madame bovary-第32章

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on。　She'll　be　there。　I　shall　see　her。　We'll　begin　boldly；　for
that's　the　surest　way。〃



Chapter　Eight

At　last　it　came；　the　famous　agricultural　show。　On　the　morning　of
the　solemnity　all　the　inhabitants　at　their　doors　were　chatting
over　the　preparations。　The　pediment　of　the　town　hall　had　been
hung　with　garlands　of　ivy；　a　tent　had　been　erected　in　a　meadow
for　the　banquet；　and　in　the　middle　of　the　Place；　in　front　of　the
church；　a　kind　of　bombarde　was　to　announce　the　arrival　of　the
prefect　and　the　names　of　the　successful　farmers　who　had　obtained
prizes。　The　National　Guard　of　Buchy　（there　was　none　at　Yonville）
had　come　to　join　the　corps　of　firemen；　of　whom　Binet　was　captain。
On　that　day　he　wore　a　collar　even　higher　than　usual；　and；　tightly
buttoned　in　his　tunic；　his　figure　was　so　stiff　and　motionless
that　the　whole　vital　portion　of　his　person　seemed　to　have
descended　into　his　legs；　which　rose　in　a　cadence　of　set　steps
with　a　single　movement。　As　there　was　some　rivalry　between　the
tax…collector　and　the　colonel；　both；　to　show　off　their　talents；
drilled　their　men　separately。　One　saw　the　red　epaulettes　and　the
black　breastplates　pass　and　re…pass　alternately；　there　was　no　end
to　it；　and　it　constantly　began　again。　There　had　never　been　such　a
display　of　pomp。　Several　citizens　had　scoured　their　houses　the
evening　before；　tri…coloured　flags　hung　from　half…open　windows；
all　the　public…houses　were　full；　and　in　the　lovely　weather　the
starched　caps；　the　golden　crosses；　and　the　coloured　neckerchiefs
seemed　whiter　than　snow；　shone　in　the　sun；　and　relieved　with　the
motley　colours　the　sombre　monotony　of　the　frock…coats　and　blue
smocks。　The　neighbouring　farmers'　wives；　when　they　got　off　their
horses；　pulled　out　the　long　pins　that　fastened　around　them　their
dresses；　turned　up　for　fear　of　mud；　and　the　husbands；　for　their
part；　in　order　to　save　their　hats；　kept　their　handkerchiefs
around　them；　holding　one　corner　between　their　teeth。

The　crowd　came　into　the　main　street　from　both　ends　of　the
village。　People　poured　in　from　the　lanes；　the　alleys；　the　houses；
and　from　time　to　time　one　heard　knockers　banging　against　doors
closing　behind　women　with　their　gloves；　who　were　going　out　to　see
the　fete。　What　was　most　admired　were　two　long　lamp…stands　covered
with　lanterns；　that　flanked　a　platform　on　which　the　authorities
were　to　sit。　Besides　this　there　were　against　the　four　columns　of
the　town　hall　four　kinds　of　poles；　each　bearing　a　small　standard
of　greenish　cloth；　embellished　with　inscriptions　in　gold　letters。

On　one　was　written；　〃To　Commerce〃；　on　the　other；　〃To
Agriculture〃；　on　the　third；　〃To　Industry〃；　and　on　the　fourth；　〃To
the　Fine　Arts。〃

But　the　jubilation　that　brightened　all　faces　seemed　to　darken
that　of　Madame　Lefrancois；　the　innkeeper。　Standing　on　her
kitchen…steps　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃What　rubbish！　what
rubbish！　With　their　canvas　booth！　Do　they　think　the　prefect　will
be　glad　to　dine　down　there　under　a　tent　like　a　gipsy？　They　call
all　this　fussing　doing　good　to　the　place！　Then　it　wasn't　worth
while　sending　to　Neufchatel　for　the　keeper　of　a　cookshop！　And　for
whom？　For　cowherds！　tatterdemalions！〃

The　druggist　was　passing。　He　had　on　a　frock…coat；　nankeen
trousers；　beaver　shoes；　and；　for　a　wonder；　a　hat　with　a　low
crown。

〃Your　servant！　Excuse　me；　I　am　in　a　hurry。〃　And　as　the　fat　widow
asked　where　he　was　going

〃It　seems　odd　to　you；　doesn't　it；　I　who　am　always　more　cooped　up
in　my　laboratory　than　the　man's　rat　in　his　cheese。〃

〃What　cheese？〃　asked　the　landlady。

〃Oh；　nothing！　nothing！〃　Homais　continued。　〃I　merely　wished　to
convey　to　you；　Madame　Lefrancois；　that　I　usually　live　at　home
like　a　recluse。　To…day；　however；　considering　the　circumstances；
it　is　necessary〃

〃Oh；　you're　going　down　there！〃　she　said　contemptuously。

〃Yes；　I　am　going；〃　replied　the　druggist；　astonished。　〃Am　I　not　a
member　of　the　consulting　commission？〃

Mere　Lefrancois　looked　at　him　for　a　few　moments；　and　ended　by
saying　with　a　smile

〃That's　another　pair　of　shoes！　But　what　does　agriculture　matter
to　you？　Do　you　understand　anything　about　it？〃

