“Dear friend” Maupassant in summary
Georges Duroy, the son of the well-to-do peasants, the keepers of the vegetable marrow, is endowed with a happy appearance on the whim of nature. He is slender, tall, blond, he has a wonderful mustache… He really likes women, and he is in Paris. But he has three francs in his pocket, and his salary will only be in two days. He’s hot, he wants a beer… Duroy walks around Paris and waits for the case, which after all should be introduced? The case is most likely a woman. So it will be. All his cases will come from women… Meanwhile, he meets Forestier.
They served together in Algiers. Georges Duroy did not want to be the first in the village and tried his luck in military service. Two years he plundered and killed Arabs. During this time, he had a habit of walking, puffing out his chest, and taking what he wanted. And in Paris, you can stick out your chest and push passers-by, but here it is not customary to mine gold with a revolver in your hand.
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Since this all started. Forestia, it turns out, has a wife – an elegant, very pretty blonde. Her friend is the burning brunette Mme de Marelle with her little daughter. Mr. Walter, the deputy, the rich man, the publisher of the newspaper “French life”, complained. There is also a well-known satirist and a famous poet… And Duroy does not know how to handle a fork and does not know how to deal with four glasses… But he quickly focuses on the terrain. And now – oh, how come! – Talk about Algeria. Georges Duroy enters into a conversation like in cold water, but he is asked questions… He is in the spotlight, and the ladies are not taking his eyes off him! And Forestier, friend Forestier, does not miss the moment and asks Mr Walther’s dear patron to take Georges to serve in the newspaper… Well, we’ll
How happy everything was! And all because he is so handsome and well done… It remains only to write this damned essay and tomorrow by three o’clock bring it to Mr. Walter.
And Georges Duroy sits down for work. Carefully and beautifully he deduces on a blank sheet the title: “Memoirs of an African shooter”. This name was prompted by Mrs. Walter. But further business does not go. Who knew that it was one thing to chat at a table with a glass in his hand, when the ladies did not take your eyes off of you, and it’s quite another thing to write! Devilish difference… But nothing, the morning is wiser.
But in the morning it’s not like that either. Efforts are vain. And Georges Duroy decides to ask for help from friend Forestier. However, Forestier hurries to the newspaper, he sends Georges to his wife: she, they say, will help no worse.
Mrs. Forestier sat Georges at the table, listened to him and after a quarter of an hour began to dictate the article. Luck bears him. The article is printed – what happiness! He was admitted to the chronicle department, and finally it is possible to leave forever the hated office of the Northern Railway. Georges does everything correctly and accurately: first he received a salary in the cash desk for a month, and only after that he obmal at the parting of the chief – he enjoyed it.
One is not good. The second article does not come out. But it does not matter either – we need to take another lesson from Ms Forestier, and this is a pleasure. Here, however, was not lucky: Forestier himself was at home and told Georges that he did not intend to work in his place… Pig!
Duroy was angry and will make the article himself, without any help. You’ll see! .. And he made an article, wrote. Only they did not accept it: they considered it unsatisfactory. He remade. Again they did not accept. After three alterations, Georges spat and went completely into the reporter’s office.
It was then that he turned around. His sneakiness, charm and arrogance were very welcome. Mr. Walter himself is pleased with the employee of Duroy. The only bad thing: getting twice as much in the newspaper as in the office, Georges felt rich, but it did not last long. The more money, the more they are missing! And then: after all, he looked into the world of big people, but remained outside this world. He was lucky, he serves in the newspaper, he has acquaintances and connections, he enters the offices, but… only as a reporter. Georges Duroy is still a poor man and day laborer. And here, next door, in his own newspaper, – here they are! – people with pockets full of gold, they have chic homes and piquant wives… Why is it all they have? Why not him? There is some mystery here.
Georges Duroy does not know the answer, but he knows what his strength is. And he remembers Madame de Marelle, the one who was with her daughter at a dinner at Forestier. “Until three o’clock I’m always at home,” she said then. Georges rang at half past two. Of course, he was worried, but Madame de Marelle – the very cordiality, self-attracting grace. And Lorina treats him as a friend… And now George invited to dinner in a restaurant, where they will be with Mme de Marelle and the couple Forestier – two pairs.
Lunch in a separate room is refined, durable and spicy at ease, light chatter on the edge of obscenity. Madame de Marelle promised to get drunk and fulfilled her promise. Georges sees her off. In the carriage, he is a little hesitant for some time, but it seems that she moved her foot… He rushed into the attack, she gave up. Finally, he mastered a real socialite!
