bel ami-第12章

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a　love…letter。

Then　he　sought　the　cashier　to　settle　the　important　question　of　his
salary。　At　first　twelve　hundred　francs　were　allowed　Duroy；　who
intended　to　save　a　large　share　of　the　money。　He　was　busy　two　days
getting　settled　in　his　new　position；　in　a　large　room；　one　end　of
which　he　occupied；　and　the　other　end　of　which　was　allotted　to
Boisrenard；　who　worked　with　him。

The　day　of　the　dinner…party　he　left　the　office　in　good　season；　in
order　to　have　time　to　dress；　and　was　walking　along　Rue　de　Londres
when　he　saw　before　him　a　form　which　resembled　Mme。　de　Marelle's。　He
felt　his　cheeks　glow　and　his　heart　throb。　He　crossed　the　street　in
order　to　see　the　lady's　face；　he　was　mistaken；　and　breathed　more
freely。　He　had　often　wondered　what　he　should　do　if　he　met　Clotilde
face　to　face。　Should　he　bow　to　her　or　pretend　not　to　see　her？　〃I
should　not　see　her；〃　thought　he。

When　Duroy　entered　his　rooms　he　thought：　〃I　must　change　my
apartments；　these　will　not　do　any　longer。〃　He　felt　both　nervous　and
gay；　and　said　aloud　to　himself：　〃I　must　write　to　my　father。〃
Occasionally　he　wrote　home；　and　his　letters　always　delighted　his　old
parents。　As　he　tied　his　cravat　at　the　mirror　he　repeated：　〃I　must
write　home　to…morrow。　If　my　father　could　see　me　this　evening　in　the
house　to　which　I　am　going；　he　would　be　surprised。　Sacristi；　I　shall
soon　give　a　dinner　which　has　never　been　equaled！〃

Then　he　recalled　his　old　home；　the　faces　of　his　father　and　mother。
He　saw　them　seated　at　their　homely　board；　eating　their　soup。　He
remembered　every　wrinkle　on　their　old　faces；　every　movement　of　their
hands　and　heads；　he　even　knew　what　they　said　to　each　other　every
evening　as　they　supped。　He　thought：　〃I　will　go　to　see　them　some
day。〃　His　toilette　completed；　he　extinguished　his　light　and
descended　the　stairs。

On　reaching　his　destination；　he　boldly　entered　the　antechamber；
lighted　by　bronze　lamps；　and　gave　his　cane　and　his　overcoat　to　the
two　lackeys　who　approached　him。　All　the　salons　were　lighted。　Mme。
Walter　received　in　the　second；　the　largest。　She　greeted　Duroy　with　a
charming　smile；　and　he　shook　hands　with　two　men　who　arrived　after
him；　M。　Firmin　and　M。　Laroche…Mathieu；　the　latter　had　especial
authority　at　the　office　on　account　of　his　influence　in　the　chamber
of　deputies。

Then　the　Forestiers　arrived；　Madeleine　looking　charming　in　pink。
Charles　had　become　very　much　emaciated　and　coughed　incessantly。

Norbert　de　Varenne　and　Jacques　Rival　came　together。　A　door　opened　at
the　end　of　the　room；　and　M。　Walter　entered　with　two　tall　young　girls
of　sixteen　and　seventeen；　one　plain；　the　other　pretty。　Duroy　knew
that　the　manager　was　a　paterfamilias；　but　he　was　astonished。　He　had
thought　of　the　manager's　daughters　as　one　thinks　of　a　distant
country　one　will　never　see。　Then；　too；　he　had　fancied　them　children；
and　he　saw　women。　They　shook　hands　upon　being　introduced　and　seated
themselves　at　a　table　set　apart　for　them。　One　of　the　guests　had　not
arrived；　and　that　embarrassing　silence　which　precedes　dinners　in
general　reigned　supreme。

Duroy　happening　to　glance　at　the　walls；　M。　Walter　said：　〃You　are
looking　at　my　pictures？　I　will　show　them　all　to　you。〃　And　he　took　a
lamp　that　they　might　distinguish　all　the　details。　There　were
landscapes　by　Guillemet；　〃A　Visit　to　the　Hospital；〃　by　Gervex；　〃A
Widow；〃　by　Bouguereau；　〃An　Execution；〃　by　Jean　Paul　Laurens；　and
many　others。

Duroy　exclaimed：　〃Charming；　charming；　char〃　but　stopped　short　on
hearing　behind　him　the　voice　of　Mme。　de　Marelle　who　had　just
entered。　M。　Walter　continued　to　exhibit　and　explain　his　pictures；
but　Duroy　saw　nothingheard　without　comprehending。　Mme。　de　Marelle
was　there；　behind　him。　What　should　he　do？　If　he　greeted　her；　might
she　not　turn　her　back　upon　him　or　utter　some　insulting　remark？　If　he
did　not　approach　her；　what　would　people　think？　He　was　so　ill　at　ease
that　at　one　time　he　thought　he　should　feign　indisposition　and　return
home。

