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He waited until all of his associates had gone and when he was alone, he rang for the porter, put his hand in his pocket and said: "Foucart, I have left my purse at home and I have to dine at the Luxembourg. Lend me fifty sous to pay for my cab." The man handed him three francs and asked: "Is that enough?" "Yes, thank you." Taking the coins, Duroy rushed down the staircase and dined at a cookshop.
Duroy was just the man for the place. He was enjoying the fact of his promotion, when he received an engraved card which read: "M. and Mme. Walter request the pleasure of M. Georges Duroy's company at dinner on Thursday, January 20." He was so delighted that he kissed the invitation as if it had been a love-letter. Then he sought the cashier to settle the important question of his salary.
He surveyed himself some time with a complacent smile; then taking leave of his image, he bowed low, ceremoniously, as if saluting some grand personage. When Georges Duroy reached the street, he hesitated as to what he should do.
A woman's voice replied: "Nicolas has been tripped up on the landing-place by the journalist's sweetheart." Duroy retreated, for he heard the rustling of skirts. Soon there was a knock at his door, which he opened, and Mme. de Marelle rushed in, crying: "Did you hear?" Georges feigned ignorance of the matter. "No; what?" "How they insulted me?" "Who?" "Those miserable people below."
She is sixty years old, has false curls and teeth, wit of the time of the Restoration, and toilettes of the same period." When the guests returned to the drawing-room, Duroy asked Mme. de Marelle: "May I escort you home?" "No." "Why not?" "Because M. Laroche-Mathieu, who is my neighbor, leaves me at my door every time that I dine here." "When shall I see you again?" "Lunch with me to-morrow."
Like the Girondists, they resorted to insurrection, in order to regain the power which they had lost; and like them, they fell. Vergniaud, Brissot, Guadet, etc., were tried by a revolutionary tribunal; Bourbotte, Duroy, Soubrany, Romme, Goujon, Duquesnoy, by a military commission.
As he whipped up his horse, Duroy saw an old couple not a hundred meters off, approaching, and he leaped from the carriage crying: "Here they are, I know them." The man was short, corpulent, florid, and vigorous, notwithstanding his age; the woman was tall, thin, and melancholy, with stooping shoulders a woman who had worked from childhood, who had never laughed nor jested.
After a pause, he added: "You should strike while the iron is hot." Saint-Potin rose: "I am ready," said he. Forestier turned around in his chair and said, to Duroy: "Listen. The Chinese general Li-Theng-Fao, stopping at the Continental, and Rajah Taposahib Ramaderao Pali, stopping at Hotel Bishop, have been in Paris two days. You must interview them."
The old poet, who had attained renown late in life, disliked and mistrusted newcomers. He replied dryly: "Yes, excellent, provided that it is written in the right key, for there lies the great difficulty." Mme. Forestier cast upon Duroy a protecting and smiling glance which seemed to say: "You shall succeed."
He felt that he could fight the entire universe. All was over! What bliss! He felt brave enough to provoke anyone. The seconds consulted several moments, then the duelists and their friends entered the carriages and drove off. When the official report was drawn up, it was handed to Duroy who was to insert it in the "Echoes." He was surprised to find that two balls had been fired.
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