The next day, Duroy lunches at his beloved. He is still timid, does not know how things go further, but she is charming charming, and Georges plays love… And this is so easy with respect to such a magnificent woman! Then Lorina enters and happily runs to him: “Ah, dear friend!” So Georges Duroy got his name. And Madame de Marelle – her name is Clotilde – turned out to be a delightful lover. She hired a small apartment for their visits. Georges is unhappy: he can not afford it… Yes, no, it’s already paid! No, he can not admit this… She begs, more, more, and he… yielded, believing that it was generally just. No, but how sweet she is!
George absolutely no money, but after each meeting he discovers in his vest pocket one or two gold coins. He is indignant! Then he gets used to it. Only to calm his conscience does account for his duty to Clotilde.
It so happened that lovers strongly quarreled. It seems that this is a gap. Georges dreams – in the form of revenge – to return the debt to Clotilde. But there is no money. And Forestier, on a request for money, lent ten francs – a miserable handout. Nothing, George will pay him back, he will guide the horns to the old Friend. Moreover, he knows now how simple it is.
But what is this? The attack on Mrs. Forestier immediately drowned. She is friendly and frank: she will never become the mistress of Duroy, but offers him his friendship. Perhaps it is more expensive than the horns of Forestier! And here is the first friendly advice; pay a visit to Mrs. Walter.
The dear friend was able to show herself to Mrs. Walter and her guests, and not a week passes, and he has already been appointed head of the chronicle department and invited to the Walters for dinner. This is the price of friendly advice.
At the dinner at the Walters there was an important event, but the Darling friend does not yet know that this is an important event: it is presented to two publisher daughters – eighteen and sixteen years old. But the other George could not help but notice, Clotilde is still so seductive and sweet. They reconciled, and communication is restored.
He is sick, he coughs, and it is clear that he is not a tenant. Clotilde, by the way, says that Forestier’s wife will not be slow to marry, as soon as everything is over, and Darling the Friend pondered. Meanwhile, the wife took poor Forestier south – to be treated. At parting, Georges asks Mrs. Forestier to count on his friendly help.
And help was needed: Mrs. Forestier asks Duroy to come to Cannes, not to leave her alone with her dying husband. A dear friend feels the space that opens before him. He goes to Cannes and conscientiously works out a friendly duty. Until the end. Georges Duroy managed to show Madeleine Forestier that he is a dear friend, a wonderful and kind person.
And it worked out! Georges marries the widow Forestier. Now he has an amazing assistant – the genius of behind-the-scenes journalism and political games… And he has a beautifully arranged house, and he is now a nobleman: he divided his surname into syllables and took the name of his native village, he is now du Roy de Cantel.
He and his wife are friends. But also friendship must know the boundaries… Oh, why such clever Madlena, in friendship, informs Georges that Mrs. Walter is crazy about him? .. And even worse: she says that if Georges is free, she would advise him To marry Suzanne, the pretty daughter of Walter.
Dear friend again thought. And Mrs. Walter, if you look closely, there is still very much nothing… There is no plan, but George begins the game. This time the object is respectable and fights frantically with itself, but the Darling friend has overlaid on all sides and drives into a trap. And drove. The hunt is over, but the hunter wants to go to the hunt again and again. He has other things to do. Then Mrs. Walter reveals to the hunter a secret.
The military expedition to Morocco is over. Walter and Laroche, the foreign minister, want to cash in on this. They bought off cheap Moroccan loan bonds, but the cost of them will soon soar. They will earn tens of millions. George can also buy, before it’s too late.
Tangier – the gates of Morocco – captured. Walter has fifty million, he bought a luxurious mansion with a garden. And Duroy was angry: he did not have big money again. True, his wife inherited from a friend a million, and Georges chopped off half of her, but that’s not it. Here is Suzanne, the daughter of Walter, twenty million dowries…
Georges with the police of manners traces his wife. She was caught with Minister Laroche. A beloved friend knocked down the minister in one blow and got a divorce. But Walter would never give Suzanne for him! This also has its own method. No wonder he seduced Ms Walter: while Georges had lunch and breakfast with her, he became friends with Suzanne, she believes him. And my dear friend took a pretty fool. It is compromised, and my father has nowhere to go.
Georges Duroy with his young wife leaves the church. He sees the Chamber of Deputies, he sees the Bourbon Palace. He achieved everything.
But he will never be either hot or cold. He will never want beer so much.
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