madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第32章

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smocks。　The　neighbouring　farmers'　wives；　when　they　got　off　their
horses；　pulled　out　the　long　pins　that　fastened　around　them　their
dresses；　turned　up　for　fear　of　mud；　and　the　husbands；　for　their
part；　in　order　to　save　their　hats；　kept　their　handkerchiefs
around　them；　holding　one　corner　between　their　teeth。
The　crowd　came　into　the　main　street　from　both　ends　of　the
village。　People　poured　in　from　the　lanes；　the　alleys；　the　houses；
and　from　time　to　time　one　heard　knockers　banging　against　doors
closing　behind　women　with　their　gloves；　who　were　going　out　to　see
the　fete。　What　was　most　admired　were　two　long　lamp…stands　covered
with　lanterns；　that　flanked　a　platform　on　which　the　authorities
were　to　sit。　Besides　this　there　were　against　the　four　columns　of
the　town　hall　four　kinds　of　poles；　each　bearing　a　small　standard
of　greenish　cloth；　embellished　with　inscriptions　in　gold　letters。
On　one　was　written；　〃To　Commerce〃；　on　the　other；　〃To
Agriculture〃；　on　the　third；　〃To　Industry〃；　and　on　the　fourth；　〃To
the　Fine　Arts。〃
But　the　jubilation　that　brightened　all　faces　seemed　to　darken
that　of　Madame　Lefrancois；　the　innkeeper。　Standing　on　her
kitchen…steps　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃What　rubbish！　what
rubbish！　With　their　canvas　booth！　Do　they　think　the　prefect　will
be　glad　to　dine　down　there　under　a　tent　like　a　gipsy？　They　call
all　this　fussing　doing　good　to　the　place！　Then　it　wasn't　worth
while　sending　to　Neufchatel　for　the　keeper　of　a　cookshop！　And　for
whom？　For　cowherds！　tatterdemalions！〃
The　druggist　was　passing。　He　had　on　a　frock…coat；　nankeen
trousers；　beaver　shoes；　and；　for　a　wonder；　a　hat　with　a　low
crown。
〃Your　servant！　Excuse　me；　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃　And　as　the　fat　widow
asked　where　he　was　going
〃It　seems　odd　to　you；　doesn't　it；　I　who　am　always　more　cooped　up
in　my　laboratory　than　the　man's　rat　in　his　cheese。〃
〃What　cheese？〃　asked　the　landlady。
〃Oh；　nothing！　nothing！〃　Homais　continued。　〃I　merely　wished　to
convey　to　you；　Madame　Lefrancois；　that　I　usually　live　at　home
like　a　recluse。　To…day；　however；　considering　the　circumstances；
it　is　necessary〃
〃Oh；　you're　going　down　there！〃　she　said　contemptuously。
〃Yes；　I　am　going；〃　replied　the　druggist；　astonished。　〃Am　I　not　a
member　of　the　consulting　commission？〃
Mere　Lefrancois　looked　at　him　for　a　few　moments；　and　ended　by
saying　with　a　smile
〃That's　another　pair　of　shoes！　But　what　does　agriculture　matter
to　you？　Do　you　understand　anything　about　it？〃
〃Certainly　I　understand　it；　since　I　am　a　druggistthat　is　to
say；　a　chemist。　And　the　object　of　chemistry；　Madame　Lefrancois；
being　the　knowledge　of　the　reciprocal　and　molecular　action　of　all
natural　bodies；　it　follows　that　agriculture　is　comprised　within
its　domain。　And；　in　fact；　the　composition　of　the　manure；　the
fermentation　of　liquids；　the　analyses　of　gases；　and　the　influence
of　miasmata；　what；　I　ask　you；　is　all　this；　if　it　isn't　chemistry；
pure　and　simple？〃
The　landlady　did　not　answer。　Homais　went　on
〃Do　you　think　that　to　be　an　agriculturist　it　is　necessary　to　have
tilled　the　earth　or　fattened　fowls　oneself？　It　is　necessary
rather　to　know　the　composition　of　the　substances　in　questionthe
geological　strata；　the　atmospheric　actions；　the　quality　of　the
soil；　the　minerals；　the　waters；　the　density　of　the　different
bodies；　their　capillarity；　and　what　not。　And　one　must　be　master
of　all　the　principles　of　hygiene　in　order　to　direct；　criticize
the　construction　of　buildings；　the　feeding　of　animals；　the　diet
of　domestics。　And；　moreover；　Madame　Lefrancois；　one　must　know
botany；　be　able　to　distinguish　between　plants；　you　understand；
which　are　the　wholesome　and　those　that　are　deleterious；　which　are
unproductive　and　which　nutritive；　if　it　is　well　to　pull　them　up
here　and　re…sow　them　there；　to　propagate　some；　destroy　others；　in
brief；　one　must　keep　pace　with　science　by　means　of　pamphlets　and
public　papers；　be　always　on　the　alert　to　find　out　improvements。〃
The　landlady　never　took　her　eyes　off　the　〃Cafe　Francois〃　and　the
chemist　went　on
〃Would　to　God　our　agriculturists　were　chemists；　or　that　at　least
