bel ami-第5节

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The　other　smiled　gaily。　He　patted　his　companion's　arm　and　said　to
him：　〃Go　to　my　wife；　she　will　help　you　better　than　I　can。　I　have
trained　her　for　that　work。　I　have　not　time　this　morning　or　I　would
do　it　willingly。〃

But　Duroy　hesitated：　〃At　this　hour　I　cannot　inquire　for　her。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　can；　she　has　risen。　You　will　find　her　in　my　study。〃

〃I　will　go；　but　I　shall　tell　her　you　sent　me！〃

Forestier　walked　away；　and　Duroy　slowly　ascended　the　stairs；
wondering　what　he　should　say　and　what　kind　of　a　reception　he　would
receive。

The　servant　who　opened　the　door　said：　〃Monsieur　has　gone　out。〃

Duroy　replied：　〃Ask　Mme。　Forestier　if　she　will　see　me；　and　tell　her
that　M。　Forestier；　whom　I　met　on　the　street；　sent　me。〃

The　lackey　soon　returned　and　ushered　Duroy　into　Madame's　presence。
She　was　seated　at　a　table　and　extended　her　hand　to　him。

〃So　soon？〃　said　she。　It　was　not　a　reproach；　but　a　simple　question。

He　stammered：　〃I　did　not　want　to　come　up；　Madame；　but　your　husband；
whom　I　met　below；　insistedI　dare　scarcely　tell　you　my　errandI
worked　late　last　night　and　early　this　morning；　to　write　the　article
on　Algeria　which　M。　Walter　wantsand　I　did　not　succeedI　destroyed
all　my　attemptsI　am　not　accustomed　to　the　workand　I　came　to　ask
Forestier　to　assist　mehis　once。〃

She　interrupted　with　a　laugh：　〃And　he　sent　you　to　me？〃

〃Yes；　Madame。　He　said　you　could　help　me　better　than　hebutI　dared
notI　did　not　like　to。〃

She　rose。

〃It　will　be　delightful　to　work　together　that　way。　I　am　charmed　with
your　idea。　Wait；　take　my　chair；　for　they　know　my　handwriting　on　the
paperwe　will　write　a　successful　article。〃

She　took　a　cigarette　from　the　mantelpiece　and　lighted　it。　〃I　cannot
work　without　smoking；〃　she　said；　〃what　are　you　going　to　say？〃

He　looked　at　her　in　astonishment。　〃I　do　not　know；　I　came　here　to
find　that　out。〃

She　replied：　〃I　will　manage　it　all　right。　I　will　make　the　sauce　but
I　must　have　the　dish。〃　She　questioned　him　in　detail　and　finally
said：

〃Now；　we　will　begin。　First　of　all　we　will　suppose　that　you　are
addressing　a　friend；　which　will　allow　us　scope　for　remarks　of　all
kinds。　Begin　this　way：　'My　dear　Henry；　you　wish　to　know　something
about　Algeria；　you　shall。'〃

Then　followed　a　brilliantly　worded　description　of　Algeria　and　of　the
port　of　Algiers；　an　excursion　to　the　province　of　Oran；　a　visit　to
Saida；　and　an　adventure　with　a　pretty　Spanish　maid　employed　in　a
factory。

When　the　article　was　concluded；　he　could　find　no　words　of　thanks；　he
was　happy　to　be　near　her；　grateful　for　and　delighted　with　their
growing　intimacy。　It　seemed　to　him　that　everything　about　him　was　a
part　of　her；　even　to　the　books　upon　the　shelves。　The　chairs；　the
furniture；　the　airall　were　permeated　with　that　delightful
fragrance　peculiar　to　her。

She　asked　bluntly：　〃What　do　you　think　of　my　friend　Mme。　de　Marelle？〃

〃I　think　her　very　fascinating；〃　he　said；　and　he　would　have　liked　to
add：　〃But　not　as　much　so　as　you。〃　He　had　not　the　courage　to　do　so。

