bel ami-第19章

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She　examined　her　writing；　and；　charmed　with　the　effect；　exclaimed：
〃With　a　little　method　one　can　succeed　in　anything。〃

When　Georges　reached　the　street　resolved　to　call　himself；
henceforth；　〃Du　Roy；〃　or　even　〃Du　Roy　de　Cantel；〃　it　seemed　to　him
that　he　was　of　more　importance。　He　swaggered　more　boldly；　held　his
head　more　erect　and　walked　as　he　thought　gentlemen　should。　He　felt　a
desire　to　inform　the　passers…by；　〃My　name　is　Du　Roy　de　Cantel。〃

Scarcely　had　he　entered　his　apartments　when　the　thought　of　Mme。　de
Marelle　rendered　him　uneasy；　and　he　wrote　to　her　immediately；
appointing　a　meeting　for　the　following　day。

〃It　will　be　hard；〃　thought　he。　〃There　will　be　a　quarrel　surely。〃

The　next　morning　he　received　a　telegram　from　Madame；　informing　him
that　she　would　be　with　him　at　one　o'clock。　He　awaited　her
impatiently；　determined　to　confess　at　once　and　afterward　to　argue
with　her；　to　tell　her　that　he　could　not　remain　a　bachelor
indefinitely；　and　that；　as　M。　de　Marelle　persisted　in　living；　he　had
been　compelled　to　choose　some　one　else　as　a　legal　companion。　When
the　bell　rang；　his　heart　gave　a　bound。

Mme。　de　Marelle　entered　and　cast　herself　into　his　arms；　saying：
〃Good　afternoon；　Bel…Ami。〃　Perceiving　that　his　embrace　was　colder
than　usual；　she　glanced　up　at　him　and　asked：　〃What　ails　you？〃

〃Take　a　seat；〃　said　he。　〃We　must　talk　seriously。〃

She　seated　herself　without　removing　her　hat；　and　waited。　He　cast
down　his　eyes；　he　was　preparing　to　commence。

Finally　he　said　slowly：　〃My　dear　friend；　you　see　that　I　am　very　much
perplexed；　very　sad；　and　very　much　embarrassed　by　what　I　have　to
confess　to　you。　I　love　you；　I　love　you　with　all　my　heart；　and　the
fear　of　giving　you　pain　grieves　me　more　than　what　I　have　to　tell
you。〃

She　turned　pale；　trembled；　and　asked：　〃What　is　it？　Tell　me　quickly。〃

He　said　sadly　but　resolutely：　〃I　am　going　to　be　married。〃

She　sighed　like　one　about　to　lose　consciousness；　then　she　gasped；
but　did　not　speak。

He　continued：　〃You　cannot　imagine　how　much　I　suffered　before　taking
that　resolution。　But　I　have　neither　position　nor　money。　I　am　alone
in　Paris；　I　must　have　near　me　some　one　who　can　counsel；　comfort；　and
support　me。　What　I　need　is　an　associate；　an　ally；　and　I　have　found
one！〃　He　paused；　hoping　that　she　would　reply；　expecting　an　outburst
of　furious　rage；　reproaches；　and　insults。　She　pressed　her　hand　to
her　heart　and　breathed　with　difficulty。　He　took　the　hand　resting　on
the　arm　of　the　chair；　but　she　drew　it　away　and　murmured　as　if
stupefied：　〃Oh；　my　God！〃

He　fell　upon　his　knees　before　her；　without；　however；　venturing　to
touch　her；　more　moved　by　her　silence　than　he　would　have　been　by　her
anger。

〃Clo；　my　little　Clo；　you　understand　my　position。　Oh；　if　I　could　have
married　you；　what　happiness　it　would　have　afforded　me！　But　you　were
married！　What　could　I　do？　Just　think　of　it！　I　must　make　my　way　in
the　world　and　I　can　never　do　so　as　long　as　I　have　no　domestic　ties。
If　you　knew。　There　are　days　when　I　should　like　to　kill　your
husband。〃　He　spoke　in　a　low；　seductive　voice。　He　saw　two　tears
gather　in　Mme。　de　Marelle's　eyes　and　trickle　slowly　down　her　cheeks。
He　whispered：　〃Do　not　weep；　Clo；　do　not　weep；　I　beseech　you。　You
break　my　heart。〃

She　made　an　effort　to　appear　dignified　and　haughty；　and　asked；
though　somewhat　unsteadily：　〃Who　is　it？〃

For　a　moment　he　hesitated　before　he　replied：　〃Madeleine　Forestier！〃

Mme。　de　Marelle　started；　her　tears　continued　to　flow。　She　rose。
Duroy　saw　that　she　was　going　to　leave　him　without　a　word　of　reproach
or　pardon；　and　he　felt　humbled；　humiliated。　He　seized　her　gown　and
implored：

〃Do　not　leave　me　thus。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　that　despairing；　tearful　glance　so　charming
and　so　touching；　which　expresses　all　the　misery　pent…up　in　a　woman's
heart；　and　stammered：　〃I　have　nothingto　say；　I　can　do　nothing。
Youyou　are　right；　you　have　made　a　good　choice。〃

And　disengaging　herself　she　left　the　room。

With　a　sigh　of　relief　at　escaping　so　easily；　he　repaired　to　Mme。
Forestier's；　who　asked　him：　〃Have　you　told　Mme。　de　Marelle？〃

