bel ami-第4节

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He　murmured　in　reply；　trembling　at　his　audacity：　〃It　is　charming
but　the　ear　increases　the　beauty　of　the　ornament。〃

She　thanked　him　with　a　glance。　As　he　turned　his　head；　he　met　Mme。
Forestier's　eyes；　in　which　he　fancied　he　saw　a　mingled　expression　of
gaiety；　malice；　and　encouragement。　All　the　men　were　talking　at　the
same　time；　their　discussion　was　animated。

When　the　party　left　the　dining…room；　Duroy　offered　his　arm　to　the
little　girl。　She　thanked　him　gravely　and　stood　upon　tiptoe　in　order
to　lay　her　hand　upon　his　arm。　Upon　entering　the　drawing…room；　the
young　man　carefully　surveyed　it。　It　was　not　a　large　room；　but　there
were　no　bright　colors；　and　one　felt　at　ease；　it　was　restful。　The
walls　were　draped　with　violet　hangings　covered　with　tiny　embroidered
flowers　of　yellow　silk。　The　portieres　were　of　a　grayish　blue　and　the
chairs　were　of　all　shapes；　of　all　sizes；　scattered　about　the　room
were　couches　and　large　and　small　easy…chairs；　all　covered　with　Louis
XVI。　brocade；　or　Utrecht　velvet；　a　cream　colored　ground　with　garnet
flowers。

〃Do　you　take　coffee；　M。　Duroy？〃　Mme。　Forestier　offered　him　a　cup；
with　the　smile　that　was　always　upon　her　lips。

〃Yes；　Madame；　thank　you。〃　He　took　the　cup；　and　as　he　did　so；　the
young　woman　whispered　to　him：　〃Pay　Mme。　Walter　some　attention。〃　Then
she　vanished　before　he　could　reply。

First　he　drank　his　coffee；　which　he　feared　he　should　let　fall　upon
the　carpet；　then　he　sought　a　pretext　for　approaching　the　manager's
wife　and　commencing　a　conversation。　Suddenly　he　perceived　that　she
held　an　empty　cup　in　her　hand；　and　as　she　was　not　near　a　table；　she
did　not　know　where　to　put　it。　He　rushed　toward　her：

〃Allow　me；　Madame。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

He　took　away　the　cup　and　returned：　〃If　you；　but　knew；　Madame；　what
pleasant　moments　'La　Vie　Francaise'　afforded　me；　when　I　was　in　the
desert！　It　is　indeed　the　only　paper　one　cares　to　read　outside　of
France；　it　contains　everything。〃

She　smiled　with　amiable　indifference　as　she　replied：　〃M。　Walter　had
a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　producing　the　kind　of　journal　which　was
required。〃

They　talked　of　Paris；　the　suburbs；　the　Seine；　the　delights　of
summer；　of　everything　they　could　think　of。　Finally　M。　Norbert　de
Varenne　advanced；　a　glass　of　liqueur　in　his　hand；　and　Duroy
discreetly　withdrew。　Mme。　de　Marelle；　who　was　chatting　with　her
hostess；　called　him：　〃So；　sir；〃　she　said　bluntly；　〃you　are　going　to
try　journalism？〃　That　question　led　to　a　renewal　of　the　interrupted
conversation　with　Mme。　Walter。　In　her　turn　Mme。　de　Marelle　related
anecdotes；　and　becoming　familiar；　laid　her　hand　upon　Duroy's　arm。　He
felt　that　he　would　like　to　devote　himself　to　her；　to　protect　her
and　the　slowness　with　which　he　replied　to　her　questions　indicated
his　preoccupation。　Suddenly；　without　any　cause；　Mme。　de　Marelle
called：　〃Laurine！〃　and　the　girl　came　to　her。　〃Sit　down　here；　my
child；　you　will　be　cold　near　the　window。〃

