Thursday at the doctor's orders。 They did not stay late； after they
had left； Duroy said； with a shake of his head：
〃He will not live long。〃
Mme。 de Marelle replied calmly： 〃No； he is doomed！ He was a lucky
man to obtain such a wife。〃
Duroy asked： 〃Does she help him very much？〃
〃She does all the work； she is well posted on every subject； and she
always gains her point； as she wants it； and when she wants it！ Oh；
she is as maneuvering as anyone！ She is a treasure to a man who
wishes to succeed。〃
Georges replied： 〃She will marry very soon again； I have no doubt。〃
〃Yes！ I should not even be surprised if she had some one in viewa
deputy！ but I do not know anything about it。〃
M。 de Marelle said impatiently： 〃You infer so many things that I do
not like！ We should never interfere in the affairs of others。
Everyone should make that a rule。〃
Duroy took his leave with a heavy heart。 The next day he called on
the Forestiers； and found them in the midst of packing。 Charles lay
upon a sofa and repeated： 〃I should have gone a month ago。〃 Then he
proceeded to give Duroy innumerable orders； although everything had
been arranged with M。 Walter。 When Georges left him； he pressed his
comrade's hand and said：
〃Well； old fellow； we shall soon meet again。〃
Mme。 Forestier accompanied him to the door and he reminded her of
their compact。 〃We are friends and allies； are we not？ If you should
require my services in any way； do not hesitate to call upon me。
Send me a dispatch or a letter and I will obey。〃
She murmured： 〃Thank you； I shall not forget。〃
As Duroy descended the staircase； he met M。 de Vaudrec ascending。
The Count seemed sadperhaps at the approaching departure。
The journalist bowed； the Count returned his salutation courteously
but somewhat haughtily。
On Thursday evening the Forestiers left town。
CHAPTER VII。
A DUEL WITH AN END
Charles's absence gave Duroy a more important position on 〃La Vie
Francaise。〃 Only one matter arose to annoy him； otherwise his sky
was cloudless。
An insignificant paper； 〃La Plume；〃 attacked him constantly； or
rather attacked the editor of the 〃Echoes〃 of 〃La Vie Francaise。〃
Jacques Rival said to him one day： 〃You are very forbearing。〃
〃What should I do？ It is no direct attack。〃
But； one afternoon when he entered the office； Boisrenard handed him
a number of 〃La Plume。〃
〃See； here is another unpleasant remark for you。〃
〃Relative to what？〃
〃To the arrest of one Dame Aubert。〃
Georges took the paper and read a scathing personal denunciation。
Duroy； it seems； had written an item claiming that Dame Aubert who；
as the editor of 〃La Plume；〃 claimed； had been put under arrest； was
a myth。 The latter retaliated by accusing Duroy of receiving bribes
and of suppressing matter that should be published。
As Saint…Potin entered； Duroy asked him： 〃Have you seen the
paragraph in 'La Plume'？〃
〃Yes； and I have just come from Dame Aubert's； she is no myth； but
she has not been arrested； that report has no foundation。〃
Duroy went at once to M。 Walter's office。 After hearing the case；
the manager bade him go to the woman's house himself； find out the
details； and reply； to the article。
Duroy set out upon his errand and on his return to the office； wrote
the following：
〃An anonymous writer in 'La Plume' is trying to pick a quarrel
with me on the subject of an old woman who； he claims； was
arrested for disorderly conduct； which I deny。 I have myself
seen Dame Aubert； who is sixty years old at least； she told me
the particulars of her dispute with a butcher as to the weight
of some cutlets； which dispute necessitated an explanation
before a magistrate。 That is the whole truth in a nutshell。 As
for the other insinuations I scorn them。 One never should reply
to such things； moreover； when they are written under a mask。
GEORGES DUROY。〃
M。 Walter and Jacques Rival considered that sufficient； and it was
decided that it should be published in that day's issue。
Duroy returned home rather agitated and uneasy。 What would this
opponent reply？ Who was he？ Why that attack？ He passed a restless
night。 When he re…read his article in the paper the next morning； he
thought it more aggressive in print than it was in writing。 He
might； it seemed to him； have softened certain terms。 He was excited
all day and feverish during…the night。 He rose early to obtain an
issue of 〃La Plume〃 which should contain the reply to his note。 He
ran his eyes over the columns and at first saw nothing。 He was
beginning to breathe more freely when these words met his eye：
〃M。 Duroy of 'La Vie Francaise' gives us the lie！ In doing so；
he lies。 He owns； however； that a woman named Aubert exists；
and that she was taken before a magistrate by an agent。 Two
words only remain to be added to the word 'agent；' which are
'of morals' and all is told。 But the consciences of certain
journalists are on a par with their talents。〃
〃I sign myself； Louis Langremont。〃
Georges's heart throbbed violently； and he returned home in order to
