madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第2章

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lessons。　The　cure　took　him　in　hand；　but　the　lessons　were　so　short
and　irregular　that　they　could　not　be　of　much　use。　They　were　given
at　spare　moments　in　the　sacristy；　standing　up；　hurriedly；　between
a　baptism　and　a　burial；　or　else　the　cure；　if　he　had　not　to　go
out；　sent　for　his　pupil　after　the　Angelus*。　They　went　up　to　his
room　and　settled　down；　the　flies　and　moths　fluttered　round　the
candle。　It　was　close；　the　child　fell　asleep；　and　the　good　man；
beginning　to　doze　with　his　hands　on　his　stomach；　was　soon　snoring
with　his　mouth　wide　open。　On　other　occasions；　when　Monsieur　le
Cure；　on　his　way　back　after　administering　the　viaticum　to　some
sick　person　in　the　neighbourhood；　caught　sight　of　Charles　playing
about　the　fields；　he　called　him；　lectured　him　for　a　quarter　of　an
hour　and　took　advantage　of　the　occasion　to　make　him　conjugate　his
verb　at　the　foot　of　a　tree。　The　rain　interrupted　them　or　an
acquaintance　passed。　All　the　same　he　was　always　pleased　with　him；
and　even　said　the　〃young　man〃　had　a　very　good　memory。
*A　devotion　said　at　morning；　noon；　and　evening；　at　the　sound　of　a
bell。　Here；　the　evening　prayer。
Charles　could　not　go　on　like　this。　Madame　Bovary　took　strong
steps。　Ashamed；　or　rather　tired　out；　Monsieur　Bovary　gave　in
without　a　struggle；　and　they　waited　one　year　longer；　so　that　the
lad　should　take　his　first　communion。
Six　months　more　passed；　and　the　year　after　Charles　was　finally
sent　to　school　at　Rouen；　where　his　father　took　him　towards　the
end　of　October；　at　the　time　of　the　St。　Romain　fair。
It　would　now　be　impossible　for　any　of　us　to　remember　anything
about　him。　He　was　a　youth　of　even　temperament；　who　played　in
playtime；　worked　in　school…hours；　was　attentive　in　class；　slept
well　in　the　dormitory；　and　ate　well　in　the　refectory。　He　had　in
loco　parentis*　a　wholesale　ironmonger　in　the　Rue　Ganterie；　who
took　him　out　once　a　month　on　Sundays　after　his　shop　was　shut；
sent　him　for　a　walk　on　the　quay　to　look　at　the　boats；　and　then
brought　him　back　to　college　at　seven　o'clock　before　supper。　Every
Thursday　evening　he　wrote　a　long　letter　to　his　mother　with　red
ink　and　three　wafers；　then　he　went　over　his　history　note…books；
or　read　an　old　volume　of　〃Anarchasis〃　that　was　knocking　about　the
study。　When　he　went　for　walks　he　talked　to　the　servant；　who；　like
himself；　came　from　the　country。
*In　place　of　a　parent。
By　dint　of　hard　work　he　kept　always　about　the　middle　of　the
class；　once　even　he　got　a　certificate　in　natural　history。　But　at
the　end　of　his　third　year　his　parents　withdrew　him　from　the
school　to　make　him　study　medicine；　convinced　that　he　could　even
take　his　degree　by　himself。
His　mother　chose　a　room　for　him　on　the　fourth　floor　of　a　dyer's
she　knew；　overlooking　the　Eau…de…Robec。　She　made　arrangements　for
his　board；　got　him　furniture；　table　and　two　chairs；　sent　home　for
an　old　cherry…tree　bedstead；　and　bought　besides　a　small　cast…iron
stove　with　the　supply　of　wood　that　was　to　warm　the　poor　child。
Then　at　the　end　of　a　week　she　departed；　after　a　thousand
injunctions　to　be　good　now　that　he　was　going　to　be　left　to
himself。
The　syllabus　that　he　read　on　the　notice…board　stunned　him；
lectures　on　anatomy；　lectures　on　pathology；　lectures　on
physiology；　lectures　on　pharmacy；　lectures　on　botany　and　clinical
medicine；　and　therapeutics；　without　counting　hygiene　and　materia
medicaall　names　of　whose　etymologies　he　was　ignorant；　and　that
were　to　him　as　so　many　doors　to　sanctuaries　filled　with
magnificent　darkness。
He　understood　nothing　of　it　all；　it　was　all　very　well　to　listen
he　did　not　follow。　Still　he　worked；　he　had　bound　note…books；　he
attended　all　the　courses；　never　missed　a　single　lecture。　He　did
