madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第52章

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she　must　be　right；　we　must　submit　to　her　decrees。〃
〃Why；〃　asked　the　druggist；　〃should　she　excommunicate　actors？　For
formerly　they　openly　took　part　in　religious　ceremonies。　Yes；　in
the　middle　of　the　chancel　they　acted；　they　performed　a　kind　of
farce　called　'Mysteries；'　which　often　offended　against　the　laws
of　decency。〃
The　ecclesiastic　contented　himself　with　uttering　a　groan；　and　the
chemist　went　on
〃It's　like　it　is　in　the　Bible；　there　there　are；　you　know；　more
than　one　piquant　detail；　matters　really　libidinous！〃
And　on　a　gesture　of　irritation　from　Monsieur　Bournisien
〃Ah！　you'll　admit　that　it　is　not　a　book　to　place　in　the　hands　of
a　young　girl；　and　I　should　be　sorry　if　Athalie〃
〃But　it　is　the　Protestants；　and　not　we；〃　cried　the　other
impatiently；　〃who　recommend　the　Bible。〃
〃No　matter；〃　said　Homais。　〃I　am　surprised　that　in　our　days；　in
this　century　of　enlightenment；　anyone　should　still　persist　in
proscribing　an　intellectual　relaxation　that　is　inoffensive；
moralising；　and　sometimes　even　hygienic；　is　it　not；　doctor？〃
〃No　doubt；〃　replied　the　doctor　carelessly；　either　because；
sharing　the　same　ideas；　he　wished　to　offend　no　one；　or　else
because　he　had　not　any　ideas。
The　conversation　seemed　at　an　end　when　the　chemist　thought　fit　to
shoot　a　Parthian　arrow。
〃I've　known　priests　who　put　on　ordinary　clothes　to　go　and　see
dancers　kicking　about。〃
〃Come；　come！〃　said　the　cure。
〃Ah！　I've　known　some！〃　And　separating　the　words　of　his　sentence；
Homais　repeated；　〃Ihaveknownsome！〃
〃Well；　they　were　wrong；〃　said　Bournisien；　resigned　to　anything。
〃By　Jove！　they　go　in　for　more　than　that；〃　exclaimed　the　druggist。
〃Sir！〃　replied　the　ecclesiastic；　with　such　angry　eyes　that　the
druggist　was　intimidated　by　them。
〃I　only　mean　to　say；〃　he　replied　in　less　brutal　a　tone；　〃that
toleration　is　the　surest　way　to　draw　people　to　religion。〃
〃That　is　true！　that　is　true！〃　agreed　the　good　fellow；　sitting
down　again　on　his　chair。　But　he　stayed　only　a　few　moments。
Then；　as　soon　as　he　had　gone；　Monsieur　Homais　said　to　the　doctor
〃That's　what　I　call　a　cock…fight。　I　beat　him；　did　you　see；　in　a
way！Now　take　my　advice。　Take　madame　to　the　theatre；　if　it　were
only　for　once　in　your　life；　to　enrage　one　of　these　ravens；　hang
it！　If　anyone　could　take　my　place；　I　would　accompany　you　myself。
Be　quick　about　it。　Lagardy　is　only　going　to　give　one　performance；
he's　engaged　to　go　to　England　at　a　high　salary。　From　what　I　hear；
he's　a　regular　dog；　he's　rolling　in　money；　he's　taking　three
mistresses　and　a　cook　along　with　him。　All　these　great　artists
burn　the　candle　at　both　ends；　they　require　a　dissolute　life；　that
suits　the　imagination　to　some　extent。　But　they　die　at　the
hospital；　because　they　haven't　the　sense　when　young　to　lay　by。
Well；　a　pleasant　dinner！　Goodbye　till　to…morrow。〃
The　idea　of　the　theatre　quickly　germinated　in　Bovary's　head；　for
he　at　once　communicated　it　to　his　wife；　who　at　first　refused；
alleging　the　fatigue；　the　worry；　the　expense；　but；　for　a　wonder；
Charles　did　not　give　in；　so　sure　was　he　that　this　recreation
would　be　good　for　her。　He　saw　nothing　to　prevent　it：　his　mother
had　sent　them　three　hundred　francs　which　he　had　no　longer
expected；　the　current　debts　were　not　very　large；　and　the　falling
in　of　Lheureux's　bills　was　still　so　far　off　that　there　was　no
need　to　think　about　them。　Besides；　imagining　that　she　was
refusing　from　delicacy；　he　insisted　the　more；　so　that　by　dint　of
worrying　her　she　at　last　made　up　her　mind；　and　the　next　day　at
eight　o'clock　they　set　out　in　the　〃Hirondelle。〃
The　druggist；　whom　nothing　whatever　kept　at　Yonville；　but　who
thought　himself　bound　not　to　budge　from　it；　sighed　as　he　saw　them
go。
〃Well；　a　pleasant　journey！〃　he　said　to　them；　〃happy　mortals　that
you　are！〃
Then　addressing　himself　to　Emma；　who　was　wearing　a　blue　silk　gown
with　four　flounces
〃You　are　as　lovely　as　a　Venus。　You'll　cut　a　figure　at　Rouen。〃
The　diligence　stopped　at　the　〃Croix…Rouge〃　in　the　Place
Beauvoisine。　It　was　the　inn　that　is　in　every　provincial　faubourg；
with　large　stables　and　small　bedrooms；　where　one　sees　in　the
