madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第31节

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agricultural　populations。　Where；　indeed；　is　to　be　found　more
patriotism　than　in　the　country；　greater　devotion　to　the　public
welfare；　more　intelligence；　in　a　word？　And；　gentlemen；　I　do　not
mean　that　superficial　intelligence；　vain　ornament　of　idle　minds；
but　rather　that　profound　and　balanced　intelligence　that　applies
itself　above　all　else　to　useful　objects；　thus　contributing　to　the
good　of　all；　to　the　common　amelioration　and　to　the　support　of　the
state；　born　of　respect　for　law　and　the　practice　of　duty〃
〃Ah！　again！〃　said　Rodolphe。　〃Always　'duty。'　I　am　sick　of　the
word。　They　are　a　lot　of　old　blockheads　in　flannel　vests　and　of
old　women　with　foot…warmers　and　rosaries　who　constantly　drone
into　our　ears　'Duty；　duty！'　Ah！　by　Jove！　one's　duty　is　to　feel
what　is　great；　cherish　the　beautiful；　and　not　accept　all　the
conventions　of　society　with　the　ignominy　that　it　imposes　upon
us。〃
〃Yetyet〃　objected　Madame　Bovary。
〃No；　no！　Why　cry　out　against　the　passions？　Are　they　not　the　one
beautiful　thing　on　the　earth；　the　source　of　heroism；　of
enthusiasm；　of　poetry；　music；　the　arts；　of　everything；　in　a
word？〃
〃But　one　must；〃　said　Emma；　〃to　some　extent　bow　to　the　opinion　of
the　world　and　accept　its　moral　code。〃
〃Ah！　but　there　are　two；〃　he　replied。　〃The　small；　the
conventional；　that　of　men；　that　which　constantly　changes；　that
brays　out　so　loudly；　that　makes　such　a　commotion　here　below；　of
the　earth　earthly；　like　the　mass　of　imbeciles　you　see　down　there。
But　the　other；　the　eternal；　that　is　about　us　and　above；　like　the
landscape　that　surrounds　us；　and　the　blue　heavens　that　give　us
light。〃
Monsieur　Lieuvain　had　just　wiped　his　mouth　with　a
pocket…handkerchief。　He　continued
〃And　what　should　I　do　here　gentlemen；　pointing　out　to　you　the
uses　of　agriculture？　Who　supplies　our　wants？　Who　provides　our
means　of　subsistence？　Is　it　not　the　agriculturist？　The
agriculturist；　gentlemen；　who；　sowing　with　laborious　hand　the
fertile　furrows　of　the　country；　brings　forth　the　corn；　which；
being　ground；　is　made　into　a　powder　by　means　of　ingenious
machinery；　comes　out　thence　under　the　name　of　flour；　and　from
there；　transported　to　our　cities；　is　soon　delivered　at　the
baker's；　who　makes　it　into　food　for　poor　and　rich　alike。　Again；
is　it　not　the　agriculturist　who　fattens；　for　our　clothes；　his
abundant　flocks　in　the　pastures？　For　how　should　we　clothe
ourselves；　how　nourish　ourselves；　without　the　agriculturist？　And；
gentlemen；　is　it　even　necessary　to　go　so　far　for　examples？　Who
has　not　frequently　reflected　on　all　the　momentous　things　that　we
get　out　of　that　modest　animal；　the　ornament　of　poultry…yards；
that　provides　us　at　once　with　a　soft　pillow　for　our　bed；　with
succulent　flesh　for　our　tables；　and　eggs？　But　I　should　never　end
if　I　were　to　enumerate　one　after　the　other　all　the　different
products　which　the　earth；　well　cultivated；　like　a　generous
mother；　lavishes　upon　her　children。　Here　it　is　the　vine；
elsewhere　the　apple　tree　for　cider；　there　colza；　farther　on
cheeses　and　flax。　Gentlemen；　let　us　not　forget　flax；　which　has
made　such　great　strides　of　late　years；　and　to　which　I　will　more
