madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第6章

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wedding。　He　answered　feebly　to　the　puns；　doubles　entendres*；
compliments；　and　chaff　that　it　was　felt　a　duty　to　let　off　at　him
as　soon　as　the　soup　appeared。
*Double　meanings。
The　next　day；　on　the　other　hand；　he　seemed　another　man。　It　was　he
who　might　rather　have　been　taken　for　the　virgin　of　the　evening
before；　whilst　the　bride　gave　no　sign　that　revealed　anything。　The
shrewdest　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　it；　and　they　looked　at　her
when　she　passed　near　them　with　an　unbounded　concentration　of
mind。　But　Charles　concealed　nothing。　He　called　her　〃my　wife〃；
tutoyed*　her；　asked　for　her　of　everyone；　looked　for　her
everywhere；　and　often　he　dragged　her　into　the　yards；　where　he
could　be　seen　from　far　between　the　trees；　putting　his　arm　around
her　waist；　and　walking　half…bending　over　her；　ruffling　the
chemisette　of　her　bodice　with　his　head。
*Used　the　familiar　form　of　address。
Two　days　after　the　wedding　the　married　pair　left。　Charles；　on
account　of　his　patients；　could　not　be　away　longer。　Old　Rouault
had　them　driven　back　in　his　cart；　and　himself　accompanied　them　as
far　as　Vassonville。　Here　he　embraced　his　daughter　for　the　last
time；　got　down；　and　went　his　way。　When　he　had　gone　about　a
hundred　paces　he　stopped；　and　as　he　saw　the　cart　disappearing；
its　wheels　turning　in　the　dust；　he　gave　a　deep　sigh。　Then　he
remembered　his　wedding；　the　old　times；　the　first　pregnancy　of　his
wife；　he；　too；　had　been　very　happy　the　day　when　he　had　taken　her
from　her　father　to　his　home；　and　had　carried　her　off　on　a
pillion；　trotting　through　the　snow；　for　it　was　near
Christmas…time；　and　the　country　was　all　white。　She　held　him　by
one　arm；　her　basket　hanging　from　the　other；　the　wind　blew　the
long　lace　of　her　Cauchois　headdress　so　that　it　sometimes　flapped
across　his　mouth；　and　when　he　turned　his　head　he　saw　near　him；　on
his　shoulder；　her　little　rosy　face；　smiling　silently　under　the
gold　bands　of　her　cap。　To　warm　her　hands　she　put　them　from　time
to　time　in　his　breast。　How　long　ago　it　all　was！　Their　son　would
have　been　thirty　by　now。　Then　he　looked　back　and　saw　nothing　on
the　road。　He　felt　dreary　as　an　empty　house；　and　tender　memories
mingling　with　the　sad　thoughts　in　his　brain；　addled　by　the　fumes
of　the　feast；　he　felt　inclined　for　a　moment　to　take　a　turn
towards　the　church。　As　he　was　afraid；　however；　that　this　sight
would　make　him　yet　more　sad；　he　went　right　away　home。
Monsieur　and　Madame　Charles　arrived　at　Tostes　about　six　o'clock。
The　neighbors　came　to　the　windows　to　see　their　doctor's　new　wife。
The　old　servant　presented　herself；　curtsied　to　her；　apologised
for　not　having　dinner　ready；　and　suggested　that　madame；　in　the
meantime；　should　look　over　her　house。

Chapter　Five
The　brick　front　was　just　in　a　line　with　the　street；　or　rather　the
road。　Behind　the　door　hung　a　cloak　with　a　small　collar；　a　bridle；
and　a　black　leather　cap；　and　on　the　floor；　in　a　corner；　were　a
pair　of　leggings；　still　covered　with　dry　mud。　On　the　right　was
the　one　apartment；　that　was　both　dining　and　sitting　room。　A
canary　yellow　paper；　relieved　at　the　top　by　a　garland　of　pale
flowers；　was　puckered　everywhere　over　the　badly　stretched　canvas；
white　calico　curtains　with　a　red　border　hung　crossways　at　the
length　of　the　window；　and　on　the　narrow　mantelpiece　a　clock　with
a　head　of　Hippocrates　shone　resplendent　between　two　plate
candlesticks　under　oval　shades。　On　the　other　side　of　the　passage
was　Charles's　consulting　room；　a　little　room　about　six　paces
wide；　with　a　table；　three　chairs；　and　an　office　chair。　Volumes　of
the　〃Dictionary　of　Medical　Science；〃　uncut；　but　the　binding
rather　the　worse　for　the　successive　sales　through　which　they　had
