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matter。　Her　eyes　sparkled　with　the　audacity　of　bravado；　and　taking　a
piece　of　paper　she　lighted　the　ten　candles　in　the　candelabra　as　if
for　a　reception。　That　done；　she　leaned　against　the　mantelpiece；　took
a　cigarette　out　of　a　case；　and　began　to　smoke；　seeming　not　to　see
her　husband。

In　the　meantime　the　man　in　the　bed　had　dressed　himself　and　advanced。
The　officer　turned　to　him：　〃Now；　sir；　will　you　tell　me　who　you　are？〃

He　made　no　reply。

〃I　see　I　shall　have　to　arrest　you。〃

Then　the　man　cried：　〃Do　not　touch　me。　I　am　inviolable。〃

Du　Roy　rushed　toward　him　exclaiming：　〃I　can　have　you　arrested　if　I
want　to！〃　Then　he　added：　〃This　man's　name　is　Laroche…Mathieu；
minister　of　foreign　affairs。〃

The　officer　retreated　and　stammered：　〃Sir；　will　you　tell　me　who　you
are？〃

〃For　once　that　miserable　fellow　has　not　lied。　I　am　indeed　Laroche…
Mathieu；　minister；〃　and　pointing　to　Georges'　breast；　he　added；　〃and
that　scoundrel　wears　upon　his　coat　the　cross　of　honor　which　I　gave
him。〃

Du　Roy　turned　pale。　With　a　rapid　gesture　he　tore　the　decoration　from
his　buttonhole　and　throwing　it　in　the　fire　exclaimed：　〃That　is　what
a　decoration　is　worth　which　is　given　by　a　scoundrel　of　your　order。〃

The　commissioner　stepped　between　them；　as　they　stood　face　to　face；
saying：　〃Gentlemen；　you　forget　yourselves　and　your　dignity。〃

Madeleine　smoked　on　calmly；　a　smile　hovering　about　her　lips。　The
officer　continued：　〃Sir；　I　have　surprised　you　alone　with　Mme。　du　Roy
under　suspicious　circumstances；　what　have　you　to　say？〃

〃Nothing；　do　your　duty。〃

The　commissioner　turned　to　Madeleine：　〃Do　you　confess；　Madame；　that
this　gentleman　is　your　lover？〃

She　replied　boldly：　〃I　do　not　deny　it。　That　is　sufficient。〃

The　magistrate　made　several　notes；　when　he　had　finished　writing；　the
minister；　who　stood　ready；　coat　upon　arm；　hat　in　hand；　asked：　〃Do
you　need　me　any　longer；　sir？　Can　I　go？〃

Du　Roy　addressed　him　with　an　insolent　smile：　〃Why　should　you　go；　we
have　finished；　we　will　leave　you　alone　together。〃　Then；　taking　the
officer's　arm；　he　said：　〃Let　us　go；　sir；　we　have　nothing　more　to　do
in　this　place。〃

An　hour　later　Georges　du　Roy　entered　the　office　of　〃La　Vie
Francaise。〃　M。　Walter　was　there；　he　raised　his　head　and　asked：
〃What；　are　you　here？　Why　are　you　not　dining　at　my　house？　Where　have
you　come　from？〃

Georges　replied　with　emphasis：　〃I　have　just　found　out　something
about　the　minister　of　foreign　affairs。〃

〃What？〃

〃I　found　him　alone　with　my　wife　in　hired　apartments。　The
commissioner　of　police　was　my　witness。　The　minister　is　ruined。〃

〃Are　you　not　jesting？〃

〃No；　I　am　not。　I　shall　even　write　an　article　on　it。〃

〃What　is　your　object？〃

〃To　overthrow　that　wretch；　that　public　malefactor。〃

Georges　placed　his　hat　upon　a　chair　and　added：　〃Woe　to　those　whom　I
find　in　my　path。　I　never　pardon。〃