He　replied　calmly：　〃Yes。〃

〃Did　it　affect　her？〃

〃Not　at　all。　On　the　contrary；　she　thought　it　an　excellent　plan。〃

The　news　was　soon　noised　abroad。　Some　were　surprised；　others
pretended　to　have　foreseen　it；　and　others　again　smiled；　inferring
that　they　were　not　at　all　astonished。　The　young　man；　who　signed　his
articles；　〃D。　de　Cantel；〃　his　〃Echoes；〃　〃Duroy；〃　and　his　political
sketches；　〃Du　Roy；〃　spent　the　best　part　of　his　time　with　his
betrothed；　who　had　decided　that　the　date　fixed　for　the　wedding
should　be　kept　secret；　that　the　ceremony　should　be　celebrated　in　the
presence　of　witnesses　only；　that　they　should　leave　the　same　evening
for　Rouen；　and　that　the　day　following　they　should　visit　the
journalist's　aged　parents　and　spend　several　days　with　them。　Duroy
had　tried　to　persuade　Madeleine　to　abandon　that　project；　but　not
succeeding　in　his　efforts　he　was　finally　compelled　to　submit。

The　tenth　of　May　arrived。　Thinking　a　religious　ceremony　unnecessary；
as　they　had　issued　no　invitations；　the　couple　were　married　at　a
magistrate's　and　took　the　six　o'clock　train　for　Normandy。

As　the　train　glided　along；　Duroy　seated　in　front　of　his　wife；　took
her　hand；　kissed　it；　and　said：　〃When　we　return　we　will　dine　at
Chatou　sometimes。〃

She　murmured：　〃We　shall　have　a　great　many　things　to　do！〃　in　a　tone
which　seemed　to　say：　〃We　must　sacrifice　pleasure　to　duty。〃

He　retained　her　hand　wondering　anxiously　how　he　could　manage　to
caress　her。　He　pressed　her　hand　slightly；　but　she　did　not　respond　to
the　pressure。

He　said：　〃It　seems　strange　that　you　should　be　my　wife。〃

She　appeared　surprised：　〃Why？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　It　seems　droll。　I　want　to　embrace　you　and　I　am
surprised　that　I　have　the　right。〃

She　calmly　offered　him　her　cheek　which　he　kissed　as　he　would　have
kissed　his　sister's。　He　continued：

〃The　first　time　I　saw　you　（you　remember；　at　that　dinner　to　which　I
was　invited　at　Forestier's）；　I　thought：　'Sacristi；　if　I　could　only
find　a　wife　like　that！'　And　now　I　have　one。〃

She　glanced　at　him　with　smiling　eyes。

He　said　to　himself：　〃I　am　too　cold。　I　am　stupid。　I　should　make　more
advances。〃　And　he　asked：　〃How　did　you　make　Forestier's
acquaintance？〃

She　replied　with　provoking　archness：　〃Are　we　going　to　Rouen　to　talk
of　him？〃

He　colored。　〃I　am　a　fool。　You　intimidate　me。〃

She　was　delighted。　〃I？　Impossible。〃

He　seated　himself　beside　her。　She　exclaimed：　〃Ah！　a　stag！〃　The　train
was　passing　through　the　forest　of　Saint…Germain　and　she　had　seen　a
frightened　deer　clear　an　alley　at　a　bound。　As　she　gazed　out　of　the
open　window；　Duroy　bending　over　her；　pressed　a　kiss　upon　her　neck。
For　several　moments　she　remained　motionless；　then　raising　her　head；
she　said：　〃You　tickle　me；　stop！〃

But　he　did　not　obey　her。

She　repeated：　〃Stop；　I　say！〃

He　seized　her　head　with　his　right　hand；　turned　it　toward　him　and
pressed　his　lips　to　hers。　She　struggled；　pushed　him　away　and
repeated：　〃Stop！〃

He　did　not　heed　her。　With　an　effort；　she　freed　herself　and　rising；
said：　〃Georges；　have　done。　We　are　not　children；　we　shall　soon　reach
Rouen。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　he；　gaily；　〃I　will　wait。〃

Reseating　herself　near　him　she　talked　of　what　they　would　do　on　their
return；　they　would　keep　the　apartments　in　which　she　had　lived　with
her　first　husband；　and　Duroy　would　receive　Forestier's　position　on
〃La　Vie　Francaise。〃　In　the　meantime；　forgetting　her　injunctions　and
his　promise；　he　slipped　his　arm　around　her　waist；　pressed　her　to　him
and　murmured：　〃I　love　you　dearly；　my　little　Made。〃

The　gentleness　of　his　tone　moved　the　young　woman；　and　leaning　toward
him　she　offered　him　her　lips；　as　she　did　so；　a　whistle　announced　the
proximity　of　the　station。　Pushing　back　some　stray　locks　upon　her
temples；　she　exclaimed：

〃We　are　foolish。〃

He　kissed　her　hands　feverishly　and　replied：

〃I　adore　you；　my　little　Made。〃

On　reaching　Rouen　they　repaired　to　a　hotel　where　they　spent　the
night。　The　following　morning；　when　they　had　drunk　the　tea　placed
upon　the　table　in　their　room；　Duroy　clasped　his　wife　in　his　arms　and
said：　〃My　little　Made；　I　feel　that　I　love　you　very；　very　much。〃

She　s