madame bovary-第18章

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drawn　up。　From　her　turned…up　hair　a　dark　colour　fell　over　her
back；　and　growing　gradually　paler；　lost　itself　little　by　little
in　the　shade。　Then　her　dress　fell　on　both　sides　of　her　chair；
puffing　out　full　of　folds；　and　reached　the　ground。　When　Leon
occasionally　felt　the　sole　of　his　boot　resting　on　it；　he　drew
back　as　if　he　had　trodden　upon　some　one。

When　the　game　of　cards　was　over；　the　druggist　and　the　Doctor
played　dominoes；　and　Emma；　changing　her　place；　leant　her　elbow　on
the　table；　turning　over　the　leaves　of　L'Illustration。〃　She　had
brought　her　ladies'　journal　with　her。　Leon　sat　down　near　her；
they　looked　at　the　engravings　together；　and　waited　for　one
another　at　the　bottom　of　the　pages。　She　often　begged　him　to　read
her　the　verses；　Leon　declaimed　them　in　a　languid　voice；　to　which
he　carefully　gave　a　dying　fall　in　the　love　passages。　But　the
noise　of　the　dominoes　annoyed　him。　Monsieur　Homais　was　strong　at
the　game；　he　could　beat　Charles　and　give　him　a　double…six。　Then
the　three　hundred　finished；　they　both　stretched　themselves　out　in
front　of　the　fire；　and　were　soon　asleep。　The　fire　was　dying　out
in　the　cinders；　the　teapot　was　empty；　Leon　was　still　reading。

Emma　listened　to　him；　mechanically　turning　around　the　lampshade；
on　the　gauze　of　which　were　painted　clowns　in　carriages；　and
tight…rope　dances　with　their　balancing…poles。　Leon　stopped；
pointing　with　a　gesture　to　his　sleeping　audience；　then　they
talked　in　low　tones；　and　their　conversation　seemed　the　more　sweet
to　them　because　it　was　unheard。

Thus　a　kind　of　bond　was　established　between　them；　a　constant
commerce　of　books　and　of　romances。　Monsieur　Bovary；　little　given
to　jealousy；　did　not　trouble　himself　about　it。

On　his　birthday　he　received　a　beautiful　phrenological　head；　all
marked　with　figures　to　the　thorax　and　painted　blue。　This　was　an
attention　of　the　clerk's。　He　showed　him　many　others；　even　to
doing　errands　for　him　at　Rouen；　and　the　book　of　a　novelist　having
made　the　mania　for　cactuses　fashionable；　Leon　bought　some　for
Madame　Bovary；　bringing　them　back　on　his　knees　in　the
〃Hirondelle；〃　pricking　his　fingers　on　their　hard　hairs。

She　had　a　board　with　a　balustrade　fixed　against　her　window　to
hold　the　pots。　The　clerk；　too；　had　his　small　hanging　garden；　they
saw　each　other　tending　their　flowers　at　their　windows。

Of　the　windows　of　the　village　there　was　one　yet　more　often
occupied；　for　on　Sundays　from　morning　to　night；　and　every　morning
when　the　weather　was　bright；　one　could　see　at　the　dormer…window
of　the　garret　the　profile　of　Monsieur　Binet　bending　over　his
lathe；　whose　monotonous　humming　could　be　heard　at　the　Lion　d'Or。

One　evening　on　coming　home　Leon　found　in　his　room　a　rug　in　velvet
and　wool　with　leaves　on　a　pale　ground。　He　called　Madame　Homais；
Monsieur　Homais；　Justin；　the　children；　the　cook；　he　spoke　of　it
to　his　chief；　every　one　wanted　to　see　this　rug。　Why　did　the
doctor's　wife　give　the　clerk　presents？　It　looked　queer。　They
decided　that　she　must　be　his　lover。

He　made　this　seem　likely；　so　ceaselessly　did　he　talk　of　her
charms　and　of　her　wit；　so　much　so；　that　Binet　once　roughly
answered　him

〃What　does　it　matter　to　me　since　I'm　not　in　her　set？〃

He　tortured　himself　to　find　out　how　he　could　make　his　declaration
to　her；　and　always　halting　between　the　fear　of　displeasing　her
and　the　shame　of　being　such　a　coward；　he　wept　with　discouragement
and　desire。　Then　he　took　energetic　resolutions；　wrote　letters
that　he　tore　up；　put　it　off　to　times　that　he　again　deferred。

