madame bovary-第5章

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woman！〃

And　she　detested　her　instinctively。　At　first　she　solaced　herself
by　allusions　that　Charles　did　not　understand；　then　by　casual
observations　that　he　let　pass　for　fear　of　a　storm；　finally　by
open　apostrophes　to　which　he　knew　not　what　to　answer。　〃Why　did　he
go　back　to　the　Bertaux　now　that　Monsieur　Rouault　was　cured　and
that　these　folks　hadn't　paid　yet？　Ah！　it　was　because　a　young　lady
was　there；　some　one　who　know　how　to　talk；　to　embroider；　to　be
witty。　That　was　what　he　cared　about；　he　wanted　town　misses。〃　And
she　went　on

〃The　daughter　of　old　Rouault　a　town　miss！　Get　out！　Their
grandfather　was　a　shepherd；　and　they　have　a　cousin　who　was　almost
had　up　at　the　assizes　for　a　nasty　blow　in　a　quarrel。　It　is　not
worth　while　making　such　a　fuss；　or　showing　herself　at　church　on
Sundays　in　a　silk　gown　like　a　countess。　Besides；　the　poor　old
chap；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　colza　last　year；　would　have　had
much　ado　to　pay　up　his　arrears。〃

For　very　weariness　Charles　left　off　going　to　the　Bertaux。　Heloise
made　him　swear；　his　hand　on　the　prayer…book；　that　he　would　go
there　no　more　after　much　sobbing　and　many　kisses；　in　a　great
outburst　of　love。　He　obeyed　then；　but　the　strength　of　his　desire
protested　against　the　servility　of　his　conduct；　and　he　thought；
with　a　kind　of　naive　hypocrisy；　that　his　interdict　to　see　her
gave　him　a　sort　of　right　to　love　her。　And　then　the　widow　was
thin；　she　had　long　teeth；　wore　in　all　weathers　a　little　black
shawl；　the　edge　of　which　hung　down　between　her　shoulder…blades；
her　bony　figure　was　sheathed　in　her　clothes　as　if　they　were　a
scabbard；　they　were　too　short；　and　displayed　her　ankles　with　the
laces　of　her　large　boots　crossed　over　grey　stockings。

Charles's　mother　came　to　see　them　from　time　to　time；　but　after　a
few　days　the　daughter…in…law　seemed　to　put　her　own　edge　on　her；
and　then；　like　two　knives；　they　scarified　him　with　their
reflections　and　observations。　It　was　wrong　of　him　to　eat　so　much。

Why　did　he　always　offer　a　glass　of　something　to　everyone　who
came？　What　obstinacy　not　to　wear　flannels！　In　the　spring　it　came
about　that　a　notary　at　Ingouville；　the　holder　of　the　widow
Dubuc's　property；　one　fine　day　went　off；　taking　with　him　all　the
money　in　his　office。　Heloise；　it　is　true；　still　possessed；
besides　a　share　in　a　boat　valued　at　six　thousand　francs；　her
house　in　the　Rue　St。　Francois；　and　yet；　with　all　this　fortune
that　had　been　so　trumpeted　abroad；　nothing；　excepting　perhaps　a
little　furniture　and　a　few　clothes；　had　appeared　in　the
household。　The　matter　had　to　be　gone　into。　The　house　at　Dieppe
was　found　to　be　eaten　up　with　mortgages　to　its　foundations；　what
she　had　placed　with　the　notary　God　only　knew；　and　her　share　in
the　boat　did　not　exceed　one　thousand　crowns。　She　had　lied；　the
good　lady！　In　his　exasperation；　Monsieur　Bovary　the　elder；
smashing　a　chair　on　the　flags；　accused　his　wife　of　having　caused
misfortune　to　the　son　by　harnessing　him　to　such　a　harridan；　whose
harness　wasn't　worth　her　hide。　They　came　to　Tostes。　Explanations
followed。　There　were　scenes。　Heloise　in　tears；　throwing　her　arms
about　her　husband；　implored　him　to　defend　her　from　his　parents。

Charles　tried　to　speak　up　for　her。　They　grew　angry　and　left　the
house。

But　〃the　blow　had　struck　home。〃　A　week　after；　as　she　was　hanging
up　some　washing　in　her　yard；　she　was　seized　with　a　spitting　of
blood；　and　the　next　day；　while　Charles　had　his　back　turned　to　her
drawing　the　window…curtain；　she　said；　〃O　God！〃　gave　a　sigh　and
fainted。　She　was　dead！　What　a　surprise！　When　all　was　over　at　the
cemetery　Charles　went　home。　He　found　no　one　downstairs；　he　went
up　to　the　first　floor　to　their　room；　say　her　dress　still　hanging
at　the　foot　of　the　alcove；　then；　leaning　against　the
writing…table；　he　stayed　until　the　evening；　buried　in　a　sorrowful
reverie。　She　had　loved　him　after　all！



Chapter　Three

One　morning　old　Rouault　brought　Charles　the　money　for　setting　his
legseventy…five　francs　in　forty…sou　pieces；　and　a　turkey。　He
had　heard　of　his　loss；　and　consoled　him　as　well　as　he　could。

〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　said　he；　clapping　him　on　the　shoulder；　〃I've
been　through　it。　When　I　lost　my　dear　departed；　I　went　into　the
fields　to　be　quite　alone。　I　fell　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　I　cried；
I　called　on　God；　I　talked　nonsense　to　Him。　I　wanted　to　be　like
the　moles　that　I　saw　on　the　branches；　their　insides　swarming　with
worms；　dead；　and　an　end　of　it。　And　when　I　thought　that　there　were
others　at　that　very　moment　with　their　nice　little　wives　holding
them　in　their　embrace；　I　struck　great　blows　on　the　earth　with　my
stick。　I　was　pretty　well　mad　with　not　eating；　the　very　idea　of
going　to　a　cafe　disgusted　meyou　wouldn't　believe　it。　Well；
quite　softly；　one　day　following　another；　a　spring　on　a　winter；
and　an　autumn　after　a　summer；　this　wore　away；　piece　by　piece；
crumb　by　crumb；　it　passed　away；　it　is　gone；　I　should　say　it　has
sunk；　for　something　always　remains　at　the　bottom　as　one　would
saya　weight　here；　at　one's　heart。　But　since　it　is　the　lot　of
all　of　us；　one　must　not　give　way　altogether；　and；　because　others
have　died；　want　to　die　too。　You　must　pull　yourself　together；
Monsieur　Bovary。　It　will　pass　away。　Come　to　see　us；　my　daughter
thinks　of　you　now　and　again；　d'ye　know；　and　she　says　you　are
forgetting　her。　Spring　will　soon　be　here。　We'll　have　some
rabbit…shooting　in　the　warrens　to　amuse　you　a　bit。〃

Charles　followed　his　advice。　He　went　back　to　the　Bertaux。　He
found　all　as　he　had　left　it；　that　is　to　say；　as　it　was　five
months　ago。　The　pear　trees　were　already　in　blossom；　and　Farmer
Rouault；　on　his　legs　again；　came　and　went；　making　the　farm　more
full　of　life。

Thinking　it　his　duty　to　heap　the　greatest　attention　upon　the
doctor　because　of　his　sad　position；　he　begged　him　not　to　take　his
hat　off；　spoke　to　him　in　an　undertone　as　if　he　had　been　ill；　and
even　pretended　to　be　angry　because　nothing　rather　lighter　had
been　prepared　for　him　than　for　the　others；　such　as　a　little
clotted　cream　or　stewed　pears。　He　told　stories。　Charles　found
himself　laughing；　but　the　remembrance　of　his　wife　suddenly　coming
back　to　him　depressed　him。　Coffee　was　brought　in；　he　thought　no
more　about　her。

He　thought　less　of　her　as　he　grew　accustomed　to　living　alone。　The
new　delight　of　independence　soon　made　his　loneliness　bearable。　He
could　now　change　his　meal…times；　go　in　or　out　without
explanation；　and　when　he　was　very　tired　stretch　himself　at　full
length　on　his　bed。　So　he　nursed　and　coddled　himself　and　accepted
the　consolations　that　were　offered　him。　On　the　other　hand；　the
death　of　his　wife　had　not　served　him　ill　in　his　business；　since
for　a　month　people　had　been　saying；　〃The　poor　young　man！　what　a
loss！〃　His　name　had　been　talked　about；　his　practice　had
increased；　and　moreover；　he　could　go　to　the　Bertaux　just　as　he
liked。　He　had　an　aimless　hope；　and　was　vaguely　happy；　he　thought
himself　better　looking　as　he　brushed　his　whiskers　before　the
looking…glass。

One　day　he　got　there　about　three　o'clock。　Everybody　was　in　the
fields。　He　went　into　the　kitchen；　but　did　not　at　once　catch　sight
of　Emma；　the　outside　shutters　were　closed。　Through　the　chinks　of
the　wood　the　sun　sent　across　the　flooring　long　fine　rays　that
were　broken　at　the　corners　of　the　furniture　and　trembled　along
the　ceiling。　Some　flies　on　the　table　were　crawling　up　the　glasses
that　had　been　used；　and　buzzing　as　they　drowned　themselves　in　the
dregs　of　the　cider。　The　daylight　that　came　in　by　the　chimney　made
velvet　of　the　soot　at　the　back　of　the　fireplace；　and　touched　with
blue　the　cold　cinders。　Between　the　window　and　the　hearth　Emma　was
sewing；　she　wore　no　fichu；　he　could　see　small　drops　of
perspiration　on　her　bare　shoulders。

After　the　fashion　of　country　folks　she　asked　him　to　have
something　to　drink。　He　said　no；　she　insisted；　and　at　last
laughingly　offered　to　have　a　glass　of　liqueur　with　him。　So　she
went　to　fetch　a　bottle　of　curacao　from　the　cupboard；　reached　down
two　small　glasses；　filled　one　to　the　brim；　poured　scarcely
anything　into　the　other；　and；　after　having　clinked　glasses；
carried　hers　to　her　mouth。　As　it　was　almost　empty　she　bent　back
to　drink；　her　head　thrown　back；　her　lips　pouting；　her　neck　on　the
strain。　She　laug