madame bovary-第57章

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flowers　for　a　woman；　and　his　breast；　as　he　smelt　them；　swelled
with　pride；　as　if　this　homage　that　he　meant　for　another　had
recoiled　upon　himself。

But　he　was　afraid　of　being　seen；　he　resolutely　entered　the
church。　The　beadle；　who　was　just　then　standing　on　the　threshold
in　the　middle　of　the　left　doorway；　under　the　〃Dancing　Marianne；〃
with　feather　cap；　and　rapier　dangling　against　his　calves；　came
in；　more　majestic　than　a　cardinal；　and　as　shining　as　a　saint　on　a
holy　pyx。

He　came　towards　Leon；　and；　with　that　smile　of　wheedling　benignity
assumed　by　ecclesiastics　when　they　question　children

〃The　gentleman；　no　doubt；　does　not　belong　to　these　parts？　The
gentleman　would　like　to　see　the　curiosities　of　the　church？〃

〃No！〃　said　the　other。

And　he　first　went　round　the　lower　aisles。　Then　he　went　out　to
look　at　the　Place。　Emma　was　not　coming　yet。　He　went　up　again　to
the　choir。

The　nave　was　reflected　in　the　full　fonts　with　the　beginning　of
the　arches　and　some　portions　of　the　glass　windows。　But　the
reflections　of　the　paintings；　broken　by　the　marble　rim；　were
continued　farther　on　upon　the　flag…stones；　like　a　many…coloured
carpet。　The　broad　daylight　from　without　streamed　into　the　church
in　three　enormous　rays　from　the　three　opened　portals。　From　time
to　time　at　the　upper　end　a　sacristan　passed；　making　the　oblique
genuflexion　of　devout　persons　in　a　hurry。　The　crystal　lustres
hung　motionless。　In　the　choir　a　silver　lamp　was　burning；　and　from
the　side　chapels　and　dark　places　of　the　church　sometimes　rose
sounds　like　sighs；　with　the　clang　of　a　closing　grating；　its　echo
reverberating　under　the　lofty　vault。

Leon　with　solemn　steps　walked　along　by　the　walls。　Life　had　never
seemed　so　good　to　him。　She　would　come　directly；　charming；
agitated；　looking　back　at　the　glances　that　followed　her；　and　with
her　flounced　dress；　her　gold　eyeglass；　her　thin　shoes；　with　all
sorts　of　elegant　trifles　that　he　had　never　enjoyed；　and　with　the
ineffable　seduction　of　yielding　virtue。　The　church　like　a　huge
boudoir　spread　around　her；　the　arches　bent　down　to　gather　in　the
shade　the　confession　of　her　love；　the　windows　shone　resplendent
to　illumine　her　face；　and　the　censers　would　burn　that　she　might
appear　like　an　angel　amid　the　fumes　of　the　sweet…smelling　odours。

But　she　did　not　come。　He　sat　down　on　a　chair；　and　his　eyes　fell
upon　a　blue　stained　window　representing　boatmen　carrying　baskets。
He　looked　at　it　long；　attentively；　and　he　counted　the　scales　of
the　fishes　and　the　button…holes　of　the　doublets；　while　his
thoughts　wandered　off　towards　Emma。

The　beadle；　standing　aloof；　was　inwardly　angry　at　this　individual
who　took　the　liberty　of　admiring　the　cathedral　by　himself。　He
seemed　to　him　to　be　conducting　himself　in　a　monstrous　fashion；　to
be　robbing　him　in　a　sort；　and　almost　committing　sacrilege。

But　a　rustle　of　silk　on　the　flags；　the　tip　of　a　bonnet；　a　lined
cloakit　was　she！　Leon　rose　and　ran　to　meet　her。

Emma　was　pale。　She　walked　fast。

〃Read！〃　she　said；　holding　out　a　paper　to　him。　〃Oh；　no！〃

And　she　abruptly　withdrew　her　hand　to　enter　the　chapel　of　the
Virgin；　where；　kneeling　on　a　chair；　she　began　to　pray。

The　young　man　was　irritated　at　this　bigot　fancy；　then　he
nevertheless　experienced　a　certain　charm　in　seeing　her；　in　the
middle　of　a　rendezvous；　thus　lost　in　her　devotions；　like　an
Andalusian　marchioness；　then　he　grew　bored；　for　she　seemed　never
coming　to　an　end。

Emma　prayed；　or　rather　strove　to　pray；　hoping　that　some　sudden
resolution　might　descend　to　her　from　heaven；　and　to　draw　down
divine　aid　she　filled　full　her　eyes　with　the　splendours　of　the
tabernacle。　She　breathed　in　the　perfumes　of　the　full…blown
flowers　in　the　large　vases；　and　listened　to　the　stillness　of　the
church；　that　only　heightened　the　tumult　of　her　heart。

She　rose；　and　they　were　about　to　leave；　when　the　beadle　came
forward；　hurriedly　saying

〃Madame；　no　doubt；　does　not　belong　to　these　parts？　Madame　would
like　to　see　the　curiosities　of　the　church？〃

〃Oh；　no！〃　cried　the　clerk。

〃Why　not？〃　said　she。　For　she　clung　with　her　expiring　virtue　to
the　Virgin；　the　sculptures；　the　tombsanything。

