madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第26节

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wholly　to　him；　and　forcing　a　laugh。
Leon　felt　it　between　his　fingers；　and　the　very　essence　of　all　his
being　seemed　to　pass　down　into　that　moist　palm。　Then　he　opened
his　hand；　their　eyes　met　again；　and　he　disappeared。
When　he　reached　the　market…place；　he　stopped　and　hid　behind　a
pillar　to　look　for　the　last　time　at　this　white　house　with　the
four　green　blinds。　He　thought　he　saw　a　shadow　behind　the　window
in　the　room；　but　the　curtain；　sliding　along　the　pole　as　though　no
one　were　touching　it；　slowly　opened　its　long　oblique　folds　that
spread　out　with　a　single　movement；　and　thus　hung　straight　and
motionless　as　a　plaster　wall。　Leon　set　off　running。
》From　afar　he　saw　his　employer's　gig　in　the　road；　and　by　it　a　man
in　a　coarse　apron　holding　the　horse。　Homais　and　Monsieur
Guillaumin　were　talking。　They　were　waiting　for　him。
〃Embrace　me；〃　said　the　druggist　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　〃Here　is
your　coat；　my　good　friend。　Mind　the　cold；　take　care　of　yourself；
look　after　yourself。〃
〃Come；　Leon；　jump　in；〃　said　the　notary。
Homais　bend　over　the　splash…board；　and　in　a　voice　broken　by　sobs
uttered　these　three　sad　words
〃A　pleasant　journey！〃
〃Good…night；〃　said　Monsieur　Guillaumin。　〃Give　him　his　head。〃　They
set　out；　and　Homais　went　back。
Madame　Bovary　had　opened　her　window　overlooking　the　garden　and
watched　the　clouds。　They　gathered　around　the　sunset　on　the　side
of　Rouen　and　then　swiftly　rolled　back　their　black　columns；　behind
which　the　great　rays　of　the　sun　looked　out　like　the　golden　arrows
of　a　suspended　trophy；　while　the　rest　of　the　empty　heavens　was
white　as　porcelain。　But　a　gust　of　wind　bowed　the　poplars；　and
suddenly　the　rain　fell；　it　pattered　against　the　green　leaves。
Then　the　sun　reappeared；　the　hens　clucked；　sparrows　shook　their
wings　in　the　damp　thickets；　and　the　pools　of　water　on　the　gravel
as　they　flowed　away　carried　off　the　pink　flowers　of　an　acacia。
〃Ah！　how　far　off　he　must　be　already！〃　she　thought。
Monsieur　Homais；　as　usual；　came　at　half…past　six　during　dinner。
〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃so　we've　sent　off　our　young　friend！〃
〃So　it　seems；〃　replied　the　doctor。　Then　turning　on　his　chair；
〃Any　news　at　home？〃
〃Nothing　much。　Only　my　wife　was　a　little　moved　this　afternoon。
You　know　womena　nothing　upsets　them；　especially　my　wife。　And　we
should　be　wrong　to　object　to　that；　since　their　nervous
organization　is　much　more　malleable　than　ours。〃
〃Poor　Leon！〃　said　Charles。　〃How　will　he　live　at　Paris？　Will　he
get　used　to　it？〃
Madame　Bovary　sighed。
〃Get　along！〃　said　the　chemist；　smacking　his　lips。　〃The　outings　at
restaurants；　the　masked　balls；　the　champagneall　that'll　be
jolly　enough；　I　assure　you。〃
〃I　don't　think　he'll　go　wrong；〃　objected　Bovary。
〃Nor　do　I；〃　said　Monsieur　Homais　quickly；　〃although　he'll　have　to
do　like　the　rest　for　fear　of　passing　for　a　Jesuit。　And　you　don't
know　what　a　life　those　dogs　lead　in　the　Latin　quarter　with
actresses。　Besides；　students　are　thought　a　great　deal　of　in
Paris。　Provided　they　have　a　few　accomplishments；　they　are
