madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第29章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


away　everything。　But　she　returned；　and　the　servant　brought
Berthe；　who　was　swinging　a　windmill　roof　downwards　at　the　end　of
a　string。　Leon　kissed　her　several　times　on　the　neck。
〃Good…bye；　poor　child！　good…bye；　dear　little　one！　good…bye！〃　And
he　gave　her　back　to　her　mother。
〃Take　her　away；〃　she　said。
They　remained　aloneMadame　Bovary；　her　back　turned；　her　face
pressed　against　a　window…pane；　Leon　held　his　cap　in　his　hand；
knocking　it　softly　against　his　thigh。
〃It　is　going　to　rain；〃　said　Emma。
〃I　have　a　cloak；〃　he　answered。
〃Ah！〃
She　turned　around；　her　chin　lowered；　her　forehead　bent　forward。
The　light　fell　on　it　as　on　a　piece　of　marble；　to　the　curve　of　the
eyebrows；　without　one's　being　able　to　guess　what　Emma　was　seeing
on　the　horizon　or　what　she　was　thinking　within　herself。
〃Well；　good…bye；〃　he　sighed。
She　raised　her　head　with　a　quick　movement。
〃Yes；　good…byego！〃
They　advanced　towards　each　other；　he　held　out　his　hand；　she
hesitated。
〃In　the　English　fashion；　then；〃　she　said；　giving　her　own　hand
wholly　to　him；　and　forcing　a　laugh。
Leon　felt　it　between　his　fingers；　and　the　very　essence　of　all　his
being　seemed　to　pass　down　into　that　moist　palm。　Then　he　opened
his　hand；　their　eyes　met　again；　and　he　disappeared。
When　he　reached　the　market…place；　he　stopped　and　hid　behind　a
pillar　to　look　for　the　last　time　at　this　white　house　with　the
four　green　blinds。　He　thought　he　saw　a　shadow　behind　the　window
in　the　room；　but　the　curtain；　sliding　along　the　pole　as　though　no
one　were　touching　it；　slowly　opened　its　long　oblique　folds　that
spread　out　with　a　single　movement；　and　thus　hung　straight　and
motionless　as　a　plaster　wall。　Leon　set　off　running。
》From　afar　he　saw　his　employer's　gig　in　the　road；　and　by　it　a　man
in　a　coarse　apron　holding　the　horse。　Homais　and　Monsieur
Guillaumin　were　talking。　They　were　waiting　for　him。
〃Embrace　me；〃　said　the　druggist　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　〃Here　is
your　coat；　my　good　friend。　Mind　the　cold；　take　care　of　yourself；
look　after　yourself。〃
〃Come；　Leon；　jump　in；〃　said　the　notary。
Homais　bend　over　the　splash…board；　and　in　a　voice　broken　by　sobs
uttered　these　three　sad　words
〃A　pleasant　journey！〃
〃Good…night；〃　said　Monsieur　Guillaumin。　〃Give　him　his　head。〃　They
set　out；　and　Homais　went　back。
Madame　Bovary　had　opened　her　window　overlooking　the　garden　and
watched　the　clouds。　They　gathered　around　the　sunset　on　the　side
of　Rouen　and　then　swiftly　rolled　back　their　black　columns；　behind
which　the　great　rays　of　the　sun　looked　out　like　the　golden　arrows
of　a　suspended　trophy；　while　the　rest　of　the　empty　heavens　was
white　as　porcelain。　But　a　gust　of　wind　bowed　the　poplars；　and
suddenly　the　rain　fell；　it　pattered　against　the　green　leaves。
Then　the　sun　reappeared；　the　hens　clucked；　sparrows　shook　their
wings　in　the　damp　thickets；　and　the　pools　of　water　on　the　gravel
as　they　flowed　away　carried　off　the　pink　flowers　of　an　acacia。
〃Ah！　how　far　off　he　must　be　already！〃　she　thought。
Monsieur　Homais；　as　usual；　came　at　half…past　six　during　dinner。
〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃so　we've　sent　off　our　young　friend！〃
〃So　it　seems；〃　replied　the　doctor。　Then　turning　on　his　chair；
〃Any　news　at　home？〃
〃Nothing　much。　Only　my　wife　was　a　little　moved　this　afternoon。
You　know　womena　nothing　upsets　them；　especially　my　wife。　And　we
should　be　wrong　to　object　to　that；　since　their　nervous
organization　is　much　more　malleable　than　ours。〃
〃Poor　Leon！〃　said　Charles。　〃How　will　he　live　at　Paris？　Will　he
get　used　to　it？〃
Madame　Bovary　sighed。
〃Get　along！〃　said　the　chemist；　smacking　his　lips。　〃The　outings　at
restaurants；　the　masked　balls；　the　champagneall　that'll　be
jolly　enough；　I　assure　you。〃
〃I　don't　think　he'll　go　wrong；〃　objected　Bovary。
〃Nor　do　I；〃　said　Monsieur　Homais　quickly；　〃although　he'll　have　to
do　like　the　rest　for　fear　of　passing　for　a　Jesuit。　And　you　don't
know　what　a　life　those　dogs　lead　in　the　Latin　quarter　with
actresses。　Besides；　students　are　thought　a　great　deal　of　in
Paris。　Provided　they　have　a　few　accomplishments；　they　are
