bel ami-第34章

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income。　I　shall　offer　myself　as　a　candidate　in　October　in　my　native
district；　where　I　am　known。　I　could　not　win　any　respect　were　I　to　be
hampered　with　a　wife　whose　honor　was　sullied。　She　took　me　for　a
simpleton；　but　since　I　have　known　her　game；　I　have　watched　her；　and
now　I　shall　get　on；　for　I　shall　be　free。〃

Georges　rose。

〃I　will　write　the　item；　it　must　be　handled　prudently。〃

The　old　man　hesitated；　then　said：　〃Do　so：　it　serves　those　right　who
are　caught　in　such　scrapes。〃




CHAPTER　XVII。

THE　FINAL　PLOT


Three　months　had　elapsed。　Georges　du　Roy's　divorce　had　been
obtained。　His　wife　had　resumed　the　name　of　Forestier。

As　the　Walters　were　going　to　Trouville　on　the　fifteenth　of　July；
they　decided　to　spend　a　day　in　the　country　before　starting。

The　day　chosen　was　Thursday；　and　they　set　out　at　nine　o'clock　in　the
morning　in　a　large　six…seated　carriage　drawn　by　four　horses。　They
were　going　to　lunch　at　Saint…Germain。　Bel…Ami　had　requested　that　he
might　be　the　only　young　man　in　the　party；　for　he　could　not　bear　the
presence　of　the　Marquis　de　Cazolles。　At　the　last　moment；　however；　it
was　decided　that　Count　de　Latour…Ivelin　should　go；　for　he　and　Rose
had　been　betrothed　a　month。　The　day　was　delightful。　Georges；　who　was
very　pale；　gazed　at　Suzanne　as　they　sat　in　the　carriage　and　their
eyes　met。

Mme。　Walter　was　contented　and　happy。　The　luncheon　was　a　long　and
merry　one。　Before　leaving　for　Paris；　Du　Roy　proposed　a　walk　on　the
terrace。　They　stopped　on　the　way　to　admire　the　view；　as　they　passed
on；　Georges　and　Suzanne　lingered　behind。　The　former　whispered
softly：　〃Suzanne；　I　love　you　madly。〃

She　whispered　in　return：　〃I　love　you　too；　Bel…Ami。〃

He　continued：　〃If　I　cannot　have　you　for　my　wife；　I　shall　leave　the
country。〃

She　replied：　〃Ask　papa。　Perhaps　he　will　consent。〃

He　answered　impatiently：　〃No；　I　repeat　that　it　is　useless；　the　door
of　the　house　would　be　closed　against　me。　I　would　lose　my　position　on
the　journal；　and　we　would　not　even　meet。　Those　are　the　consequences
a　formal　proposal　would　produce。　They　have　promised　you　to　the
Marquis　de　Cazolles；　they　hope　you　will　finally　say　'yes'　and　they
are　waiting。〃

〃What　can　we　do？〃

〃Have　you　the　courage　to　brave　your　father　and　mother　for　my　sake？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Truly？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well！　There　is　only　one　way。　It　must　come　from　you　and　not　from　me。
You　are　an　indulged　child；　they　let　you　say　anything　and　are　not
surprised　at　any　audacity　on　your　part。　Listen；　then！　This　evening
on　returning　home；　go　to　your　mother　first；　and　tell　her　that　you
want　to　marry　me。　She　will　be　very　much　agitated　and　very　angry。〃

Suzanne　interrupted　him：　〃Oh；　mamma　would　be　glad。〃

He　replied　quickly：　〃No；　no；　you　do　not　know　her。　She　will　be　more
vexed　than　your　father。　But　you　must　insist；　you　must　not　yield；　you
must　repeat　that　you　will　marry　me　and　me　alone。　Will　you　do　so？〃

〃I　will。〃

〃And　on　leaving　your　mother；　repeat　the　same　thing　to　your　father
very　decidedly。〃

〃Well；　and　then〃

〃And　then　matters　will　reach　a　climax！　If　you　are　determined　to　be
my　wife；　my　dear；　dear；　little　Suzanne；　I　will　elope　with　you。〃

She　clapped　her　hands；　as　all　the　charming　adventures　in　the
romances　she　had　read　occurred　to　her；　and　cried：

〃Oh；　what　bliss！　When　will　you　elope　with　me？〃

He　whispered　very　low：　〃To…night！〃

〃Where　shall　we　go？〃

〃That　is　my　secret。　Think　well　of　what　you　are　doing。　Remember　that
after　that　flight　you　must　become　my　wife。　It　is　the　only　means；　but
it　is　dangerousvery　dangerousfor　you。〃

〃I　have　decided。　Where　shall　I　meet　you？〃

〃Meet　me　about　midnight　in　the　Place　de　la　Concorde。〃

〃I　will　be　there。〃

He　clasped　her　hand。　〃Oh；　how　I　love　you！　How　brave　and　good　you
are！　Then　you　do　not　want　to　marry　Marquis　de　Cazolles？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃

Mme。　Walter；　turning　her　head；　called　out：　〃Come；　little　one；　what
are　you　and　Bel…Ami　doing？〃

