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第51章

madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第51章

小说: madame bovary(包法利夫人) 字数: 每页3500字

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〃and I will bring it you to…morrow;〃 he added。
Emma did not seem to welcome this hope with all the joy he had
expected。 Did she suspect the lie? He went on; blushing
〃However; if you don't see me by three o'clock do not wait for
me; my darling。 I must be off now; forgive me! Goodbye!〃
He pressed her hand; but it felt quite lifeless。 Emma had no
strength left for any sentiment。
Four o'clock struck; and she rose to return to Yonville;
mechanically obeying the force of old habits。
The weather was fine。 It was one of those March days; clear and
sharp; when the sun shines in a perfectly white sky。 The Rouen
folk; in Sunday…clothes; were walking about with happy looks。 She
reached the Place du Parvis。 People were coming out after
vespers; the crowd flowed out through the three doors like a
stream through the three arches of a bridge; and in the middle
one; more motionless than a rock; stood the beadle。
Then she remembered the day when; all anxious and full of hope;
she had entered beneath this large nave; that had opened out
before her; less profound than her love; and she walked on
weeping beneath her veil; giddy; staggering; almost fainting。
〃Take care!〃 cried a voice issuing from the gate of a courtyard
that was thrown open。
She stopped to let pass a black horse; pawing the ground between
the shafts of a tilbury; driven by a gentleman in sable furs。 Who
was it? She knew him。 The carriage darted by and disappeared。
Why; it was hethe Viscount。 She turned away; the street was
empty。 She was so overwhelmed; so sad; that she had to lean
against a wall to keep herself from falling。
Then she thought she had been mistaken。 Anyhow; she did not know。
All within her and around her was abandoning her。 She felt lost;
sinking at random into indefinable abysses; and it was almost
with joy that; on reaching the 〃Croix…Rouge;〃 she saw the good
Homais; who was watching a large box full of pharmaceutical
stores being hoisted on to the 〃Hirondelle。〃 In his hand he held
tied in a silk handkerchief six cheminots for his wife。
Madame Homais was very fond of these small; heavy turban…shaped
loaves; that are eaten in Lent with salt butter; a last vestige
of Gothic food that goes back; perhaps; to the time of the
Crusades; and with which the robust Normans gorged themselves of
yore; fancying they saw on the table; in the light of the yellow
torches; between tankards of hippocras and huge boars' heads; the
heads of Saracens to be devoured。 The druggist's wife crunched
them up as they had doneheroically; despite her wretched teeth。
And so whenever Homais journeyed to town; he never failed to
bring her home some that he bought at the great baker's in the
Rue Massacre。
〃Charmed to see you;〃 he said; offering Emma a hand to help her
into the 〃Hirondelle。〃 Then he hung up his cheminots to the cords
of the netting; and remained bare…headed in an attitude pensive
and Napoleonic。
But when the blind man appeared as usual at the foot of the hill
he exclaimed
〃I can't understand why the authorities tolerate such culpable
industries。 Such unfortunates should be locked up and forced to
work。 Progress; my word! creeps at a snail's pace。 We are
floundering about in mere barbarism。〃
The blind man held out his hat; that flapped about at the door;
as if it were a bag in the lining that had come unnailed。
〃This;〃 said the chemist; 〃is a scrofulous affection。〃
And though he knew the poor devil; he pretended to see him for
the first time; murmured something about 〃cornea;〃 〃opaque
cornea;〃 〃sclerotic;〃 〃facies;〃 then asked him in a paternal
tone
〃My friend; have you long had this terrible infirmity? Instead of
getting drunk at the public; you'd do better to die yourself。〃
He advised him to take good wine; good beer; and good joints。 The
blind man went on with his song; he seemed; moreover; almost
idiotic。 At last Monsieur Homais opened his purse
〃Now there's a sou; give me back two lairds; and don't forget my
advice: you'll be the better for it。〃
Hivert openly cast some doubt on the efficacy of it。 But the
druggist said that he would cure himself with an antiphlogistic
pomade of his own composition; and he gave his address〃Monsieur
Homais; near the market; pretty well known。〃
〃Now;〃 said Hivert; 〃for all this trouble you'll give us your
performance。〃
The blind man sank down on his haunches; with his head thrown
back; whilst he rolled his greenish eyes; lolled out his tongue;
and rubbed his stomach with both hands as he uttered a kind of
hollow yell like a famished dog。 Emma; filled with disgust; threw
him over her shoulder a five…franc piece。 It was all her fortune。
It seemed to her very fine thus to throw it away。
The coach had gone on again when suddenly Monsieur Homais leant
out through the window; crying
〃No farinaceous or milk food; wear wool next the skin; and expose
the diseased parts to the smoke of juniper berries。〃
The sight of the well…known objects that defiled before her eyes
gradually diverted Emma from her present trouble。 An intolerable
fatigue overwhelmed her; and she reached her home stupefied;
discouraged; almost asleep。
〃Come what may come!〃 she said to herself。 〃And then; who knows?
Why; at any moment could not some extraordinary event occur?
Lheureux even might die!〃
At nine o'clock in the morning she was awakened by the sound of
voices in the Place。 There was a crowd round the market reading a
large bill fixed to one of the posts; and she saw Justin; who was
climbing on to a stone and tearing down the bill。 But at this
