bel ami-第6章
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The two men bowed； gazed into one another's eyes； and then Duroy
took his leave。 Neither tried to detain him。
On reaching the street he felt sad and uncomfortable。 Count de
Vaudrec's face was constantly before him。 It seemed to him that the
man was displeased at finding him tete…a…tete with Mme。 Forestier；
though why he should be； he could not divine。
To while away the time until three o'clock； he lunched at Duval's；
and then lounged along the boulevard。 When the clock chimed the hour
of his appointment； he climbed the stairs leading to the office of
〃La Vie Francaise。〃
Duroy asked： 〃Is M。 Walter in？〃
〃M。 Walter is engaged；〃 was the reply。 〃Will you please take a
seat？〃
Duroy waited twenty minutes； then he turned to the clerk and said：
〃M。 Walter had an appointment with me at three o'clock。 At any rate；
see if my friend M。 Forestier is here。〃
He was conducted along a corridor and ushered into a large room in
which four men were writing at a table。 Forestier was standing
before the fireplace； smoking a cigarette。 After listening to
Duroy's story he said：
〃Come with me； I will take you to M。 Walter； or else you might
remain here until seven o'clock。〃
They entered the manager's room。 Norbert de Varenne was writing an
article； seated in an easychair； Jacques Rival； stretched upon a
divan； was smoking a cigar。 The room had the peculiar odor familiar
to all journalists。 When they approached M。 Walter； Forestier said：
〃Here is my friend Duroy。〃
The manager looked keenly at the young man and asked：
〃Have you brought my article？〃
Duroy drew the sheets of manuscript from his pocket。
〃Here they are； Monsieur。〃
The manager seemed delighted and said with a smile： 〃Very good。 You
are a man of your word。 Need I look over it； Forestier？〃
But Forestier hastened to reply： 〃It is not necessary； M。 Walter； I
helped him in order to initiate him into the profession。 It is very
good。〃 Then bending toward him； he whispered： 〃You know you promised
to engage Duroy to replace Marambot。 Will you allow me to retain him
on the same terms？〃
〃Certainly。〃
Taking his friend's arm； the journalist drew him away； while M。
Walter returned to the game of ecarte he had been engaged in when
they entered。 Forestier and Duroy returned to the room in which
Georges had found his friend。 The latter said to his new reporter：
〃You must come here every day at three o'clock； and I will tell you
what places to go to。 First of all； I shall give you a letter of
introduction to the chief of the police； who will in turn introduce
you to one of his employees。 You can arrange with him for all
important news； official and semiofficial。 For details you can apply
to Saint…Potin； who is posted； you will see him to…morrow。 Above
all； you must learn to make your way everywhere in spite of closed
doors。 You will receive two hundred francs a months； two sous a line
for original matter； and two sous a line for articles you are
ordered to write on different subjects。〃
〃What shall I do to…day？〃 asked Duroy。
〃I have no work for you to…day； you can go if you wish to。〃
〃And ourour article？〃
〃Oh； do not worry about it； I will correct the proofs。 Do the rest
to…morrow and come here at three o'clock as you did to…day。〃
And after shaking hands； Duroy descended the staircase with a light
heart。
CHAPTER IV。
DUROY LEARNS SOMETHING
Georges Duroy did not sleep well； so anxious was he to see his
article in print。 He rose at daybreak； and was on the street long
before the newsboys。 When he secured a paper and saw his name at the
end of a column in large letters； he became very much excited。 He
felt inclined to enact the part of a newsboy and cry out to the
hurrying throng： 〃Buy this！ it contains an article by me！〃 He
strolled along to a cafe and seated himself in order to read the
article through； that done he decided to go to the railroad office；
draw his salary； and hand in his resignation。
With great pomposity he informed the chief clerk that he was on the
staff of 〃La Vie Francaise；〃 and by that means was avenged for many
petty insults which had been offered him。 He then had some cards
written with his new calling beneath his name； made several
purchases； and repaired to the office of 〃La Vie Francaise。〃
Forestier received him loftily as one would an inferior。
〃Ah； here you are！ Very well； I have several things for you to do。
Just wait ten minutes till I finish this work。〃 He continued
writing。
At the other end of the table sat a short； pale man； very stout and
bald。 Forestier asked him； when his letter was completed； 〃Saint…
Potin； at what time shall you interview those people？〃
〃At four o'clock。〃
〃Take Duroy； who is here； with you and initiate him into the
business。〃
〃Very well。〃
Then turning to his friend； Forestier added： 〃Have you brought the
other paper on Algeria？ The article this morning was very
successful。〃
Duroy stammered： 〃No； I thought I should have time this afternoon。 I
had so much to doI could not。〃
The other shrugged his shoulders。 〃If you are not more careful； you
will spoil your future。 M。 Walter counted on your copy。 I will tell
him it will be ready to…morrow。 If you think you will be paid for
doing nothing； you are mistaken。〃 After a pause； he added： 〃You
should strike while the iron is hot。〃
Saint…Potin rose： 〃I am ready；〃 said he。
Forestier turned around in his chair and said； to Duroy： 〃Listen。
The Chinese general Li…Theng…Fao； stopping at the Continental； and
Rajah Taposahib Ramaderao Pali； stopping at Hotel Bishop； have been
in Paris two days。 You must interview them。〃 Addressing Saint…Potin；
he said： 〃Do not forget the principal points I indicated to you。 Ask
the general and the rajah their opinions on the dealings of England
in the extreme East； their ideas of their system of colonization and
government； their hopes relative to the intervention of Europe and
of France in particular。〃 To Duroy he said： 〃Observe what Saint…
Potin says； he is an excellent reporter； and try to learn how to
draw out a man in five minutes。〃 Then he resumed his work。
The two men walked down the boulevard together； while Saint…Potin
gave Duroy a sketch of all the officials connected with the paper；
sparing no one in his criticism。 When he mentioned Forestier； he
said： 〃As for him； he was fortunate in marrying his wife。〃
Duroy asked： 〃What about his wife？〃
Saint…Potin rubbed his hands。 〃Oh； she is beloved by an old fellow
named Vaudreche dotes upon her。〃
Duroy felt as if he would like to box Saint…Potin's ears。 To change
the subject he said： 〃It seems to me that it is late； and we have
two noble lords to call upon！〃
Saint…Potin laughed： 〃You are very innocent！ Do you think that I am
going to interview that Chinese and that Indian？ As if I did not
know better than they do what they should think to please the
readers of 'La Vie Francaise'！ I have interviewed five hundred
Chinese； Prussians； Hindoos； Chilians； and Japanese。 They all say
the same thing。 I need only copy my article on the last comer； word
for word； changing the heading； names； titles； and ages： in that
there must be no error； or I shall be hauled over the coals by the
'Figaro' or 'Gaulois。' But on that subject the porter of the hotels
will post me in five minutes。 We will smoke our cigars and stroll in
that direction。 Totalone hundred sous for cabfare。 That is the
way； my dear fellow。〃
When they arrived at the Madeleine； Saint…Potin said to his
companion： 〃If you have anything to do； I do not need you。〃
Duroy shook hands with him and walked away。 The thought of the
article he had to write that evening haunted him。 Mentally he
collected the material as he wended his way to the cafe at which he
dined。 Then he returned home and seated himself at his table to
work。 Before his eyes was the sheet of blank paper； but all the
material he had amassed had escaped him。 After trying for an hour；
and after filling five pages with sentences which had no connection
one with the other； he said： 〃I am not yet familiar with the work。 I
must take another lesson。〃
At ten o'clock the following morning he rang the bell； at his
frien
