madame bovary-第70章

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is　rattling　in　the　wind。〃

The　next　day；　Sunday；　she　went　to　Rouen　to　call　on　all　the
brokers　whose　names　she　knew。　They　were　at　their　country…places
or　on　journeys。　She　was　not　discouraged；　and　those　whom　she　did
manage　to　see　she　asked　for　money；　declaring　she　must　have　some；
and　that　she　would　pay　it　back。　Some　laughed　in　her　face；　all
refused。

At　two　o'clock　she　hurried　to　Leon；　and　knocked　at　the　door。　No
one　answered。　At　length　he　appeared。

〃What　brings　you　here？〃

〃Do　I　disturb　you？〃

〃No；　but〃　And　he　admitted　that　his　landlord　didn't　like　his
having　〃women〃　there。

〃I　must　speak　to　you；〃　she　went　on。

Then　he　took　down　the　key；　but　she　stopped　him。

〃No；　no！　Down　there；　in　our　home！〃

And　they　went　to　their　room　at　the　Hotel　de　Boulogne。

On　arriving　she　drank　off　a　large　glass　of　water。　She　was　very
pale。　She　said　to　him

〃Leon；　you　will　do　me　a　service？〃

And；　shaking　him　by　both　hands　that　she　grasped　tightly；　she
added

〃Listen；　I　want　eight　thousand　francs。〃

〃But　you　are　mad！〃

〃Not　yet。〃

And　thereupon；　telling　him　the　story　of　the　distraint；　she
explained　her　distress　to　him；　for　Charles　knew　nothing　of　it；
her　mother…in…law　detested　her；　old　Rouault　could　do　nothing；　but
he；　Leon；　he　would　set　about　finding　this　indispensable　sum。

〃How　on　earth　can　I？〃

〃What　a　coward　you　are！〃　she　cried。

Then　he　said　stupidly；　〃You　are　exaggerating　the　difficulty。
Perhaps；　with　a　thousand　crowns　or　so　the　fellow　could　be
stopped。〃

All　the　greater　reason　to　try　and　do　something；　it　was　impossible
that　they　could　not　find　three　thousand　francs。　Besides；　Leon；
could　be　security　instead　of　her。

〃Go；　try；　try！　I　will　love　you　so！〃

He　went　out；　and　came　back　at　the　end　of　an　hour；　saying；　with
solemn　face

〃I　have　been　to　three　people　with　no　success。〃

Then　they　remained　sitting　face　to　face　at　the　two　chimney
corners；　motionless；　in　silence。　Emma　shrugged　her　shoulders　as
she　stamped　her　feet。　He　heard　her　murmuring

〃If　I　were　in　your　place　_I_　should　soon　get　some。〃

〃But　where？〃

〃At　your　office。〃　And　she　looked　at　him。

An　infernal　boldness　looked　out　from　her　burning　eyes；　and　their
lids　drew　close　together　with　a　lascivious　and　encouraging　look；
so　that　the　young　man　felt　himself　growing　weak　beneath　the　mute
will　of　this　woman　who　was　urging　him　to　a　crime。　Then　he　was
afraid；　and　to　avoid　any　explanation　he　smote　his　forehead；
crying

〃Morel　is　to　come　back　to…night；　he　will　not　refuse　me；　I　hope〃
（this　was　one　of　his　friends；　the　son　of　a　very　rich　merchant）；
〃and　I　will　bring　it　you　to…morrow；〃　he　added。

Emma　did　not　seem　to　welcome　this　hope　with　all　the　joy　he　had
expected。　Did　she　suspect　the　lie？　He　went　on；　blushing

〃However；　if　you　don't　see　me　by　three　o'clock　do　not　wait　for
me；　my　darling。　I　must　be　off　now；　forgive　me！　Goodbye！〃

He　pressed　her　hand；　but　it　felt　quite　lifeless。　Emma　had　no
strength　left　for　any　sentiment。

Four　o'clock　struck；　and　she　rose　to　return　to　Yonville；
mechanically　obeying　the　force　of　old　habits。

The　weather　was　fine。　It　was　one　of　those　March　days；　clear　and
sharp；　when　the　sun　shines　in　a　perfectly　white　sky。　The　Rouen
folk；　in　Sunday…clothes；　were　walking　about　with　happy　looks。　She
reached　the　Place　du　Parvis。　People　were　coming　out　after
vespers；　the　crowd　flowed　out　through　the　three　doors　like　a
stream　through　the　three　arches　of　a　bridge；　and　in　the　middle
one；　more　motionless　than　a　rock；　stood　the　beadle。

Then　she　remembered　the　day　when；　all　anxious　and　full　of　hope；
she　had　entered　beneath　this　large　nave；　that　had　opened　out
before　her；　less　profound　than　her　love；　and　she　walked　on
weeping　beneath　her　veil；　giddy；　staggering；　almost　fainting。

〃Take　care！〃　cried　a　voice　issuing　from　the　gate　of　a　courtyard
that　was　thrown　open。

She　stopped　to　let　pass　a　black　horse；　pawing　the　ground　between
the　shafts　of　a　tilbury；　driven　by　a　gentleman　in　sable　furs。　Who
was　it？　She　knew　him。　The　carriage　darted　by　and　disappeared。

