madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第17章

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that　in　the　Neufchatel　arrondissement　there　was　a　considerable
market　town　called　Yonville…l'Abbaye；　whose　doctor；　a　Polish
refugee；　had　decamped　a　week　before。　Then　he　wrote　to　the　chemist
of　the　place　to　ask　the　number　of　the　population；　the　distance
from　the　nearest　doctor；　what　his　predecessor　had　made　a　year；
and　so　forth；　and　the　answer　being　satisfactory；　he　made　up　his
mind　to　move　towards　the　spring；　if　Emma's　health　did　not
improve。
One　day　when；　in　view　of　her　departure；　she　was　tidying　a　drawer；
something　pricked　her　finger。　It　was　a　wire　of　her　wedding
bouquet。　The　orange　blossoms　were　yellow　with　dust　and　the　silver
bordered　satin　ribbons　frayed　at　the　edges。　She　threw　it　into　the
fire。　It　flared　up　more　quickly　than　dry　straw。　Then　it　was；　like
a　red　bush　in　the　cinders；　slowly　devoured。　She　watched　it　burn。
The　little　pasteboard　berries　burst；　the　wire　twisted；　the　gold
lace　melted；　and　the　shriveled　paper　corollas；　fluttering　like
black　butterflies　at　the　back　of　the　stove；　at　least　flew　up　the
chimney。
When　they　left　Tostes　at　the　month　of　March；　Madame　Bovary　was
pregnant。

Part　II
Chapter　One
Yonville…l'Abbaye　（so　called　from　an　old　Capuchin　abbey　of　which
not　even　the　ruins　remain）　is　a　market…town　twenty…four　miles
from　Rouen；　between　the　Abbeville　and　Beauvais　roads；　at　the　foot
of　a　valley　watered　by　the　Rieule；　a　little　river　that　runs　into
the　Andelle　after　turning　three　water…mills　near　its　mouth；　where
there　are　a　few　trout　that　the　lads　amuse　themselves　by　fishing
for　on　Sundays。
We　leave　the　highroad　at　La　Boissiere　and　keep　straight　on　to　the
top　of　the　Leux　hill；　whence　the　valley　is　seen。　The　river　that
runs　through　it　makes　of　it；　as　it　were；　two　regions　with
distinct　physiognomiesall　on　the　left　is　pasture　land；　all　of
the　right　arable。　The　meadow　stretches　under　a　bulge　of　low　hills
to　join　at　the　back　with　the　pasture　land　of　the　Bray　country；
while　on　the　eastern　side；　the　plain；　gently　rising；　broadens
out；　showing　as　far　as　eye　can　follow　its　blond　cornfields。　The
water；　flowing　by　the　grass；　divides　with　a　white　line　the　colour
of　the　roads　and　of　the　plains；　and　the　country　is　like　a　great
unfolded　mantle　with　a　green　velvet　cape　bordered　with　a　fringe
of　silver。
Before　us；　on　the　verge　of　the　horizon；　lie　the　oaks　of　the
forest　of　Argueil；　with　the　steeps　of　the　Saint…Jean　hills
scarred　from　top　to　bottom　with　red　irregular　lines；　they　are
rain　tracks；　and　these　brick…tones　standing　out　in　narrow　streaks
against　the　grey　colour　of　the　mountain　are　due　to　the　quantity
of　iron　springs　that　flow　beyond　in　the　neighboring　country。
Here　we　are　on　the　confines　of　Normandy；　Picardy；　and　the
Ile…de…France；　a　bastard　land　whose　language　is　without　accent
and　its　landscape　is　without　character。　It　is　there　that　they
make　the　worst　Neufchatel　cheeses　of　all　the　arrondissement；　and；
on　the　other　hand；　farming　is　costly　because　so　much　manure　is
needed　to　enrich　this　friable　soil　full　of　sand　and　flints。
Up　to　1835　there　was　no　practicable　road　for　getting　to　Yonville；
but　about　this　time　a　cross…road　was　made　which　joins　that　of
Abbeville　to　that　of　Amiens；　and　is　occasionally　used　by　the
Rouen　wagoners　on　their　way　to　Flanders。　Yonville…l'Abbaye　has
remained　stationary　in　spite　of　its　〃new　outlet。〃　Instead　of
improving　the　soil；　they　persist　in　keeping　up　the　pasture　lands；
however　depreciated　they　may　be　in　value；　and　the　lazy　borough；
growing　away　from　the　plain；　has　naturally　spread　riverwards。　It
is　seem　from　afar　sprawling　along　the　banks　like　a　cowherd　taking
a　siesta　by　the　water…side。
At　the　foot　of　the　hill　beyond　the　bridge　begins　a　roadway；
planted　with　young　aspens；　that　leads　in　a　straight　line　to　the
first　houses　in　the　place。　These；　fenced　in　by　hedges；　are　in　the
middle　of　courtyards　full　of　straggling　buildings；　wine…presses；
cart…sheds　and　distilleries　scattered　under　thick　trees；　with
ladders；　poles；　or　scythes　hung　on　to　the　branches。　The　thatched
roofs；　like　fur　caps　drawn　over　eyes；　reach　down　over　about　a
