Милый друг
The Will
"
Themanhesitated,thenreplied:"No,sir,itisimpossible."
DuRoysaid:"Seehere—throwinthischronometeratfifteenhundredfrancs;thatmakesfourthousand,andIwillpaycash.Ifyoudonotagree,Iwillgosomewhereelse."
Thejewelerfinallyyielded."Verywell,sir."
Thejournalist,afterleavinghisaddress,said:"YoucanhavemyinitialsG.R.C.interlacedbelowabaron’scrown,engravedonthechronometer."
Madeleine,insurprise,smiled,andwhentheylefttheshop,shetookhisarmquiteaffectionately.Shethoughthimveryshrewdandclever.Hewasright;nowthathehadafortunehemusthaveatitle.
TheypassedtheVaudevilleontheirwayarid,entering,securedabox.ThentheyrepairedtoMme,deMarelle’satGeorges’suggestion,toinvitehertospendtheeveningwiththem.GeorgesratherdreadedthefirstmeetingwithClotilde,butshedidnotseemtobearhimanymalice,oreventoremembertheirdisagreement.Thedinner,whichtheytookatarestaurant,wasexcellent,andtheeveningaltogetherenjoyable.
GeorgesandMadeleinereturnedhomelate.Thegaswasextinguished,andinordertolightthewaythejournalistfromtimetotimestruckamatch.Onreachingthelandingonthefirstfloortheysawtheirreflectionsinthemirror