Милий друг

           "Georgesthought:"Ifmypositionhadbeenmade,Iwouldhavemarriedher.WhydidIneverthinkofit?HowcouldIhavetakentheotherone?Whatfolly!Onealwaysactstoohastily—oneneverreflectssufficiently."Andlonging,bitterlongingpossessedhim,corruptingallhispleasure,renderinglifeodious.

           Suzannesaid:"Youmustcomeoften,Bel-Ami;wecandoanythingwelikenowpapaisrich."

           Hereplied:"Oh,youwillsoonmarry—someprince,perhaps,andweshallnevermeetanymore."

           Shecriedfrankly:"Oh,oh,Ishallnot!IshallchoosesomeoneIloveverydearly.Iamrichenoughfortwo."

           Hesmiledironicallyandsaid:"Igiveyousixmonths.BythattimeyouwillbeMadamelaMarquise,MadamelaDuchesse,orMadamelaPrincesse,andyouwilllookdownuponme,Mademoiselle."

           Shepretendedtobeangry,pattedhisarmwithherfan,andvowedthatshewouldmarryaccordingtothedictatesofherheart.

           Hereplied:"Weshallsee;youaretoowealthy."

           "You,too,haveinheritedsomemoney."

           "Barelytwentythousandlivresayear.Itisamerepittancenowadays."

           "Butyourwifehasthesame."

           "Yes,wehaveamilliontogether;fortythousandayear.Wecannotevenkeepacarriageonthat."

           Theyhad,inthemeantime,reachedthelastdrawing-room,andbeforethemlaytheconservatorywithitsrareshrubsandplants.