〃Certainly　I　understand　it；　since　I　am　a　druggistthat　is　to
say；　a　chemist。　And　the　object　of　chemistry；　Madame　Lefrancois；
being　the　knowledge　of　the　reciprocal　and　molecular　action　of　all
natural　bodies；　it　follows　that　agriculture　is　comprised　within
its　domain。　And；　in　fact；　the　composition　of　the　manure；　the
fermentation　of　liquids；　the　analyses　of　gases；　and　the　influence
of　miasmata；　what；　I　ask　you；　is　all　this；　if　it　isn't　chemistry；
pure　and　simple？〃

The　landlady　did　not　answer。　Homais　went　on

〃Do　you　think　that　to　be　an　agriculturist　it　is　necessary　to　have
tilled　the　earth　or　fattened　fowls　oneself？　It　is　necessary
rather　to　know　the　composition　of　the　substances　in　questionthe
geological　strata；　the　atmospheric　actions；　the　quality　of　the
soil；　the　minerals；　the　waters；　the　density　of　the　different
bodies；　their　capillarity；　and　what　not。　And　one　must　be　master
of　all　the　principles　of　hygiene　in　order　to　direct；　criticize
the　construction　of　buildings；　the　feeding　of　animals；　the　diet
of　domestics。　And；　moreover；　Madame　Lefrancois；　one　must　know
botany；　be　able　to　distinguish　between　plants；　you　understand；
which　are　the　wholesome　and　those　that　are　deleterious；　which　are
unproductive　and　which　nutritive；　if　it　is　well　to　pull　them　up
here　and　re…sow　them　there；　to　propagate　some；　destroy　others；　in
brief；　one　must　keep　pace　with　science　by　means　of　pamphlets　and
public　papers；　be　always　on　the　alert　to　find　out　improvements。〃

The　landlady　never　took　her　eyes　off　the　〃Cafe　Francois〃　and　the
chemist　went　on

〃Would　to　God　our　agriculturists　were　chemists；　or　that　at　least
they　would　pay　more　attention　to　the　counsels　of　science。　Thus
lately　I　myself　wrote　a　considerable　tract；　a　memoir　of　over
seventy…two　pages；　entitled；　'Cider；　its　Manufacture　and　its
Effects；　together　with　some　New　Reflections　on　the　Subject；'　that
I　sent　to　the　Agricultural　Society　of　Rouen；　and　which　even
procured　me　the　honour　of　being　received　among　its
membersSection；　Agriculture；　Class；　Pomological。

Well；　if　my　work　had　been　given　to　the　public〃　But　the　druggist
stopped；　Madame　Lefrancois　seemed　so　preoccupied。

〃Just　look　at　them！〃　she　said。　〃It's　past　comprehension！　Such　a
cookshop　as　that！〃　And　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　that
stretched　out　over　her　breast　the　stitches　of　her　knitted　bodice；
she　pointed　with　both　hands　at　her　rival's　inn；　whence　songs　were
heard　issuing。　〃Well；　it　won't　last　long；〃　she　added。　〃It'll　be
over　before　a　week。〃

Homais　drew　back　with　stupefaction。　She　came　down　three　steps　and
whispered　in　his　ear

〃What！　you　didn't　know　it？　There　is　to　be　an　execution　in　next
week。　It's　Lheureux　who　is　selling　him　out；　he　has　killed　him
with　bills。〃

〃What　a　terrible　catastrophe！〃　cried　the　druggist；　who　always
found　expressions　in　harmony　with　all　imaginable　circumstances。

Then　the　landlady　began　telling　him　the　story　that　she　had　heard
from　Theodore；　Monsieur　Guillaumin's　servant；　and　although　she
detested　Tellier；　she　blamed　Lheureux。　He　was　〃a　wheedler；　a
sneak。〃

〃There！〃　she　said。　〃Look　at　him！　he　is　in　the　market；　he　is
bowing　to　Madame　Bovary；　who's　got　on　a　green　bonnet。　Why；　she's
taking　Monsieur　Boulanger's　arm。〃

〃Madame　Bovary！〃　exclaimed　Homais。　〃I　must　go　at　once　and　pay　her
my　respects。　Perhaps　she'll　be　very　glad　to　have　a　seat　in　the
enclosure　under　the　peristyle。〃　And；　without　heeding　Madame
Lefrancois；　who　was　calling　him　back　to　tell　him　more　about　it；
the　druggist　walked　off　rapidly　with　a　smile　on　his　lips；　with
straight　knees；　bowing　copiously　to　right　and　left；　and　taking　up
much　room　with　the　large　tails　of　his　frock…coat　that　fluttered
behind　him　in　the　wind。

Rodolphe；　having　caught　sight　of　him　from　afar；　hurried　on；　but
Madame　Bovary　lost　her　breath；　so　he　walked　more　slowly；　and；
smiling　at　her；　said　in　a　rough　tone

〃It's　only　to　get　away　from　that　fat　fellow；　you　know；　the
druggist。〃　She　pressed　his　elbow。

〃What's　the　meaning　of　that？〃　he　asked　himself。　And　he　looked　at
her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes。

Her　profile　was　so　calm　tha