madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第75章

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temperament　keep　away　from　celebrities；　so　he　begged　Monsieur
Lariviere　to　do　him　the　signal　honour　of　accepting　some
breakfast。
He　sent　quickly　to　the　〃Lion　d'Or〃　for　some　pigeons；　to　the
butcher's　for　all　the　cutlets　that　were　to　be　had；　to　Tuvache　for
cream；　and　to　Lestiboudois　for　eggs；　and　the　druggist　himself
aided　in　the　preparations；　while　Madame　Homais　was　saying　as　she
pulled　together　the　strings　of　her　jacket
〃You　must　excuse　us；　sir；　for　in　this　poor　place；　when　one　hasn't
been　told　the　night　before〃
〃Wine　glasses！〃　whispered　Homais。
〃If　only　we　were　in　town；　we　could　fall　back　upon　stuffed
trotters。〃
〃Be　quiet！　Sit　down；　doctor！〃
He　thought　fit；　after　the　first　few　mouthfuls；　to　give　some
details　as　to　the　catastrophe。
〃We　first　had　a　feeling　of　siccity　in　the　pharynx；　then
intolerable　pains　at　the　epigastrium；　super　purgation；　coma。〃
〃But　how　did　she　poison　herself？〃
〃I　don't　know；　doctor；　and　I　don't　even　know　where　she　can　have
procured　the　arsenious　acid。〃
Justin；　who　was　just　bringing　in　a　pile　of　plates；　began　to
tremble。
〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　the　chemist。
At　this　question　the　young　man　dropped　the　whole　lot　on　the
ground　with　a　crash。
〃Imbecile！〃　cried　Homais。　〃awkward　lout！　block…head！　confounded
ass！〃
But　suddenly　controlling　himself
〃I　wished；　doctor；　to　make　an　analysis；　and　primo　I　delicately
introduced　a　tube〃
〃You　would　have　done　better；〃　said　the　physician；　〃to　introduce
your　fingers　into　her　throat。〃
His　colleague　was　silent；　having　just　before　privately　received　a
severe　lecture　about　his　emetic；　so　that　this　good　Canivet；　so
arrogant　and　so　verbose　at　the　time　of　the　clubfoot；　was　to…day
very　modest。　He　smiled　without　ceasing　in　an　approving　manner。
Homais　dilated　in　Amphytrionic　pride；　and　the　affecting　thought
of　Bovary　vaguely　contributed　to　his　pleasure　by　a　kind　of
egotistic　reflex　upon　himself。　Then　the　presence　of　the　doctor
transported　him。　He　displayed　his　erudition；　cited　pell…mell
cantharides；　upas；　the　manchineel；　vipers。
〃I　have　even　read　that　various　persons　have　found　themselves
under　toxicological　symptoms；　and；　as　it　were；　thunderstricken　by
black…pudding　that　had　been　subjected　to　a　too　vehement
fumigation。　At　least；　this　was　stated　in　a　very　fine　report　drawn
up　by　one　of　our　pharmaceutical　chiefs；　one　of　our　masters；　the
illustrious　Cadet　de　Gassicourt！〃
Madame　Homais　reappeared；　carrying　one　of　those　shaky　machines
that　are　heated　with　spirits　of　wine；　for　Homais　liked　to　make
his　coffee　at　table；　having；　moreover；　torrefied　it；　pulverised
it；　and　mixed　it　himself。
〃Saccharum；　doctor？〃　said　he；　offering　the　sugar。
Then　he　had　all　his　children　brought　down；　anxious　to　have　the
physician's　opinion　on　their　constitutions。
At　last　Monsieur　Lariviere　was　about　to　leave；　when　Madame　Homais
asked　for　a　consultation　about　her　husband。　He　was　making　his
blood　too　thick　by　going　to　sleep　every　evening　after　dinner。
〃Oh；　it　isn't　his　blood　that's　too　thick；〃　said　the　physician。
And；　smiling　a　little　at　his　unnoticed　joke；　the　doctor　opened
the　door。　But　the　chemist's　shop　was　full　of　people；　he　had　the
greatest　difficulty　in　getting　rid　of　Monsieur　Tuvache；　who
feared　his　spouse　would　get　inflammation　of　the　lungs；　because
she　was　in　the　habit　of　spitting　on　the　ashes；　then　of　Monsieur
Binet；　who　sometimes　experienced　sudden　attacks　of　great　hunger；
and　of　Madame　Caron；　who　suffered　from　tinglings；　of　Lheureux；
who　had　vertigo；　of　Lestiboudois；　who　had　rheumatism；　and　of
Madame　Lefrancois；　who　had　heartburn。　At　last　the　three　horses
started；　and　it　was　the　general　opinion　that　he　had　not　shown
himself　at　all　obliging。
Public　attention　was　distracted　by　the　appearance　of　Monsieur
Bournisien；　who　was　going　across　the　market　with　the　holy　oil。
Homais；　as　was　due　to　his　principles；　compared　priests　to　ravens
attracted　by　the　odour　of　death。　The　sight　of　an　ecclesiastic　was
personally　disagreeable　to　him；　for　the　cassock　made　him　think　of
the　shroud；　and　he　detested　the　one　from　some　fear　of　the　other。
