madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第59章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　downward　path。　Did　not　you　reflect　that　this　infamous　book
might　fall　in　the　hands　of　my　children；　kindle　a　spark　in　their
minds；　tarnish　the　purity　of　Athalie；　corrupt　Napoleon。　He　is
already　formed　like　a　man。　Are　you　quite　sure；　anyhow；　that　they
have　not　read　it？　Can　you　certify　to　me〃
〃But　really；　sir；〃　said　Emma；　〃you　wished　to　tell　me〃
〃Ah；　yes！　madame。　Your　father…in…law　is　dead。〃
In　fact；　Monsieur　Bovary　senior　had　expired　the　evening　before
suddenly　from　an　attack　of　apoplexy　as　he　got　up　from　table；　and
by　way　of　greater　precaution；　on　account　of　Emma's　sensibility；
Charles　had　begged　Homais　to　break　the　horrible　news　to　her
gradually。　Homais　had　thought　over　his　speech；　he　had　rounded；
polished　it；　made　it　rhythmical；　it　was　a　masterpiece　of　prudence
and　transitions；　of　subtle　turns　and　delicacy；　but　anger　had　got
the　better　of　rhetoric。
Emma；　giving　up　all　chance　of　hearing　any　details；　left　the
pharmacy；　for　Monsieur　Homais　had　taken　up　the　thread　of　his
vituperations。　However；　he　was　growing　calmer；　and　was　now
grumbling　in　a　paternal　tone　whilst　he　fanned　himself　with　his
skull…cap。
〃It　is　not　that　I　entirely　disapprove　of　the　work。　Its　author　was
a　doctor！　There　are　certain　scientific　points　in　it　that　it　is
not　ill　a　man　should　know；　and　I　would　even　venture　to　say　that　a
man　must　know。　But　laterlater！　At　any　rate；　not　till　you　are
man　yourself　and　your　temperament　is　formed。〃
When　Emma　knocked　at　the　door。　Charles；　who　was　waiting　for　her；
came　forward　with　open　arms　and　said　to　her　with　tears　in　his
voice
〃Ah！　my　dear！〃
And　he　bent　over　her　gently　to　kiss　her。　But　at　the　contact　of
his　lips　the　memory　of　the　other　seized　her；　and　she　passed　her
hand　over　her　face　shuddering。
But　she　made　answer；　〃Yes；　I　know；　I　know！〃
He　showed　her　the　letter　in　which　his　mother　told　the　event
without　any　sentimental　hypocrisy。　She　only　regretted　her　husband
had　not　received　the　consolations　of　religion；　as　he　had　died　at
Daudeville；　in　the　street；　at　the　door　of　a　cafe　after　a
patriotic　dinner　with　some　ex…officers。
Emma　gave　him　back　the　letter；　then　at　dinner；　for　appearance's
sake；　she　affected　a　certain　repugnance。　But　as　he　urged　her　to
try；　she　resolutely　began　eating；　while　Charles　opposite　her　sat
motionless　in　a　dejected　attitude。
Now　and　then　he　raised　his　head　and　gave　her　a　long　look　full　of
distress。　Once　he　sighed；　〃I　should　have　liked　to　see　him　again！〃
She　was　silent。　At　last；　understanding　that　she　must　say
something；　〃How　old　was　your　father？〃　she　asked。
〃Fifty…eight。〃
〃Ah！〃
And　that　was　all。
A　quarter　of　an　hour　after　he　added；　〃My　poor　mother！　what　will
become　of　her　now？〃
She　made　a　gesture　that　signified　she　did　not　know。　Seeing　her　so
taciturn；　Charles　imagined　her　much　affected；　and　forced　himself
to　say　nothing；　not　to　reawaken　this　sorrow　which　moved　him。　And；
shaking　off　his　own
〃Did　you　enjoy　yourself　yesterday？〃　he　asked。
〃Yes。〃
When　the　cloth　was　removed；　Bovary　did　not　rise；　nor　did　Emma；
and　as　she　looked　at　him；　the　monotony　of　the　spectacle　drove
little　by　little　all　pity　from　her　heart。　He　seemed　to　her
paltry；　weak；　a　cipherin　a　word；　a　poor　thing　in　every　way。　How
to　get　rid　of　him？　What　an　interminable　evening！　Something
stupefying　like　the　fumes　of　opium　seized　her。
They　heard　in　the　passage　the　sharp　noise　of　a　wooden　leg　on　the
boards。　It　was　Hippolyte　bringing　back　Emma's　luggage。　In　order
to　put　it　down　he　described　painfully　a　quarter　of　a　circle　with
his　stump。
〃He　doesn't　even　remember　any　more　about　it；〃　she　thought；
looking　at　the　poor　devil；　whose　coarse　red　hair　was　wet　with
perspiration。
Bovary　was　searching　at　the　bottom　of　his　purse　for　a　centime；
and　without　appearing　to　understand　all　there　was　of　humiliation
for　him　in　the　mere　presence　of　this　man；　who　stood　there　like　a
personified　reproach　to　his　incurable　incapacity。
〃Hallo！　you've　a　pretty　bouquet；〃　he　said；　noticing　Leon's
violets　on　the　chimney。
〃Yes；〃　she　replied　indifferently；　〃it's　a　bouquet　I　bought　just
now　from　a　beggar。〃
