madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第27节

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Lheureux's　finest　scarves；　and　wore　it　knotted　around　her　waist
over　her　dressing…gown；　and；　with　closed　blinds　and　a　book　in　her
hand；　she　lay　stretched　out　on　a　couch　in　this　garb。
She　often　changed　her　coiffure；　she　did　her　hair　a　la　Chinoise；
in　flowing　curls；　in　plaited　coils；　she　parted　in　on　one　side　and
rolled　it　under　like　a　man's。
She　wanted　to　learn　Italian；　she　bought　dictionaries；　a　grammar；
and　a　supply　of　white　paper。　She　tried　serious　reading；　history；
and　philosophy。　Sometimes　in　the　night　Charles　woke　up　with　a
start；　thinking　he　was　being　called　to　a　patient。　〃I'm　coming；〃
he　stammered；　and　it　was　the　noise　of　a　match　Emma　had　struck　to
relight　the　lamp。　But　her　reading　fared　like　her　piece　of
embroidery；　all　of　which；　only　just　begun；　filled　her　cupboard；
she　took　it　up；　left　it；　passed　on　to　other　books。
She　had　attacks　in　which　she　could　easily　have　been　driven　to
commit　any　folly。　She　maintained　one　day；　in　opposition　to　her
husband；　that　she　could　drink　off　a　large　glass　of　brandy；　and；
as　Charles　was　stupid　enough　to　dare　her　to；　she　swallowed　the
brandy　to　the　last　drop。
In　spite　of　her　vapourish　airs　（as　the　housewives　of　Yonville
called　them）；　Emma；　all　the　same；　never　seemed　gay；　and　usually
she　had　at　the　corners　of　her　mouth　that　immobile　contraction
that　puckers　the　faces　of　old　maids；　and　those　of　men　whose
ambition　has　failed。　She　was　pale　all　over；　white　as　a　sheet；　the
skin　of　her　nose　was　drawn　at　the　nostrils；　her　eyes　looked　at
you　vaguely。　After　discovering　three　grey　hairs　on　her　temples；
she　talked　much　of　her　old　age。
She　often　fainted。　One　day　she　even　spat　blood；　and；　as　Charles
fussed　around　her　showing　his　anxiety
〃Bah！〃　she　answered；　〃what　does　it　matter？〃
Charles　fled　to　his　study　and　wept　there；　both　his　elbows　on　the
table；　sitting　in　an　arm…chair　at　his　bureau　under　the
phrenological　head。
Then　he　wrote　to　his　mother　begging　her　to　come；　and　they　had
many　long　consultations　together　on　the　subject　of　Emma。
What　should　they　decide？　What　was　to　be　done　since　she　rejected
all　medical　treatment？　〃Do　you　know　what　your　wife　wants？〃
replied　Madame　Bovary　senior。
〃She　wants　to　be　forced　to　occupy　herself　with　some　manual　work。
If　she　were　obliged；　like　so　many　others；　to　earn　her　living；　she
wouldn't　have　these　vapours；　that　come　to　her　from　a　lot　of　ideas
she　stuffs　into　her　head；　and　from　the　idleness　in　which　she
lives。
Yet　she　is　always　busy；〃　said　Charles。
〃Ah！　always　busy　at　what？　Reading　novels；　bad　books；　works
against　religion；　and　in　which　they　mock　at　priests　in　speeches
taken　from　Voltaire。　But　all　that　leads　you　far　astray；　my　poor
child。　Anyone　who　has　no　religion　always　ends　by　turning　out
badly。〃
So　it　was　decided　to　stop　Emma　reading　novels。　The　enterprise　did
not　seem　easy。　The　good　lady　undertook　it。　She　was；　when　she
passed　through　Rouen；　to　go　herself　to　the　lending…library　and
represent　that　Emma　had　discontinued　her　subscription。　Would　they
not　have　a　right　to　apply　to　the　police　if　the　librarian