They　rejoined　the　others　and　returned　by　way　of　Chatou。　When　the
carriage　arrived　at　the　door　of　the　mansion；　Mme。　Walter　pressed
Georges　to　dine　with　them；　but　he　refused；　and　returned　home　to　look
over　his　papers　and　destroy　any　compromising　letters。　Then　he
repaired　in　a　cab　with　feverish　haste　to　the　place　of　meeting。　He
waited　there　some　time；　and　thinking　his　ladylove　had　played　him
false；　he　was　about　to　drive　off；　when　a　gentle　voice　whispered　at
the　door　of　his　cab：　〃Are　you　there；　Bel…Ami？〃

〃Is　it　you；　Suzanne？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Ah；　get　in。〃　She　entered　the　cab　and　he　bade　the　cabman　drive　on。

He　asked：　〃Well；　how　did　it　all　pass　off？〃

She　murmured　faintly：

〃Oh；　it　was　terrible；　with　mamma　especially。〃

〃Your　mamma？　What　did　she　say？　Tell　me！〃

〃Oh；　it　was　frightful！　I　entered　her　room　and　made　the　little　speech
I　had　prepared。　She　turned　pale　and　cried：　'Never！'　I　wept；　I
protested　that　I　would　marry　only　you；　she　was　like　a　mad　woman；　she
vowed　I　should　be　sent　to　a　convent。　I　never　saw　her　like　that；
never。　Papa；　hearing　her　agitated　words；　entered。　He　was　not　as
angry　as　she　was；　but　he　said　you　were　not　a　suitable　match　for　me。
As　they　had　vexed　me；　I　talked　louder　than　they；　and　papa　with　a
dramatic　air　bade　me　leave　the　room。　That　decided　me　to　fly　with
you。　And　here　I　am；　where　shall　we　go？〃

He　replied；　encircling　her　waist　with　his　arm：　〃It　is　too　late　to
take　the　train；　this　cab　will　take　us　to　Sevres　where　we　can　spend
the　night；　and　to…morrow　we　will　leave　for　La　Roche…Guyon。　It　is　a
pretty　village　on　the　banks　of　the　Seine　between　Mantes　and
Bonnieres。〃

The　cab　rolled　on。　Georges　took　the　young　girl's　hand　and　kissed　it
respectfully。　He　did　not　know　what　to　say　to　her；　being　unaccustomed
to　Platonic　affection。　Suddenly　he　perceived　that　she　was　weeping。
He　asked　in　affright：

〃What　ails　you；　my　dear　little　one？〃

She　replied　tearfully：　〃I　was　thinking　that　poor　mamma　could　not
sleep　if　she　had　found　out　that　I　was　gone！〃

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Her　mother　indeed　was　not　asleep。

When　Suzanne　left　the　room；　Mine。　Walter　turned　to　her　husband　and
asked　in　despair：　〃What　does　that　mean？〃

〃It　means　that　that　intriguer　has　influenced　her。　It　is　he　who　has
made　her　refuse　Cazolles。　You　have　flattered　and　cajoled　him；　too。
It　was　Bel…Ami　here；　Bel…Ami　there；　from　morning　until　night。　Now
you　are　paid　for　it！〃

〃I？〃

〃Yes；　you。　You　are　as　much　infatuated　with　him　as　Madeleine；
Suzanne；　and　the　rest　of　them。　Do　you　think　that　I　did　not　see　that
you　could　not　exist　for　two　days　without　him？〃

She　rose　tragically：　〃I　will　not　allow　you　to　speak　to　me　thus。　You
forget　that　I　was　not　brought　up　like　you；　in　a　shop。〃

With　an　oath；　he　left　the　room；　banging　the　door　behind　him。

When　he　was　gone；　she　thought　over　all　that　had　taken　place。　Suzanne
was　in　love　with　Bel…Ami；　and　Bel…Ami　wanted　to　marry　Suzanne！　No；
it　was　not　true！　She　was　mistaken；　he　would　not　be　capable　of　such
an　action；　he　knew　nothing　of　Suzanne's　escapade。　They　would　take
Suzanne　away　for　six　months　and　that　would　end　it。

She　rose；　saying：　〃I　cannot　rest　in　this　uncertainty。　I　shall　lose
my　reason。　I　will　arouse　Suzanne　and　question　her。〃

She　proceeded　to　her　daughter's　room。　She　entered；　it　was　empty；　the
bed　had　not　been　slept　in。　A　horrible　suspicion　possessed　her　and
she　flew　to　her　husband。　He　was　in　bed；　reading。

She　gasped：　〃Have　you　seen　Suzanne？〃

〃Nowhy？〃

〃She　isgone！　she　is　not　in　her　room。〃

With　one　bound　he　was　out　of　bed；　he　rushed　to　his　daughter's　room；
not　finding　her　there；　he　sank　into　a　chair。　His　wife　had　followed
him。

〃Well？〃　she　asked。

He　had　not　the　strength　to　reply：　he　was　no　longer　angry；　he
groaned：　〃He　has　herwe　are　lost。〃

〃Lost；　how？〃

〃Why；　he　must　marry　her　now！〃

She　cried　wildly：　〃Marry　her；　never！　Are　you　mad？〃

He　replied　sadly：　〃It　will　do　no　good　to　yell！　He　has　disgraced　her。
The　best　thing　to　be　done　is　to　give　her　to　him；　and　at　once；　too；
then　no　one　will　know　of　this　escapade。〃

She　repeated　in　great　agitation：　〃Never；　he　shall　never　have
Suzanne。〃

Overcome；　Walter　murmured：　〃But　he　has　her。　And　he　will　keep　her　as
long　as　we　do　not　yield；　therefore；　to　avoid　a　scandal　we　must　do　so
at