The　manager　stammered：　〃But　your　wife？〃

〃I　shall　apply　for　a　divorce　at　once。〃

〃A　divorce？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　master　of　the　situation。　I　shall　be　free。　I　have　a　stated
income。　I　shall　offer　myself　as　a　candidate　in　October　in　my　native
district；　where　I　am　known。　I　could　not　win　any　respect　were　I　to　be
hampered　with　a　wife　whose　honor　was　sullied。　She　took　me　for　a
simpleton；　but　since　I　have　known　her　game；　I　have　watched　her；　and
now　I　shall　get　on；　for　I　shall　be　free。〃

Georges　rose。

〃I　will　write　the　item；　it　must　be　handled　prudently。〃

The　old　man　hesitated；　then　said：　〃Do　so：　it　serves　those　right　who
are　caught　in　such　scrapes。〃




CHAPTER　XVII。

THE　FINAL　PLOT


Three　months　had　elapsed。　Georges　du　Roy's　divorce　had　been
obtained。　His　wife　had　resumed　the　name　of　Forestier。

As　the　Walters　were　going　to　Trouville　on　the　fifteenth　of　July；
they　decided　to　spend　a　day　in　the　country　before　starting。

The　day　chosen　was　Thursday；　and　they　set　out　at　nine　o'clock　in　the
morning　in　a　large　six…seated　carriage　drawn　by　four　horses。　They
were　going　to　lunch　at　Saint…Germain。　Bel…Ami　had　requested　that　he
might　be　the　only　young　man　in　the　party；　for　he　could　not　bear　the
presence　of　the　Marquis　de　Cazolles。　At　the　last　moment；　however；　it
was　decided　that　Count　de　Latour…Ivelin　should　go；　for　he　and　Rose
had　been　betrothed　a　month。　The　day　was　delightful。　Georges；　who　was
very　pale；　gazed　at　Suzanne　as　they　sat　in　the　carriage　and　their
eyes　met。

Mme。　Walter　was　contented　and　happy。　The　luncheon　was　a　long　and
merry　one。　Before　leaving　for　Paris；　Du　Roy　proposed　a　walk　on　the
terrace。　They　stopped　on　the　way　to　admire　the　view；　as　they　passed
on；　Georges　and　Suzanne　lingered　behind。　The　former　whispered
softly：　〃Suzanne；　I　love　you　madly。〃

She　whispered　in　return：　〃I　love　you　too；　Bel…Ami。〃

He　continued：　〃If　I　cannot　have　you　for　my　wife；　I　shall　leave　the
country。〃

She　replied：　〃Ask　papa。　Perhaps　he　will　consent。〃

He　answered　impatiently：　〃No；　I　repeat　that　it　is　useless；　the　door
of　the　house　would　be　closed　against　me。　I　would　lose　my　position　on
the　journal；　and　we　would　not　even　meet。　Those　are　the　consequences
a　formal　proposal　would　produce。　They　have　promised　you　to　the
Marquis　de　Cazolles；　they　hope　you　will　finally　say　'yes'　and　they
are　waiting。〃

〃What　can　we　do？〃

〃Have　you　the　courage　to　brave　your　father　and　mother　for　my　sake？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Truly？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well！　There　is　only　one　way。　It　must　come　from　you　and　not　from　me。
You　are　an　indulged　child；　they　let　you　say　anything　and　are　not
surprised　at　any　audacity　on　your　part。　Listen；　then！　This　evening
on　returning　home；　go　to　your　mother　first；　and　tell　her　that　you
want　to　marry　me。　She　will　be　very　much　agitated　and　very　angry。〃

Suzanne　interrupted　him：　〃Oh；　mamma　would　be　glad。〃

He　replied　quickly：　〃No；　no；　you　do　not　know　her。　She　will　be　more
vexed　than　your　father。　But　you　must　insist；　you　must　not　yield；　you
must　repeat　that　you　will　marry　me　and　me　alone。　Will　you　do　so？〃

〃I　will。〃

〃And　on　leaving　your　mother；　repeat　the　same　thing　to　your　father
very　decidedly。〃

〃Well；　and　then〃

〃And　then　matters　will　reach　a　climax！　If　you　are　determined　to　be
my　wife；　my　dear；　dear；　little　Suzanne；　I　will　elope　with　you。〃

