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rooms opened one into the other； they were carpeted with rich；
oriental rugs； and upon their walls hung paintings by the old
masters。 As he made his way through the throng； some one seized his
arm； and a fresh； youthful voice whispered in his ear： 〃Ah； here you
are at last； naughty Bel…Ami！ Why do we never see you any more？〃
It was Suzanne Walter； with her azure eyes and wealth of golden
hair。 He was delighted to see her； and apologized as they shook
hands。
〃I have been so busy for two months that I have been nowhere。〃
She replied gravely： 〃That is too bad。 You have grieved us deeply；
for mamma and I adore you。 As for myself； I cannot do without you。
If you are not here； I am bored to death。 You see I tell you so
frankly； that you will not remain away like that any more。 Give me
your arm； I will show you 'Christ Walking on the Water' myself； it
is at the very end； behind the conservatory。 Papa put it back there
so that everyone would be obliged to go through the rooms。 It is
astonishing how proud papa is of this house。〃
As they walked through the rooms； all turned to look at that
handsome man and that bewitching girl。 A well…known painter said：
〃There is a fine couple。〃 Georges thought： 〃If my position had been
made； I would have married her。 Why did I never think of it？ How
could I have taken the other one？ What folly！ One always acts too
hastilyone never reflects sufficiently。〃 And longing； bitter
longing possessed him； corrupting all his pleasure； rendering life
odious。
Suzanne said： 〃You must come often； Bel…Ami； we can do anything we
like now papa is rich。〃
He replied： 〃Oh； you will soon marrysome prince； perhaps； and we
shall never meet any more。〃
She cried frankly： 〃Oh； oh； I shall not！ I shall choose some one I
love very dearly。 I am rich enough for two。〃
He smiled ironically and said： 〃I give you six months。 By that time
you will be Madame la Marquise； Madame la Duchesse； or Madame la
Princesse； and you will look down upon me； Mademoiselle。〃
She pretended to be angry； patted his arm with her fan； and vowed
that she would marry according to the dictates of her heart。
He replied： 〃We shall see； you are too wealthy。〃
〃You； too； have inherited some money。〃
〃Barely twenty thousand livres a year。 It is a mere pittance
nowadays。〃
〃But your wife has the same。〃
〃Yes； we have a million together； forty thousand a year。 We cannot
even keep a carriage on that。〃
They had； in the meantime； reached the last drawing…room； and before
them lay the conservatory with its rare shrubs and plants。 To their
left； under a dome of palms； was a marble basin； on the edges of
which four large swans of delftware emitted the water from their
beaks。
The journalist stopped and said to himself： 〃This is luxury； this is
the kind of house in which to live。 Why can I not have one？〃
His companion did not speak。 He looked at her and thought once more：
〃If I only had taken her！〃
Suddenly Suzanne seemed to awaken from her reverie。 〃Come；〃 said
she； dragging Georges through a group which barred their way； and
turning him to the right。 Before him； surrounded by verdure on all
sides； was the picture。 One had to look closely at it in order to
understand it。 It was a grand workthe work of a masterone of
those triumphs of art which furnishes one for years with food for
thought。
Du Roy gazed at it for some time； and then turned away； to make room
for others。 Suzanne's tiny hand still rested upon his arm。 She
asked：
〃Would you like a glass of champagne？ We will go to the buffet； we
shall find papa there。〃
Slowly they traversed the crowded rooms。 Suddenly Georges heard a
voice say： 〃That is Laroche and Mme。 du Roy。〃
He turned and saw his wife passing upon the minister's arm。 They
were talking in low tones and smiling into each other's eyes。 He
fancied he saw some people whisper； as they gazed at them； and he
felt a desire to fall upon those two beings and smite them to the
earth。 His wife was making a laughing…stock of him。 Who was she？ A
shrewd little parvenue； that was all。 He could never make his way
with a wife who compromised him。 She would be a stumbling…block in
his path。 Ah； if he had foreseen； if he had known。 He would have
played for higher stakes。 What a brilliant match he might have made
with little Suzanne！ How could he have been so blind？
They reached the dining…room with its marble columns and walls hung
with old Gobelins tapestry。 Walter spied his editor； and hastened to
shake hands。 He was beside himself with joy。 〃Have you seen
everything？ Say； Suzanne； have you shown him everything？ What a lot
of people； eh？ Have you seen Prince de Guerche？ he just drank a
glass of punch。〃 Then he pounced upon Senator Rissolin and his wife。
A gentleman greeted Suzannea tall； slender man with fair whiskers
and a worldly air。 Georges heard her call him Marquis de Cazolles；
and he was suddenly inspired with jealousy。 How long had she known
him？ Since she had become wealthy no doubt。 He saw in him a possible
suitor。 Some one seized his arm。 It was Norbert de Varenne。 The old
poet said： 〃This is what they call amusing themselves。 After a while
they will dance； then they will retire； and the young girls will be
satisfied。 Take some champagne； it is excellent。〃
Georges scarcely heard his words。 He was looking for Suzanne； who
had gone off with the Marquis de Cazolles； he left Norbert de
Varenne abruptly and went in pursuit of the young girl。 The thirsty
crowd stopped him； when he had made his way through it； he found
himself face to face with M。 and Mme。 de Marelle。 He had often met
the wife； but he had not met the husband for some time； the latter
grasped both of his hands and thanked him for the message he had
sent him by Clotilde relative to the stocks。
Du Roy replied： 〃In exchange for that service I shall take your
wife； or rather offer her my arm。 Husband and wife should always be
separated。〃
M。 de Marelle bowed。 〃Very well。 If I lose you we can meet here
again in an hour。〃
The two young people disappeared in the crowd； followed by the
husband。 Mme。 de Marelle said： 〃There are two girls who will have
twenty or thirty millions each； and Suzanne is pretty in the
bargain。〃
He made no reply； his own thought coming from the lips of another
irritated him。 He took Clotilde to see the painting。 As they crossed
the conservatory he saw his wife seated near Laroche…Mathieu； both
of them almost hidden behind a group of plants。 They seemed to say：
〃We are having a meeting in public； for we do not care for the
world's opinion。〃
Mme。 de Marelle admired Karl Marcovitch's painting； and they turned
to repair to the other rooms。 They were separated from M。 de
Marelle。 He asked： 〃Is Laurine still vexed with me？〃
〃Yes。 She refuses to see you and goes away when you are mentioned。〃
He did not reply。 The child's sudden enmity grieved and annoyed him。
Suzanne met them at a door and cried： 〃Oh； here you are！ Now； Bel…
Ami； you are going to be left alone； for I shall take Clotilde to
see my room。〃 And the two women glided through the throng。 At that
moment a voice at his side murmured： 〃Georges！〃
It was Mme。 Wal