Georges Durois, the son of wealthy peasants, owners of a vegetable marrow, is endowed with a happy appearance by the whim of nature. He is slim, tall, blond, has a wonderful mustache ... Women really like him, and he is in Paris. But he has three francs in his pocket, and the salary will be only in two days. He is hot, he wants a beer ... Durois is hanging around Paris and is waiting for the occasion, which in fact should introduce itself? Chance is most likely a woman. It will be so. All his cases will come from women ... In the meantime, he meets Forestier.

They served together in Algeria. Georges Durois did not want to be the first in the village and tried his luck in military service. For two years he robbed and killed Arabs. During this time, he developed the habit of walking with his chest outstretched and taking whatever he wanted. And in Paris you can stick out your chest and push passers-by, but here it’s not customary to mine gold with a revolver in your hand.

And the fat Forestier succeeded: he is a journalist, he is a wealthy man, he is complacent - he treats his old friend with beer and advises him to take up journalism. He invites Georges to dine tomorrow and gives him two louis (forty francs) so that he can rent a decent suit.

Since this all started. Forestier, it turns out, has a wife - an elegant, very pretty blonde. Her friend is a burning brunette Ms. de Marelle with a small daughter. Mr. Walter, a deputy, a rich man, a publisher of the French Life newspaper, came forward. There is also a famous feuilleton player and still a famous poet ... But Durois does not know how to handle a fork and does not know what to do with four glasses ... But he quickly navigates the area. And now - oh, by the way! - the conversation went about Algeria. Georges Durois enters into conversation, as if in cold water, but he is asked questions ... He is in the spotlight, and the ladies do not take his eyes off him! And Forestier, a friend of Forestier, does not miss the moment and asks dear patron Mr. Walter to take Georges to the newspaper ... Well, we'll see, but for now, two or three essays about Algeria have been ordered to Georges. And more: Georges tamed Lorin, the little daughter of Mrs. de Marelle. He kissed the girl and shakes her on his knee, and his mother is amazed and says that Mr. Duroy is irresistible.

How happily all ensued! And all because he is so handsome and well done ... It remains only to write this damn essay and tomorrow at three o’clock bring it to Mr. Walter.

And Georges Durois sits down to work. Diligently and beautifully, he displays the title on a blank sheet: "Memoirs of an African Rifleman." This name was suggested by Ms. Walter. But the matter does not go further. Who knew that it’s one thing to chat at the table with a glass in your hand, when the ladies keep their eyes on you, and it’s quite another thing to write! The devilish difference ... But nothing, morning is wiser than the evening.

But in the morning everything is not so. Efforts are in vain. And Georges Durois decides to ask for the help of a friend Forestier. However, Forestier hurries to the newspaper, he sends Georges to his wife: she, they say, will help no worse.

Ms. Forestier seated Georges at the table, listened to him, and after a quarter of an hour began to dictate the article. Good luck carries it. The article is printed - what a blessing! He was admitted to the department of the chronicle, and finally you can forever leave the hated office of the Northern Railway. Georges does everything correctly and accurately: first he received a salary at the cash register for a month, and only then he cheated on the farewell of the boss - he enjoyed it.

One is not good. The second article does not come out. But this does not matter - you need to take another lesson from Ms. Forestier, and this is a pleasure. Here, however, no luck: Forestier himself was at home and told George that, they say, did not intend to work in his place ... Pig!

Durois is angry and will make the article himself, without any help. You see! .. And he made an article, wrote. Only they did not accept it: they considered it unsatisfactory. He redid it. Again not accepted. After three alterations, George spat and completely went into reporting.

It was then that he turned around. His sneakiness, charm and arrogance came in handy. Mr. Walter himself is pleased with the Duroi employee. One thing is only bad: getting in the newspaper twice as much as in the office, Georges felt like a rich man, but this did not last so 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 is lucky, he serves in the newspaper, he has acquaintances and connections, he enters offices, but ... only as a reporter. Georges Durois is still poor and day laborer. And here, nearby, in his own newspaper, here they are! - people with pockets full of gold, they have chic houses and piquant wives ... Why is it all with them? Why not with him? There is some secret here.

Georges Durois does not know the answer, but he knows what his strength is. And he recalls Ms. de Marelle, the one who was with her daughter at the Forestier dinner. “I’m always home until three o’clock,” she said then. Georges called at half past two. Of course, he was worried, but Madame de Marelle was cordiality, grace itself. And Lorina treats him like a friend ... And now Georges is invited to dinner at a restaurant, where they will be with Ms. de Marelle and the spouses Forestier - two couples.