The　pictures　had　all　been　exhibited。　M。　Walter　placed　the　lamp　on
the　table　and　greeted　the　last　arrival；　while　Duroy　recommenced
alone　an　examination　of　the　canvas；　as　if　he　could　not　tear　himself
away。　What　should　he　do？　He　heard　their　voices　and　their
conversation。　Mme。　Forestier　called　him；　he　hastened　toward　her。　It
was　to　introduce　him　to　a　friend　who　was　on　the　point　of　giving　a
fete；　and　who　wanted　a　description　of　it　in　〃La　Vie　Francaise。〃

He　stammered：　〃Certainly；　Madame；　certainly。〃

Madame　de　Marelle　was　very　near　him；　he　dared　not　turn　to　go　away。
Suddenly　to　his　amazement；　she　exclaimed：　〃Good　evening；　Bel…Ami；　do
you　not　remember　me？〃

He　turned　upon　his　heel　hastily；　she　stood　before　him　smiling；　her
eyes　overflowing　with　roguishness　and　affection。　She　offered　him　her
hand；　he　took　it　doubtfully；　fearing　some　perfidy。　She　continued
calmly：　〃What　has　become　of　you？　One　never　sees　you！〃

Not　having　regained　his　self…possession；　he　murmured：　〃I　have　had　a
great　deal　to　do；　Madame；　a　great　deal　to　do。　M。　Walter　has　given　me
another　position　and　the　duties　are　very　arduous。〃

〃I　know；　but　that　is　no　excuse　for　forgetting　your　friends。〃

Their　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　a　large　woman；
decollette；　with　red　arms；　red　cheeks；　and　attired　in　gay　colors。　As
she　was　received　with　effusion；　Duroy　asked　Mme。　Forestier：　〃Who　is
that　person？〃

〃Viscountess　de　Percemur；　whose　nom　de　plume　is　'Patte　Blanche。'〃

He　was　surprised　and　with　difficulty　restrained　a　burst　of　laughter。

〃Patte　Blanche？　I　fancied　her　a　young　woman　like　you。　Is　that　Patte
Blanche？　Ah；　she　is　handsome；　very　handsome！〃

A　servant　appeared　at　the　door　and　announced：　〃Madame　is　served。〃

Duroy　was　placed　between　the　manager's　plain　daughter；　Mlle。　Rose；
and　Mme。　de　Marelle。　The　proximity　of　the　latter　embarrassed　him
somewhat；　although　she　appeared　at　ease　and　conversed　with　her　usual
spirit。　Gradually；　however；　his　assurance　returned；　and　before　the
meal　was　over；　he　knew　that　their　relations　would　be　renewed。
Wishing；　too；　to　be　polite　to　his　employer's　daughter；　he　addressed
her　from　time　to　time。　She　responded　as　her　mother　would　have　done；
without　any　hesitation　as　to　what　she　should　say。　At　M。　Walter's
right　sat　Viscountess　de　Percemur；　and　Duroy；　looking　at　her　with　a
smile；　asked　Mme。　de　Marelle　in　a　low　voice：　〃Do　you　know　the　one
who　signs　herself　'Domino　Rose'？〃

〃Yes；　perfectly；　Baroness　de　Livar。〃

〃Is　she　like　the　Countess？〃

〃No。　But　she　is　just　as　comical。　She　is　sixty　years　old；　has　false
curls　and　teeth；　wit　of　the　time　of　the　Restoration；　and　toilettes
of　the　same　period。〃

When　the　guests　returned　to　the　drawing…room；　Duroy　asked　Mme。　de
Marelle：　〃May　I　escort　you　home？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　M。　Laroche…Mathieu；　who　is　my　neighbor；　leaves　me　at　my
door　every　time　that　I　dine　here。〃

〃When　shall　I　see　you　again？〃

〃Lunch　with　me　to…morrow。〃

They　parted　without　another　word。　Duroy　did　not　remain　late；　as　he
descended　the　staircase；　he　met　Norbert　de　Varenne；　who　was　likewise
going　away。　The　old　poet　took　his　arm；　fearing　no　rivalry　on　the
newspaper；　their　work　being　essentially　different；　he　was　very
friendly　to　the　young　man。

〃Shall　we　walk　along　together？〃

〃I　shall　be　pleased　to；〃　replied　Duroy。

The　streets　were　almost　deserted　that　night。　At　first　the　two　men
did　not　speak。　Then　Duroy；　in　order　to　make　some　remark；　said：　〃That
M。　Laroche…Mathieu　looks　very　intelligent。〃

The　old　poet　murmured：　〃Do　you　think　so？〃

The　younger　man　hesitated　in　surprise：　〃Why；　yes！　Is　he　not
considered　one　of　the　most　capable　men　in　the　Chamber？〃

〃That　may　be。　In　a　kingdom　of　blind　men　the　blind　are　kings。　All
those　people　are　divided　between　money　and　politics；　they　are
pedants　to　whom　it　is　impossible　to　speak　of　anything　that　is
familiar　to　us。　Ah；　it　is　difficult　to　find　a　man　who　is　liberal　in
his　ideas！　I　have　known　several；　they　are　dead。　Still；　what
difference　does　a　little　more　or　a　little　less　genius　make；　since
all　must　come　to　an　end？〃　He　paused；　and　Duroy　said　with　a　smile：

〃You　are　gloomy　to…night；　sir！〃

The　poet　replied：　〃I　always　am；　my　child；　you　will　be　too　in　a　few
years。　While　one　is　climbing　the　ladder；