beautiful friend

Chapter 8

He had always wanted to visit Madame Forestier, but the thought of the embarrassment of their last meeting made him feel so ashamed that he had to dismiss the idea.Maybe, maybe someday her husband would send him an invitation.When he was bored, he thought of Mrs. de Marais who had invited him to be a guest.So in an afternoon with nothing to do, he came to her house.

Madame de Marais once said to him:

"I'm home until three o'clock in the afternoon."

At 02:30, he rang the doorbell of her house.

Madame de Marais lived on the fifth floor of a flat in Rue Verneuil.

A maid came and opened the door for him.He was a small, disheveled man; wearing a bonnet, he said:
"Madame is at home, but I don't know if she's up or not."

After speaking, she pushed open the half-hidden living room door.

Duroy walked in.The living room is quite large, but there are not many furniture, and the layout is not fine enough.A few old armchairs lined the walls, evidently placed at random by the maid, and one could not detect the slightest taste of the homely hostess.A pair of crappy oil paintings hung on the four walls: canoes floating on the small river, ships sailing in the sea, mills standing on the plains and woodcutters cutting wood in the woods.The pictures were hung crookedly on the wall panels with strings of different lengths.It is likely that the paintings hung there for a long time due to the indifference of the hostess.

Duroy sat down and waited quietly.After a while, a door was suddenly pushed open.Madame de Marais hurried in.She wears a pink silk kimono embroidered with gold scenes, blue flowers and white birds.Seeing Duroy, she exclaimed:

"I'm sorry to be up at this hour. It's very kind of you to come and see me. I thought you'd forgotten me."

She held out both hands happily to him.The simple furnishings in the room made Duroy no longer feel constrained. He took Madame de Marelle's hand, and like Noble de Wallen, brought one of them to his mouth and kissed it gently. Madame de Marais asked him to sit down, and looked him over carefully from head to toe:
"You have changed a lot, and you are much more stylish than before. It seems that Paris is quite suitable for you. Come, tell me something new that happened recently."

They are like two good friends who have known each other for many years, you chatted with each other.A sense of trust, intimacy and admiration arises spontaneously in each other's hearts, making two strangers with similar interests and personalities become close friends after a short conversation.

While talking, Madame de Marais suddenly stopped and said in surprise:

"It's a really weird feeling being with you. I feel like we've known each other for a long time. We'd definitely be great friends, no doubt, I just wonder if you'd like to?"

Duroy immediately replied:

"It's an honor." There was a hint of a smile on his lips.

It seemed to him that Madame de Marais, in this brightly colored and soft dressing gown, was not so slender, charming, and delicate as Madame de Forestier, but more seductive and irresistible.

Every time you are with Mrs. Forestier, she always has an invariable smile on her face. Although the smile is charming, it reveals a kind of cold temperament, which makes you dare not pretend to be intoxicated when you are intoxicated. Once, it seems to say: "You are very cute." But at the same time it is warning you: "Don't mess around!" In short, you will never know what she really thinks.Duroy just wanted to lie at her feet, kiss the lace of her underwear, or smell the warm fragrance emanating from those plump breasts.But he felt a strong and definite desire to be near Madame de Marais.Facing the exquisite body entangled in the veil in front of him, he couldn't help his blood boil and his hands trembled.

Madame de Marais talked with eloquence, and every sentence seemed so humorous; like a skilled worker, under the astonished eyes of everyone, he completed a difficult job.As Duroy listened, she thought, "I've got a lot of help from her words. Listening to her talk about what's going on in Paris every day will make for a good series of columns."

At this moment, there was a slight knock at the door through which Madame de Marais had just entered.Madame de Marais exclaimed:
"Come in, baby." The little girl appeared at the door, then walked straight to Duroy, and stretched out a hand.

Her mother was astonished, and murmured:
"It's unbelievable to see how well-behaved she has become." Duroy kissed the little girl's hand, sat her down beside her, and asked her solemnly what she had been up to since the last time we met.Like an adult, the little girl answered all the questions seriously with a crisp voice.

The wall clock in the room rang three times, and Duroy got up to leave.

"You can come here often in the future," said Madame de Marais, "and we can chat like this. As long as you come, I welcome you at any time. By the way, why haven't you been to Forestier's recently?" ?”

Duroy replied:

"Oh, that's right. I've been very busy recently. I hope to see you again at his house soon."

After speaking, Duroy walked out.He couldn't explain why, but his heart was full of hope at the moment.

He did not reveal a word to Forestier about this visit.

In the next few days, Duroy could not forget this visit.The figure of Madame de Marais appeared before his eyes from time to time, which made him haunt him; he would often think of her beautiful figure and witty words.As one feels after a good time together, the image of Madame de Marais haunted Duroy's mind.A complex, subtle, disturbing and uncontrollable mysterious force is manipulating him.

So within a few days, he visited Mrs. de Marais for the second time.

The maid took him into the living room.After a while, Luo Lina appeared.This time, instead of stretching out her hand, the little girl leaned her forehead to let Duroy kiss her, and said to him:

"Mom asked me to tell you, please wait a moment. She hasn't dressed yet, and she won't come in a while. I can sit with you first."