they　would　pay　more　attention　to　the　counsels　of　science。　Thus
lately　I　myself　wrote　a　considerable　tract；　a　memoir　of　over
seventy…two　pages；　entitled；　'Cider；　its　Manufacture　and　its
Effects；　together　with　some　New　Reflections　on　the　Subject；'　that
I　sent　to　the　Agricultural　Society　of　Rouen；　and　which　even
procured　me　the　honour　of　being　received　among　its
membersSection；　Agriculture；　Class；　Pomological。
Well；　if　my　work　had　been　given　to　the　public〃　But　the　druggist
stopped；　Madame　Lefrancois　seemed　so　preoccupied。
〃Just　look　at　them！〃　she　said。　〃It's　past　comprehension！　Such　a
cookshop　as　that！〃　And　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　that
stretched　out　over　her　breast　the　stitches　of　her　knitted　bodice；
she　pointed　with　both　hands　at　her　rival's　inn；　whence　songs　were
heard　issuing。　〃Well；　it　won't　last　long；〃　she　added。　〃It'll　be
over　before　a　week。〃
Homais　drew　back　with　stupefaction。　She　came　down　three　steps　and
whispered　in　his　ear
〃What！　you　didn't　know　it？　There　is　to　be　an　execution　in　next
week。　It's　Lheureux　who　is　selling　him　out；　he　has　killed　him
with　bills。〃
〃What　a　terrible　catastrophe！〃　cried　the　druggist；　who　always
found　expressions　in　harmony　with　all　imaginable　circumstances。
Then　the　landlady　began　telling　him　the　story　that　she　had　heard
from　Theodore；　Monsieur　Guillaumin's　servant；　and　although　she
detested　Tellier；　she　blamed　Lheureux。　He　was　〃a　wheedler；　a
sneak。〃
〃There！〃　she　said。　〃Look　at　him！　he　is　in　the　market；　he　is
bowing　to　Madame　Bovary；　who's　got　on　a　green　bonnet。　Why；　she's
taking　Monsieur　Boulanger's　arm。〃
〃Madame　Bovary！〃　exclaimed　Homais。　〃I　must　go　at　once　and　pay　her
my　respects。　Perhaps　she'll　be　very　glad　to　have　a　seat　in　the
enclosure　under　the　peristyle。〃　And；　without　heeding　Madame
Lefrancois；　who　was　calling　him　back　to　tell　him　more　about　it；
the　druggist　walked　off　rapidly　with　a　smile　on　his　lips；　with
straight　knees；　bowing　copiously　to　right　and　left；　and　taking　up
much　room　with　the　large　tails　of　his　frock…coat　that　fluttered
behind　him　in　the　wind。
Rodolphe；　having　caught　sight　of　him　from　afar；　hurried　on；　but
Madame　Bovary　lost　her　breath；　so　he　walked　more　slowly；　and；
smiling　at　her；　said　in　a　rough　tone
〃It's　only　to　get　away　from　that　fat　fellow；　you　know；　the
druggist。〃　She　pressed　his　elbow。
〃What's　the　meaning　of　that？〃　he　asked　himself。　And　he　looked　at
her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes。
Her　profile　was　so　calm　that　one　could　guess　nothing　from　it。　It
stood　out　in　the　light　from　the　oval　of　her　bonnet；　with　pale
ribbons　on　it　like　the　leaves　of　weeds。　Her　eyes　with　their　long
curved　lashes　looked　straight　before　her；　and　though　wide　open；
they　seemed　slightly　puckered　by　the　cheek…bones；　because　of　the
blood　pulsing　gently　under　the　delicate　skin。　A　pink　line　ran
along　the　partition　between　her　nostrils。　Her　head　was　bent　upon
her　shoulder；　and　the　pearl　tips　of　her　white　teeth　were　seen
between　her　lips。
〃Is　she　making　fun　of　me？〃　thought　Rodolphe。
Emma's　gesture；　however；　had　only　been　meant　for　a　warning；　for
Monsieur　Lheureux　was　accompanying　them；　and　spoke　now　and　again
as　if　to　enter　into　the　conversation。
〃What　a　superb　day！　Everybody　is　out！　The　wind　is　east！〃
And　neither　Madame　Bovary　nor　Rodolphe　answered　him；　whilst　at
the　slightest　movement　made　by　them　he　drew　near；　saying；　〃I　beg
your　pardon！〃　and　raised　his　hat。
When　they　reached　the　farrier's　house；　instead　of　following　the
road　up　to　the　fence；　Rodolphe　suddenly　turned　down　a　path；
drawing　with　him　Madame　Bovary。　He　called　out
〃Good　evening；　Monsieur　Lheureux！　See　you　again　presently。〃
〃How　you　got　rid　of　him！〃　she　said；　laughing。
〃Why；〃　he　went　on；　〃allow　oneself　to　be　intruded　upon　by　others？
And　as　to…day　I　have　the　happiness　of　being　with　you〃
Emma　blushed。　He　did　not　finish　his　sentence。　Then　he　talked　of
the　fine　weather　and　of　the　pleasure　of　walking　on　the　grass。　A
few　daisies　had　sprung　up　again。
〃Here　are　some　pretty　Easter　daisies；〃　he　said；　〃and　enough　of
them　to　furnish　oracles　to　all　the　amorous　maids　in　the　place。〃
He　added；　〃Shall　I　pick　some？　What　do　you　think？〃
〃Are　you　in　love？〃　she　asked