madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第54章

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down　to　her　loins；　uttered　cries　like　a　peacock；　as　if　she　were
being　assassinated。　Her　husband；　who　was　a　millowner；　railed　at
the　clumsy　fellow；　and　while　she　was　with　her　handkerchief　wiping
up　the　stains　from　her　handsome　cherry…coloured　taffeta　gown；　he
angrily　muttered　about　indemnity；　costs；　reimbursement。　At　last
Charles　reached　his　wife；　saying　to　her；　quite　out　of　breath
〃Ma　foi！　I　thought　I　should　have　had　to　stay　there。　There　is　such
a　crowdSUCH　a　crowd！〃
He　added
〃Just　guess　whom　I　met　up　there！　Monsieur　Leon！〃
〃Leon？〃
〃Himself！　He's　coming　along　to　pay　his　respects。〃　And　as　he
finished　these　words　the　ex…clerk　of　Yonville　entered　the　box。
He　held　out　his　hand　with　the　ease　of　a　gentleman；　and　Madame
Bovary　extended　hers；　without　doubt　obeying　the　attraction　of　a
stronger　will。　She　had　not　felt　it　since　that　spring　evening　when
the　rain　fell　upon　the　green　leaves；　and　they　had　said　good…bye
standing　at　the　window。　But　soon　recalling　herself　to　the
necessities　of　the　situation；　with　an　effort　she　shook　off　the
torpor　of　her　memories；　and　began　stammering　a　few　hurried　words。
〃Ah；　good…day！　What！　you　here？〃
〃Silence！〃　cried　a　voice　from　the　pit；　for　the　third　act　was
beginning。
〃So　you　are　at　Rouen？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And　since　when？〃
〃Turn　them　out！　turn　them　out！〃　People　were　looking　at　them。　They
were　silent。
But　from　that　moment　she　listened　no　more；　and　the　chorus　of　the
guests；　the　scene　between　Ashton　and　his　servant；　the　grand　duet
in　D　major；　all　were　for　her　as　far　off　as　if　the　instruments　had
grown　less　sonorous　and　the　characters　more　remote。　She
remembered　the　games　at　cards　at　the　druggist's；　and　the　walk　to
the　nurse's；　the　reading　in　the　arbour；　the　tete…a…tete　by　the
firesideall　that　poor　love；　so　calm　and　so　protracted；　so
discreet；　so　tender；　and　that　she　had　nevertheless　forgotten。　And
why　had　he　come　back？　What　combination　of　circumstances　had
brought　him　back　into　her　life？　He　was　standing　behind　her；
leaning　with　his　shoulder　against　the　wall　of　the　box；　now　and
again　she　felt　herself　shuddering　beneath　the　hot　breath　from　his
nostrils　falling　upon　her　hair。
〃Does　this　amuse　you？〃　said　he；　bending　over　her　so　closely　that
the　end　of　his　moustache　brushed　her　cheek。　She　replied
carelessly
〃Oh；　dear　me；　no；　not　much。〃
Then　he　proposed　that　they　should　leave　the　theatre　and　go　and
take　an　ice　somewhere。
〃Oh；　not　yet；　let　us　stay；〃　said　Bovary。　〃Her　hair's　undone；　this
is　going　to　be　tragic。〃
But　the　mad　scene　did　not　at　all　interest　Emma；　and　the　acting　of
the　singer　seemed　to　her　exaggerated。
〃She　screams　too　loud；〃　said　she；　turning　to　Charles；　who　was
listening。
〃Yesa　little；〃　he　replied；　undecided　between　the　frankness　of
his　pleasure　and　his　respect　for　his　wife's　opinion。
Then　with　a　sigh　Leon　said
〃The　heat　is〃
〃Unbearable！　Yes！〃
〃Do　you　feel　unwell？〃　asked　Bovary。
〃Yes；　I　am　stifling；　let　us　go。〃
Monsieur　Leon　put　her　long　lace　shawl　carefully　about　her
shoulders；　and　all　three　went　off　to　sit　down　in　the　harbour；　in
the　open　air；　outside　the　windows　of　a　cafe。
First　they　spoke　of　her　illness；　although　Emma　interrupted
Charles　from　time　to　time；　for　fear；　she　said；　of　boring　Monsieur
Leon；　and　the　latter　told　them　that　he　had　come　to　spend　two
years　at　Rouen　in　a　large　office；　in　order　to　get　practice　in　his
profession；　which　was　different　in　Normandy　and　Paris。　Then　he
inquired　after　Berthe；　the　Homais；　Mere　Lefrancois；　and　as　they
had；　in　the　husband's　presence；　nothing　more　to　say　to　one
another；　the　conversation　soon　came　to　an　end。
People　coming　out　of　the　theatre　passed　along　the　pavement；
humming　or　shouting　at　the　top　of　their　voices；　〃O　bel　ange；　ma
Lucie！*〃　Then　Leon；　playing　the　dilettante；　began　to　talk　music。
He　had　seen　Tambourini；　Rubini；　Persiani；　Grisi；　and；　compared
with　them；　Lagardy；　despite　his　grand　outbursts；　was　nowhere。
*Oh　beautiful　angel；　my　Lucie。

