madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第36章

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complete　a　charm。〃
〃To　Monsieur　Bain　of　Givry…Saint…Martin。〃
〃And　I　shall　carry　away　with　me　the　remembrance　of　you。〃
〃For　a　merino　ram！〃
〃But　you　will　forget　me；　I　shall　pass　away　like　a　shadow。〃
〃To　Monsieur　Belot　of　Notre…Dame。〃
〃Oh；　no！　I　shall　be　something　in　your　thought；　in　your　life；
shall　I　not？〃
〃Porcine　race；　prizesequal；　to　Messrs。　Leherisse　and
Cullembourg；　sixty　francs！〃
Rodolphe　was　pressing　her　hand；　and　he　felt　it　all　warm　and
quivering　like　a　captive　dove　that　wants　to　fly　away；　but；
whether　she　was　trying　to　take　it　away　or　whether　she　was
answering　his　pressure；　she　made　a　movement　with　her　fingers。　He
exclaimed
〃Oh；　I　thank　you！　You　do　not　repulse　me！　You　are　good！　You
understand　that　I　am　yours！　Let　me　look　at　you；　let　me
contemplate　you！〃
A　gust　of　wind　that　blew　in　at　the　window　ruffled　the　cloth　on
the　table；　and　in　the　square　below　all　the　great　caps　of　the
peasant　women　were　uplifted　by　it　like　the　wings　of　white
butterflies　fluttering。
〃Use　of　oil…cakes；〃　continued　the　president。　He　was　hurrying　on：
〃Flemish　manure…flax…growing…drainage…long　leases…domestic
service。〃
Rodolphe　was　no　longer　speaking。　They　looked　at　one　another。　A
supreme　desire　made　their　dry　lips　tremble；　and　wearily；　without
an　effort；　their　fingers　intertwined。
〃Catherine　Nicaise　Elizabeth　Leroux；　of　Sassetot…la…Guerriere；
for　fifty…four　years　of　service　at　the　same　farm；　a　silver
medalvalue；　twenty…five　francs！〃
〃Where　is　Catherine　Leroux？〃　repeated　the　councillor。
She　did　not　present　herself；　and　one　could　hear　voices
whispering
〃Go　up！〃
〃Don't　be　afraid！〃
〃Oh；　how　stupid　she　is！〃
〃Well；　is　she　there？〃　cried　Tuvache。
〃Yes；　here　she　is。〃
〃Then　let　her　come　up！〃
Then　there　came　forward　on　the　platform　a　little　old　woman　with
timid　bearing；　who　seemed　to　shrink　within　her　poor　clothes。　On
her　feet　she　wore　heavy　wooden　clogs；　and　from　her　hips　hung　a
large　blue　apron。　Her　pale　face　framed　in　a　borderless　cap　was
more　wrinkled　than　a　withered　russet　apple。　And　from　the　sleeves
of　her　red　jacket　looked　out　two　large　hands　with　knotty　joints；
the　dust　of　barns；　the　potash　of　washing　the　grease　of　wools　had
so　encrusted；　roughened；　hardened　these　that　they　seemed　dirty；
although　they　had　been　rinsed　in　clear　water；　and　by　dint　of　long
service　they　remained　half　open；　as　if　to　bear　humble　witness　for
themselves　of　so　much　suffering　endured。　Something　of　monastic
rigidity　dignified　her　face。　Nothing　of　sadness　or　of　emotion
weakened　that　pale　look。　In　her　constant　living　with　animals　she
had　caught　their　dumbness　and　their　calm。　It　was　the　first　time
that　she　found　herself　in　the　midst　of　so　large　a　company；　and
inwardly　scared　by　the　flags；　the　drums；　the　gentlemen　in
frock…coats；　and　the　order　of　the　councillor；　she　stood
motionless；　not　knowing　whether　to　advance　or　run　away；　nor　why
the　crowd　was　pushing　her　and　the　jury　were　smiling　at　her。
Thus　stood　before　these　radiant　bourgeois　this　half…century　of
servitude。
〃Approach；　venerable　Catherine　Nicaise　Elizabeth　Leroux！〃　said
the　councillor；　who　had　taken　the　list　of　prize…winners　from　the
president；　and；　looking　at　the　piece　of　paper　and　the　old　woman
by　turns；　he　repeated　in　a　fatherly　tone〃Approach！　approach！〃
〃Are　you　deaf？〃　said　Tuvache；　fidgeting　in　his　armchair；　and　he
began　shouting　in　her　ear；　〃Fifty…four　years　of　service。　A　silver
medal！　Twenty…five　francs！　For　you！〃
Then；　when　she　had　her　medal；　she　looked　at　it；　and　a　smile　of
beatitude　spread　over　her　face；　and　as　she　walked　away　they　could
hear　her　muttering　〃I'll　give　it　to　our　cure　up　home；　to　say　some
masses　for　me！〃
〃What　fanaticism！〃　exclaimed　the　chemist；　leaning　across　to　the
notary。
The　meeting　was　over；　the　crowd　dispersed；　and　now　that　the
speeches　had　been　read；　each　one　fell　back　into　his　place　again；
and　everything　into　the　old　grooves；　the　masters　bullied　the
servants；　and　these　struck　the　animals；　indolent　victors；　going
back　to　the　stalls；　a　green…crown　on　their　horns。
The　National　Guards；　however；　had　gone　up　to　the　first　floor　of
