madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第15章

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imagination；　was　in　the　habit　of　playing　the　piano　before　some
imposing　site。〃
〃You　play？〃　she　asked。
〃No；　but　I　am　very　fond　of　music；〃　he　replied。
〃Ah！　don't　you　listen　to　him；　Madame　Bovary；〃　interrupted　Homais；
bending　over　his　plate。　〃That's　sheer　modesty。　Why；　my　dear
fellow；　the　other　day　in　your　room　you　were　singing　'L'Ange
Gardien'　ravishingly。　I　heard　you　from　the　laboratory。　You　gave
it　like　an　actor。〃
Leon；　in　fact；　lodged　at　the　chemist's　where　he　had　a　small　room
on　the　second　floor；　overlooking　the　Place。　He　blushed　at　the
compliment　of　his　landlord；　who　had　already　turned　to　the　doctor；
and　was　enumerating　to　him；　one　after　the　other；　all　the
principal　inhabitants　of　Yonville。　He　was　telling　anecdotes；
giving　information；　the　fortune　of　the　notary　was　not　known
exactly；　and　〃there　was　the　Tuvache　household；〃　who　made　a　good
deal　of　show。
Emma　continued；　〃And　what　music　do　you　prefer？〃
〃Oh；　German　music；　that　which　makes　you　dream。〃
〃Have　you　been　to　the　opera？〃
〃Not　yet；　but　I　shall　go　next　year；　when　I　am　living　at　Paris　to
finish　reading　for　the　bar。〃
〃As　I　had　the　honour　of　putting　it　to　your　husband；〃　said　the
chemist；　〃with　regard　to　this　poor　Yanoda　who　has　run　away；　you
will　find　yourself；　thanks　to　his　extravagance；　in　the　possession
of　one　of　the　most　comfortable　houses　of　Yonville。　Its　greatest
convenience　for　a　doctor　is　a　door　giving　on　the　Walk；　where　one
can　go　in　and　out　unseen。　Moreover；　it　contains　everything　that
is　agreeable　in　a　householda　laundry；　kitchen　with　offices；
sitting…room；　fruit…room；　and　so　on。　He　was　a　gay　dog；　who　didn't
care　what　he　spent。　At　the　end　of　the　garden；　by　the　side　of　the
water；　he　had　an　arbour　built　just　for　the　purpose　of　drinking
beer　in　summer；　and　if　madame　is　fond　of　gardening　she　will　be
able〃
〃My　wife　doesn't　care　about　it；〃　said　Charles；　〃although　she　has
been　advised　to　take　exercise；　she　prefers　always　sitting　in　her
room　reading。〃
〃Like　me；〃　replied　Leon。　〃And　indeed；　what　is　better　than　to　sit
by　one's　fireside　in　the　evening　with　a　book；　while　the　wind
beats　against　the　window　and　the　lamp　is　burning？〃
〃What；　indeed？〃　she　said；　fixing　her　large　black　eyes　wide　open
upon　him。
〃One　thinks　of　nothing；〃　he　continued；　〃the　hours　slip　by。
Motionless　we　traverse　countries　we　fancy　we　see；　and　your
thought；　blinding　with　the　fiction；　playing　with　the　details；
follows　the　outline　of　the　adventures。　It　mingles　with　the
characters；　and　it　seems　as　if　it　were　yourself　palpitating
beneath　their　costumes。〃
〃That　is　true！　That　is　true？〃　she　said。
〃Has　it　ever　happened　to　you；〃　Leon　went　on；　〃to　come　across　some
vague　idea　of　one's　own　in　a　book；　some　dim　image　that　comes　back
to　you　from　afar；　and　as　the　completest　expression　of　your　own
slightest　sentiment？〃
〃I　have　experienced　it；〃　she　replied。
〃That　is　why；〃　he　said；　〃I　especially　love　the　poets。　I　think
verse　more　tender　than　prose；　and　that　it　moves　far　more　easily
to　tears。〃
〃Still　in　the　long　run　it　is　tiring；〃　continued　Emma。　Now　I；　on
the　contrary；　adore　stories　that　rush　breathlessly　along；　that
frighten　one。　I　detest　commonplace　heroes　and　moderate
sentiments；　such　as　there　are　in　nature。〃
〃In　fact；〃　observed　the　clerk；　〃these　works；　not　touching　the
heart；　miss；　it　seems　to　me；　the　true　end　of　art。　It　is　so　sweet；
amid　all　the　disenchantments　of　life；　to　be　able　to　dwell　in
thought　upon　noble　characters；　pure　affections；　and　pictures　of
happiness。　For　myself；　living　here　far　from　the　world；　this　is　my
one　distraction；　but　Yonville　affords　so　few　resources。〃
〃Like　Tostes；　no　doubt；〃　replied　Emma；　〃and　so　I　always
subscribed　to　a　lending　library。〃