Then；　in　order　to　proceed　〃by　rule；〃　the　beadle　conducted　them
right　to　the　entrance　near　the　square；　where；　pointing　out　with
his　cane　a　large　circle　of　block…stones　without　inscription　or
carving

〃This；〃　he　said　majestically；　〃is　the　circumference　of　the
beautiful　bell　of　Ambroise。　It　weighed　forty　thousand　pounds。
There　was　not　its　equal　in　all　Europe。　The　workman　who　cast　it
died　of　the　joy〃

〃Let　us　go　on；〃　said　Leon。

The　old　fellow　started　off　again；　then；　having　got　back　to　the
chapel　of　the　Virgin；　he　stretched　forth　his　arm　with　an
all…embracing　gesture　of　demonstration；　and；　prouder　than　a
country　squire　showing　you　his　espaliers；　went　on

〃This　simple　stone　covers　Pierre　de　Breze；　lord　of　Varenne　and　of
Brissac；　grand　marshal　of　Poitou；　and　governor　of　Normandy；　who
died　at　the　battle　of　Montlhery　on　the　16th　of　July；　1465。〃

Leon　bit　his　lips；　fuming。

〃And　on　the　right；　this　gentleman　all　encased　in　iron；　on　the
prancing　horse；　is　his　grandson；　Louis　de　Breze；　lord　of　Breval
and　of　Montchauvet；　Count　de　Maulevrier；　Baron　de　Mauny；
chamberlain　to　the　king；　Knight　of　the　Order；　and　also　governor
of　Normandy；　died　on　the　23rd　of　July；　1531a　Sunday；　as　the
inscription　specifies；　and　below；　this　figure；　about　to　descend
into　the　tomb；　portrays　the　same　person。　It　is　not　possible；　is
it；　to　see　a　more　perfect　representation　of　annihilation？〃

Madame　Bovary　put　up　her　eyeglasses。　Leon；　motionless；　looked　at
her；　no　longer　even　attempting　to　speak　a　single　word；　to　make　a
gesture；　so　discouraged　was　he　at　this　two…fold　obstinacy　of
gossip　and　indifference。

The　everlasting　guide　went　on

〃Near　him；　this　kneeling　woman　who　weeps　is　his　spouse；　Diane　de
Poitiers；　Countess　de　Breze；　Duchess　de　Valentinois；　born　in
1499；　died　in　1566；　and　to　the　left；　the　one　with　the　child　is
the　Holy　Virgin。　Now　turn　to　this　side；　here　are　the　tombs　of　the
Ambroise。　They　were　both　cardinals　and　archbishops　of　Rouen。　That
one　was　minister　under　Louis　XII。　He　did　a　great　deal　for　the
cathedral。　In　his　will　he　left　thirty　thousand　gold　crowns　for
the　poor。〃

And　without　stopping；　still　talking；　he　pushed　them　into　a　chapel
full　of　balustrades；　some　put　away；　and　disclosed　a　kind　of　block
that　certainly　might　once　have　been　an　ill…made　statue。

〃Truly；〃　he　said　with　a　groan；　〃it　adorned　the　tomb　of　Richard
Coeur　de　Lion；　King　of　England　and　Duke　of　Normandy。　It　was　the
Calvinists；　sir；　who　reduced　it　to　this　condition。　They　had
buried　it　for　spite　in　the　earth；　under　the　episcopal　seat　of
Monsignor。　See！　this　is　the　door　by　which　Monsignor　passes　to　his
house。　Let　us　pass　on　quickly　to　see　the　gargoyle　windows。〃

But　Leon　hastily　took　some　silver　from　his　pocket　and　seized
Emma's　arm。　The　beadle　stood　dumfounded；　not　able　to　understand
this　untimely　munificence　when　there　were　still　so　many　things
for　the　stranger　to　see。　So　calling　him　back；　he　cried

〃Sir！　sir！　The　steeple！　the　steeple！〃

〃No；　thank　you！〃　said　Leon。

〃You　are　wrong；　sir！　It　is　four　hundred　and　forty　feet　high；　nine
less　than　the　great　pyramid　of　Egypt。　It　is　all　cast；　it〃

Leon　was　fleeing；　for　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　love；　that　for
nearly　two　hours　now　had　become　petrified　in　the　church　like　the
stones；　would　vanish　like　a　vapour　through　that　sort　of　truncated
funnel；　of　oblong　cage；　of　open　chimney　that　rises　so　grotesquely
from　the　cathedral　like　the　extravagant　attempt　of　some　fantastic
brazier。

〃But　where　are　we　going？〃　she　said。

Making　no　answer；　he　walked　on　with　a　rapid　step；　and　Madame
Bovary　was　already；　dipping　her　finger　in　the　holy　water　when
behind　them　they　heard　a　panting　breath　interrupted　by　the
regular　sound　of　a　cane。　Leon　turned　back。

〃Sir！〃

〃What　is　it？〃

And　he　recognised　the　beadle；　holding　under　his　arms　and
balancing　against　his　stomach　some　twenty　large　sewn　volumes。
They　were　works　〃which　treated　of　the　cathedral。〃

〃Idiot！〃　growled　Leon；　rushing　out　of　the　church。

A　lad　was　playing　about　the　close。

〃Go　and　get　me　a　cab！〃

The　child　bounded　off　like　a　ba