middle　of　the　court　chickens　pilfering　the　oats　under　the　muddy
gigs　of　the　commercial　travellersa　good　old　house；　with
worm…eaten　balconies　that　creak　in　the　wind　on　winter　nights；
always　full　of　people；　noise；　and　feeding；　whose　black　tables　are
sticky　with　coffee　and　brandy；　the　thick　windows　made　yellow　by
the　flies；　the　damp　napkins　stained　with　cheap　wine；　and　that
always　smells　of　the　village；　like　ploughboys　dressed　in
Sundayclothes；　has　a　cafe　on　the　street；　and　towards　the
countryside　a　kitchen…garden。　Charles　at　once　set　out。　He　muddled
up　the　stage…boxes　with　the　gallery；　the　pit　with　the　boxes；
asked　for　explanations；　did　not　understand　them；　was　sent　from
the　box…office　to　the　acting…manager；　came　back　to　the　inn；
returned　to　the　theatre；　and　thus　several　times　traversed　the
whole　length　of　the　town　from　the　theatre　to　the　boulevard。
Madame　Bovary　bought　a　bonnet；　gloves；　and　a　bouquet。　The　doctor
was　much　afraid　of　missing　the　beginning；　and；　without　having　had
time　to　swallow　a　plate　of　soup；　they　presented　themselves　at　the
doors　of　the　theatre；　which　were　still　closed。
Chapter　Fifteen
The　crowd　was　waiting　against　the　wall；　symmetrically　enclosed
between　the　balustrades。　At　the　corner　of　the　neighbouring
streets　huge　bills　repeated　in　quaint　letters　〃Lucie　de
Lammermoor…Lagardy…Opera…etc。〃　The　weather　was　fine；　the　people
were　hot；　perspiration　trickled　amid　the　curls；　and　handkerchiefs
taken　from　pockets　were　mopping　red　foreheads；　and　now　and　then　a
warm　wind　that　blew　from　the　river　gently　stirred　the　border　of
the　tick　awnings　hanging　from　the　doors　of　the　public…houses。　A
little　lower　down；　however；　one　was　refreshed　by　a　current　of　icy
air　that　smelt　of　tallow；　leather；　and　oil。　This　was　an
exhalation　from　the　Rue　des　Charrettes；　full　of　large　black
warehouses　where　they　made　casks。
For　fear　of　seeming　ridiculous；　Emma　before　going　in　wished　to
have　a　little　stroll　in　the　harbour；　and　Bovary　prudently　kept
his　tickets　in　his　hand；　in　the　pocket　of　his　trousers；　which　he
pressed　against　his　stomach。
Her　heart　began　to　beat　as　soon　as　she　reached　the　vestibule。　She
involuntarily　smiled　with　vanity　on　seeing　the　crowd　rushing　to
the　right　by　the　other　corridor　while　she　went　up　the　staircase
to　the　reserved　seats。　She　was　as　pleased　as　a　child　to　push　with
her　finger　the　large　tapestried　door。　She　breathed　in　with　all
her　might　the　dusty　smell　of　the　lobbies；　and　when　she　was　seated
in　her　box　she　bent　forward　with　the　air　of　a　duchess。
The　theatre　was　beginning　to　fill；　opera…glasses　were　taken　from
their　cases；　and　the　subscribers；　catching　sight　of　one　another；
were　bowing。　They　came　to　seek　relaxation　in　the　fine　arts　after
the　anxieties　of　business；　but　〃business〃　was　not　forgotten；　they
still　talked　cottons；　spirits　of　wine；　or　indigo。　The　heads　of
old　men　were　to　be　seen；　inexpressive　and　peaceful；　with　their
hair　and　complexions　looking　like　silver　medals　tarnished　by
steam　of　lead。　The　young　beaux　were　strutting　about　in　the　pit；
showing　in　the　opening　of　their　waistcoats　their　pink　or
applegreen　cravats；　and　Madame　Bovary　from　above　admired　them
leaning　on　their　canes　with　golden　knobs　in　the　open　palm　of
their　yellow　gloves。
Now　the　lights　of　the　orchestra　were　lit；　the　lustre；　let　down
from　the　ceiling；　throwing　by　the　glimmering　of　its　facets　a
sudden　gaiety　over　the　theatre；　then　the　musicians　came　in　one
after　the　other；　and　first　there　was　the　protracted　hubbub　of　the
basses　grumbling；　violins　squeaking；　cornets　trumpeting；　flutes
and　flageolets　fifing。　But　three　knocks　were　heard　on　the　stage；
a　rolling　of　drums　began；　the　brass　instruments　played　some
chords；　and　the　curtain　rising；　discovered　a　country…scene。
It　was　the　cross…roads　of　a　wood；　with　a　fountain　shaded　by　an
oak　to　the　left。　Peasants　and　lords　with　plaids　on　their
shoulders　were　singing　a　hunting…song　together；　then　a　captain
suddenly　came　on；　who　evoked　the　spirit　of　evil　by　lifting　both
his　arms　to　heaven。　Another　appeared；　they　went　away；　and　the
hunters　started　afresh。　She　felt　herself　transported　to　the
reading　of　her　youth；　into