his　little　daily　task　like　a　mill…horse；　who　goes　round　and　round
with　his　eyes　bandaged；　not　knowing　what　work　he　is　doing。
To　spare　him　expense　his　mother　sent　him　every　week　by　the
carrier　a　piece　of　veal　baked　in　the　oven；　with　which　he　lunched
when　he　came　back　from　the　hospital；　while　he　sat　kicking　his
feet　against　the　wall。　After　this　he　had　to　run　off　to　lectures；
to　the　operation…room；　to　the　hospital；　and　return　to　his　home　at
the　other　end　of　the　town。　In　the　evening；　after　the　poor　dinner
of　his　landlord；　he　went　back　to　his　room　and　set　to　work　again
in　his　wet　clothes；　which　smoked　as　he　sat　in　front　of　the　hot
stove。
On　the　fine　summer　evenings；　at　the　time　when　the　close　streets
are　empty；　when　the　servants　are　playing　shuttle…cock　at　the
doors；　he　opened　his　window　and　leaned　out。　The　river；　that　makes
of　this　quarter　of　Rouen　a　wretched　little　Venice；　flowed　beneath
him；　between　the　bridges　and　the　railings；　yellow；　violet；　or
blue。　Working　men；　kneeling　on　the　banks；　washed　their　bare　arms
in　the　water。　On　poles　projecting　from　the　attics；　skeins　of
cotton　were　drying　in　the　air。　Opposite；　beyond　the　roots　spread
the　pure　heaven　with　the　red　sun　setting。　How　pleasant　it　must　be
at　home！　How　fresh　under　the　beech…tree！　And　he　expanded　his
nostrils　to　breathe　in　the　sweet　odours　of　the　country　which　did
not　reach　him。
He　grew　thin；　his　figure　became　taller；　his　face　took　a　saddened
look　that　made　it　nearly　interesting。　Naturally；　through
indifference；　he　abandoned　all　the　resolutions　he　had　made。　Once
he　missed　a　lecture；　the　next　day　all　the　lectures；　and；　enjoying
his　idleness；　little　by　little；　he　gave　up　work　altogether。　He
got　into　the　habit　of　going　to　the　public…house；　and　had　a
passion　for　dominoes。　To　shut　himself　up　every　evening　in　the
dirty　public　room；　to　push　about　on　marble　tables　the　small　sheep
bones　with　black　dots；　seemed　to　him　a　fine　proof　of　his　freedom；
which　raised　him　in　his　own　esteem。　It　was　beginning　to　see　life；
the　sweetness　of　stolen　pleasures；　and　when　he　entered；　he　put
his　hand　on　the　door…handle　with　a　joy　almost　sensual。　Then　many
things　hidden　within　him　came　out；　he　learnt　couplets　by　heart
and　sang　them　to　his　boon　companions；　became　enthusiastic　about
Beranger；　learnt　how　to　make　punch；　and；　finally；　how　to　make
love。
Thanks　to　these　preparatory　labours；　he　failed　completely　in　his
examination　for　an　ordinary　degree。　He　was　expected　home　the　same
night　to　celebrate　his　success。　He　started　on　foot；　stopped　at
the　beginning　of　the　village；　sent　for　his　mother；　and　told　her
all。　She　excused　him；　threw　the　blame　of　his　failure　on　the
injustice　of　the　examiners；　encouraged　him　a　little；　and　took
upon　herself　to　set　matters　straight。　It　was　only　five　years
later　that　Monsieur　Bovary　knew　the　truth；　it　was　old　then；　and
he　accepted　it。　Moreover；　he　could　not　believe　that　a　man　born　of
him　could　be　a　fool。
So　Charles　set　to　work　again　and　crammed　for　his　examination；
ceaselessly　learning　all　the　old　questions　by　heart。　He　passed
pretty　well。　What　a　happy　day　for　his　mother！　They　gave　a　grand
dinner。
Where　should　he　go　to　practice？　To　Tostes；　where　there　was　only
one　old　doctor。　For　a　long　time　Madame　Bovary　had　been　on　the
look…out　for　his　death；　and　the　old　fellow　had　barely　been　packed
off　when　Charles　was　installed；　opposite　his　place；　as　his
successor。
But　it　was　not　everything　to　have　brought　up　a　son；　to　have　had
him　taught　medicine；　and　discovered　Tostes；　where　he　could
practice　it；　he　must　have　a　wife。　She　found　him　onethe　widow　of
a　bailiff　at　Dieppewho　was　forty…five　and　had　an　income　of
twelve　hundred　francs。　Though　she　was　ugly；　as　dry　as　a　bone；　her
face　with　as　many　pimples　as　the　spring　has　buds；　Madame　Dubuc
had　no　lack　of　suitors。　To　attain　her　ends　Madame　Bovary　had　to
