Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant (most popular ebook readers TXT) 📖

did his heart palpitate so wildly at the slightest sound? He began to reason philosophically on the possibility of being afraid. No, certainly he was not, since he was ready to fight. Still he felt so deeply moved that he wondered if one could be afraid in spite of oneself. What would happen if that state of things should exist? If he should tremble or lose his presence of mind? He lighted his candle and looked in the glass; he scarcely recognized his own face, it was so changed.

Suddenly he thought: “Tomorrow at this time I may be dead.” He turned to his couch and saw himself stretched lifeless upon it. He hastened to the window and opened it; but the night air was so chilly that he closed it, lighted a fire, and began to pace the floor once more, saying mechanically: “I must be more composed. I will write to my parents, in case of accident.” He took a sheet of paper and after several attempts began:

“My dear father and mother:”

“At daybreak I am going to fight a duel, and as something might happen—”

He could write no more, he rose with a shudder. It seemed to him that notwithstanding his efforts, he would not have the strength necessary to face the meeting. He wondered if his adversary had ever fought before; if he were known? He had never heard his name. However, if he had not been a remarkable shot, he would not have accepted that dangerous weapon without hesitation. He ground his teeth to prevent his crying aloud. Suddenly he remembered that he had a bottle of brandy; he fetched it from the cupboard and soon emptied it. Now he felt his blood course more warmly through his veins. “I have found a means,” said he.

Day broke. He began to dress; when his heart failed him, he took more brandy. At length there was a knock at the door. His friends had come; they were wrapped in furs. After shaking hands, Rival said: “It is as cold as Siberia. Is all well?”

“Yes.”

“Are you calm?”

“Very calm.”

“Have you eaten and drunk something?”

“I do not need anything.”

They descended the stairs. A gentleman was seated in the carriage. Rival said: “Dr. Le Brument.” Duroy shook hands with him and stammered: “Thank you,” as he entered the carriage. Jacques Rival and Boisrenard followed him, and the coachman drove off. He knew where to go.

The conversation flagged, although the doctor related a number of anecdotes. Rival alone replied to him. Duroy tried to appear self-possessed, but he was haunted continually by the fear of showing his feelings or of losing his self-possession. Rival addressed him, saying: “I took the pistols to Gastine Renette. He loaded them. The box is sealed.”

Duroy replied mechanically: “Thank you.”

Then Rival proceeded to give him minute directions, that he might make no mistakes. Duroy repeated those directions as children learn their lessons in order to impress them upon his memory. As he muttered the phrases over and over, he almost prayed that some accident might happen to the carriage; if he could only break his leg!

At the end of a glade he saw a carriage standing and four gentlemen stamping their feet in order to keep them warm, and he was obliged to gasp in order to get breath. Rival and Boisrenard alighted first, then the doctor and the combatant.

Rival took the box of pistols, and with Boisrenard approached the two strangers, who were advancing toward them. Duroy saw them greet one another ceremoniously, then walk through the glade together as they counted the paces.

Dr. Le Brument asked Duroy: “Do you feel well? Do you not want anything?”

“Nothing, thank you.” It seemed to him that he was asleep, that he was dreaming. Was he afraid? He did not know. Jacques Rival returned and said in a low voice: “All is ready. Fortune has favored us in the drawing of the pistols.” That was a matter of indifference to Duroy. They helped him off with his overcoat, led him to the ground set apart for the duel, and gave him his pistol. Before him stood a man, short, stout, and bald, who wore glasses. That was his adversary. A voice broke the silence—a voice which came from afar: “Are you ready, sirs?”

Georges cried: “Yes.”

The same voice commanded: “Fire!”

Duroy heard nothing more, saw nothing more; he only knew that he raised his arm and pressed with all his strength upon the trigger. Soon he saw a little smoke before him; his opponent was still standing in the same position, and there was a small white cloud above his head. They had both fired. All was over! His second and the doctor felt him, unbuttoned his garments, and asked anxiously: “Are you wounded?” He replied: “No, I think not.”

Langremont was not wounded either, and Jacques Rival muttered discontentedly: “That is always the way with those cursed pistols, one either misses or kills one’s opponent”

Duroy was paralyzed with surprise and joy. All was over! He felt that he could fight the entire universe. All was over! What bliss! He felt brave enough to provoke anyone. The seconds consulted several moments, then the duelists and their friends entered the carriages and drove off. When the official report was drawn up, it was handed to Duroy who was to insert it in the “Echoes.” He was surprised to find that two balls had been fired.

He said to Rival: “We only fired once!”

The latter smiled: “Yes—once—once each—that makes twice!”

And Duroy, satisfied with that explanation, asked no more questions. M. Walter embraced him.

“Bravo! you have defended the colors of ‘La Vie Francaise’! Bravo!”

The following day at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, Duroy received a telegram:

“My God! I have been frightened. Come at once to Rue de Constantinople that I may embrace you, my love. How brave you are. I adore you. Clo.”

