bel ami-第24章

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voice：　〃See；　how　I　can　control　myselfand　yetlet　me　only　tell　you
thisI　love　youyes；　let　me　go　home　with　you　and　kneel　before　you
five　minutes　to　utter　those　three　words　and　gaze　upon　your　beloved
face。〃

She　suffered　him　to　take　her　hand　and　replied　in　broken　accents：
〃No；　I　cannotI　do　not　wish　to。　Think　of　what　my　servants；　my
daughters；　would　saynonoit　is　impossible。〃

He　continued：　〃I　cannot　live　without　seeing　you；　whether　it　be　at
your　house　or　elsewhere；　I　must　see　you　for　only　a　moment　each　day
that　I　may　touch　your　hand；　breathe　the　air　stirred　by　your　gown；
contemplate　the　outlines　of　your　form；　and　see　your　beautiful　eyes。〃

She　listened　tremblingly　to　the　musical　language　of　love；　and　made
answer：　〃No；　it　is　impossible。　Be　silent！〃

He　spoke　very　low；　he　whispered　in　her　ear；　comprehending　that　it
was　necessary　to　win　that　simple　woman　gradually；　to　persuade　her　to
appoint　a　meeting　where　she　willed　at　first；　and　later　on　where　he
willed。

〃Listen：　I　must　see　you！　I　will　wait　at　your　door　like　a　beggar。　If
you　do　not　come　down；　I　will　come　to　you；　but　I　shall　see　you　to…
morrow。〃

She　repeated：　〃No；　do　not　come。　I　shall　not　receive　you。　Think　of　my
daughters！〃

〃Then　tell　me　where　I　can　meet　youin　the　streetit　matters　not
whereat　any　hour　you　wishprovided　that　I　can　see　you。　I　will
greet　you；　I　will　say；　I　love　you；　and　then　go　away。〃

She　hesitated；　almost　distracted。　As　the　coupe　stopped　at　the　door；
she　whispered　hastily：　〃I　will　be　at　La　Trinite　to…morrow；　at　half
past　three。〃

After　alighting；　she　said　to　her　coachman：　〃Take　M。　du　Roy　home。〃

When　he　returned；　his　wife　asked：　〃Where　have　you　been？〃

He　replied　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　have　been　to　send　an　important
telegram。〃

Mme。　de　Marelle　approached　him：　〃You　must　take　me　home；　Bel…Ami；　you
know　that　I　only　dine　so　far　from　home　on　that　condition。〃　Turning
to　Madeleine；　she　asked：　〃You　are　not　jealous？〃

Mme。　du　Roy　replied　slowly：　〃No；　not　at　all。〃

The　guests　departed。　Clotilde；　enveloped　in　laces；　whispered　to
Madeleine　at　the　door：　〃Your　dinner　was　perfect。　In　a　short　while
you　will　have　the　best　political　salon　in　Paris。〃

When　she　was　alone　with　Georges；　she　said：　〃Oh；　my　darling　Bel…Ami；
I　love　you　more　dearly　every　day。〃

The　cab　rolled　on；　and　Georges'　thoughts　were　with　Mme。　Walter。




CHAPTER　XII。

A　MEETING　AND　THE　RESULT


The　July　sun　shone　upon　the　Place　de　la　Trinite；　which　was　almost
deserted。　Du　Roy　drew　out　his　watch。　It　was　only　three　o'clock：　he
was　half　an　hour　too　early。　He　laughed　as　he　thought　of　the　place　of
meeting。　He　entered　the　sacred　edifice　of　La　Trinite；　the　coolness
within　was　refreshing。　Here　and　there　an　old　woman　kneeled　at
prayer；　her　face　in　her　hands。　Du　Roy　looked　at　his　watch　again。　It
was　not　yet　a　quarter　past　three。　He　took　a　seat；　regretting　that　he
could　not　smoke。　At　the　end　of　the　church　near　the　choir；　he　could
hear　the　measured　tread　of　a　corpulent　man　whom　he　had　noticed　when
he　entered。　Suddenly　the　rustle　of　a　gown　made　him　start。　It　was
she。　He　arose　and　advanced　quickly。　She　did　not　offer　him　her　hand
and　whispered：　〃I　have　only　a　few　minutes。　You　must　kneel　near　me
that　no　one　will　notice　us。〃

She　proceeded　to　a　side　aisle　after　saluting　the　Host　on　the　High
Altar；　took　a　footstool；　and　kneeled　down。　Georges　took　one　beside
it　and　when　they　were　in　the　attitude　of　prayer；　he　said：　〃Thank
you；　thank　you。　I　adore　you。　I　should　like　to　tell　you　constantly
how　I　began　to　love　you；　how　I　was　conquered　the　first　time　I　saw
you。　Will　you　permit　me　some　day　to　unburden　my　heart；　to　explain
all　to　you？〃

She　replied　between　her　fingers：　〃I　am　mad　to　let　you　speak　to　me
thusmad　to　have　come　hithermad　to　do　as　I　have　done；　to　let　you
believe　that　thisthis　adventure　can　have　any　results。　Forget　it；
and　never　speak　to　me　of　it　again。〃　She　paused。

He　replied：　〃I　expect　nothingI　hope　nothingI　love　youwhatever
you　may　do；　I　will　repeat　it　so　often；　with　so　much　force　and　ardor
that　you　will　finally　understand　me；　and　reply：　'I　love　you　too。'〃