Duroy couldn't help laughing at the polite behavior of the little girl.He responded:

"Okay, miss. It was a pleasure to spend some time with you. But let me tell you, I'm not serious at all, I play all day. Why don't we play cat and mouse? "

The little girl was taken aback for a moment, then, like those women who were suddenly and surprised by this suggestion, she smiled and said in a low voice:
"A room is not a place to play games."

Duroy said: "For me, I can play anywhere. Come, catch me." After speaking, he turned around the table, and at the same time lured the little girl to chase him.Lorina followed him unhurriedly with a polite smile all the time; although she stretched out her hand and tried to grab him from time to time, she did not catch up.

Duroy had no choice but to stop, bend down, and when she approached slowly, he suddenly jumped like a devil locked in a box, and quickly jumped to the other side of the living room.Luolina thought this was very interesting, and laughed "hehe". She couldn't help but increase her interest and speed up her pace of catching up.Whenever she thought she was about to catch Duroy, she always let out a cry of pleasure and timidity.From time to time, Duroy pulled a chair in front of her, let her circle around the chair, and then pulled another chair.The little girl ran on and on, and began to give herself wholeheartedly to this new game; flushed with excitement, she chased after her scheming playmate.

Then, when she thought she could catch him at last, he suddenly embraced her, lifted her over his head, and cried out:

"I caught you!"

The little girl was very excited.She laughed happily as she kicked her legs and tried to break free.

At this moment Madame de Marais entered, and said in surprise:
"Ah! Lorina... Lorina playing a game? Sir, you are incredible!"

Duroy put the little girl down and kissed her mother's hand.Then they sat down together, with the little girl in the middle.The two adults really wanted to chat, but Luolina, who was still in the mood, was uncharacteristically chattering endlessly.Her mother had to send her back to her room.

The little girl walked out of the room without a word, with tears in her eyes.

As soon as Lorina left, Madame de Marais said in a low voice:
"I have a big plan, and it concerns you. It goes like this: I am invited to dinner at the Forestiers' every week, and afterward I invite them back at the restaurant once in a while. I am not I like entertaining guests at home too much. On the one hand, it’s because I don’t know how to communicate; on the other hand, it’s because I’m not good at housework, and I don’t know anything about cooking. Every time I invite them back in the restaurant. However, when three people eat together, the atmosphere is inevitably a little deserted; and those friends of mine are not the same as them. The reason why I say this is to tell you that this dinner with guests is different from others. It's been different. Do you understand? I want you to come too. It's set for Saturday night at 07:30 at Regal Restaurant, you know the place?"

Duroy readily accepted the invitation.Madame de Marais continued:

"The four of us just made one table. This kind of small gathering must be very interesting for women like us who rarely socialize."

Madame de Marais looked voluptuous today in a dark maroon dress, cut so perfectly that it defined her bust, waist and hips.But for some reason, Duroy always felt a little bewildered, even a little awkward; he felt that Madame de Marais's refined and elegant dress was really incongruous with her indifference in domestic matters.

She pays attention to what she wears, and requires those things that are in direct contact with the skin to be exquisite; as for the living environment around her, she doesn't care at all.

After leaving Madame de Marais' house, Duroy always felt as if she was with her all the time, just like last time.

He was eagerly looking forward to the early arrival of Saturday's date.

Due to the lack of money, Duroy couldn't afford a dress for the dinner, so he had to rent another black dress.On this day, he was the first to arrive at the restaurant a few minutes earlier.

The waiter led him into a small private room on the third floor, which was hung with red curtains, and the only window faced the street.

In the center of the room is a square table with four sets of cutlery.The tablecloth was so white that it looked as if it had been lacquered.A dozen candles were burning in two tall candelabrums, and the glasses, the silverware, and the stove on the table sparkled by their light.

Outside the window, there is a big tree with luxuriant branches; under the light of each private room, it looks like a green lawn.

Duroy sat down on a low sofa.The fabric of the sofa was the same red as the curtains, but the springs inside had long since lost their elasticity.As soon as he sat on it, he sank deeply, as if he had fallen into a pit.In the huge dining room, there was the usual noise of high-end restaurants: the clatter of dishes or silverware, the sound of waiters running quickly in the carpeted corridor, and the occasional noise of the doors of those private rooms. The chatter and laughter of the guests came as they were pushed away.At this moment, Forestier walked in.He shook hands with Duroy warmly, and his attitude was completely different from his usual attitude in the office of "French Life".

"The ladies will be here soon," he said to Duroy. "It's such a fun party!"

Then, looking at the table, he ordered someone to blow out a gas lamp that was dying.Because it was windy outside, he went to close a window, and then sat down in a sheltered position, explaining:

"I must pay special attention. This month, my health has been much better, but a few days ago the old illness relapsed. I probably caught a cold when I came out of the theater on Tuesday."

