bel ami-第14章

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decided　that　it　should　be　published　in　that　day's　issue。

Duroy　returned　home　rather　agitated　and　uneasy。　What　would　this
opponent　reply？　Who　was　he？　Why　that　attack？　He　passed　a　restless
night。　When　he　re…read　his　article　in　the　paper　the　next　morning；　he
thought　it　more　aggressive　in　print　than　it　was　in　writing。　He
might；　it　seemed　to　him；　have　softened　certain　terms。　He　was　excited
all　day　and　feverish　during…the　night。　He　rose　early　to　obtain　an
issue　of　〃La　Plume〃　which　should　contain　the　reply　to　his　note。　He
ran　his　eyes　over　the　columns　and　at　first　saw　nothing。　He　was
beginning　to　breathe　more　freely　when　these　words　met　his　eye：

　　　　〃M。　Duroy　of　'La　Vie　Francaise'　gives　us　the　lie！　In　doing　so；
　　　　　he　lies。　He　owns；　however；　that　a　woman　named　Aubert　exists；
　　　　　and　that　she　was　taken　before　a　magistrate　by　an　agent。　Two
　　　　　words　only　remain　to　be　added　to　the　word　'agent；'　which　are
　　　　'of　morals'　and　all　is　told。　But　the　consciences　of　certain
　　　　　journalists　are　on　a　par　with　their　talents。〃

　　　　〃I　sign　myself；　Louis　Langremont。〃

Georges's　heart　throbbed　violently；　and　he　returned　home　in　order　to
dress　himself。　He　had　been　insulted　and　in　such　a　manner　that　it　was
impossible　to　hesitate。　Why　had　he　been　insulted？　For　nothing！　On
account　of　an　old　woman　who　had　quarreled　with　her　butcher。

He　dressed　hastily　and　repaired　to　M。　Walter's　house；　although　it
was　scarcely　eight　o'clock。　M。　Walter　was　reading　〃La　Plume。〃

〃Well；〃　he　said　gravely；　on　perceiving　Duroy；　〃you　cannot　let　that
pass。〃　The　young　man　did　not　reply。

The　manager　continued：　〃Go　at　once　in　search　of　Rival；　who　will　look
after　your　interests。〃

Duroy　stammered　several　vague　words　and　set　out　for　Rival's　house。
Jacques　was　still　in　bed；　but　he　rose　when　the　bell　rang；　and　having
read　the　insulting　paragraph；　said：　〃Whom　would　you　like　to　have
besides　me？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃Boisrenard？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Are　you　a　good　swordsman？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　good　shot？〃

〃I　have　used　a　pistol　a　good　deal。〃

〃Good！　Come　and　exercise　while　I　attend　to　everything。　Wait　a
moment。〃

He　entered　his　dressing…room　and　soon　reappeared；　washed；　shaven；
and　presentable。

〃Come　with　me；〃　said　he。　He　lived　on　the　ground　floor；　and　he　led
Duroy　into　a　cellar　converted　into　a　room　for　the　practice　of
fencing　and　shooting。　He　produced　a　pair　of　pistols　and　began　to
give　his　orders　as　briefly　as　if　they　were　on　the　dueling　ground。　He
was　well　satisfied　with　Duroy's　use　of　the　weapons；　and　told　him　to
remain　there　and　practice　until　noon；　when　he　would　return　to　take
him　to　lunch　and　tell　him　the　result　of　his　mission。　Left　to　his　own
devices；　Duroy　aimed　at　the　target　several　times　and　then　sat　down
to　reflect。

Such　affairs　were　abominable　anyway！　What　would　a　respectable　man
gain　by　risking　his　life？　And　he　recalled　Norbert　de　Varenne's
remarks；　made　to　him　a　short　while　before。　〃He　was　right！〃　he
declared　aloud。　It　was　gloomy　in　that　cellar；　as　gloomy　as　in　a
tomb。　What　o'clock　was　it？　The　time　dragged　slowly　on。　Suddenly　he
heard　footsteps；　voices；　and　Jacques　Rival　reappeared　accompanied　by
Boisrenard。　The　former　cried　on　perceiving　Duroy：　〃All　is　settled！〃

Duroy　thought　the　matter　had　terminated　with　a　letter　of　apology；
his　heart　gave　a　bound　and　he　stammered：　〃Ahthank　you！〃

Rival　continued：　〃M。　Langremont　has　accepted　every　condition。
Twenty…five　paces；　fire　when　the　pistol　is　leveled　and　the　order
given。〃　Then　he　added：　〃Now　let　us　lunch；　it　is　past　twelve
o'clock。〃

They　repaired　to　a　neighboring　restaurant。　Duroy　was　silent。　He　ate
that　they　might　not　think　he　was　frightened；　and　went　in　the
afternoon　with　Boisrenard　to　the　office；　where　he　worked　in　an
absent；　mechanical　manner。　Before　leaving；　Jacques　Rival　shook　hands
with　him　and　warned　him　that　he　and　Boisrenard　would　call　for　him　in
a　carriage　the　next　morning　at　seven　o'clock　to　repair　to　the　wood
at　Vesinet；　where　the　meeting　was　to　take　place。

