madame bovary-第49章

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him

〃Don't　see　them；　don't　go　out；　think　only　of　ourselves；　love　me！〃

She　would　have　liked　to　be　able　to　watch　over　his　life；　and　the
idea　occurred　to　her　of　having　him　followed　in　the　streets。　Near
the　hotel　there　was　always　a　kind　of　loafer　who　accosted
travellers；　and　who　would　not　refuse。　But　her　pride　revolted　at
this。

〃Bah！　so　much　the　worse。　Let　him　deceive　me！　What　does　it　matter
to　me？　As　If　I　cared　for　him！〃

One　day；　when　they　had　parted　early　and　she　was　returning　alone
along　the　boulevard；　she　saw　the　walls　of　her　convent；　then　she
sat　down　on　a　form　in　the　shade　of　the　elm…trees。　How　calm　that
time　had　been！　How　she　longed　for　the　ineffable　sentiments　of
love　that　she　had　tried　to　figure　to　herself　out　of　books！　The
first　month　of　her　marriage；　her　rides　in　the　wood；　the　viscount
that　waltzed；　and　Lagardy　singing；　all　repassed　before　her　eyes。
And　Leon　suddenly　appeared　to　her　as　far　off　as　the　others。

〃Yet　I　love　him；〃　she　said　to　herself。

No　matter！　She　was　not　happyshe　never　had　been。　Whence　came
this　insufficiency　in　lifethis　instantaneous　turning　to　decay
of　everything　on　which　she　leant？　But　if　there　were　somewhere　a
being　strong　and　beautiful；　a　valiant　nature；　full　at　once　of
exaltation　and　refinement；　a　poet's　heart　in　an　angel's　form；　a
lyre　with　sounding　chords　ringing　out　elegiac　epithalamia　to
heaven；　why；　perchance；　should　she　not　find　him？　Ah！　how
impossible！　Besides；　nothing　was　worth　the　trouble　of　seeking　it；
everything　was　a　lie。　Every　smile　hid　a　yawn　of　boredom；　every
joy　a　curse；　all　pleasure　satiety；　and　the　sweetest　kisses　left
upon　your　lips　only　the　unattainable　desire　for　a　greater
delight。

A　metallic　clang　droned　through　the　air；　and　four　strokes　were
heard　from　the　convent…clock。　Four　o'clock！　And　it　seemed　to　her
that　she　had　been　there　on　that　form　an　eternity。　But　an　infinity
of　passions　may　be　contained　in　a　minute；　like　a　crowd　in　a　small
space。

Emma　lived　all　absorbed　in　hers；　and　troubled　no　more　about　money
matters　than　an　archduchess。

Once；　however；　a　wretched…looking　man；　rubicund　and　bald；　came　to
her　house；　saying　he　had　been　sent　by　Monsieur　Vincart　of　Rouen。
He　took　out　the　pins　that　held　together　the　side…pockets　of　his
long　green　overcoat；　stuck　them　into　his　sleeve；　and　politely
handed　her　a　paper。

It　was　a　bill　for　seven　hundred　francs；　signed　by　her；　and　which
Lheureux；　in　spite　of　all　his　professions；　had　paid　away　to
Vincart。　She　sent　her　servant　for　him。　He　could　not　come。　Then
the　stranger；　who　had　remained　standing；　casting　right　and　left
curious　glances；　that　his　thick；　fair　eyebrows　hid；　asked　with　a
naive　air

〃What　answer　am　I　to　take　Monsieur　Vincart？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Emma；　〃tell　him　that　I　haven't　it。　I　will　send　next
week；　he　must　wait；　yes；　till　next　week。〃

And　the　fellow　went　without　another　word。

But　the　next　day　at　twelve　o'clock　she　received　a　summons；　and
the　sight　of　the　stamped　paper；　on　which　appeared　several　times
in　large　letters；　〃Maitre　Hareng；　bailiff　at　Buchy；〃　so
frightened　her　that　she　rushed　in　hot　haste　to　the　linendraper's。
She　found　him　in　his　shop；　doing　up　a　parcel。

〃Your　obedient！〃　he　said；　〃I　am　at　your　service。〃

But　Lheureux；　all　the　same；　went　on　with　his　work；　helped　by　a
young　girl　of　about　thirteen；　somewhat　hunch…backed；　who　was　at
once　his　clerk　and　his　servant。

Then；　his　clogs　clattering　on　the　shop…boards；　he　went　up　in
front　of　Madame　Bovary　to　the　first　door；　and　introduced　her　into
a　narrow　closet；　where；　in　a　large　bureau　in　sapon…wood；　lay　some
ledgers；　protected　by　a　horizontal　padlocked　iron　bar。　Against
the　wall；　under　some　remnants　of　calico；　one　glimpsed　a　safe；　but
of　such　dimensions　that　it　must　contain　something　besides　bills
and　money。　Monsieur　Lheureux；　in　fact；　went　in　for　pawnbroking；
and　it　was　there　that　he　had　put　Madame　Bovary's　gold　chain；
together　with　the　earrings　of　poor　old　Tellier；　who；　at　last
forced　to　sell　out；　had　bought　a　meagre　store　of　grocery　at
Quincampoix；　where　he　was　dying　of　catarrh　amongst　his　candles；
that　were　less　yellow　than　his　face。

