madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第28章

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The　furniture　in　its　place　seemed　to　have　become　more　immobile；
and　to　lose　itself　in　the　shadow　as　in　an　ocean　of　darkness。　The
fire　was　out；　the　clock　went　on　ticking；　and　Emma　vaguely
marvelled　at　this　calm　of　all　things　while　within　herself　was
such　tumult。　But　little　Berthe　was　there；　between　the　window　and
the　work…table；　tottering　on　her　knitted　shoes；　and　trying　to
come　to　her　mother　to　catch　hold　of　the　ends　of　her
apron…strings。
〃Leave　me　alone；〃　said　the　latter；　putting　her　from　her　with　her
hand。
The　little　girl　soon　came　up　closer　against　her　knees；　and
leaning　on　them　with　her　arms；　she　looked　up　with　her　large　blue
eyes；　while　a　small　thread　of　pure　saliva　dribbled　from　her　lips
on　to　the　silk　apron。
〃Leave　me　alone；〃　repeated　the　young　woman　quite　irritably。
Her　face　frightened　the　child；　who　began　to　scream。
〃Will　you　leave　me　alone？〃　she　said；　pushing　her　with　her　elbow。
Berthe　fell　at　the　foot　of　the　drawers　against　the　brass　handle；
cutting　her　cheek；　which　began　to　bleed；　against　it。　Madame
Bovary　sprang　to　lift　her　up；　broke　the　bell…rope；　called　for　the
servant　with　all　her　might；　and　she　was　just　going　to　curse
herself　when　Charles　appeared。　It　was　the　dinner…hour；　he　had
come　home。
〃Look；　dear！〃　said　Emma；　in　a　calm　voice；　〃the　little　one　fell
down　while　she　was　playing；　and　has　hurt　herself。〃
Charles　reassured　her；　the　case　was　not　a　serious　one；　and　he
went　for　some　sticking　plaster。
Madame　Bovary　did　not　go　downstairs　to　the　dining…room；　she
wished　to　remain　alone　to　look　after　the　child。　Then　watching　her
sleep；　the　little　anxiety　she　felt　gradually　wore　off；　and　she
seemed　very　stupid　to　herself；　and　very　good　to　have　been　so
worried　just　now　at　so　little。　Berthe；　in　fact；　no　longer　sobbed。
Her　breathing　now　imperceptibly　raised　the　cotton　covering。　Big
tears　lay　in　the　corner　of　the　half…closed　eyelids；　through　whose
lashes　one　could　see　two　pale　sunken　pupils；　the　plaster　stuck　on
her　cheek　drew　the　skin　obliquely。
〃It　is　very　strange；〃　thought　Emma；　〃how　ugly　this　child　is！〃
When　at　eleven　o'clock　Charles　came　back　from　the　chemist's　shop；
whither　he　had　gone　after　dinner　to　return　the　remainder　of　the
sticking…plaster；　he　found　his　wife　standing　by　the　cradle。
〃I　assure　you　it's　nothing。〃　he　said；　kissing　her　on　the
forehead。　〃Don't　worry；　my　poor　darling；　you　will　make　yourself
ill。〃
He　had　stayed　a　long　time　at　the　chemist's。　Although　he　had　not
seemed　much　moved；　Homais；　nevertheless；　had　exerted　himself　to
buoy　him　up；　to　〃keep　up　his　spirits。〃　Then　they　had　talked　of
the　various　dangers　that　threaten　childhood；　of　the　carelessness
of　servants。　Madame　Homais　knew　something　of　it；　having　still
upon　her　chest　the　marks　left　by　a　basin　full　of　soup　that　a　cook
had　formerly　dropped　on　her　pinafore；　and　her　good　parents　took
no　end　of　trouble　for　her。　The　knives　were　not　sharpened；　nor　the
floors　waxed；　there　were　iron　gratings　to　the　windows　and　strong
bars　across　the　fireplace；　the　little　Homais；　in　spite　of　their
spirit；　could　not　stir　without　someone　watching　them；　at　the
slightest　cold　their　father　stuffed　them　with　pectorals；　and
until　they　were　turned　four　they　all；　without　pity；　had　to　wear
wadded　head…protectors。　This；　it　is　true；　was　a　fancy　of　Madame
Homais'；　her　husband　was　inwardly　afflicted　at　it。　Fearing　the
possible　consequences　of　such　compression　to　the　intellectual
organs。　He　even　went　so　far　as　to　say　to　her；　〃Do　you　want　to
make　Caribs　or　Botocudos　of　them？〃
Charles；　however；　had　several　times　tried　to　interrupt　the
conversation。　〃I　should　like　to　speak　to　you；〃　he　had　whispered
in　the　clerk's　ear；　who　went　upstairs　in　front　of　him。
〃Can　he　suspect　anything？〃　Leon　asked　himself。　His　heart　beat；
and　he　racked　his　brain　with　surmises。
At　last；　Charles；　having　shut　the　door；　asked　him　to　see　himself
what　would　be　the　price　at　Rouen　of　a　fine　daguerreotypes。　It　was
a　sentimental　surprise　he　intended　for　his　wife；　a　delicate
attentionhis　portrait　in　a　frock…coat。　But　he　wanted　first　to
