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〃It　means　that　that　intriguer　has　influenced　her。　It　is　he　who　has
made　her　refuse　Cazolles。　You　have　flattered　and　cajoled　him；　too。
It　was　Bel…Ami　here；　Bel…Ami　there；　from　morning　until　night。　Now
you　are　paid　for　it！〃

〃I？〃

〃Yes；　you。　You　are　as　much　infatuated　with　him　as　Madeleine；
Suzanne；　and　the　rest　of　them。　Do　you　think　that　I　did　not　see　that
you　could　not　exist　for　two　days　without　him？〃

She　rose　tragically：　〃I　will　not　allow　you　to　speak　to　me　thus。　You
forget　that　I　was　not　brought　up　like　you；　in　a　shop。〃

With　an　oath；　he　left　the　room；　banging　the　door　behind　him。

When　he　was　gone；　she　thought　over　all　that　had　taken　place。　Suzanne
was　in　love　with　Bel…Ami；　and　Bel…Ami　wanted　to　marry　Suzanne！　No；
it　was　not　true！　She　was　mistaken；　he　would　not　be　capable　of　such
an　action；　he　knew　nothing　of　Suzanne's　escapade。　They　would　take
Suzanne　away　for　six　months　and　that　would　end　it。

She　rose；　saying：　〃I　cannot　rest　in　this　uncertainty。　I　shall　lose
my　reason。　I　will　arouse　Suzanne　and　question　her。〃

She　proceeded　to　her　daughter's　room。　She　entered；　it　was　empty；　the
bed　had　not　been　slept　in。　A　horrible　suspicion　possessed　her　and
she　flew　to　her　husband。　He　was　in　bed；　reading。

She　gasped：　〃Have　you　seen　Suzanne？〃

〃Nowhy？〃

〃She　isgone！　she　is　not　in　her　room。〃

With　one　bound　he　was　out　of　bed；　he　rushed　to　his　daughter's　room；
not　finding　her　there；　he　sank　into　a　chair。　His　wife　had　followed
him。

〃Well？〃　she　asked。

He　had　not　the　strength　to　reply：　he　was　no　longer　angry；　he
groaned：　〃He　has　herwe　are　lost。〃

〃Lost；　how？〃

〃Why；　he　must　marry　her　now！〃

She　cried　wildly：　〃Marry　her；　never！　Are　you　mad？〃

He　replied　sadly：　〃It　will　do　no　good　to　yell！　He　has　disgraced　her。
The　best　thing　to　be　done　is　to　give　her　to　him；　and　at　once；　too；
then　no　one　will　know　of　this　escapade。〃

She　repeated　in　great　agitation：　〃Never；　he　shall　never　have
Suzanne。〃

Overcome；　Walter　murmured：　〃But　he　has　her。　And　he　will　keep　her　as
long　as　we　do　not　yield；　therefore；　to　avoid　a　scandal　we　must　do　so
at　once。〃

But　his　wife　replied：　〃No；　no；　I　will　never　consent。〃

Impatiently　he　returned：　〃It　is　a　matter　of　necessity。　Ah；　the
scoundrelhow　he　has　deceived　us！　But　he　is　shrewd　at　any　rate。　She
might　have　done　better　as　far　as　position；　but　not　intelligence　and
future；　is　concerned。　He　is　a　promising　young　man。　He　will　be　a
deputy　or　a　minister　some　day。〃

Mme。　Walter；　however；　repeated　wildly：　〃I　will　never　let　him　marry
Suzanne！　Do　you　hearnever！〃

In　his　turn　he　became　incensed；　and　like　a　practical　man　defended
Bel…Ami。　〃Be　silent！　I　tell　you　he　must　marry　her！　And　who　knows？
Perhaps　we　shall　not　regret　it！　With　men　of　his　stamp　one　never
knows　what　may　come　about。　You　saw　how　he　downed　Laroche…Mathieu　in
three　articles；　and　that　with　a　dignity　which　was　very　difficult　to
maintain　in　his　position　as　husband。　So；　we　shall　see。〃

