madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第43章

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All　the　same；　old　chap；　you　don't　smell　nice！〃
Gangrene；　in　fact；　was　spreading　more　and　more。　Bovary　himself
turned　sick　at　it。　He　came　every　hour；　every　moment。　Hippolyte
looked　at　him　with　eyes　full　of　terror；　sobbing
〃When　shall　I　get　well？　Oh；　save　me！　How　unfortunate　I　am！　How
unfortunate　I　am！〃
And　the　doctor　left；　always　recommending　him　to　diet　himself。
〃Don't　listen　to　him；　my　lad；〃　said　Mere　Lefrancois；　〃Haven't
they　tortured　you　enough　already？　You'll　grow　still　weaker。　Here！
swallow　this。〃
And　she　gave　him　some　good　beef…tea；　a　slice　of　mutton；　a　piece
of　bacon；　and　sometimes　small　glasses　of　brandy；　that　he　had　not
the　strength　to　put　to　his　lips。
Abbe　Bournisien；　hearing　that　he　was　growing　worse；　asked　to　see
him。　He　began　by　pitying　his　sufferings；　declaring　at　the　same
time　that　he　ought　to　rejoice　at　them　since　it　was　the　will　of
the　Lord；　and　take　advantage　of　the　occasion　to　reconcile　himself
to　Heaven。
〃For；〃　said　the　ecclesiastic　in　a　paternal　tone；　〃you　rather
neglected　your　duties；　you　were　rarely　seen　at　divine　worship。
How　many　years　is　it　since　you　approached　the　holy　table？　I
understand　that　your　work；　that　the　whirl　of　the　world　may　have
kept　you　from　care　for　your　salvation。　But　now　is　the　time　to
reflect。　Yet　don't　despair。　I　have　known　great　sinners；　who；
about　to　appear　before　God　（you　are　not　yet　at　this　point　I
know）；　had　implored　His　mercy；　and　who　certainly　died　in　the　best
frame　of　mind。　Let　us　hope　that；　like　them；　you　will　set　us　a
good　example。　Thus；　as　a　precaution；　what　is　to　prevent　you　from
saying　morning　and　evening　a　'Hail　Mary；　full　of　grace；'　and　'Our
Father　which　art　in　heaven'？　Yes；　do　that；　for　my　sake；　to　oblige
me。　That　won't　cost　you　anything。　Will　you　promise　me？〃
The　poor　devil　promised。　The　cure　came　back　day　after　day。　He
chatted　with　the　landlady；　and　even　told　anecdotes　interspersed
with　jokes　and　puns　that　Hippolyte　did　not　understand。　Then；　as
soon　as　he　could；　he　fell　back　upon　matters　of　religion；　putting
on　an　appropriate　expression　of　face。
His　zeal　seemed　successful；　for　the　club…foot　soon　manifested　a
desire　to　go　on　a　pilgrimage　to　Bon…Secours　if　he　were　cured；　to
which　Monsieur　Bournisien　replied　that　he　saw　no　objection；　two
precautions　were　better　than　one；　it　was　no　risk　anyhow。
The　druggist　was　indignant　at　what　he　called　the　manoeuvres　of
the　priest；　they　were　prejudicial；　he　said；　to　Hippolyte's
convalescence；　and　he　kept　repeating　to　Madame　Lefrancois；　〃Leave
him　alone！　leave　him　alone！　You　perturb　his　morals　with　your
mysticism。〃　But　the　good　woman　would　no　longer　listen　to　him；　he
was　the　cause　of　it　all。　From　a　spirit　of　contradiction　she　hung
up　near　the　bedside　of　the　patient　a　basin　filled　with　holy…water
and　a　branch　of　box。
Religion；　however；　seemed　no　more　able　to　succour　him　than
surgery；　and　the　invincible　gangrene　still　spread　from　the
extremities　towards　the　stomach。　It　was　all　very　well　to　vary　the
potions　and　change　the　poultices；　the　muscles　each　day　rotted
more　and　more；　and　at　last　Charles　replied　by　an　affirmative　nod
of　the　head　when　Mere　Lefrancois；　asked　him　if　she　could　not；　as
a　forlorn　hope；　send　for　Monsieur　Canivet　of　Neufchatel；　who　was
a　celebrity。
A　doctor　of　medicine；　fifty　years　of　age；　enjoying　a　good
position　and　self…possessed；　Charles's　colleague　did　not　refrain
from　laughing　disdainfully　when　he　had　uncovered　the　leg；
mortified　to　the　knee。　Then　having　flatly　declared　that　it　must
be　amputated；　he　went　off　to　the　chemist's　to　rail　at　the　asses
who　could　have　reduced　a　poor　man　to　such　a　state。　Shaking
Monsieur　Homais　by　the　button　of　his　coat；　he　shouted　out　in　the
shop
〃These　are　the　inventions　of　Paris！　These　are　the　ideas　of　those
gentry　of　the　capital！　It　is　like　strabismus；　chloroform；
lithotrity；　a　heap　of　monstrosities　that　the　Government　ought　to
prohibit。　But　they　want　to　do　the　clever；　and　they　cram　you　with
remedies　without；　troubling　about　the　consequences。　We　are　not　so
clever；　not　we！　We　are　not　savants；　coxcombs；　fops！　We　are
