters。　As　he　made　his　way　through　the　throng；　some　one　seized　his
arm；　and　a　fresh；　youthful　voice　whispered　in　his　ear：　〃Ah；　here　you
are　at　last；　naughty　Bel…Ami！　Why　do　we　never　see　you　any　more？〃

It　was　Suzanne　Walter；　with　her　azure　eyes　and　wealth　of　golden
hair。　He　was　delighted　to　see　her；　and　apologized　as　they　shook
hands。

〃I　have　been　so　busy　for　two　months　that　I　have　been　nowhere。〃

She　replied　gravely：　〃That　is　too　bad。　You　have　grieved　us　deeply；
for　mamma　and　I　adore　you。　As　for　myself；　I　cannot　do　without　you。
If　you　are　not　here；　I　am　bored　to　death。　You　see　I　tell　you　so
frankly；　that　you　will　not　remain　away　like　that　any　more。　Give　me
your　arm；　I　will　show　you　'Christ　Walking　on　the　Water'　myself；　it
is　at　the　very　end；　behind　the　conservatory。　Papa　put　it　back　there
so　that　everyone　would　be　obliged　to　go　through　the　rooms。　It　is
astonishing　how　proud　papa　is　of　this　house。〃

As　they　walked　through　the　rooms；　all　turned　to　look　at　that
handsome　man　and　that　bewitching　girl。　A　well…known　painter　said：
〃There　is　a　fine　couple。〃　Georges　thought：　〃If　my　position　had　been
made；　I　would　have　married　her。　Why　did　I　never　think　of　it？　How
could　I　have　taken　the　other　one？　What　folly！　One　always　acts　too
hastilyone　never　reflects　sufficiently。〃　And　longing；　bitter
longing　possessed　him；　corrupting　all　his　pleasure；　rendering　life
odious。

Suzanne　said：　〃You　must　come　often；　Bel…Ami；　we　can　do　anything　we
like　now　papa　is　rich。〃

He　replied：　〃Oh；　you　will　soon　marrysome　prince；　perhaps；　and　we
shall　never　meet　any　more。〃

She　cried　frankly：　〃Oh；　oh；　I　shall　not！　I　shall　choose　some　one　I
love　very　dearly。　I　am　rich　enough　for　two。〃

He　smiled　ironically　and　said：　〃I　give　you　six　months。　By　that　time
you　will　be　Madame　la　Marquise；　Madame　la　Duchesse；　or　Madame　la
Princesse；　and　you　will　look　down　upon　me；　Mademoiselle。〃

She　pretended　to　be　angry；　patted　his　arm　with　her　fan；　and　vowed
that　she　would　marry　according　to　the　dictates　of　her　heart。

He　replied：　〃We　shall　see；　you　are　too　wealthy。〃

〃You；　too；　have　inherited　some　money。〃

〃Barely　twenty　thousand　livres　a　year。　It　is　a　mere　pittance
nowadays。〃

〃But　your　wife　has　the　same。〃

〃Yes；　we　have　a　million　together；　forty　thousand　a　year。　We　cannot
even　keep　a　carriage　on　that。〃

They　had；　in　the　meantime；　reached　the　last　drawing…room；　and　before
them　lay　the　conservatory　with　its　rare　shrubs　and　plants。　To　their
left；　under　a　dome　of　palms；　was　a　marble　basin；　on　the　edges　of
which　four　large　swans　of　delftware　emitted　the　water　from　their
beaks。

The　journalist　stopped　and　said　to　himself：　〃This　is　luxury；　this　is
the　kind　of　house　in　which　to　live。　Why　can　I　not　have　one？〃

His　companion　did　not　speak。　He　looked　at　her　and　thought　once　more：
〃If　I　only　had　taken　her！〃

Suddenly　Suzanne　seemed　to　awaken　from　her　reverie。　〃Come；〃　said
she；　dragging　Georges　through　a　group　which　barred　their　way；　and
turning　him　to　the　right。　Before　him；　surrounded　by　verdure　on　all
sides；　was　the　picture。　One　had　to　look　closely　at　it　in　order　to
understand　it。　It　was　a　grand　workthe　work　of　a　masterone　of
those　triumphs　of　art　which　furnishes　one　for　years　with　food　for
thought。

Du　Roy　gazed　at　it　for　some　time；　and　then　turned　away；　to　make　room
for　others。　Suzanne's　tiny　hand　still　rested　upon　his　arm。　She
asked：

〃Would　you　like　a　glass　of　champagne？　We　will　go　to　the　buffet；　we
shall　find　papa　there。〃

Slowly　they　traversed　the　crowded　rooms。　Suddenly　Georges　heard　a
voice　say：　〃That　is　Laroche　and　Mme。　du　Roy。〃

He　turned　and　saw　his　wife　passing　upon　the　minister's　arm。　They
were　talking　in　low　tones　and　smiling　into　each　other's　eyes。　He
fancied　he　saw　some　people　whisper；　as　they　gazed　at　them；　and　he
felt　a　desire　to　fall　upon　those　two　beings　and　smite　them　to　the
earth。　His　wife　was　making　a　laughing…stock　of　him。　Who　was　she？　A
shrewd　little　parvenue；　that　was　all。　He　could　never　make　his　way
with　a　wife　who　compromised　him。　She　would　be　a　stumbling…block　in
his　path。　Ah；　if　he　had　foreseen；　if　he　had　known。　He　would　have
played　for　higher　stakes。　What　a　brilliant　match　he　might　have　made
with　little　Suzanne！　How　could　he　have　been　so　blind？

They　reached　the　dining…room　with　its　marble　columns　and　walls　hung
with　old　Gobelins　tapestry。　Walter　spied　his　editor；　and　hastened　to
shake　hands。　He　was　beside　himself　with　joy。　〃Have　you　seen
everything？　Say；　Suzanne；　have　you　shown　him　everything？　What　a　lot
of　people；　eh？　Have　you　seen　Prince　de　Guerche？　he　just　drank　a
glass　of　punch。〃　Then　he　pounced　upon　Senator　Rissolin　and　his　wife。

A　gentleman　greeted　Suzannea　tall；　slender　man　with　fair　whiskers
and　a　worldly　air。　Georges　heard　her　call　him　Marquis　de　Cazolles；
and　he　was　suddenly　inspired　with　jealousy。　How　long　had　she　known
him？　Since　she　had　become　wealthy　no　doubt。　He　saw　in　him　a　possible
suitor。　Some　one　seized　his　arm。　It　was　Norbert　de　Varenne。　The　old
poet　said：　〃This　is　what　they　call　amusing　themsel