Lunch in a separate office is sophisticated, lengthy and spicy with a laid-back, easy chatter on the edge of obscenity. Ms. de Marelle promised to get drunk and kept her promise. Georges escorts her. In the carriage, he was indecisive for a while, but it seems she moved her leg ... He rushed to the attack, she surrendered. Finally, he took possession of a real secular woman!

The next day, Durois has breakfast with his lover. He is still timid, does not know how things will go further, but she is charmingly sweet, and Georges plays in love ... And it’s so easy with such a magnificent woman! Here Lorina enters and joyfully runs to him: “Ah, dear friend!” So Georges Durois got his name. And Ms. de Marelle - her name is Clotilde - turned out to be a delightful lover. She hired a small apartment for their dates. Georges is dissatisfied: he cannot afford it ... Well, no, already paid! No, he cannot allow this ... She begs, more, more, and he ... lost, believing that in fact this is fair. No, but how cute she is!

Georges is completely without money, but after each meeting he discovers one or two gold coins in his vest pocket. He is outraged! Then he gets used to it. Only to calm his conscience does Clotilde keep track of his debt.

It so happened that the lovers had a great fight. It seems like a gap. Georges dreams - in the form of revenge - to repay the debt to Clotilde. But there is no money. And Forestier loaned ten francs for a request for money - a miserable handout. Nothing, Georges will repay him, he will instruct the horns of the old Friend. Moreover, he now knows how simple it is.

But what is it? The attack on Ms. Forestier immediately drowned. She is friendly and frank: she will never become the lover of Durois, but offers him her friendship. Perhaps this is more expensive than Forestier horns! And here is the first friendly advice; pay a visit to Mrs. Walter.

My dear friend managed to appear to Mrs. Walter and her guests, and not a week goes by, 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.

An important event took place at the Walter’s dinner, but My dear friend doesn’t yet know that this is an important event: he is represented by the publisher’s two daughters, eighteen and sixteen years old (one is ugly, the other is pretty, like a doll). But another Georges could not help but notice, Clotilde is still seductive and sweet. They reconciled, and communication was restored.

Sick Forestier, he is losing weight, coughing, and it is clear that he is not a tenant. Clotilde, by the way, says that Forestier’s wife will not be slow to get married as soon as everything is over, and Sweet Friend thought. In the meantime, the wife took poor Forestier to the south - to be treated. In parting, Georges asks Ms. Forestier to count on his friendly help.

And help was needed: Ms. Forestier asked 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 fulfills companionship. Until the very end. Georges Durois was able to show Madeleine Forestier that he is a dear friend, a wonderful and kind man.

And it all worked out! Georges marries the widow of 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 now he has become a nobleman: he has syllable his last name and grabbed the name of his native village, he is now du Roi de Cantel.

They are friends with his wife. But friendship must know the boundaries ... Ah, why is so clever Madeleine friendship tells Georges that Mrs. Walter is crazy about him? .. And even worse: she says that if George was free, she would advise him marry Suzanne, Walter's pretty daughter.

My dear friend thought again. And Mrs. Walter, if you look closely, there’s still nothing ... There is no plan, but Georges starts the game. This time, the object is respectable and fights desperately with itself, but Darling has overlaid from all sides and is driven into a trap. And drove. The hunt is over, but the hunter wants to get prey again and again. He has other things to do. Then Ms. Walter reveals to the hunter a secret.

Military expedition to Morocco resolved. Walter and Laroche, Foreign Minister, want to cash in on this. They bought Moroccan loan bonds for cheap, but their value will soar soon. They will earn tens of millions. Georges can buy too, before it's too late.

Tangier - the gate of Morocco - is captured. Walter has fifty million; he bought a luxurious mansion with a garden. And Durois is angry: he doesn’t have big money again. True, the wife inherited a million from her friend, and Georges chopped off half of her, but that’s not it. For Suzanne, daughter of Walter, twenty million dowry ...

Georges with the morale police is tracking his wife. She was caught with Minister Laroche. A dear friend knocked the minister down with one blow and got a divorce. But Walter would never give Susanne for him! This also has its own reception. No wonder he seduced Mrs. Walter: while Georges had lunch and had breakfast with her, he became friends with Suzanne, she believes him. And a dear friend took a pretty little fool away. She is compromised, and her father has nowhere to go.

Georges Durois with his young wife leaves the church. He sees the House of Deputies, he sees the Bourbon Palace. He has achieved everything.

But he will never be neither hot nor cold. He would never want a beer so badly.