beautiful friend

Chapter 29

Du Roy read the letter again as he walked:
Anyway, I want to see you today.The matter is very urgent.Please meet me at the apartment on Constantinople Street at two o'clock in the afternoon.I'm going to do you a huge favor.

your friend till death
Virginie

Du Roy thought to himself: "I wonder what tricks this ugly old woman is going to play today? I bet she has nothing to do except say a lot of crazy things like 'I love you'. But I still Go and see. She says it's very urgent and can be of great help. Maybe it's true. Anyway, Clotilde won't be here until four o'clock. Anyway, I'll get her by three o'clock. Send it away. Damn it! Don't let these two women bump into each other. Women are troublesome!"

At this time, Du Roy thought of his wife.Perhaps, she was the one thing in this world that bothered him the least.Madeleine has always lived a relatively independent life and does not allow anyone to disrupt her orderly life.At the same time, she seems to love her husband very much, especially when the two share the joy of life.

Du Roy walked slowly towards the Rue Constantinople, filled with resentment:

"Hmph! If nothing happens to her when I see her this time, let's see how I deal with her! I will not be as 'gentle and refined' as Cambrona. I will solemnly warn her that I will never step into her house again. Half a step to the door"

Du Roy entered the room and waited for Mrs. Walter to arrive.

Just then Mrs. Walter appeared at the door.As soon as she saw Du Roy, she said: "Ah! It seems that you have received my letter! It is very kind!"

Du Roy said with a straight face: "Of course, I received it at the newspaper office. I was about to go to the House of Representatives at that time! What's the matter with you?"

Madame Walter took off her veil and was about to kiss him.She walked towards him, with a docile and timid appearance like a dog that is often whipped by its master.

"Why are you so cruel to me? Why are you always so cruel and ruthless? What did I do wrong? Don't you know how much pain this will make me?"

Du Roy said angrily, "You won't come again, will you?"

Madame Walter was standing next to du Roy.As long as he smiled or made a gesture, she would immediately fall into his arms.

She muttered in a low voice: "If I had known this, you shouldn't have seduced me in the first place. Just let me be a well-behaved happy woman like before! Remember how you swore your vows in the church back then? Did you trick me into coming here? How can you talk to me like this now! Treat me so cruelly! God! How can you be so cruel to me!"

Du Roy stomped his feet angrily, and said viciously: "Shut up! That's enough! Why did you just chatter like this when we met? Could it be that I seduced a 12-year-old girl who was as pure and ignorant as an angel? Is it a little girl? No honey, think about it, it's not some kind of seduction of an underage girl. You are a mature woman who sent you to your door. I appreciate you and can't be more grateful for your attention Pleasure. But I can't be around you all the time. You have a husband and I have a wife, and we're both families. We had a good time, but no one knew about it, and it's gone now. it's over."

Mrs. Walter was very sad: "My God! How can you be so vulgar? Yes, I am not a young girl. But, I have never loved anyone before, and I have never had a lover..."

Du Roy interrupted her and said: "I know, you have said it countless times. But you are the mother of two girls...not a virgin..."

Mrs. Walter was astonished, and couldn't help but took a step back: "Oh! George, how can you be so shameless?"

She pressed her hands to her chest, panting unsteadily, as if she was about to cry bitterly.

Seeing Mrs. Walter's teary eyes, Du Roy quickly picked up the hat on the fireplace and said, "Ah, are you going to cry? In that case, I have to go. You are just for this play, Did you just call me?"

Mrs. Walter stopped him, took a handkerchief from her pocket, and quickly wiped away her tears.Trying to control her emotions, she said brokenly: "No...I'm here to...to tell you a news...a political news...if you will...it will net you fifty thousand francs ...and even more..." Mrs. Walter's voice kept trembling due to the great pain in her heart.

Du Roy's voice suddenly softened a lot: "What's going on? What did you say?"

"Last night I overheard a conversation between my husband and La Roche. They never avoided me when they spoke. Walter told the Foreign Minister not to let you know, lest you give away their secrets. "

Du Roy put his hat back on the chair and waited with concern for her to continue.

"Say, what's going on?"

"The government wants to occupy Morocco!"

"Impossible! I had dinner at La Roche's at noon today, and he told me almost all the cabinet's intentions."

"It's not like that honey. They lied to you because they didn't want anyone to know about it" Sit down and talk. said Du Roy.

Then he sat down on the chair.Madame Walter also pulled up a stool, placed it between Du Roy's legs, and sat down on it.She said affectionately: "During this time, I have been thinking about you every day, so I have paid great attention to everything about you."

Mrs. Walter began to talk about it, saying that she recently discovered that La Roche and the others seemed to be engaged in some secret business without telling Du Roy.They kept using Du Roy, but they were afraid that he would reveal the secret.

"You know," said Mrs. Walter, "when people fall in love, they get smart."

It wasn't until yesterday that she realized what was going on.It turned out that her husband and La Rochere were secretly planning a deal.Having said that, Mrs. Walter showed a smug smile on her face.She became more and more excited as she talked, like the wife of a financier who is used to seeing the changes in the exchange market and the ups and downs of stocks.These changes are often related to the life and death of countless petty bourgeois and meager annuity earners.They take out all their life savings to buy stocks guaranteed by politicians or bankers. If they are not careful, they may go bankrupt in just two hours.