Often　he　set　out　with　the　determination　to　dare　all；　but　this
resolution　soon　deserted　him　in　Emma's　presence；　and　when
Charles；　dropping　in；　invited　him　to　jump　into　his　chaise　to　go
with　him　to　see　some　patient　in　the　neighbourhood；　he　at　once
accepted；　bowed　to　madame；　and　went　out。　Her　husband；　was　he　not
something　belonging　to　her？　As　to　Emma；　she　did　not　ask　herself
whether　she　loved。　Love；　she　thought；　must　come　suddenly；　with
great　outbursts　and　lightnings　a　hurricane　of　the　skies；　which
falls　upon　life；　revolutionises　it；　roots　up　the　will　like　a
leaf；　and　sweeps　the　whole　heart　into　the　abyss。　She　did　not　know
that　on　the　terrace　of　houses　it　makes　lakes　when　the　pipes　are
choked；　and　she　would　thus　have　remained　in　her　security　when　she
suddenly　discovered　a　rent　in　the　wall　of　it。



Chapter　Five

It　was　a　Sunday　in　February；　an　afternoon　when　the　snow　was
falling。

They　had　all；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Bovary；　Homais；　and　Monsieur
Leon；　gone　to　see　a　yarn…mill　that　was　being　built　in　the　valley
a　mile　and　a　half　from　Yonville。　The　druggist　had　taken　Napoleon
and　Athalie　to　give　them　some　exercise；　and　Justin　accompanied
them；　carrying　the　umbrellas　on　his　shoulder。

Nothing；　however；　could　be　less　curious　than　this　curiosity。　A
great　piece　of　waste　ground；　on　which　pell…mell；　amid　a　mass　of
sand　and　stones；　were　a　few　break…wheels；　already　rusty；
surrounded　by　a　quadrangular　building　pierced　by　a　number　of
little　windows。　The　building　was　unfinished；　the　sky　could　be
seen　through　the　joists　of　the　roofing。　Attached　to　the
stop…plank　of　the　gable　a　bunch　of　straw　mixed　with　corn…ears
fluttered　its　tricoloured　ribbons　in　the　wind。

Homais　was　talking。　He　explained　to　the　company　the　future
importance　of　this　establishment；　computed　the　strength　of　the
floorings；　the　thickness　of　the　walls；　and　regretted　extremely
not　having　a　yard…stick　such　as　Monsieur　Binet　possessed　for　his
own　special　use。

Emma；　who　had　taken　his　arm；　bent　lightly　against　his　shoulder；
and　she　looked　at　the　sun's　disc　shedding　afar　through　the　mist
his　pale　splendour。　She　turned。　Charles　was　there。　His　cap　was
drawn　down　over　his　eyebrows；　and　his　two　thick　lips　were
trembling；　which　added　a　look　of　stupidity　to　his　face；　his　very
back；　his　calm　back；　was　irritating　to　behold；　and　she　saw
written　upon　his　coat　all　the　platitude　of　the　bearer。

While　she　was　considering　him　thus；　tasting　in　her　irritation　a
sort　of　depraved　pleasure；　Leon　made　a　step　forward。　The　cold
that　made　him　pale　seemed　to　add　a　more　gentle　languor　to　his
face；　between　his　cravat　and　his　neck　the　somewhat　loose　collar
of　his　shirt　showed　the　skin；　the　lobe　of　his　ear　looked　out　from
beneath　a　lock　of　hair；　and　his　large　blue　eyes；　raised　to　the
clouds；　seemed　to　Emma　more　limpid　and　more　beautiful　than　those
mountain…lakes　where　the　heavens　are　mirrored。

〃Wretched　boy！〃　suddenly　cried　the　chemist。

And　he　ran　to　his　son；　who　had　just　precipitated　himself　into　a
heap　of　lime　in　order　to　whiten　his　boots。　At　the　reproaches　with
which　he　was　being　overwhelmed　Napoleon　began　to　roar；　while
Justin　dried　his　shoes　with　a　wisp　of　straw。　But　a　knife　was
wanted；　Charles　offered　his。

〃Ah！〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃he　carried　a　knife　in　his　pocket　like
a　peasant。〃

The　hoar…frost　was　falling；　and　they　turned　back　to　Yonville。

In　the　evening　Madame　Bovary　did　not　go　to　her　neighbour's；　and
when　Charles　had　left　and　she　felt　herself　alone；　the　comparison
re…began　with　the　clearness　of　a　sensation　almost　actual；　and
with　that　lengthening　of　perspective　which　memory　gives　to
things。　Looking　from　her　bed　at　the　clean　fire　that　was　burning；
she　still　saw；　as　she　had　down　there；　Leon　standing　up　with　one
hand　behind　his　cane；　and　with　the　other　holding　Athalie；　who　was
quietly　sucking　a　piece　of　ice。　She　thought　him　charming；　she
could　not　tear　herself　away　from　him；　she　recalled　his　other
attitudes　on　other　days；　the　words　he　had　spoken；　the　sound　of
his　voice；　his　whole　person；　and　she　repeated；　pouting　out　her
lips　as　if　for　a　kiss

