bel ami-第33章

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She　was　astonished。

〃You？〃

〃Yes；　I。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　I　love　you　and　you　know　it〃

Then　she　said　severely：　〃You　are　mad；　Bel…Ami！〃

He　replied：　〃I　know　that　I　am！　Should　I　confess　itI；　a　married
man；　to　you；　a　young　girl？　I　am　worse　than　madI　am　culpable；
wretchedI　have　no　possible　hope；　and　that　thought　almost　destroys
my　reason。　When　I　hear　that　you　are　going　to　be　married；　I　feel
murder　in　my　heart。　You　must　forgive　me；　Suzanne。〃

He　paused。　The　young　girl　murmured　half　sadly；　half　gaily：　〃It　is　a
pity　that　you　are　married；　but　what　can　you　do？　It　cannot　be
helped。〃

He　turned　toward　her　abruptly　and　said：　〃If　I　were　free　would　you
marry　me？〃

She　replied：　〃Yes；　Bel…Ami；　I　would　marry　you　because　I　love　you
better　than　any　of　the　others。〃

He　rose　and　stammering：　〃Thanksthanksdo　not；　I　implore　you；　say
yes　to　anyone。　Wait　a　while。　Promise　me。〃

Somewhat　confused；　and　without　comprehending　what　he　asked；　she
whispered：　〃I　promise。〃

Du　Roy　threw　a　large　piece　of　bread　into　the　water　and　fled；　without
saying　adieu；　as　if　he　were　beside　himself。　Suzanne；　in　surprise；
returned　to　the　salon。

When　Du　Roy　arrived　home；　he　asked　Madeleine；　who　was　writing
letters：　〃Shall　you　dine　at　the　Walters'　Friday？　I　am　going。〃

She　hesitated：　〃No；　I　am　not　well。　I　prefer　to　remain　here。〃

〃As　you　like。　No　one　will　force　you。〃　Then　he　took　up　his　hat　and
went　out。

For　some　time　he　had　watched　and　followed　her；　knowing　all　her
actions。　The　time　he　had　awaited　had　come　at　length。

On　Friday　he　dressed　early；　in　order；　as　he　said；　to　make　several
calls　before　going　to　M。　Walter's。　At　about　six　o'clock；　after
having　kissed　his　wife；　he　went　in　search　of　a　cab。　He　said　to　the
cabman：　〃You　can　stop　at　No。　17　Rue　Fontaine；　and　remain　there　until
I　order　you　to　go　on。　Then　you　can　take　me　to　the　restaurant　Du　Coq…
Faisan；　Rue　Lafayette。〃

The　cab　rolled　slowly　on；　Du　Roy　lowered　the　shades。　When　in　front
of　his　house；　he　kept　watch　of　it。　After　waiting　ten　minutes；　he　saw
Madeleine　come　out　and　go　toward　the　boulevards。　When　she　was　out　of
earshot；　he　put　his　head　out　of　the　window　and　cried：　〃Go　on！〃

The　cab　proceeded　on　its　way　and　stopped　at　the　Coq…Faisan。　Georges
entered　the　dining…room　and　ate　slowly；　looking　at　his　watch　from
time　to　time。　At　seven…thirty　he　left　and　drove　to　Rue　La
Rochefoucauld。　He　mounted　to　the　third　story　of　a　house　in　that
street；　and　asked　the　maid　who　opened　the　door：　〃Is　M。　Guibert　de
Lorme　at　home？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

He　was　shown　into　the　drawing…room；　and　after　waiting　some　time；　a
tall　man　with　a　military　bearing　and　gray　hair　entered。　He　was　the
police　commissioner。

Du　Roy　bowed；　then　said：　〃As　I　suspected；　my　wife　is　with　her　lover
in　furnished　apartments　they　have　rented　on　Rue　des　Martyrs。〃

The　magistrate　bowed：　〃I　am　at　your　service；　sir。〃

〃Very　well；　I　have　a　cab　below。〃　And　with　three　other　officers　they
proceeded　to　the　house　in　which　Du　Roy　expected　to　surprise　his
wife。　One　officer　remained　at　the　door　to　watch　the　exit；　on　the
second　floor　they　halted；　Du　Roy　rang　the　bell　and　they　waited。　In
two　or　three　minutes　Georges　rang　again　several　times　in　succession。
They　heard　a　light　step　approach；　and　a　woman's　voice；　evidently
disguised；　asked：

〃Who　is　there？〃

The　police　officer　replied：　〃Open　in　the　name　of　the　law。〃

The　voice　repeated：　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃I　am　the　police　commissioner。　Open；　or　I　will　force　the　door。〃

The　voice　continued：　〃What　do　you　want？〃

Du　Roy　interrupted：　〃It　is　I；　it　is　useless　to　try　to　escape　us。〃

The　footsteps　receded　and　then　returned。　Georges　said：　〃If　you　do
not　open；　we　will　force　the　door。〃

Receiving　no　reply　he　shook　the　door　so　violently　that　the　old　lock
gave　way；　and　the　young　man　almost　fell　over　Madeleine；　who　was
standing　in　the　antechamber　in　her　petticoat；　her　hair　loosened；　her
feet　bare；　and　a　candle　in　her　hand。

He　exclaimed：　〃It　is　she。　We　have　caught　them；〃　and　he　rushed　into
the　room。　The　commissioner　turned　to　Madeleine；　who　had　followed
them　through　the　rooms；　in　one　of　which　were　the　remnants　of　a
supper；　and　looking　into　her　eyes　said：