〃If　madame　will　do　me　the　honour　of　making　use　of　it〃；　said　the
chemist；　who　had　just　caught　the　last　words；　〃I　have　at　her
disposal　a　library　composed　of　the　best　authors；　Voltaire；
Rousseau；　Delille；　Walter　Scott；　the　'Echo　des　Feuilletons'；　and
in　addition　I　receive　various　periodicals；　among　them　the　'Fanal
de　Rouen'　daily；　having　the　advantage　to　be　its　correspondent　for
the　districts　of　Buchy；　Forges；　Neufchatel；　Yonville；　and
vicinity。〃
For　two　hours　and　a　half　they　had　been　at　table；　for　the　servant
Artemis；　carelessly　dragging　her　old　list　slippers　over　the
flags；　brought　one　plate　after　the　other；　forgot　everything；　and
constantly　left　the　door　of　the　billiard…room　half　open；　so　that
it　beat　against　the　wall　with　its　hooks。
Unconsciously；　Leon；　while　talking；　had　placed　his　foot　on　one　of
the　bars　of　the　chair　on　which　Madame　Bovary　was　sitting。　She
wore　a　small　blue　silk　necktie；　that　kept　up　like　a　ruff　a
gauffered　cambric　collar；　and　with　the　movements　of　her　head　the
lower　part　of　her　face　gently　sunk　into　the　linen　or　came　out
from　it。　Thus　side　by　side；　while　Charles　and　the　chemist
chatted；　they　entered　into　one　of　those　vague　conversations　where
the　hazard　of　all　that　is　said　brings　you　back　to　the　fixed
centre　of　a　common　sympathy。　The　Paris　theatres；　titles　of
novels；　new　quadrilles；　and　the　world　they　did　not　know；　Tostes；
where　she　had　lived；　and　Yonville；　where　they　were；　they　examined
all；　talked　of　everything　till　to　the　end　of　dinner。
When　coffee　was　served　Felicite　went　away　to　get　ready　the　room
in　the　new　house；　and　the　guests　soon　raised　the　siege。　Madame
Lefrancois　was　asleep　near　the　cinders；　while　the　stable…boy；
lantern　in　hand；　was　waiting　to　show　Monsieur　and　Madame　Bovary
the　way　home。　Bits　of　straw　stuck　in　his　red　hair；　and　he　limped
with　his　left　leg。　When　he　had　taken　in　his　other　hand　the　cure's
umbrella；　they　started。
The　town　was　asleep；　the　pillars　of　the　market　threw　great
shadows；　the　earth　was　all　grey　as　on　a　summer's　night。　But　as
the　doctor's　house　was　only　some　fifty　paces　from　the　inn；　they
had　to　say　good…night　almost　immediately；　and　the　company
dispersed。
As　soon　as　she　entered　the　passage；　Emma　felt　the　cold　of　the
plaster　fall　about　her　shoulders　like　damp　linen。　The　walls　were
new　and　the　wooden　stairs　creaked。　In　their　bedroom；　on　the　first
floor；　a　whitish　light　passed　through　the　curtainless　windows。
She　could　catch　glimpses　of　tree　tops；　and　beyond；　the　fields；
half…drowned　in　the　fog　that　lay　reeking　in　the　moonlight　along
the　course　of　the　river。　In　the　middle　of　the　room；　pell…mell；
were　scattered　drawers；　bottles；　curtain…rods；　gilt　poles；　with
mattresses　on　the　chairs　and　basins　on　the　groundthe　two　men
who　had　brought　the　furniture　had　left　everything　about
carelessly。
This　was　the　fourth　time　that　she　had　slept　in　a　strange　place。
The　first　was　the　day　of　her　going　to　the　convent；　the　second；　of
her　arrival　at　Tostes；　the　third；　at　Vaubyessard；　and　this　was
the　fourth。　And　each　one　had　marked；　as　it　were；　the　inauguration
of　a　new　phase　in　her　life。　She　did　not　believe　that　things　could
present　themselves　in　the　same　way　in　different　places；　and　since
the　portion　of　　her　life　lived　had　been　bad；　no　doubt　that　which
remained　to　be　lived　would　be　better。

Chapter　Three
The　next　day；　as　she　was　getting　up；　she　saw　the　clerk　on　the
Place。　She　had　on　a　dressing…gown。　He　looked　up　and　bowed。　She
nodded　quickly　and　reclosed　the　window。
Leon　waited　all　day　for　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　to　come；　but
on　going　to　the　inn；　he　found　no　one　but　Monsieur　Binet；　already
at　table。　The　dinner　of　the　evening　before　had　been　a
considerable　event　for　him；　he　had　never　till　then　talked　for　two
hours　consecutively　to　a　〃lady。〃　How　then　had　he　been　able　to