〃Yet；〃　interrupted　Charles；　who　was　slowly　sipping　his
rum…sherbet；　〃they　say　that　he　is　quite　admirable　in　the　last
act。　I　regret　leaving　before　the　end；　because　it　was　beginning　to
amuse　me。〃
〃Why；〃　said　the　clerk；　〃he　will　soon　give　another　performance。〃
But　Charles　replied　that　they　were　going　back　next　day。　〃Unless；〃
he　added；　turning　to　his　wife；　〃you　would　like　to　stay　alone；
kitten？〃
And　changing　his　tactics　at　this　unexpected　opportunity　that
presented　itself　to　his　hopes；　the　young　man　sang　the　praises　of
Lagardy　in　the　last　number。　It　was　really　superb；　sublime。　Then
Charles　insisted
〃You　would　get　back　on　Sunday。　Come；　make　up　your　mind。　You　are
wrong　if　you　feel　that　this　is　doing　you　the　least　good。〃
The　tables　round　them；　however；　were　emptying；　a　waiter　came　and
stood　discreetly　near　them。　Charles；　who　understood；　took　out　his
purse；　the　clerk　held　back　his　arm；　and　did　not　forget　to　leave
two　more　pieces　of　silver　that　he　made　chink　on　the　marble。
〃I　am　really　sorry；〃　said　Bovary；　〃about　the　money　which　you
are〃
　The　other　made　a　careless　gesture　full　of　cordiality；　and　taking
his　hat　said
〃It　is　settled；　isn't　it？　To…morrow　at　six　o'clock？〃
Charles　explained　once　more　that　he　could　not　absent　himself
longer；　but　that　nothing　prevented　Emma
〃But；〃　she　stammered；　with　a　strange　smile；　〃I　am　not　sure〃
〃Well；　you　must　think　it　over。　We'll　see。　Night　brings　counsel。〃
Then　to　Leon；　who　was　walking　along　with　them；　〃Now　that　you　are
in　our　part　of　the　world；　I　hope　you'll　come　and　ask　us　for　some
dinner　now　and　then。〃
The　clerk　declared　he　would　not　fail　to　do　so；　being　obliged；
moreover；　to　go　to　Yonville　on　some　business　for　his　office。　And
they　parted　before　the　Saint…Herbland　Passage　just　as　the　clock
in　the　cathedral　struck　half…past　eleven。

Part　III
Chapter　One
Monsieur　Leon；　while　studying　law；　had　gone　pretty　often　to　the
dancing…rooms；　where　he　was　even　a　great　success　amongst　the
grisettes；　who　thought　he　had　a　distinguished　air。　He　was　the
best…mannered　of　the　students；　he　wore　his　hair　neither　too　long
nor　too　short；　didn't　spend　all　his　quarter's　money　on　the　first
day　of　the　month；　and　kept　on　good　terms　with　his　professors。　As
for　excesses；　he　had　always　abstained　from　them；　as　much　from
cowardice　as　from　refinement。
Often　when　he　stayed　in　his　room　to　read；　or　else　when　sitting　of
an　evening　under　the　lime…trees　of　the　Luxembourg；　he　let　his
Code　fall　to　the　ground；　and　the　memory　of　Emma　came　back　to　him。
But　gradually　this　feeling　grew　weaker；　and　other　desires
gathered　over　it；　although　it　still　persisted　through　them　all。
For　Leon　did　not　lose　all　hope；　there　was　for　him；　as　it　were；　a
vague　promise　floating　in　the　future；　like　a　golden　fruit
suspended　from　some　fantastic　tree。
Then；　seeing　her　again　after　three　years　of　absence　his　passion
reawakened。　He　must；　he　thought；　at　last　make　up　his　mind　to
possess　her。　Moreover；　his　timidity　had　worn　off　by　contact　with
his　gay　companions；　and　he　returned　to　the　provinces　despising
everyone　who　had　not　with　varnished　shoes　trodden　the　asphalt　of
the　boulevards。　By　the　side　of　a　Parisienne　in　her　laces；　in　the
drawing…room　of　some　illustrious　physician；　a　person　driving　his
carriage　and　wearing　many　orders；　the　poor　clerk　would　no　doubt
have　trembled　like　a　child；　but　here；　at　Rouen；　on　the　harbour；
with　the　wife　of　this　small　doctor　he　felt　at　his　ease；　sure
beforehand　he　would　shine。　Self…possession　depends　on　its
environment。　We　don't　speak　on　the　first　floor　as　on　the　fourth；
and　the　wealthy　woman　seems　to　have；　about　her；　to　guard　her
virtue；　all　her　banknotes；　like　a　cuirass　in　the　lining　of　her
corset。
On　leaving　the　Bovarys　the　night　before；　Leon　had　followed　them
through　the　streets　at　a　distance；　then　having　seen　them　stop　at
the　〃Croix…Rouge；〃　he　turned　on　his　heel；　and　spent　the　night
meditating　a　plan。
So　the　next　day　about　five　o'clock　he　walked　into　the　kitchen　of
the　inn；　with　a　choking　sensation　in　his　throat；　pale　cheeks；　and
that　resolution　of　cowards　that　stops　at　nothing。
〃The　gentleman　isn't　in；〃　answered　a　servant。
This　seemed　to　him　a　good　omen。　He　went　upstairs。
She　was　not　disturbed　at　his　approach；　on　the　contrary；　she
apologised　for　having　neglected　to　tell　him　where　they　were