received　in　the　best　society；　there　are　even　ladies　of　the
Faubourg　Saint…Germain　who　fall　in　love　with　them；　which
subsequently　furnishes　them　opportunities　for　making　very　good
matches。〃
〃But；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　fear　for　him　that　down　there〃
〃You　are　right；〃　interrupted　the　chemist；　〃that　is　the　reverse　of
the　medal。　And　one　is　constantly　obliged　to　keep　one's　hand　in
one's　pocket　there。　Thus；　we　will　suppose　you　are　in　a　public
garden。　An　individual　presents　himself；　well　dressed；　even
wearing　an　order；　and　whom　one　would　take　for　a　diplomatist。　He
approaches　you；　he　insinuates　himself；　offers　you　a　pinch　of
snuff；　or　picks　up　your　hat。　Then　you　become　more　intimate；　he
takes　you　to　a　cafe；　invites　you　to　his　country…house；　introduces
you；　between　two　drinks；　to　all　sorts　of　people；　and
three…fourths　of　the　time　it's　only　to　plunder　your　watch　or　lead
you　into　some　pernicious　step。
〃That　is　true；〃　said　Charles；　〃but　I　was　thinking　especially　of
illnessesof　typhoid　fever；　for　example；　that　attacks　students
from　the　provinces。〃
Emma　shuddered。
〃Because　of　the　change　of　regimen；〃　continued　the　chemist；　〃and
of　the　perturbation　that　results　therefrom　in　the　whole　system。
And　then　the　water　at　Paris；　don't　you　know！　The　dishes　at
restaurants；　all　the　spiced　food；　end　by　heating　the　blood；　and
are　not　worth；　whatever　people　may　say　of　them；　a　good　soup。　For
my　own　part；　I　have　always　preferred　plain　living；　it　is　more
healthy。　So　when　I　was　studying　pharmacy　at　Rouen；　I　boarded　in　a
boarding　house；　I　dined　with　the　professors。〃
And　thus　he　went　on；　expounding　his　opinions　generally　and　his
personal　likings；　until　Justin　came　to　fetch　him　for　a　mulled　egg
that　was　wanted。
〃Not　a　moment's　peace！〃　he　cried；　〃always　at　it！　I　can't　go　out
for　a　minute！　Like　a　plough…horse；　I　have　always　to　be　moiling
and　toiling。　What　drudgery！〃　Then；　when　he　was　at　the　door；　〃By
the　way；　do　you　know　the　news？〃
〃What　news？〃
〃That　it　is　very　likely；〃　Homais　went　on；　raising　his　eyebrows
and　assuming　one　of　his　most　serious　expression；　〃that　the
agricultural　meeting　of　the　Seine…Inferieure　will　be　held　this
year　at　Yonville…l'Abbaye。　The　rumour；　at　all　events；　is　going
the　round。　This　morning　the　paper　alluded　to　it。　It　would　be　of
the　utmost　importance　for　our　district。　But　we'll　talk　it　over
later　on。　I　can　see；　thank　you；　Justin　has　the　lantern。〃

Chapter　Seven
The　next　day　was　a　dreary　one　for　Emma。　Everything　seemed　to　her
enveloped　in　a　black　atmosphere　floating　confusedly　over　the
exterior　of　things；　and　sorrow　was　engulfed　within　her　soul　with
soft　shrieks　such　as　the　winter　wind　makes　in　ruined　castles。　It
was　that　reverie　which　we　give　to　things　that　will　not　return；
the　lassitude　that　seizes　you　after　everything　was　done；　that
pain；　in　fine；　that　the　interruption　of　every　wonted　movement；
the　sudden　cessation　of　any　prolonged　vibration；　brings　on。
As　on　the　return　from　Vaubyessard；　when　the　quadrilles　were
running　in　her　head；　she　was　full　of　a　gloomy　melancholy；　of　a
numb　despair。　Leon　reappeared；　taller；　handsomer；　more　charming；