She　clapped　her　hands；　as　all　the　charming　adventures　in　the
romances　she　had　read　occurred　to　her；　and　cried：

〃Oh；　what　bliss！　When　will　you　elope　with　me？〃

He　whispered　very　low：　〃To…night！〃

〃Where　shall　we　go？〃

〃That　is　my　secret。　Think　well　of　what　you　are　doing。　Remember　that
after　that　flight　you　must　become　my　wife。　It　is　the　only　means；　but
it　is　dangerousvery　dangerousfor　you。〃

〃I　have　decided。　Where　shall　I　meet　you？〃

〃Meet　me　about　midnight　in　the　Place　de　la　Concorde。〃

〃I　will　be　there。〃

He　clasped　her　hand。　〃Oh；　how　I　love　you！　How　brave　and　good　you
are！　Then　you　do　not　want　to　marry　Marquis　de　Cazolles？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

Mme。　Walter；　turning　her　head；　called　out：　〃Come；　little　one；　what
are　you　and　Bel…Ami　doing？〃

They　rejoined　the　others　and　returned　by　way　of　Chatou。　When　the
carriage　arrived　at　the　door　of　the　mansion；　Mme。　Walter　pressed
Georges　to　dine　with　them；　but　he　refused；　and　returned　home　to　look
over　his　papers　and　destroy　any　compromising　letters。　Then　he
repaired　in　a　cab　with　feverish　haste　to　the　place　of　meeting。　He
waited　there　some　time；　and　thinking　his　ladylove　had　played　him
false；　he　was　about　to　drive　off；　when　a　gentle　voice　whispered　at
the　door　of　his　cab：　〃Are　you　there；　Bel…Ami？〃

〃Is　it　you；　Suzanne？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Ah；　get　in。〃　She　entered　the　cab　and　he　bade　the　cabman　drive　on。

He　asked：　〃Well；　how　did　it　all　pass　off？〃

She　murmured　faintly：

〃Oh；　it　was　terrible；　with　mamma　especially。〃

〃Your　mamma？　What　did　she　say？　Tell　me！〃

〃Oh；　it　was　frightful！　I　entered　her　room　and　made　the　little　speech
I　had　prepared。　She　turned　pale　and　cried：　'Never！'　I　wept；　I
protested　that　I　would　marry　only　you；　she　was　like　a　mad　woman；　she
vowed　I　should　be　sent　to　a　convent。　I　never　saw　her　like　that；
never。　Papa；　hearing　her　agitated　words；　entered。　He　was　not　as
angry　as　she　was；　but　he　said　you　were　not　a　suitable　match　for　me。
As　they　had　vexed　me；　I　talked　louder　than　they；　and　papa　with　a
dramatic　air　bade　me　leave　the　room。　That　decided　me　to　fly　with
you。　And　here　I　am；　where　shall　we　go？〃

He　replied；　encircling　her　waist　with　his　arm：　〃It　is　too　late　to
take　the　train；　this　cab　will　take　us　to　Sevres　where　we　can　spend
the　night；　and　to…morrow　we　will　leave　for　La　Roche…Guyon。　It　is　a
pretty　village　on　the　banks　of　the　Seine　between　Mantes　and
Bonnieres。〃

The　cab　rolled　on。　Georges　took　the　young　girl's　hand　and　kissed　it
respectfully。　He　did　not　know　what　to　say　to　her；　being　unaccustomed
to　Platonic　affection。　Suddenly　he　perceived　that　she　was　weeping。
He　asked　in　affright：

〃What　ails　you；　my　dear　little　one？〃

She　replied　tearfully：　〃I　was　thinking　that　poor　mamma　could　not
sleep　if　she　had　found　out　that　I　was　gone！〃

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Her　mother　indeed　was　not　asleep。

When　Suzanne　left　the　room；　Mine。　Walter　turned　to　her　husband　and
asked　in　despair：　〃What　does　that　mean？〃

〃It　means　that　that　intriguer　has　influenced　her。　It　is　he　who　has
made　her　refuse　Cazolles