madame bovary-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But　perhaps；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃there　are　several　Demoiselles
Lempereur　at　Rouen　who　are　music…mistresses。〃

〃Possibly！〃　Then　quickly〃But　I　have　my　receipts　here。　See！〃

And　she　went　to　the　writing…table；　ransacked　all　the　drawers；
rummaged　the　papers；　and　at　last　lost　her　head　so　completely　that
Charles　earnestly　begged　her　not　to　take　so　much　trouble　about
those　wretched　receipts。

〃Oh；　I　will　find　them；〃　she　said。

And；　in　fact；　on　the　following　Friday；　as　Charles　was　putting　on
one　of　his　boots　in　the　dark　cabinet　where　his　clothes　were　kept；
he　felt　a　piece　of　paper　between　the　leather　and　his　sock。　He
took　it　out　and　read

〃Received；　for　three　months'　lessons　and　several　pieces　of　music；
the　sum　of　sixty…three　francs。Felicie　Lempereur；　professor　of
music。〃

〃How　the　devil　did　it　get　into　my　boots？〃

〃It　must；〃　she　replied；　〃have　fallen　from　the　old　box　of　bills
that　is　on　the　edge　of　the　shelf。〃

》From　that　moment　her　existence　was　but　one　long　tissue　of　lies；
in　which　she　enveloped　her　love　as　in　veils　to　hide　it。　It　was　a
want；　a　mania；　a　pleasure　carried　to　such　an　extent　that　if　she
said　she　had　the　day　before　walked　on　the　right　side　of　a　road；
one　might　know　she　had　taken　the　left。

One　morning；　when　she　had　gone；　as　usual；　rather　lightly　clothed；
it　suddenly　began　to　snow；　and　as　Charles　was　watching　the
weather　from　the　window；　he　caught　sight　of　Monsieur　Bournisien
in　the　chaise　of　Monsieur　Tuvache；　who　was　driving　him　to　Rouen。
Then　he　went　down　to　give　the　priesta　thick　shawl　that　he　was　to
hand　over　to　Emma　as　soon　as　he　reached　the　〃Croix…Rouge。〃　When
he　got　to　the　inn；　Monsieur　Bournisien　asked　for　the　wife　of　the
Yonville　doctor。　The　landlady　replied　that　she　very　rarely　came
to　her　establishment。　So　that　evening；　when　he　recognised　Madame
Bovary　in　the　〃Hirondelle；〃　the　cure　told　her　his　dilemma；
without；　however；　appearing　to　attach　much　importance　to　it；　for
he　began　praising　a　preacher　who　was　doing　wonders　at　the
Cathedral；　and　whom　all　the　ladies　were　rushing　to　hear。

Still；　if　he　did　not　ask　for　any　explanation；　others；　later　on；
might　prove　less　discreet。　So　she　thought　well　to　get　down　each
time　at　the　〃Croix…Rouge；〃　so　that　the　good　folk　of　her　village
who　saw　her　on　the　stairs　should　suspect　nothing。

One　day；　however；　Monsieur　Lheureux　met　her　coming　out　of　the
Hotel　de　Boulogne　on　Leon's　arm；　and　she　was　frightened；　thinking
he　would　gossip。　He　was　not　such　a　fool。　But　three　days　after　he
came　to　her　room；　shut　the　door；　and　said；　〃I　must　have　some
money。〃

She　declared　she　could　not　give　him　any。　Lheureux　burst　into
lamentations　and　reminded　her　of　all　the　kindnesses　he　had　shown
her。

In　fact；　of　the　two　bills　signed　by　Charles；　Emma　up　to　the
present　had　paid　only　one。　As　to　the　second；　the　shopkeeper；　at
her　request；　had　consented　to　replace　it　by　another；　which　again
had　been　renewed　for　a　long　date。　Then　he　drew　from　his　pocket　a
list　of　goods　not　paid　for；　to　wit；　the　curtains；　the　carpet；　the
material　for　the　armchairs；　several　dresses；　and　divers　articles
of　dress；　the　bills　for　which　amounted　to　about　two　thousand
francs。

She　bowed　her　head。　He　went　on

〃But　if　you　haven't　any　ready　money；　you　have　an　estate。〃　And　he
reminded　her　of　a　miserable　little　hovel　situated　at　Barneville；
near　Aumale；　that　brought　in　almost　nothing。　It　had　formerly　been
part　of　a　small　farm　sold　by　Monsieur　Bovary　senior；　for　Lheureux
knew　everything；　even　to　the　number　of　acres　and　the　names　of　the
neighbours。

〃If　I　were　in　your　place；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　clear　myself　of　my
debts；　and　have　money　left　over。〃

She　pointed　out　the　difficulty　of　getting　a　purchaser。　He　held
out　the　hope　of　finding　one；　but　she　asked　him　how　she　should
manage　to　sell　it。

〃Haven't　you　your　power　of　attorney？〃　he　replied。

The　phrase　came　to　her　like　a　breath　of　fresh　air。　〃Leave　me　the
bill；〃　said　Emma。

〃Oh；　it　isn't　worth　while；〃　answered　Lheureux。

He　came　back　the　following　week　and　boasted　of　having；　after　much
trouble；　at　last　discovered　a　certain　Langlois；　who；　for　a　long
time；　had　had　an　eye　on　the　property；　but　without　mentioning　his
price。

