madame bovary-第71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！


climbing　on　to　a　stone　and　tearing　down　the　bill。　But　at　this
moment　the　rural　guard　seized　him　by　the　collar。　Monsieur　Homais
came　out　of　his　shop；　and　Mere　Lefrangois；　in　the　midst　of　the
crowd；　seemed　to　be　perorating。

〃Madame！　madame！〃　cried　Felicite；　running　in；　〃it's　abominable！〃

And　the　poor　girl；　deeply　moved；　handed　her　a　yellow　paper　that
she　had　just　torn　off　the　door。　Emma　read　with　a　glance　that　all
her　furniture　was　for　sale。

Then　they　looked　at　one　another　silently。　The　servant　and
mistress　had　no　secret　one　from　the　other。　At　last　Felicite
sighed

〃If　I　were　you；　madame；　I　should　go　to　Monsieur　Guillaumin。〃

〃Do　you　think〃

And　this　question　meant　to　say

〃You　who　know　the　house　through　the　servant；　has　the　master
spoken　sometimes　of　me？〃

〃Yes；　you'd　do　well　to　go　there。〃

She　dressed；　put　on　her　black　gown；　and　her　hood　with　jet　beads；
and　that　she　might　not　be　seen　（there　was　still　a　crowd　on　the
Place）；　she　took　the　path　by　the　river；　outside　the　village。

She　reached　the　notary's　gate　quite　breathless。　The　sky　was
sombre；　and　a　little　snow　was　falling。　At　the　sound　of　the　bell；
Theodore　in　a　red　waistcoat　appeared　on　the　steps；　he　came　to
open　the　door　almost　familiarly；　as　to　an　acquaintance；　and
showed　her　into　the　dining…room。

A　large　porcelain　stove　crackled　beneath　a　cactus　that　filled　up
the　niche　in　the　wall；　and　in　black　wood　frames　against　the
oak…stained　paper　hung　Steuben's　〃Esmeralda〃　and　Schopin's
〃Potiphar。　〃　The　ready…laid　table；　the　two　silver　chafing…dishes；
the　crystal　door…knobs；　the　parquet　and　the　furniture；　all　shone
with　a　scrupulous；　English　cleanliness；　the　windows　were
ornamented　at　each　corner　with　stained　glass。

〃Now　this；〃　thought　Emma；　〃is　the　dining…room　I　ought　to　have。〃

The　notary　came　in　pressing　his　palm…leaf　dressing…gown　to　his
breast　with　his　left　arm；　while　with　the　other　hand　he　raised　and
quickly　put　on　again　his　brown　velvet　cap；　pretentiously　cocked
on　the　right　side；　whence　looked　out　the　ends　of　three　fair　curls
drawn　from　the　back　of　the　head；　following　the　line　of　his　bald
skull。

After　he　had　offered　her　a　seat　he　sat　down　to　breakfast；
apologising　profusely　for　his　rudeness。

〃I　have　come；〃　she　said；　〃to　beg　you；　sir〃

〃What；　madame？　I　am　listening。〃

And　she　began　explaining　her　position　to　him。　Monsieur　Guillaumin
knew　it；　being　secretly　associated　with　the　linendraper；　from
whom　he　always　got　capital　for　the　loans　on　mortgages　that　he　was
asked　to　make。

So　he　knew　（and　better　than　she　herself）　the　long　story　of　the
bills；　small　at　first；　bearing　different　names　as　endorsers；　made
out　at　long　dates；　and　constantly　renewed　up　to　the　day；　when；
gathering　together　all　the　protested　bills；　the　shopkeeper　had
bidden　his　friend　Vincart　take　in　his　own　name　all　the　necessary
proceedings；　not　wishing　to　pass　for　a　tiger　with　his
fellow…citizens。

She　mingled　her　story　with　recriminations　against　Lheureux；　to
which　the　notary　replied　from　time　to　time　with　some
insignificant　word。　Eating　his　cutlet　and　drinking　his　tea；　he
buried　his　chin　in　his　sky…blue　cravat；　into　which　were　thrust
two　diamond　pins；　held　together　by　a　small　gold　chain；　and　he
smiled　a　singular　smile；　in　a　sugary；　ambiguous　fashion。　But
noticing　that　her　feet　were　damp；　he　said

〃Do　get　closer　to　the　stove；　put　your　feet　up　against　the
porcelain。〃

She　was　afraid　of　dirtying　it。　The　notary　replied　in　a　gallant
tone

〃Beautiful　things　spoil　nothing。〃

Then　she　tried　to　move　him；　and；　growing　moved　herself；　she　began
telling　him　about　the　poorness　of　her　home；　her　worries；　her
wants。　He　could　understand　that；　an　elegant　woman！　and；　without
leaving　off　eating；　he　had　turned　completely　round　towards　her；
so　that　his　knee　brushed　against　her　boot；　whose　sole　curled
round　as　it　smoked　against　the　stove。

