madame bovary-第80章
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beneath the load of an immense regret； sweeter than the moon and
fathomless as the night。 The gate suddenly grated。 It was
Lestiboudois； he came to fetch his spade； that he had forgotten。
He recognised Justin climbing over the wall； and at last knew who
was the culprit who stole his potatoes。
Chapter Eleven
The next day Charles had the child brought back。 She asked for
her mamma。 They told her she was away； that she would bring her
back some playthings。 Berthe spoke of her again several times；
then at last thought no more of her。 The child's gaiety broke
Bovary's heart； and he had to bear besides the intolerable
consolations of the chemist。
Money troubles soon began again； Monsieur Lheureux urging on anew
his friend Vincart； and Charles pledged himself for exorbitant
sums； for he would never consent to let the smallest of the
things that had belonged to HER be sold。 His mother was
exasperated with him； he grew even more angry than she did。 He
had altogether changed。 She left the house。
Then everyone began 〃taking advantage〃 of him。 Mademoiselle
Lempereur presented a bill for six months' teaching； although
Emma had never taken a lesson （despite the receipted bill she had
shown Bovary）； it was an arrangement between the two women。 The
man at the circulating library demanded three years'
subscriptions； Mere Rollet claimed the postage due for some
twenty letters； and when Charles asked for an explanation； she
had the delicacy to reply
〃Oh； I don't know。 It was for her business affairs。〃
With every debt he paid Charles thought he had come to the end of
them。 But others followed ceaselessly。 He sent in accounts for
professional attendance。 He was shown the letters his wife had
written。 Then he had to apologise。
Felicite now wore Madame Bovary's gowns； not all； for he had kept
some of them； and he went to look at them in her dressing…room；
locking himself up there； she was about her height； and often
Charles； seeing her from behind； was seized with an illusion； and
cried out
〃Oh； stay； stay！〃
But at Whitsuntide she ran away from Yonville； carried off by
Theodore； stealing all that was left of the wardrobe。
It was about this time that the widow Dupuis had the honour to
inform him of the 〃marriage of Monsieur Leon Dupuis her son；
notary at Yvetot； to Mademoiselle Leocadie Leboeuf of
Bondeville。〃 Charles； among the other congratulations he sent
him； wrote this sentence
〃How glad my poor wife would have been！〃
One day when； wandering aimlessly about the house； he had gone up
to the attic； he felt a pellet of fine paper under his slipper。
He opened it and read： 〃Courage； Emma； courage。 I would not bring
misery into your life。〃 It was Rodolphe's letter； fallen to the
ground between the boxes； where it had remained； and that the
wind from the dormer window had just blown towards the door。 And
Charles stood； motionless and staring； in the very same place
where； long ago； Emma； in despair； and paler even than he； had
thought of dying。 At last he discovered a small R at the bottom
of the second page。 What did this mean？ He remembered Rodolphe's
attentions； his sudden； disappearance； his constrained air when
they had met two or three times since。 But the respectful tone of
the letter deceived him。
〃Perhaps they loved one another platonically；〃 he said to
himself。
Besides； Charles was not of those who go to the bottom of things；
he shrank from the proofs； and his vague jealousy was lost in the
immensity of his woe。
Everyone； he thought； must have adored her； all men assuredly
must have coveted her。 She seemed but the more beautiful to him
for this； he was seized with a lasting； furious desire for her；
that inflamed his despair； and that was boundless； because it was
now unrealisable。
To please her； as if she were still living； he adopted her
predilections； her ideas； he bought patent leather boots and took
to wearing white cravats。 He put cosmetics on his moustache； and；
like her； signed notes of hand。 She corrupted him from beyond the
grave。
He was obliged to sell his silver piece by piece； next he sold
the drawing…room furniture。 All the rooms were stripped； but the
bedroom； her own room； remained as before。 After his dinner
Charles went up there。 He pushed the round table in front of the
fire； and drew up her armchair。 He sat down opposite it。 A candle
burnt in one of the gilt candlesticks。 Berthe by his side was
painting prints。
He suffered； poor man； at seeing her so badly dressed； with
laceless boots； and the arm…holes of her pinafore torn down to
the hips； for the charwoman took no care of her。 But she was so
sweet； so pretty； and her little head bent forward so gracefully；
letting the dear fair hair fall over her rosy cheeks； that an
infinite joy came upon him； a happiness mingled with bitterness；
like those ill…made wines that taste of resin。 He mended her
toys； made her puppets from cardboard； or sewed up half…torn
dolls。 Then； if his eyes fell upon the workbox； a ribbon lying
about； or even a pin left in a crack of the table； he began to
dream； and looked so sad that she became as sad as he。
No one now came to see them； for Justin had run away to Rouen；
where he was a grocer's assistant； and the druggist's children
saw less and less of the child； Monsieur Homais not caring；
seeing the difference of their social position； to continue the
intimacy。
The blind man； whom he had not been able to cure with the pomade；
had gone back to the hill of Bois…Guillaume； where he told the
travellers of the vain attempt of the druggist； to such an
extent； that Homais when he went to town hid himself behind the
curtains of the 〃Hirondelle〃 to avoid meeting him。 He detested
him； and wishing； in the interests of his own reputation； to get
rid of him at all costs； he directed against him a secret
battery； that betrayed the depth of his intellect and the
baseness of his vanity。 Thus； for six consecutive months； one
could read in the 〃Fanal de Rouen〃 editorials such as these
〃All who bend their steps towards the fertile plains of Picardy
have； no doubt； remarked； by the Bois…Guillaume hill； a wretch
suffering from a horrible facial wound。 He importunes； persecutes
one； and levies a regular tax on all travellers。 Are we still
living in the monstrous times of the Middle Ages； when vagabonds
were permitted to display in our public places leprosy and
scrofulas they had brought back from the Crusades？〃
Or
〃In spite of the laws against vagabondage； the approaches to our
great towns continue to be infected by bands of beggars。 Some are
seen going about alone； and these are not； perhaps； the least
dangerous。 What are our ediles about？〃
Then Homais invented anecdotes
〃Yesterday； by the Bois…Guillaume hill； a skittish horse〃 And
then followed the story of an accident caused by the presence of
the blind man。
He managed so well that the fellow was locked up。 But he was
released。 He began again； and Homais began again。 It was a
struggle。 Homais won it； for his foe was condemned to life…long
confinement in an asylum。
This success emboldened him； and henceforth there was no longer a
dog run over； a barn burnt down； a woman beaten in the parish； of
which he did not immediately inform the public； guided always by
the love of progress and the hate of priests。 He instituted
comparisons between the elementary and clerical schools to the
detriment of the latter； called to mind the massacre of St。
Bartholomew a propos of a grant of one hundred francs to the
church； and denounced abuses； aired new views。 That was his
phrase。 Homais was digging and delving； he was becoming
dangerous。
However； he was stifling in the narrow limits of journalism； and
soon a book； a work was necessary to him。 Then he composed
〃General Statistics of the Canton of Yonville； followed by
Climatological Remarks。〃 The statistics drove him to philosophy。
He busied himself with great questions： the social problem：
moralisation of the poorer classes； pisciculture； caoutchouc；
railways； etc。 He even began to blush at being a bourgeois。 He
affected the artistic style； he smoked。 He bought two chic
Pompadour statuettes t
