madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第21章

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She　could　catch　glimpses　of　tree　tops；　and　beyond；　the　fields；
half…drowned　in　the　fog　that　lay　reeking　in　the　moonlight　along
the　course　of　the　river。　In　the　middle　of　the　room；　pell…mell；
were　scattered　drawers；　bottles；　curtain…rods；　gilt　poles；　with
mattresses　on　the　chairs　and　basins　on　the　groundthe　two　men
who　had　brought　the　furniture　had　left　everything　about
carelessly。
This　was　the　fourth　time　that　she　had　slept　in　a　strange　place。
The　first　was　the　day　of　her　going　to　the　convent；　the　second；　of
her　arrival　at　Tostes；　the　third；　at　Vaubyessard；　and　this　was
the　fourth。　And　each　one　had　marked；　as　it　were；　the　inauguration
of　a　new　phase　in　her　life。　She　did　not　believe　that　things　could
present　themselves　in　the　same　way　in　different　places；　and　since
the　portion　of　　her　life　lived　had　been　bad；　no　doubt　that　which
remained　to　be　lived　would　be　better。

Chapter　Three
The　next　day；　as　she　was　getting　up；　she　saw　the　clerk　on　the
Place。　She　had　on　a　dressing…gown。　He　looked　up　and　bowed。　She
nodded　quickly　and　reclosed　the　window。
Leon　waited　all　day　for　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　to　come；　but
on　going　to　the　inn；　he　found　no　one　but　Monsieur　Binet；　already
at　table。　The　dinner　of　the　evening　before　had　been　a
considerable　event　for　him；　he　had　never　till　then　talked　for　two
hours　consecutively　to　a　〃lady。〃　How　then　had　he　been　able　to
explain；　and　in　such　language；　the　number　of　things　that　he　could
not　have　said　so　well　before？　He　was　usually　shy；　and　maintained
that　reserve　which　partakes　at　once　of　modesty　and　dissimulation。
At　Yonville　he　was　considered　〃well…bred。〃　He　listened　to　the
arguments　of　the　older　people；　and　did　not　seem　hot　about
politicsa　remarkable　thing　for　a　young　man。　Then　he　had　some
accomplishments；　he　painted　in　water…colours；　could　read　the　key
of　G；　and　readily　talked　literature　after　dinner　when　he　did　not
play　cards。　Monsieur　Homais　respected　him　for　his　education；
Madame　Homais　liked　him　for　his　good…nature；　for　he　often　took
the　little　Homais　into　the　gardenlittle　brats　who　were　always
dirty；　very　much　spoilt；　and　somewhat　lymphatic；　like　their
mother。　Besides　the　servant　to　look　after　them；　they　had　Justin；
the　chemist's　apprentice；　a　second　cousin　of　Monsieur　Homais；　who
had　been　taken　into　the　house　from　charity；　and　who　was　useful　at
the　same　time　as　a　servant。
The　druggist　proved　the　best　of　neighbours。　He　gave　Madame　Bovary
information　as　to　the　trades…people；　sent　expressly　for　his　own
cider　merchant；　tasted　the　drink　himself；　and　saw　that　the　casks
were　properly　placed　in　the　cellar；　he　explained　how　to　set　about
getting　in　a　supply　of　butter　cheap；　and　made　an　arrangement　with
Lestiboudois；　the　sacristan；　who；　besides　his　sacerdotal　and
funeral　functions；　looked　after　the　principal　gardens　at　Yonville
by　the　hour　or　the　year；　according　to　the　taste　of　the　customers。
The　need　of　looking　after　others　was　not　the　only　thing　that
urged　the　chemist　to　such　obsequious　cordiality；　there　was　a　plan
underneath　it　all。
He　had　infringed　the　law　of　the　19th　Ventose；　year　xi。；　article
I；　which　forbade　all　persons　not　having　a　diploma　to　practise
medicine；　so　that；　after　certain　anonymous　denunciations；　Homais
had　been　summoned　to　Rouen　to　see　the　procurer　of　the　king　in　his
own　private　room；　the　magistrate　receiving　him　standing　up；
ermine　on　shoulder　and　cap　on　head。　It　was　in　the　morning；　before
the　court　opened。　In　the　corridors　one　heard　the　heavy　boots　of
the　gendarmes　walking　past；　and　like　a　far…off　noise　great　locks
that　were　shut。　The　druggist's　ears　tingled　as　if　he　were　about
to　have　an　apoplectic　stroke；　he　saw　the　depths　of　dungeons；　his
family　in　tears；　his　shop　sold；　all　the　jars　dispersed；　and　he
was　obliged　to　enter　a　cafe　and　take　a　glass　of　rum　and　seltzer
to　recover　his　spirits。
Little　by　little　the　memory　of　this　reprimand　grew　fainter；　and
he　continued；　as　heretofore；　to　give　anodyne　consultations　in　his
back…parlour。　But　the　mayor　resented　it；　his　colleagues　were