Mme。　Walter　felt　a　desire　to　cry　aloud　and　tear　her　hair。　But　she
only　repeated　angrily：　〃He　shall　not　have　her！〃

Walter　rose；　took　up　his　lamp；　and　said：　〃You　are　silly；　like　all
women！　You　only　act　on　impulse。　You　do　not　know　how　to　accommodate
yourself　to　circumstances。　You　are　stupid！　I　tell　you　he　shall　marry
her；　it　is　essential。〃　And　he　left　the　room。

Mme。　Walter　remained　alone　with　her　suffering；　her　despair。　If　only
a　priest　were　at　hand！　She　would　cast　herself　at　his　feet　and
confess　all　her　errors　and　her　agonyhe　would　prevent　the　marriage！
Where　could　she　find　a　priest？　Where　should　she　turn？　Before　her
eyes　floated；　like　a　vision；　the　calm　face　of　〃Christ　Walking　on　the
Water；〃　as　she　had　seen　it　in　the　painting。　He　seemed　to　say　to　her：
〃Come　unto　Me。　Kneel　at　My　feet。　I　will　comfort　and　instruct　you　as
to　what　to　do。〃

She　took　the　lamp　and　sought　the　conservatory；　she　opened　the　door
leading　into　the　room　which　held　the　enormous　canvas；　and　fell　upon
her　knees　before　it。　At　first　she　prayed　fervently；　but　as　she
raised　her　eyes　and　saw　the　resemblance　to　Bel…Ami；　she　murmured：
〃JesusJesus〃　while　her　thoughts　were　with　her　daughter　and　her
lover。　She　uttered　a　wild　cry；　as　she　pictured　them　togetheralone…
…and　fell　into　a　swoon。　When　day　broke　they　found　Mme。　Walter　still
lying　unconscious　before　the　painting。　She　was　so　ill；　after　that；
that　her　life　was　almost　despaired　of。

M。　Walter　explained　his　daughter's　absence　to　the　servants　by　saying
to　them　that　she　had　been　sent　to　a　convent　for　a　short　time。　Then
he　replied　to　a　long　letter　from　Du　Roy；　giving　his　consent　to　his
marriage　with　his　daughter。　Bel…Ami　had　posted　that　epistle　when　he
left　Paris；　having　prepared　it　the　night　of　his　departure。　In　it　he
said　in　respectful　terms　that　he　had　loved　the　young　girl　a　long
time；　that　there　had　never　been　any　understanding　between　them；　but
that　as　she　came　to　him　to　say：　〃I　will　be　your　wife；〃　he　felt
authorized　in　keeping　her；　in　hiding　her；　in　fact；　until　he　had
obtained　a　reply　from　her　parents；　whose　wishes　were　to　him　of　more
value　than　those　of　his　betrothed。

Georges　and　Suzanne　spent　a　week　at　La　Roche…Guyon。　Never　had　the
young　girl　enjoyed　herself　so　thoroughly。　As　she　passed　for　his
sister；　they　lived　in　a　chaste　and　free　intimacy；　a　kind　of　living
companionship。　He　thought　it　wiser　to　treat　her　with　respect；　and
when　he　said　to　her：　〃We　will　return　to　Paris　to…morrow；　your　father
has　bestowed　your　hand　upon　me〃　she　whispered　naively：　〃Already？
This　is　just　as　pleasant　as　being　your　wife。〃




CHAPTER　XVIII。

ATTAINMENT


It　was　dark　in　the　apartments　in　the　Rue　de　Constantinople；　when
Georges　du　Roy　and　Clotilde　de　Marelle；　having　met　at　the　door；
entered　them。　Without　giving　him　time　to　raise　the　shades；　the
latter　said：

〃So　you　are　going　to　marry　Suzanne　Walter？〃

He　replied　in　the　affirmative；　adding　gently：　〃Did　you　not　know　it？〃

She　answered　angrily：　〃So　you　are　going　to　marry　Suzanne　Walter？　For
three　months　you　have　deceived　me。　Everyone　knew　of　it　but　me。　My
husband　told　me。　Since　you　left　your　wife　you　have　been　preparing
for　that　stroke；　and　you　made　use　of　me　in　the　interim。　What　a
rascal　you　are！〃

