bel ami-第1章

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Bel　Ami

by　Henri　Rene　Guy　De　Maupassant








TABLE　OF　CONTENTS

　　　　CHAPTER　I。　　　POVERTY

　　　CHAPTER　II。　　　MADAME　FORESTIER

　　CHAPTER　III。　　　FIRST　ATTEMPTS

　　　CHAPTER　IV。　　　DUROY　LEARNS　SOMETHING

　　　　CHAPTER　V。　　　THE　FIRST　INTRIGUE

　　　CHAPTER　VI。　　　A　STEP　UPWARD

　　CHAPTER　VII。　　　A　DUEL　WITH　AN　END

　CHAPTER　VIII。　　　DEATH　AND　A　PROPOSAL

　　　CHAPTER　IX。　　　MARRIAGE

　　　　CHAPTER　X。　　　JEALOUSY

　　　CHAPTER　XI。　　　MADAME　WALTER　TAKES　A　HAND

　　CHAPTER　XII。　　　A　MEETING　AND　THE　RESULT

　CHAPTER　XIII。　　　MADAME　MARELLE

　　CHAPTER　XIV。　　　THE　WILL

　　　CHAPTER　XV。　　　SUZANNE

　　CHAPTER　XVI。　　　DIVORCE

　CHAPTER　XVII。　　　THE　FINAL　PLOT

CHAPTER　XVIII。　　　ATTAINMENT




BEL…AMI




CHAPTER　I。

POVERTY


After　changing　his　five…franc　piece　Georges　Duroy　left　the
restaurant。　He　twisted　his　mustache　in　military　style　and　cast　a
rapid；　sweeping　glance　upon　the　diners；　among　whom　were　three
saleswomen；　an　untidy　music…teacher　of　uncertain　age；　and　two　women
with　their　husbands。

When　he　reached　the　sidewalk；　he　paused　to　consider　what　route　he
should　take。　It　was　the　twenty…eighth　of　June　and　he　had　only　three
francs　in　his　pocket　to　last　him　the　remainder　of　the　month。　That
meant　two　dinners　and　no　lunches；　or　two　lunches　and　no　dinners；
according　to　choice。　As　he　pondered　upon　this　unpleasant　state　of
affairs；　he　sauntered　down　Rue　Notre　Dame　de　Lorette；　preserving　his
military　air　and　carriage；　and　rudely　jostled　the　people　upon　the
streets　in　order　to　clear　a　path　for　himself。　He　appeared　to　be
hostile　to　the　passers…by；　and　even　to　the　houses；　the　entire　city。

Tall；　well…built；　fair；　with　blue　eyes；　a　curled　mustache；　hair
naturally　wavy　and　parted　in　the　middle；　he　recalled　the　hero　of　the
popular　romances。

It　was　one　of　those　sultry；　Parisian　evenings　when　not　a　breath　of
air　is　stirring；　the　sewers　exhaled　poisonous　gases　and　the
restaurants　the　disagreeable　odors　of　cooking　and　of　kindred　smells。
Porters　in　their　shirt…sleeves；　astride　their　chairs；　smoked　their
pipes　at　the　carriage　gates；　and　pedestrians　strolled　leisurely
along；　hats　in　hand。

When　Georges　Duroy　reached　the　boulevard　he　halted　again；　undecided
as　to　which　road　to　choose。　Finally　he　turned　toward　the　Madeleine
and　followed　the　tide　of　people。

The　large；　well…patronized　cafes　tempted　Duroy；　but　were　he　to　drink
only　two　glasses　of　beer　in　an　evening；　farewell　to　the　meager
supper　the　following　night！　Yet　he　said　to　himself：　〃I　will　take　a
glass　at　the　Americain。　By　Jove；　I　am　thirsty。〃

He　glanced　at　men　seated　at　the　tables；　men　who　could　afford　to
slake　their　thirst；　and　he　scowled　at　them。　〃Rascals！〃　he　muttered。
If　he　could　have　caught　one　of　them　at　a　corner　in　the　dark　he　would
have　choked　him　without　a　scruple！　He　recalled　the　two　years　spent
in　Africa；　and　the　manner　in　which　he　had　extorted　money　from　the
Arabs。　A　smile　hovered　about　his　lips　at　the　recollection　of　an
escapade　which　had　cost　three　men　their　lives；　a　foray　which　had
given　his　two　comrades　and　himself　seventy　fowls；　two　sheep；　money；
and　something　to　laugh　about　for　six　months。　The　culprits　were　never
found；　indeed；　they　were　not　sought　for；　the　Arab　being　looked　upon
as　the　soldier's　prey。

But　in　Paris　it　was　different；　there　one　could　not　commit　such　deeds
with　impunity。　He　regretted　that　he　had　not　remained　where　he　was；
but　he　had　hoped　to　improve　his　conditionand　for　that　reason　he
was　in　Paris！

He　passed　the　Vaudeville　and　stopped　at　the　Cafe　Americain；　debating
as　to　whether　he　should　take　that　〃glass。〃　Before　deciding；　he
glanced　at　a　clock；　it　was　a　quarter　past　nine。　He　knew　that　when
the　beer　was　placed　in　front　of　him；　he　would　drink　it；　and　then
what　would　he　do　at　eleven　o'clock？　So　he　walked　on；　intending　to　go
as　far　as　the　Madeleine　and　return。

When　he　reached　the　Place　de　l'Opera；　a　tall；　young　man　passed　him；
whose　face　he　fancied　was　familiar。　He　followed　him；　repeating：
〃Where　the　deuce　have　I　seen　that　fellow？〃

