madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第64章

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trouble；　at　last　discovered　a　certain　Langlois；　who；　for　a　long
time；　had　had　an　eye　on　the　property；　but　without　mentioning　his
price。
〃Never　mind　the　price！〃　she　cried。
But　they　would；　on　the　contrary；　have　to　wait；　to　sound　the
fellow。　The　thing　was　worth　a　journey；　and；　as　she　could　not
undertake　it；　he　offered　to　go　to　the　place　to　have　an　interview
with　Langlois。　On　his　return　he　announced　that　the　purchaser
proposed　four　thousand　francs。
Emma　was　radiant　at　this　news。
〃Frankly；〃　he　added；　〃that's　a　good　price。〃
She　drew　half　the　sum　at　once；　and　when　she　was　about　to　pay　her
account　the　shopkeeper　said
〃It　really　grieves　me；　on　my　word！　to　see　you　depriving　yourself
all　at　once　of　such　a　big　sum　as　that。〃
Then　she　looked　at　the　bank…notes；　and　dreaming　of　the　unlimited
number　of　rendezvous　represented　by　those　two　thousand　francs；
she　stammered
〃What！　what！〃
〃Oh！〃　he　went　on；　laughing　good…naturedly；　〃one　puts　anything　one
likes　on　receipts。　Don't　you　think　I　know　what　household　affairs
are？〃　And　he　looked　at　her　fixedly；　while　in　his　hand　he　held　two
long　papers　that　he　slid　between　his　nails。　At　last；　opening　his
pocket…book；　he　spread　out　on　the　table　four　bills　to　order；　each
for　a　thousand　francs。
〃Sign　these；〃　he　said；　〃and　keep　it　all！〃
She　cried　out；　scandalised。
〃But　if　I　give　you　the　surplus；〃　replied　Monsieur　Lheureux
impudently；　〃is　that　not　helping　you？〃
And　taking　a　pen　he　wrote　at　the　bottom　of　the　account；　〃Received
of　Madame　Bovary　four　thousand　francs。〃
〃Now　who　can　trouble　you；　since　in　six　months　you'll　draw　the
arrears　for　your　cottage；　and　I　don't　make　the　last　bill　due　till
after　you've　been　paid？〃
Emma　grew　rather　confused　in　her　calculations；　and　her　ears
tingled　as　if　gold　pieces；　bursting　from　their　bags；　rang　all
round　her　on　the　floor。　At　last　Lheureux　explained　that　he　had　a
very　good　friend；　Vincart；　a　broker　at　Rouen；　who　would　discount
these　four　bills。　Then　he　himself　would　hand　over　to　madame　the
remainder　after　the　actual　debt　was　paid。
But　instead　of　two　thousand　francs　he　brought　only　eighteen
hundred；　for　the　friend　Vincart　（which　was　only　fair）　had
deducted　two　hundred　francs　for　commission　and　discount。　Then　he
carelessly　asked　for　a　receipt。
〃You　understandin　businesssometimes。　And　with　the　date；　if
you　please；　with　the　date。〃
A　horizon　of　realisable　whims　opened　out　before　Emma。　She　was
prudent　enough　to　lay　by　a　thousand　crowns；　with　which　the　first
three　bills　were　paid　when　they　fell　due；　but　the　fourth；　by
chance；　came　to　the　house　on　a　Thursday；　and　Charles；　quite
upset；　patiently　awaited　his　wife's　return　for　an　explanation。
If　she　had　not　told　him　about　this　bill；　it　was　only　to　spare　him
such　domestic　worries；　she　sat　on　his　knees；　caressed　him；　cooed
to　him；　gave　him　a　long　enumeration　of　all　the　indispensable
things　that　had　been　got　on　credit。
〃Really；　you　must　confess；　considering　the　quantity；　it　isn't　too
dear。〃
Charles；　at　his　wit's　end；　soon　had　recourse　to　the　eternal
Lheureux；　who　swore　he　would　arrange　matters　if　the　doctor　would
sign　him　two　bills；　one　of　which　was　for　seven　hundred　francs；
payable　in　three　months。　In　order　to　arrange　for　this　he　wrote
his　mother　a　pathetic　letter。　Instead　of　sending　a　reply　she　came
herself；　and　when　Emma　wanted　to　know　whether　he　had　got　anything
out　of　her；　〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　〃but　she　wants　to　see　the
account。〃　The　next　morning　at　daybreak　Emma　ran　to　Lheureux　to
beg　him　to　make　out　another　account　for　not　more　than　a　thousand
francs；　for　to　show　the　one　for　four　thousand　it　would　be
necessary　to　say　that　she　had　paid　two…thirds；　and　confess；
consequently；　the　sale　of　the　estatea　negotiation　admirably
carried　out　by　the　shopkeeper；　and　which；　in　fact；　was　only
actually　known　later　on。
Despite　the　low　price　of　each　article；　Madame　Bovary　senior；　of
course；　thought　the　expenditure　extravagant。
〃Couldn't　you　do　without　a　carpet？　Why　have　recovered　the
arm…chairs？　In　my　time　there　was　a　single　arm…chair　in　a　house；
for　elderly　personsat　any　rate　it　was　so　at　my　mother's；　who