〃Never　mind　the　price！〃　she　cried。

But　they　would；　on　the　contrary；　have　to　wait；　to　sound　the
fellow。　The　thing　was　worth　a　journey；　and；　as　she　could　not
undertake　it；　he　offered　to　go　to　the　place　to　have　an　interview
with　Langlois。　On　his　return　he　announced　that　the　purchaser
proposed　four　thousand　francs。

Emma　was　radiant　at　this　news。

〃Frankly；〃　he　added；　〃that's　a　good　price。〃

She　drew　half　the　sum　at　once；　and　when　she　was　about　to　pay　her
account　the　shopkeeper　said

〃It　really　grieves　me；　on　my　word！　to　see　you　depriving　yourself
all　at　once　of　such　a　big　sum　as　that。〃

Then　she　looked　at　the　bank…notes；　and　dreaming　of　the　unlimited
number　of　rendezvous　represented　by　those　two　thousand　francs；
she　stammered

〃What！　what！〃

〃Oh！〃　he　went　on；　laughing　good…naturedly；　〃one　puts　anything　one
likes　on　receipts。　Don't　you　think　I　know　what　household　affairs
are？〃　And　he　looked　at　her　fixedly；　while　in　his　hand　he　held　two
long　papers　that　he　slid　between　his　nails。　At　last；　opening　his
pocket…book；　he　spread　out　on　the　table　four　bills　to　order；　each
for　a　thousand　francs。

〃Sign　these；〃　he　said；　〃and　keep　it　all！〃

She　cried　out；　scandalised。

〃But　if　I　give　you　the　surplus；〃　replied　Monsieur　Lheureux
impudently；　〃is　that　not　helping　you？〃

And　taking　a　pen　he　wrote　at　the　bottom　of　the　account；　〃Received
of　Madame　Bovary　four　thousand　francs。〃

〃Now　who　can　trouble　you；　since　in　six　months　you'll　draw　the
arrears　for　your　cottage；　and　I　don't　make　the　last　bill　due　till
after　you've　been　paid？〃

Emma　grew　rather　confused　in　her　calculations；　and　her　ears
tingled　as　if　gold　pieces；　bursting　from　their　bags；　rang　all
round　her　on　the　floor。　At　last　Lheureux　explained　that　he　had　a
very　good　friend；　Vincart；　a　broker　at　Rouen；　who　would　discount
these　four　bills。　Then　he　himself　would　hand　over　to　madame　the
remainder　after　the　actual　debt　was　paid。

But　instead　of　two　thousand　francs　he　brought　only　eighteen
hundred；　for　the　friend　Vincart　（which　was　only　fair）　had
deducted　two　hundred　francs　for　commission　and　discount。　Then　he
carelessly　asked　for　a　receipt。

〃You　understandin　businesssometimes。　And　with　the　date；　if
you　please；　with　the　date。〃

A　horizon　of　realisable　whims　opened　out　before　Emma。　She　was
prudent　enough　to　lay　by　a　thousand　crowns；　with　which　the　first
three　bills　were　paid　when　they　fell　due；　but　the　fourth；　by
chance；　came　to　the　house　on　a　Thursday；　and　Charles；　quite
upset；　patiently　awaited　his　wife's　return　for　an　explanation。

If　she　had　not　told　him　about　this　bill；　it　was　only　to　spare　him
such　domestic　worries；　she　sat　on　his　knees；　caressed　him；　cooed
to　him；　gave　him　a　long　enumeration　of　all　the　indispensable
things　that　had　been　got　on　credit。

〃Really；　you　must　confess；　considering　the　quantity；　it　isn't　too
dear。〃

Charles；　at　his　wit's　end；　soon　had　recourse　to　the　eternal
Lheureux；　who　swore　he　would　arrange　matters　if　the　doctor　would
sign　him　two　bills；　one　of　which　was　for　seven　hundred　francs；
payable　in　three　months。　In　order　to　arrange　for　this　he　wrote
his　mother　a　pathetic　letter。　Instead　of　sending　a　reply　she　came
herself；　and　when　Emma　wanted　to　know　whether　he　had　got　anything
out　of　her；　〃Yes；〃　he　replied；　〃but　she　wants　to　see　the
account。〃　The　next　morning　at　daybreak　Emma　ran　to　Lheureux　to
beg　him　to　make　out　another　account　for　not　more　than　a　thousand
francs；　for　to　show　the　one　for　four　thousand　it　would　be
necessary　to　say　that　she　had　paid　two…thirds；　and　confess；
consequently；　the　sale　of　the　estatea　negotiation　admirably
carried　out　by　the　shopkeeper；　and　which；　in　fact；　was　only
actually　known　later　on。

Despite　the　low　price　of　each　article；　Madame　Bovary　senior；　of
course；　thought　the　expenditure　extravagant。

〃Couldn't　you　do　without　a　carpet？　Why　have　recovered　the
arm…chairs？　In　my　time　there　was　a　single　arm…chair　in　a　house；
for　elderly　personsat　any　rate　it　was　so　at　my　mother's；　who
was　a　good　woman；　I　can　tell　yo