madame bovary-第36章

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beginning　another　speech。　His　was　not　perhaps　so　florid　as　that
of　the　councillor；　but　it　recommended　itself　by　a　more　direct
style；　that　is　to　say；　by　more　special　knowledge　and　more
elevated　considerations。　Thus　the　praise　of　the　Government　took
up　less　space　in　it；　religion　and　agriculture　more。　He　showed　in
it　the　relations　of　these　two；　and　how　they　had　always
contributed　to　civilisation。　Rodolphe　with　Madame　Bovary　was
talking　dreams；　presentiments；　magnetism。　Going　back　to　the
cradle　of　society；　the　orator　painted　those　fierce　times　when　men
lived　on　acorns　in　the　heart　of　woods。　Then　they　had　left　off　the
skins　of　beasts；　had　put　on　cloth；　tilled　the　soil；　planted　the
vine。　Was　this　a　good；　and　in　this　discovery　was　there　not　more
of　injury　than　of　gain？　Monsieur　Derozerays　set　himself　this
problem。　From　magnetism　little　by　little　Rodolphe　had　come　to
affinities；　and　while　the　president　was　citing　Cincinnatus　and
his　plough；　Diocletian；　planting　his　cabbages；　and　the　Emperors
of　China　inaugurating　the　year　by　the　sowing　of　seed；　the　young
man　was　explaining　to　the　young　woman　that　these　irresistible
attractions　find　their　cause　in　some　previous　state　of　existence。

〃Thus　we；〃　he　said；　〃why　did　we　come　to　know　one　another？　What
chance　willed　it？　It　was　because　across　the　infinite；　like　two
streams　that　flow　but　to　unite；　our　special　bents　of　mind　had
driven　us　towards　each　other。〃

And　he　seized　her　hand；　she　did　not　withdraw　it。

〃For　good　farming　generally！〃　cried　the　president。

〃Just　now；　for　example；　when　I　went　to　your　house。〃

〃To　Monsieur　Bizat　of　Quincampoix。〃

〃Did　I　know　I　should　accompany　you？〃

〃Seventy　francs。〃

〃A　hundred　times　I　wished　to　go；　and　I　followed　youI　remained。〃

〃Manures！〃

〃And　I　shall　remain　to…night；　to…morrow；　all　other　days；　all　my
life！〃

〃To　Monsieur　Caron　of　Argueil；　a　gold　medal！〃

〃For　I　have　never　in　the　society　of　any　other　person　found　so
complete　a　charm。〃

〃To　Monsieur　Bain　of　Givry…Saint…Martin。〃

〃And　I　shall　carry　away　with　me　the　remembrance　of　you。〃

〃For　a　merino　ram！〃

〃But　you　will　forget　me；　I　shall　pass　away　like　a　shadow。〃

〃To　Monsieur　Belot　of　Notre…Dame。〃

〃Oh；　no！　I　shall　be　something　in　your　thought；　in　your　life；
shall　I　not？〃

〃Porcine　race；　prizesequal；　to　Messrs。　Leherisse　and
Cullembourg；　sixty　francs！〃

Rodolphe　was　pressing　her　hand；　and　he　felt　it　all　warm　and
quivering　like　a　captive　dove　that　wants　to　fly　away；　but；
whether　she　was　trying　to　take　it　away　or　whether　she　was
answering　his　pressure；　she　made　a　movement　with　her　fingers。　He
exclaimed

〃Oh；　I　thank　you！　You　do　not　repulse　me！　You　are　good！　You
understand　that　I　am　yours！　Let　me　look　at　you；　let　me
contemplate　you！〃

A　gust　of　wind　that　blew　in　at　the　window　ruffled　the　cloth　on
the　table；　and　in　the　square　below　all　the　great　caps　of　the
peasant　women　were　uplifted　by　it　like　the　wings　of　white
butterflies　fluttering。

〃Use　of　oil…cakes；〃　continued　the　president。　He　was　hurrying　on：
〃Flemish　manure…flax…growing…drainage…long　leases…domestic
service。〃

Rodolphe　was　no　longer　speaking。　They　looked　at　one　another。　A
supreme　desire　made　their　dry　lips　tremble；　and　wearily；　without
an　effort；　their　fingers　intertwined。

〃Catherine　Nicaise　Elizabeth　Leroux；　of　Sassetot…la…Guerriere；
for　fifty…four　years　of　service　at　the　same　farm；　a　silver
medalvalue；　twenty…five　francs！〃