was　a　good　woman；　I　can　tell　you。　Everybody　can't　be　rich！　No
fortune　can　hold　out　against　waste！　I　should　be　ashamed　to　coddle
myself　as　you　do！　And　yet　I　am　old。　I　need　looking　after。　And
there！　there！　fitting　up　gowns！　fallals！　What！　silk　for　lining　at
two　francs；　when　you　can　get　jaconet　for　ten　sous；　or　even　for
eight；　that　would　do　well　enough！〃
Emma；　lying　on　a　lounge；　replied　as　quietly　as　possible〃Ah！
Madame；　enough！　enough！〃
The　other　went　on　lecturing　her；　predicting　they　would　end　in　the
workhouse。　But　it　was　Bovary's　fault。　Luckily　he　had　promised　to
destroy　that　power　of　attorney。
〃What？〃
〃Ah！　he　swore　he　would；〃　went　on　the　good　woman。
Emma　opened　the　window；　called　Charles；　and　the　poor　fellow　was
obliged　to　confess　the　promise　torn　from　him　by　his　mother。
Emma　disappeared；　then　came　back　quickly；　and　majestically　handed
her　a　thick　piece　of　paper。
〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　old　woman。　And　she　threw　the　power　of
attorney　into　the　fire。
Emma　began　to　laugh；　a　strident；　piercing；　continuous　laugh；　she
had　an　attack　of　hysterics。
〃Oh；　my　God！〃　cried　Charles。　〃Ah！　you　really　are　wrong！　You　come
here　and　make　scenes　with　her！〃
His　mother；　shrugging　her　shoulders；　declared　it　was　〃all　put
on。〃
But　Charles；　rebelling　for　the　first　time；　took　his　wife's　part；
so　that　Madame　Bovary；　senior；　said　she　would　leave。　She　went　the
very　next　day；　and　on　the　threshold；　as　he　was　trying　to　detain
her；　she　replied
〃No；　no！　You　love　her　better　than　me；　and　you　are　right。　It　is
natural。　For　the　rest；　so　much　the　worse！　You　will　see。　Good
dayfor　I　am　not　likely　to　come　soon　again；　as　you　say；　to　make
scenes。〃
Charles　nevertheless　was　very　crestfallen　before　Emma；　who　did
not　hide　the　resentment　she　still　felt　at　his　want　of　confidence；
and　it　needed　many　prayers　before　she　would　consent　to　have
another　power　of　attorney。　He　even　accompanied　her　to　Monsieur
Guillaumin　to　have　a　second　one；　just　like　the　other；　drawn　up。
〃I　understand；〃　said　the　notary；　〃a　man　of　science　can't　be
worried　with　the　practical　details　of　life。〃
And　Charles　felt　relieved　by　this　comfortable　reflection；　which
gave　his　weakness　the　flattering　appearance　of　higher
pre…occupation。
And　what　an　outburst　the　next　Thursday　at　the　hotel　in　their　room
with　Leon！　She　laughed；　cried；　sang；　sent　for　sherbets；　wanted　to
smoke　cigarettes；　seemed　to　him　wild　and　extravagant；　but
adorable；　superb。
He　did　not　know　what　recreation　of　her　whole　being　drove　her　more
and　more　to　plunge　into　the　pleasures　of　life。　She　was　becoming
irritable；　greedy；　voluptuous；　and　she　walked　about　the　streets
with　him　carrying　her　head　high；　without　fear；　so　she　said；　of
compromising　herself。　At　times；　however；　Emma　shuddered　at　the
sudden　thought　of　meeting　Rodolphe；　for　it　seemed　to　her　that；
although　they　were　separated　forever；　she　was　not　completely　free
from　her　subjugation　to　him。
One　night　she　did　not　return　to　Yonville　at　all。　Charles　lost　his
head　with　anxiety；　and　little　Berthe　would　not　go　to　bed　without
her　mamma；　and　sobbed　enough　to　break　her　heart。　Justin　had　gone
out　searching　the　road　at　random。　Monsieur　Homais　even　had　left
his　pharmacy。
At　last；　at　eleven　o'clock；　able　to　bear　it　no　longer；　Charles
harnessed　his　chaise；　jumped　in；　whipped　up　his　horse；　and
reached　the　〃Croix…Rouge〃　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　No
one　there！　He　thought　that　the　clerk　had　perhaps　seen　her；　but
where　did　he　live？　Happily；　Charles　remembered　his　employer's
address；　and　rushed　off　there。
Day　was　breaking；　and　he　could　distinguish　the　escutcheons　over
the　door；　and　knocked。　Someone；　without　opening　the　door；　shouted
out　the　required　information；　adding　a　few　insults　to　those　who
disturb　people　in　the　middle　of　the　night。
The　house　inhabited　by　the　clerk　had　neither　bell；　knocker；　nor
porter。　Charles　knocked　loudly　at　the　shutters　with　his　hands。　A
policeman　happened　to　pass　by。　Then　he　was　frightened；　and　went
away。
〃I　am　mad；〃　he　said；　〃no　doubt　they　kept　her　to　dinner　at
Monsieur　Lormeaux'。〃　But　the　Lormeaux　no　longer　lived　at　Rouen。
〃She　probably　stayed　to　look　after　Madame　Dubreui