All　had　been　settled　without　his　saying　a　word；　giving　his　opinion；
accepting　or　refusing；　with　such　rapidity　that　his　brain　whirled　and
he　scarcely　knew　what　was　taking　place。　He　returned　home　about　nine
o'clock　in　the　evening　after　having　dined　with　Boisrenard；　who　had
not　left　him　all　day。　When　he　was　alone；　he　paced　the　floor；　he　was
too　confused　to　think。　One　thought　alone　filled　his　mind　and　that
was：　a　duel　to…morrow！　He　sat　down　and　began　to　meditate。　He　had
thrown　upon　his　table　his　adversary's　card　brought　him　by　Rival。　He
read　it　for　the　twentieth　time　that　day：

　　　　〃Louis　LANGREMONT；
　　　　　176　Rue　Montmartre。〃

Nothing　more！　Who　was　the　man？　How　old　was　he？　How　tall？　How　did　he
look？　How　odious　that　a　total　stranger　should　without　rhyme　or
reason；　out　of　pure　caprice；　annoy　him　thus　on　account　of　an　old；
woman's　quarrel　with　her　butcher！　He　said　aloud：　〃The　brute！〃　and
glared　angrily　at　the　card。

He　began　to　feel　nervous；　the　sound　of　his　voice　made　him　start；　he
drank　a　glass　of　water　and　laid　down。　He　turned　from　his　right　side
to　his　left　uneasily。　He　was　thirsty；　he　rose；　he　felt　restless

〃Am　I　afraid？〃　he　asked　himself。

Why　did　his　heart　palpitate　so　wildly　at　the　slightest　sound？　He
began　to　reason　philosophically　on　the　possibility　of　being　afraid。
No；　certainly　he　was　not；　since　he　was　ready　to　fight。　Still　he　felt
so　deeply　moved　that　he　wondered　if　one　could　be　afraid　in　spite　of
oneself。　What　would　happen　if　that　state　of　things　should　exist？　If
he　should　tremble　or　lose　his　presence　of　mind？　He　lighted　his
candle　and　looked　in　the　glass；　he　scarcely　recognized　his　own　face；
it　was　so　changed。

Suddenly　he　thought：　〃To…morrow　at　this　time　I　may　be　dead。〃　He
turned　to　his　couch　and　saw　himself　stretched　lifeless　upon　it。　He
hastened　to　the　window　and　opened　it；　but　the　night　air　was　so
chilly　that　he　closed　it；　lighted　a　fire；　and　began　to　pace　the
floor　once　more；　saying　mechanically：　〃I　must　be　more　composed。　I
will　write　to　my　parents；　in　case　of　accident。〃　He　took　a　sheet　of
paper　and　after　several　attempts　began：

　　　　　〃My　dear　father　and　mother：〃

　　　　　〃At　daybreak　I　am　going　to　fight　a　duel；　and　as　something
　　　　　might　happen〃

He　could　write　no　more；　he　rose　with　a　shudder。　It　seemed　to　him
that　notwithstanding　his　efforts；　he　would　not　have　the　strength
necessary　to　face　the　meeting。　He　wondered　if　his　adversary　had　ever
fought　before；　if　he　were　known？　He　had　never　heard　his　name。
However；　if　he　had　not　been　a　remarkable　shot；　he　would　not　have
accepted　that　dangerous　weapon　without　hesitation。　He　ground　his
teeth　to　prevent　his　crying　aloud。　Suddenly　he　remembered　that　he
had　a　bottle　of　brandy；　he　fetched　it　from　the　cupboard　and　soon
emptied　it。　Now　he　felt　his　blood　course　more　warmly　through　his
veins。　〃I　have　found　a　means；〃　said　he。

Day　broke。　He　began　to　dress；　when　his　heart　failed　him；　he　took
more　brandy。　At　length　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　His　friends
had　come；　they　were　wrapped　in　furs。　After　shaking　hands；　Rival
said：　〃It　is　as　cold　as　Siberia。　Is　all　well？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Are　you　calm？〃

〃Very　calm。〃

〃Have　you　eaten　and　drunk　something？〃

〃I　do　not　need　anything。〃

They　descended　the　stairs。　A　gentleman　was　seated　in　the　carriage。
Rival　said：　〃Dr。　Le　Brument。〃　Duroy　shook　hands　with　him　and
stammered：　〃Thank　you；〃　as　he　entered　the　carriage。　Jacques　Rival
and　Boisrenard　followed　him；　and　the　coachman　drove　off。　He　knew
where　to　go。

The　conversation　flagged；　although　the　doctor　related　a　number　of
anecdotes。　Rival　alone　replied　to　him。　Duroy　tried　to　appear　self…
possessed；　but　he　was　haunted　continually　by　the　fear　of　showing　his
feelings　or　of　losing　his　self…possession。　Rival　addressed　him；
saying：　〃I　took　the　pistols　to　Gastine　Renette。　He　loaded　them。　The
box　is　sealed。〃

Duroy　replied　mechanically：　〃Thank　you。〃

Then　Rival　proceeded　to　give　him　minute　directions；　that　he　might
make　no　mistakes。　Duroy　repeated　those　directions　as　children　learn
their　lessons　in　order　to　impress　them　upon　his　memory。　As　he
muttered　the　phrases　over　and　over；　he　almost　prayed　that　some
accident　might　happen　to　the　carriage；　if　he　could　only　break　his
leg！