He repaired to the place appointed, and Mme. de Marelle rushed into his arms, covering him with kisses.

“Oh, my darling, if you only knew how I felt when I read the morning papers! Tell me, tell me all about it.”

Duroy was obliged to give her a detailed account.

“You must have had a terrible night before the duel!”

“Why, no; I slept very well.”

“I should not have closed my eyes. Tell me what took place on the ground.”

Forthwith he proceeded to give her a graphic description of the duel. When he had concluded, she said to him: “I cannot live without you! I must see you, and with my husband in Paris it is not very convenient. I often have an hour early in the morning when I could come and embrace you, but I cannot enter that horrible house of yours! What can we do?”

He asked abruptly: “How much do you pay here?”

“One hundred francs a month.”

“Very well, I will take the apartments on my own account, and I will move at once. Mine are not suitable anyway for me now.”

She thought a moment and then replied: “No I do not want you to.”

He asked in surprise: “Why not?”

“Because!”

“That is no reason. These rooms suit me very well. I am here; I shall remain.” He laughed. “Moreover, they were hired in my name!”

But she persisted: “No, no, I do not wish you to.”

“Why not, then?”

She whispered softly, tenderly: “Because you would bring others here, and I do not wish you to.”

Indignantly he cried: “Never, I promise you!”

“You would do so in spite of your promise.”

“I swear I will not.”

“Truly?”

“Truly—upon my word of honor. This is our nest—ours alone!”

She embraced him in a transport of delight. “Then I agree, my dearest. But if you deceive me once—just once, that will end all between us forever.”

He protested, and it was agreed that he should settle in the rooms that same day. She said to him:

“You must dine with us Sunday. My husband thinks you charming.”

He was flattered. “Indeed?”

“Yes, you have made a conquest. Did you not tell me that your home was in the country?”

“Yes; why?”

“Then you know something about agriculture?”

“Yes.”

“Very well; talk to him of gardening and crops; he enjoys those subjects.”

“All right. I shall not forget.”

She left him, after lavishing upon him innumerable caresses.

 

CHAPTER VIII.

DEATH AND A PROPOSAL

Duroy moved his effects to the apartments in Rue de Constantinople. Two or three times a week, Mme. de-Marelle paid him visits. Duroy, to counterbalance them, dined at her house every Thursday, and delighted her husband by talking agriculture to him.

It was almost the end of February. Duroy was free from care. One night, when he returned home, he found a letter under his door. He examined the postmark; it was from Cannes. Having opened it, he read:

“Cannes, Villa Jolie.”

“Dear sir and friend: You told me, did you not, that I could count upon you at any time? Very well. I have a favor to ask of you; it is to come and help me—not to leave me alone during Charles’s last moments. He may not live through the week, although he is not confined to his bed, but the doctor has warned me. I have not the strength nor the courage to see that agony day and night, and I think with terror of the approaching end I can only ask such a thing of you, for my husband has no relatives. You were his comrade; he helped you to your position; come, I beg of you; I have no one else to ask.”

“Your friend,”

“Madeleine Forestier.”

Georges murmured: “Certainly I will go. Poor Charles!”

The manager, to whom he communicated the contents of that letter, grumblingly gave his consent. He repeated: “But return speedily, you are indispensable to us.”

Georges Duroy left for Cannes the next day by the seven o’clock express, after having warned Mme. de Marelle by telegram. He arrived the following day at four o’clock in the afternoon. A commissionnaire conducted him to Villa Jolie. The house was small and low, and of the Italian style of architecture.

A servant opened the door and cried: “Oh, sir, Madame is awaiting you patiently.”

Duroy asked: “How is your master?”

“Not very well, sir. He will not be here long.”

The floor of the drawing-room which the young man entered was covered with a Persian rug; the large windows looked upon the village and the sea.

Duroy murmured: “How cozy it is here! Where the deuce do they get the money from?”

The rustling of a gown caused him to turn. Mme. Forestier extended both her hands, saying:

“How kind of you to come.”

She was a trifle paler and thinner, but still as bright as ever, and perhaps prettier for being more delicate. She whispered: “It is terrible—he knows he cannot be saved and he tyrannizes over me. I have told him of your arrival. But where is your trunk?”

Duroy replied: “I left it at the station, not knowing which hotel you would advise me to stop at, in order to be near you.”

She hesitated, then said: “You must stop here, at the villa. Your chamber is ready. He might die any moment, and if it should come in the night, I would be alone. I will send for your luggage.”

He bowed. “As you will.”

“Now, let us go upstairs,” said she; he followed her. She opened a door on the first floor, and Duroy saw a form near a window, seated in an easychair, and wrapped in coverlets. He divined that it was his friend, though he scarcely recognized him. Forestier raised his hand slowly and with difficulty, saying:

“You are here; you have come to see