practitioners；　we　cure　people；　and　we　should　not　dream　of
operating　on　anyone　who　is　in　perfect　health。　Straighten　club…
feet！　As　if　one　could　straighten　club…feet！　It　is　as　if　one
wished；　for　example；　to　make　a　hunchback　straight！〃
Homais　suffered　as　he　listened　to　this　discourse；　and　he
concealed　his　discomfort　beneath　a　courtier's　smile；　for　he
needed　to　humour　Monsier　Canivet；　whose　prescriptions　sometimes
came　as　far　as　Yonville。　So　he　did　not　take　up　the　defence　of
Bovary；　he　did　not　even　make　a　single　remark；　and；　renouncing　his
principles；　he　sacrificed　his　dignity　to　the　more　serious
interests　of　his　business。
This　amputation　of　the　thigh　by　Doctor　Canivet　was　a　great　event
in　the　village。　On　that　day　all　the　inhabitants　got　up　earlier；
and　the　Grande　Rue；　although　full　of　people；　had　something
lugubrious　about　it；　as　if　an　execution　had　been　expected。　At　the
grocer's　they　discussed　Hippolyte's　illness；　the　shops　did　no
business；　and　Madame　Tuvache；　the　mayor's　wife；　did　not　stir　from
her　window；　such　was　her　impatience　to　see　the　operator　arrive。
He　came　in　his　gig；　which　he　drove　himself。　But　the　springs　of
the　right　side　having　at　length　given　way　beneath　the　weight　of
his　corpulence；　it　happened　that　the　carriage　as　it　rolled　along
leaned　over　a　little；　and　on　the　other　cushion　near　him　could　be
seen　a　large　box　covered　in　red　sheep…leather；　whose　three　brass
clasps　shone　grandly。
After　he　had　entered　like　a　whirlwind　the　porch　of　the　〃Lion
d'Or；〃　the　doctor；　shouting　very　loud；　ordered　them　to　unharness
his　horse。　Then　he　went　into　the　stable　to　see　that　he　was　eating
his　oats　all　right；　for　on　arriving　at　a　patient's　he　first　of
all　looked　after　his　mare　and　his　gig。　People　even　said　about
this
〃Ah！　Monsieur　Canivet's　a　character！〃
And　he　was　the　more　esteemed　for　this　imperturbable　coolness。　The
universe　to　the　last　man　might　have　died；　and　he　would　not　have
missed　the　smallest　of　his　habits。
Homais　presented　himself。
〃I　count　on　you；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃Are　we　ready？　Come　along！〃
But　the　druggist；　turning　red；　confessed　that　he　was　too
sensitive　to　assist　at　such　an　operation。
〃When　one　is　a　simple　spectator；〃　he　said；　〃the　imagination；　you
know；　is　impressed。　And　then　I　have　such　a　nervous　system！〃
〃Pshaw！〃　interrupted　Canivet；　〃on　the　contrary；　you　seem　to　me
inclined　to　apoplexy。　Besides；　that　doesn't　astonish　me；　for　you
chemist　fellows　are　always　poking　about　your　kitchens；　which　must
end　by　spoiling　your　constitutions。　Now　just　look　at　me。　I　get　up
every　day　at　four　o'clock；　I　shave　with　cold　water　（and　am　never
cold）。　I　don't　wear　flannels；　and　I　never　catch　cold；　my　carcass
is　good　enough！　I　live　now　in　one　way；　now　in　another；　like　a
philosopher；　taking　pot…luck；　that　is　why　I　am　not　squeamish　like
you；　and　it　is　as　indifferent　to　me　to　carve　a　Christian　as　the
first　fowl　that　turns　up。　Then；　perhaps；　you　will　say；　habit！
habit！〃
Then；　without　any　consideration　for　Hippolyte；　who　was　sweating
with　agony　between　his　sheets；　these　gentlemen　entered　into　a
conversation；　in　which　the　druggist　compared　the　coolness　of　a
surgeon　to　that　of　a　general；　and　this　comparison　was　pleasing　to
Canivet；　who　launched　out　on　the　exigencies　of　his　art。　He　looked
upon；　it　as　a　sacred　office；　although　the　ordinary　practitioners
dishonoured　it。　At　last；　coming　back　to　the　patient；　he　examined
the　bandages　brought　by　Homais；　the　same　that　had　appeared　for
the　club…foot；　and　asked　for　someone　to　hold　the　limb　for　him。
Lestiboudois　was　sent　for；　and　Monsieur　Canivet　having　turned　up
his　sleeves；　passed　into　the　billiard…room；　while　the　druggist
stayed　with　Artemise　and　the　landlady；　both　whiter　than　their
aprons；　and　with　ears　strained　towards　the　door。
Bovary　during　this　time　did　not　dare　to　stir　from　his　house。
He　kept　downstairs　in　the　sitting…room　by　the　side　of　the
fireless　chimney；　his　chin　on　his　breast；　his　hands　clasped；　his
eyes　staring。　〃What　a　mishap！〃　he　thought；　〃what　a　mishap！〃
Perhaps；　after　all；　he　had　made　some　slip。　He　thought　it　over；
but　could　hit　upon　nothing。　But　the　most　famous　surgeons　also
made　mistakes；　and　that　is　what