Volume VI Part 12 (1/2)
The clock struck three, and the journalist arose
”Come often,” said Madame de Marelle, ”and ill chat as we have done to-day; it will always give er sees you at the Forestiers?” He replied: ”Oh! for no reason I have been very busy I hope to ain one of these days”
He went out, his heart full of hope, though without knohy
He did not speak to Forestier of this visit But he retained the recollection of it the following days, and more than the recollection--a sensation of the unreal yet persistent presence of this wo of her, the reflection of her form in his eyes, and the smack of her moral self in his heart He ree, as it happens sometimes e have passed pleasant hours with some one
He paid a second visit a few days later
The -rooer her hand, but her forehead, and said: ”Mamma has told me to request you to wait for her She will be a quarter-of-an-hour, because she is not dressed yet I will keep you company”
Duroy, as airl, replied: ”Certainly, Madehted to pass a quarter-of-an-hour with you, but I warn you that for , so I suggest a gairl was astonished; then she smiled as a woman would have done at this idea, which shocked her a little as well as astonished her, and murmured: ”Rooms are not meant to be played in”
He said: ”It is all the saan to go round the table, exciting her to pursue hi with a species of polite condescension, and soiving way so far as to run He stopped, stooped down, and when she drew near with her little hesitating steps, sprung up in the air like a jack-in-the-box, and then bounded with a single stride to the other end of the dining-roo aroused, began to trot after hiht she had him He shi+fted the chairs and used theo round and round one of the that one to seize upon another
Laurine ran now, giving herself wholly up to the charame, and with flushed face, rushed forith the bound of a delighted child at each of the flights, the tricks, the feints of her coot hi, exclais to escape, and laughed with all her heart
Madame de Marelle came in at that ! You are a sorcerer, sir”
He put down the little girl, kissed her mother's hand, and they sat doith the child between thean to chat, but Laurine, usually so silent, kept talking all the while, and had to be sent to her room She obeyed without a word, but with tears in her eyes
As soon as they were alone, Madame de Marelle lowered her voice ”You do not know, but I have a grand scheht of you This is it As I dine every week at the Forestiers, I return their hospitality from time to time at some restaurant I do not like to entertain coed for that, and besides, I do not understand anything about do at all I like to live anyhow So I entertain them now and then at a restaurant, but it is not very lively when there are only three, and o ith theular invitation You understand, do you not, that I want you to make one of us on Saturday at the Cafe Riche, at half-past seven You know the place?”
He accepted with pleasure, and she went on: ”There will be only us four
These little outings are very a to us wo a dark brown dress, which showed off the lines of her waist, her hips, her bosom, and her arm in a coquettishly provocative way Duroy felt confusedly astonished at the lack of harance and her evident carelessness as regarded her dwelling All that clothed her body, all that closely and directly touched her flesh was fine and delicate, but that which surrounded her did not , as before, the sense of her continued presence in species of hallucination of the senses And he awaited the day of the dinner with growing i hired, for the second ti him to buy one--he arrived first at the rendezvous, a few minutes before the time He was ushered up to the second story, and into a sleopening into the boulevard A square table, laid for four, displaying its white cloth, so shi+ning that it seelittered brightly in the light of the twelve candles of two tall candelabra Without was a broad patch of light green, due to the leaves of a tree lit up by the bright light fro-rooms
Duroy sat down in a low ars on the walls The worn springs yielding beneath hi into a hole He heard throughout the huge house a confused e restaurant, lass and silver, the hurried steps of the waiters, deadened by the carpets in the passages, and the opening of doors letting out the sound of voices fro Forestier came in and shook hands with him, with a cordial familiarity which he never displayed at the offices of the _Vie Francaise_
”The ladies are coether,” said he; ”these little dinners are very pleasant”
Then he glanced at the table, turned a gas jet that was feebly burning completely off, closed one sash of theon account of the draught, and chose a sheltered place for himself, with a remark: ”I must be careful; I have been better for a ain these last few days Iout of the theater”
The door was opened, and, followed by a waiter, the two ladies appeared, veiled,they assus are suspicious
As Duroy bowed to Madaain; then she added with a smile, in the direction of her friend: ”I knohat it is; you prefer Madame de Marelle, you can find time to visit her”
They sat down to table, and the waiter having handed the wine card to Forestier, Madaentlene, the best, sweet cha withdrawn, she added with an excited laugh: ”I aular spree”