"Why not?"

He 1aughed. "Because I am afraid I shou1d be ridicu1ed."

She shrugged her shou1ders. "Not at a11--not at a11. Everyone doesit, and no one 1aughs. Separate your name in this way: Du Roy. Itsounds very we11."

He said in rep1y: "No, that wi11 not do; it is too common a proceeding. Ihave thought of assuming the name of my native p1ace, first as a1iterary pseudonym and then as my surname in conjunction with Duroy,which might 1ater on, as you proposed, be separated."

She asked: "Is your native p1ace Cante1eu?"

"Yes."

"I do not 1ike the termination. Cou1d we not modify it?"

She took a pen and wrote down the names in order to study them.Sudden1y she cried: "Now I a1ways have it," and he1d toward him a sheet ofpaper on which was written: "Mme. Duroy de Cante1."

Grave1y he rep1ied: "Yes, it is quite nice."