explain；　and　in　such　language；　the　number　of　things　that　he　could
not　have　said　so　well　before？　He　was　usually　shy；　and　maintained
that　reserve　which　partakes　at　once　of　modesty　and　dissimulation。
At　Yonville　he　was　considered　〃well…bred。〃　He　listened　to　the
arguments　of　the　older　people；　and　did　not　seem　hot　about
politicsa　remarkable　thing　for　a　young　man。　Then　he　had　some
accomplishments；　he　painted　in　water…colours；　could　read　the　key
of　G；　and　readily　talked　literature　after　dinner　when　he　did　not
play　cards。　Monsieur　Homais　respected　him　for　his　education；
Madame　Homais　liked　him　for　his　good…nature；　for　he　often　took
the　little　Homais　into　the　gardenlittle　brats　who　were　always
dirty；　very　much　spoilt；　and　somewhat　lymphatic；　like　their
mother。　Besides　the　servant　to　look　after　them；　they　had　Justin；
the　chemist's　apprentice；　a　second　cousin　of　Monsieur　Homais；　who
had　been　taken　into　the　house　from　charity；　and　who　was　useful　at
the　same　time　as　a　servant。
The　druggist　proved　the　best　of　neighbours。　He　gave　Madame　Bovary
information　as　to　the　trades…people；　sent　expressly　for　his　own
cider　merchant；　tasted　the　drink　himself；　and　saw　that　the　casks
were　properly　placed　in　the　cellar；　he　explained　how　to　set　about
getting　in　a　supply　of　butter　cheap；　and　made　an　arrangement　with
Lestiboudois；　the　sacristan；　who；　besides　his　sacerdotal　and
funeral　functions；　looked　after　the　principal　gardens　at　Yonville
by　the　hour　or　the　year；　according　to　the　taste　of　the　customers。
The　need　of　looking　after　others　was　not　the　only　thing　that
urged　the　chemist　to　such　obsequious　cordiality；　there　was　a　plan
underneath　it　all。
He　had　infringed　the　law　of　the　19th　Ventose；　year　xi。；　article
I；　which　forbade　all　persons　not　having　a　diploma　to　practise
medicine；　so　that；　after　certain　anonymous　denunciations；　Homais
had　been　summoned　to　Rouen　to　see　the　procurer　of　the　king　in　his
own　private　room；　the　magistrate　receiving　him　standing　up；
ermine　on　shoulder　and　cap　on　head。　It　was　in　the　morning；　before
the　court　opened。　In　the　corridors　one　heard　the　heavy　boots　of
the　gendarmes　walking　past；　and　like　a　far…off　noise　great　locks
that　were　shut。　The　druggist's　ears　tingled　as　if　he　were　about
to　have　an　apoplectic　stroke；　he　saw　the　depths　of　dungeons；　his
family　in　tears；　his　shop　sold；　all　the　jars　dispersed；　and　he
was　obliged　to　enter　a　cafe　and　take　a　glass　of　rum　and　seltzer
to　recover　his　spirits。
Little　by　little　the　memory　of　this　reprimand　grew　fainter；　and
he　continued；　as　heretofore；　to　give　anodyne　consultations　in　his
back…parlour。　But　the　mayor　resented　it；　his　colleagues　were
jealous；　everything　was　to　be　feared；　gaining　over　Monsieur
Bovary　by　his　attentions　was　to　earn　his　gratitude；　and　prevent
his　speaking　out　later　on；　should　he　notice　anything。　So　every
morning　Homais　brought　him　〃the　paper；〃　and　often　in　the
afternoon　left　his　shop　for　a　few　moments　to　have　a　chat　with　the
Doctor。
Charles　was　dull：　patients　did　not　come。　He　remained　seated　for
hours　without　speaking；　went　into　his　consulting　room　to　sleep；
or　watched　his　wife　sewing。　Then　for　diversion　he　employed
himself　at　home　as　a　workman；　he　even　tried　to　do　up　the　attic
with　some　paint　which　had　been　left　behind　by　the　painters。　But
money　matters　worried　him。　He　had　spent　so　much　for　repairs　at
Tostes；　for　madame's　toilette；　and　for　the　moving；　that　the　whole
dowry；　over　three　thousand　crowns；　had　slipped　away　in　two　years。
Then　how　many　things　had　been　spoilt　or　lost　during　their
carriage　from　Tostes　to　Yonville；　without　counting　the　plaster
cure；　who　falling　out　of　the　coach　at　an　over…severe　jolt；　had
been　dashed　into　a　thousand　fragments　on　the　pavements　of
Quincampoix！　A　pleasanter　trouble　came　to　distract　him；　namely