She　continued：　〃If　you　only　knew　how　comical；　original；　and
intelligent　she　is！　She　is　a　true　Bohemian。　It　is　for　that　reason
that　her　husband　no　longer　loves　her。　He　only　sees　her　defects　and
none　of　her　good　qualities。〃

Duroy　was　surprised　to　hear　that　Mme。　de　Marelle　was　married。

〃What；〃　he　asked；　〃is　she　married？　What　does　her　husband　do？〃

Mme。　Forestier　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃Oh；　he　is　superintendent　of
a　railroad。　He　is　in　Paris　a　week　out　of　each　month。　His　wife　calls
it　'Holy　Week。'　or　'The　week　of　duty。'　When　you　get　better
acquainted　with　her；　you　will　see　how　witty　she　is！　Come　here　and
see　her　some　day。〃

As　she　spoke；　the　door　opened　noiselessly；　and　a　gentleman　entered
unannounced。　He　halted　on　seeing　a　man。　For　a　moment　Mme。　Forestier
seemed　confused；　then　she　said　in　a　natural　voice；　though　her　cheeks
were　tinged　with　a　blush：

〃Come　in；　my　dear　sir；　allow　me　to　present　to　you　an　old　comrade　of
Charles；　M。　Georges　Duroy；　a　future　journalist。〃　Then　in　a　different
tone；　she　said：　〃Our　best　and　dearest　friend；　Count　de　Vaudrec。〃

The　two　men　bowed；　gazed　into　one　another's　eyes；　and　then　Duroy
took　his　leave。　Neither　tried　to　detain　him。

On　reaching　the　street　he　felt　sad　and　uncomfortable。　Count　de
Vaudrec's　face　was　constantly　before　him。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the
man　was　displeased　at　finding　him　tete…a…tete　with　Mme。　Forestier；
though　why　he　should　be；　he　could　not　divine。

To　while　away　the　time　until　three　o'clock；　he　lunched　at　Duval's；
and　then　lounged　along　the　boulevard。　When　the　clock　chimed　the　hour
of　his　appointment；　he　climbed　the　stairs　leading　to　the　office　of
〃La　Vie　Francaise。〃

Duroy　asked：　〃Is　M。　Walter　in？〃

〃M。　Walter　is　engaged；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Will　you　please　take　a
seat？〃

Duroy　waited　twenty　minutes；　then　he　turned　to　the　clerk　and　said：
〃M。　Walter　had　an　appointment　with　me　at　three　o'clock。　At　any　rate；
see　if　my　friend　M。　Forestier　is　here。〃

He　was　conducted　along　a　corridor　and　ushered　into　a　large　room　in
which　four　men　were　writing　at　a　table。　Forestier　was　standing
before　the　fireplace；　smoking　a　cigarette。　After　listening　to
Duroy's　story　he　said：

〃Come　with　me；　I　will　take　you　to　M。　Walter；　or　else　you　might
remain　here　until　seven　o'clock。〃

They　entered　the　manager's　room。　Norbert　de　Varenne　was　writing　an
article；　seated　in　an　easychair；　Jacques　Rival；　stretched　upon　a
divan；　was　smoking　a　cigar。　The　room　had　the　peculiar　odor　familiar
to　all　journalists。　When　they　approached　M。　Walter；　Forestier　said：
〃Here　is　my　friend　Duroy。〃

The　manager　looked　keenly　at　the　young　man　and　asked：

〃Have　you　brought　my　article？〃

Duroy　drew　the　sheets　of　manuscript　from　his　pocket。

〃Here　they　are；　Monsieur。〃

The　manager　seemed　delighted　and　said　with　a　smile：　〃Very　good。　You
are　a　man　of　your　word。　Need　I　look　over　it；　Forestier？〃

But　Forestier　hastened　to　reply：　〃It　is　not　necessary；　M。　Walter；　I
helped　him　in　order　to　initiate　him　into　the　profession。　It　is　very
good。〃　Then　bending　toward　him；　he　whispered：　〃You　know　you　promised
to　engage　Duroy　to　replace　Marambot。　Will　you　allow　me　to　retain　him
on　the　same　terms？〃

