bel ami-第29章

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to　a　woman　unless〃

She　trembled；　and　could　scarcely　take　out　the　pins　which　fastened
the　transparent　tissue。　Then　she　stammered　in　an　agitated　manner：
〃You　are　madyou　areyou　areyou　did　not　thinkhe　would　leave
you　anything！〃

Georges　replied；　emphazing　each　word：　〃Yes；　he　could　have　left　me
something；　me；　your　husband；　his　friend；　but　not　you；　my　wife　and
his　friend。　The　distinction　is　material　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。〃

Madeleine　gazed　at　him　fixedly：　〃It　seems　to　me　that　the　world　would
have　considered　a　legacy　from　him　to　you　very　strange。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because；〃she　hesitated；　then　continued：　〃Because　you　are　my
husband；　because　you　were　not　well　acquainted；　because　I　have　been
his　friend　so　long；　because　his　first　will；　made　during　Forestier's
lifetime；　was　already　in　my　favor。〃

Georges　began　to　pace　to　and　fro。　He　finally　said：　〃You　cannot
accept　that。〃

She　answered　indifferently：　〃Very　well；　it　is　not　necessary　then　to
wait　until　Saturday；　you　can　inform　M。　Lamaneur　at　once。〃

He　paused　before　her；　and　they　gazed　into　one　another's　eyes　as　if
by　that　mute　and　ardent　interrogation　they　were　trying　to　examine
each　other's　consciences。　In　a　low　voice　he　murmured：　〃Come；　confess
your　relations。〃

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃You　are　absurd。　Vaudrec　was　very　fond
of　me；　very；　but　there　was　nothing　more；　never。〃

He　stamped　his　foot。　〃You　lie！　It　is　not　possible。〃

She　replied　calmly：　〃It　is　so；　nevertheless。〃

He　resumed　his　pacing　to　and　fro；　then　pausing　again；　he　said：
〃Explain　to　me；　then；　why　he　left　all　his　fortune　to　you。〃

She　did　so　with　a　nonchalant　air：　〃It　is　very　simple。　As　you　said
just　now；　we　were　his　only　friends；　or　rather；　I　was　his　only
friend；　for　he　knew　me　when　a　child。　My　mother　was　a　governess　in
his　father's　house。　He　came　here　continually；　and　as　he　had　no　legal
heirs；　he　selected　me。　It　is　possible　that　he　even　loved　me　a
little。　But　what　woman　has　never　been　loved　thus？　He　brought　me
flowers　every　Monday。　You　were　never　surprised　at　that；　and　he　never
brought　you　any。　To…day　he　leaves　me　his　fortune　for　the　same
reason；　because　he　had　no　one　else　to　leave　it　to。　It　would　on　the
other　hand　have　been　extremely　surprising　if　he　had　left　it　to　you。〃

〃Why？〃

〃What　are　you　to　him？〃

She　spoke　so　naturally　and　so　calmly　that　Georges　hesitated　before
replying：　〃It　makes　no　difference；　we　cannot　accept　that　bequest
under　those　conditions。　Everyone　would　talk　about　it　and　laugh　at
me。　My　fellow…journalists　are　already　too　much　disposed　to　be
jealous　of　me　and　to　attack　me。　I　have　to　be　especially　careful　of
my　honor　and　my　reputation。　I　cannot　permit　my　wife　to　accept　a
legacy　of　that　kind　from　a　man　whom　rumor　has　already　assigned　to
her　as　her　lover。　Forestier　might　perhaps　have　tolerated　that；　but　I
shall　not。〃

She　replied　gently：　〃Very　well；　my　dear；　we　will　not　take　it；　it
will　be　a　million　less　in　our　pockets；　that　is　all。〃

Georges　paced　the　room　and　uttered　his　thoughts　aloud；　thus　speaking
to　his　wife　without　addressing　her：

〃Yes；　a　millionso　much　the　worse。　He　did　not　think　when　making　his
will　what　a　breach　of　etiquette　he　was　committing。　He　did　not
realize　in　what　a　false；　ridiculous　position　he　was　placing　me。　He
should　have　left　half　of　it　to　methat　would　have　made　matters
right。〃

He　seated　himself；　crossed　his　legs　and　began　to　twist　the　ends　of
his　mustache；　as　was　his　custom　when　annoyed；　uneasy；　or　pondering
over　a　weighty　question。

Madeleine　took　up　a　piece　of　embroidery　upon　which　she　worked
occasionally；　and　said：　〃I　have　nothing　to　say。　You　must　decide。〃

It　was　some　time　before　he　replied；　then　he　said　hesitatingly：　〃The
world　would　never　understand　how　it　was　that　Vaudrec　constituted　you
his　sole　heiress　and　that　I　allowed　it。　To　accept　that　legacy　would
be　to　avow　guilty　relations　on　your　part　and　an　infamous　lack　of
self…respect　on　mine。　Do　you　know　how　the　acceptance　of　it　might　be
interpreted？　We　should　have　to　find　some　adroit　means　of　palliating
it。　We　should　have　to　give　people　to　suppose；　for　instance；　that　he
divided　his　fortune　between　us；　giving　half　to　you　and　half　to　me。〃

