madame bovary-第66章

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one；　for　fear　of　causing　the　public　anxiety　by　his　absence。

The　idea　of　seeing　again　the　place　where　his　youth　had　been　spent
no　doubt　excited　him；　for　during　the　whole　journey　he　never
ceased　talking；　and　as　soon　as　he　had　arrived；　he　jumped　quickly
out　of　the　diligence　to　go　in　search　of　Leon。　In　vain　the　clerk
tried　to　get　rid　of　him。　Monsieur　Homais　dragged　him　off　to　the
large　Cafe　de　la　Normandie；　which　he　entered　majestically；　not
raising　his　hat；　thinking　it　very　provincial　to　uncover　in　any
public　place。

Emma　waited　for　Leon　three　quarters　of　an　hour。　At　last　she　ran
to　his　office；　and；　lost　in　all　sorts　of　conjectures；　accusing
him　of　indifference；　and　reproaching　herself　for　her　weakness；
she　spent　the　afternoon；　her　face　pressed　against　the
window…panes。

At　two　o'clock　they　were　still　at　a　table　opposite　each　other。
The　large　room　was　emptying；　the　stove…pipe；　in　the　shape　of　a
palm…tree；　spread　its　gilt　leaves　over　the　white　ceiling；　and
near　them；　outside　the　window；　in　the　bright　sunshine；　a　little
fountain　gurgled　in　a　white　basin；　where；　in　the　midst　of
watercress　and　asparagus；　three　torpid　lobsters　stretched　across
to　some　quails　that　lay　heaped　up　in　a　pile　on　their　sides。

Homais　was　enjoying　himself。　Although　he　was　even　more
intoxicated　with　the　luxury　than　the　rich　fare；　the　Pommard　wine
all　the　same　rather　excited　his　faculties；　and　when　the　omelette
au　rhum*　appeared；　he　began　propounding　immoral　theories　about
women。　What　seduced　him　above　all　else　was　chic。　He　admired　an
elegant　toilette　in　a　well…furnished　apartment；　and　as　to　bodily
qualities；　he　didn't　dislike　a　young　girl。

*　In　rum。


Leon　watched　the　clock　in　despair。　The　druggist　went　on　drinking；
eating；　and　talking。

〃You　must　be　very　lonely；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃here　at　Rouen。　To
be　sure　your　lady…love　doesn't　live　far　away。〃

And　the　other　blushed

〃Come　now；　be　frank。　Can　you　deny　that　at　Yonville〃

The　young　man　stammered　something。

〃At　Madame　Bovary's；　you're　not　making　love　to〃

〃To　whom？〃

〃The　servant！〃

He　was　not　joking；　but　vanity　getting　the　better　of　all　prudence；
Leon；　in　spite　of　himself　protested。　Besides；　he　only　liked　dark
women。

〃I　approve　of　that；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃they　have　more　passion。〃

And　whispering　into　his　friend's　ear；　he　pointed　out　the　symptoms
by　which　one　could　find　out　if　a　woman　had　passion。　He　even
launched　into　an　ethnographic　digression：　the　German　was
vapourish；　the　French　woman　licentious；　the　Italian　passionate。

〃And　negresses？〃　asked　the　clerk。

〃They　are　an　artistic　taste！〃　said　Homais。　〃Waiter！　two　cups　of
coffee！〃

〃Are　we　going？〃　at　last　asked　Leon　impatiently。

〃Ja！〃

But　before　leaving　he　wanted　to　see　the　proprietor　of　the
establishment　and　made　him　a　few　compliments。　Then　the　young　man；
to　be　alone；　alleged　he　had　some　business　engagement。

〃Ah！　I　will　escort　you；〃　said　Homais。

And　all　the　while　he　was　walking　through　the　streets　with　him　he
talked　of　his　wife；　his　children；　of　their　future；　and　of　his
business；　told　him　in　what　a　decayed　condition　it　had　formerly
been；　and　to　what　a　degree　of　perfection　he　had　raised　it。

Arrived　in　front　of　the　Hotel　de　Boulogne；　Leon　left　him
abruptly；　ran　up　the　stairs；　and　found　his　mistress　in　great
excitement。　At　mention　of　the　chemist　she　flew　into　a　passion。
He；　however；　piled　up　good　reasons；　it　wasn't　his　fault；　didn't
she　know　Homaisdid　she　believe　that　he　would　prefer　his
company？　But　she　turned　away；　he　drew　her　back；　and；　sinking　on
his　knees；　clasped　her　waist　with　his　arms　in　a　languorous　pose；
full　of　concupiscence　and　supplication。

She　was　standing；　up；　her　large　flashing　eyes　looked　at　him
seriously；　almost　terribly。　Then　tears　obscured　them；　her　red
eyelids　were　lowered；　she　gave　him　her　hands；　and　Leon　was
pressing　them　to　his　lips　when　a　servant　appeared　to　tell　the
gentleman　that　he　was　wanted。

〃You　will　come　back？〃　she　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃But　when？〃

〃Immediately。〃

〃It's　a　trick；〃　said　the　chemist；　when　he　saw　Leon。　〃I　wanted　to
interrupt　this　visit；　that　seemed　to　me　to　annoy　you。　Let's　go
and　have　a　glass　of　garus　at　Bridoux'。〃

