madame bovary-第47章

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He　pictured　her　to　himself　working　in　the　evening　by　their　side
beneath　the　light　of　the　lamp；　she　would　embroider　him　slippers；
she　would　look　after　the　house；　she　would　fill　all　the　home　with
her　charm　and　her　gaiety。　At　last；　they　would　think　of　her
marriage；　they　would　find　her　some　good　young　fellow　with　a
steady　business；　he　would　make　her　happy；　this　would　last　for
ever。

Emma　was　not　asleep；　she　pretended　to　be；　and　while　he　dozed　off
by　her　side　she　awakened　to　other　dreams。

To　the　gallop　of　four　horses　she　was　carried　away　for　a　week
towards　a　new　land；　whence　they　would　return　no　more。　They　went
on　and　on；　their　arms　entwined；　without　a　word。　Often　from　the
top　of　a　mountain　there　suddenly　glimpsed　some　splendid　city　with
domes；　and　bridges；　and　ships；　forests　of　citron　trees；　and
cathedrals　of　white　marble；　on　whose　pointed　steeples　were
storks'　nests。　They　went　at　a　walking…pace　because　of　the　great
flag…stones；　and　on　the　ground　there　were　bouquets　of　flowers；
offered　you　by　women　dressed　in　red　bodices。　They　heard　the　
chiming　of　bells；　the　neighing　of　mules；　together　with　the　murmur
of　guitars　and　the　noise　of　fountains；　whose　rising　spray
refreshed　heaps　of　fruit　arranged　like　a　pyramid　at　the　foot　of
pale　statues　that　smiled　beneath　playing　waters。　And　then；　one
night　they　came　to　a　fishing　village；　where　brown　nets　were
drying　in　the　wind　along　the　cliffs　and　in　front　of　the　huts。　It
was　there　that　they　would　stay；　they　would　live　in　a　low；
flat…roofed　house；　shaded　by　a　palm…tree；　in　the　heart　of　a　gulf；
by　the　sea。　They　would　row　in　gondolas；　swing　in　hammocks；　and
their　existence　would　be　easy　and　large　as　their　silk　gowns；　warm
and　star…spangled　as　the　nights　they　would　contemplate。　However；
in　the　immensity　of　this　future　that　she　conjured　up；　nothing
special　stood　forth；　the　days；　all　magnificent；　resembled
each　other　like　waves；　and　it　swayed　in　the　horizon；　infinite；
harmonised；　azure；　and　bathed　in　sunshine。　But　the　child　began　to
cough　in　her　cot　or　Bovary　snored　more　loudly；　and　Emma　did　not
fall　asleep　till　morning；　when　the　dawn　whitened　the　windows；　and
when　little　Justin　was　already　in　the　square　taking　down　the
shutters　of　the　chemist's　shop。

She　had　sent　for　Monsieur　Lheureux；　and　had　said　to　him

〃I　want　a　cloaka　large　lined　cloak　with　a　deep　collar。〃

〃You　are　going　on　a　journey？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　butnever　mind。　I　may　count　on　you；　may　I　not；　and
quickly？〃

He　bowed。

〃Besides；　I　shall　want；〃　she　went　on；　〃a　trunknot　too　heavy
handy。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　understand。　About　three　feet　by　a　foot　and　a　half；
as　they　are　being　made　just　now。〃

〃And　a　travelling　bag。〃

〃Decidedly；〃　thought　Lheureux。　〃there's　a　row　on　here。〃

〃And；〃　said　Madame　Bovary；　taking　her　watch　from　her　belt；　〃take
this；　you　can　pay　yourself　out　of　it。〃

But　the　tradesman　cried　out　that　she　was　wrong；　they　knew　one
another；　did　he　doubt　her？　What　childishness！

She　insisted；　however；　on　his　taking　at　least　the　chain；　and
Lheureux　had　already　put　it　in　his　pocket　and　was　going；　when　she
called　him　back。

〃You　will　leave　everything　at　your　place。　As　to　the　cloak〃she
seemed　to　be　reflecting〃do　not　bring　it　either；　you　can　give　me
the　maker's　address；　and　tell　him　to　have　it　ready　for　me。〃

It　was　the　next　month　that　they　were　to　run　away。　She　was　to
leave　Yonville　as　if　she　was　going　on　some　business　to　Rouen。
Rodolphe　would　have　booked　the　seats；　procured　the　passports；　and
even　have　written　to　Paris　in　order　to　have　the　whole　mail…coach
reserved　for　them　as　far　as　Marseilles；　where　they　would　buy　a
carriage；　and　go　on　thence　without　stopping　to　Genoa。　She　would
take　care　to　send　her　luggage　to　Lheureux　whence　it　would　be
taken　direct　to　the　〃Hirondelle；〃　so　that　no　one　would　have　any
suspicion。　And　in　all　this　there　never　was　any　allusion　to　the
child。　Rodolphe　avoided　speaking　of　her；　perhaps　he　no　longer
thought　about　it。

He　wished　to　have　two　more　weeks　before　him　to　arrange　some
affairs；　then　at　the　end　of　a　week　he　wanted　two　more；　then　he
said　he　was　ill；　next　he　went　on　a　journey。　The　month　of　August
passed；　and；　after　all　these　delays；　they　decided　that　it　was　to
be　irrevocably　fixed　for　the　4th　Septembera　Monday。