Lheureux　sat　down　in　a　large　cane　arm…chair；　saying：　〃What　news？〃

〃See！〃

And　she　showed　him　the　paper。

〃Well　how　can　I　help　it？〃

Then　she　grew　angry；　reminding　him　of　the　promise　he　had　given
not　to　pay　away　her　bills。　He　acknowledged　it。

〃But　I　was　pressed　myself；　the　knife　was　at　my　own　throat。〃

〃And　what　will　happen　now？〃　she　went　on。

〃Oh；　it's　very　simple；　a　judgment　and　then　a　distraintthat's
about　it！〃

Emma　kept　down　a　desire　to　strike　him；　and　asked　gently　if　there
was　no　way　of　quieting　Monsieur　Vincart。

〃I　dare　say！　Quiet　Vincart！　You　don't　know　him；　he's　more
ferocious　than　an　Arab！〃

Still　Monsieur　Lheureux　must　interfere。

〃Well；　listen。　It　seems　to　me　so　far　I've　been　very　good　to　you。〃
And　opening　one　of　his　ledgers；　〃See；〃　he　said。　Then　running　up
the　page　with　his　finger；　〃Let's　see！　let's　see！　August　3d；　two
hundred　francs；　June　17th；　a　hundred　and　fifty；　March　23d；
forty…six。　In　April〃

He　stopped；　as　if　afraid　of　making　some　mistake。

〃Not　to　speak　of　the　bills　signed　by　Monsieur　Bovary；　one　for
seven　hundred　francs；　and　another　for　three　hundred。　As　to　your
little　installments；　with　the　interest；　why；　there's　no　end　to
'em；　one　gets　quite　muddled　over　'em。　I'll　have　nothing　more　to
do　with　it。〃

She　wept；　she　even　called　him　〃her　good　Monsieur　Lheureux。〃　But
he　always　fell　back　upon　〃that　rascal　Vincart。〃　Besides；　he
hadn't　a　brass　farthing；　no　one　was　paying　him　now…a…days；　they
were　eating　his　coat　off　his　back；　a　poor　shopkeeper　like　him
couldn't　advance　money。

Emma　was　silent；　and　Monsieur　Lheureux；　who　was　biting　the
feathers　of　a　quill；　no　doubt　became　uneasy　at　her　silence；　for
he　went　on

〃Unless　one　of　these　days　I　have　something　coming　in；　I　might〃

〃Besides；〃　said　she；　〃as　soon　as　the　balance　of　Barneville〃

〃What！〃

And　on　hearing　that　Langlois　had　not　yet　paid　he　seemed　much
surprised。　Then　in　a　honied　voice

〃And　we　agree；　you　say？〃

〃Oh！　to　anything　you　like。〃

On　this　he　closed　his　eyes　to　reflect；　wrote　down　a　few　figures；
and　declaring　it　would　be　very　difficult　for　him；　that　the　affair
was　shady；　and　that　he　was　being　bled；　he　wrote　out　four　bills
for　two　hundred　and　fifty　francs　each；　to　fall　due　month　by
month。

〃Provided　that　Vincart　will　listen　to　me！　However；　it's　settled。
I　don't　play　the　fool；　I'm　straight　enough。〃

Next　he　carelessly　showed　her　several　new　goods；　not　one　of
which；　however；　was　in　his　opinion　worthy　of　madame。

〃When　I　think　that　there's　a　dress　at　threepence…halfpenny　a
yard；　and　warranted　fast　colours！　And　yet　they　actually　swallow
it！　Of　course　you　understand　one　doesn't　tell　them　what　it　really
is！〃　He　hoped　by　this　confession　of　dishonesty　to　others　to　quite
convince　her　of　his　probity　to　her。

Then　he　called　her　back　to　show　her　three　yards　of　guipure　that
he　had　lately　picked　up　〃at　a　sale。〃

〃Isn't　it　lovely？〃　said　Lheureux。　〃It　is　very　much　used　now　for
the　backs　of　arm…chairs。　It's　quite　the　rage。〃

And；　more　ready　than　a　juggler；　he　wrapped　up　the　guipure　in　some
blue　paper　and　put　it　in　Emma's　hands。

