give me
a start for my article in ten minutes."

And he dressed himself.

When he got into the street he came to the conclusion that it was still
too early to present himself at the residence of his friend, who must be
a late sleeper. He therefore walked slowly along beneath the trees of
the outer boulevards. It was not yet nine o'clock when he reached the
Parc Monceau, fresh from its morning watering. Sitting down upon a bench
he began to dream again. A well-dressed young man was walking up and
down at a short distance, awaiting a woman, no doubt. Yes, she appeared,
close veiled and quick stepping, and taking his arm, after a brief clasp
of the hand, they walked away together.

A riotous need of love broke out in Duroy's heart, a need of amours at
once distinguished and delicate. He rose and resumed his journey,
thinking of Forestier. What luck the fellow had!

He reached the door at the moment his friend was coming out of it. "You
here at this time of day. What do you want of me?"

Duroy, taken aback at meeting him thus, just as he was starting off,
stammered: "You see, you see, I can't manage to write my article; you
know the article Monsieur Walter asked me to write on Algeria. It is
not very surprising, considering that I have never written anything.
Practice is needed for that, as for everything else. I shall get used to
it very quickly, I am sure, but I do not know how to set about
beginning. I have plenty of ideas, but I cannot manage to express them."

He stopped, hesitatingly, and Forestier smiled somewhat slyly, saying:
"I know what it is."

Duroy went on: "Yes, it must happen to everyone at the beginning. Well,
I came, I came to ask you for a lift. In ten minutes you can give me a
start, you can show me how to shape it. It will be a good lesson in
style you will give me, and really without you I do not see how I can
get on with it."

Forestier still smiled, and tapping his old comrade on the arm, said:
"Go in and see my wife; she will settle your business quite as well as I
could. I have trained her for that kind of work. I, myself, have not
time this morning, or I would willingly have done it for you."

Duroy suddenly abashed, hesitated, feeling afraid.

"But I cannot call on her at this time of the day."

"Oh, yes; she is up. You will find her in my study arranging some notes
for me."

Duroy refused to go upstairs, saying: "No, I can't think of such a
thing."

Forestier took him by the sho