madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第16章

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off　a　dog　sometimes　howled；　and　the　bell；　keeping　time；　continued
its　monotonous　ringing　that　died　away　over　the　fields。
But　the　people　came　out　from　church。　The　women　in　waxed　clogs；
the　peasants　in　new　blouses；　the　little　bare…headed　children
skipping　along　in　front　of　them；　all　were　going　home。　And　till
nightfall；　five　or　six　men；　always　the　same；　stayed　playing　at
corks　in　front　of　the　large　door　of　the　inn。
The　winter　was　severe。　The　windows　every　morning　were　covered
with　rime；　and　the　light　shining　through　them；　dim　as　through
ground…glass；　sometimes　did　not　change　the　whole　day　long。　At
four　o'clock　the　lamp　had　to　be　lighted。
On　fine　days　she　went　down　into　the　garden。　The　dew　had　left　on
the　cabbages　a　silver　lace　with　long　transparent　threads
spreading　from　one　to　the　other。　No　birds　were　to　be　heard；
everything　seemed　asleep；　the　espalier　covered　with　straw；　and
the　vine；　like　a　great　sick　serpent　under　the　coping　of　the　wall；
along　which；　on　drawing　hear；　one　saw　the　many…footed　woodlice
crawling。　Under　the　spruce　by　the　hedgerow；　the　curie　in　the
three…cornered　hat　reading　his　breviary　had　lost　his　right　foot；
and　the　very　plaster；　scaling　off　with　the　frost；　had　left　white
scabs　on　his　face。
Then　she　went　up　again；　shut　her　door；　put　on　coals；　and　fainting
with　the　heat　of　the　hearth；　felt　her　boredom　weigh　more　heavily
than　ever。　She　would　have　like　to　go　down　and　talk　to　the
servant；　but　a　sense　of　shame　restrained　her。
Every　day　at　the　same　time　the　schoolmaster　in　a　black　skullcap
opened　the　shutters　of　his　house；　and　the　rural　policeman；
wearing　his　sabre　over　his　blouse；　passed　by。　Night　and　morning
the　post…horses；　three　by　three；　crossed　the　street　to　water　at
the　pond。　From　time　to　time　the　bell　of　a　public　house　door　rang；
and　when　it　was　windy　one　could　hear　the　little　brass　basins　that
served　as　signs　for　the　hairdresser's　shop　creaking　on　their　two
rods。　This　shop　had　as　decoration　an　old　engraving　of　a
fashion…plate　stuck　against　a　windowpane　and　the　wax　bust　of　a
woman　with　yellow　hair。　He；　too；　the　hairdresser；　lamented　his
wasted　calling；　his　hopeless　future；　and　dreaming　of　some　shop　in
a　big　townat　Rouen；　for　example；　overlooking　the　harbour；　near
the　theatrehe　walked　up　and　down　all　day　from　the　mairie　to　the
church；　sombre　and　waiting　for　customers。　When　Madame　Bovary
looked　up；　she　always　saw　him　there；　like　a　sentinel　on　duty；
with　his　skullcap　over　his　ears　and　his　vest　of　lasting。
Sometimes　in　the　afternoon　outside　the　window　of　her　room；　the
head　of　a　man　appeared；　a　swarthy　head　with　black　whiskers；
smiling　slowly；　with　a　broad；　gentle　smile　that　showed　his　white
teeth。　A　waltz　immediately　began　and　on　the　organ；　in　a　little
drawing　room；　dancers　the　size　of　a　finger；　women　in　pink
turbans；　Tyrolians　in　jackets；　monkeys　in　frock　coats；　gentlemen
in　knee…breeches；　turned　and　turned　between　the　sofas；　the
consoles；　multiplied　in　the　bits　of　looking　glass　held　together
at　their　corners　by　a　piece　of　gold　paper。　The　man　turned　his
handle；　looking　to　the　right　and　left；　and　up　at　the　windows。　Now
and　again；　while　he　shot　out　a　long　squirt　of　brown　saliva
against　the　milestone；　with　his　knee　raised　his　instrument；　whose
hard　straps　tired　his　shoulder；　and　now；　doleful　and　drawling；　or
gay　and　hurried；　the　music　escaped　from　the　box；　droning　through
a　curtain　of　pink　taffeta　under　a　brass　claw　in　arabesque。　They
were　airs　played　in　other　places　at　the　theatres；　sung　in　drawing
rooms；　danced　to　at　night　under　lighted　lustres；　echoes　of　the
world　that　reached　even　to　Emma。　Endless　sarabands　ran　through
her　head；　and；　like　an　Indian　dancing　girl　on　the　flowers　of　a
carpet；　her　thoughts　leapt　with　the　notes；　swung　from　dream　to
dream；　from　sadness　to　sadness。　When　the　man　had　caught　some
coppers　in　his　cap；　he　drew　down　an　old　cover　of　blue　cloth；
hitched　his　organ　on　to　his　back；　and　went　off　with　a　heavy
tread。　She　watched　him　going。
But　it　was　above　all　the　meal…times　that　were　unbearable　to　her；
in　this　small　room　on　the　ground　floor；　with　its　smoking　stove；
