



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