bel ami-第13章

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The　poet　replied：　〃I　always　am；　my　child；　you　will　be　too　in　a　few
years。　While　one　is　climbing　the　ladder；　one　sees　the　top　and　feels
hopeful；　but　when　one　has　reached　that　summit；　one　sees　the　descent
and　the　end　which　is　death。　It　is　slow　work　ascending；　but　one
descends　rapidly。　At　your　age　one　is　joyous；　one　hopes　for　many
things　which　never　come　to　pass。　At　mine；　one　expects　nothing　but
death。〃

Duroy　laughed：　〃Egad；　you　make　me　shudder。〃

Norbert　de　Varenne　continued：　〃You　do　not　understand　me　now；　but
later　on　you　will　remember　what　I　have　told　you。　We　breathe；　sleep；
drink；　eat；　work；　and　then　die！　The　end　of　life　is　death。　What　do
you　long　for？　Love？　A　few　kisses　and　you　will　be　powerless。　Money？
What　for？　To　gratify　your　desires。　Glory？　What　comes　after　it　all？
Death！　Death　alone　is　certain。〃

He　stopped；　took　Duroy　by　his　coat　collar　and　said　slowly：　〃Ponder
upon　all　that；　young　man；　think　it　over　for　days；　months；　and　years；
and　you　will　see　life　from　a　different　standpoint。　I　am　a　lonely；
old　man。　I　have　neither　father；　mother；　brother；　sister；　wife；
children；　nor　God。　I　have　only　poetry。　Marry；　my　friend；　you　do　not
know　what　it　is　to　live　alone　at　my　age。　It　is　so　lonesome。　I　seem
to　have　no　one　upon　earth。　When　one　is　old　it　is　a　comfort　to　have
children。〃

When　they　reached　Rue　de　Bourgogne；　the　poet　halted　before　a　high
house；　rang　the　bell；　pressed　Duroy's　hand　and　said：　〃Forget　what　I
have　said　to　you；　young　man；　and　live　according　to　your　age。　Adieu！〃
With　those　words　he　disappeared　in　the　dark　corridor。

Duroy　felt　somewhat　depressed　on　leaving　Varenne；　but　on　his　way　a
perfumed　damsel　passed　by　him　and　recalled　to　his　mind　his
reconciliation　with　Mme。　de　Marelle。　How　delightful　was　the
realization　of　one's　hopes！

The　next　morning　he　arrived　at　his　lady…love's　door　somewhat　early；
she　welcomed　him　as　if　there　had　been　no　rupture；　and　said　as　she
kissed　him：

〃You　do　not　know　how　annoyed　I　am；　my　beloved；　I　anticipated　a
delightful　honeymoon　and　now　my　husband　has　come　home　for　six　weeks。
But　I　could　not　let　so　long　a　time　go　by　without　seeing　you；
especially　after　our　little　disagreement；　and　this　is　how　I　have
arranged　matters：　Come　to　dinner　Monday。　I　will　introduce　you　to　M。
de　Marelle；　I　have　already　spoken　of　you　to　him。〃

Duroy　hesitated　in　perplexity；　he　feared　he　might　betray　something
by　a　word；　a　glance。　He　stammered：

〃No；　I　would　rather　not　meet　your　husband。〃

〃Why　not？　How　absurd！　Such　things　happen　every　day。　I　did　not　think
you　so　foolish。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　come　to　dinner　Monday。〃

〃To　make　it　more　pleasant；　I　will　have　the　Forestiers；　though　I　do
not　like　to　receive　company　at　home。〃

On　Monday　as　he　ascended　Mme。　de　Marelle's　staircase；　he　felt
strangely　troubled；　not　that　he　disliked　to　take　her　husband's　hand；
drink　his　wine；　and　eat　his　bread；　but　he　dreaded　something；　he　knew
not　what。　He　was　ushered　into　the　salon　and　he　waited　as　usual。　Then
the　door　opened；　and　a　tall　man　with　a　white　beard；　grave　and
precise；　advanced　toward　him　and　said　courteously：

〃My　wife　has　often　spoken　of　you；　sir；　I　am　charmed　to　make　your
acquaintance。〃

Duroy　tried　to　appear　cordial　and　shook　his　host's　proffered　hand
with　exaggerated　energy。　M。　de　Marelle　put　a　log　upon　the　fire　and
asked：

〃Have　you　been　engaged　in　journalism　a　long　time？〃

Duroy　replied：　〃Only　a　few　months。〃　His　embarrassment　wearing　off；
he　began　to　consider　the　situation　very　amusing。　He　gazed　at　M。　de
Marelle；　serious　and　dignified；　and　felt　a　desire　to　laugh　aloud。　At
that　moment　Mme。　de　Marelle　entered　and　approached　Duroy；　who　in　the
presence　of　her　husband　dared　not　kiss　her　hand。　Laurine　entered
next；　and　offered　her　brow　to　Georges。　Her　mother　said　to　her：

〃You　do　not　call　M。　Duroy　Bel…Ami　to…day。〃

The　child　blushed　as　if　it　were　a　gross　indiscretion　to　reveal　her
secret。

When　the　Forestiers　arrived；　Duroy　was　startled　at　Charles's
appearance。　He　had　grown　thinner　and　paler　in　a　week　and　coughed
incessantly；　he　said　they　would　leave　for　Cannes　on　the　following
Thursday　at　the　doctor's　orders。　They　did　not　stay　late；　after　they
had　left；　Duroy　said；　with　a　shake　of　his　head：