Duroy　was　seized　with　an　eager　desire　to　embrace　the　child；　as　if
part　of　that　embrace　would　revert　to　the　mother。　He　asked　in　a
gallant；　yet　paternal　tone：　〃Will　you　permit　me　to　kiss　you；
Mademoiselle？〃　The　child　raised　her　eyes　with　an　air　of　surprise。
Mme。　de　Marelle　said　with　a　smile：　〃Reply。〃

〃I　will　allow　you　to…day；　Monsieur；　but　not　all　the　time。〃

Seating　himself；　Duroy　took　Laurine　upon　his　knee；　and　kissed　her
lips　and　her　fine　wavy　hair。　Her　mother　was　surprised：　〃Well；　that
is　strange！　Ordinarily　she　only　allows　ladies　to　caress　her。　You　are
irresistible；　Monsieur！〃

Duroy　colored；　but　did　not　reply。

When　Mme。　Forestier　joined　them；　a　cry　of　astonishment　escaped　her：
〃Well；　Laurine　has　become　sociable；　what　a　miracle！〃

The　young　man　rose　to　take　his　leave；　fearing　he　might　spoil　his
conquest　by　some　awkward　word。　He　bowed　to　the　ladies；　clasped　and
gently　pressed　their　hands；　and　then　shook　hands　with　the　men。　He
observed　that　Jacques　Rival's　was　dry　and　warm　and　responded
cordially　to　his　pressure；　Norbert　de　Varenne's　was　moist　and　cold
and　slipped　through　his　fingers；　Walter's　was　cold　and　soft；　without
life；　expressionless；　Forestier's　fat　and　warm。

His　friend　whispered　to　him：　〃To…morrow　at　three　o'clock；　do　not
forget。〃

〃Never　fear！〃

When　he　reached　the　staircase；　he　felt　like　running　down；　his　joy
was　so　great；　he　went　down　two　steps　at　a　time；　but　suddenly　on　the
second　floor；　in　the　large　mirror；　he　saw　a　gentleman　hurrying　on；
and　he　slackened　his　pace；　as　much　ashamed　as　if　he　had　been
surprised　in　a　crime。

He　surveyed　himself　some　time　with　a　complacent　smile；　then　taking
leave　of　his　image；　he　bowed　low；　ceremoniously；　as　if　saluting　some
grand　personage。




CHAPTER　III。

FIRST　ATTEMPTS


When　Georges　Duroy　reached　the　street；　he　hesitated　as　to　what　he
should　do。　He　felt　inclined　to　stroll　along；　dreaming　of　the　future
and　inhaling　the　soft　night　air；　but　the　thought　of　the　series　of
articles　ordered　by　M。　Walter　occurred　to　him；　and　he　decided　to
return　home　at　once　and　begin　work。　He　walked　rapidly　along　until　he
came　to　Rue　Boursault。　The　tenement　in　which　he　lived　was　occupied
by　twenty　familiesfamilies　of　workingmenand　as　he　mounted　the
staircase　he　experienced　a　sensation　of　disgust　and　a　desire　to　live
as　wealthy　men　do。　Duroy's　room　was　on　the　fifth　floor。　He　entered
it；　opened　his　window；　and　looked　out：　the　view　was　anything　but
prepossessing。

He　turned　away；　thinking：　〃This　won't　do。　I　must　go　to　work。〃　So　he
placed　his　light　upon　the　table　and　began　to　write。　He　dipped　his
pen　into　the　ink　and　wrote　at　the　head　of　his　paper　in　a　bold　hand：
〃Souvenirs　of　a　Soldier　in　Africa。〃　Then　he　cast　about　for　the　first
phrase。　He　rested　his　head　upon　his　hand　and　stared　at　the　blank
sheet　before　him。　What　should　he　say？　Suddenly　he　thought：　〃I　must
begin　with　my　departure；〃　and　he　wrote：　〃In　1874；　about　the
fifteenth　of　May；　when　exhausted　France　was　recruiting　after　the
catastrophe　of　the　terrible　years〃　Here　he　stopped　short；　not
knowing　how　to　introduce　his　subject。　After　a　few　minutes'
reflection；　he　decided　to　lay　aside　that　page　until　the　following
day；　and　to　write　a　description　of　Algiers。　He　began：　〃Algiers　is　a
very　clean　city〃　but　he　could　not　continue。　After　an　effort　he
added：　〃It　is　inhabited　partly　by　Arabs。〃　Then　he　threw　his　pen　upon
the　table　and　arose。　He　glanced　around　his　miserable　room；　mentally
he　rebelled　against　his　poverty　and　resolved　to　leave　the　next　day。