〃But　at　least　let　me　know〃

〃Yes；　another　time；〃　he　replied；　turning　on　his　heel。

That　same　evening　she　urged　Bovary　to　write　to　his　mother；　to　ask
her　to　send　as　quickly　as　possible　the　whole　of　the　balance　due
from　the　father's　estate。　The　mother…in…law　replied　that　she　had
nothing　more；　the　winding　up　was　over；　and　there　was　due　to　them
besides　Barneville　an　income　of　six　hundred　francs；　that　she
would　pay　them　punctually。

Then　Madame　Bovary　sent　in　accounts　to　two　or　three　patients；　and
she　made　large　use　of　this　method；　which　was　very　successful。　She
was　always　careful　to　add　a　postscript：　〃Do　not　mention　this　to
my　husband；　you　know　how　proud　he　is。　Excuse　me。　Yours
obediently。〃　There　were　some　complaints；　she　intercepted　them。

To　get　money　she　began　selling　her　old　gloves；　her　old　hats；　the
old　odds　and　ends；　and　she　bargained　rapaciously；　her　peasant
blood　standing　her　in　good　stead。　Then　on　her　journey　to　town　she
picked　up　nick…nacks　secondhand；　that；　in　default　of　anyone　else；
Monsieur　Lheureux　would　certainly　take　off　her　hands。　She　bought
ostrich　feathers；　Chinese　porcelain；　and　trunks；　she　borrowed
from　Felicite；　from　Madame　Lefrancois；　from　the　landlady　at　the
Croix…Rouge；　from　everybody；　no　matter　where。

With　the　money　she　at　last　received　from　Barneville　she　paid　two
bills；　the　other　fifteen　hundred　francs　fell　due。　She　renewed　the
bills；　and　thus　it　was　continually。

Sometimes；　it　is　true；　she　tried　to　make　a　calculation；　but　she
discovered　things　so　exorbitant　that　she　could　not　believe　them
possible。　Then　she　recommenced；　soon　got　confused；　gave　it　all
up；　and　thought　no　more　about　it。

The　house　was　very　dreary　now。　Tradesmen　were　seen　leaving　it
with　angry　faces。　Handkerchiefs　were　lying　about　on　the　stoves；
and　little　Berthe；　to　the　great　scandal　of　Madame　Homais；　wore
stockings　with　holes　in　them。　If　Charles　timidly　ventured　a
remark；　she　answered　roughly　that　it　wasn't　her　fault。

What　was　the　meaning　of　all　these　fits　of　temper？　She　explained
everything　through　her　old　nervous　illness；　and　reproaching
himself　with　having　taken　her　infirmities　for　faults；　accused
himself　of　egotism；　and　longed　to　go　and　take　her　in　his　arms。

〃Ah；　no！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　should　worry　her。〃

And　he　did　not　stir。

After　dinner　he　walked　about　alone　in　the　garden；　he　took　little
Berthe　on　his　knees；　and　unfolding　his　medical　journal；　tried　to
teach　her　to　read。　But　the　child；　who　never　had　any　lessons；　soon
looked　up　with　large；　sad　eyes　and　began　to　cry。　Then　he
comforted　her；　went　to　fetch　water　in　her　can　to　make　rivers　on
the　sand　path；　or　broke　off　branches　from　the　privet　hedges　to
plant　trees　in　the　beds。　This　did　not　spoil　the　garden　much；　all
choked　now　with　long　weeds。　They　owed　Lestiboudois　for　so　many
days。　Then　the　child　grew　cold　and　asked　for　her　mother。

〃Call　the　servant；〃　said　Charles。　〃You　know；　dearie；　that　mamma
does　not　like　to　be　disturbed。〃

Autumn　was　setting　in；　and　the　leaves　were　already　falling；　as
they　did　two　years　ago　when　she　was　ill。　Where　would　it　all　end？
And　he　walked　up　and　down；　his　hands　behind　his　back。

Madame　was　in　her　room；　which　no　one　entered。　She　stayed　there
all　day　long；　torpid；　half　dressed；　and　from　time　to　time　burning
Turkish　pastilles　which　she　had　bought　at　Rouen　in　an　Algerian's
shop。　In　order　not　to　have　at　night　this　sleeping　man　stretched
at　her　side；　by　dint　of　manoeuvring；　she　at　last　succeeded　in
banishing　him　to　the　second　floor；　while　she　read　till　morning
extravagant　books；　full　of　pictures　of　orgies　and　thrilling
situations。　Often；　seized　with　fear；　she　cried　out；　and　Charles
hurried　to　her。

〃Oh；　go　away！〃　she　would　say。

Or　at　other　times；　consumed　more　ardently　than　ever　by　that　inner
flame　to　which　adultery　added　fuel；　panting；　tremulous；　all
desire；　she　threw　open　her　window；　breathed　in　the　cold　air；
shook　loose　in　the　wind　her　masses　of　hair；　too　heavy；　and；
gazing　upon　the　stars；　longed　for　some　princely　love。　She　thought
of　him