madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第34章

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where　they　sat　down　in　red　utrecht　velvet　arm…chairs　that　had
been　lent　by　Madame　Tuvache。
All　these　people　looked　alike。　Their　fair　flabby　faces；　somewhat
tanned　by　the　sun；　were　the　colour　of　sweet　cider；　and　their
puffy　whiskers　emerged　from　stiff　collars；　kept　up　by　white
cravats　with　broad　bows。　All　the　waist…coats　were　of　velvet；
double…breasted；　all　the　watches　had；　at　the　end　of　a　long
ribbon；　an　oval　cornelian　seal；　everyone　rested　his　two　hands　on
his　thighs；　carefully　stretching　the　stride　of　their　trousers；
whose　unsponged　glossy　cloth　shone　more　brilliantly　than　the
leather　of　their　heavy　boots。
The　ladies　of　the　company　stood　at　the　back　under　the　vestibule
between　the　pillars　while　the　common　herd　was　opposite；　standing
up　or　sitting　on　chairs。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Lestiboudois　had
brought　thither　all　those　that　he　had　moved　from　the　field；　and
he　even　kept　running　back　every　minute　to　fetch　others　from　the
church。　He　caused　such　confusion　with　this　piece　of　business　that
one　had　great　difficulty　in　getting　to　the　small　steps　of　the
platform。
〃I　think；〃　said　Monsieur　Lheureux　to　the　chemist；　who　was　passing
to　his　place；　〃that　they　ought　to　have　put　up　two　Venetian　masts
with　something　rather　severe　and　rich　for　ornaments；　it　would
have　been　a　very　pretty　effect。〃
〃To　be　sure；〃　replied　Homais；　〃but　what　can　you　expect？　The　mayor
took　everything　on　his　own　shoulders。　He　hasn't　much　taste。　Poor
Tuvache！　and　he　is　even　completely　destitute　of　what　is　called
the　genius　of　art。〃
Rodolphe；　meanwhile；　with　Madame　Bovary；　had　gone　up　to　the　first
floor　of　the　town　hall；　to　the　〃council…room；〃　and；　as　it　was
empty；　he　declared　that　they　could　enjoy　the　sight　there　more
comfortably。　He　fetched　three　stools　from　the　round　table　under
the　bust　of　the　monarch；　and　having　carried　them　to　one　of　the
windows；　they　sat　down　by　each　other。
There　was　commotion　on　the　platform；　long　whisperings；　much
parleying。　At　last　the　councillor　got　up。　They　knew　now　that　his
name　was　Lieuvain；　and　in　the　crowd　the　name　was　passed　from　one
to　the　other。　After　he　had　collated　a　few　pages；　and　bent　over
them　to　see　better；　he　began
〃Gentlemen！　May　I　be　permitted　first　of　all　（before　addressing
you　on　the　object　of　our　meeting　to…day；　and　this　sentiment　will；
I　am　sure；　be　shared　by　you　all）；　may　I　be　permitted；　I　say；　to
pay　a　tribute　to　the　higher　administration；　to　the　government　to
the　monarch；　gentle　men；　our　sovereign；　to　that　beloved　king；　to
whom　no　branch　of　public　or　private　prosperity　is　a　matter　of
indifference；　and　who　directs　with　a　hand　at　once　so　firm　and
wise　the　chariot　of　the　state　amid　the　incessant　perils　of　a
stormy　sea；　knowing；　moreover；　how　to　make　peace　respected　as
well　as　war；　industry；　commerce；　agriculture；　and　the　fine　arts？〃
〃I　ought；〃　said　Rodolphe；　〃to　get　back　a　little　further。〃
〃Why？〃　said　Emma。
But　at　this　moment　the　voice　of　the　councillor　rose　to　an
extraordinary　pitch。　He　declaimed
〃This　is　no　longer　the　time；　gentlemen；　when　civil　discord
ensanguined　our　public　places；　when　the　landlord；　the
business…man；　the　working…man　himself；　falling　asleep　at　night；
lying　down　to　peaceful　sleep；　trembled　lest　he　should　be　awakened
suddenly　by　the　noise　of　incendiary　tocsins；　when　the　most
subversive　doctrines　audaciously　sapped　foundations。〃
〃Well；　someone　down　there　might　see　me；〃　Rodolphe　resumed；　〃then
I　should　have　to　invent　excuses　for　a　fortnight；　and　with　my　bad
reputation〃
〃Oh；　you　are　slandering　yourself；〃　said　Emma。
〃No！　It　is　dreadful；　I　assure　you。〃
〃But；　gentlemen；〃　continued　the　councillor；　〃if；　banishing　from
my　memory　the　remembrance　of　these　sad　pictures；　I　carry　my　eyes
back　to　the　actual　situation　of　our　dear　country；　what　do　I　see
there？　Everywhere　commerce　and　the　arts　are　flourishing；
everywhere　new　means　of　communication；　like　so　many　new　arteries
in　the　body　of　the　state；　establish　within　it　new　relations。　Our
great　industrial　centres　have　recovered　all　their　activity；
