Милий друг
A Step Upward
WhenDuroyenteredhisroomshethought:"Imustchangemyapartments;thesewillnotdoanylonger."Hefeltbothnervousandgay,andsaidaloudtohimself:"Imustwritetomyfather."Occasionallyhewrotehome,andhislettersalwaysdelightedhisoldparents.Ashetiedhiscravatatthemirrorherepeated:"Imustwritehometo-morrow.IfmyfathercouldseemethiseveninginthehousetowhichIamgoing,hewouldbesurprised.Sacristi,Ishallsoongiveadinnerwhichhasneverbeenequaled!"
Thenherecalledhisoldhome,thefacesofhisfatherandmother.Hesawthemseatedattheirhomelyboard,eatingtheirsoup.Herememberedeverywrinkleontheiroldfaces,everymovementoftheirhandsandheads;heevenknewwhattheysaidtoeachothereveryeveningastheysupped.Hethought:"Iwillgotoseethemsomeday."Histoilettecompleted,heextinguishedhislightanddescendedthestairs.
Onreachinghisdestination,heboldlyenteredtheantechamber,lightedbybronzelamps,andgavehiscaneandhisovercoattothetwolackeyswhoapproachedhim.Allthesalonswerelighted.Mme.Walterreceivedinthesecond,thelargest.ShegreetedDuroywithacharmingsmile,andheshookhandswithtwomenwhoarrivedafterhim,M.FirminandM.Laroche-Mathieu;thelatterhadespecialauthorityattheofficeonaccountofhisinfluenceinthechamberofdeputies.
ThentheForestiersarrived,Madeleinelookingcharminginpink.Charleshadbecomeverymuchemaciatedandcoughedincessantly.
