madame bovary-第22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！


every　wind；　there　is　always　some　desire　that　draws　her；　some
conventionality　that　restrains。

She　was　confined　on　a　Sunday　at　about　six　o'clock；　as　the　sun　was
rising。

〃It　is　a　girl！〃　said　Charles。

She　turned　her　head　away　and　fainted。

Madame　Homais；　as　well　as　Madame　Lefrancois　of　the　Lion　d'Or；
almost　immediately　came　running　in　to　embrace　her。　The　chemist；
as　man　of　discretion；　only　offered　a　few　provincial　felicitations
through　the　half…opened　door。　He　wished　to　see　the　child　and
thought　it　well　made。

Whilst　she　was　getting　well　she　occupied　herself　much　in　seeking
a　name　for　her　daughter。　First　she　went　over　all　those　that　have
Italian　endings；　such　as　Clara；　Louisa；　Amanda；　Atala；　she　liked
Galsuinde　pretty　well；　and　Yseult　or　Leocadie　still　better。

Charles　wanted　the　child　to　be　called　after　her　mother；　Emma
opposed　this。　They　ran　over　the　calendar　from　end　to　end；　and
then　consulted　outsiders。

〃Monsieur　Leon；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃with　whom　I　was　talking　about
it　the　other　day；　wonders　you　do　not　chose　Madeleine。　It　is　very
much　in　fashion　just　now。〃

But　Madame　Bovary；　senior；　cried　out　loudly　against　this　name　of
a　sinner。　As　to　Monsieur　Homais；　he　had　a　preference　for　all
those　that　recalled　some　great　man；　an　illustrious　fact；　or　a
generous　idea；　and　it　was　on　this　system　that　he　had　baptized　his
four　children。　Thus　Napoleon　represented　glory　and　Franklin
liberty；　Irma　was　perhaps　a　concession　to　romanticism；　but
Athalie　was　a　homage　to　the　greatest　masterpiece　of　the　French
stage。　For　his　philosophical　convictions　did　not　interfere　with
his　artistic　tastes；　in　him　the　thinker　did　not　stifle　the　man　of
sentiment；　he　could　make　distinctions；　make　allowances　for
imagination　and　fanaticism。　In　this　tragedy；　for　example；　he
found　fault　with　the　ideas；　but　admired　the　style；　he　detested
the　conception；　but　applauded　all　the　details；　and　loathed　the
characters　while　he　grew　enthusiastic　over　their　dialogue。　When
he　read　the　fine　passages　he　was　transported；　but　when　he　thought
that　mummers　would　get　something　out　of　them　for　their　show；　he
was　disconsolate；　and　in　this　confusion　of　sentiments　in　which　he
was　involved　he　would　have　like　at　once　to　crown　Racine　with　both
his　hands　and　discuss　with　him　for　a　good　quarter　of　an　hour。

At　last　Emma　remembered　that　at　the　chateau　of　Vaubyessard　she
had　heard　the　Marchioness　call　a　young　lady　Berthe；　from　that
moment　this　name　was　chosen；　and　as　old　Rouault　could　not　come；
Monsieur　Homais　was　requested　to　stand　godfather。　His　gifts　were
all　products　from　his　establishment；　to　wit：　six　boxes　of
jujubes；　a　whole　jar　of　racahout；　three　cakes　of　marshmallow
paste；　and　six　sticks　of　sugar…candy　into　the　bargain　that　he　had
come　across　in　a　cupboard。　On　the　evening　of　the　ceremony　there
was　a　grand　dinner；　the　cure　was　present；　there　was　much
excitement。　Monsieur　Homais　towards　liqueur…time　began　singing
〃Le　Dieu　des　bonnes　gens。〃　Monsieur　Leon　sang　a　barcarolle；　and
Madame　Bovary；　senior；　who　was　godmother；　a　romance　of　the　time
of　the　Empire；　finally；　M。　Bovary；　senior；　insisted　on　having　the
child　brought　down；　and　began　baptizing　it　with　a　glass　of
champagne　that　he　poured　over　its　head。　This　mockery　of　the　first
of　the　sacraments　made　the　Abbe　Bournisien　angry；　old　Bovary
replied　by　a　quotation　from　〃La　Guerre　des　Dieux〃；　the　cure
wanted　to　leave；　the　ladies　implored；　Homais　interfered；　and　they
succeeded　in　making　the　priest　sit　down　again；　and　he　quietly
went　on　with　the　half…finished　coffee　in　his　saucer。

Monsieur　Bovary；　senior；　stayed　at　Yonville　a　month；　dazzling　the
native　by　a　superb　policeman's　cap　with　silver　tassels　that　he
wore　in　the　morning　when　he　smoked　his　pipe　in　the　square。　Being
also　in　the　habit　of　drinking　a　good　deal　of　brandy；　he　often
sent　the　servant　to　the　Lion　d'Or　to　buy　him　a　bottle；　which　was
put　down　to　his　son's　account；　and　to　perfume　his　handkerchiefs
he　used　up　his　daughter…in…law's　whole　supply　of　eau…de…cologne。