jealous；　everything　was　to　be　feared；　gaining　over　Monsieur
Bovary　by　his　attentions　was　to　earn　his　gratitude；　and　prevent
his　speaking　out　later　on；　should　he　notice　anything。　So　every
morning　Homais　brought　him　〃the　paper；〃　and　often　in　the
afternoon　left　his　shop　for　a　few　moments　to　have　a　chat　with　the
Doctor。
Charles　was　dull：　patients　did　not　come。　He　remained　seated　for
hours　without　speaking；　went　into　his　consulting　room　to　sleep；
or　watched　his　wife　sewing。　Then　for　diversion　he　employed
himself　at　home　as　a　workman；　he　even　tried　to　do　up　the　attic
with　some　paint　which　had　been　left　behind　by　the　painters。　But
money　matters　worried　him。　He　had　spent　so　much　for　repairs　at
Tostes；　for　madame's　toilette；　and　for　the　moving；　that　the　whole
dowry；　over　three　thousand　crowns；　had　slipped　away　in　two　years。
Then　how　many　things　had　been　spoilt　or　lost　during　their
carriage　from　Tostes　to　Yonville；　without　counting　the　plaster
cure；　who　falling　out　of　the　coach　at　an　over…severe　jolt；　had
been　dashed　into　a　thousand　fragments　on　the　pavements　of
Quincampoix！　A　pleasanter　trouble　came　to　distract　him；　namely；
the　pregnancy　of　his　wife。　As　the　time　of　her　confinement
approached　he　cherished　her　the　more。　It　was　another　bond　of　the
flesh　establishing　itself；　and；　as　it　were；　a　continued　sentiment
of　a　more　complex　union。　When　from　afar　he　saw　her　languid　walk；
and　her　figure　without　stays　turning　softly　on　her　hips；　when
opposite　one　another　he　looked　at　her　at　his　ease；　while　she　took
tired　poses　in　her　armchair；　then　his　happiness　knew　no　bounds；
he　got　up；　embraced　her；　passed　his　hands　over　her　face；　called
her　little　mamma；　wanted　to　make　her　dance；　and　half…laughing；
half…crying；　uttered　all　kinds　of　caressing　pleasantries　that
came　into　his　head。　The　idea　of　having　begotten　a　child　delighted
him。　Now　he　wanted　nothing。　He　knew　human　life　from　end　to　end；
and　he　sat　down　to　it　with　serenity。
Emma　at　first　felt　a　great　astonishment；　then　was　anxious　to　be
delivered　that　she　might　know　what　it　was　to　be　a　mother。　But　not
being　able　to　spend　as　much　as　she　would　have　liked；　to　have　a
swing…bassinette　with　rose　silk　curtains；　and　embroidered　caps；
in　a　fit　of　bitterness　she　gave　up　looking　after　the　trousseau；
and　ordered　the　whole　of　it　from　a　village　needlewoman；　without
choosing　or　discussing　anything。　Thus　she　did　not　amuse　herself
with　those　preparations　that　stimulate　the　tenderness　of　mothers；
and　so　her　affection　was　from　the　very　outset；　perhaps；　to　some
extent　attenuated。
As　Charles；　however；　spoke　of　the　boy　at　every　meal；　she　soon
began　to　think　of　him　more　consecutively。
She　hoped　for　a　son；　he　would　be　strong　and　dark；　she　would　call
him　George；　and　this　idea　of　having　a　male　child　was　like　an
expected　revenge　for　all　her　impotence　in　the　past。　A　man；　at
least；　is　free；　he　may　travel　over　passions　and　over　countries；
overcome　obstacles；　taste　of　the　most　far…away　pleasures。　But　a
woman　is　always　hampered。　At　once　inert　and　flexible；　she　has
against　her　the　weakness　of　the　flesh　and　legal　dependence。　Her
will；　like　the　veil　of　her　bonnet；　held　by　a　string；　flutters　in
every　wind；　there　is　always　some　desire　that　draws　her；　some
conventionality　that　restrains。
She　was　confined　on　a　Sunday　at　about　six　o'clock；　as　the　sun　was
rising。
〃It　is　a　girl！〃　said　Charles。
She　turned　her　head　away　and　fainted。
Madame　Homais；　as　well　as　Madame　Lefrancois　of　the　Lion　d'Or；
almost　immediately　came　running　in　to　embrace　her。　The　chemist；
as　man　of　discretion；　only　offered　a　few　provincial　felicitations
through　the　half…opened　door。　He　wished　to　see　the　child　and
thought　it　well　made。
Whilst　she　was　getting　well　she　occupied　herself　much　in　seeking
a　name　for　her　daughter。　First　she　went　over　all　those　that　have
Italian　endings；　such　as　Clara；　Louisa；　Amanda；　Atala；　she　liked
Galsuinde　pretty　well；　and　Yseult　or　Leocadie　still　better。
Charles　wanted　the　child　to　be　called　after　her　mother；　Emma
opposed　this。　They　ran　over　the　calendar　from　end　to　end；　and
then　consulted　outsiders。
〃Monsieur　Leon；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃with　whom　I　was　talking　about
it　the　other　day；　wonders　you　do