persisted　all　the　same　in　his　poisonous　trade？　The　farewells　of
mother　and　daughter…in…law　were　cold。　During　the　three　weeks　that
they　had　been　together　they　had　not　exchanged　half…a…dozen　words
apart　from　the　inquiries　and　phrases　when　they　met　at　table　and
in　the　evening　before　going　to　bed。
Madame　Bovary　left　on　a　Wednesday；　the　market…day　at　Yonville。
The　Place　since　morning　had　been　blocked　by　a　row　of　carts；
which；　on　end　and　their　shafts　in　the　air；　spread　all　along　the
line　of　houses　from　the　church　to　the　inn。　On　the　other　side
there　were　canvas　booths；　where　cotton　checks；　blankets；　and
woollen　stockings　were　sold；　together　with　harness　for　horses；
and　packets　of　blue　ribbon；　whose　ends　fluttered　in　the　wind。　The
coarse　hardware　was　spread　out　on　the　ground　between　pyramids　of
eggs　and　hampers　of　cheeses；　from　which　sticky　straw　stuck　out。
Near　the　corn…machines　clucking　hens　passed　their　necks　through
the　bars　of　flat　cages。　The　people；　crowding　in　the　same　place
and　unwilling　to　move　thence；　sometimes　threatened　to　smash　the
shop　front　of　the　chemist。　On　Wednesdays　his　shop　was　never
empty；　and　the　people　pushed　in　less　to　buy　drugs　than　for
consultations。　So　great　was　Homais'　reputation　in　the
neighbouring　villages。　His　robust　aplomb　had　fascinated　the
rustics。　They　considered　him　a　greater　doctor　than　all　the
doctors。
Emma　was　leaning　out　at　the　window；　she　was　often　there。　The
window　in　the　provinces　replaces　the　theatre　and　the　promenade；
she　was　amusing　herself　with　watching　the　crowd　of　boors　when　she
saw　a　gentleman　in　a　green　velvet　coat。　He　had　on　yellow　gloves；
although　he　wore　heavy　gaiters；　he　was　coming　towards　the
doctor's　house；　followed　by　a　peasant　walking　with　a　bent　head
and　quite　a　thoughtful　air。
〃Can　I　see　the　doctor？〃　he　asked　Justin；　who　was　talking　on　the
doorsteps　with　Felicite；　and；　taking　him　for　a　servant　of　the
house〃Tell　him　that　Monsieur　Rodolphe　Boulanger　of　La　Huchette
is　here。〃
It　was　not　from　territorial　vanity　that　the　new　arrival　added　〃of
La　Huchette〃　to　his　name；　but　to　make　himself　the　better　known。
La　Huchette；　in　fact；　was　an　estate　near　Yonville；　where　he　had
just　bought　the　chateau　and　two　farms　that　he　cultivated　himself；
without；　however；　troubling　very　much　about　them。　He　lived　as　a
bachelor；　and　was　supposed　to　have　〃at　least　fifteen　thousand
francs　a　year。〃
Charles　came　into　the　room。　Monsieur　Boulanger　introduced　his
man；　who　wanted　to　be　bled　because　he　felt　〃a　tingling　all　over。〃
〃That'll　purge　me；〃　he　urged　as　an　objection　to　all　reasoning。
So　Bovary　ordered　a　bandage　and　a　basin；　and　asked　Justin　to　hold
it。　Then　addressing　the　peasant；　who　was　already　pale
〃Don't　be　afraid；　my　lad。〃
〃No；　no；　sir；〃　said　the　other；　〃get　on。〃
And　with　an　air　of　bravado　he　held　out　his　great　arm。　At　the
prick　of　the　lancet　the　blood　spurted　out；　splashing　against　the
looking…glass。
〃Hold　the　basin　nearer；〃　exclaimed　Charles。
〃Lor！〃　said　the　peasant；　〃one　would　swear　it　was　a　little
fountain　flowing。　How　red　my　blood　is！　That's　a　good　sign；　isn't
it？〃
〃Sometimes；〃　answered　the　doctor；　〃one　feels　nothing　at　first；
