Милий друг
Suzanne
Thethirstycrowdstoppedhim;whenhehadmadehiswaythroughit,hefoundhimselffacetofacewithM.andMme.deMarelle.Hehadoftenmetthewife,buthehadnotmetthehusbandforsometime;thelattergraspedbothofhishandsandthankedhimforthemessagehehadsenthimbyClotilderelativetothestocks.
DuRoyreplied:"InexchangeforthatserviceIshalltakeyourwife,orratherofferhermyarm.Husbandandwifeshouldalwaysbeseparated."
M.deMarellebowed."Verywell.IfIloseyouwecanmeethereagaininanhour."
Thetwoyoungpeopledisappearedinthecrowd,followedbythehusband.Mme.deMarellesaid:"Therearetwogirlswhowillhavetwentyorthirtymillionseach,andSuzanneisprettyinthebargain."
Hemadenoreply;hisownthoughtcomingfromthelipsofanotherirritatedhim.HetookClotildetoseethepainting.AstheycrossedtheconservatoryhesawhiswifeseatednearLaroche-Mathieu,bothofthemalmosthiddenbehindagroupofplants.Theyseemedtosay:"Wearehavingameetinginpublic,forwedonotcarefortheworld’sopinion."
Mme.deMarelleadmiredKarlMarcovitch’spainting,andtheyturnedtorepairtotheotherrooms.TheywereseparatedfromM.deMarelle.Heasked:"IsLaurinestillvexedwithme?"
"Yes.Sherefusestoseeyouandgoesawaywhenyouarementioned."
Hedidnotreply.Thechild’ssuddenenmitygrievedandannoyedhim.