He　felt　her　frame　tremble　as　she　involuntarily　repeated：　〃I　love　you
too。〃

He　was　overcome　by　astonishment。

〃Oh；　my　God！〃　she　continued　incoherently；　〃Should　I　say　that　to　you？
I　feel　guilty；　despicableIwho　have　two　daughtersbut　I　cannot
cannotI　never　thoughtit　was　stronger　than　IlistenlistenI
have　never　lovedany　otherbut　youI　swear　itI　have　loved　you　a
year　in　secretI　have　suffered　and　struggledI　can　no　longer；　I
love　you。〃　She　wept　and　her　bowed　form　was　shaken　by　the　violence　of
her　emotion。

Georges　murmured：　〃Give　me　your　hand　that　I　may　touch；　may　press
it。〃

She　slowly　took　her　hand　from　her　face；　he　seized　it　saying：　〃I
should　like　to　drink　your　tears！〃

Placing　the　hand　he　held　upon　his　heart　he　asked：　〃Do　you　feel　it
beat？〃

In　a　few　moments　the　man　Georges　had　noticed　before　passed　by　them。
When　Mme。　Walter　heard　him　near　her；　she　snatched　her　fingers　from
Georges's　clasp　and　covered　her　face　with　them。　After　the　man　had
disappeared；　Du　Roy　asked；　hoping　for　another　place　of　meeting　than
La　Trinite：　〃Where　shall　I　see　you　to…morrow？〃

She　did　not　reply；　she　seemed　transformed　into　a　statue　of　prayer。
He　continued：　〃Shall　I　meet　you　to…morrow　at　Park　Monceau？〃

She　turned　a　livid　face　toward　him　and　said　unsteadily：　〃Leave　me
leave　me　nowgogo　awayfor　only　five　minutesI　suffer　too　much
near　you。　I　want　to　praygo。　Let　me　pray　alonefive　minuteslet
me　ask　Godto　pardon　meto　save　meleave　mefive　minutes。〃

She　looked　so　pitiful　that　he　rose　without　a　word　and　asked　with
some　hesitation：　〃Shall　I　return　presently？〃

She　nodded　her　head　in　the　affirmative　and　he　left　her。　She　tried　to
pray；　she　closed　her　eyes　in　order　not　to　see　Georges。　She　could　not
pray；　she　could　only　think　of　him。　She　would　rather　have　died　than
have　fallen　thus；　she　had　never　been　weak。　She　murmured　several
words　of　supplication；　she　knew　that　all　was　over；　that　the　struggle
was　in　vain。　She　did　not　however　wish　to　yield；　but　she　felt　her
weakness。　Some　one　approached　with　a　rapid　step；　she　turned　her
head。　It　was　a　priest。　She　rose；　ran　toward　him；　and　clasping　her
hands；　she　cried：　〃Save　me；　save　me！〃

He　stopped　in　surprise。

〃What　do　you　want；　Madame？〃

〃I　want　you　to　save　me。　Have　pity　on　me。　If　you　do　not　help　me；　I　am
lost！〃

He　gazed　at　her；　wondering　if　she　were　mad。

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　The　priest　was　a　young　man　somewhat
inclined　to　corpulence。

〃Receive　my　confession；〃　said　she；　〃and　counsel　me；　sustain　me；　tell
me　what　to　do。〃

He　replied：　〃I　confess　every　Saturday　from　three　to　six。〃

Seizing　his　arm　she　repeated：　〃No；　now；　at　onceat　once！　It　is
necessary！　He　is　here！　In　this　church！　He　is　waiting　for　me。〃

The　priest　asked：　〃Who　is　waiting　for　you？〃

〃A　manwho　will　be　my　ruin　if　you　do　not　save　me。　I　can　no　longer
escape　himI　am　too　weaktoo　weak；〃

She　fell　upon　her　knees　sobbing：　〃Oh；　father；　have　pity　upon　me。
Save　me；　for　God's　sake；　save　me！〃　She　seized　his　gown　that　he　might
not　escape　her；　while　he　uneasily　glanced　around　on　all　sides　to　see
if　anyone　noticed　the　woman　at　his　feet。　Finally；　seeing　that　he
could　not　free　himself　from　her；　he　said：　〃Rise；　I　have　the　key　to
the　confessional　with　me。〃

　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　*

Du　Roy　having　walked　around　the　choir；　was　sauntering　down　the　nave；
when　he　met　the　stout；　bold　man　wandering　about；　and　he　wondered：
〃What　can　he　be　doing　here？〃

The　man　slackened　his　pace　and　looked　at　Georges　with　the　evident
desire　to　speak　to　him。　When　he　was　near　him；　he　bowed　and　said
politely：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　for　disturbing　you；　but　can　you　tell　me
when　this　church　was　built？〃

Du　Roy　replied：　〃I　do　not　know；　I　think　it　is　twenty　or　twenty…five
years。　It　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　here。　I　have　never　seen　it
before。〃　Feeling　interested　in　the　stranger；　the　journalist
continued：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　are　examining　into　it　very
carefully。〃

The　man　replied：　〃I　am　not　visiting　the　church；　I　have　an
appointment。〃　He　paused　and　in　a　few　moments　added：　〃It　is　very　warm
outside。〃

Du　Roy　looked　at　him　and　suddenly　though