madame bovary-第69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！


belong　to　the　lowest　class。　Then　she　was　frightened；　pushed　back
her　chair；　and　cast　down　her　eyes。

The　others　began　to　eat；　she　ate　nothing。　Her　head　was　on　fire；
her　eyes　smarted；　and　her　skin　was　ice…cold。　In　her　head　she
seemed　to　feel　the　floor　of　the　ball…room　rebounding　again
beneath　the　rhythmical　pulsation　of　the　thousands　of　dancing
feet。　And　now　the　smell　of　the　punch；　the　smoke　of　the　cigars；
made　her　giddy。　She　fainted；　and　they　carried　her　to　the　window。

Day　was　breaking；　and　a　great　stain　of　purple　colour　broadened
out　in　the　pale　horizon　over　the　St。　Catherine　hills。　The　livid
river　was　shivering　in　the　wind；　there　was　no　one　on　the　bridges；
the　street　lamps　were　going　out。

She　revived；　and　began　thinking　of　Berthe　asleep　yonder　in　the
servant's　room。　Then　a　cart　filled　with　long　strips　of　iron
passed　by；　and　made　a　deafening　metallic　vibration　against　the
walls　of　the　houses。

She　slipped　away　suddenly；　threw　off　her　costume；　told　Leon　she
must　get　back；　and　at　last　was　alone　at　the　Hotel　de　Boulogne。
Everything；　even　herself；　was　now　unbearable　to　her。　She　wished
that；　taking　wing　like　a　bird；　she　could　fly　somewhere；　far　away
to　regions　of　purity；　and　there　grow　young　again。

She　went　out；　crossed　the　Boulevard；　the　Place　Cauchoise；　and　the
Faubourg；　as　far　as　an　open　street　that　overlooked　some　gardens。
She　walked　rapidly；　the　fresh　air　calming　her；　and；　little　by
little；　the　faces　of　the　crowd；　the　masks；　the　quadrilles；　the
lights；　the　supper；　those　women；　all　disappeared　like　mists
fading　away。　Then；　reaching　the　〃Croix…Rouge；〃　she　threw　herself
on　the　bed　in　her　little　room　on　the　second　floor；　where　there
were　pictures　of　the　〃Tour　de　Nesle。〃　At　four　o'clock　Hivert
awoke　her。

When　she　got　home；　Felicite　showed　her　behind　the　clock　a　grey
paper。　She　read

〃In　virtue　of　the　seizure　in　execution　of　a　judgment。〃

What　judgment？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　evening　before　another
paper　had　been　brought　that　she　had　not　yet　seen；　and　she　was
stunned　by　these　words

〃By　order　of　the　king；　law；　and　justice；　to　Madame　Bovary。〃　Then；
skipping　several　lines；　she　read；　〃Within　twenty…four　hours；
without　fail〃　But　what？　〃To　pay　the　sum　of　eight　thousand
francs。〃　And　there　was　even　at　the　bottom；　〃She　will　be
constrained　thereto　by　every　form　of　law；　and　notably　by　a　writ
of　distraint　on　her　furniture　and　effects。〃

What　was　to　be　done？　In　twenty…four　hourstomorrow。　Lheureux；
she　thought；　wanted　to　frighten　her　again；　for　she　saw　through
all　his　devices；　the　object　of　his　kindnesses。　What　reassured　her
was　the　very　magnitude　of　the　sum。

However；　by　dint　of　buying　and　not　paying；　of　borrowing；　signing
bills；　and　renewing　these　bills　that　grew　at　each　new　falling…in；
she　had　ended　by　preparing　a　capital　for　Monsieur　Lheureux　which
he　was　impatiently　awaiting　for　his　speculations。

She　presented　herself　at　his　place　with　an　offhand　air。

〃You　know　what　has　happened　to　me？　No　doubt　it's　a　joke！〃

〃How　so？〃

He　turned　away　slowly；　and；　folding　his　arms；　said　to　her

〃My　good　lady；　did　you　think　I　should　go　on　to　all　eternity　being
your　purveyor　and　banker；　for　the　love　of　God？　Now　be　just。　I
must　get　back　what　I've　laid　out。　Now　be　just。〃

She　cried　out　against　the　debt。

〃Ah！　so　much　the　worse。　The　court　has　admitted　it。　There's　a
judgment。　It's　been　notified　to　you。　Besides；　it　isn't　my　fault。
It's　Vincart's。〃

〃Could　you　not？〃

〃Oh；　nothing　whatever。〃

〃But　still；　now　talk　it　over。〃

And　she　began　beating　about　the　bush；　she　had　known　nothing　about
it；　it　was　a　surprise。

〃Whose　fault　is　that？〃　said　Lheureux；　bowing　ironically。　〃While
I'm　slaving　like　a　nigger；　you　go　gallivanting　about。〃

〃Ah！　no　lecturing。〃

〃It　never　does　any　harm；〃　he　replied。

She　turned　coward；　she　implored　him；　she　even　pressed　her　pretty
white　and　slender　hand　against　the　shopkeeper's　knee。