For　a　time　he　racked　his　brain　in　vain；　then　suddenly　he　saw　the
same　man；　but　not　so　corpulent　and　more　youthful；　attired　in　the
uniform　of　a　Hussar。　He　exclaimed：　〃Wait；　Forestier！〃　and　hastening
up　to　him；　laid　his　hand　upon　the　man's　shoulder。　The　latter　turned；
looked　at　him；　and　said：　〃What　do　you　want；　sir？〃

Duroy　began　to　laugh：　〃Don't　you　remember　me？〃

〃No。〃

〃Not　remember　Georges　Duroy　of　the　Sixth　Hussars。〃

Forestier　extended　both　hands。

〃Ah；　my　dear　fellow；　how　are　you？〃

〃Very　well。　And　how　are　you？〃

〃Oh；　I　am　not　very　well。　I　cough　six　months　out　of　the　twelve　as　a
result　of　bronchitis　contracted　at　Bougival；　about　the　time　of　my
return　to　Paris　four　years　ago。〃

〃But　you　look　well。〃

Forestier；　taking　his　former　comrade's　arm；　told　him　of　his　malady；
of　the　consultations；　the　opinions　and　the　advice　of　the　doctors　and
of　the　difficulty　of　following　their　advice　in　his　position。　They
ordered　him　to　spend　the　winter　in　the　south；　but　how　could　he？　He
was　married　and　was　a　journalist　in　a　responsible　editorial
position。

〃I　manage　the　political　department　on　'La　Vie　Francaise'；　I　report
the　doings　of　the　Senate　for　'Le　Salut；'　and　from　time　to　time　I
write　for　'La　Planete。'　That　is　what　I　am　doing。〃

Duroy；　in　surprise；　glanced　at　him。　He　was　very　much　changed。
Formerly　Forestier　had　been　thin；　giddy；　noisy；　and　always　in　good
spirits。　But　three　years　of　life　in　Paris　had　made　another　man　of
him；　now　he　was　stout　and　serious；　and　his　hair　was　gray　on　his
temples　although　he　could　not　number　more　than　twenty…seven　years。

Forestier　asked：　〃Where　are　you　going？〃

Duroy　replied：　〃Nowhere　in　particular。〃

〃Very　well；　will　you　accompany　me　to　the　'Vie　Francaise'　where　I
have　some　proofs　to　correct；　and　afterward　take　a　drink　with　me？〃

〃Yes；　gladly。〃

They　walked　along　arm…in…arm　with　that　familiarity　which　exists
between　schoolmates　and　brother…officers。

〃What　are　you　doing　in　Paris？〃　asked　Forestier；　Duroy　shrugged　his
shoulders。

〃Dying　of　hunger；　simply。　When　my　time　was　up；　I　came　hither　to　make
my　fortune；　or　rather　to　live　in　Parisand　for　six　months　I　have
been　employed　in　a　railroad　office　at　fifteen　hundred　francs　a
year。〃

Forestier　murmured：　〃That　is　not　very　much。〃

〃But　what　can　I　do？〃　answered　Duroy。　〃I　am　alone；　I　know　no　one；　I
have　no　recommendations。　The　spirit　is　not　lacking；　but　the　means
are。〃

His　companion　looked　at　him　from　head　to　foot　like　a　practical　man
who　is　examining　a　subject；　then　he　said；　in　a　tone　of　conviction：
〃You　see；　my　dear　fellow；　all　depends　on　assurance；　here。　A　shrewd；
observing　man　can　sometimes　become　a　minister。　You　must　obtrude
yourself　and　yet　not　ask　anything。　But　how　is　it　you　have　not　found
anything　better　than　a　clerkship　at　the　station？〃

Duroy　replied：　〃I　hunted　everywhere　and　found　nothing　else。　But　I
know　where　I　can　get　three　thousand　francs　at　leastas　riding…
master　at　the　Pellerin　school。〃

Forestier　stopped　him：　〃Don't　do　it；　for　you　can　earn　ten　thousand
francs。　You　will　ruin　your　prospects　at　once。　In　your　office　at
least　no　one　knows　you；　you　can　leave　it　if　you　wish　to　at　any　time。
But　when　you　are　once　a　riding…master　all　will　be　over。　You　might　as
well　be　a　butler　in　a　house　to　which　all　Paris　comes　to　dine。　When
you　have　given　riding　lessons　to　men　of　the　world　or　to　their　sons；
they　will　no　longer　consider　you　their　equal。〃

He　paused；　reflected　several　seconds　and　then　asked：

〃Are　you　a　bachelor？〃

〃Yes；　though　I　have　been　smitten　several　times。〃

〃That　makes　no　difference。　If　Cicero　and　Tiberius　were　mentioned
would　you　know　who　they　were？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Good；　no　one　knows　any　more　except　about　a　score　of　fools。　It　is
not　difficult　to　pass　for　being　learned。　The　secret　is　not　to　betray
your　ignorance。　Just　maneuver；　avoid　the　quicksands　and　obstacles；
and　the　rest　can　be　found　in　a　dictionary。〃

He　spoke　like　one　who　understood　human　nature；　and　he　smiled　as　the
crowd　passed　them　by。　Suddenly　he　began　to　cough　and　stopped　to
allow　the　paroxysm　to　spend　itself；　then　he　said　in　a　discouraged
tone：

〃Isn't　it　tiresome　not　to　be　able　to　get　rid　of　thi