"I am not afraid of her. At her age one does not
begin to make conquests--one should commence sooner."

Georges thought: "If I might have had Suzanne, ah!" Then he shrugged
his shoulders: "Bah, it is absurd; her father would not have consented."

He determined to treat Mme. Walter very considerately in order to
retain her regard. All that evening he was haunted by recollections of
his love for Clotilde; he recalled their escapades, her kindness. He
repeated to himself: "She is indeed nice. Yes, I shall call upon her
to-morrow."

When he had lunched the following morning he repaired to Rue Verneuil.
The same maid opened the door, and with the familiarity of an old
servant she asked: "Is Monsieur well?"

He replied: "Yes, my child," and entered the drawing-room in which some
one was practising scales. It was Laurine. He expected she would fall
upon his neck. She, however, rose ceremoniously, bowed coldly, and left
the room with dignity; her manner was so much like that of an outraged
woman that he was amazed. Her mother entered. He kissed her hand.

"How much I have thought of you," said he.

"And I of you," she replied.

They seated themselves and smiled as they gazed into one another's eyes.

"My dear little Clo, I love you."

"And I love you."

"Still--still--you did not miss me."

"Yes and no. I was grieved, but when I heard your reason, I said to
myself: 'Bah, he will return to me some day.'"

"I dared not come. I did not know how I should be received. I dared
not, but I longed to come. Now, tell me what ails Laurine; she scarcely
bade me good morning and left the room with an angry air."

"I do not know, but one cannot mention you to her since your marriage;
I really believe she is jealous."

"Nonsense."

"Yes, my dear, she no longer calls you Bel-Ami, but M. Forestier
instead."

Du Roy colored, then drawing nearer the young woman, he said: "Kiss me."

She obeyed him.

"Where can we meet again?" he asked.

"At Rue de Constantinople."

"Ah, are the apartments not rented?"

"No, I kept them."

"You did?"

"Yes, I thought you would return."

His heart bounded joyfully. She loved him then with a lasting love! He
whispered: "I adore you." Then he asked: "Is your husband well?"

"Yes, very well. He has just been home for a month; he went away the
day before yesterday."

Du Roy could not suppress a smile: "How opportunely that always
happens!"

She replied naively: "Yes, it happens oppo