madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第42章

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wide　in　foot　like　a　horse's　hoof；　with　rugose　skin；　dry　tendons；
and　large　toes；　on　which　the　black　nails　looked　as　if　made　of
iron；　the　clubfoot　ran　about　like　a　deer　from　morn　till　night。　He
was　constantly　to　be　seen　on　the　Place；　jumping　round　the　carts；
thrusting　his　limping　foot　forwards。　He　seemed　even　stronger　on
that　leg　than　the　other。　By　dint　of　hard　service　it　had　acquired；
as　it　were；　moral　qualities　of　patience　and　energy；　and　when　he
was　given　some　heavy　work；　he　stood　on　it　in　preference　to　its
fellow。
Now；　as　it　was　an　equinus；　it　was　necessary　to　cut　the　tendon　of
Achilles；　and；　if　need　were；　the　anterior　tibial　muscle　could　be
seen　to　afterwards　for　getting　rid　of　the　varus；　for　the　doctor
did　not　dare　to　risk　both　operations　at　once；　he　was　even
trembling　already　for　fear　of　injuring　some　important　region　that
he　did　not　know。
Neither　Ambrose　Pare；　applying　for　the　first　time　since　Celsus；
after　an　interval　of　fifteen　centuries；　a　ligature　to　an　artery；
nor　Dupuytren；　about　to　open　an　abscess　in　the　brain；　nor　Gensoul
when　he　first　took　away　the　superior　maxilla；　had　hearts　that
trembled；　hands　that　shook；　minds　so　strained　as　Monsieur　Bovary
when　he　approached　Hippolyte；　his　tenotome　between　his　fingers。
And　as　at　hospitals；　near　by　on　a　table　lay　a　heap　of　lint；　with
waxed　thread；　many　bandagesa　pyramid　of　bandagesevery　bandage
to　be　found　at　the　druggist's。　It　was　Monsieur　Homais　who　since
morning　had　been　organising　all　these　preparations；　as　much　to
dazzle　the　multitude　as　to　keep　up　his　illusions。　Charles　pierced
the　skin；　a　dry　crackling　was　heard。　The　tendon　was　cut；　the
operation　over。　Hippolyte　could　not　get　over　his　surprise；　but
bent　over　Bovary's　hands　to　cover　them　with　kisses。
〃Come；　be　calm；〃　said　the　druggist；　〃later　on　you　will　show　your
gratitude　to　your　benefactor。〃
And　he　went　down　to　tell　the　result　to　five　or　six　inquirers　who
were　waiting　in　the　yard；　and　who　fancied　that　Hippolyte　would
reappear　walking　properly。　Then　Charles；　having　buckled　his
patient　into　the　machine；　went　home；　where　Emma；　all　anxiety；
awaited　him　at　the　door。　She　threw　herself　on　his　neck；　they　sat
down　to　table；　he　ate　much；　and　at　dessert　he　even　wanted　to　take
a　cup　of　coffee；　a　luxury　he　only　permitted　himself　on　Sundays
when　there　was　company。
The　evening　was　charming；　full　of　prattle；　of　dreams　together。
They　talked　about　their　future　fortune；　of　the　improvements　to　be
made　in　their　house；　he　saw　people's　estimation　of　him　growing；
his　comforts　increasing；　his　wife　always　loving　him；　and　she　was
happy　to　refresh　herself　with　a　new　sentiment；　healthier；　better；
to　feel　at　last　some　tenderness　for　this　poor　fellow　who　adored
her。　The　thought　of　Rodolphe　for　one　moment　passed　through　her
mind；　but　her　eyes　turned　again　to　Charles；　she　even　noticed　with
surprise　that　he　had　not　bad　teeth。
They　were　in　bed　when　Monsieur　Homais；　in　spite　of　the　servant；
suddenly　entered　the　room；　holding　in　his　hand　a　sheet　of　paper
just　written。　It　was　the　paragraph　he　intended　for　the　〃Fanal　de
Rouen。〃　He　brought　it　for　them　to　read。
〃Read　it　yourself；〃　said　Bovary。
He　read
〃　'Despite　the　prejudices　that　still　invest　a　part　of　the　face　of
Europe　like　a　net；　the　light　nevertheless　begins　to　penetrate　our
country　places。　Thus　on　Tuesday　our　little　town　of　Yonville　found
itself　the　scene　of　a　surgical　operation　which　is　at　the　same
time　an；　act　of　loftiest　philanthropy。　Monsieur　Bovary；　one　of
our；　most　distinguished　practitioners'〃
〃Oh；　that　is　too　much！　too　much！〃　said　Charles；　choking　with
emotion。
〃No；　no！　not　at　all！　What　next！〃
〃　'Performed　an　operation　on　a　club…footed　man。'　I　have　not
used　the　scientific　term；　because　you　know　in　a　newspaper
everyone　would　not　perhaps　understand。　The　masses　must'〃
〃No　doubt；〃　said　Bovary；　〃go　on！〃
〃I　proceed；〃　said　the　chemist。　〃'Monsieur　Bovary；　one　of　our　most
distinguished　practitioners；　performed　an　operation　on　a
club…footed　man　called　Hippolyte　Tautain；　stableman　for　the　last
twenty…five　years　at　the　hotel　of　the　〃Lion　d'Or；〃　kept　by　Widow
