— 19 —
"Stay here!" he cried, "I order it."
I did not stop to hear more, but went out.
I went to tell the fat woman what had just happened. She shrugged her shoulders and said that I had been wrong, that this gentleman was her greatest friend; she wanted him to be treated well, that he often came to spend a week in her house; furthermore that he was very interesting, in fact one of the greatest literary men of the age.
"What! That fellow?" I cried, astonished.
"Yes, that fellow."
"Well then, I should advise him to write less and to speak more politely."
Denise was there. She bent down and whispered in my ear: "Oh, she's quite taken up with him because he has lots of money; but he's a rotten fellow, brutal, rude, and always the worse for drink. I am sorry for those who fall in love with him."
A furious ring at the bell resounded through the house. It was my enemy who was angry because I had left him alone.
"Don't go back," said Denise.
"On the contrary, I shall," I replied, casting an ironical glance at the fat woman. "I was rather glad to have an opportunity of coming into contact with a genius.
