Chapter 16

DIVORCE

During the remainder of the winter, the Du Roys often visited the
Walters. Georges, too, frequently dined there alone, Madeleine
pleading fatigue and preferring to remain at home. He had chosen
Friday as his day, and Mme. Walter never invited anyone else on that
evening; it belonged to Bel-Ami. Often in a dark corner or behind a
tree in the conservatory, Mme. Walter embraced the young man and
whispered in his ear: "I love you, I love you! I love you
desperately!"

But he always repulsed her coldly, saying: "If you persist in that,
I will not come again."

Toward the end of March people talked of the marriage of the two
sisters: Rose was to marry, Dame Rumor said, Count de Latour-Ivelin
and Suzanne, the Marquis de Cazolles. The subject of Suzanne's
possible marriage had not been broached again between her and
Georges until one morning, the latter having been brought home by M.
Walter to lunch, he whispered to Suzanne: "Come, let us give the
fish some bread."

They proceeded to the conservatory in which was the marble basin
containing the fish. As Georges and Suzanne leaned over its edge,
they saw their reflections in the water and smiled at them.
Suddenly, he said in a low voice: "It is not right of you to keep
secrets from me, Suzanne."

She asked:

"What secrets, Bel-Ami?"

"Do you remember what you promised me here the night of the fete?"

"No."

"To consult me every time you received a proposal."

"Well?"

"Well, you have received one!"

"From whom?"

"You know very well."

"No, I swear I do not."

"Yes, you do. It is from that fop of a Marquis de Cazolles."

"He is not a fop."

"That may be, but he is stupid. He is no match for you who are so
pretty, so fresh, so bright!"

She asked with a smile: "What have you against him?"

"I? Nothing!"

"Yes, you have. He is not all that you say he is."

"He is a fool, and an intriguer."

She glanced at him: "What ails you?"

He spoke as if tearing a secret from the depths of his heart: "I am-
-I am jealous of him."

She was astonished.

"You?"

"Yes, I."

"Why?"

"Because I love you and you know it"

Then she said severely: "You are mad, Bel-Ami!"

He replied: "I know that I am! Should I confess it--I, a married
man, to you, a young girl? I am worse than mad--I am culpable,
wretched--I have no