bel ami-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
must take another lesson。〃
At ten o'clock the following morning he rang the bell； at his
friend's house。 The servant who opened the door； said： 〃Monsieur is
busy。〃
Duroy had not expected to find Forestier at home。 However he said：
〃Tell him it is M。 Duroy on important business。〃
In the course of five minutes he was ushered into the room in which
he had spent so happy a morning。 In the place Mme。 Forestier had
occupied； her husband was seated writing； while Mme。 Forestier stood
by the mantelpiece and dictated to him； a cigarette between her
lips。
Duroy paused upon the threshold and murmured： 〃I beg your pardon； I
am interrupting you。〃
His friend growled angrily： 〃What do you want again？ Make haste； we
are busy。〃
Georges stammered： 〃It is nothing。〃
But Forestier persisted： 〃Come； we are losing time； you did not
force your way into the house for the pleasure of bidding us good
morning。〃
Duroy； in confusion； replied： 〃No； it is this： I cannot complete my
article； and you weresoso kind the last time that I hopedthat
I dared to come〃
Forestier interrupted with： 〃So you think I will do your work and
that you have only to take the money。 Well； that is fine！〃 His wife
smoked on without interfering。
Duroy hesitated： 〃Excuse me。 I believedIthought〃 Then； in a
clear voice； he said： 〃I beg a thousand pardons； Madame； and thank
you very much for the charming article you wrote for me yesterday。〃
Then he bowed； and said to Charles： 〃I will be at the office at
three o'clock。〃
He returned home saying to himself： 〃Very well； I will write it
alone and they shall see。〃 Scarcely had he entered than he began to
write； anger spurring him on。 In an hour he had finished an article；
which was a chaos of absurd matter； and took it boldly to the
office。 Duroy handed Forestier his manuscript。 〃Here is the rest of
Algeria。〃
〃Very well； I will hand it to the manager。 That will do。〃
When Duroy and Saint…Potin； who had some political information to
look up； were in the hall； the latter asked： 〃Have you been to the
cashier's room？〃
〃No； why？〃
〃Why？ To get your pay？ You should always get your salary a month in
advance。 One cannot tell what might happen。 I will introduce you to
the cashier。〃
Duroy drew his two hundred francs together with twenty…eight francs
for his article of the preceding day； which； in addition to what
remained to him of his salary from the railroad office； left him
three hundred and forty francs。 He had never had so much； and he
thought himself rich for an indefinite time。 Saint…Potin took him to
the offices of four or five rival papers； hoping that the news he
had been commissioned to obtain had been already received by them
and that he could obtain it by means of his diplomacy。
When evening came； Duroy； who had nothing more to do； turned toward
the Folies…Bergeres； and walking up to the office； he said： 〃My name
is Georges Duroy。 I am on the staff of 'La Vie Francaise。' I was
here the other night with M。 Forestier； who promised to get me a
pass。 I do not know if he remembered it。〃
The register was consulted； but his name was not inscribed upon it。
However； the cashier； a very affable man； said to him： 〃Come in； M。
Duroy； and speak to the manager yourself； he will see that
everything is all right。〃
He entered and almost at once came upon Rachel； the woman he had
seen there before。 She approached him： 〃Good evening； my dear； are
you well？〃
〃Very well； how are you？〃
〃I am not ill。 I have dreamed of you twice since the other night。〃
Duroy smiled。 〃What does that mean？〃
〃That means that I like you〃； she raised her eyes to the young man's
face； took his arm and leaning upon it； said： 〃Let us drink a glass
of wine and then take a walk。 I should like to go to the opera like
this； with you； to show you off。〃
* * * * * * *
At daybreak he again sallied forth to obtain a 〃Vie Francaise。〃 He
opened the paper feverishly； his article was not there。 On entering
the office several hours later； he said to M。 Walter： 〃I was very
much surprised this morning not to see my second article on
Algeria。〃
The manager raised his head and said sharply： 〃I gave it to your
friend； Forestier； and asked him to read it； he was dissatisfied
with it； it will have to be done over。〃
Without a word； Duroy left the room； and entering his friend's
office； brusquely asked： 〃Why did not my article appear this
morning？〃
The journalist； who was smoking a cigar； said calmly： 〃The manager
did not consider it good； and bade me return it to you to be
revised。 There it is。〃 Duroy revised it several times； only to have
it rejected。 He said nothing more of his 〃souvenirs；〃 but gave his
whole attention to reporting。 He became acquainted behind the scenes
at the theaters； and in the halls and corridors of the chamber of
deputies； he knew all the cabinet ministers； generals； police
agents； princes； ambassadors； men of the world； Greeks； cabmen；
waiters at cafes； and many others。 In short he soon became a
remarkable reporter； of great value to the paper； so M。 Walter said。
But as he only received ten centimes a line in addition to his fixed
salary of two hundred francs and as his expenses were large； he
never had a sou。 When he saw certain of his associates with their
pockets full of money； he wondered what secret means they employed
in order to obtain it。 He determined to penetrate that mystery； to
enter into the association； to obtrude himself upon his comrades；
and make them share with him。 Often at evening； as he watched the
trains pass his window； he dreamed of the conduct he might pursue。
CHAPTER V。
THE FIRST INTRIGUE
Two months elapsed。 It was September。 The fortune which Duroy had
hoped to make so rapidly seemed to him slow in coming。 Above all he
was dissatisfied with the mediocrity of his position； he was
appreciated； but was treated according to his rank。 Forestier
himself no longer invited him to dinner； and treated him as an
inferior。 Often he had thought of making Mme。 Forestier a visit； but
the remembrance of their last meeting restrained him。 Mme。 de
Marelle had invited him to call； saying： 〃I am always at home about
three o'clock。〃 So one afternoon； when he had nothing to do； he
proceeded toward her house。 She lived on Rue Verneuil； on the fourth
floor。 A maid answered his summons； and said： 〃Yes； Madame is at
home； but I do not know whether she has risen。〃 She conducted Duroy
into the drawing…room； which was large； poorly furnished； and
somewhat untidy。 The shabby； threadbare chairs were ranged along the
walls according to the servant's fancy； for there was not a trace
visible of the care of a woman who loves her home。 Duroy took a seat
and waited some time。 Then a door opened and Mme。 de Marelle entered
hastily； clad in a Japanese dressing…gown。 She exclaimed：
〃How kind of you to come to see me。 I was positive you had forgotten
me。〃 She held out her hand to him with a gesture of delight； and
Duroy； quite at his ease in that shabby apartment； kissed it as he
had seen Norbert de Varenne do。
Examining him from head to foot； she cried： 〃How you have changed！
Well； tell me the news。〃
They began to chat at once as if they were old acquaintances； and in
five minutes an intimacy； a mutual understanding； was established
between those two beings alike in character and kind。 Suddenly the
young woman said in surprise： 〃It is astonishing how I feel with
you。 It seems to me as if I had known you ten years。 We shall
undoubtedly become good friends； would that please you？〃
He replied： 〃Certainly；〃 with a smile more expressive than words。 He
thought her very bewitching in her pretty gown。 When near Mme。
Forestier； whose impassive； gracious smile attracted yet held at a
distance； and seemed to say： 〃I like you； yet take care；〃 he felt a
desire to cast himself at her feet； or to kiss the hem of her
garment。 When near Mme。 de Marelle； he felt a more passionate
desire。
A gentle rap came at the door through which Mme。 de Marelle had
entered； and she cried： 〃You may come in； my darling。〃
The child entered； advanced to Duroy and offered him her ha
