bel ami-第27章
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seat at his feet。 She continued：
〃As I think of you continually； I pay attention to what is talked of
around me；〃 and she proceeded to tell him what she had heard
relative to the expedition to Tangiers which had been decided upon
the day that Laroche assumed his office； she told him how they had
little by little bought up； through agents who aroused no
suspicions； the Moroccan loan； which had fallen to sixty…four or
sixty…five francs； how when the expedition was entered upon the
French government would guarantee the debt； and their friends would
make fifty or sixty millions。
He cried： 〃Are you sure of that？〃
She replied： 〃Yes； I am sure。〃
He continued： 〃That is indeed fine！ As for that rascal of a Laroche；
let him beware！ I will get his ministerial carcass between my
fingers yet！〃
Then； after a moment's reflection； he muttered： 〃One might profit by
that！〃
〃You too can buy some stock；〃 said she； 〃it is only seventy…two
francs。〃
He replied： 〃But I have no ready money。〃
She raised her eyes to hiseyes full of supplication。
〃I have thought of that； my darling； and if you love me a little；
you will let me lend it to you。〃
He replied abruptly； almost harshly： 〃No； indeed。〃
She whispered imploringly： 〃Listen； there is something you can do
without borrowing money。 I intended buying ten thousand francs'
worth of the stock； instead； I will take twenty thousand and you can
have half。 There will be nothing to pay at once。 If it succeeds； we
will make seventy thousand francs； if not； you will owe me ten
thousand which you can repay at your pleasure。〃
He said again： 〃No； I do not like those combinations。〃
She tried to persuade him by telling him that she advanced nothing
that the payments were made by Walter's bank。 She pointed out to him
that he had led the political campaign in 〃La Vie Francaise；〃 and
that he would be very simple not to profit by the results he had
helped to bring about。 As he still hesitated； she added： 〃It is in
reality Walter who will advance the money； and you have done enough
for him to offset that sum。〃
〃Very well；〃 said he； 〃I will do it。 If we lose I will pay you back
ten thousand francs。〃
She was so delighted that she rose； took his head between her hands；
and kissed him。 At first he did not repulse her； but when she grew
more lavish with her caresses； he said：
〃Come； that will do。〃
She gazed at him sadly。 〃Oh； Georges； I can no longer even embrace
you。〃
〃No； not to…day。 I have a headache。〃
She reseated herself with docility at his feet and asked：
〃Will you dine with us to…morrow？ It would give me such pleasure；〃
He hesitated at first； but dared not refuse。
〃Yes； certainly。〃
〃Thank you； dearest。〃 She rubbed her cheek against the young man's
vest； as she did so； one of her long black hairs caught on a button；
she twisted it tightly around； then she twisted another around
another button and so on。 When he rose； he would tear them out of
her head； and would carry away with him unwittingly a lock of her
hair。 It would be an invisible bond between them。 Involuntarily he
would think； would dream of her； he would love her a little more the
next day。
Suddenly he said： 〃I must leave you； for I am expected at the
Chamber for the close of the session。 I cannot be absent to…day。〃
She sighed： 〃Already！〃 Then adding resignedly： 〃Go； my darling； but
you will come to dinner tomorrow〃； she rose abruptly。 For a moment
she felt a sharp； stinging pain； as if needles had been stuck into
her head； but she was glad to have suffered for him。
〃Adieu；〃 said she。
He took her in his arms and kissed her eyes coldly； then she offered
him her lips which he brushed lightly as he said： 〃Come； come； let
us hurry； it is after three o'clock。〃
She passed out before him saying： 〃To…morrow at seven〃； he repeated
her words and they separated。
Du Roy returned at four o'clock to await his mistress。 She was
somewhat late because her husband had come home for a week。 She
asked：
〃Can you come to dinner to…morrow？ He will be delighted to see you。〃
〃No； I dine at the Walters。 We have a great many political and
financial matters to talk over。〃
She took off her hat。 He pointed to a bag on the mantelpiece： 〃I
bought you some sweetmeats。〃
She clapped her hands。 〃What a darling you are！〃 She took them；
tasted one； and said： 〃They are delicious。 I shall not leave one。
Come； sit down in the armchair； I will sit at your feet and eat my
bonbons。〃
He smiled as he saw her take the seat a short while since occupied
by Mme。 Walter。 She too； called him 〃darling； little one； dearest；〃
and the words seemed to him sweet and caressing from her lips； while
from Mme。 Walter's they irritated and nauseated him。
Suddenly he remembered the seventy thousand francs he was going to
make； and bluntly interrupting Mme。 de Marelle's chatter； he said：
〃Listen； my darling； I am going to intrust you with a message to
your husband。 Tell him from me to buy to…morrow ten thousand francs'
worth of Moroccan stock which is at seventy…two； and I predict that
before three months are passed he will have made eighty thousand
francs。 Tell him to maintain absolute silence。 Tell him that the
expedition to Tangiers； is decided upon； and that the French
government will guarantee the Moroccan debt。 It is a state secret I
am confiding to you； remember！〃
She listened to him gravely and murmured：
〃Thank you。 I will tell my husband this evening。 You may rely upon
him； he will not speak of it； he can be depended upon； there is no
danger。〃
She had eaten all of her bonbons and began to toy with the buttons
on his vest。 Suddenly she drew a long hair out of the buttonhole and
began to laugh。
〃See！ Here is one of Madeleine's hairs； you are a faithful husband！〃
Then growing serious； she examined the scarcely perceptible thread
more closely and said： 〃It is not Madeleine's； it is dark。〃
He smiled。 〃It probably belongs to the housemaid。〃
But she glanced at the vest with the care of a police…inspector and
found a second hair twisted around a second button； then she saw a
third； and turning pale and trembling somewhat； she exclaimed： 〃Oh；
some woman has left hairs around all your buttons。〃
In surprise； he stammered： 〃Why youyou are mad。〃
She continued to unwind the hairs and cast them upon the floor。 With
her woman's instinct she had divined their meaning and gasped in her
anger； ready to cry：
〃She loves you and she wished you to carry away with you something
of hers。 Oh； you are a traitor。〃 She uttered a shrill； nervous cry：
〃Oh； it is an old woman's hairhere is a white oneyou have taken
a fancy to an old woman now。 Then you do not need mekeep the other
one。〃 She rose。
He attempted to detain her and stammered： 〃NoCloyou are absurd
I do not know whose it islistenstayseestay〃
But she repeated： 〃Keep your old womankeep herhave a chain made
of her hairof her gray hairthere is enough for that〃
Hastily she donned her hat and veil； and when he attempted to touch
her she struck him in the face； and made her escape while he was
stunned by the blow。 When he found that he was alone； he cursed Mme。
Walter； bathed his face； and went out vowing vengeance。 That time he
would not pardon。 No； indeed。
He strolled to the boulevard and stopped at a jeweler's to look at a
chronometer he had wanted for some time and which would cost
eighteen hundred francs。 He thought with joy： 〃If I make my seventy
thousand francs； I can pay for it〃and he began to dream of all the
things he would do when he got the money。 First of all he would
become a deputy； then he would buy the chronometer； then he would
speculate on 'Change； and then； and thenhe did not enter the
office； preferring to confer with Madeleine before seeing Walter
again and writing his article； he turned toward home。 He reached Rue
Drouot when he paused； he had forgotten to inquire for Count de
Vaudrec； who lived on Chaussee d'Antin。 He retraced his steps with a
light heart； thinking of a thousand thingsof the fortune he would
make；of that rascal of a Laroche； and of old Walter。
He was not at all uneasy as to Clotilde's anger； knowing that she
would soon forgi
