madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第49章

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touch　of　a　hand　on　her　sleeve；　it　was　Felicite。
〃Master　is　waiting　for　you；　madame；　the　soup　is　on　the　table。〃
And　she　had　to　go　down　to　sit　at　table。
She　tried　to　eat。　The　food　choked　her。　Then　she　unfolded　her
napkin　as　if　to　examine　the　darns；　and　she　really　thought　of
applying　herself　to　this　work；　counting　the　threads　in　the　linen。
Suddenly　the　remembrance　of　the　letter　returned　to　her。　How　had
she　lost　it？　Where　could　she　find　it？　But　she　felt　such　weariness
of　spirit　that　she　could　not　even　invent　a　pretext　for　leaving
the　table。　Then　she　became　a　coward；　she　was　afraid　of　Charles；
he　knew　all；　that　was　certain！　Indeed　he　pronounced　these　words
in　a　strange　manner：
〃We　are　not　likely　to　see　Monsieur　Rodolphe　soon　again；　it
seems。〃
〃Who　told　you？〃　she　said；　shuddering。
〃Who　told　me！〃　he　replied；　rather　astonished　at　her　abrupt　tone。
〃Why；　Girard；　whom　I　met　just　now　at　the　door　of　the　Cafe
Francais。　He　has　gone　on　a　journey；　or　is　to　go。〃
She　gave　a　sob。
〃What　surprises　you　in　that？　He　absents　himself　like　that　from
time　to　time　for　a　change；　and；　ma　foi；　I　think　he's　right；　when
one　has　a　fortune　and　is　a　bachelor。　Besides；　he　has　jolly　times；
has　our　friend。　He's　a　bit　of　a　rake。　Monsieur　Langlois　told　me〃
He　stopped　for　propriety's　sake　because　the　servant　came　in。　She
put　back　into　the　basket　the　apricots　scattered　on　the　sideboard。
Charles；　without　noticing　his　wife's　colour；　had　them　brought　to
him；　took　one；　and　bit　into　it。
〃Ah！　perfect！〃　said　he；　〃just　taste！〃
And　he　handed　her　the　basket；　which　she　put　away　from　her　gently。
〃Do　just　smell！　What　an　odour！〃　he　remarked；　passing　it　under　her
nose　several　times。
〃I　am　choking；〃　she　cried；　leaping　up。　But　by　an　effort　of　will
the　spasm　passed；　then
〃It　is　nothing；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　nothing！　It　is　nervousness。　Sit
down　and　go　on　eating。〃　For　she　dreaded　lest　he　should　begin
questioning　her；　attending　to　her；　that　she　should　not　be　left
alone。
Charles；　to　obey　her；　sat　down　again；　and　he　spat　the　stones　of
the　apricots　into　his　hands；　afterwards　putting　them　on　his
plate。
Suddenly　a　blue　tilbury　passed　across　the　square　at　a　rapid　trot。
Emma　uttered　a　cry　and　fell　back　rigid　to　the　ground。
In　fact；　Rodolphe；　after　many　reflections；　had　decided　to　set　out
for　Rouen。　Now；　as　from　La　Huchette　to　Buchy　there　is　no　other
way　than　by　Yonville；　he　had　to　go　through　the　village；　and　Emma
had　recognised　him　by　the　rays　of　the　lanterns；　which　like
lightning　flashed　through　the　twilight。
The　chemist；　at　the　tumult　which　broke　out　in　the　house　ran
thither。　The　table　with　all　the　plates　was　upset；　sauce；　meat；
knives；　the　salt；　and　cruet…stand　were　strewn　over　the　room；
Charles　was　calling　for　help；　Berthe；　scared；　was　crying；　and
Felicite；　whose　hands　trembled；　was　unlacing　her　mistress；　whose
whole　body　shivered　convulsively。
〃I'll　run　to　my　laboratory　for　some　aromatic　vinegar；〃　said　the
druggist。
Then　as　she　opened　her　eyes　on　smelling　the　bottle
〃I　was　sure　of　it；〃　he　remarked；　〃that　would　wake　any　dead　person
for　you！〃
〃Speak　to　us；〃　said　Charles；　〃collect　yourself；　it　is　your
Charles；　who　loves　you。　Do　you　know　me？　See！　here　is　your　little
girl！　Oh；　kiss　her！〃
The　child　stretched　out　her　arms　to　her　mother　to　cling　to　her
neck。　But　turning　away　her　head；　Emma　said　in　a　broken　voice
〃No；　no！　no　one！〃
She　fainted　again。　They　carried　her　to　her　bed。　She　lay　there
stretched　at　full　length；　her　lips　apart；　her　eyelids　closed；　her
hands　open；　motionless；　and　white　as　a　waxen　image。　Two　streams
of　tears　flowed　from　her　eyes　and　fell　slowly　upon　the　pillow。
Charles；　standing　up；　was　at　the　back　of　the　alcove；　and　the
chemist；　near　him；　maintained　that　meditative　silence　that　is
becoming　on　the　serious　occasions　of　life。
〃Do　not　be　uneasy；〃　he　said；　touching　his　elbow；　〃I　think　the
paroxysm　is　past。〃
〃Yes；　she　is　resting　a　little　now；〃　answered　Charles；　watching
her　sleep。　〃Poor　girl！　poor　girl！　She　had　gone　off　now！〃
Then　Homais　asked　how　the　accident　had　come　about。　Charles