and　then　syncope　sets　in；　and　more　especially　with　people　of
strong　constitution　like　this　man。〃
At　these　words　the　rustic　let　go　the　lancet…case　he　was　twisting
between　his　fingers。　A　shudder　of　his　shoulders　made　the
chair…back　creak。　His　hat　fell　off。
〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Bovary；　pressing　his　finger　on　the
vein。
The　basin　was　beginning　to　tremble　in　Justin's　hands；　his　knees
shook；　he　turned　pale。
〃Emma！　Emma！〃　called　Charles。
With　one　bound　she　came　down　the　staircase。
〃Some　vinegar；〃　he　cried。　〃O　dear！　two　at　once！〃
And　in　his　emotion　he　could　hardly　put　on　the　compress。
〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　Monsieur　Boulanger　quietly；　taking　Justin
in　his　arms。　He　seated　him　on　the　table　with　his　back　resting
against　the　wall。
Madame　Bovary　began　taking　off　his　cravat。　The　strings　of　his
shirt　had　got　into　a　knot；　and　she　was　for　some　minutes　moving
her　light　fingers　about　the　young　fellow's　neck。　Then　she　poured
some　vinegar　on　her　cambric　handkerchief；　she　moistened　his
temples　with　little　dabs；　and　then　blew　upon　them　softly。　The
ploughman　revived；　but　Justin's　syncope　still　lasted；　and　his
eyeballs　disappeared　in　the　pale　sclerotics　like　blue　flowers　in
milk。
〃We　must　hide　this　from　him；〃　said　Charles。
Madame　Bovary　took　the　basin　to　put　it　under　the　table。　With　the
movement　she　made　in　bending　down；　her　dress　（it　was　a　summer
dress　with　four　flounces；　yellow；　long　in　the　waist　and　wide　in
the　skirt）　spread　out　around　her　on　the　flags　of　the　room；　and　as
Emma　stooping；　staggered　a　little　as　she　stretched　out　her　arms。
The　stuff　here　and　there　gave　with　the　inflections　of　her　bust。
Then　she　went　to　fetch　a　bottle　of　water；　and　she　was　melting
some　pieces　of　sugar　when　the　chemist　arrived。　The　servant　had
been　to　fetch　him　in　the　tumult。　Seeing　his　pupil's　eyes　staring
he　drew　a　long　breath；　then　going　around　him　he　looked　at　him
from　head　to　foot。
〃Fool！〃　he　said；　〃really　a　little　fool！　A　fool　in　four　letters！　A
phlebotomy's　a　big　affair；　isn't　it！　And　a　fellow　who　isn't
afraid　of　anything；　a　kind　of　squirrel；　just　as　he　is　who　climbs
to　vertiginous　heights　to　shake　down　nuts。　Oh；　yes！　you　just　talk
to　me；　boast　about　yourself！　Here's　a　fine　fitness　for　practising
pharmacy　later　on；　for　under　serious　circumstances　you　may　be
called　before　the　tribunals　in　order　to　enlighten　the　minds　of
the　magistrates；　and　you　would　have　to　keep　your　head　then；　to
reason；　show　yourself　a　man；　or　else　pass　for　an　imbecile。〃
Justin　did　not　answer。　The　chemist　went　on
〃Who　asked　you　to　come？　You　are　always　pestering　the　doctor　and
madame。　On　Wednesday；　moreover；　your　presence　is　indispensable　to
me。　There　are　now　twenty　people　in　the　shop。　I　left　everything
because　of　the　interest　I　take　in　you。　Come；　get　along！　Sharp！
Wait　for　me；　and　keep　an　eye　on　the　jars。〃
When　Justin；　who　was　rearranging　his　dress；　had　gone；　they　talked
for　a　little　while　about　fainting…fits。　Madame　Bovary　had　never
fainted。
〃That　is　extraordinary　for　a　lady；〃　said　Monsieur　Boulanger；　〃but
some　people　are　very　s