third　of　the　low　windows；　whose　coarse　convex　glasses　have　knots
in　the　middle　like　the　bottoms　of　bottles。　Against　the　plaster
wall　diagonally　crossed　by　black　joists；　a　meagre　pear…tree
sometimes　leans　and　the　ground…floors　have　at　their　door　a　small
swing…gate　to　keep　out　the　chicks　that　come　pilfering　crumbs　of
bread　steeped　in　cider　on　the　threshold。　But　the　courtyards　grow
narrower；　the　houses　closer　together；　and　the　fences　disappear；　a
bundle　of　ferns　swings　under　a　window　from　the　end　of　a
broomstick；　there　is　a　blacksmith's　forge　and　then　a
wheelwright's；　with　two　or　three　new　carts　outside　that　partly
block　the　way。　Then　across　an　open　space　appears　a　white　house
beyond　a　grass　mound　ornamented　by　a　Cupid；　his　finger　on　his
lips；　two　brass　vases　are　at　each　end　of　a　flight　of　steps；
scutcheons*　blaze　upon　the　door。　It　is　the　notary's　house；　and
the　finest　in　the　place。
*The　panonceaux　that　have　to　be　hung　over　the　doors　of　notaries。
The　Church　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　twenty　paces
farther　down；　at　the　entrance　of　the　square。　The　little　cemetery
that　surrounds　it；　closed　in　by　a　wall　breast　high；　is　so　full　of
graves　that　the　old　stones；　level　with　the　ground；　form　a
continuous　pavement；　on　which　the　grass　of　itself　has　marked　out
regular　green　squares。　The　church　was　rebuilt　during　the　last
years　of　the　reign　of　Charles　X。　The　wooden　roof　is　beginning　to
rot　from　the　top；　and　here　and　there　has　black　hollows　in　its
blue　colour。　Over　the　door；　where　the　organ　should　be；　is　a　loft
for　the　men；　with　a　spiral　staircase　that　reverberates　under
their　wooden　shoes。
The　daylight　coming　through　the　plain　glass　windows　falls
obliquely　upon　the　pews　ranged　along　the　walls；　which　are　adorned
here　and　there　with　a　straw　mat　bearing　beneath　it　the　words　in
large　letters；　〃Mr。　So…and…so's　pew。〃　Farther　on；　at　a　spot　where
the　building　narrows；　the　confessional　forms　a　pendant　to　a
statuette　of　the　Virgin；　clothed　in　a　satin　robe；　coifed　with　a
tulle　veil　sprinkled　with　silver　stars；　and　with　red　cheeks；　like
an　idol　of　the　Sandwich　Islands；　and；　finally；　a　copy　of　the
〃Holy　Family；　presented　by　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；〃
overlooking　the　high　altar；　between　four　candlesticks；　closes　in
the　perspective。　The　choir　stalls；　of　deal　wood；　have　been　left
unpainted。
The　market；　that　is　to　say；　a　tiled　roof　supported　by　some　twenty
posts；　occupies　of　itself　about　half　the　public　square　of
Yonville。　The　town　hall；　constructed　〃from　the　designs　of　a　Paris
architect；〃　is　a　sort　of　Greek　temple　that　forms　the　corner　next
to　the　chemist's　shop。　On　the　ground…floor　are　three　Ionic
columns　and　on　the　first　floor　a　semicircular　gallery；　while　the
dome　that　crowns　it　is　occupied　by　a　Gallic　cock；　resting　one
foot　upon　the　〃Charte〃　and　holding　in　the　other　the　scales　of
Justice。
But　that　which　most　attracts　the　eye　is　opposite　the　Lion　d'Or
inn；　the　chemist's　shop　of　Monsieur　Homais。　In　the　evening
especially　its　argand　lamp　is　lit　up　and　the　red　and　green　jars
that　embellish　his　shop…front　throw　far　across　the　street　their
two　streams　of　colour；　then　across　them　as　if　in　Bengal　lights　is
seen　the　shadow　of　the　chemist　leaning　over　his　desk。　His　house
from　top　to　bottom　is　placarded　with　inscriptions　written　in
large　hand；　round　hand；　printed　hand：　〃Vichy；　Seltzer；　Barege
waters；　blood　purifiers；　Raspail　patent　medicine；　Arabian
racahout；　Darcet　lozenges；　Regnault　paste；　trusses；　baths；
hygienic　chocolate；〃　etc。　And　the　signboard；　which　takes　up　all
the　breadth　of　the　shop；　bears　in　gold　letters；　〃Homais；
Chemist。〃　Then　at　the　back　of　the　shop；　behind　the　great　scales
fixed　to　the　counter；　the　word　〃Laboratory〃　appears　on　a　scroll
above　a　glass　door；　which　about　half…way　up　once　more　repeats
〃Homais〃　in　gold　letters　on　a　black　ground。
Beyond　this　there　is　nothing　to　see　at　Yonville。　The　street　（the
only　one）　a　gunshot　in　length　and　flanked　by　a　few　shops　on
either　side　stops　short　at　the　turn　of　the　highroad。　If　it　is
left　on　the　right　hand　and　the　foot　of　the　Saint…Jean　hills
followed　the　cemetery　is　soon　reached。
At　the　time　of　the　cholera；　in　orde