dress himself。 He had been insulted and in such a manner that it was
impossible to hesitate。 Why had he been insulted？ For nothing！ On
account of an old woman who had quarreled with her butcher。
He dressed hastily and repaired to M。 Walter's house； although it
was scarcely eight o'clock。 M。 Walter was reading 〃La Plume。〃
〃Well；〃 he said gravely； on perceiving Duroy； 〃you cannot let that
pass。〃 The young man did not reply。
The manager continued： 〃Go at once in search of Rival； who will look
after your interests。〃
Duroy stammered several vague words and set out for Rival's house。
Jacques was still in bed； but he rose when the bell rang； and having
read the insulting paragraph； said： 〃Whom would you like to have
besides me？〃
〃I do not know。〃
〃Boisrenard？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you a good swordsman？〃
〃No。〃
〃A good shot？〃
〃I have used a pistol a good deal。〃
〃Good！ Come and exercise while I attend to everything。 Wait a
moment。〃
He entered his dressing…room and soon reappeared； washed； shaven；
and presentable。
〃Come with me；〃 said he。 He lived on the ground floor； and he led
Duroy into a cellar converted into a room for the practice of
fencing and shooting。 He produced a pair of pistols and began to
give his orders as briefly as if they were on the dueling ground。 He
was well satisfied with Duroy's use of the weapons； and told him to
remain there and practice until noon； when he would return to take
him to lunch and tell him the result of his mission。 Left to his own
devices； Duroy aimed at the target several times and then sat down
to reflect。
Such affairs were abominable anyway！ What would a respectable man
gain by risking his life？ And he recalled Norbert de Varenne's
remarks； made to him a short while before。 〃He was right！〃 he
declared aloud。 It was gloomy in that cellar； as gloomy as in a
tomb。 What o'clock was it？ The time dragged slowly on。 Suddenly he
heard footsteps； voices； and Jacques Rival reappeared accompanied by
Boisrenard。 The former cried on perceiving Duroy： 〃All is settled！〃
Duroy thought the matter had terminated with a letter of apology；
his heart gave a bound and he stammered： 〃Ahthank you！〃
Rival continued： 〃M。 Langremont has accepted every condition。
Twenty…five paces； fire when the pistol is leveled and the order
given。〃 Then he added： 〃Now let us lunch； it is past twelve
o'clock。〃
They repaired to a neighboring restaurant。 Duroy was silent。 He ate
that they might not think he was frightened； and went in the
afternoon with Boisrenard to the office； where he worked in an
absent； mechanical manner。 Before leaving； Jacques Rival shook hands
with him and warned him that he and Boisrenard would call for him in
a carriage the next morning at seven o'clock to repair to the wood
at Vesinet； where the meeting was to take place。
All had been settled without his saying a word； giving his opinion；
accepting or refusing； with such rapidity that his brain whirled and
he scarcely knew what was taking place。 He returned home about nine
o'clock in the evening after having dined with Boisrenard； who had
not left him all day。 When he was alone； he paced the floor； he was
too confused to think。 One thought alone filled his mind and that
was： a duel to…morrow！ He sat down and began to meditate。 He had
thrown upon his table his adversary's card brought him by Rival。 He
read it for the twentieth time that day：
〃Louis LANGREMONT；
176 Rue Montmartre。〃
Nothing more！ Who was the man？ How old was he？ How tall？ How did he
look？ How odious that a total stranger should without rhyme or
reason； out of pure caprice； annoy him thus on account of an old；
woman's quarrel with her butcher！ He said aloud： 〃The brute！〃 and
glared angrily at the card。
He began to feel nervous； the sound of his voice made him start； he
drank a glass of water and laid down。 He turned from his right side
to his left uneasily。 He was thirsty； he rose； he felt restless
〃Am I afraid？〃 he asked himself。
Why did his heart palpitate so wildly at the slightest sound？ He
began to reason philosophically on the possibility of being afraid。
No； certainly he was not； since he was ready to fight。 Still he felt
so deeply moved that he wondered if one could be afraid in spite of
oneself。 What would happen if that state of things should exist？ If
he should tremble or lose his presence of mind？ He lighted his
candle and looked in the glass； he scarcely recognized his own face；
it was so changed。
Suddenly he thought： 〃To…morrow at this time I may be dead。〃 He
turned to his couch and saw himself stretched lifeless upon it。 He
hastened to the window and opened it； but the night air was so
chilly that he closed it； lighted a fire； and began to pace the
floor once more； saying mechanically： 〃I must be more composed。 I
will write to my parents； in case of accident。〃 He took a sheet of
paper and after several attempts began：
〃My dear father and mother：〃
〃At daybreak I am going to fight a duel； and as something