Leon　vowed　that　he　must　get　back　to　his　office。　Then　the　druggist
joked　him　about　quill…drivers　and　the　law。

〃Leave　Cujas　and　Barthole　alone　a　bit。　Who　the　devil　prevents
you？　Be　a　man！　Let's　go　to　Bridoux'。　You'll　see　his　dog。　It's
very　interesting。〃

And　as　the　clerk　still　insisted

〃I'll　go　with　you。　I'll　read　a　paper　while　I　wait　for　you；　or
turn　over　the　leaves　of　a　'Code。'〃

Leon；　bewildered　by　Emma's　anger；　Monsieur　Homais'　chatter；　and；
perhaps；　by　the　heaviness　of　the　luncheon；　was　undecided；　and；　as
it　were；　fascinated　by　the　chemist；　who　kept　repeating

〃Let's　go　to　Bridoux'。　It's　just　by　here；　in　the　Rue　Malpalu。〃

Then；　through　cowardice；　through　stupidity；　through　that
indefinable　feeling　that　drags　us　into　the　most　distasteful　acts；
he　allowed　himself　to　be　led　off　to　Bridoux'；　whom　they　found　in
his　small　yard；　superintending　three　workmen；　who　panted　as　they
turned　the　large　wheel　of　a　machine　for　making　seltzer…water。
Homais　gave　them　some　good　advice。　He　embraced　Bridoux；　they　took
some　garus。　Twenty　times　Leon　tried　to　escape；　but　the　other
seized　him　by　the　arm　saying

〃Presently！　I'm　coming！　We'll　go　to　the　'Fanal　de　Rouen'　to　see
the　fellows　there。　I'll　introduce　you　to　Thornassin。〃

At　last　he　managed　to　get　rid　of　him；　and　rushed　straight　to　the
hotel。　Emma　was　no　longer　there。　She　had　just　gone　in　a　fit　of
anger。　She　detested　him　now。　This　failing　to　keep　their
rendezvous　seemed　to　her　an　insult；　and　she　tried　to　rake　up
other　reasons　to　separate　herself　from　him。　He　was　incapable　of
heroism；　weak；　banal；　more　spiritless　than　a　woman；　avaricious
too；　and　cowardly。

Then；　growing　calmer；　she　at　length　discovered　that　she　had；　no
doubt；　calumniated　him。　But　the　disparaging　of　those　we　love
always　alienates　us　from　them　to　some　extent。　We　must　not　touch
our　idols；　the　gilt　sticks　to　our　fingers。

They　gradually　came　to　talking　more　frequently　of　matters　outside
their　love；　and　in　the　letters　that　Emma　wrote　him　she　spoke　of
flowers；　verses；　the　moon　and　the　stars；　naive　resources　of　a
waning　passion　striving　to　keep　itself　alive　by　all　external
aids。　She　was　constantly　promising　herself　a　profound　felicity　on
her　next　journey。　Then　she　confessed　to　herself　that　she　felt
nothing　extraordinary。　This　disappointment　quickly　gave　way　to　a
new　hope；　and　Emma　returned　to　him　more　inflamed；　more　eager　than
ever。　She　undressed　brutally；　tearing　off　the　thin　laces　of　her
corset　that　nestled　around　her　hips　like　a　gliding　snake。　She
went　on　tiptoe；　barefooted；　to　see　once　more　that　the　door　was
closed；　then；　pale；　serious；　and；　without　speaking；　with　one
movement；　she　threw　herself　upon　his　breast　with　a　long　shudder。

Yet　there　was　upon　that　brow　covered　with　cold　drops；　on　those
quivering　lips；　in　those　wild　eyes；　in　the　strain　of　those　arms；
something　vague　and　dreary　that　seemed　to　Leon　to　glide　between
them　subtly　as　if　to　separate　them。

He　did　not　dare　to　question　her；　but；　seeing　her　so　skilled；　she
must　have　passed；　he　thought；　through　every　experience　of
suffering　and　of　pleasure。　What　had　once　charmed　now　frightened
him　a　little。　Besides；　he　rebelled　against　his　absorption；　daily
more　marked；　by　her　personality。　He　begrudged　Emma　this　constant
victory。　He　even　strove　not　to　love　her；　then；　when　he　heard　the
creaking　of　her　boots；　he　turned　coward；　like　drunkards　at　the
sight　of　strong　drinks。

She　did　not　fail；　in　truth；　to　lavish　all　sorts　of　attentions
upon　him；　from　the　delicacies　of　food　to　the　coquettries　of　dress
and　languishing　looks。　She　brought　roses　to　her　breast　from
Yonville；　which　she　threw　into　his　face；　was　anxious　about　his
health；　gave　him　advice　as　to　his　conduct；　and；　in　order　the　more
surely　to　keep　her　hold　on　him；　hoping　perhaps　that　heaven　would
take　her　part；　she　tied　a　medal　of　the　Virgin　round　his　neck。　She
inquired　like　a　virtuous　mother　about　his　companions。　She　said　to
him

〃Don't　see　them；　don't　go　out；　think　only　of　ourselves；　love　me！〃

She　would　have　liked　to　b