Mrs. Walter repeated: "Their trick is really cruel. Walter is secretly manipulating everything. He knows it very well, he is one of the best veterans."

Du Roy was impatient with her endless foreshadowing:

"Say it quickly!"

"Well, here's the thing. Ever since La Rochere became Minister of Foreign Affairs, they have decided to send troops to Daniel. In the meantime, they have been buying up Moroccan stocks little by little, which have fallen to 64 or 65 francs. They have cleverly passed those Unscrupulous brokers bought the stock, so no one suspected it, and even the Rochild family bank was duped in. Although the bank was puzzled by the continued buying of Moroccan stocks, Since the stocks are bought by middle men who are notorious and on the verge of bankruptcy, so it doesn't matter. Now, as soon as the army is sent, the state will guarantee Morocco stocks. And my husband and they can easily earn 6000 million Francs. Do you hear me? You must understand now why they keep their secrets from anyone, don't you?"

Madame Walter, with her head resting on Du Roy's breast, and her hands on his lap, clung to him.At this moment, she felt that she was the most important person in Du Roy's heart.She would do anything for him as long as she could get a smile or a caress from him.

Du Roy asked, "Are you sure?"

Mrs. Walter replied firmly: "Yes! Absolutely!"

Du Roy said: "That's a tough trick! La Roche, that bastard, I'm going to show him someday! Ah! The vile fellow! He'd better be careful...  Be careful...his foreign minister position is still firmly in my hands!"

Then Du Roy fell into deep thought.After a while, he said to himself: "However, such a rare opportunity cannot be missed."

"You can also buy some Moroccan shares," said Madame Walter, "at seventy-two francs a share."

Du Roy said: "I want to too! But how can I have so much cash?"

Mrs. Walter raised her head and looked at him with pleading eyes: "I have thought of this a long time ago, my little cat. If you can treat me better and love me more, I can lend you money you."

"Forget it." Du Luowa flatly refused, with a very blunt tone.

Mrs. Walter could only plead in a low voice: "Listen, I still have a way without you borrowing a penny. I also wanted to buy [-] francs of Moroccan stocks to save some private money. Or I can buy [-] francs now." , half of which is yours. You know, I don't have to pay Walter that money back. Therefore, you don't have to pay a penny for the time being. If you succeed, you will net seventy thousand francs; if you fail, you owe me My ten thousand francs can be returned at any time."

"No, I still don't like this approach." Du Roy still disagreed.

So Mrs. Walter found a lot of reasons to persuade Du Roy.She said that he would have ten thousand francs as soon as he asked; moreover, the money was not hers, but she had advanced it from her husband's bank, and he had to take a certain risk.

In addition, if this matter can be successful, it will undoubtedly be attributed to the political crusade launched by Du Roy in the "French News".It would be foolish not to take advantage of such an opportunity.

Du Roy was still a little hesitant.Mrs. Walter continued: "Take the ten thousand francs as my husband's salary in advance. You deserve far more than that for doing things for him."

"Well," said Du Roy, "I'll be half to you. If you lose, I'll pay you ten thousand francs."

Mrs. Walter stood up excitedly, hugged his head, and kissed him several times.

Du Roy did not resist.Seeing this, Mrs. Walter became more and more bold, hugged him tightly, and kissed him furiously.Du Roy thought: Mrs. de Marais is coming soon, if he is soft-hearted for a moment, it will take a longer time; instead of wasting his energy in the arms of this old woman, it is better to leave it to the young woman. mistress.

So, he gently pushed Mrs. Walter away and said, "Okay, stop making trouble."

Mrs. Walter looked at him sadly: "Oh, George! Can't I just kiss you?"

Du Roy replied: "No, not today. I have a bit of a headache. It makes me feel very uncomfortable."

Mrs. Walter had to sit back obediently and asked, "Would you like to come to my house for dinner tomorrow night? I would be very happy if you could come."

Du Roy pondered for a while, but still dared not refuse.

"Okay, of course I would."

"Thank you dear."

Madame Walter rubbed her face gently back and forth against Du Roy's chest.Suddenly, a slender black hair was torn off by the button on his vest.After Mrs. Walter saw it, a crazy idea suddenly flashed in her mind.She slowly wrapped the hair around the button.Then, another one was wrapped around the lower button.In this way, the buttons of Du Roy's vest were covered with her hair.

When Du Roy stands up later, he will tear off all these hairs.Although it hurts, but for her, this is such a happy thing!Because of this lock of hair, he would take part of what was hers without knowing it.Before that, he had never asked her for such a token of love.But now, these hairs are the invisible bonds that maintain the relationship between the two, and it is a love spell she casts on her lover.From then on, Du Roy would think of her involuntarily, dream of her, and his love for her would become stronger day by day. Just when Mrs. Walter was immersed in a happy reverie, Du Roy said suddenly: "I want Gone. I have to see someone after the House session. There is no longer any delay."