moment the rural guard seized him by the collar。 Monsieur Homais
came out of his shop; and Mere Lefrangois; in the midst of the
crowd; seemed to be perorating。
〃Madame! madame!〃 cried Felicite; running in; 〃it's abominable!〃
And the poor girl; deeply moved; handed her a yellow paper that
she had just torn off the door。 Emma read with a glance that all
her furniture was for sale。
Then they looked at one another silently。 The servant and
mistress had no secret one from the other。 At last Felicite
sighed
〃If I were you; madame; I should go to Monsieur Guillaumin。〃
〃Do you think〃
And this question meant to say
〃You who know the house through the servant; has the master
spoken sometimes of me?〃
〃Yes; you'd do well to go there。〃
She dressed; put on her black gown; and her hood with jet beads;
and that she might not be seen (there was still a crowd on the
Place); she took the path by the river; outside the village。
She reached the notary's gate quite breathless。 The sky was
sombre; and a little snow was falling。 At the sound of the bell;
Theodore in a red waistcoat appeared on the steps; he came to
open the door almost familiarly; as to an acquaintance; and
showed her into the dining…room。
A large porcelain stove crackled beneath a cactus that filled up
the niche in the wall; and in black wood frames against the
oak…stained paper hung Steuben's 〃Esmeralda〃 and Schopin's
〃Potiphar。 〃 The ready…laid table; the two silver chafing…dishes;
the crystal door…knobs; the parquet and the furniture; all shone
with a scrupulous; English cleanliness; the windows were
ornamented at each corner with stained glass。
〃Now this;〃 thought Emma; 〃is the dining…room I ought to have。〃
The notary came in pressing his palm…leaf dressing…gown to his
breast with his left arm; while with the other hand he raised and
quickly put on again his brown velvet cap; pretentiously cocked
on the right side; whence looked out the ends of three fair curls
drawn from the back of the head; following the line of his bald
skull。
After he had offered her a seat he sat down to breakfast;
apologising profusely for his rudeness。
〃I have come;〃 she said; 〃to beg you; sir〃
〃What; madame? I am listening。〃
And she began explaining her position to him。 Monsieur Guillaumin
knew it; being secretly associated with the linendraper; from
whom he always got capital for the loans on mortgages that he was
asked to make。
So he knew (and better than she herself) the long story of the
bills; small at first; bearing different names as endorsers; made
out at long dates; and constantly renewed up to the day; when;
gathering together all the protested bills; the shopkeeper had
bidden his friend Vincart take in his own name all the necessary
proceedings; not wishing to pass for a tiger with his
fellow…citizens。
She mingled her story with recriminations against Lheureux; to
which the notary replied from time to time with some
insignificant word。 Eating his cutlet and drinking his tea; he
buried his chin in his sky…blue cravat; into which were thrust
two diamond pins; held together by a small gold chain; and he
smiled a singular smile; in a sugary; ambiguous fashion。 But
noticing that her feet were damp; he said
〃Do get closer to the stove; put your feet up against the
porcelain。〃
She was afraid of dirtying it。 The notary replied in a gallant
tone
〃Beautiful things spoil nothing。〃
Then she tried to move him; and; growing moved herself; she began
telling him about the poorness of her home; her worries; her
wants。 He could understand that; an elegant woman! and; without
leaving off eating; he had turned completely round towards her;
so that his knee brushed against her boot; whose sole curled
round as it smoked against the stove。
But when she asked for a thousand sous; he closed his lips; and
declared he was very sorry he had not had the management of her
fortune before; for there were hundreds of ways very convenient;
even for a lady; of turning her money to account。 They might;
either in the turf…peats of Grumesnil or building…ground at
Havre; almost without risk; have ventured on some excellent
speculations; and he let her consume herself with rage at the
thought of the fabulous sums that she would certainly have made。
〃How was it;〃 he went on; 〃that you didn't come to me?〃
〃I hardly know;〃 she said。
〃Why; hey? Did I frighten you so much? It is I; on the contrary;
who ought to complain。 We hardly know one another; yet I am very
devoted to you。 You do not doubt that; I hope?〃
He held out his hand; took hers; covered it with a greedy kiss;
then held it on his knee; and he played delicately with her
fingers whilst he murmured a thousand blandishments。 His insipid
voice murmured like a running brook; a light shone in his eyes
through the glimmering of his spectacles; and his hand was
advancing up Emma's sleeve to press her arm。 She felt against her
cheek his panting breath。 This man oppressed her horribly。
She sprang up and said to him
〃Sir; I am waiting。〃
〃For what?〃 said the notary; who suddenly became very pale。
〃This money。〃
〃But〃 Then; yielding to the outburst of too powerful a desire;
〃Well; yes!〃
He dragged himself towards her on his knees; regardless of his
dressing…gown。
〃For pity's sake; stay。 I love you!〃
He seized her by her waist。 Madame Bovary's face flushed purple。
She recoiled with a terrible look; crying
〃You are taking a shameless advantage of my distress; sir! I am
to be pitiednot to be sold。〃
And she went out。
The notary remained quite stupefied; his eyes fixed on his fine
embroidered slippers。 They were a love gift; and the sight of
them at last consoled him。 Besides; he reflected that such an
adventure might have ca

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