〃He　will　not　live　long。〃

Mme。　de　Marelle　replied　calmly：　〃No；　he　is　doomed！　He　was　a　lucky
man　to　obtain　such　a　wife。〃

Duroy　asked：　〃Does　she　help　him　very　much？〃

〃She　does　all　the　work；　she　is　well　posted　on　every　subject；　and　she
always　gains　her　point；　as　she　wants　it；　and　when　she　wants　it！　Oh；
she　is　as　maneuvering　as　anyone！　She　is　a　treasure　to　a　man　who
wishes　to　succeed。〃

Georges　replied：　〃She　will　marry　very　soon　again；　I　have　no　doubt。〃

〃Yes！　I　should　not　even　be　surprised　if　she　had　some　one　in　viewa
deputy！　but　I　do　not　know　anything　about　it。〃

M。　de　Marelle　said　impatiently：　〃You　infer　so　many　things　that　I　do
not　like！　We　should　never　interfere　in　the　affairs　of　others。
Everyone　should　make　that　a　rule。〃

Duroy　took　his　leave　with　a　heavy　heart。　The　next　day　he　called　on
the　Forestiers；　and　found　them　in　the　midst　of　packing。　Charles　lay
upon　a　sofa　and　repeated：　〃I　should　have　gone　a　month　ago。〃　Then　he
proceeded　to　give　Duroy　innumerable　orders；　although　everything　had
been　arranged　with　M。　Walter。　When　Georges　left　him；　he　pressed　his
comrade's　hand　and　said：

〃Well；　old　fellow；　we　shall　soon　meet　again。〃

Mme。　Forestier　accompanied　him　to　the　door　and　he　reminded　her　of
their　compact。　〃We　are　friends　and　allies；　are　we　not？　If　you　should
require　my　services　in　any　way；　do　not　hesitate　to　call　upon　me。
Send　me　a　dispatch　or　a　letter　and　I　will　obey。〃

She　murmured：　〃Thank　you；　I　shall　not　forget。〃

As　Duroy　descended　the　staircase；　he　met　M。　de　Vaudrec　ascending。
The　Count　seemed　sadperhaps　at　the　approaching　departure。

The　journalist　bowed；　the　Count　returned　his　salutation　courteously
but　somewhat　haughtily。

On　Thursday　evening　the　Forestiers　left　town。




CHAPTER　VII。

A　DUEL　WITH　AN　END


Charles's　absence　gave　Duroy　a　more　important　position　on　〃La　Vie
Francaise。〃　Only　one　matter　arose　to　annoy　him；　otherwise　his　sky
was　cloudless。

An　insignificant　paper；　〃La　Plume；〃　attacked　him　constantly；　or
rather　attacked　the　editor　of　the　〃Echoes〃　of　〃La　Vie　Francaise。〃

Jacques　Rival　said　to　him　one　day：　〃You　are　very　forbearing。〃

〃What　should　I　do？　It　is　no　direct　attack。〃

But；　one　afternoon　when　he　entered　the　office；　Boisrenard　handed　him
a　number　of　〃La　Plume。〃

〃See；　here　is　another　unpleasant　remark　for　you。〃

〃Relative　to　what？〃

〃To　the　arrest　of　one　Dame　Aubert。〃

Georges　took　the　paper　and　read　a　scathing　personal　denunciation。
Duroy；　it　seems；　had　written　an　item　claiming　that　Dame　Aubert　who；
as　the　editor　of　〃La　Plume；〃　claimed；　had　been　put　under　arrest；　was
a　myth。　The　latter　retaliated　by　accusing　Duroy　of　receiving　bribes
and　of　suppressing　matter　that　should　be　published。

As　Saint…Potin　entered；　Duroy　asked　him：　〃Have　you　seen　the
paragraph　in　'La　Plume'？〃

〃Yes；　and　I　have　just　come　from　Dame　Aubert's；　she　is　no　myth；　but
she　has　not　been　arrested；　that　report　has　no　foundation。〃

Duroy　went　at　once　to　M。　Walter's　office。　After　hearing　the　case；
the　manager　bade　him　go　to　the　woman's　house　himself；　find　out　the
details；　and　reply；　to　the　article。

Duroy　set　out　upon　his　errand　and　on　his　return　to　the　office；　wrote
the　following：

　　　　〃An　anonymous　writer　in　'La　Plume'　is　trying　to　pick　a　quarrel
　　　　　with　me　on　the　subject　of　an　old　woman　who；　he　claims；　was
　　　　　arrested　for　disorderly　conduct；　which　I　deny。　I　have　myself
　　　　　seen　Dame　Aubert；　who　is　sixty　years　old　at　least；　she　told　me
　　　　　the　particulars　of　her　dispute　with　a　butcher　as　to　the　weight
　　　　　of　some　cutlets；　which　dispute　necessitated　an　explanation
　　　　　before　a　magistrate。　That　is　the　whole　truth　in　a　nutshell。　As
　　　　　for　the　other　insinuations　I　scorn　them。　One　never　should　reply
　　　　　to　such　things；　moreover；　when　they　are　written　under　a　mask。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GEORGES　DUROY。〃

M。　Walter　and　Jacques　Rival　considered　that　sufficient；　and　it　was
decided　that　it　should　be　published　in　that　day's　issue。

Duroy