〃You　are　Mme。　Claire　Madeleine　du　Roy；　lawful　wife　of　M。　Prosper
Georges　du　Roy；　here　present？〃

She　replied：　〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃

She　made　no　reply。　The　officer　repeated　his　question；　still　she　did
not　reply。　He　waited　several　moments　and　then　said：　〃If　you　do　not
confess；　Madame；　I　shall　be　forced　to　inquire　into　the　matter。〃

They　could　see　a　man's　form　concealed　beneath　the　covers　of　the　bed。
Du　Roy　advanced　softly　and　uncovered　the　livid　face　of　M。　Laroche…
Mathieu。

The　officer　again　asked：　〃Who　are　you？〃

As　the　man　did　not　reply；　he　continued：　〃I　am　the　police
commissioner　and　I　call　upon　you　to　tell　me　your　name。　If　you　do　not
answer；　I　shall　be　forced　to　arrest　you。　In　any　case；　rise。　I　will
interrogate　you　when　you　are　dressed。〃

In　the　meantime　Madeleine　had　regained　her　composure；　and　seeing
that　all　was　lost；　she　was　determined　to　put　a　brave　face　upon　the
matter。　Her　eyes　sparkled　with　the　audacity　of　bravado；　and　taking　a
piece　of　paper　she　lighted　the　ten　candles　in　the　candelabra　as　if
for　a　reception。　That　done；　she　leaned　against　the　mantelpiece；　took
a　cigarette　out　of　a　case；　and　began　to　smoke；　seeming　not　to　see
her　husband。

In　the　meantime　the　man　in　the　bed　had　dressed　himself　and　advanced。
The　officer　turned　to　him：　〃Now；　sir；　will　you　tell　me　who　you　are？〃

He　made　no　reply。

〃I　see　I　shall　have　to　arrest　you。〃

Then　the　man　cried：　〃Do　not　touch　me。　I　am　inviolable。〃

Du　Roy　rushed　toward　him　exclaiming：　〃I　can　have　you　arrested　if　I
want　to！〃　Then　he　added：　〃This　man's　name　is　Laroche…Mathieu；
minister　of　foreign　affairs。〃

The　officer　retreated　and　stammered：　〃Sir；　will　you　tell　me　who　you
are？〃

〃For　once　that　miserable　fellow　has　not　lied。　I　am　indeed　Laroche…
Mathieu；　minister；〃　and　pointing　to　Georges'　breast；　he　added；　〃and
that　scoundrel　wears　upon　his　coat　the　cross　of　honor　which　I　gave
him。〃

Du　Roy　turned　pale。　With　a　rapid　gesture　he　tore　the　decoration　from
his　buttonhole　and　throwing　it　in　the　fire　exclaimed：　〃That　is　what
a　decoration　is　worth　which　is　given　by　a　scoundrel　of　your　order。〃

The　commissioner　stepped　between　them；　as　they　stood　face　to　face；
saying：　〃Gentlemen；　you　forget　yourselves　and　your　dignity。〃

Madeleine　smoked　on　calmly；　a　smile　hovering　about　her　lips。　The
officer　continued：　〃Sir；　I　have　surprised　you　alone　with　Mme。　du　Roy
under　suspicious　circumstances；　what　have　you　to　say？〃

〃Nothing；　do　your　duty。〃

The　commissioner　turned　to　Madeleine：　〃Do　you　confess；　Madame；　that
this　gentleman　is　your　lover？〃

She　replied　boldly：　〃I　do　not　deny　it。　That　is　sufficient。〃

The　magistrate　made　several　notes；　when　he　had　finished　writing；　the
minister；　who　stood　ready；　coat　upon　arm；　hat　in　hand；　asked：　〃Do
you　need　me　any　longer；　sir？　Can　I　go？〃

Du　Roy　addressed　him　with　an　insolent　smile：　〃Why　should　you　go；　we
have　finished；　we　will　leave　you　alone　together。〃　Then；　taking　the
officer's　arm；　he　said：　〃Let　us　go；　sir；　we　have　nothing　more　to　do
in　this　place。〃

An　hour　later　Georges　du　Roy　entered　the　office　of　〃La　Vie
Francaise。〃　M。　Walter　was　there；　he　raised　his　head　and　asked：
〃What；　are　you　here？　Why　are　you　not　dining　at　my　house？　Where　have
you　come　from？〃

Georges　replied　with　emphasis：　〃I　have　just　found　out　something
about　the　minister　of　foreign　affairs。〃

〃What？〃

〃I　found　him　alone　with　my　wife　in　hired　apartments。　The
commissioner　of　police　was　my　witness。　The　minister　is　ruined。〃

〃Are　you　not　jesting？〃

〃No；　I　am　not。　I　shall　even　write　an　article　on　it。〃

〃What　is　your　object？〃

〃To　overthrow　that　wretch；　that　public　malefactor。〃

Georges　placed　his　hat　upon　a　chair　and　added：　〃Woe　to　those　whom　I
find　in　my　path。　I　never　pardon。〃

The　manager　stammered：　〃But　your　wife？〃

〃I　shall　apply　for　a　divorce　at　once。〃

〃A　divorce？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　master　of　the　situation。　I　shall　be　free。　I　have　a　stated
income。　I　shall　offer　myself　as　a　candidate　in　October　in　my　native
district；　where　I　am　known。　I　could　not　win　any　res