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Madeleine asked： 〃What is it？〃
〃Nothing much。 I was thinking of a comical old priest I met a short
while since。〃
* * * * * * *
Du Roy arrived at the appointed hour the following day。 The benches
were all occupied by people trying to escape from the heat and by
nurses with their charges。
He found Mme。 Walter in a little antique ruin； she seemed unhappy
and anxious。 When he had greeted her； she said： 〃How many people
there are in the garden！〃
He took advantage of the occasion： 〃Yes； that is true； shall we go
somewhere else？〃
〃Where？〃
〃It matters not where； for a drive； for instance。 You can lower the
shade on your side and you will be well concealed。〃
〃Yes； I should like that better； I shall die of fear here。〃
〃Very well； meet me in five minutes at the gate which opens on the
boulevard。 I will fetch a cab。〃
When they were seated in the cab； she asked： 〃Where did you tell the
coachman to drive to？〃
Georges replied： 〃Do not worry； he knows。〃
He had given the man his address on the Rue de Constantinople。
Mme。 Walter said to Du Roy： 〃You cannot imagine how I suffer on your
accounthow I am tormented； tortured。 Yesterday I was harsh； but I
wanted to escape you at any price。 I was afraid to remain alone with
you。 Have you forgiven me？〃
He pressed her hand。 〃Yes； yes； why should I not forgive you； loving
you as I do？〃
She looked at him with a beseeching air： 〃Listen： You must promise
to respect me； otherwise I could never see you again。〃
At first he did not reply； a smile lurked beneath his mustache； then
he murmured： 〃I am your slave。〃
She told him how she had discovered that she loved him； on learning
that he was to marry Madeleine Forestier。 Suddenly she ceased
speaking。 The carriage stopped。 Du Roy opened the door。
〃Where are we？〃 she asked。
He replied： 〃Alight and enter the house。 We shall be undisturbed
there。〃
〃Where are we？〃 she repeated。
〃At my rooms； they are my bachelor apartments which I have rented
for a few days that we might have a corner in which to meet。〃
She clung to the cab； startled at the thought of a tete…a…tete； and
stammered： 〃No； no； I do not want to。〃
He said firmly： 〃I swear to respect you。 Come； you see that people
are looking at us； that a crowd is gathering around us。 Make haste！〃
And he repeated； 〃I swear to respect you。〃
She was terror…stricken and rushed into the house。 She was about to
ascend the stairs。 He seized her arm： 〃It is here； on the ground
floor。〃
When he had closed the door； he showered kisses upon her neck； her
eyes； her lips； in spite of herself； she submitted to his caresses
and even returned them； hiding her face and murmuring in broken
accents： 〃I swear that I have never had a lover〃； while he thought：
〃That is a matter of indifference to me。〃
CHAPTER XIII。
MADAME DE MARELLE
Autumn had come。 The Du Roys had spent the entire summer in Paris；
leading a vigorous campaign in 〃La Vie Francaise；〃 in favor of the
new cabinet。 Although it was only the early part of October； the
chamber was about to resume its sessions； for affairs in Morocco
were becoming menacing。 The celebrated speech made by Count de
Lambert Sarrazin had furnished Du Roy with material for ten articles
on the Algerian colony。 〃La Vie Francaise〃 had gained considerable
prestige by its connection with the power； it was the first to give
political news； and every newspaper in Paris and the provinces
sought information from it。 It was quoted； feared； and began to be
respected： it was no longer the organ of a group of political
intriguers； but the avowed mouthpiece of the cabinet。 Laroche…
Mathieu was the soul of the journal and Du Roy his speaking…trumpet。
M。 Walter retired discreetly into the background。 Madeleine's salon
became an influential center in which several members of the cabinet
met every week。 The president of the council had even dined there
twice； the minister of foreign affairs was quite at home at the Du
Roys； he came at any hour； bringing dispatches or information； which
he dictated either to the husband or wife as if they were his
secretaries。 After the minister had departed； when Du Roy was alone
with Madeleine； he uttered threats and insinuations against the
〃parvenu；〃 as he called him。 His wife simply shrugged her shoulders
scornfully； repeating： 〃Become a minister and you can do the same；
until then； be silent。〃
His reply was： 〃No one knows of what I am capable； perhaps they will
find out some day。〃
She answered philosophically： 〃He who lives will see。〃
The morning of the reopening of the Chamber； Du Roy lunched with
Laroche…Mathieu in order to receive instructions from him； before
the session； for a political article the following day in 〃La Vie
Francaise；〃 which was to be a sort of official declaration of the
plans of the cabinet。 After listening to Laroche…Mathieu's eloquence
for some time with jealousy in his heart； Du Roy sauntered slowly
toward the office to commence his work； for he had nothing to do
until four o'clock； at which hour he was to meet Mme。 de Marelle at
Rue de Constantinople。 They met there regularly twice a week；
Mondays and Wednesdays。
On entering the office； he was handed a sealed dispatch； it was from
Mme。 Walter； and read thus：
〃It is absolutely necessary that I should see you to…day。 It is
important。 Expect me at two o'clock at Rue de Constantinople。 I
can render you a great service； your friend until death；〃
〃VIRGINIE。〃
He exclaimed： 〃Heavens！ what a bore！〃 and left the office at once；
too much annoyed to work。
For six weeks he had ineffectually tried to break with Mme。 Walter。
At three successive meetings she had been a prey to remorse； and had
overwhelmed her lover with reproaches。 Angered by those scenes and
already weary of the dramatic woman； he had simply avoided her；
hoping that the affair would end in that way。
But she persecuted him with her affection； summoned him at all times
by telegrams to meet her at street corners； in shops； or public
gardens。 She was very different from what he had fancied she would
be； trying to attract him by actions ridiculous in one of her age。
It disgusted him to hear her call him： 〃My ratmy dogmy treasure…
…my jewelmy blue…bird〃and to see her assume a kind of childish
modesty when he approached。 It seemed to him that being the mother
of a family； a woman of the world； she should have been more sedate；
and have yielded With tears if she chose； but with the tears of a
Dido and not of a Juliette。 He never heard her call him 〃Little one〃
or 〃Baby；〃 without wishing to reply 〃Old woman；〃 to take his hat
with an oath and leave the room。
At first they had often met at Rue de Constantinople； but Du Roy；
who feared an encounter with Mme。 de Marelle； invented a thousand
and one pretexts in order to avoid that rendezvous。 He was therefore
obliged to either lunch or dine at her house daily； when she would
clasp his hand under cover of the table or offer him her lips behind
the doors。 Above all； Georges enjoyed being thrown so much in
contact with Suzanne； she made sport of everything and everyb