She　said：　〃I　do　not　see　how　that　can　be　done；　since　there　is　a
formal　will。〃

He　replied：　〃Oh；　that　is　very　simple。　We　have　no　children；　you　can
therefore　deed　me　part　of　the　inheritance。　In　that　way　we　can
silence　malignant　tongues。〃

She　answered　somewhat　impatiently：　〃I　do　not　see　how　we　can　silence
malignant　tongues　since　the　will　is　there；　signed　by　Vaudrec。〃

He　said　angrily：　〃Do　you　need　to　exhibit　it；　or　affix　it　to　the
door？　You　are　absurd！　We　will　say　that　the　fortune　was　left　us
jointly　by　Count　de　Vaudrec。　That　is　all。　You　cannot；　moreover；
accept　the　legacy　without　my　authority；　I　will　only　consent　on　the
condition　of　a　partition　which　will　prevent　me　from　becoming　a
laughing…stock　for　the　world。〃

She　glanced　sharply　at　him：　〃As　you　will。　I　am　ready。〃

He　seemed　to　hesitate　again；　rose；　paced　the　floor；　and　avoiding　his
wife's　piercing　gaze；　he　said：　〃Nodecidedly　noperhaps　it　would
be　better　to　renounce　it　altogetherit　would　be　more　correctmore
honorable。　From　the　nature　of　the　bequest　even　charitably…disposed
people　would　suspect　illicit　relations。〃

He　paused　before　Madeleine。　〃If　you　like；　my　darling；　I　will　return
to　M。　Lamaneur's　alone；　to　consult　him　and　to　explain　the　matter　to
him。　I　will　tell　him　of　my　scruples　and　I　will　add　that　we　have
agreed　to　divide　it　in　order　to　avoid　any　scandal。　From　the　moment
that　I　accept　a　portion　of　the　inheritance　it　will　be　evident　that
there　is　nothing　wrong。　I　can　say：　'My　wife　accepts　it　because　I；
her　husband；　accept'I；　who　am　the　best　judge　of　what　she　can　do
without　compromising　herself。〃

Madeleine　simply　murmured：　〃As　you　wish。〃

He　continued：　〃Yes；　it　will　be　as　clear　as　day　if　that　is　done。　We
inherit　a　fortune　from　a　friend　who　wished　to　make　no　distinction
between　us；　thereby　showing　that　his　liking　for　you　was　purely
Platonic。　You　may　be　sure　that　if　he　had　given　it　a　thought；　that　is
what　he　would　have　done。　He　did　not　reflecthe　did　not　foresee　the
consequences。　As　you　said　just　now；　he　offered　you　flowers　every
week；　he　left　you　his　wealth。〃

She　interrupted　him　with　a　shade　of　annoyance：

〃I　understand。　No　more　explanations　are　necessary。　Go　to　the　notary
at　once。〃

He　stammered　in　confusion：　〃You　are　right；　I　will　go。〃　He　took　his
hat；　and；　as　he　was　leaving　the　room；　he　asked：　〃Shall　I　try　to
compromise　with　the　nephew　for　fifty　thousand　francs？〃

She　replied　haughtily：　〃No。　Give　him　the　hundred　thousand　francs　he
demands；　and　take　them　from　my　share　if　you　wish。〃

Abashed；　he　murmured：　〃No；　we　will　share　it。　After　deducting　fifty
thousand　francs　each　we　will　still　have　a　million　net。〃　Then　he
added：　〃Until　later；　my　little　Made。〃

He　proceeded　to　the　notary's　to　explain　the　arrangement　decided
upon；　which　he　claimed　originated　with　his　wife。　The　following　day
they　signed　a　deed　for　five　hundred　thousand　francs；　which　Madeleine
du　Roy　gave　up　to　her　husband。

On　leaving　the　office；　as　it　was　pleasant；　Georges　proposed　that
they　take　a　stroll　along　the　boulevards。　He　was　very　tender；　very
careful　of　her；　and　laughed　joyously　while　she　remained　pensive　and
grave。

It　was　a　cold；　autumn　day。　The　pedestrians　seemed　in　haste　and
walked　along　rapidly。

Du　Roy　led　his　wife　to　the　shop　into　the　windows　of　which　he　had　so
often　gazed　at　the　coveted　chronometer。

〃Shall　I　buy　you　some　trinket？〃　he　asked。

She　replied　indifferently：　〃As　you　like。〃

They　entered　the　shop：　〃What　would　you　prefer；　a　necklace；　a
bracelet；　or　earrings？〃

The　sight　of　the　brilliant　gems　made　her　eyes　sparkle　in　spite　of
herself；　as　she　glanced　at　the　cases　filled　with　costly　baubles。

Suddenly　she　exclaimed：　〃There　is　a　lovely　bracelet。〃

It　was　a　chain；　very　unique　in　shape；　every　link　of　which　was　set
with　a　different　stone。

Georges　asked：　〃How　much　is　that　bracelet？〃

The　jeweler　replied：　〃Three　thousand　francs；　sir。〃

〃If　you　will　let　me　have　it　for　two　thousand　five　hundred；　I　will
take　it。〃

The　man　hesitated；　then　replied：　〃No；　sir；　it　is　impossible。〃

Du　Roy　said：