Милий друг
A Step Upward
’"
Hewassurprisedandwithdifficultyrestrainedaburstoflaughter.
"PatteBlanche?Ifanciedherayoungwomanlikeyou.IsthatPatteBlanche?Ah,sheishandsome,veryhandsome!"
Aservantappearedatthedoorandannounced:"Madameisserved."
Duroywasplacedbetweenthemanager’splaindaughter,Mlle.Rose,andMme.deMarelle.Theproximityofthelatterembarrassedhimsomewhat,althoughsheappearedateaseandconversedwithherusualspirit.Gradually,however,hisassurancereturned,andbeforethemealwasover,heknewthattheirrelationswouldberenewed.Wishing,too,tobepolitetohisemployer’sdaughter,headdressedherfromtimetotime.Sherespondedashermotherwouldhavedone,withoutanyhesitationastowhatsheshouldsay.AtM.Walter’srightsatViscountessdePercemur,andDuroy,lookingatherwithasmile,askedMme.deMarelleinalowvoice:"Doyouknowtheonewhosignsherself‘DominoRose’?"
"Yes,perfectly;BaronessdeLivar."
"IssheliketheCountess?"
"No.Butsheisjustascomical.Sheissixtyyearsold,hasfalsecurlsandteeth,witofthetimeoftheRestoration,andtoilettesofthesameperiod."
Whentheguestsreturnedtothedrawing-room,DuroyaskedMme.deMarelle:"MayIescortyouhome?"
"No."
"Whynot?"
"BecauseM.