Mrs. Walter sighed: "Ah? So fast!" Then she said helplessly: "Then you go, my dear. But you must come tomorrow night."

After finishing speaking, she stood up abruptly.Immediately there was a brief but severe pain in the head, as if being pricked by a needle.Her heart was pounding, and the little pain from her lover made her feel happy.

"Goodbye," she said.

Du Roy put his arms around her, kissed her eyes coldly, and smiled with a hint of pity.

And Mrs. Walter was fascinated by her lover's intimacy, and murmured: "Is it true that you left so soon?" Her sad eyes kept staring at the bedroom with the door open.

Du Roy pushed her away and said anxiously: "I must go. If I don't go, I will definitely be late." He touched Mrs. Walter's lips, and then quickly handed her the umbrella she had forgotten. He urged: "Let's go, let's go, hurry up, it's past three o'clock."

Before leaving, Mrs. Walter reminded her again: "At seven o'clock tomorrow night, don't forget."

Du Roy replied: "Yes. Tomorrow at seven o'clock."

After walking out of the gate, one of them turned to the left and the other to the right.

Du Roy walked as far as the Boulevard, and then walked slowly back along the Rue Malezebe.When he passed a small shop, he saw a pile of roasted chestnuts in a crystal glass jar.He thought: "I want to buy a bag for Clotilde." So Du Roy bought a bag full of candied chestnuts, which his mistress loved most.

At four o'clock he went back to his room and waited quietly.

Clotilde came late today.Because her husband has just come back from other places and is going to live at home for a week.As soon as they met, she asked Du Roy: "Can you come to my house for dinner tomorrow? My husband will be very happy to see you."

"No, I have to go to Walter's tomorrow. We have a lot of political and economic business to do.

Clotilde took off her hat, and then busied herself undoing her tightly stretched bodice.

Du Roy pointed to the bag on the fireplace and said, "I bought you some chestnuts fried in sugar."

Clotilde clapped her hands happily: "Great! You are so kind!"

She took the bag and tasted one, and said, "It's so sweet, I'm going to eat all of them."

Then, she looked at Du Roy with great interest: "So, you can tolerate all my problems?" Clotilde ate chestnuts slowly, and looked into the bag from time to time to see Is there any more in it.

She said to Du Roy: "Come on, get on the chair! I'm going to eat between your legs. It's going to be fun."

Du Roy sat down with a smile and spread her legs to let her sit in the middle, just as he had done with Mrs. Walter just now.Clotilde stuffed his mouth with something, looked at him and said:
"Honey, you don't know, I dreamed about you last night. I dreamed that we rode a camel for a long distance. It was a Bactrian camel. We each sat on a hump and wanted to cross A desert with paper wrapped sandwiches and a bottle of wine. We ate on the hump. But it didn't take long before I got bored because there was nothing else to do. We were so far apart that I just wanted to come down .”

Du Roy echoed:

"I want to come down too."

Then he started laughing.Clotilde's story made him laugh, and he began to tease her with this and that.The two of them were chatting about each other there, talking about innocent, tender and sweet crazy things between lovers.Clotilde's wisecracks, so clever and ridiculous, would have irritated him if they had been Madame Walter's.

Clotilde is also "honey" on the left, and "my little baby" and "my kitten" on the right, which sounds very gentle and sweet.However, just now, when Mrs. Walter called him that, Du Roy felt extremely annoyed and disgusting.The same love words come from different people's mouths, and there is always a world of difference.

Even though he was intoxicated in the crazy love words, Du Roy still couldn't forget the 72 francs he was about to get.Suddenly, he tapped Madame de Marais on the head lightly with his hand, interrupting her whispering: "Listen, my little kitty. Hurry up and send a message to your husband for me, let him buy it tomorrow." [-] francs Moroccan stock, the current price is [-] francs per share. I guarantee that within three months, he can make [-] to [-] francs. You must let him keep the secret. Let me say that the government has We decided to send troops to Daniel, so we will definitely provide guarantees for Morocco stocks. As for other people, we don’t care about it. You know, what I’m telling you now is a state secret.”

Clotilde listened quietly and gravely.She said softly, "Thank you. I'll tell my husband tonight. Don't worry about him, he won't gossip. He's a very reliable person, and there will never be any problems."

At this time, Clotilde ate up all the candied chestnuts.She rubbed the bag with her hands, threw it into the fireplace, and said to Du Roy, "Let's go to bed." After speaking, she sat there and helped him unbutton his vest without getting up.

Suddenly she stopped, pulled out a long hair from between the buttons, and said with a smile: "Look, you are a faithful husband, and you still have Madeleine's hair."

But after a while, Clotilde's expression became serious.She stared at the almost imperceptible hair on her hand for a long time, and said to herself: "This is not Madeleine's hair, this hair is brown."

"Maybe it belongs to the maid." Du Roy said with a playful smile.

Madame de Marais searched carefully up and down the waistcoat, pulled out a hair from another button, and found a third.Pale and trembling, she exclaimed, "Well! You must have slept with another woman. She's wrapped your buttons all over with her hair."

Du Luowa couldn't help being startled, and said falteringly: "Impossible. What nonsense are you talking..."

(End of this chapter)