gone；　occupied　almost　along　the　six　shelves　of　a　deal　bookcase。
The　smell　of　melted　butter　penetrated　through　the　walls　when　he
saw　patients；　just　as　in　the　kitchen　one　could　hear　the　people
coughing　in　the　consulting　room　and　recounting　their　histories。
Then；　opening　on　the　yard；　where　the　stable　was；　came　a　large
dilapidated　room　with　a　stove；　now　used　as　a　wood…house；　cellar；
and　pantry；　full　of　old　rubbish；　of　empty　casks；　agricultural
implements　past　service；　and　a　mass　of　dusty　things　whose　use　it
was　impossible　to　guess。
The　garden；　longer　than　wide；　ran　between　two　mud　walls　with
espaliered　apricots；　to　a　hawthorn　hedge　that　separated　it　from
the　field。　In　the　middle　was　a　slate　sundial　on　a　brick　pedestal；
four　flower　beds　with　eglantines　surrounded　symmetrically　the
more　useful　kitchen　garden　bed。　Right　at　the　bottom；　under　the
spruce　bushes；　was　a　cure　in　plaster　reading　his　breviary。
Emma　went　upstairs。　The　first　room　was　not　furnished；　but　in　the
second；　which　was　their　bedroom；　was　a　mahogany　bedstead　in　an
alcove　with　red　drapery。　A　shell　box　adorned　the　chest　of
drawers；　and　on　the　secretary　near　the　window　a　bouquet　of　orange
blossoms　tied　with　white　satin　ribbons　stood　in　a　bottle。　It　was
a　bride's　bouquet；　it　was　the　other　one's。　She　looked　at　it。
Charles　noticed　it；　he　took　it　and　carried　it　up　to　the　attic；
while　Emma　seated　in　an　arm…chair　（they　were　putting　her　things
down　around　her）　thought　of　her　bridal　flowers　packed　up　in　a
bandbox；　and　wondered；　dreaming；　what　would　be　done　with　them　if
she　were　to　die。
During　the　first　days　she　occupied　herself　in　thinking　about
changes　in　the　house。　She　took　the　shades　off　the　candlesticks；
had　new　wallpaper　put　up；　the　staircase　repainted；　and　seats　made
in　the　garden　round　the　sundial；　she　even　inquired　how　she　could
get　a　basin　with　a　jet　fountain　and　fishes。　Finally　her　husband；
knowing　that　she　liked　to　drive　out；　picked　up　a　second…hand
dogcart；　which；　with　new　lamps　and　splashboard　in　striped
leather；　looked　almost　like　a　tilbury。
He　was　happy　then；　and　without　a　care　in　the　world。　A　meal
together；　a　walk　in　the　evening　on　the　highroad；　a　gesture　of　her
hands　over　her　hair；　the　sight　of　her　straw　hat　hanging　from　the
window…fastener；　and　many　another　thing　in　which　Charles　had
never　dreamed　of　pleasure；　now　made　up　the　endless　round　of　his
happiness。　In　bed；　in　the　morning；　by　her　side；　on　the　pillow；　he
watched　the　sunlight　sinking　into　the　down　on　her　fair　cheek；
half　hidden　by　the　lappets　of　her　night…cap。　Seen　thus　closely；
her　eyes　looked　to　him　enlarged；　especially　when；　on　waking　up；
she　opened　and　shut　them　rapidly　many　times。　Black　in　the　shade；
dark　blue　in　broad　daylight；　they　had；　as　it　were；　depths　of
different　colours；　that；　darker　in　the　centre；　grew　paler　towards
the　surface　of　the　eye。　His　own　eyes　lost　themselves　in　these
depths；　he　saw　himself　in　miniature　down　to　the　shoulders；　with
his　handkerchief　round　his　head　and　the　top　of　his　shirt　open。　He
rose。　She　came　to　the　window　to　see　him　off；　and　stayed　leaning
on　the　sill　between　two　pots　of　geranium；　clad　in　her　dressing
gown　hanging　loosely　about　her。　Charles；　in　the　street　buckled
his　spurs；　his　foot　on　the　mounting　stone；　while　she　talked　to
him　from　above；　picking　with　her　mouth　some　scrap　of　flower　or
leaf　that　she　blew　out　at　him。　Then　this；　eddying；　floating；
described　semicircles　in　the　air　like　a　bird；　and　was　caught
before　it　reached　the　ground　in　the　ill…groomed　mane　of　the　old
white　mare　standing　motionless　at　the　door。　Charles　from
horseback　threw　her　a　kiss；　she　answered　with　a　nod；　she　shut　the
window；　and　he　set　off。　And　then　along　the　highroad；　spreading
out　its　long　ribbon　of　dust；　along　the　deep　lanes　that　the　trees
bent　over　as　in　arbours；　along　paths　where　the　corn　reached　to