〃Certainly。〃

Taking　his　friend's　arm；　the　journalist　drew　him　away；　while　M。
Walter　returned　to　the　game　of　ecarte　he　had　been　engaged　in　when
they　entered。　Forestier　and　Duroy　returned　to　the　room　in　which
Georges　had　found　his　friend。　The　latter　said　to　his　new　reporter：

〃You　must　come　here　every　day　at　three　o'clock；　and　I　will　tell　you
what　places　to　go　to。　First　of　all；　I　shall　give　you　a　letter　of
introduction　to　the　chief　of　the　police；　who　will　in　turn　introduce
you　to　one　of　his　employees。　You　can　arrange　with　him　for　all
important　news；　official　and　semiofficial。　For　details　you　can　apply
to　Saint…Potin；　who　is　posted；　you　will　see　him　to…morrow。　Above
all；　you　must　learn　to　make　your　way　everywhere　in　spite　of　closed
doors。　You　will　receive　two　hundred　francs　a　months；　two　sous　a　line
for　original　matter；　and　two　sous　a　line　for　articles　you　are
ordered　to　write　on　different　subjects。〃

〃What　shall　I　do　to…day？〃　asked　Duroy。

〃I　have　no　work　for　you　to…day；　you　can　go　if　you　wish　to。〃

〃And　ourour　article？〃

〃Oh；　do　not　worry　about　it；　I　will　correct　the　proofs。　Do　the　rest
to…morrow　and　come　here　at　three　o'clock　as　you　did　to…day。〃

And　after　shaking　hands；　Duroy　descended　the　staircase　with　a　light
heart。




CHAPTER　IV。

DUROY　LEARNS　SOMETHING


Georges　Duroy　did　not　sleep　well；　so　anxious　was　he　to　see　his
article　in　print。　He　rose　at　daybreak；　and　was　on　the　street　long
before　the　newsboys。　When　he　secured　a　paper　and　saw　his　name　at　the
end　of　a　column　in　large　letters；　he　became　very　much　excited。　He
felt　inclined　to　enact　the　part　of　a　newsboy　and　cry　out　to　the
hurrying　throng：　〃Buy　this！　it　contains　an　article　by　me！〃　He
strolled　along　to　a　cafe　and　seated　himself　in　order　to　read　the
article　through；　that　done　he　decided　to　go　to　the　railroad　office；
draw　his　salary；　and　hand　in　his　resignation。

With　great　pomposity　he　informed　the　chief　clerk　that　he　was　on　the
staff　of　〃La　Vie　Francaise；〃　and　by　that　means　was　avenged　for　many
petty　insults　which　had　been　offered　him。　He　then　had　some　cards
written　with　his　new　calling　beneath　his　name；　made　several
purchases；　and　repaired　to　the　office　of　〃La　Vie　Francaise。〃
Forestier　received　him　loftily　as　one　would　an　inferior。

〃Ah；　here　you　are！　Very　well；　I　have　several　things　for　you　to　do。
Just　wait　ten　minutes　till　I　finish　this　work。〃　He　continued
writing。

At　the　other　end　of　the　table　sat　a　short；　pale　man；　very　stout　and
bald。　Forestier　asked　him；　when　his　letter　was　completed；　〃Saint…
Potin；　at　what　time　shall　you　interview　those　people？〃

〃At　four　o'clock。〃

〃Take　Duroy；　who　is　here；　with　you　and　initiate　him　into　the
business。〃

〃Very　well。〃

Then　turning　to　his　friend；　Forestier　added：　〃Have　you　brought　the
other　paper　on　Algeria？　The　article　this　morning　was　very
successful。〃

Duroy　stammered：　〃No；　I　thought　I　should　have　time　this　afternoon。　I
had　so　much　to　doI　could　not。〃

The　other　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃If　you　are　not　more　careful；　you
will　spoil　your　future。　M。　Walt