Charles　picked　up　the　flowers；　and　freshening　his　eyes；　red　with
tears；　against　them；　smelt　them　delicately。
She　took　them　quickly　from　his　hand　and　put　them　in　a　glass　of
water。
The　next　day　Madame　Bovary　senior　arrived。　She　and　her　son　wept
much。　Emma；　on　the　pretext　of　giving　orders；　disappeared。　The
following　day　they　had　a　talk　over　the　mourning。　They　went　and
sat　down　with　their　workboxes　by　the　waterside　under　the　arbour。
Charles　was　thinking　of　his　father；　and　was　surprised　to　feel　so
much　affection　for　this　man；　whom　till　then　he　had　thought　he
cared　little　about。　Madame　Bovary　senior　was　thinking　of　her
husband。　The　worst　days　of　the　past　seemed　enviable　to　her。　All
was　forgotten　beneath　the　instinctive　regret　of　such　a　long
habit；　and　from　time　to　time　whilst　she　sewed；　a　big　tear　rolled
along　her　nose　and　hung　suspended　there　a　moment。　Emma　was
thinking　that　it　was　scarcely　forty…eight　hours　since　they　had
been　together；　far　from　the　world；　all　in　a　frenzy　of　joy；　and
not　having　eyes　enough　to　gaze　upon　each　other。　She　tried　to
recall　the　slightest　details　of　that　past　day。　But　the　presence
of　her　husband　and　mother…in…law　worried　her。　She　would　have
liked　to　hear　nothing；　to　see　nothing；　so　as　not　to　disturb　the
meditation　on　her　love；　that；　do　what　she　would；　became　lost　in
external　sensations。
She　was　unpicking　the　lining　of　a　dress；　and　the　strips　were
scattered　around　her。　Madame　Bovary　senior　was　plying　her　scissor
without　looking　up；　and　Charles；　in　his　list　slippers　and　his　old
brown　surtout　that　he　used　as　a　dressing…gown；　sat　with　both
hands　in　his　pockets；　and　did　not　speak　either；　near　them　Berthe；
in　a　little　white　pinafore；　was　raking　sand　in　the　walks　with　her
spade。　Suddenly　she　saw　Monsieur　Lheureux；　the　linendraper；　come
in　through　the　gate。
He　came　to　offer　his　services　〃under　the　sad　circumstances。〃　Emma
answered　that　she　thought　she　could　do　without。　The　shopkeeper
was　not　to　be　beaten。
〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　should　like　to　have　a
private　talk　with　you。〃　Then　in　a　low　voice；　〃It's　about　that
affairyou　know。〃
Charles　crimsoned　to　his　ears。　〃Oh；　yes！　certainly。〃　And　in　his
confusion；　turning　to　his　wife；　〃Couldn't　you；　my　darling？〃
She　seemed　to　understand　him；　for　she　rose；　and　Charles　said　to
his　mother；　〃It　is　nothing　particular。　No　doubt；　some　household
trifle。〃　He　did　not　want　her　to　know　the　story　of　the　bill；
fearing　her　reproaches。
As　soon　as　they　were　alone；　Monsieur　Lheureux　in　sufficiently
clear　terms　began　to　congratulate　Emma　on　the　inheritance；　then
to　talk　of　indifferent　matters；　of　the　espaliers；　of　the　harvest；
and　of　his　own　health；　which　was　always　so…so；　always　having　ups
and　downs。　In　fact；　he　had　to　work　devilish　hard；　although　he
didn't　make　enough；　in　spite　of　all　people　said；　to　find　butter
for　his　bread。
Emma　let　him　talk　on。　She　had　bored　herself　so　prodigiously　the
last　two　days。
〃And　so　you're　quite　well　again？〃　he　went　on。　〃Ma　foi！　I　saw　your
husband　in　a　sad　state。　He's　a　good　fellow；　though　we　did　have　a
little　misunderstanding。〃
She　asked　what　misunderstanding；　for　Charles　had　said　nothing　of
the　dispute　about　the　goods　supplied　to　her。
〃Why；　you　know　well　enough；〃　cried　Lheureux。　〃It　was　about　your
little　fanciesthe　travelling　trunks。〃
He　had　drawn　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and；　with　his　hands　behind
his　back；　smiling　and　whistling；　he　looked　straight　at　her　in　an
unbearable　manner。　Did　he　suspect　anything？
She　was　lost　in　all　kinds　of　apprehensions。　At　last；　however；　he
went　on
〃We　made　it　up；　all　the　same；　and　I've　come　again　to　propose
another　arrangement。〃
This　was　to　renew　the　bill　Bovary　had　signed。　The　doctor；　of
course；　would　do　as　he　pleased；　he　was　not　to　trouble　himself；
especially　just　now；　when　he　would　have　a　lot　of　worry。　〃And　he
would　do　better　to　give　it　over　to　someone　elseto　you；　for
example。　With　a　power　of　attorney　it　could　be　easily　managed；　and
then　we　（you　and　I）　would　have　our　little　business　transactions
together。〃
She　did　not　understand。　He　was　silent。　Then；　passing　to　his
trade；　Lheureux　declared　that　madame　must　require　something。　He
would