oust　them　all；　and　she　even　succeeded　in　very　cleverly　baffling
the　intrigues　of　a　port…butcher　backed　up　by　the　priests。
Charles　had　seen　in　marriage　the　advent　of　an　easier　life；
thinking　he　would　be　more　free　to　do　as　he　liked　with　himself　and
his　money。　But　his　wife　was　master；　he　had　to　say　this　and　not
say　that　in　company；　to　fast　every　Friday；　dress　as　she　liked；
harass　at　her　bidding　those　patients　who　did　not　pay。　She　opened
his　letter；　watched　his　comings　and　goings；　and　listened　at　the
partition…wall　when　women　came　to　consult　him　in　his　surgery。
She　must　have　her　chocolate　every　morning；　attentions　without
end。　She　constantly　complained　of　her　nerves；　her　chest；　her
liver。　The　noise　of　footsteps　made　her　ill；　when　people　left　her；
solitude　became　odious　to　her；　if　they　came　back；　it　was
doubtless　to　see　her　die。　When　Charles　returned　in　the　evening；
she　stretched　forth　two　long　thin　arms　from　beneath　the　sheets；
put　them　round　his　neck；　and　having　made　him　sit　down　on　the　edge
of　the　bed；　began　to　talk　to　him　of　her　troubles：　he　was
neglecting　her；　he　loved　another。　She　had　been　warned　she　would
be　unhappy；　and　she　ended　by　asking　him　for　a　dose　of　medicine
and　a　little　more　love。

Chapter　Two
One　night　towards　eleven　o'clock　they　were　awakened　by　the　noise
of　a　horse　pulling　up　outside　their　door。　The　servant　opened　the
garret…window　and　parleyed　for　some　time　with　a　man　in　the　street
below。　He　came　for　the　doctor；　had　a　letter　for　him。　Natasie　came
downstairs　shivering　and　undid　the　bars　and　bolts　one　after　the
other。　The　man　left　his　horse；　and；　following　the　servant；
suddenly　came　in　behind　her。　He　pulled　out　from　his　wool　cap　with
grey　top…knots　a　letter　wrapped　up　in　a　rag　and　presented　it
gingerly　to　Charles；　who　rested　on　his　elbow　on　the　pillow　to
read　it。　Natasie；　standing　near　the　bed；　held　the　light。　Madame
in　modesty　had　turned　to　the　wall　and　showed　only　her　back。
This　letter；　sealed　with　a　small　seal　in　blue　wax；　begged
Monsieur　Bovary　to　come　immediately　to　the　farm　of　the　Bertaux　to
set　a　broken　leg。　Now　from　Tostes　to　the　Bertaux　was　a　good
eighteen　miles　across　country　by　way　of　Longueville　and
Saint…Victor。　It　was　a　dark　night；　Madame　Bovary　junior　was
afraid　of　accidents　for　her　husband。　So　it　was　decided　the
stable…boy　should　go　on　first；　Charles　would　start　three　hours
later　when　the　moon　rose。　A　boy　was　to　be　sent　to　meet　him；　and
show　him　the　way　to　the　farm；　and　open　the　gates　for　him。
Towards　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Charles；　well　wrapped　up　in
his　cloak；　set　out　for　the　Bertaux。　Still　sleepy　from　the　warmth
of　his　bed；　he　let　himself　be　lulled　by　the　quiet　trot　of　his
horse。　When　it　stopped　of　its　own　accord　in　front　of　those　holes
surrounded　with　thorns　that　are　dug　on　the　margin　of　furrows；
Charles　awoke　with　a　start；　suddenly　remembered　the　broken　leg；
and　tried　to　call　to　mind　all　the　fractures　he　knew。　The　rain　had
stopped；　day　was　breaking；　and　on　the　branches　of　the　leafless
trees　birds　roosted　motionless；　their　little　feathers　bristling
in　the　cold　morning　wind。　The　flat　country　stretched　as　far　as
eye　could　see；　and　the　tufts　of　trees　round　the　farms　at　long
intervals　seemed　like　dark　violet　stains　on　the　cast　grey
surface；　that　on　the　horizon　faded　into　the　gloom　of　the　sky。
Charles　from　time　to　time　opened　his　eyes；　his　mind　grew　weary；
and；　sleep　coming　upon　him；　he　soon　fell　into　a　doze　wherein；　his
recent　sensations　blending　with　memories；　he　became　conscious　of
a　double　self；　at　once　student　and　married　man；　lying　in　his　bed
as　but　now；　and　crossing　the　operation　theatre　as　of　old。　The
warm　smell　of　poultices　mingled　in　his　brain　with　the　fresh　odour
of　dew；　he　heard　the　iron　rings　rattling　along　th