more　vague。　Though　separated　from　her；　he　had　not　left　her；　he
was　there；　and　the　walls　of　the　house　seemed　to　hold　his　shadow。
She　could　not　detach　her　eyes　from　the　carpet　where　he　had
walked；　from　those　empty　chairs　where　he　had　sat。　The　river　still
flowed　on；　and　slowly　drove　its　ripples　along　the　slippery　banks。
They　had　often　walked　there　to　the　murmur　of　the　waves　over　the
moss…covered　pebbles。　How　bright　the　sun　had　been！　What　happy
afternoons　they　had　seen　along　in　the　shade　at　the　end　of　the
garden！　He　read　aloud；　bareheaded；　sitting　on　a　footstool　of　dry
sticks；　the　fresh　wind　of　the　meadow　set　trembling　the　leaves　of
the　book　and　the　nasturtiums　of　the　arbour。　Ah！　he　was　gone；　the
only　charm　of　her　life；　the　only　possible　hope　of　joy。　Why　had
she　not　seized　this　happiness　when　it　came　to　her？　Why　not　have
kept　hold　of　it　with　both　hands；　with　both　knees；　when　it　was
about　to　flee　from　her？　And　she　cursed　herself　for　not　having
loved　Leon。　She　thirsted　for　his　lips。　The　wish　took　possession
of　her　to　run　after　and　rejoin　him；　throw　herself　into　his　arms
and　say　to　him；　〃It　is　I；　I　am　yours。〃　But　Emma　recoiled
beforehand　at　the　difficulties　of　the　enterprise；　and　her
desires；　increased　by　regret；　became　only　the　more　acute。
Henceforth　the　memory　of　Leon　was　the　centre　of　her　boredom；　it
burnt　there　more　brightly　than　the　fire　travellers　have　left　on
the　snow　of　a　Russian　steppe。　She　sprang　towards　him；　she　pressed
against　him；　she　stirred　carefully　the　dying　embers；　sought　all
around　her　anything　that　could　revive　it；　and　the　most　distant
reminiscences；　like　the　most　immediate　occasions；　what　she
experienced　as　well　as　what　she　imagined；　her　voluptuous　desires
that　were　unsatisfied；　her　projects　of　happiness　that　crackled　in
the　wind　like　dead　boughs；　her　sterile　virtue；　her　lost　hopes；
the　domestic　tete…a…teteshe　gathered　it　all　up；　took
everything；　and　made　it　all　serve　as　fuel　for　her　melancholy。
The　flames；　however；　subsided；　either　because　the　supply　had
exhausted　itself；　or　because　it　had　been　piled　up　too　much。　Love；
little　by　little；　was　quelled　by　absence；　regret　stifled　beneath
habit；　and　this　incendiary　light　that　had　empurpled　her　pale　sky
was　overspread　and　faded　by　degrees。　In　the　supineness　of　her
conscience　she　even　took　her　repugnance　towards　her　husband　for
aspirations　towards　her　lover；　the　burning　of　hate　for　the　warmth
of　tenderness；　but　as　the　tempest　still　raged；　and　as　passion
burnt　itself　down　to　the　very　cinders；　and　no　help　came；　no　sun
rose；　there　was　night　on　all　sides；　and　she　was　lost　in　the
terrible　cold　that　pierced　her。
Then　the　evil　days　of　Tostes　began　again。　She　thought　herself　now
far　more　unhappy；　for　she　had　the　experience　of　grief；　with　the
certainty　that　it　would　not　end。
A　woman　who　had　laid　on　herself　such　sacrifices　could　well　allow
herself　certain　whims。　She　bought　a　Gothic　prie…dieu；　and　in　a
month　spent　fourteen　francs　on　lemons　for　polishing　her　nails；
she　wrote　to　Rouen　for　a　blue　cashmere　gown；　she　chose　one　of
Lheureux's　finest　scarves；　and　wore　it　knotted　around　her　waist
over　her　dressing…gown；　and；