madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第68章

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to　warn　him　of　the　abyss　into　which　he　was　falling。　Such　an
intrigue　would　damage　him　later　on；　when　he　set　up　for　himself。
He　implored　him　to　break　with　her；　and；　if　he　would　not　make　this
sacrifice　in　his　own　interest；　to　do　it　at　least　for　his；
Dubocage's　sake。
At　last　Leon　swore　he　would　not　see　Emma　again；　and　he　reproached
himself　with　not　having　kept　his　word；　considering　all　the　worry
and　lectures　this　woman　might　still　draw　down　upon　him；　without
reckoning　the　jokes　made　by　his　companions　as　they　sat　round　the
stove　in　the　morning。　Besides；　he　was　soon　to　be　head　clerk；　it
was　time　to　settle　down。　So　he　gave　up　his　flute；　exalted
sentiments；　and　poetry；　for　every　bourgeois　in　the　flush　of　his
youth；　were　it　but　for　a　day；　a　moment；　has　believed　himself
capable　of　immense　passions；　of　lofty　enterprises。　The　most
mediocre　libertine　has　dreamed　of　sultanas；　every　notary　bears
within　him　the　debris　of　a　poet。
He　was　bored　now　when　Emma　suddenly　began　to　sob　on　his　breast；
and　his　heart；　like　the　people　who　can　only　stand　a　certain
amount　of　music；　dozed　to　the　sound　of　a　love　whose　delicacies　he
no　longer　noted。
They　knew　one　another　too　well　for　any　of　those　surprises　of
possession　that　increase　its　joys　a　hundred…fold。　She　was　as　sick
of　him　as　he　was　weary　of　her。　Emma　found　again　in　adultery　all
the　platitudes　of　marriage。
But　how　to　get　rid　of　him？　Then；　though　she　might　feel　humiliated
at　the　baseness　of　such　enjoyment；　she　clung　to　it　from　habit　or
from　corruption；　and　each　day　she　hungered　after　them　the　more；
exhausting　all　felicity　in　wishing　for　too　much　of　it。　She
accused　Leon　of　her　baffled　hopes；　as　if　he　had　betrayed　her；　and
she　even　longed　for　some　catastrophe　that　would　bring　about　their
separation；　since　she　had　not　the　courage　to　make　up　her　mind　to
it　herself。
She　none　the　less　went　on　writing　him　love　letters；　in　virtue　of
the　notion　that　a　woman　must　write　to　her　lover。
But　whilst　she　wrote　it　was　another　man　she　saw；　a　phantom
fashioned　out　of　her　most　ardent　memories；　of　her　finest　reading；
her　strongest　lusts；　and　at　last　he　became　so　real；　so　tangible；
that　she　palpitated　wondering；　without；　however；　the　power　to
imagine　him　clearly；　so　lost　was　he；　like　a　god；　beneath　the
abundance　of　his　attributes。　He　dwelt　in　that　azure　land　where
silk　ladders　hang　from　balconies　under　the　breath　of　flowers；　in
the　light　of　the　moon。　She　felt　him　near　her；　he　was　coming；　and
would　carry　her　right　away　in　a　kiss。
Then　she　fell　back　exhausted；　for　these　transports　of　vague　love
wearied　her　more　than　great　debauchery。
She　now　felt　constant　ache　all　over　her。　Often　she　even　received
summonses；　stamped　paper　that　she　barely　looked　at。　She　would
have　liked　not　to　be　alive；　or　to　be　always　asleep。
On　Mid…Lent　she　did　not　return　to　Yonville；　but　in　the　evening
went　to　a　masked　ball。　She　wore　velvet　breeches；　red　stockings；　a
club　wig；　and　three…cornered　hat　cocked　on　one　side。　She　danced
all　night　to　the　wild　tones　of　the　trombones；　people　gathered
round　her；　and　in　the　morning　she　found　herself　on　the　steps　of
the　theatre　together　with　five　or　six　masks；　debardeuses*　and
sailors；　Leon's　comrades；　who　were　talking　about　having　supper。
*　People　dressed　as　longshoremen。

The　neighbouring　cafes　were　full。　They　caught　sight　of　one　on　the
harbour；　a　very　indifferent　restaurant；　whose　proprietor　showed
them　to　a　little　room　on　the　fourth　floor。
The　men　were　whispering　in　a　corner；　no　doubt　consorting　about
expenses。　There　were　a　clerk；　two　medical　students；　and　a
shopmanwhat　company　for　her！　As　to　the　women；　Emma　soon
perceived　from　the　tone　of　their　voices　that　they　must　almost
belong　to　the　lowest　class。　Then　she　was　frightened；　pushed　back
her　chair；　and　cast　down　her　eyes。
The　others　began　to　eat；　she　ate　nothing。　Her　head　was　on　fire；
her　eyes　smarted；　and　her　skin　was　ice…cold。　In　her　head　she
seemed　to　feel　the　floor　of　the　ball…room　rebounding　again
beneath　the　rhythmical　pulsation　of　the　thousands　of　dancing