religion；　more　consolidated；　smiles　in　all　hearts；　our　ports　are
full；　confidence　is　born　again；　and　France　breathes　once　more！〃
〃Besides；〃　added　Rodolphe；　〃perhaps　from　the　world's　point　of
view　they　are　right。〃
〃How　so？〃　she　asked。
〃What！〃　said　he。　〃Do　you　not　know　that　there　are　souls　constantly
tormented？　They　need　by　turns　to　dream　and　to　act；　the　purest
passions　and　the　most　turbulent　joys；　and　thus　they　fling
themselves　into　all　sorts　of　fantasies；　of　follies。〃
Then　she　looked　at　him　as　one　looks　at　a　traveller　who　has
voyaged　over　strange　lands；　and　went　on
〃We　have　not　even　this　distraction；　we　poor　women！〃
〃A　sad　distraction；　for　happiness　isn't　found　in　it。〃
〃But　is　it　ever　found？〃　she　asked。
〃Yes；　one　day　it　comes；〃　he　answered。
〃And　this　is　what　you　have　understood；〃　said　the　councillor。
〃You；　farmers；　agricultural　labourers！　you　pacific　pioneers　of　a
work　that　belongs　wholly　to　civilization！　you；　men　of　progress
and　morality；　you　have　understood；　I　say；　that　political　storms
are　even　more　redoubtable　than　atmospheric　disturbances！〃
〃It　comes　one　day；〃　repeated　Rodolphe；　〃one　day　suddenly；　and
when　one　is　despairing　of　it。　Then　the　horizon　expands；　it　is　as
if　a　voice　cried；　'It　is　here！'　You　feel　the　need　of　confiding
the　whole　of　your　life；　of　giving　everything；　sacrificing
everything　to　this　being。　There　is　no　need　for　explanations；　they
understand　one　another。　They　have　seen　each　other　in　dreams！〃
（And　he　looked　at　her。）　〃In　fine；　here　it　is；　this　treasure　so
sought　after；　here　before　you。　It　glitters；　it　flashes；　yet　one
still　doubts；　one　does　not　believe　it；　one　remains　dazzled；　as　if
one　went　out　iron　darkness　into　light。〃
And　as　he　ended　Rodolphe　suited　the　action　to　the　word。　He　passed
his　hand　over　his　face；　like　a　man　seized　with　giddiness。　Then　he
let　it　fall　on　Emma's。　She　took　hers　away。
〃And　who　would　be　surprised　at　it；　gentlemen？　He　only　who　is　so
blind；　so　plunged　（I　do　not　fear　to　say　it）；　so　plunged　in　the
prejudices　of　another　age　as　still　to　misunderstand　the　spirit　of
agricultural　populations。　Where；　indeed；　is　to　be　found　more
patriotism　than　in　the　country；　greater　devotion　to　the　public
welfare；　more　intelligence；　in　a　word？　And；　gentlemen；　I　do　not
mean　that　superficial　intelligence；　vain　ornament　of　idle　minds；
but　rather　that　profound　and　balanced　intelligence　that　applies
itself　above　all　else　to　useful　objects；　thus　contributing　to　the
good　of　all；　to　the　common　amelioration　and　to　the　support　of　the
state；　born　of　respect　for　law　and　the　practice　of　duty〃
〃Ah！　again！〃　said　Rodolphe。　〃Always　'duty。'　I　am　sick　of　the
word。　They　are　a　lot　of　old　blockheads　in　flannel　vests　and　of
old　women　with　foot…warmers　and　rosaries　who　constantly　drone
into　our　ears　'Duty；　duty！'　Ah！　by　Jove！　one's　duty　is　to　feel
what　is　great；　cherish　the　beautiful；　and　not　accept　all　the
conventions　of　society　with　the　ignominy　that　it　imposes　upon
us。〃
〃Yetyet〃　objected　Madame　Bovary。
〃No；　no！　Why　cry　out　against　the　passions？　Are　they　not　the　one
beautiful　thing　on　the　earth；　the　source　of　heroism；　of
enthusiasm；　of　poetry；　music；　the　arts；　of　everything；　in　a
word？〃
〃But　one　must；〃　said　Emma；　〃to　some　extent　bow　to　the　opinion　of
the　world　and　accept　its　moral　code。〃
〃Ah！　but　there　are　two；〃　he　replied。　〃The　small；　the
conventional；　that　of　men；　that　which　constantly　changes；　that
brays　out　so　loudly；　that　makes　such　a　commotion　here　below；　of
the　earth　earthly；　like　the　mass　of　imbeciles　you　see　down　there。
But　the　other；　the　eternal；　that　is　about　us　and　above；　like　the
landscape　that　surrounds　us；　and　the　blue　heavens　that　give　us
light。〃
Monsieur　Lieuvain　had　just　wiped　his　mouth　with　a
pocket…handkerchief。　He　continued
〃And　what　should　I　do　here　gentlemen；　pointing　out　to　you　the
uses　of　agriculture？　Who　supplies　our　wants？　Who　provides　our
means　of　subsistence？　Is　it　not　the　agriculturist？　The
agriculturist；　gentlemen；　who；　sowing　with　laborious　hand　the
fertile　furrows　of　the　country；　brings　forth　the　corn；　which；
being　ground；　is　made　into　a　powder　by　means　of　ingenious
machinery；　comes　out　thence　under　the　name　of　flour；　and　from
there；　transported　to　our　cities；　is　so