Why；　it　was　hethe　Viscount。　She　turned　away；　the　street　was
empty。　She　was　so　overwhelmed；　so　sad；　that　she　had　to　lean
against　a　wall　to　keep　herself　from　falling。

Then　she　thought　she　had　been　mistaken。　Anyhow；　she　did　not　know。
All　within　her　and　around　her　was　abandoning　her。　She　felt　lost；
sinking　at　random　into　indefinable　abysses；　and　it　was　almost
with　joy　that；　on　reaching　the　〃Croix…Rouge；〃　she　saw　the　good
Homais；　who　was　watching　a　large　box　full　of　pharmaceutical
stores　being　hoisted　on　to　the　〃Hirondelle。〃　In　his　hand　he　held
tied　in　a　silk　handkerchief　six　cheminots　for　his　wife。

Madame　Homais　was　very　fond　of　these　small；　heavy　turban…shaped
loaves；　that　are　eaten　in　Lent　with　salt　butter；　a　last　vestige
of　Gothic　food　that　goes　back；　perhaps；　to　the　time　of　the
Crusades；　and　with　which　the　robust　Normans　gorged　themselves　of
yore；　fancying　they　saw　on　the　table；　in　the　light　of　the　yellow
torches；　between　tankards　of　hippocras　and　huge　boars'　heads；　the
heads　of　Saracens　to　be　devoured。　The　druggist's　wife　crunched
them　up　as　they　had　doneheroically；　despite　her　wretched　teeth。
And　so　whenever　Homais　journeyed　to　town；　he　never　failed　to
bring　her　home　some　that　he　bought　at　the　great　baker's　in　the
Rue　Massacre。

〃Charmed　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　offering　Emma　a　hand　to　help　her
into　the　〃Hirondelle。〃　Then　he　hung　up　his　cheminots　to　the　cords
of　the　netting；　and　remained　bare…headed　in　an　attitude　pensive
and　Napoleonic。

But　when　the　blind　man　appeared　as　usual　at　the　foot　of　the　hill
he　exclaimed

〃I　can't　understand　why　the　authorities　tolerate　such　culpable
industries。　Such　unfortunates　should　be　locked　up　and　forced　to
work。　Progress；　my　word！　creeps　at　a　snail's　pace。　We　are
floundering　about　in　mere　barbarism。〃

The　blind　man　held　out　his　hat；　that　flapped　about　at　the　door；
as　if　it　were　a　bag　in　the　lining　that　had　come　unnailed。

〃This；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃is　a　scrofulous　affection。〃

And　though　he　knew　the　poor　devil；　he　pretended　to　see　him　for
the　first　time；　murmured　something　about　〃cornea；〃　〃opaque
cornea；〃　〃sclerotic；〃　〃facies；〃　then　asked　him　in　a　paternal
tone

〃My　friend；　have　you　long　had　this　terrible　infirmity？　Instead　of
getting　drunk　at　the　public；　you'd　do　better　to　die　yourself。〃

He　advised　him　to　take　good　wine；　good　beer；　and　good　joints。　The
blind　man　went　on　with　his　song；　he　seemed；　moreover；　almost
idiotic。　At　last　Monsieur　Homais　opened　his　purse

〃Now　there's　a　sou；　give　me　back　two　lairds；　and　don't　forget　my
advice：　you'll　be　the　better　for　it。〃

Hivert　openly　cast　some　doubt　on　the　efficacy　of　it。　But　the
druggist　said　that　he　would　cure　himself　with　an　antiphlogistic
pomade　of　his　own　composition；　and　he　gave　his　address〃Monsieur
Homais；　near　the　market；　pretty　well　known。〃

〃Now；〃　said　Hivert；　〃for　all　this　trouble　you'll　give　us　your
performance。〃

The　blind　man　sank　down　on　his　haunches；　with　his　head　thrown
back；　whilst　he　rolled　his　greenish　eyes；　lolled　out　his　tongue；
and　rubbed　his　stomach　with　both　hands　as　he　uttered　a　kind　of
hollow　yell　like　a　famished　dog。　Emma；　filled　with　disgust；　threw
him　over　her　shoulder　a　five…franc　piece。　It　was　all　her　fortune。
It　seemed　to　her　very　fine　thus　to　throw　it　away。

The　coach　had　gone　on　again　when　suddenly　Monsieur　Homais　leant
out　through　the　window；　crying

〃No　farinaceous　or　milk　food；　wear　wool　next　the　skin；　and　expose
the　diseased　parts　to　the　smoke　of　juniper　berries。〃

The　sight　of　the　well…known　objects　that　defiled　before　her　eyes
gradually　diverted　Emma　from　her　present　trouble。　An　intolerable
fatigue　overwhelmed　her；　and　she　reached　her　home　stupefied；
discouraged；　almost　asleep。

〃Come　what　may　come！〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃And　then；　who　knows？
Why；　at　any　moment　could　not　some　extraordinary　event　occur？
Lheureux　even　might　die！〃

At　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　she　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of
voices　in　the　Place。　There　was　a　crowd　round　the　market　reading　a
large　bill　fixed　to　one　of　the　posts；　and　she　saw　Justin；　who　was
climbing　on　to　a　stone　and　tearing　down　the　bill。　But　at　this
moment　the　rural　guard　seized　him　by　the　co