ed if she had
some one already in her eye--a deputy, unless, indeed, he
objects--for--for--there may be serious--moral--obstacles. But then--I
don't really know."

Monsieur de Marelle grumbled with slow impatience: "You are always
suspecting a number of things that I do not like. Do not let us meddle
with the affairs of others. Our conscience is enough to guide us. That
should be a rule with everyone."

Duroy withdrew, uneasy at heart, and with his mind full of vague plans.
The next day he paid a visit to the Forestiers, and found them finishing
their packing up. Charles, stretched on a sofa, exaggerated his
difficulty of breathing, and repeated: "I ought to have been off a month
ago."

Then he gave George a series of recommendations concerning the paper,
although everything had been agreed upon and settled with Monsieur
Walter. As George left, he energetically squeezed his old comrade's
hand, saying: "Well, old fellow, we shall have you back soon." But as
Madame Forestier was showing him out, he said to her, quickly: "You have
not forgotten our agreement? We are friends and allies, are we not? So
if you have need of me, for no matter what, do not hesitate. Send a
letter or a telegram, and I will obey."

She murmured: "Thanks, I will not forget." And her eye, too, said
"Thanks," in a deeper and tenderer fashion.

As Duroy went downstairs, he met slowly coming up Monsieur de Vaudrec,
whom he had met there once before. The Count appeared sad, at this
departure, perhaps. Wishing to show his good breeding, the journalist
eagerly bowed. The other returned the salutation courteously, but in a
somewhat dignified manner.

The Forestiers left on Thursday evening.

VII

Charles's absence gave Duroy increased importance in the editorial
department of the _Vie Francaise_. He signed several leaders besides his
"Echoes," for the governor insisted on everyone assuming the
responsibility of his "copy." He became engaged in several newspaper
controversies, in which he acquitted himself creditably, and his
constant relations with different statesmen were gradually preparing him
to become in his turn a clever and perspicuous political editor. There
was only one cloud on his horizon. It came from a little free-lance
newspaper, which continually assailed him, or rather in him assailed the
chief writer of "Echoes" in the _Vie Francaise_, the chief of "Monsieur
Walter's startlers," as it was put by the anonymous writer of t