Nevertheless；　not　shrinking　from　what　he　called　his　mission；　he
returned　to　Bovary's　in　company　with　Canivet　whom　Monsieur
Lariviere；　before　leaving；　had　strongly　urged　to　make　this　visit；
and　he　would；　but　for　his　wife's　objections；　have　taken　his　two
sons　with　him；　in　order　to　accustom　them　to　great　occasions；　that
this　might　be　a　lesson；　an　example；　a　solemn　picture；　that　should
remain　in　their　heads　later　on。
The　room　when　they　went　in　was　full　of　mournful　solemnity。　On　the
work…table；　covered　over　with　a　white　cloth；　there　were　five　or
six　small　balls　of　cotton　in　a　silver　dish；　near　a　large　crucifix
between　two　lighted　candles。
Emma；　her　chin　sunken　upon　her　breast；　had　her　eyes　inordinately
wide　open；　and　her　poor　hands　wandered　over　the　sheets　with　that
hideous　and　soft　movement　of　the　dying；　that　seems　as　if　they
wanted　already　to　cover　themselves　with　the　shroud。　Pale　as　a
statue　and　with　eyes　red　as　fire；　Charles；　not　weeping；　stood
opposite　her　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　while　the　priest；　bending
one　knee；　was　muttering　words　in　a　low　voice。
She　turned　her　face　slowly；　and　seemed　filled　with　joy　on　seeing
suddenly　the　violet　stole；　no　doubt　finding　again；　in　the　midst
of　a　temporary　lull　in　her　pain；　the　lost　voluptuousness　of　her
first　mystical　transports；　with　the　visions　of　eternal　beatitude
that　were　beginning。
The　priest　rose　to　take　the　crucifix；　then　she　stretched　forward
her　neck　as　one　who　is　athirst；　and　glueing　her　lips　to　the　body
of　the　Man…God；　she　pressed　upon　it　with　all　her　expiring
strength　the　fullest　kiss　of　love　that　she　had　ever　given。　Then
he　recited　the　Misereatur　and　the　Indulgentiam；　dipped　his　right
thumb　in　the　oil；　and　began　to　give　extreme　unction。　First　upon
the　eyes；　that　had　so　coveted　all　worldly　pomp；　then　upon　the
nostrils；　that　had　been　greedy　of　the　warm　breeze　and　amorous
odours；　then　upon　the　mouth；　that　had　uttered　lies；　that　had
curled　with　pride　and　cried　out　in　lewdness；　then　upon　the　hands
that　had　delighted　in　sensual　touches；　and　finally　upon　the　soles
of　the　feet；　so　swift　of　yore；　when　she　was　running　to　satisfy
her　desires；　and　that　would　now　walk　no　more。
The　cure　wiped　his　fingers；　threw　the　bit　of　cotton　dipped　in　oil
into　the　fire；　and　came　and　sat　down　by　the　dying　woman；　to　tell
her　that　she　must　now　blend　her　sufferings　with　those　of　Jesus
Christ　and　abandon　herself　to　the　divine　mercy。
Finishing　his　exhortations；　he　tried　to　place　in　her　hand　a
blessed　candle；　symbol　of　the　celestial　glory　with　which　she　was
soon　to　be　surrounded。　Emma；　too　weak；　could　not　close　her
fingers；　and　the　taper；　but　for　Monsieur　Bournisien　would　have
fallen　to　the　ground。
However；　she　was　not　quite　so　pale；　and　her　face　had　an
expression　of　serenity　as　if　the　sacrament　had　cured　her。
The　priest　did　not　fail　to　point　this　out；　he　even　explained　to
Bovary　that　the　Lord　sometimes　prolonged　the　life　of　persons　when
he　thought　it　meet　for　their　salvation；　and　Charles　remembered
the　day　when；　so　near　death；　she　had　received　the　communion。
Perhaps　there　was　no　need　to　despair；　he　thought。
In　fact；　she　looked　around　her　slowly；　as　one　awakening　from　a
dream；　then　in　a　distinct　voice　she　asked　for　her　looking…glass；
and　remained　some　time　bending　over　it；　until　the　big　tears　fell
from　her　eyes。　Then　she　turned　away　her　head　with　a　sigh　and　fell
back　upon　the　pillows。
Her　chest　soon　began　panting　rapidly；　the　whole　of　her　tongue
protruded　from　her　mouth；　her　eyes；　as　they　rolled；　grew　paler；
like　the　two　globes　of　a　lamp　that　is　going　out；　so　that　one
might　have　thought　her　already　dead　but　for　the　fearful　labouring
of　her　ribs；　shaken　by　violent　breathing；　as　if　the　soul　were
struggling　to　free　itself。　Felicite　knelt　down　before　the
crucifix；　and　the　druggist　himself　slightly　bent　his　knees；　while
Monsieur　Canivet　looked　out　vaguely　at　the　Place。　Bournisien　had
again　begun　to　pray；　his　face　bowed　against　the　edge　of　the　bed；
his　long　black　cassock　trailing　behind　him　in　the　room。　Charles
was　on　the　other　side；　on　his　knees；　his　arms　outstretched
towards　Emma。　He　had　taken　her　hands　and　pressed　them；　shuddering
at　every　b