漂亮朋友 第四章 英1

孙祎卓

Georges Duroy did not sleep well, so anxious was he to see his article in print. He rose at daybreak, and was on the street long before the newsboys. When he secured a paper and saw his name at the end of a column in large letters, he became very much excited. He felt inclined to enact the part of a newsboy and cry out to the hurrying throng: “Buy this! it contains an article by me!” He strolled along to a cafe and seated himself in order to read the article through; that done he decided to go to the railroad office, draw his salary, and hand in his resignation.

With great pomposity he informed the chief clerk that he was on the staff of “La Vie Francaise,” and by that means was avenged for many petty insults which had been offered him. He then had some cards written with his new calling beneath his name, made several purchases, and repaired to the office of “La Vie Francaise.” Forestier received him loftily as one would an inferior.

“Ah, here you are! Very well; I have several things for you to do. Just wait ten minutes till I finish this work.” He continued writing.

At the other end of the table sat a short, pale man, very stout and bald. Forestier asked him, when his letter was completed, “Saint- Potin, at what time shall you interview those people?”

“At four o’clock.”

“Take Duroy, who is here, with you and initiate him into the business.”

“Very well.”

Then turning to his friend, Forestier added: “Have you brought the other paper on Algeria? The article this morning was very successful.”

Duroy stammered: “No, I thought I should have time this afternoon. I had so much to do — I could not.”

The other shrugged his shoulders. “If you are not more careful, you will spoil your future. M. Walter counted on your copy. I will tell him it will be ready to-morrow. If you think you will be paid for doing nothing, you are mistaken.” 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.” Addressing Saint-Potin, he said: “Do not forget the principal points I indicated to you. Ask the general and the rajah their opinions on the dealings of England in the extreme East, their ideas of their system of colonization and government, their hopes relative to the intervention of Europe and of France in particular.” To Duroy he said: “Observe what Saint- Potin says; he is an excellent reporter, and try to learn how to draw out a man in five minutes.” Then he resumed his work.

The two men walked down the boulevard together, while Saint-Potin gave Duroy a sketch of all the officials connected with the paper, sparing no one in his criticism. When he mentioned Forestier, he said: “As for him, he was fortunate in marrying his wife.”

Duroy asked: “What about his wife?”

Saint-Potin rubbed his hands. “Oh, she is beloved by an old fellow named Vaudrec — he dotes upon her.”

Duroy felt as if he would like to box Saint-Potin’s ears. To change the subject he said: “It seems to me that it is late, and we have two noble lords to call upon!”

Saint-Potin laughed: “You are very innocent! Do you think that I am going to interview that Chinese and that Indian? As if I did not know better than they do what they should think to please the readers of ‘La Vie Francaise’! I have interviewed five hundred Chinese, Prussians, Hindoos, Chilians, and Japanese. They all say the same thing. I need only copy my article on the last comer, word for word, changing the heading, names, titles, and ages: in that there must be no error, or I shall be hauled over the coals by the ‘Figaro’ or ‘Gaulois.’ But on that subject the porter of the hotels will post me in five minutes. We will smoke our cigars and stroll in that direction. Total — one hundred sous for cabfare. That is the way, my dear fellow.”