〃Where　is　Catherine　Leroux？〃　repeated　the　councillor。

She　did　not　present　herself；　and　one　could　hear　voices
whispering

〃Go　up！〃

〃Don't　be　afraid！〃

〃Oh；　how　stupid　she　is！〃

〃Well；　is　she　there？〃　cried　Tuvache。

〃Yes；　here　she　is。〃

〃Then　let　her　come　up！〃

Then　there　came　forward　on　the　platform　a　little　old　woman　with
timid　bearing；　who　seemed　to　shrink　within　her　poor　clothes。　On
her　feet　she　wore　heavy　wooden　clogs；　and　from　her　hips　hung　a
large　blue　apron。　Her　pale　face　framed　in　a　borderless　cap　was
more　wrinkled　than　a　withered　russet　apple。　And　from　the　sleeves
of　her　red　jacket　looked　out　two　large　hands　with　knotty　joints；
the　dust　of　barns；　the　potash　of　washing　the　grease　of　wools　had
so　encrusted；　roughened；　hardened　these　that　they　seemed　dirty；
although　they　had　been　rinsed　in　clear　water；　and　by　dint　of　long
service　they　remained　half　open；　as　if　to　bear　humble　witness　for
themselves　of　so　much　suffering　endured。　Something　of　monastic
rigidity　dignified　her　face。　Nothing　of　sadness　or　of　emotion
weakened　that　pale　look。　In　her　constant　living　with　animals　she
had　caught　their　dumbness　and　their　calm。　It　was　the　first　time
that　she　found　herself　in　the　midst　of　so　large　a　company；　and
inwardly　scared　by　the　flags；　the　drums；　the　gentlemen　in
frock…coats；　and　the　order　of　the　councillor；　she　stood
motionless；　not　knowing　whether　to　advance　or　run　away；　nor　why
the　crowd　was　pushing　her　and　the　jury　were　smiling　at　her。

Thus　stood　before　these　radiant　bourgeois　this　half…century　of
servitude。

〃Approach；　venerable　Catherine　Nicaise　Elizabeth　Leroux！〃　said
the　councillor；　who　had　taken　the　list　of　prize…winners　from　the
president；　and；　looking　at　the　piece　of　paper　and　the　old　woman
by　turns；　he　repeated　in　a　fatherly　tone〃Approach！　approach！〃

〃Are　you　deaf？〃　said　Tuvache；　fidgeting　in　his　armchair；　and　he
began　shouting　in　her　ear；　〃Fifty…four　years　of　service。　A　silver
medal！　Twenty…five　francs！　For　you！〃

Then；　when　she　had　her　medal；　she　looked　at　it；　and　a　smile　of
beatitude　spread　over　her　face；　and　as　she　walked　away　they　could
hear　her　muttering　〃I'll　give　it　to　our　cure　up　home；　to　say　some
masses　for　me！〃

〃What　fanaticism！〃　exclaimed　the　chemist；　leaning　across　to　the
notary。

The　meeting　was　over；　the　crowd　dispersed；　and　now　that　the
speeches　had　been　read；　each　one　fell　back　into　his　place　again；
and　everything　into　the　old　grooves；　the　masters　bullied　the
servants；　and　these　struck　the　animals；　indolent　victors；　going
back　to　the　stalls；　a　green…crown　on　their　horns。

The　National　Guards；　however；　had　gone　up　to　the　first　floor　of
the　town　hall　with　buns　spitted　on　their　bayonets；　and　the
drummer　of　the　battalion　carried　a　basket　with　bottles。　Madame
Bovary　took　Rodolphe's　arm；　he　saw　her　home；　they　separated　at
her　door；　then　he　walked　about　alone　in　the　meadow　while　he
waited　for　the　time　of　the　banquet。

The　feast　was　long；　noisy；　ill　served；　the　guests　were　so　crowded
that　they　could　hardly　move　their　elbows；　and　the　narrow　planks
used　for　forms　almost　broke　down　under　their　weight。　They　ate
hugely。　Each　one　stuffed　himself　on　his　own　account。　Sweat　stood
on　every　brow；　and　a　whitish　steam；　like　the　vapour　of　a　stream
on　an　autumn　morning；　floated　above　the　table　between　the　hanging
lamps。　Rodolphe；　leaning　against　the　calico　of　the　tent　was
thinking　so　earnestly　of　Emma　that　he　heard　nothing。　Behind　him
on　the　grass　the　servants　were　piling　up　the　dirty　plates；　his
neighbours　were　talking；　he　did　not　answer　them；　they　filled　his
glass；　and　there　was　silence　in　his　thoughts　in　spite　of　the
growing　noise。　He　was　dreaming　of　what　she　had　said；　of　the　line
of　her　lips；　her　face；　as　in　a　magic　mirror；　shone　on　the　plates
of　the　shakos；　the　folds　of　her　gown　fell　along　the　walls；　and
days　of　love　unrolled　to　all　infinity　before　him　in　the　vistas　of
the　future。

He　saw　her　again　in　the　evening　during　the　fireworks；　but　she　was
with　her　husband；　Madame　Homais；　and　the　druggist；　who　was
worrying　about　the　danger　of　stray　rockets；　and　every　moment　he
left　the　company　to　go　and　give　some　advice　to　Binet。

The　pyrotechnic　pieces　sent　to　Monsieur　Tuvache　had；　through　an
excess　of　caution；　been　shut　up　in　his　cellar；　and　so　the　damp
powder　would　not　light；　and　the　principal　set　piece；　that　was　to
represent　a　dragon　biting　his　tail；　failed　completely。　Now　and
then　a　meagre　Roman…candle　went　off；　then　the　gaping　crowd　sent
up　a　shout　that　mingled　with　the　cry　of　the　women；　whose　waists
were　being　squeezed　in　the　darkness。　Emma　silently　nestled
against　Charles's　shoulder；　then；　raising　her　chin；　she　watched
the　luminous　rays　of　the　rockets　against　the　dark　sky。　Rodolphe
gazed　at　her　in　the　light　of　the　burning　lanterns。