Suddenly　the　desire　to　work　came　on　him；　and　he　tried　to　begin　the
article　again；　he　had　vague　ideas　of　what　he　wanted　to　say；　but　he
could　not　express　his　thoughts　in　words。　Convinced　of　his　inability
he　arose　once　more；　his　blood　coursing　rapidly　through　his　veins。　He
turned　to　the　window　just　as　the　train　was　coming　out　of　the　tunnel；
and　his　thoughts　reverted　to　his　parents。　He　saw　their　tiny　home　on
the　heights　overlooking　Rouen　and　the　valley　of　the　Seine。　His
father　and　mother　kept　an　inn；　La　Belle…Vue；　at　which　the　citizens
of　the　faubourgs　took　their　lunches　on　Sundays。　They　had　wished　to
make　a　〃gentleman〃　of　their　son　and　had　sent　him　to　college。　His
studies　completed；　he　had　entered　the　army　with　the　intention　of
becoming　an　officer；　a　colonel；　or　a　general。　But　becoming　disgusted
with　military　life；　he　determined　to　try　his　fortune　in　Paris。　When
his　time　of　service　had　expired；　he　went　thither；　with　what　results
we　have　seen。　He　awoke　from　his　reflections　as　the　locomotive
whistled　shrilly；　closed　his　window；　and　began　to　disrobe；
muttering：　〃Bah；　I　shall　be　able　to　work　better　to…morrow　morning。
My　brain　is　not　clear　to…night。　I　have　drunk　a　little　too　much。　I
can't　work　well　under　such　circumstances。〃　He　extinguished　his　light
and　fell　asleep。

He　awoke　early；　and；　rising；　opened　his　window　to　inhale　the　fresh
air。　In　a　few　moments　he　seated　himself　at　his　table；　dipped　his　pen
in　the　ink；　rested　his　head　upon　his　hand　and　thoughtbut　in　vain！
However；　he　was　not　discouraged；　but　in　thought　reassured　himself：
〃Bah；　I　am　not　accustomed　to　it！　It　is　a　profession　that　must　be
learned　like　all　professions。　Some　one　must　help　me　the　first　time。
I'll　go　to　Forestier。　He'll　start　my　article　for　me　in　ten　minutes。〃

When　he　reached　the　street；　Duroy　decided　that　it　was　rather　early
to　present　himself　at　his　friend's　house；　so　he　strolled　along　under
the　trees　on　one　of　the　boulevards　for　a　time。　On　arriving　at
Forestier's　door；　he　found　his　friend　going　out。

〃You　hereat　this　hour！　Can　I　do　anything　for　you？〃

Duroy　stammered　in　confusion：　〃IIcannot　write　that　article　on
Algeria　that　M。　Walter　wants。　It　is　not　very　surprising；　seeing　that
I　have　never　written　anything。　It　requires　practice。　I　could　write
very　rapidly；　I　am　sure；　if　I　could　make　a　beginning。　I　have　the
ideas　but　I　cannot　express　them。〃　He　paused　and　hesitated。

Forestier　smiled　maliciously：　〃I　understand　that。〃

Duroy　continued：　〃Yes；　anyone　is　liable　to　have　that　trouble　at　the
beginning；　and；　wellI　have　come　to　ask　you　to　help　me。　In　ten
minutes　you　can　set　me　right。　You　can　give　me　a　lesson　in　style；
without　you　I　can　do　nothing。〃

The　other　smiled　gaily。　He　patted　his　companion's　arm　and　said　to
him：　〃Go　to　my　wife；　she