He　asked：　〃How　do　you　make　that　out？　I　had　a　wife　who　deceived　me；　I
surprised　her；　obtained　a　divorce；　and　am　now　going　to　marry
another。　What　is　more　simple　than　that？〃

She　murmured：　〃What　a　villain！〃

He　said　with　dignity：　〃I　beg　of　you　to　be　more　careful　as　to　what
you　say。〃

She　rebelled　at　such　words　from　him：　〃What！　Would　you　like　me　to
handle　you　with　gloves？　You　have　conducted　yourself　like　a　rascal
ever　since　I　have　known　you；　and　now　you　do　not　want　me　to　speak　of
it。　You　deceive　everyone；　you　gather　pleasure　and　money　everywhere；
and　you　want　me　to　treat　you　as　an　honest　man。〃

He　rose；　his　lips　twitched：　〃Be　silent　or　I　will　make　you　leave
these　rooms。〃

She　cried：　〃Leave　hereyou　will　make　meyou？　You　forget　that　it　is
I　who　have　paid　for　these　apartments　from　the　very　first；　and　you
threaten　to　put　me　out　of　them。　Be　silent；　good…for…nothing！　Do　you
think　I　do　not　know　how　you　stole　a　portion　of　Vaudrec's　bequest
from　Madeleine？　Do　you　think　I　do　not　know　about　Suzanne？〃

He　seized　her　by　her　shoulders　and　shook　her。　〃Do　not　speak　of　that；
I　forbid　you。〃

〃I　know　you　have　ruined　her！〃

He　would　have　taken　anything　else；　but　that　lie　exasperated　him。　He
repeated：　〃Be　silenttake　care〃and　he　shook　her　as　he　would　have
shaken　the　bough　of　a　tree。　Still　she　continued；　〃You　were　her　ruin；
I　know　it。〃　He　rushed　upon　her　and　struck　her　as　if　she　had　been　a
man。　Suddenly　she　ceased　speaking；　and　groaned　beneath　his　blows。
Finally　he　desisted；　paced　the　room　several　times　in　order　to　regain
his　self…possession；　entered　the　bedroom；　filled　the　basin　with　cold
water　and　bathed　his　head。　Then　he　washed　his　hands　and　returned　to
see　what　Clotilde　was　doing。　She　had　not　moved。　She　lay　upon　the
floor　weeping　softly。　He　asked　harshly：

〃Will　you　soon　have　done　crying？〃

She　did　not　reply。　He　stood　in　the　center　of　the　room；　somewhat
embarrassed；　somewhat　ashamed；　as　he　saw　the　form　lying　before　him。
Suddenly　he　seized　his　hat。　〃Good　evening。　You　can　leave　the　key
with　the　janitor　when　you　are　ready。　I　will　not　await　your
pleasure。〃

He　left　the　room；　closed　the　door；　sought　the　porter；　and　said　to
him：　〃Madame　is　resting。　She　will　go　out　soon。　You　can　tell　the
proprietor　that　I　have　given　notice　for　the　first　of　October。〃

His　marriage　was　fixed　for　the　twentieth；　it　was　to　take　place　at
the　Madeleine。　There　had　been　a　great　deal　of　gossip　about　the
entire　affair；　and　many　different　reports　were　circulated。　Mme。
Walter　had　aged　greatly；　her　hair　was　gray　and　she　sought　solace　in
religion。

In　the　early　part　of　September　〃La　Vie　Francaise〃　announced　that
Baron　du　Roy　de　Cantel　had　become　its　chief　editor；　M。　Walter
reserving　the　title　of　manager。　To　that　announcement　were　subjoined
the　names　of　the　staff　of　art　and　theatrical　critics；　political
reporters；　and　so　forth。　Journalists　no　longer　sneered　in　speaking
of　〃La　Vie　Francaise；〃　its　success　had　been　rapid　and　complete。　The
marriage　of　its　chief　editor　was　what　was　called　a　〃Parisian　event；〃
Georges　du　Roy