madame bovary-第58章

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jolting　of　a　cart　rolling　afar　off　in　the　ruts；　the　crowing　of　a
cock；　repeated　again　and　again；　or　the　gambling　of　a　foal　running
away　under　the　apple…trees：　The　pure　sky　was　fretted　with　rosy
clouds；　a　bluish　haze　rested　upon　the　cots　covered　with　iris。
Charles　as　he　passed　recognised　each　courtyard。　He　remembered
mornings　like　this；　when；　after　visiting　some　patient；　he　came
out　from　one　and　returned　to　her。

The　black　cloth　bestrewn　with　white　beads　blew　up　from　time　to
time；　laying　bare　the　coffin。　The　tired　bearers　walked　more
slowly；　and　it　advanced　with　constant　jerks；　like　a　boat　that
pitches　with　every　wave。

They　reached　the　cemetery。　The　men　went　right　down　to　a　place　in
the　grass　where　a　grave　was　dug。　They　ranged　themselves　all
round；　and　while　the　priest　spoke；　the　red　soil　thrown　up　at　the
sides　kept　noiselessly　slipping　down　at　the　corners。

Then　when　the　four　ropes　were　arranged　the　coffin　was　placed　upon
them。　He　watched　it　descend；　it　seemed　descending　for　ever。　At
last　a　thud　was　heard；　the　ropes　creaked　as　they　were　drawn　up。
Then　Bournisien　took　the　spade　handed　to　him　by　Lestiboudois；
with　his　left　hand　all　the　time　sprinkling　water；　with　the　right
he　vigorously　threw　in　a　large　spadeful；　and　the　wood　of　the
coffin；　struck　by　the　pebbles；　gave　forth　that　dread　sound　that
seems　to　us　the　reverberation　of　eternity。

The　ecclesiastic　passed　the　holy　water　sprinkler　to　his
neighbour。　This　was　Homais。　He　swung　it　gravely；　then　handed　it
to　Charles；　who　sank　to　his　knees　in　the　earth　and　threw　in
handfuls　of　it；　crying；　〃Adieu！〃　He　sent　her　kisses；　he　dragged
himself　towards　the　grave；　to　engulf　himself　with　her。　They　led
him　away；　and　he　soon　grew　calmer；　feeling　perhaps；　like　the
others；　a　vague　satisfaction　that　it　was　all　over。

Old　Rouault　on　his　way　back　began　quietly　smoking　a　pipe；　which
Homais　in　his　innermost　conscience　thought　not　quite　the　thing。
He　also　noticed　that　Monsieur　Binet　had　not　been　present；　and
that　Tuvache　had　〃made　off〃　after　mass；　and　that　Theodore；　the
notary's　servant　wore　a　blue　coat；　〃as　if　one　could　not　have　got
a　black　coat；　since　that　is　the　custom；　by　Jove！〃　And　to　share
his　observations　with　others　he　went　from　group　to　group。　They
were　deploring　Emma's　death；　especially　Lheureux；　who　had　not
failed　to　come　to　the　funeral。

〃Poor　little　woman！　What　a　trouble　for　her　husband！〃

The　druggist　continued；　〃Do　you　know　that　but　for　me　he　would
have　committed　some　fatal　attempt　upon　himself？〃

〃Such　a　good　woman！　To　think　that　I　saw　her　only　last　Saturday　in
my　shop。〃

〃I　haven't　had　leisure；〃　said　Homais；　〃to　prepare　a　few　words
that　I　would　have　cast　upon　her　tomb。〃

Charles　on　getting　home　undressed；　and　old　Rouault　put　on　his
blue　blouse。　It　was　a　new　one；　and　as　he　had　often　during　the
journey　wiped　his　eyes　on　the　sleeves；　the　dye　had　stained　his
face；　and　the　traces　of　tears　made　lines　in　the　layer　of　dust
that　covered　it。

Madame　Bovary　senior　was　with　them。　All　three　were　silent。　At
last　the　old　fellow　sighed

〃Do　you　remember；　my　friend；　that　I　went　to　Tostes　once　when　you
had　just　lost　your　first　deceased？　I　consoled　you　at　that　time。　I
thought　of　something　to　say　then；　but　now〃　Then；　with　a　loud
groan　that　shook　his　whole　chest；　〃Ah！　this　is　the　end　for　me；　do
you　see！　I　saw　my　wife　go；　then　my　son；　and　now　to…day　it's　my
daughter。〃

He　wanted　to　go　back　at　once　to　Bertaux；　saying　that　he　could　not
sleep　in　this　house。　He　even　refused　to　see　his　granddaughter。

〃No；　no！　It　would　grieve　me　too　much。　Only　you'll　kiss　her　many
times　for　me。　Good…bye！　you're　a　good　fellow！　And　then　I　shall
never　forget　that；〃　he　said；　slapping　his　thigh。　〃Never　fear；　you
shall　always　have　your　turkey。〃

