Милий друг
Madame Forestier
deMarellecalled:"Laurine!"andthegirlcametoher."Sitdownhere,mychild,youwillbecoldnearthewindow."
Duroywasseizedwithaneagerdesiretoembracethechild,asifpartofthatembracewouldreverttothemother.Heaskedinagallant,yetpaternaltone:"Willyoupermitmetokissyou,Mademoiselle?"Thechildraisedhereyeswithanairofsurprise.Mme.deMarellesaidwithasmile:"Reply."
"Iwillallowyouto-day,Monsieur,butnotallthetime."
Seatinghimself,DuroytookLaurineuponhisknee,andkissedherlipsandherfinewavyhair.Hermotherwassurprised:"Well,thatisstrange!Ordinarilysheonlyallowsladiestocaressher.Youareirresistible,Monsieur!"
Duroycolored,butdidnotreply.
WhenMme.Forestierjoinedthem,acryofastonishmentescapedher:"Well,Laurinehasbecomesociable;whatamiracle!"
Theyoungmanrosetotakehisleave,fearinghemightspoilhisconquestbysomeawkwardword.Hebowedtotheladies,claspedandgentlypressedtheirhands,andthenshookhandswiththemen.HeobservedthatJacquesRival’swasdryandwarmandrespondedcordiallytohispressure;NorbertdeVarenne’swasmoistandcoldandslippedthroughhisfingers;Walter’swascoldandsoft,withoutlife,expressionless;Forestier’sfatandwarm.
Hisfriendwhisperedtohim:"To-morrowatthreeo’clock;donotforget
