Милый друг

           "

           "Whynot?"

           Helaughed."BecauseIamafraidIshouldberidiculed."

           Sheshruggedhershoulders."Notatall—notatall.Everyonedoesit,andnoonelaughs.Separateyournameinthisway:DuRoy.Itsoundsverywell."

           Hereplied:"No,thatwillnotdo;itistoocommonaproceeding.Ihavethoughtofassumingthenameofmynativeplace,firstasaliterarypseudonymandthenasmysurnameinconjunctionwithDuroy,whichmightlateron,asyouproposed,beseparated."

           Sheasked:"IsyournativeplaceCanteleu?"

           "Yes."

           "Idonotlikethetermination.Couldwenotmodifyit?"

           Shetookapenandwrotedownthenamesinordertostudythem.Suddenlyshecried:"NowIhaveit,"andheldtowardhimasheetofpaperonwhichwaswritten:"Mme.DuroydeCantel."

           Gravelyhereplied:"Yes,itisverynice."

           Shewasdelighted,andrepeated:"DuroydeCantel.Mme.DuroydeCantel.Itisexcellent,excellent!"

           Thensheaddedwithanairofconviction:"Youwillseehoweasilyitwillbeacceptedbyeveryone!Afterto-morrow,signyourarticles‘D.deCantel,’andyour‘Echoes’simply‘Duroy.’Thatisdoneonthepresseverydayandnoonewillbesurprisedtoseeyoutakeanomdeplume.Whatisyourfather’sname?"

           "Alexandre.