Милий друг
Madame De Marelle
Heattemptedtodetainherandstammered:"No—Clo—youareabsurd—Idonotknowwhoseitis—listen—stay—see—stay—"
Butsherepeated:"Keepyouroldwoman—keepher—haveachainmadeofherhair—ofhergrayhair—thereisenoughforthat—"
Hastilyshedonnedherhatandveil,andwhenheattemptedtotouchhershestruckhimintheface,andmadeherescapewhilehewasstunnedbytheblow.Whenhefoundthathewasalone,hecursedMme.Walter,bathedhisface,andwentoutvowingvengeance.Thattimehewouldnotpardon.No,indeed.
Hestrolledtotheboulevardandstoppedatajeweler’stolookatachronometerhehadwantedforsometimeandwhichwouldcosteighteenhundredfrancs.Hethoughtwithjoy:"IfImakemyseventythousandfrancs,Icanpayforit"—andhebegantodreamofallthethingshewoulddowhenhegotthemoney.Firstofallhewouldbecomeadeputy;thenhewouldbuythechronometer;thenhewouldspeculateon‘Change,andthen,andthen—hedidnotentertheoffice,preferringtoconferwithMadeleinebeforeseeingWalteragainandwritinghisarticle;heturnedtowardhome.HereachedRueDrouotwhenhepaused;hehadforgottentoinquireforCountdeVaudrec,wholivedonChausseed’Antin.Heretracedhisstepswithalightheart,thinkingofathousandthings—ofthefortunehewouldmake—ofthatrascalofaLaroche,andofoldWalter.