〃There；　that'll　do！　Anyone'd　think　you　wanted　to　seduce　me！〃

〃You　are　a　wretch！〃　she　cried。

〃Oh；　oh！　go　it！　go　it！〃

〃I　will　show　you　up。　I　shall　tell　my　husband。〃

〃All　right！　I　too。　I'll　show　your　husband　something。〃

And　Lheureux　drew　from　his　strong　box　the　receipt　for　eighteen
hundred　francs　that　she　had　given　him　when　Vincart　had　discounted
the　bills。

〃Do　you　think；〃　he　added；　〃that　he'll　not　understand　your　little
theft；　the　poor　dear　man？〃

She　collapsed；　more　overcome　than　if　felled　by　the　blow　of　a
pole…axe。　He　was　walking　up　and　down　from　the　window　to　the
bureau；　repeating　all　the　while

〃Ah！　I'll　show　him！　I'll　show　him！〃　Then　he　approached　her；　and
in　a　soft　voice　said

〃It　isn't　pleasant；　I　know；　but；　after　all；　no　bones　are　broken；
and；　since　that　is　the　only　way　that　is　left　for　you　paying　back
my　money〃

〃But　where　am　I　to　get　any？〃　said　Emma；　wringing　her　hands。

〃Bah！　when　one　has　friends　like　you！〃

And　he　looked　at　her　in　so　keen；　so　terrible　a　fashion；　that　she
shuddered　to　her　very　heart。

〃I　promise　you；〃　she　said；　〃to　sign〃

〃I've　enough　of　your　signatures。〃

〃I　will　sell　something。〃

〃Get　along！〃　he　said；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃you've　not　got
anything。〃

And　he　called　through　the　peep…hole　that　looked　down　into　the
shop

〃Annette；　don't　forget　the　three　coupons　of　No。　14。〃

The　servant　appeared。　Emma　understood；　and　asked　how　much　money
would　be　wanted　to　put　a　stop　to　the　proceedings。

〃It　is　too　late。〃

〃But　if　I　brought　you　several　thousand　francsa　quarter　of　the
suma　thirdperhaps　the　whole？〃

〃No；　it's　no　use！〃

And　he　pushed　her　gently　towards　the　staircase。

〃I　implore　you；　Monsieur　Lheureux；　just　a　few　days　more！〃　She　was
sobbing。

〃There！　tears　now！〃

〃You　are　driving　me　to　despair！〃

〃What　do　I　care？〃　said　he；　shutting　the　door。



Chapter　Seven

She　was　stoical　the　next　day　when　Maitre　Hareng；　the　bailiff；
with　two　assistants；　presented　himself　at　her　house　to　draw　up
the　inventory　for　the　distraint。

They　began　with　Bovary's　consulting…room；　and　did　not　write　down
the　phrenological　head；　which　was　considered　an　〃instrument　of
his　profession〃；　but　in　the　kitchen　they　counted　the　plates；　the
saucepans；　the　chairs；　the　candlesticks；　and　in　the　bedroom　all
the　nick…nacks　on　the　whatnot。　They　examined　her　dresses；　the
linen；　the　dressing…room；　and　her　whole　existence　to　its　most
intimate　details；　was；　like　a　corpse　on　whom　a　post…mortem　is
made；　outspread　before　the　eyes　of　these　three　men。

Maitre　Hareng；　buttoned　up　in　his　thin　black　coat；　wearing　a
white　choker　and　very　tight　foot…straps；　repeated　from　time　to
time〃Allow　me；　madame。　You　allow　me？〃　Often　he　uttered
exclamations。　〃Charming！　very　pretty。〃　Then　he　began　writing
again；　dipping　his　pen　into　the　horn　inkstand　in　his　left　hand。

When　they　had　done　with　the　rooms　they　went　up　to　the　attic。　She
kept　a　desk　there　in　which　Rodolphe's　letters　were　locked。　It　had
to　be　opened。

〃Ah！　a　correspondence；〃　said　Maitre　Hareng；　with　a　discreet
smile。　〃But　allow　me；　for　I　must　make　sure　the　box　contains
nothing　else。〃　And　he　tipped　up　the　papers　lightly；　as　if　to
shake　out　napoleons。　Then　she　grew　angered　to　see　this　coarse
hand；　with　fingers　red　and　pulpy　like　slugs；　touching　these　pages
against　which　her　heart　had　beaten。

They　went　at　last。　Felicite　came　back。　Emma　had　sent　her　out　to
watch　for　Bovary　in　order　to　keep　him　off；　and　they　hurriedly
installed　the　man　in　possession　under　the　roof；　where　he　swore　he
would　remain。

During　the　evening　Charles　seemed　to　her　careworn。　Emma　watched
him　with　a　look　of　anguish；　fancying　she　saw　an　accusation　in
every　line　of　his　face。　Then；　when　her　eyes　wandered　over　the
chimney…piece　ornamented　with　Chinese　screens；　over　the　large
curtains；　the　armchairs；　all　those　things；　in　a　word；　that　had；
softened　the　bitterness　of　her　life；　remorse　seized　her　or　rather
an　immense　regret；　that；　far　from　crushing；　irritated　her
passion。　Charles　placidly　poked　the　fire；　both　his　feet　on　the
fire…dogs。

Once　the　man；　no　doubt　bored　in　his　hiding…place；　made　a　slight
noise。

〃Is　anyone　walking　upstairs？〃　said　Charles。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃it　is　a　window　that　has　been　left　open；　and
is　rattling　in　the　wind。〃

The　next　day；　Sunday