the　town　hall　with　buns　spitted　on　their　bayonets；　and　the
drummer　of　the　battalion　carried　a　basket　with　bottles。　Madame
Bovary　took　Rodolphe's　arm；　he　saw　her　home；　they　separated　at
her　door；　then　he　walked　about　alone　in　the　meadow　while　he
waited　for　the　time　of　the　banquet。
The　feast　was　long；　noisy；　ill　served；　the　guests　were　so　crowded
that　they　could　hardly　move　their　elbows；　and　the　narrow　planks
used　for　forms　almost　broke　down　under　their　weight。　They　ate
hugely。　Each　one　stuffed　himself　on　his　own　account。　Sweat　stood
on　every　brow；　and　a　whitish　steam；　like　the　vapour　of　a　stream
on　an　autumn　morning；　floated　above　the　table　between　the　hanging
lamps。　Rodolphe；　leaning　against　the　calico　of　the　tent　was
thinking　so　earnestly　of　Emma　that　he　heard　nothing。　Behind　him
on　the　grass　the　servants　were　piling　up　the　dirty　plates；　his
neighbours　were　talking；　he　did　not　answer　them；　they　filled　his
glass；　and　there　was　silence　in　his　thoughts　in　spite　of　the
growing　noise。　He　was　dreaming　of　what　she　had　said；　of　the　line
of　her　lips；　her　face；　as　in　a　magic　mirror；　shone　on　the　plates
of　the　shakos；　the　folds　of　her　gown　fell　along　the　walls；　and
days　of　love　unrolled　to　all　infinity　before　him　in　the　vistas　of
the　future。
He　saw　her　again　in　the　evening　during　the　fireworks；　but　she　was
with　her　husband；　Madame　Homais；　and　the　druggist；　who　was
worrying　about　the　danger　of　stray　rockets；　and　every　moment　he
left　the　company　to　go　and　give　some　advice　to　Binet。
The　pyrotechnic　pieces　sent　to　Monsieur　Tuvache　had；　through　an
excess　of　caution；　been　shut　up　in　his　cellar；　and　so　the　damp
powder　would　not　light；　and　the　principal　set　piece；　that　was　to
represent　a　dragon　biting　his　tail；　failed　completely。　Now　and
then　a　meagre　Roman…candle　went　off；　then　the　gaping　crowd　sent
up　a　shout　that　mingled　with　the　cry　of　the　women；　whose　waists
were　being　squeezed　in　the　darkness。　Emma　silently　nestled
against　Charles's　shoulder；　then；　raising　her　chin；　she　watched
the　luminous　rays　of　the　rockets　against　the　dark　sky。　Rodolphe
gazed　at　her　in　the　light　of　the　burning　lanterns。
They　went　out　one　by　one。　The　stars　shone　out。　A　few　crops　of
rain　began　to　fall。　She　knotted　her　fichu　round　her　bare　head。
At　this　moment　the　councillor's　carriage　came　out　from　the　inn。
His　coachman；　who　was　drunk；　suddenly　dozed　off；　and　one　could
see　from　the　distance；　above　the　hood；　between　the　two　lanterns；
the　mass　of　his　body；　that　swayed　from　right　to　left　with　the
giving　of　the　traces。
〃Truly；〃　said　the　druggist；　〃one　ought　to　proceed　most　rigorously
against　drunkenness！　I　should　like　to　see　written　up　weekly　at
the　door　of　the　town　hall　on　a　board　ad　hoc*　the　names　of　all
those　who　during　the　week　got　intoxicated　on　alcohol。　Besides；
with　regard　to　statistics；　one　would　thus　have；　as　it　were；
public　records　that　one　could　refer　to　in　case　of　need。　But
excuse　me！〃
*Specifically　for　that。
And　he　once　more　ran　off　to　the　captain。　The　latter　was　going
back　to　see　his　lathe　again。
〃Perhaps　you　would　not　do　ill；〃　Homais　said　to　him；　〃to　send　one
of　your　men；　or　to　go　yourself〃
〃Leave　me　alone！〃　answered　the　tax…collector。　〃It's　all　right！〃
〃Do　not　be　uneasy；〃　said　the　druggist；　when　he　returned　to　his
friends。　〃Monsieur　Binet　has　assured　me　that　all　precautions　have
been　taken。　No　sparks　have　fallen；　the　pumps　are　full。　Let　us　go
to　rest。〃
〃Ma　foi！　I　want　it；〃　said　Madame　Homais；　yawning　at　large。　〃But
never　mind；　we've　had　a　beautiful　day　for　our　fete。〃
Rodolphe　repeated　in　a　low　voice；　and　with　a　tender　look；　〃Oh；
yes！　very　beautiful！〃
And　having　bowed　to　one　another；　they　separated。
Two　days　later；　in　the　〃Final　de　Rouen；〃　there　was　a　long　article
on　the　show。　Homais　had　composed　it　with　verve　the　very　next
morning。
〃Why　these　festoons；　these　flowers；　these　garlands？　Whither
hurries　this　crowd　like　the　waves　of　a　furious　sea　under　the
torrents　of　a　tropical　sun　pouring　its　heat　upon　our　heads？〃
Then　he　spoke　of　the　condition　of　the　peasants。　Certainly　the
Government　was　doing　much；　but　not　enough。　〃Courage！〃　he　cried　to
it；　〃a　thousand　reforms　are　ind