e
time about it; you have not forced your way in just for the sake of
wishing us good-morning, I suppose?"

Then Duroy, greatly perturbed, made up his mind. "No--you see--the fact
is--I can't quite manage my article--and you were--so--so kind last
time--that I hoped--that I ventured to come--"

Forestier cut him short. "You have a pretty cheek. So you think I am
going to do your work, and that all you have to do is to call on the
cashier at the end of the month to draw your screw? No, that is too
good."

The young woman went on smoking without saying a word, smiling with a
vague smile, which seemed like an amiable mask, concealing the irony of
her thoughts.

Duroy, colored up, stammered: "Excuse me--I fancied--I thought--" then
suddenly, and in a clear voice, he went on: "I beg your pardon a
thousand times, Madame, while again thanking you most sincerely for the
charming article you produced for me yesterday." He bowed, remarked to
Charles: "I shall be at the office at three," and went out.

He walked home rapidly, grumbling: "Well, I will do it all alone, and
they shall see--"

Scarcely had he got in than, excited by anger, he began to write. He
continued the adventure began by Madame Forestier, heaping up details of
catch-penny romance, surprising incidents, and inflated descriptions,
with the style of a schoolboy and the phraseology of the barrack-room.
Within an hour he had finished an article which was a chaos of nonsense,
and took it with every assurance to the _Vie Francaise_.

The first person he met was Saint-Potin, who, grasping his hand with the
energy of an accomplice, said: "You have read my interview with the
Chinese and the Hindoo? Isn't it funny? It has amused everyone. And I
did not even get a glimpse of them."

Duroy, who had not read anything, at once took up the paper and ran his
eye over a long article headed: "India and China," while the reporter
pointed out the most interesting passages.

Forestier came in puffing, in a hurry, with a busy air, saying:

"Good; I want both of you."

And he mentioned a number of items of political information that would
have to be obtained that very afternoon.

Duroy held out his article.

"Here is the continuation about Algeria."

"Very good; hand it over; and I will give it to the governor."

That was all.

Saint-Potin led away his new colleague, and when they were in the
passage, he said to him: "Have you seen the cashier?"

"No; why?"

"W