its　creaking　door；　the　walls　that　sweated；　the　damp　flags；　all
the　bitterness　in　life　seemed　served　up　on　her　plate；　and　with
smoke　of　the　boiled　beef　there　rose　from　her　secret　soul　whiffs
of　sickliness。　Charles　was　a　slow　eater；　she　played　with　a　few
nuts；　or；　leaning　on　her　elbow；　amused　herself　with　drawing　lines
along　the　oilcloth　table　cover　with　the　point　of　her　knife。
She　now　let　everything　in　her　household　take　care　of　itself；　and
Madame　Bovary　senior；　when　she　came　to　spend　part　of　Lent　at
Tostes；　was　much　surprised　at　the　change。　She　who　was　formerly　so
careful；　so　dainty；　now　passed　whole　days　without　dressing；　wore
grey　cotton　stockings；　and　burnt　tallow　candles。　She　kept　saying
they　must　be　economical　since　they　were　not　rich；　adding　that　she
was　very　contented；　very　happy；　that　Tostes　pleased　her　very
much；　with　other　speeches　that　closed　the　mouth　of　her
mother…in…law。　Besides；　Emma　no　longer　seemed　inclined　to　follow
her　advice；　once　even；　Madame　Bovary　having　thought　fit　to
maintain　that　mistresses　ought　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　religion　of
their　servants；　she　had　answered　with　so　angry　a　look　and　so　cold
a　smile　that　the　good　woman　did　not　interfere　again。
Emma　was　growing　difficult；　capricious。　She　ordered　dishes　for
herself；　then　she　did　not　touch　them；　one　day　drank　only　pure
milk；　the　next　cups　of　tea　by　the　dozen。　Often　she　persisted　in
not　going　out；　then；　stifling；　threw　open　the　windows　and　put　on
light　dresses。　After　she　had　well　scolded　her　servant　she　gave
her　presents　or　sent　her　out　to　see　neighbours；　just　as　she
sometimes　threw　beggars　all　the　silver　in　her　purse；　although　she
was　by　no　means　tender…hearted　or　easily　accessible　to　the
feelings　of　others；　like　most　country…bred　people；　who　always
retain　in　their　souls　something　of　the　horny　hardness　of　the
paternal　hands。
Towards　the　end　of　February　old　Rouault；　in　memory　of　his　cure；
himself　brought　his　son…in…law　a　superb　turkey；　and　stayed　three
days　at　Tostes。　Charles　being　with　his　patients；　Emma　kept　him
company。　He　smoked　in　the　room；　spat　on　the　firedogs；　talked
farming；　calves；　cows；　poultry；　and　municipal　council；　so　that
when　he　left　she　closed　the　door　on　him　with　a　feeling　of
satisfaction　that　surprised　even　herself。　Moreover　she　no　longer
concealed　her　contempt　for　anything　or　anybody；　and　at　times　she
set　herself　to　express　singular　opinions；　finding　fault　with　that
which　others　approved；　and　approving　things　perverse　and　immoral；
all　of　which　made　her　husband　open　his　eyes　widely。
Would　this　misery　last　for　ever？　Would　she　never　issue　from　it？
Yet　she　was　as　good　as　all　the　women　who　were　living　happily。　She
had　seen　duchesses　at　Vaubyessard　with　clumsier　waists　and
commoner　ways；　and　she　execrated　the　injustice　of　God。　She　leant
her　head　against　the　walls　to　weep；　she　envied　lives　of　stir；
longed　for　masked　balls；　for　violent　pleasures；　with　all　the
wildness　that　she　did　not　know；　but　that　these　must　surely　yield。
She　grew　pale　and　suffered　from　palpitations　of　the　heart。
Charles　prescribed　valerian　and　camphor　baths。　Everything　that
was　tried　only　seemed　to　irritate　her　the　more。
On　certain　days　she　chatted　with　feverish　rapidity；　and　this
over…excitement　was　suddenly　followed　by　a　state　of　torpor；　in
which　she　remained　without　speaking；　without　moving。　What　then
revived　her　was　pouring　a　bottle　of　eau…de…cologne　over　her　arms。
As　she　was　constantly　complaining　about　Tostes；　Charles　fancied
that　her　illness　was　no　doubt　due　to　some　local　cause；　and　fixing
on　this　idea；　began　to　think　seriously　of　setting　up　elsewhere。
》From　that　moment　she　drank　vinegar；　contracted　a　sharp　little
cough；　and　completely　lost　her　appetite。
It　cost　Charles　much　to　give　up　Tostes　after　living　there　four
years　and　〃when　he　was　beginning　to　get　on　there。〃　Yet　if　it　must
be！　He　took　her　to　Rouen　to　see　his　old　master。　It　was　a　nervous
complaint：　change　of　air　was　needed。
After　looking　about　him　on　this　side　and　on　that；　Charles　learnt
that　in　the　Neufchatel　arrondissement　there　was　a　considerable
market　town　called　Yonville…l'Abbaye；　whose　doct