Lefrancois；　at　the　Place　d'Armes。　The　novelty　of　the　attempt；　and
the　interest　incident　to　the　subject；　had　attracted　such　a
concourse　of　persons　that　there　was　a　veritable　obstruction　on
the　threshold　of　the　establishment。　The　operation；　moreover；　was
performed　as　if　by　magic；　and　barely　a　few　drops　of　blood
appeared　on　the　skin；　as　though　to　say　that　the　rebellious　tendon
had　at　last　given　way　beneath　the　efforts　of　art。　The　patient；
strangely　enoughwe　affirm　it　as　an　eye…witnesscomplained　of
no　pain。　His　condition　up　to　the　present　time　leaves　nothing　to
be　desired。　Everything　tends　to　show　that　his　convelescence　will
be　brief；　and　who　knows　even　if　at　our　next　village　festivity　we
shall　not　see　our　good　Hippolyte　figuring　in　the　bacchic　dance　in
the　midst　of　a　chorus　of　joyous　boon…companions；　and　thus　proving
to　all　eyes　by　his　verve　and　his　capers　his　complete　cure？
Honour；　then；　to　the　generous　savants！　Honour　to　those
indefatigable　spirits　who　consecrate　their　vigils　to　the
amelioration　or　to　the　alleviation　of　their　kind！　Honour；　thrice
honour！　Is　it　not　time　to　cry　that　the　blind　shall　see；　the　deaf
hear；　the　lame　walk？　But　that　which　fanaticism　formerly　promised
to　its　elect；　science　now　accomplishes　for　all　men。　We　shall　keep
our　readers　informed　as　to　the　successive　phases　of　this
remarkable　cure。'　〃
This　did　not　prevent　Mere　Lefrancois；　from　coming　five　days
after；　scared；　and　crying　out
〃Help！　he　is　dying！　I　am　going　crazy！〃
Charles　rushed　to　the　〃Lion　d'Or；〃　and　the　chemist；　who　caught
sight　of　him　passing　along　the　Place　hatless；　abandoned　his　shop。
He　appeared　himself　breathless；　red；　anxious；　and　asking　everyone
who　was　going　up　the　stairs
〃Why；　what's　the　matter　with　our　interesting　strephopode？〃
The　strephopode　was　writhing　in　hideous　convulsions；　so　that　the
machine　in　which　his　leg　was　enclosed　was　knocked　against　the
wall　enough　to　break　it。
With　many　precautions；　in　order　not　to　disturb　the　position　of
the　limb；　the　box　was　removed；　and　an　awful　sight　presented
itself。　The　outlines　of　the　foot　disappeared　in　such　a　swelling
that　the　entire　skin　seemed　about　to　burst；　and　it　was　covered
with　ecchymosis；　caused　by　the　famous　machine。　Hippolyte　had
already　complained　of　suffering　from　it。　No　attention　had　been
paid　to　him；　they　had　to　acknowledge　that　he　had　not　been
altogether　wrong；　and　he　was　freed　for　a　few　hours。　But；　hardly
had　the　oedema　gone　down　to　some　extent；　than　the　two　savants
thought　fit　to　put　back　the　limb　in　the　apparatus；　strapping　it
tighter　to　hasten　matters。　At　last；　three　days　after；　Hippolyte
being　unable　to　endure　it　any　longer；　they　once　more　removed
the　machine；　and　were　much　surprised　at　the　result　they　saw。　The
livid　tumefaction　spread　over　the　leg；　with　blisters　here　and
there；　whence　there　oozed　a　black　liquid。　Matters　were　taking　a
serious　turn。　Hippolyte　began　to　worry　himself；　and　Mere
Lefrancois；　had　him　installed　in　the　little　room　near　the
kitchen；　so　that　he　might　at　least　have　some　distraction。
But　the　tax…collector；　who　dined　there　every　day；　complained
bitterly　of　such　companionship。　Then　Hippolyte　was　removed　to　the
billiard…room。　He　lay　there　moaning　under　his　heavy　coverings；
pale　with　long　beard；　sunken　eyes；　and　from　time　to　time　turning
his　perspiring　head　on　the　dirty　pillow；　where　the　flies
alighted。　Madame　Bovary　went　to　see　him。　She　brought　him　linen
for　his　poultices；　she　comforted；　and　encouraged　him。　Besides；　he
did　not　want　for　company；　especially　on　market…days；　when　the
peasants　were　knocking　about　the　billiard…balls　round　him；　fenced
with　the　cues；　smoked；　drank；　sang；　and　brawled。
〃How　are　you？〃　they　said；　clapping　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃Ah！
you're　not　up　to　much；　it　seems；　but　it's　your　own　fault。　You
should　do　this！　do　that！〃　And　then　they　told　him　stories　of
people　who　had　all　been　cured　by　other　remedies　than　his。　Then　by
way　of　consolation　they　added
〃You　give　way　too　much！　Get　up！　You　coddle　yourself　like　a　king！
All　the　same；　old　chap；　you　don't　smell　nice！〃
Gangrene；　in　fact；　was　spreading　more　and　more。　Bovary　himself
turned　sick