At this time, the door was pushed open.Two ladies appeared at the door, followed by a head waiter.They wear veils to cover their entire faces, and they are so cautious in every move; every time they go out in public, they always make themselves secretive, for fear of meeting a neighbor or acquaintance.

While Duroy was bowing, Madame Forestier scolded him for not visiting her at her house.Then, with a slight smile, she looked at Madame de Marais:

"It seems that you prefer Madame de Marais. You have time to visit her, but not to see me."

After the four sat down, the head waiter handed Forestier the drink list, and Madame de Marais said loudly:

"Give them what the two gentlemen want to drink. As for the two of us, some iced champagne, the best, mild taste, and nothing else." After the foreman went out, Mrs. de Marais was full of enthusiasm Said calmly: "Tonight is really rare, we must drink to our heart's content, and we won't go home until we're drunk."

Forestier, as if not listening to her at all, asked:
"Can I close the windows? I'm feeling a little sick these days."

"of course can."

Forestier went over and closed the other window.By the time he returned to his seat, his calm expression had returned.

His wife said nothing, and seemed preoccupied.She smiled and looked down at the glass in front of her; that faint smile seemed to always promise something but never fulfill it.

After a while, the waiter brought the first course: Ostend oysters.The oysters are fat and tender, like "little ears" specially placed in the shells, and they melt as soon as they enter the mouth, like candies with a salty taste.

After the soup, the waiter brought out a dish of trout, pink like a girl's skin.After a few glasses of wine, the conversation between the host and guest greatly increased.

They talked about a recent popular news: when a high society lady was dining with a foreign prince in the private room of a hotel, she was bumped into by her husband's friend.

Upon hearing this, Forestier couldn't help laughing.The two wives agreed that the man who leaked other people's secrets was just a despicable villain who didn't know the world.Duroy agreed with the words of the two ladies, and plausibly claimed that a man, whether he is a party, an insider or a witness, should keep his mouth shut about such things.He also said:
"If we could keep each other's secrets, life would be more interesting. The reason why people, especially women, think things through is because they are afraid of the secret being revealed."

After finishing speaking, he added with a smile:
"Isn't it true? How many would be intoxicated by a moment's lust and enjoy it as much as they like if they don't have to fear that a moment's pleasure will discredit them, or shed bitter tears, even if the happy hour is So short!"

Duroy's words are very convincing, as if in his own defense, and the implication is:
"If you have an affair with me, don't worry about it. If you don't believe me, just try it"

The two ladies looked at Duroy in rapt attention, with a hint of approval in their eyes, thinking that what he said was very reasonable.They tacitly confessed to each other, in a silent way, that if the secret had not been revealed, these Parisian women would have long been unable to resist all temptations.

Forestier was half lying on the sofa, with one leg crossed, and the napkin on his chest was tucked into the neckline of his vest to prevent the food from staining his clothes.He laughed suddenly, and said with the certainty of a skeptic:

"Yes, that's what it is! Many would be tempted to try it if everyone kept silent on such matters. Only the poor husbands!"

Then, they started talking about love.Duroy believes that love is not eternal, but if the two parties establish a warm friendship and trust each other, then this relationship can still be maintained for a long time.The union of the senses is but a product of the union of the mind.Duroy is very disgusted with the practice of mutual suspicion, quarrels, and even tragedies after the relationship between lovers breaks up.

After Duroy finished speaking, Madame de Marais sighed softly and said:

"Yes, love is indeed the most beautiful thing in life. However, some unrealistic and excessive demands often destroy its beauty."

Madame Forestier, who had been playing with a knife in her hand, also interrupted:

"That's right...that's right...the feeling of being loved is very good..."

At this moment, her thoughts drifted further, and she remembered many things that she dared not mention.

Since the first courses hadn't arrived, they had to sip champagne and munch on the crusts that had been peeled off the buns.The conversation just now made everyone intoxicated in the illusory fantasies of love; just like a cup of sweet wine, dripping from the throat, it made people's blood boil and they became ecstatic.

The waiter brought a plate of tender but not greasy lamb chops, with a layer of finely chopped bamboo shoots underneath.

"Oh, what a delicious dish!" Forestier blurted out in praise.

Everyone ate slowly, savoring the tender mutton and the buttery smooth bamboo shoots.

Duroy went on to say:

"When I fall in love with a woman, there is only her in my heart, and everything else does not exist."

Duroy spoke firmly, as if tasting the delicious food and wine, he also experienced the joy of love.Madam Forestier put on a nonchalant look and said in a low voice:
"There is no better moment in life than when one person holds another's hand and asks, 'Do you love me?' and the other person answers without hesitation, 'Yes, I love you.'"

Madame de Maraire drank the champagne in her hand, then put the wine glass on the table, and said with great interest, "I don't like empty talk about love."

After hearing her words, everyone's eyes lit up, and they all smiled and nodded in agreement.

Forestier simply lay down on the sofa.I saw him spread his arms, leaning on the cushion, and said to Mrs. de Marais solemnly:
"Your frankness is admirable, and it proves that you are a practical woman. But can you tell us what M. de Marais thinks of it?"

(End of this chapter)