But　when　she　asked　for　a　thousand　sous；　he　closed　his　lips；　and
declared　he　was　very　sorry　he　had　not　had　the　management　of　her
fortune　before；　for　there　were　hundreds　of　ways　very　convenient；
even　for　a　lady；　of　turning　her　money　to　account。　They　might；
either　in　the　turf…peats　of　Grumesnil　or　building…ground　at
Havre；　almost　without　risk；　have　ventured　on　some　excellent
speculations；　and　he　let　her　consume　herself　with　rage　at　the
thought　of　the　fabulous　sums　that　she　would　certainly　have　made。

〃How　was　it；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　you　didn't　come　to　me？〃

〃I　hardly　know；〃　she　said。

〃Why；　hey？　Did　I　frighten　you　so　much？　It　is　I；　on　the　contrary；
who　ought　to　complain。　We　hardly　know　one　another；　yet　I　am　very
devoted　to　you。　You　do　not　doubt　that；　I　hope？〃

He　held　out　his　hand；　took　hers；　covered　it　with　a　greedy　kiss；
then　held　it　on　his　knee；　and　he　played　delicately　with　her
fingers　whilst　he　murmured　a　thousand　blandishments。　His　insipid
voice　murmured　like　a　running　brook；　a　light　shone　in　his　eyes
through　the　glimmering　of　his　spectacles；　and　his　hand　was
advancing　up　Emma's　sleeve　to　press　her　arm。　She　felt　against　her
cheek　his　panting　breath。　This　man　oppressed　her　horribly。

She　sprang　up　and　said　to　him

〃Sir；　I　am　waiting。〃

〃For　what？〃　said　the　notary；　who　suddenly　became　very　pale。

〃This　money。〃

〃But〃　Then；　yielding　to　the　outburst　of　too　powerful　a　desire；
〃Well；　yes！〃

He　dragged　himself　towards　her　on　his　knees；　regardless　of　his
dressing…gown。

〃For　pity's　sake；　stay。　I　love　you！〃

He　seized　her　by　her　waist。　Madame　Bovary's　face　flushed　purple。
She　recoiled　with　a　terrible　look；　crying

〃You　are　taking　a　shameless　advantage　of　my　distress；　sir！　I　am
to　be　pitiednot　to　be　sold。〃

And　she　went　out。

The　notary　remained　quite　stupefied；　his　eyes　fixed　on　his　fine
embroidered　slippers。　They　were　a　love　gift；　and　the　sight　of
them　at　last　consoled　him。　Besides；　he　reflected　that　such　an
adventure　might　have　carried　him　too　far。

〃What　a　wretch！　what　a　scoundrel！　what　an　infamy！〃　she　said　to
herself；　as　she　fled　with　nervous　steps　beneath　the　aspens　of　the
path。　The　disappointment　of　her　failure　increased　the　indignation
of　her　outraged　modesty；　it　seemed　to　her　that　Providence　pursued
her　implacably；　and；　strengthening　herself　in　her　pride；　she　had
never　felt　so　much　esteem　for　herself　nor　so　much　contempt　for
others。　A　spirit　of　warfare　transformed　her。　She　would　have　liked
to　strike　all　men；　to　spit　in　their　faces；　to　crush　them；　and　she
walked　rapidly　straight　on；　pale；　quivering；　maddened；　searching
the　empty　horizon　with　tear…dimmed　eyes；　and　as　it　were　rejoicing
in　the　hate　that　was　choking　her。

When　she　saw　her　house　a　numbness　came　over　her。　She　could　not　go
on；　and　yet　she　must。　Besides；　whither　could　she　flee　？

Felicite　was　waiting　for　her　at　the　door。　〃Well？〃

〃No！〃　said　Emma。

And　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　two　of　them　went　over　the
various　persons　in　Yonville　who　might　perhaps　be　inclined　to　help
her。　But　each　time　that　Felicite　named　someone　Emma　replied

〃Impossible！　they　will　not！〃

〃And　the　master'll　soon　be　in。〃

〃I　know　that　well　enough。　Leave　me　alone。〃

She　had　tried　everything；　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done　now；
and　when　Charles　came　in　she　would　have　to　say　to　him

〃Go　away！　This　carpet　on　which　you　are　walking　is　no　longer　ours。
In　your　own　house　you　do　not　possess　a　chair；　a　pin；　a　straw；　and
it　is　I；　poor　man；　who　have　ruined　you。〃

Then　there　would　be　a　great　sob；　next　he　would　weep　abundantly；
and　at　last；　the　surprise　past；　he　would　forgive　her。

〃Yes；〃　she　murmured；　grinding　her　teeth；　〃he　will　forgive　me；　he
who　would　give　a　million　if　I　would　forgive　him　for　having　known
me！　Never！　never！〃

This　thought　of　Bovary's　superiority　to　her　exasperated　her。
Then；　whether　she　confessed　or　did　not　confess；　presently；
immediately；　to…morrow；　he　would　know　the　catastrophe　all　the
same；　so　she　must　wait　for　this　horrible　scene；　and　bear　the
weight　of　his　magnanimity。　The　desire　to　return　to　Lheureux's
seized　herwhat　would　be　the　use？　To　write　to　her　fatherit　was
too　late；　and　perhaps；　she　began　to　repent　now　that　she　had　not
yielded　to　that　other；　when　she　heard　the　trot　of　a　horse　in　the
alley。　It　was　he；　he　was　opening　the　gate；　he　was　whiter　than　the
plaster