answered　that　she　had　been　taken　ill　suddenly　while　she　was
eating　some　apricots。
〃Extraordinary！〃　continued　the　chemist。　〃But　it　might　be　that　the
apricots　had　brought　on　the　syncope。　Some　natures　are　so
sensitive　to　certain　smells；　and　it　would　even　be　a　very　fine
question　to　study　both　in　its　pathological　and　physiological
relation。　The　priests　know　the　importance　of　it；　they　who　have
introduced　aromatics　into　all　their　ceremonies。　It　is　to　stupefy
the　senses　and　to　bring　on　ecstasiesa　thing；　moreover；　very
easy　in　persons　of　the　weaker　sex；　who　are　more　delicate　than　the
other。　Some　are　cited　who　faint　at　the　smell　of　burnt　hartshorn；
of　new　bread〃
〃Take　care；　you'll　wake　her！〃　said　Bovary　in　a　low　voice。
〃And　not　only；〃　the　druggist　went　on；　〃are　human　beings　subject
to　such　anomalies；　but　animals　also。　Thus　you　are　not　ignorant　of
the　singularly　aphrodisiac　effect　produced　by　the　Nepeta　cataria；
vulgarly　called　catmint；　on　the　feline　race；　and；　on　the　other
hand；　to　quote　an　example　whose　authenticity　I　can　answer　for。
Bridaux　（one　of　my　old　comrades；　at　present　established　in　the
Rue　Malpalu）　possesses　a　dog　that　falls　into　convulsions　as　soon
as　you　hold　out　a　snuff…box　to　him。　He　often　even　makes　the
experiment　before　his　friends　at　his　summer…house　at　Guillaume
Wood。　Would　anyone　believe　that　a　simple　sternutation　could
produce　such　ravages　on　a　quadrupedal　organism？　It　is　extremely
curious；　is　it　not？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Charles；　who　was　not　listening　to　him。
〃This　shows　us；〃　went　on　the　other；　smiling　with　benign
self…sufficiency；　〃the　innumerable　irregularities　of　the　nervous
system。　With　regard　to　madame；　she　has　always　seemed　to　me；　I
confess；　very　susceptible。　And　so　I　should　by　no　means　recommend
to　you；　my　dear　friend；　any　of　those　so…called　remedies　that；
under　the　pretence　of　attacking　the　symptoms；　attack　the
constitution。　No；　no　useless　physicking！　Diet；　that　is　all；
sedatives；　emollients；　dulcification。　Then；　don't　you　think　that
perhaps　her　imagination　should　be　worked　upon？〃
〃In　what　way？　How？〃　said　Bovary。
〃Ah！　that　is　it。　Such　is　indeed　the　question。　'That　is　the
question；'　as　I　lately　read　in　a　newspaper。〃
But　Emma；　awaking；　cried　out
〃The　letter！　the　letter！〃
They　thought　she　was　delirious；　and　she　was　by　midnight。
Brain…fever　had　set　in。
For　forty…three　days　Charles　did　not　leave　her。　He　gave　up　all
his　patients；　he　no　longer　went　to　bed；　he　was　constantly　feeling
her　pulse；　putting　on　sinapisms　and　cold…water　compresses。　He
sent　Justin　as　far　as　Neufchatel　for　ice；　the　ice　melted　on　the
way；　he　sent　him　back　again。　He　called　Monsieur　Canivet　into
consultation；　he　sent　for　Dr。　Lariviere；　his　old　master；　from
Rouen；　he　was　in　despair。　What　alarmed　him　most　was　Emma's
prostration；　for　she　did　not　speak；　did　not　listen；　did　not　even
seem　to　suffer；　as　if　her　body　and　soul　were　both　resting
together　after　all　their　troubles。
About　the　middle　of　October　she　could　sit　up　in　bed　supported　by
pillows。　Charles　wept　when　he　saw　her　eat　her　first
bread…and…jelly。　Her　strength　returned　to　her；　she　got　up　for　a
few　hours　of　an　afternoon；　and　one　day；　when　she　felt　better；　he
tried　to　take　her；　leaning　on　his　arm；　for　a　walk　round　the
garden。　The　sand　of　the　paths　was　disappearing　beneath　the　dead
leaves；　she　walked　slowly；　dragging　along　her　slippers；　and
leaning　against　Charles's　shoulder。　She　smiled　all　the　time。
They　went　thus　to　the　bottom　of　the　garden　near　the　terrace。　She
drew　herself　up　slowly；　shading　her　eyes　with　her　hand　to　look。
She　looked　far　off；　as　far　as　she　could；　but　on　the　horizon　were
only　great　bonfires　of　grass　smoking　on　the　hills。
〃You　will　tire　yourself；　my　darling！〃　said　Bovary。　And；　pushing
her　gently　to　make　her　go　into　the　arbour；　〃Sit　down　on　this
seat；　you'll　be　comfortable。〃
〃Oh！　no；　not　there！〃　she　said　in　a　faltering　voice。
She　was　seized　with　giddiness；　and　from　that　evening　her　illness
recommenced；　with　a　more　uncertain　character；　it　is　true；　and
more　complex　symptoms。　Now　she　suffered　in　her　heart；　then　in　the
chest；　the　head；　the　limbs；　she　had　vomitings；　in　which　Charles
thought　he　saw　the　first　signs　of　cancer。
And　besides