〃Yes；　charming！　charming！　Is　he　not　in　love？〃　she　asked　herself；
〃but　with　whom？　With　me？〃

All　the　proofs　arose　before　her　at　once；　her　heart　leapt。　The
flame　of　the　fire　threw　a　joyous　light　upon　the　ceiling；　she
turned　on　her　back；　stretching　out　her　arms。

Then　began　the　eternal　lamentation：　〃Oh；　if　Heaven　had　out　willed
it！　And　why　not？　What　prevented　it？〃

When　Charles　came　home　at　midnight；　she　seemed　to　have　just
awakened；　and　as　he　made　a　noise　undressing；　she　complained　of　a
headache；　then　asked　carelessly　what　had　happened　that　evening。

〃Monsieur　Leon；〃　he　said；　〃went　to　his　room　early。〃

She　could　not　help　smiling；　and　she　fell　asleep；　her　soul　filled
with　a　new　delight。

The　next　day；　at　dusk；　she　received　a　visit　from　Monsieur
Lherueux；　the　draper。　He　was　a　man　of　ability；　was　this
shopkeeper。　Born　a　Gascon　but　bred　a　Norman；　he　grafted　upon　his
southern　volubility　the　cunning　of　the　Cauchois。　His　fat；　flabby；
beardless　face　seemed　dyed　by　a　decoction　of　liquorice；　and　his
white　hair　made　even　more　vivid　the　keen　brilliance　of　his　small
black　eyes。　No　one　knew　what　he　had　been　formerly；　a　pedlar　said
some；　a　banker　at　Routot　according　to　others。　What　was　certain
was　that　he　made　complex　calculations　in　his　head　that　would　have
frightened　Binet　himself。　Polite　to　obsequiousness；　he　always
held　himself　with　his　back　bent　in　the　position　of　one　who　bows
or　who　invites。

After　leaving　at　the　door　his　hat　surrounded　with　crape；　he　put
down　a　green　bandbox　on　the　table；　and　began　by　complaining　to
madame；　with　many　civilities；　that　he　should　have　remained　till
that　day　without　gaining　her　confidence。　A　poor　shop　like　his　was
not　made　to　attract　a　〃fashionable　lady〃；　he　emphasized　the
words；　yet　she　had　only　to　command；　and　he　would　undertake　to
provide　her　with　anything　she　might　wish；　either　in　haberdashery
or　linen；　millinery　or　fancy　goods；　for　he　went　to　town　regularly
four　times　a　month。　He　was　connected　with　the　best　houses。　You
could　speak　of　him　at　the　〃Trois　Freres；〃　at　the　〃Barbe　d'Or；〃　or
at　the　〃Grand　Sauvage〃；　all　these　gentlemen　knew　him　as　well　as
the　insides　of　their　pockets。　To…day；　then　he　had　come　to　show
madame；　in　passing；　various　articles　he　happened　to　have；　thanks
to　the　most　rare　opportunity。　And　he　pulled　out　half…a…dozen
embroidered　collars　from　the　box。

Madame　Bovary　examined　them。　〃I　do　not　require　anything；〃　she
said。

Then　Monsieur　Lheureux　delicately　exhibited　three　Algerian
scarves；　several　packet　of　English　needles；　a　pair　of　straw
slippers；　and　finally；　four　eggcups　in　cocoanut　wood；　carved　in
open　work　by　convicts。　Then；　with　both　hands　on　the　table；　his
neck　stretched　out；　his　figure　bent　forward；　open…mouthed；　he
watched　Emma's　look；　who　was　walking　up　and　down　undecided　amid
these　goods。　From　time　to　time；　as　if　to　remove　some　dust；　he
filliped　with　his　nail　the　silk　of　the　scarves　spread　out　at　full
length；　and　they　rustled　with　a　little　noise；　making　in　the　green
twilight　the　gold　spangles　of　their　tissue　scintillate　like
little　stars。

〃How　much　are　they？〃

〃A　mere　nothing；〃　he　replied；　〃a　mere　nothing。　But　there's　no
hurry；　whenever　it's　convenient。　We　are　not　Jews。〃

She　reflected　for　a　few　moments；　and　ended　by　again　declining
Monsieur　Lheureux's　offer。　He　replied　quite　unconcernedly

〃Very　well。　We　shall　understand　one　another　by　and　by。　I　have
always　got　on　with　ladiesif　I　didn't　with　my　own！〃

Emma　smiled。

〃I　wanted　to　tell　you；〃　he　went　on　good…naturedly；　after　his
joke；　〃that　it　isn't　the　money　I　should　trouble　about。　Why；　I
could　give　you　some；　if　need　be。〃

She　made　a　gesture