know　〃how　much　it　would　be。〃　The　inquiries　would　not　put　Monsieur
Leon　out；　since　he　went　to　town　almost　every　week。
Why？　Monsieur　Homais　suspected　some　〃young　man's　affair〃　at　the
bottom　of　it；　an　intrigue。　But　he　was　mistaken。　Leon　was　after　no
love…making。　He　was　sadder　than　ever；　as　Madame　Lefrancois　saw
from　the　amount　of　food　he　left　on　his　plate。　To　find　out　more
about　it　she　questioned　the　tax…collector。　Binet　answered　roughly
that　he　〃wasn't　paid　by　the　police。〃
All　the　same；　his　companion　seemed　very　strange　to　him；　for　Leon
often　threw　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　stretching　out　his
arms。　Complained　vaguely　of　life。
〃It's　because　you　don't　take　enough　recreation；〃　said　the
collector。
〃What　recreation？〃
〃If　I　were　you　I'd　have　a　lathe。〃
〃But　I　don't　know　how　to　turn；〃　answered　the　clerk。
〃Ah！　that's　true；〃　said　the　other；　rubbing　his　chin　with　an　air
of　mingled　contempt　and　satisfaction。
Leon　was　weary　of　loving　without　any　result；　moreover　he　was
beginning　to　feel　that　depression　caused　by　the　repetition　of　the
same　kind　of　life；　when　no　interest　inspires　and　no　hope　sustains
it。　He　was　so　bored　with　Yonville　and　its　inhabitants；　that　the
sight　of　certain　persons；　of　certain　houses；　irritated　him　beyond
endurance；　and　the　chemist；　good　fellow　though　he　was；　was
becoming　absolutely　unbearable　to　him。　Yet　the　prospect　of　a　new
condition　of　life　frightened　as　much　as　it　seduced　him。
This　apprehension　soon　changed　into　impatience；　and　then　Paris
from　afar　sounded　its　fanfare　of　masked　balls　with　the　laugh　of
grisettes。　As　he　was　to　finish　reading　there；　why　not　set　out　at
once？　What　prevented　him？　And　he　began　making　home…preparations；
he　arranged　his　occupations　beforehand。　He　furnished　in　his　head
an　apartment。　He　would　lead　an　artist's　life　there！　He　would　take
lessons　on　the　guitar！　He　would　have　a　dressing…gown；　a　Basque
cap；　blue　velvet　slippers！　He　even　already　was　admiring　two
crossed　foils　over　his　chimney…piece；　with　a　death's　head　on　the
guitar　above　them。
The　difficulty　was　the　consent　of　his　mother；　nothing；　however；
seemed　more　reasonable。　Even　his　employer　advised　him　to　go　to
some　other　chambers　where　he　could　advance　more　rapidly。　Taking　a
middle　course；　then；　Leon　looked　for　some　place　as　second　clerk
at　Rouen；　found　none；　and　at　last　wrote　his　mother　a　long　letter
full　of　details；　in　which　he　set　forth　the　reasons　for　going　to
live　at　Paris　immediately。　She　consented。
He　did　not　hurry。　Every　day　for　a　month　Hivert　carried　boxes；
valises；　parcels　for　him　from　Yonville　to　Rouen　and　from　Rouen　to
Yonville；　and　when　Leon　had　packed　up　his　wardrobe；　had　his　three
arm…chairs　restuffed；　bought　a　stock　of　neckties；　in　a　word；　had
made　more　preparations　than　for　a　voyage　around　the　world；　he　put
it　off　from　week　to　week；　until　he　received　a　second　letter　from
his　mother　urging　him　to　leave；　since　he　wanted　to　pass　his
examination　before　the　vacation。
When　the　moment　for　the　farewells　had　come；　Madame　Homais　wept；
Justin　sobbed；　Homais；　as　a　man　of　nerve；　concealed　his　emotion；
he　wished　to　carry　his　friend's　overcoat　himself　as　far　as　the
gate　of　the　notary；　who　was　taking　Leon　to　Rouen　in　his　carriage。
The　latter　had　just　time　to　bid　farewell　to　Monsieur　Bovary。
When　he　reached　the　head　of　the　stairs；　he　stopped；　he　was　so　out
of　breath。　As　he　came　in；　Madame　Bovary　arose　hurriedly。
〃It　is　I　again！〃　said　Leon。
〃I　was　sure　of　it！〃
She　bit　her　lips；　and　a　rush　of　blood　flowing　under　her　skin　made
her　red　from　the　roots　of　her　hair　to　the　top　of　her　collar。　She
remained　standing；　leaning　　with　her　shoulder　against　the
wainscot。
〃The　doctor　is　not　here？〃　he　went　on。
〃He　is　out。〃　She　repeated；　〃He　is　out。〃
Then　there　was　silence。　They　looked　at　one　another　and　their
thoughts；　confounded　in　the　same　agony；　clung　close　together　like
two　throbbing　breasts。
〃I　should　like　to　kiss　Berthe；〃　said　Leon。
Emma　went　down　a　few　steps　and　called　Felicite。
He　threw　one　long　look　around　him　that　took　in　the　walls；　the
decorations；　the　fireplace；　as　if　to　penetrate　everything；　carry
away　everything。　But　she　returned；　and　the　servant　brought
Berthe；　who　was　swinging