But　when　he　reached　the　top　of　the　hill　he　turned　back；　as　he　had
turned　once　before　on　the　road　of　Saint…Victor　when　he　had　parted
from　her。　The　windows　of　the　village　were　all　on　fire　beneath　the
slanting　rays　of　the　sun　sinking　behind　the　field。　He　put　his
hand　over　his　eyes；　and　saw　in　the　horizon　an　enclosure　of　walls；
where　trees　here　and　there　formed　black　clusters　between　white
stones；　then　he　went　on　his　way　at　a　gentle　trot；　for　his　nag　had
gone　lame。

Despite　their　fatigue；　Charles　and　his　mother　stayed　very　long
that　evening　talking　together。　They　spoke　of　the　days　of　the　past
and　of　the　future。　She　would　come　to　live　at　Yonville；　she　would
keep　house　for　him；　they　would　never　part　again。　She　was
ingenious　and　caressing；　rejoicing　in　her　heart　at　gaining　once
more　an　affection　that　had　wandered　from　her　for　so　many　years。
Midnight　struck。　The　village　as　usual　was　silent；　and　Charles；
awake；　thought　always　of　her。

Rodolphe；　who；　to　distract　himself；　had　been　rambling　about　the
wood　all　day；　was　sleeping　quietly　in　his　chateau；　and　Leon；　down
yonder；　always　slept。

There　was　another　who　at　that　hour　was　not　asleep。

On　the　grave　between　the　pine…trees　a　child　was　on　his　knees
weeping；　and　his　heart；　rent　by　sobs；　was　beating　in　the　shadow
beneath　the　load　of　an　immense　regret；　sweeter　than　the　moon　and
fathomless　as　the　night。　The　gate　suddenly　grated。　It　was
Lestiboudois；　he　came　to　fetch　his　spade；　that　he　had　forgotten。
He　recognised　Justin　climbing　over　the　wall；　and　at　last　knew　who
was　the　culprit　who　stole　his　potatoes。



Chapter　Eleven

The　next　day　Charles　had　the　child　brought　back。　She　asked　for
her　mamma。　They　told　her　she　was　away；　that　she　would　bring　her
back　some　playthings。　Berthe　spoke　of　her　again　several　times；
then　at　last　thought　no　more　of　her。　The　child's　gaiety　broke
Bovary's　heart；　and　he　had　to　bear　besides　the　intolerable
consolations　of　the　chemist。

Money　troubles　soon　began　again；　Monsieur　Lheureux　urging　on　anew
his　friend　Vincart；　and　Charles　pledged　himself　for　exorbitant
sums；　for　he　would　never　consent　to　let　the　smallest　of　the
things　that　had　belonged　to　HER　be　sold。　His　mother　was
exasperated　with　him；　he　grew　even　more　angry　than　she　did。　He
had　altogether　changed。　She　left　the　house。

Then　everyone　began　〃taking　advantage〃　of　him。　Mademoiselle
Lempereur　presented　a　bill　for　six　months'　teaching；　although
Emma　had　never　taken　a　lesson　（despite　the　receipted　bill　she　had
shown　Bovary）；　it　was　an　arrangement　between　the　two　women。　The
man　at　the　circulating　library　demanded　three　years'
subscriptions；　Mere　Rollet　claimed　the　postage　due　for　some
twenty　letters；　and　when　Charles　asked　for　an　explanation；　she
had　the　delicacy　to　reply

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　It　was　for　her　business　affairs。〃

With　every　debt　he　paid　Charles　thought　he　had　come　to　the　end　of
them。　But　others　followed　ceaselessly。　He　sent　in　accounts　for
professional　attendance。　He　was　shown　the　letters　his　wife　had
written。　Then　he　had　to　apologise。

Felicite　now　wore　Madame　Bovary's　gowns；　not　all；　for　he　had　kept
some　of　them；　and　he　went　to　look　at　them　in　her　dressing…room；
locking　himself　up　there；　she　was　about　her　height；　and　often
Charles；　seeing　her　from　behind；　was　seized　with　an　illusion；　and
cried　out

〃Oh；　stay；　stay！〃

But　at　Whitsuntide　she　ran　away　from　Yonville；　carried　off　by
Theodore；　stealing　all　that　was　left　of　the　wardrobe。

It　was　about　this　time　that　the　widow　Dupuis　had　the　honour　to
inform　him　of　the　〃marriage　of　Monsieur　Leon　Dupuis　her　son；
notary　at　Yvetot；　to　Mademoiselle　Leocadie　Leboeuf　of
Bondeville。〃　Charles；　among　the　other　congratulations　he　sent
him；　wrote　this　sentence