The　latter　did　not　at　all　dislike　his　company。　He　had　knocked
about　the　world；　he　talked　about　Berlin；　Vienna；　and　Strasbourg；
of　his　soldier　times；　of　the　mistresses　he　had　had；　the　grand
luncheons　of　which　he　had　partaken；　then　he　was　amiable；　and
sometimes　even；　either　on　the　stairs；　or　in　the　garden；　would
seize　hold　of　her　waist；　crying；　〃Charles；　look　out　for
yourself。〃

Then　Madame　Bovary；　senior；　became　alarmed　for　her　son's
happiness；　and　fearing　that　her　husband　might　in　the　long…run
have　an　immoral　influence　upon　the　ideas　of　the　young　woman；　took
care　to　hurry　their　departure。　Perhaps　she　had　more　serious
reasons　for　uneasiness。　Monsieur　Bovary　was　not　the　man　to
respect　anything。

One　day　Emma　was　suddenly　seized　with　the　desire　to　see　her
little　girl；　who　had　been　put　to　nurse　with　the　carpenter's　wife；
and；　without　looking　at　the　calendar　to　see　whether　the　six　weeks
of　the　Virgin　were　yet　passed；　she　set　out　for　the　Rollets'
house；　situated　at　the　extreme　end　of　the　village；　between　the
highroad　and　the　fields。

It　was　mid…day；　the　shutters　of　the　houses　were　closed　and　the
slate　roofs　that　glittered　beneath　the　fierce　light　of　the　blue
sky　seemed　to　strike　sparks　from　the　crest　of　the　gables。　A　heavy
wind　was　blowing；　Emma　felt　weak　as　she　walked；　the　stones　of　the
pavement　hurt　her；　she　was　doubtful　whether　she　would　not　go　home
again；　or　go　in　somewhere　to　rest。

At　this　moment　Monsieur　Leon　came　out　from　a　neighbouring　door
with　a　bundle　of　papers　under　his　arm。　He　came　to　greet　her；　and
stood　in　the　shade　in　front　of　the　Lheureux's　shop　under　the
projecting　grey　awning。

Madame　Bovary　said　she　was　going　to　see　her　baby；　but　that　she
was　beginning　to　grow　tired。

〃If〃　said　Leon；　not　daring　to　go　on。

〃Have　you　any　business　to　attend　to？〃　she　asked。

And　on　the　clerk's　answer；　she　begged　him　to　accompany　her。　That
same　evening　this　was　known　in　Yonville；　and　Madame　Tuvache；　the
mayor's　wife；　declared　in　the　presence　of　her　servant　that
〃Madame　Bovary　was　compromising　herself。〃

To　get　to　the　nurse's　it　was　necessary　to　turn　to　the　left　on
leaving　the　street；　as　if　making　for　the　cemetery；　and　to　follow
between　little　houses　and　yards　a　small　path　bordered　with　privet
hedges。　They　were　in　bloom；　and　so　were　the　speedwells；
eglantines；　thistles；　and　the　sweetbriar　that　sprang　up　from　the
thickets。　Through　openings　in　the　hedges　one　could　see　into　the
huts；　some　pigs　on　a　dung…heap；　or　tethered　cows　rubbing　their
horns　against　the　trunk　of　trees。　The　two；　side　by　side　walked
slowly；　she　leaning　upon　him；　and　he　restraining　his　pace；　which
he　regulated　by　hers；　in　front　of　them　a　swarm　of　midges
fluttered；　buzzing　in　the　warm　air。

The　recognized　the　house　by　an　old　walnut…tree　which　shaded　it。

Low　and　covered　with　brown　tiles；　there　hung　outside　it；　beneath
the　dormer…window　of　the　garret；　a　string　of　onions。　Faggots
upright　against　a　thorn　fence　surrounded　a　bed　of　lettuce；　a　few
square　feet　of　lavender；　and　sweet　peas　stung　on　sticks。　Dirty
water　was　running　here　and　there　on　the　grass；　and　all　round　were
several　indefinite　rags；　knitted　stockings；　a　red　calico　jacket；
and　a　large　sheet　of　coarse　linen　spread　over　the　hedge。　At　the
noise　of　the　gate　the　nurse　appeared　with　a　baby　she　was　suckling
on　one　arm。　With　her　other　hand　she　was　pulling　along　a　poor　puny
little　fellow；　his　face　covered　with　scrofula；　the　son　of　a　Rouen
hosier；　whom　his　parents；　too　taken　up　with　their　business；　left
in　the　country。

〃Go　in；〃　she　said；　〃your　little　one　is　there　asleep。〃

The　room　on　the　ground…floor；　the　only　one　in　the　dwelling；　had
at　its　farther　end；　against　the　wall；　a　large　bed　without
curtains；　while　a　kneading…trough　took　up　the　side　by　the　window；
one　pane　of　which　was　mended　with　a　piece　of　blue　paper。　In　the
corner　behind　the　door；　shining　hob…nailed　shoes　stood　in　a　row
under　the　slab　of　the　washstand；　near　a　bottle　of　oil　with　a
feather　stuck　in　its　mouth；　a　Matthieu　Laensberg　lay　on　the　dusty
mantelpiece　amid　gunflints；　candle…ends；　and　bits　of　amadou。

Finally；　the　last　luxury　in　the　apartment　was　a　〃Fame〃　blowing
her　trumpets；　a　picture　cut　out；　no　doub