the　knees；　with　the　sun　on　his　back　and　the　morning　air　in　his
nostrils；　his　heart　full　of　the　joys　of　the　past　night；　his　mind
at　rest；　his　flesh　at　ease；　he　went　on；　re…chewing　his　happiness；
like　those　who　after　dinner　taste　again　the　truffles　which　they
are　digesting。
Until　now　what　good　had　he　had　of　his　life？　His　time　at　school；
when　he　remained　shut　up　within　the　high　walls；　alone；　in　the
midst　of　companions　richer　than　he　or　cleverer　at　their　work；　who
laughed　at　his　accent；　who　jeered　at　his　clothes；　and　whose
mothers　came　to　the　school　with　cakes　in　their　muffs？　Later　on；
when　he　studied　medicine；　and　never　had　his　purse　full　enough　to
treat　some　little　work…girl　who　would　have　become　his　mistress？
Afterwards；　he　had　lived　fourteen　months　with　the　widow；　whose
feet　in　bed　were　cold　as　icicles。　But　now　he　had　for　life　this
beautiful　woman　whom　he　adored。　For　him　the　universe　did　not
extend　beyond　the　circumference　of　her　petticoat；　and　he
reproached　himself　with　not　loving　her。　He　wanted　to　see　her
again；　he　turned　back　quickly；　ran　up　the　stairs　with　a　beating
heart。　Emma；　in　her　room；　was　dressing；　he　came　up　on　tiptoe；
kissed　her　back；　she　gave　a　cry。
He　could　not　keep　from　constantly　touching　her　comb；　her　ring；
her　fichu；　sometimes　he　gave　her　great　sounding　kisses　with　all
his　mouth　on　her　cheeks；　or　else　little　kisses　in　a　row　all　along
her　bare　arm　from　the　tip　of　her　fingers　up　to　her　shoulder；　and
she　put　him　away　half…smiling；　half…vexed；　as　you　do　a　child　who
hangs　about　you。
Before　marriage　she　thought　herself　in　love；　but　the　happiness
that　should　have　followed　this　love　not　having　come；　she　must；
she　thought；　have　been　mistaken。　And　Emma　tried　to　find　out　what
one　meant　exactly　in　life　by　the　words　felicity；　passion；
rapture；　that　had　seemed　to　her　so　beautiful　in　books。

Chapter　Six
She　had　read　〃Paul　and　Virginia；〃　and　she　had　dreamed　of　the
little　bamboo…house；　the　nigger　Domingo；　the　dog　Fiddle；　but
above　all　of　the　sweet　friendship　of　some　dear　little　brother；
who　seeks　red　fruit　for　you　on　trees　taller　than　steeples；　or　who
runs　barefoot　over　the　sand；　bringing　you　a　bird's　nest。
When　she　was　thirteen；　her　father　himself　took　her　to　town　to
place　her　in　the　convent。　They　stopped　at　an　inn　in　the　St。
Gervais　quarter；　where；　at　their　supper；　they　used　painted　plates
that　set　forth　the　story　of　Mademoiselle　de　la　Valliere。　The
explanatory　legends；　chipped　here　and　there　by　the　scratching　of
knives；　all　glorified　religion；　the　tendernesses　of　the　heart；
and　the　pomps　of　court。
Far　from　being　bored　at　first　at　the　convent；　she　took　pleasure
in　the　society　of　the　good　sisters；　who；　to　amuse　her；　took　her
to　the　chapel；　which　one　entered　from　the　refectory　by　a　long
corridor。　She　played　very　little　during　recreation　hours；　knew
her　catechism　well；　and　it　was　she　who　always　answered　Monsieur
le　Vicaire's　difficult　questions。　Living　thus；　without　every
leaving　the　warm　atmosphere　of　the　classrooms；　and　amid　these
pale…faced　women　wearing　rosaries　with　brass　crosses；　she　was
softly　lulled　by　the　mystic　languor　exhaled　in　the　perfumes　of
the　altar；　the　freshness　of　the　holy　water；　and　the　lights　of　the
tapers。　Instead　of　attending　to　mass；　she　looked　at　the　pious
vignettes　with　their　azure　borders　in　her　book；　and　she　loved　the
sick　lamb；　the　sacred　heart　pierced　with　sharp　arrows；　or　the
poor　Jesus　sinking　beneath　the　cross　he　carries。　She　tried；　by
way　of　mortification；　to　eat　nothing　a　whole　day。　She　puzzled　her
head　to　find　some　vow　to　fulfil。
When　she　went　to　confession；　she　invented　little　sins　in　order
that　she　might　stay　there　longer；　kneeling　in　the　shadow；　her
hands　joined；　her　face　against　the　grating　beneath　the　whispering
of　the　priest。　The