〃How　glad　my　poor　wife　would　have　been！〃

One　day　when；　wandering　aimlessly　about　the　house；　he　had　gone　up
to　the　attic；　he　felt　a　pellet　of　fine　paper　under　his　slipper。
He　opened　it　and　read：　〃Courage；　Emma；　courage。　I　would　not　bring
misery　into　your　life。〃　It　was　Rodolphe's　letter；　fallen　to　the
ground　between　the　boxes；　where　it　had　remained；　and　that　the
wind　from　the　dormer　window　had　just　blown　towards　the　door。　And
Charles　stood；　motionless　and　staring；　in　the　very　same　place
where；　long　ago；　Emma；　in　despair；　and　paler　even　than　he；　had
thought　of　dying。　At　last　he　discovered　a　small　R　at　the　bottom
of　the　second　page。　What　did　this　mean？　He　remembered　Rodolphe's
attentions；　his　sudden；　disappearance；　his　constrained　air　when
they　had　met　two　or　three　times　since。　But　the　respectful　tone　of
the　letter　deceived　him。

〃Perhaps　they　loved　one　another　platonically；〃　he　said　to
himself。

Besides；　Charles　was　not　of　those　who　go　to　the　bottom　of　things；
he　shrank　from　the　proofs；　and　his　vague　jealousy　was　lost　in　the
immensity　of　his　woe。

Everyone；　he　thought；　must　have　adored　her；　all　men　assuredly
must　have　coveted　her。　She　seemed　but　the　more　beautiful　to　him
for　this；　he　was　seized　with　a　lasting；　furious　desire　for　her；
that　inflamed　his　despair；　and　that　was　boundless；　because　it　was
now　unrealisable。

To　please　her；　as　if　she　were　still　living；　he　adopted　her
predilections；　her　ideas；　he　bought　patent　leather　boots　and　took
to　wearing　white　cravats。　He　put　cosmetics　on　his　moustache；　and；
like　her；　signed　notes　of　hand。　She　corrupted　him　from　beyond　the
grave。

He　was　obliged　to　sell　his　silver　piece　by　piece；　next　he　sold
the　drawing…room　furniture。　All　the　rooms　were　stripped；　but　the
bedroom；　her　own　room；　remained　as　before。　After　his　dinner
Charles　went　up　there。　He　pushed　the　round　table　in　front　of　the
fire；　and　drew　up　her　armchair。　He　sat　down　opposite　it。　A　candle
burnt　in　one　of　the　gilt　candlesticks。　Berthe　by　his　side　was
painting　prints。

He　suffered；　poor　man；　at　seeing　her　so　badly　dressed；　with
laceless　boots；　and　the　arm…holes　of　her　pinafore　torn　down　to
the　hips；　for　the　charwoman　took　no　care　of　her。　But　she　was　so
sweet；　so　pretty；　and　her　little　head　bent　forward　so　gracefully；
letting　the　dear　fair　hair　fall　over　her　rosy　cheeks；　that　an
infinite　joy　came　upon　him；　a　happiness　mingled　with　bitterness；
like　those　ill…made　wines　that　taste　of　resin。　He　mended　her
toys；　made　her　puppets　from　cardboard；　or　sewed　up　half…torn
dolls。　Then；　if　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　workbox；　a　ribbon　lying
about；　or　even　a　pin　left　in　a　crack　of　the　table；　he　began　to
dream；　and　looked　so　sad　that　she　became　as　sad　as　he。

No　one　now　came　to　see　them；　for　Justin　had　run　away　to　Rouen；
where　he　was　a　grocer's　assistant；　and　the　druggist's　children
saw　less　and　less　of　the　child；　Monsieur　Homais　not　caring；
seeing　the　difference　of　their　social　position；　to　continue　the
intimacy。

The　blind　man；　whom　he　had　not　been　able　to　cure　with　the　pomade；
had　gone　back　to　the　hill　of　Bois…Guillaume；　where　he　told　the
travellers　of　the　vain　attempt　of　the　druggist；　to　such　an
extent；　that　Homais　when　he　went　to　town　hid　himself　behind　the
curtains　of　the　〃Hirondelle〃　to　avoid　meeting　him。　He　detested
him；　and　wishing；　in　the　interests　of　his　own　reputation；　to　get
rid　of　him　at　all　costs；　he　directed　against　him　a　secret
battery；　that　betrayed　the　depth　of　his　intellect　and　the
baseness　of　his　vanity。　Thus；　for　six　consecutive　months；　one
could　read　in　the　〃Fanal　de　Rouen〃　editorials　such　as　these

〃All　who　bend　their　steps　towards　the　fertile　plains　of　Picardy
have；　no　doubt；　remarked；　by　the　Bois…Guillaume　hill；　a　wretch
suffering　from　a　horrible　facial　wound。