having his articles written by his wife, just as the late Forestier had his articles written by her. His newspaper colleagues call him 'Forestier', which angers Georges, and he becomes heavily jealous of Madeleine, insisting that she admit having been unfaithful to Forestier, but she never does. In order to suppress the stings of jealousy, Duroy starts an affair with Mme Walter, the wife of the owner of the newspaper. He especially enjoys the conquest, as he is her first extramarital lover. Later on, however, he regrets the decision, for he cannot get rid of her when he does not want her. Duroy's relations with his wife become estranged; at one point, he takes a police superintendent and three other police officers to a flat in which his wife is meeting Monsieur Laroche-Mathieu, her lover. They catch the two in the act of adultery, which was then a crime punishable under the law. Duroy used the police as witnesses of his wife's adultery to facilitate their divorce. He did not have her or her lover arrested, although the police gave him the option to do so. In the last two chapters, Duroy's ascent to power continues. Duroy, now a single man, makes use of his chief's daughter's infatuation with him, and arranges an elopement with her. The parents then have no other choice but to grant their assent to the marriage. The last chapter shows Duroy savouring his success at the wedding ceremony, at which 'all those who figured prominently in society' are present. His thoughts, however, chiefly belong to Mme de Marelle who, when wishing him all the best, indicates that she has forgiven him for his new marriage and that their intimate meetings can be taken up again. List of characters Georges Duroy (Du Roy), an ex-soldier, journalist and a social climber Charles Forestier, Duroy's former friend in the army, a journalist Madeleine Forestier (Du Roy), Charles's and later Georges's wife who helps her husbands write their articles and has many connections among the powerful Monsieur Laroche-Mathieu, a friend of Madeleine Forestier, a member of parliament, later a minister who owes his position and sudden wealth to La Vie Française, Madeleine Forestier's lover Comte de Vaudrec, an old longtime friend and protector and probably also lover or lost father of Madeleine Forestier (Du Roy) Clotilde de Marelle, the Forestiers' friend whose husband is away for long periods of