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hovered upon his lips。 She had placed a large package on the stand
in the center of the room。 Opening it she took out a tablet of soap；
a bottle of Lubin's extract； a sponge； a box of hairpins； a button…
hook； and curling…tongs。 Then she amused herself by finding places
in which to put them。
She talked incessantly as she opened the drawers： 〃I must bring some
linen in order to have a change。 We shall each have a key； besides
the one at the lodge； in case we should forget ours。 I rented the
apartments for three monthsin your name； of course； for I could
not give mine。〃
Then he asked： 〃Will you tell me when to pay？〃
She replied simply： 〃It is paid； my dear。〃
He made a pretense of being angry： 〃I cannot permit that。〃
She laid her hand upon his shoulder and said in a supplicatory tone：
〃Georges； it will give me pleasure to have the nest mine。 Say that
you do not care； dear Georges；〃 and he yielded。 When she had left
him； he murmured： 〃She is kind…hearted； anyway。〃
Several days later he received a telegram which read：
〃My husband is coming home this evening。 We shall therefore not
meet for a week。 What a bore； my dearest！〃
〃YOUR CLO。〃
Duroy was startled； he had not realized the fact that Mme。 de
Marelle was married。 He impatiently awaited her husband's departure。
One morning he received the following telegram：
〃Five o'clock。CLO。〃
When they met； she rushed into his arms； kissed him passionately；
and asked： 〃After a while will you take me to dine？〃
〃Certainly； my darling； wherever you wish to go。〃
〃I should like to go to some restaurant frequented by the working…
classes。〃
They repaired to a wine merchant's where meals were also served。
Clotilde's entrance caused a sensation on account of the elegance of
her dress。 They partook of a ragout of mutton and left that place to
enter a ball…room in which she pressed more closely to his side。 In
fifteen minutes her curiosity was satisfied and he conducted her
home。 Then followed a series of visits to all sorts of places of
amusement。 Duroy soon began to tire of those expeditions； for he had
exhausted all his resources and all means of obtaining money。 In
addition to that he owed Forestier a hundred francs； Jacques Rival
three hundred； and he was hampered with innumerable petty debts
ranging from twenty francs to one hundred sous。
On the fourteenth of December； he was left without a sou in his
pocket。 As he had often done before； he did not lunch； and spent the
afternoon working at the office。 At four o'clock he received a
telegram from Mme。 de Marelle； saying： 〃Shall we dine together and
afterward have a frolic？〃
He replied at once： 〃Impossible to dine；〃 then he added： 〃But I will
expect you at our apartments at nine o'clock。〃 Having sent a boy
with the note in order to save the money for a telegram； he tried to
think of some way by which he could obtain his evening meal。 He
waited until all of his associates had gone and when he was alone；
he rang for the porter； put his hand in his pocket and said：
〃Foucart； I have left my purse at home and I have to dine at the
Luxembourg。 Lend me fifty sous to pay for my cab。〃
The man handed him three francs and asked：
〃Is that enough？〃
〃Yes； thank you。〃 Taking the coins； Duroy rushed down the staircase
and dined at a cookshop。
At nine o'clock； Mme。 de Marelle； whom he awaited in the tiny salon；
arrived。 She wished to take a walk and he objected。 His opposition
irritated her。
〃I shall go alone； then。 Adieu！〃
Seeing that the situation was becoming grave； he seized her hands
and kissed them； saying：
〃Pardon me； darling； I am nervous and out of sorts this evening。 I
have been annoyed by business matters。〃
Somewhat appeased but still； vexed； she replied：
〃That does not concern me； I will not be the butt for your ill
humor。〃
He clasped her in his arms and murmured his apologies。 Still she
persisted in her desire to go out。
〃I beseech you； remain here by the fire with me。 Say yes。〃
〃No；〃 she replied； 〃I will not yield to your caprices。〃
He insisted： 〃I have a reason； a serious reason〃
〃If you will not go with me； I shall go alone。 Adieu！〃
She disengaged herself from his embrace and fled to the door。 He
followed her：
〃Listen Clo； my little Clo； listen to me〃
She shook her head； evaded his caresses and tried to escape from his
encircling arms。
〃I have a reason〃
Looking him in the face； she said： 〃You lie！ What is it？〃
He colored； and in order to avoid a rupture； confessed in accents of
despair： 〃I have no money！〃
She would not believe him until he had turned all his pockets inside
out； to prove his words。 Then she fell upon his breast： 〃Oh； my poor
darling！ Had I known！ How did it happen？〃
He invented a touching story to this effect： That his father was in
straitened circumstances； that he had given him not only his
savings； but had run himself into debt。
〃I shall have to starve for the next six months。〃
〃Shall I lend you some？〃 she whispered。
He replied with dignity： 〃You are very kind； dearest； but do not
mention that again； it wounds me。〃
She murmured： 〃You will never know how much I love you。〃 On taking
leave of him； she asked： 〃Shall we meet again the day after to…
morrow？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃At the same time？〃
〃Yes； my darling。〃
They parted。
When Duroy opened his bedroom door and fumbled in his vest pocket
for a match； he was amazed to find in it a piece of moneya twenty…
franc piece！ At first he wondered by what miracle it had got there；
suddenly it occurred to him that Mme。 de Marelle had given him alms！
Angry and humiliated； he determined to return it when next they met。
The next morning it was late when he awoke； he tried to overcome his
hunger。 He went out and as he passed the restaurants he could
scarcely resist their temptations。 At noon he said： 〃Bah； I shall
lunch upon Clotilde's twenty francs； that will not hinder me from
returning the money to…morrow。〃
He ate his lunch； for which he paid two francs fifty； and on
entering the office of 〃La Vie Francaise〃 he repaid the porter the
three francs he had borrowed from him。 He worked until seven
o'clock； then he dined； and he continued to draw upon the twenty
francs until only four francs twenty remained。 He decided to say to
Mme。 de Marelle upon her arrival：
〃I found the twenty…franc piece you slipped into my pocket。 I will
not return the money to…day； but I will repay you when we next
meet。〃
When Madame came； he dared not broach the delicate subject。 They
spent the evening together and appointed their next meeting for
Wednesday of the following week； for Mme。 de Marelle had a number of
engagements。 Duroy continued to accept money from Clotilde and
quieted his conscience by assuring himself： 〃I will give it back in
a lump。 It is nothing but borrowed money anyway。〃 So he kept account
of all that he received in order to pay it back some day。
One evening； Mme。 de Marelle said to him： 〃Would you believe that I
have never been to the Folies…Bergeres； will you take me there？〃
He hesitated； fearing a meeting with Rachel。 Then he thought： 〃Bah；
I am not married after all