Volume VI Part 38 (1/2)
Du Roy replied: ”Really, I am not quite certain I think within the last twenty or five-and-twenty years It is, besides, the first time I ever was inside it”
”It is the same with me I have never seen it”
The journalist, whose interest akened, re over it very carefully You are studying it in detail”
The other replied, with resignation: ”I a for my wife, who made an appointment with me here, and who is very much behind time” Then, after a few moments' silence, he added: ”It is fearfully hot outside”
Du Roy looked at him, and all at once fancied that he resembled Forestier
”You are froly
”Yes, from Rennes And you, sir, is it out of curiosity that you entered this church?”
”No, I a, the journalist walked aith a s the main entrance, he saw the poor woht: ”By Jove! she keeps hard at it” He was no longer an quietly to walk up the right-hand aisle to find Madaain He marked the place where he had left her froht he had made a mistake in the pillar; went on as far as the end one, and then returned She had gone, then He was surprised and enraged Then he thought shefor hi her, he returned, and sat down on the chair she had occupied, hoping she would rejoin him there, and waited Soon a low murmur of voices aroused his attention He had not seen anyone in that part of the church Whence ca? He rose to see, and perceived in the adjacent chapel the doors of the confessional The skirt of a dress issuing from one of these trailed on the pavenized her She was confessing
He felt a violent inclination to take her by the shoulders and to pull her out of the box Then he thought: ”Bah! it is the priest's turn now; it will be mine to-morrow” And he sat down quietly in front of the confessional, biding his ti tith Madame Walter rose, turned round, saw him, and came up to hi of you not to accompany me, not to follow me, and not to come to my house alone You will not be received Farewell”
And she walked aith a dignified bearing He let her depart, for one of his principles was never to force matters Then, as the priest, somewhat upset, issued in turn froht in the eyes, growled to his face: ”If you did not wear a petticoat, what a sly chops”
After which he turned on his heels and went out of the church, whistling between his teeth Standing under the porch, the stout gentleman, with the hat on his head and his hands behind his back, tired of waiting, was scanning the broad squares and all the streets opening onto it As Du Roy passed hi himself at liberty, went to the office of the _Vie Francaise_ As soon as he entered he saw by the busy air of the , and at once went into the er's room Daddy Walter, in a state of nervous excite an article in broken sentences; issuing orders to the reporters, who surrounded hi instructions to Boisrenard; and opening letters
As Du Roy caovernor uttered a cry of joy: ”Ah! how lucky; here is Pretty-boy!” He stopped short, so your pardon for speaking like that, but I am very much disturbed by certain events And then I hearof you as Pretty-boy fro into the habit e, laughingly; ”there is nothing in that nickname to displease me”
Daddy Walter went on: ”Very well, then, I christen you Pretty-boy, like everyone else Well, the fact is, great things are taking place The Ministry has been overthrown by a vote of three hundred and ten to a hundred and two Our prorogation is again postponed--postponed to the Greek calends, and here we are at the twenty-eighth of July Spain is angry about the Morocco business, and it is that which has overthrown Durand de l'Aine and his following We are right in the swim Marrot is entrusted with the formation of a new Cabinet He takes General Boutin d'Acre as n affairs We are going to beco a leader, a si out the line to be followed by the Ministry” The old boy s, be it understood But I want so about Morocco; an actuality; a sensational article; so or other Find one for me”
Du Roy reflected for afor you I will give you a study of the political situation of the whole of our African colony, with Tunis on the left, Algeria in the ht; the history of the races inhabiting this vast extent of territory; and the narrative of an excursion on the frontier of Morocco to the great oasis of Figuig, where no European has penetrated, and which is the cause of the present conflict Will that suit you?”
”Admirably!” exclaiiers”
”Splendid!”
Du Roy went off to search the files of the _Vie Francaise_ for his first article, ”The Recollections of a Chasseur d'Afrique,” which, rebaptized, touched up, and modified, would do aderian population, and an excursion in the province of Oran In three-quarters of an hour it was rewritten, touched up, and brought to date, with a flavor of realis read the article, said: ”It is capital, capital, capital! You are an invaluable fellow I congratulate you”
And Du Roy went hohted with his day's work, despite the check at the Church of the Trinity, for he felt the battle won His as anxiously waiting for him She exclaimed, as soon as she saw hin Affairs?”
”Yes; I have just written an article on Algeria, in connection with it”
”What?”
”You know, the first rote together, 'The Recollections of a Chasseur d'Afrique,' revised and corrected for the occasion”