At　length　the　Saturday　before　arrived。

Rodolphe　came　in　the　evening　earlier　than　usual。

〃Everything　is　ready？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Yes。〃

Then　they　walked　round　a　garden…bed；　and　went　to　sit　down　near
the　terrace　on　the　kerb…stone　of　the　wall。

〃You　are　sad；〃　said　Emma。

〃No；　why？〃

And　yet　he　looked　at　her　strangely　in　a　tender　fashion。

〃It　is　because　you　are　going　away？〃　she　went　on；　〃because　you　are
leaving　what　is　dear　to　youyour　life？　Ah！　I　understand。　I　have
nothing　in　the　world！　you　are　all　to　me；　so　shall　I　be　to　you。　I
will　be　your　people；　your　country；　I　will　tend；　I　will　love　you！〃

〃How　sweet　you　are！〃　he　said；　seizing　her　in　his　arms。

〃Really！〃　she　said　with　a　voluptuous　laugh。　〃Do　you　love　me？
Swear　it　then！〃

〃Do　I　love　youlove　you？　I　adore　you；　my　love。〃

The　moon；　full　and　purple…coloured；　was　rising　right　out　of　the
earth　at　the　end　of　the　meadow。　She　rose　quickly　between　the
branches　of　the　poplars；　that　hid　her　here　and　there　like　a　black
curtain　pierced　with　holes。　Then　she　appeared　dazzling　with
whiteness　in　the　empty　heavens　that　she　lit　up；　and　now　sailing
more　slowly　along；　let　fall　upon　the　river　a　great　stain　that
broke　up　into　an　infinity　of　stars；　and　the　silver　sheen　seemed
to　writhe　through　the　very　depths　like　a　heedless　serpent　covered
with　luminous　scales；　it　also　resembled　some　monster　candelabra
all　along　which　sparkled　drops　of　diamonds　running　together。　The
soft　night　was　about　them；　masses　of　shadow　filled　the　branches。
Emma；　her　eyes　half　closed；　breathed　in　with　deep　sighs　the　fresh
wind　that　was　blowing。　They　did　not　speak；　lost　as　they　were　in
the　rush　of　their　reverie。　The　tenderness　of　the　old　days　came
back　to　their　hearts；　full　and　silent　as　the　flowing　river；　with
the　softness　of　the　perfume　of　the　syringas；　and　threw　across
their　memories　shadows　more　immense　and　more　sombre　than　those　of
the　still　willows　that　lengthened　out　over　the　grass。　Often　some
night…animal；　hedgehog　or　weasel；　setting　out　on　the　hunt；
disturbed　the　lovers；　or　sometimes　they　heard　a　ripe　peach
falling　all　alone　from　the　espalier。

〃Ah！　what　a　lovely　night！〃　said　Rodolphe。

〃We　shall　have　others；〃　replied　Emma；　and；　as　if　speaking　to
herself：　〃Yet；　it　will　be　good　to　travel。　And　yet；　why　should　my
heart　be　so　heavy？　Is　it　dread　of　the　unknown？　The　effect　of
habits　left？　Or　rather？　No；　it　is　the　excess　of　happiness。　How
weak　I　am；　am　I　not？　Forgive　me！〃

〃There　is　still　time！〃　he　cried。　〃Reflect！　perhaps　you　may
repent！〃

〃Never！〃　she　cried　impetuously。　And　coming　closer　to　him：　〃What
ill　could　come　to　me？　There　is　no　desert；　no　precipice；　no　ocean
I　would　not　traverse　with　you。　The　longer　we　live　together　the
more　it　will　be　like　an　embrace；　every　day　closer；　more　heart　to
heart。　There　will　be　nothing　to　trouble　us；　no　cares；　no
obstacle。　We　shall　be　alone；　all　to　ourselves　eternally。　Oh；
speak！　Answer　me！〃

At　regular　intervals　he　answered；　〃YesYes〃　She　had　passed　her
hands　through　his　hair；　and　she　repeated　in　a　childlike　voice；
despite　the　big　tears　which　were　falling；　〃Rodolphe！　Rodolphe！
Ah！　Rodolphe！　dear　little　Rodolphe！〃

Midnight　struck。

〃Midnight！〃　said　she。　〃Come；　it　is　to…morrow。　One　day　more！〃

He　rose　to　go；　and　as　if　the　movement　he　made　had　been　the　signal
for　their　flight；　Emma　said；　suddenly　assuming　a　gay　air

〃You　have　the　passports？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　are　forgetting　nothing？〃

〃No。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃It　is　at　the　Hotel　de　Provence；　is　it　not；　that　you　will　wait
for　me　at　midday？〃

He　nodded。

〃Till　to…morrow　then！〃　said　Emma　in　a　last　caress；　and　she
watched　him　go。

He　did　not　turn　round。　She　ran　after　him；　and；　leaning　over　the
water's　edge　between　the　bulrushes

〃To…morrow！〃　she　cried。

He　was　already　on　the　other　side　of　the　river　and　walking　fast
across　the　meadow。

After　a　few　moments　Rodolphe　stopped；　and　when　he　saw　her　with
her　white　gown　gradually　fad