Милий друг
Marriage
"
"Diditaffecther?"
"Notatall.Onthecontrary,shethoughtitanexcellentplan."
Thenewswassoonnoisedabroad.Someweresurprised,otherspretendedtohaveforeseenit,andothersagainsmiled,inferringthattheywerenotatallastonished.Theyoungman,whosignedhisarticles,"D.deCantel,"his"Echoes,""Duroy,"andhispoliticalsketches,"DuRoy,"spentthebestpartofhistimewithhisbetrothed,whohaddecidedthatthedatefixedfortheweddingshouldbekeptsecret,thattheceremonyshouldbecelebratedinthepresenceofwitnessesonly,thattheyshouldleavethesameeveningforRouen,andthatthedayfollowingtheyshouldvisitthejournalist’sagedparentsandspendseveraldayswiththem.DuroyhadtriedtopersuadeMadeleinetoabandonthatproject,butnotsucceedinginhiseffortshewasfinallycompelledtosubmit.
ThetenthofMayarrived.Thinkingareligiousceremonyunnecessary,astheyhadissuednoinvitations,thecoupleweremarriedatamagistrate’sandtookthesixo’clocktrainforNormandy.
Asthetrainglidedalong,Duroyseatedinfrontofhiswife,tookherhand,kissedit,andsaid:"WhenwereturnwewilldineatChatousometimes."
Shemurmured:"Weshallhaveagreatmanythingstodo!"inatonewhichseemedtosay:"Wemustsacrificepleasuretoduty."
Heretainedherhandwonderinganxiouslyhowhecouldmanagetocaressher.