feet。　And　now　the　smell　of　the　punch；　the　smoke　of　the　cigars；
made　her　giddy。　She　fainted；　and　they　carried　her　to　the　window。
Day　was　breaking；　and　a　great　stain　of　purple　colour　broadened
out　in　the　pale　horizon　over　the　St。　Catherine　hills。　The　livid
river　was　shivering　in　the　wind；　there　was　no　one　on　the　bridges；
the　street　lamps　were　going　out。
She　revived；　and　began　thinking　of　Berthe　asleep　yonder　in　the
servant's　room。　Then　a　cart　filled　with　long　strips　of　iron
passed　by；　and　made　a　deafening　metallic　vibration　against　the
walls　of　the　houses。
She　slipped　away　suddenly；　threw　off　her　costume；　told　Leon　she
must　get　back；　and　at　last　was　alone　at　the　Hotel　de　Boulogne。
Everything；　even　herself；　was　now　unbearable　to　her。　She　wished
that；　taking　wing　like　a　bird；　she　could　fly　somewhere；　far　away
to　regions　of　purity；　and　there　grow　young　again。
She　went　out；　crossed　the　Boulevard；　the　Place　Cauchoise；　and　the
Faubourg；　as　far　as　an　open　street　that　overlooked　some　gardens。
She　walked　rapidly；　the　fresh　air　calming　her；　and；　little　by
little；　the　faces　of　the　crowd；　the　masks；　the　quadrilles；　the
lights；　the　supper；　those　women；　all　disappeared　like　mists
fading　away。　Then；　reaching　the　〃Croix…Rouge；〃　she　threw　herself
on　the　bed　in　her　little　room　on　the　second　floor；　where　there
were　pictures　of　the　〃Tour　de　Nesle。〃　At　four　o'clock　Hivert
awoke　her。
When　she　got　home；　Felicite　showed　her　behind　the　clock　a　grey
paper。　She　read
〃In　virtue　of　the　seizure　in　execution　of　a　judgment。〃
What　judgment？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　evening　before　another
paper　had　been　brought　that　she　had　not　yet　seen；　and　she　was
stunned　by　these　words
〃By　order　of　the　king；　law；　and　justice；　to　Madame　Bovary。〃　Then；
skipping　several　lines；　she　read；　〃Within　twenty…four　hours；
without　fail〃　But　what？　〃To　pay　the　sum　of　eight　thousand
francs。〃　And　there　was　even　at　the　bottom；　〃She　will　be
constrained　thereto　by　every　form　of　law；　and　notably　by　a　writ
of　distraint　on　her　furniture　and　effects。〃
What　was　to　be　done？　In　twenty…four　hourstomorrow。　Lheureux；
she　thought；　wanted　to　frighten　her　again；　for　she　saw　through
all　his　devices；　the　object　of　his　kindnesses。　What　reassured　her
was　the　very　magnitude　of　the　sum。
However；　by　dint　of　buying　and　not　paying；　of　borrowing；　signing
bills；　and　renewing　these　bills　that　grew　at　each　new　falling…in；
she　had　ended　by　preparing　a　capital　for　Monsieur　Lheureux　which
he　was　impatiently　awaiting　for　his　speculations。
She　presented　herself　at　his　place　with　an　offhand　air。
〃You　know　what　has　happened　to　me？　No　doubt　it's　a　joke！〃
〃How　so？〃
He　turned　away　slowly；　and；　folding　his　arms；　said　to　her
〃My　good　lady；　did　you　think　I　should　go　on　to　all　eternity　being
your　purveyor　and　banker；　for　the　love　of　God？　Now　be　just。　I
must　get　back　what　I've　laid　out。　Now　be　just。〃
She　cried　out　against　the　debt。
〃Ah！　so　much　the　worse。　The　court　has　admitted　it。　There's　a
judgment。　It's　been　notified　to　you。　Besides；　it　isn't　my　fault。
It's　Vincart's。〃
〃Could　you　not？〃
〃Oh；　nothing　whatever。〃
〃But　still；　now　talk　it　over。〃
And　she　began　beating　about　the　bush；　she　had　known　nothing　about
it；　it　was　a　surprise。
〃Whose　fault　is　that？〃　said　Lheureux；　bowing　ironically。　〃While
I'm　slaving　like　a　nigger；　you　go　gallivanting　about。〃
〃Ah！　no　lecturing。〃
〃It　never　does　any　harm；〃　he　replied。
She　turned　coward；　she　implored　him；　she　even　pressed　her　pretty
white　and　slender　hand　against　the　shopkeeper's　knee。
〃There；　that'll　do！　Anyone'd　think　you　wanted　to　seduce　me！〃
〃You　are　a　wretch！〃　she　cried。
〃Oh；　oh！　go　it！　go　it！〃
〃I　will　show　you　up。　I　shall　tell　my　husband。〃
〃All　right！　I　too。　I'll　show　your　husband　something。〃
And　Lheureux　drew　from　his　strong　box　the　receipt　for　eighteen
hundred　francs　that　she　had　given　him　when　Vincart　had　discounted
the　bills。
〃Do　you　think；〃　he　added；　〃that　he'll　not　understand　your　little
theft；　the　poor　dear　man？〃
She　collapsed；　more　overcome　than　if　felled　by　the　blow　of　a
pole…axe。　He　was　walking　up　and　down　from　the　window　to　the
bureau；　repeating　all　the　while
〃Ah！　I'll　show　him！　I'll　show　him！〃　Then　he　approached　her；　and
in　a