The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bel Ami, by Henri Rene Guy de Maupassant

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Title: Bel Ami

Author: Henri Rene Guy de Maupassant

Posting Date: May 13, 2009 [EBook #3733]
Release Date: February, 2003
First Posted: August 13, 2001

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEL AMI ***

Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines.

BEL AMI

OR

THE HISTORY OF A SCOUNDREL

A NOVEL

BY

GUY DE MAUPASSANT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. POVERTY
CHAPTER II. MADAME FORESTIER
CHAPTER III. FIRST ATTEMPTS
CHAPTER IV. DUROY LEARNS SOMETHING
CHAPTER V. THE FIRST INTRIGUE
CHAPTER VI. A STEP UPWARD
CHAPTER VII. A DUEL WITH AN END
CHAPTER VIII. DEATH AND A PROPOSAL
CHAPTER IX. MARRIAGE
CHAPTER X. JEALOUSY
CHAPTER XI. MADAME WALTER TAKES A HAND
CHAPTER XII. A MEETING AND THE RESULT
CHAPTER XIII. MADAME MARELLE
CHAPTER XIV. THE WILL
CHAPTER XV. SUZANNE
CHAPTER XVI. DIVORCE
CHAPTER XVII. THE FINAL PLOT
CHAPTER XVIII. ATTAINMENT

BEL-AMI

CHAPTER I.

POVERTY

After changing his five-franc piece Georges Duroy left the restaurant.
He twisted his mustache in military style and cast a rapid, sweeping
glance upon the diners, among whom were three saleswomen, an untidy
music-teacher of uncertain age, and two women with their husbands.

When he reached the sidewalk, he paused to consider what route he
should take. It was the twenty-eighth of June and he had only three
francs in his pocket to last him the remainder of the month. That meant
two dinners and no lunches, or two lunches and no dinners, according to
choice. As he pondered upon this unpleasant state of affairs, he
sauntered down Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, preserving his military air
and carriage, and rudely jostled the people upon the streets in order
to clear a path for himself. He appeared to be hostile to the
passers-by, and even to the houses, the entire city.

Tall, well-built, fair, with blue eyes, a curled mustache, hair
naturally wavy and parted in th