received　in　the　best　society；　there　are　even　ladies　of　the
Faubourg　Saint…Germain　who　fall　in　love　with　them；　which
subsequently　furnishes　them　opportunities　for　making　very　good
matches。〃
〃But；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　fear　for　him　that　down　there〃
〃You　are　right；〃　interrupted　the　chemist；　〃that　is　the　reverse　of
the　medal。　And　one　is　constantly　obliged　to　keep　one's　hand　in
one's　pocket　there。　Thus；　we　will　suppose　you　are　in　a　public
garden。　An　individual　presents　himself；　well　dressed；　even
wearing　an　order；　and　whom　one　would　take　for　a　diplomatist。　He
approaches　you；　he　insinuates　himself；　offers　you　a　pinch　of
snuff；　or　picks　up　your　hat。　Then　you　become　more　intimate；　he
takes　you　to　a　cafe；　invites　you　to　his　country…house；　introduces
you；　between　two　drinks；　to　all　sorts　of　people；　and
three…fourths　of　the　time　it's　only　to　plunder　your　watch　or　lead
you　into　some　pernicious　step。
〃That　is　true；〃　said　Charles；　〃but　I　was　thinking　especially　of
illnessesof　typhoid　fever；　for　example；　that　attacks　students
from　the　provinces。〃
Emma　shuddered。
〃Because　of　the　change　of　regimen；〃　continued　the　chemist；　〃and
of　the　perturbation　that　results　therefrom　in　the　whole　system。
And　then　the　water　at　Paris；　don't　you　know！　The　dishes　at
restaurants；　all　the　spiced　food；　end　by　heating　the　blood；　and
are　not　worth；　whatever　people　may　say　of　them；　a　good　soup。　For
my　own　part；　I　have　always　preferred　plain　living；　it　is　more
healthy。　So　when　I　was　studying　pharmacy　at　Rouen；　I　boarded　in　a
boarding　house；　I　dined　with　the　professors。〃
And　thus　he　went　on；　expounding　his　opinions　generally　and　his
personal　likings；　until　Justin　came　to　fetch　him　for　a　mulled　egg
that　was　wanted。
〃Not　a　moment's　peace！〃　he　cried；　〃always　at　it！　I　can't　go　out
for　a　minute！　Like　a　plough…horse；　I　have　always　to　be　moiling
and　toiling。　What　drudgery！〃　Then；　when　he　was　at　the　door；　〃By
the　way；　do　you　know　the　news？〃
〃What　news？〃
〃That　it　is　very　likely；〃　Homais　went　on；　raising　his　eyebrows
and　assuming　one　of　his　most　serious　expression；　〃that　the
agricultural　meeting　of　the　Seine…Inferieure　will　be　held　this
year　at　Yonville…l'Abbaye。　The　rumour；　at　all　events；　is　going
the　round。　This　morning　the　paper　alluded　to　it。　It　would　be　of
the　utmost　importance　for　our　district。　But　we'll　talk　it　over
later　on。　I　can　see；　thank　you；　Justin　has　the　lantern。〃

Chapter　Seven
The　next　day　was　a　dreary　one　for　Emma。　Everything　seemed　to　her
enveloped　in　a　black　atmosphere　floating　confusedly　over　the
exterior　of　things；　and　sorrow　was　engulfed　within　her　soul　with
soft　shrieks　such　as　the　winter　wind　makes　in　ruined　castles。　It
was　that　reverie　which　we　give　to　things　that　will　not　return；
the　lassitude　that　seizes　you　after　everything　was　done；　that
pain；　in　fine；　that　the　interruption　of　every　wonted　movement；
the　sudden　cessation　of　any　prolonged　vibration；　brings　on。
As　on　the　return　from　Vaubyessard；　when　the　quadrilles　were
running　in　her　head；　she　was　full　of　a　gloomy　melancholy；　of　a
numb　despair。　Leon　reappeared；　taller；　handsomer；　more　charming；
more　vague。　Though　separated　from　her；　he　had　not　left　her；　he
was　there；　and　the　walls　of　the　house　seemed　to　hold　his　shadow。
She　could　not　detach　her　eyes　from　the　carpet　where　he　had
walked；　from　those　empty　chairs　where　he　had　sat。　The　river　still
flowed　on；　and　slowly　drove　its　ripples　along　the　slippery　banks。
They　had　often　walked　there　to　the　murmur　of　the　waves　over　the
moss…covered　pebbles。　How　bright　the　sun　had　been！　What　happy
afternoons　they　had　seen　along　in　the　shade　at　the　end　of　the
garden！　He　read　aloud；　bareheaded；　sitting　on　a　footstool　of　dry
sticks；　the　fresh　wind　of　the　meadow　set　trembling　the　leaves　of
the　book　and　the　nasturtiums　of　the　arbour。　Ah！　he　was　gone；　the
only　charm　of　her　life；　the　only　possible　hope　of　joy。　Why　had
she　not　seized　this　happiness　when　it　came　to　her？　Why　not　have
kept　hold　of　it　with　both　hands；　with　both　knees；　when　it　was
about　to　flee　from　her？　And　she　cursed　herself　for　not　having
loved　Leon。　She　thirsted　for　his　lips。　The　wish　took　possession
of　her　to　run　after　and　rejoin　him；　throw　herself　into　his　arms
and　say　to　him；　〃I