particularly　call　your　attention。〃
He　had　no　need　to　call　it；　for　all　the　mouths　of　the　multitude
were　wide　open；　as　if　to　drink　in　his　words。　Tuvache　by　his　side
listened　to　him　with　staring　eyes。　Monsieur　Derozerays　from　time
to　time　softly　closed　his　eyelids；　and　farther　on　the　chemist；
with　his　son　Napoleon　between　his　knees；　put　his　hand　behind　his
ear　in　order　not　to　lose　a　syllable。　The　chins　of　the　other
members　of　the　jury　went　slowly　up　and　down　in　their　waistcoats
in　sign　of　approval。　The　firemen　at　the　foot　of　the　platform
rested　on　their　bayonets；　and　Binet；　motionless；　stood　with
out…turned　elbows；　the　point　of　his　sabre　in　the　air。　Perhaps　he
could　hear；　but　certainly　he　could　see　nothing；　because　of　the
visor　of　his　helmet；　that　fell　down　on　his　nose。　His　lieutenant；
the　youngest　son　of　Monsieur　Tuvache；　had　a　bigger　one；　for　his
was　enormous；　and　shook　on　his　head；　and　from　it　an　end　of　his
cotton　scarf　peeped　out。　He　smiled　beneath　it　with　a　perfectly
infantine　sweetness；　and　his　pale　little　face；　whence　drops　were
running；　wore　an　expression　of　enjoyment　and　sleepiness。
The　square　as　far　as　the　houses　was　crowded　with　people。　One　saw
folk　leaning　on　their　elbows　at　all　the　windows；　others　standing
at　doors；　and　Justin；　in　front　of　the　chemist's　shop；　seemed
quite　transfixed　by　the　sight　of　what　he　was　looking　at。　In　spite
of　the　silence　Monsieur　Lieuvain's　voice　was　lost　in　the　air。　It
reached　you　in　fragments　of　phrases；　and　interrupted　here　and
there　by　the　creaking　of　chairs　in　the　crowd；　then　you　suddenly
heard　the　long　bellowing　of　an　ox；　or　else　the　bleating　of　the
lambs；　who　answered　one　another　at　street　corners。　In　fact；　the
cowherds　and　shepherds　had　driven　their　beasts　thus　far；　and
these　lowed　from　time　to　time；　while　with　their　tongues　they　tore
down　some　scrap　of　foliage　that　hung　above　their　mouths。
Rodolphe　had　drawn　nearer　to　Emma；　and　said　to　her　in　a　low
voice；　speaking　rapidly
〃Does　not　this　conspiracy　of　the　world　revolt　you？　Is　there　a
single　sentiment　it　does　not　condemn？　The　noblest　instincts；　the
purest　sympathies　are　persecuted；　slandered；　and　if　at　length　two
poor　souls　do　meet；　all　is　so　organised　that　they　cannot　blend
together。　Yet　they　will　make　the　attempt；　they　will　flutter　their
wings；　they　will　call　upon　each　other。　Oh！　no　matter。　Sooner　or
later；　in　six　months；　ten　years；　they　will　come　together；　will
love；　for　fate　has　decreed　it；　and　they　are　born　one　for　the
other。〃
His　arms　were　folded　across　his　knees；　and　thus　lifting　his　face
towards　Emma；　close　by　her；　he　looked　fixedly　at　her。　She　noticed
in　his　eyes　small　golden　lines　radiating　from　black　pupils；　she
even　smelt　the　perfume　of　the　pomade　that　made　his　hair　glossy。
Then　a　faintness　came　over　her；　she　recalled　the　Viscount　who　had
waltzed　with　her　at　Vaubyessard；　and　his　beard　exhaled　like　this
air　an　odour　of　vanilla　and　citron；　and　mechanically　she
half…closed　her　eyes　the　better　to　breathe　it　in。　But　in　making
this　movement；　as　she　leant　back　in　her　chair；　she　saw　in　the
distance；　right　on　the　line　of　the　horizon；　the　old　diligence；
the　〃Hirondelle；〃　that　was　slowly　descending　the　hill　of　Leux；
dragging　after　it　a　long　trail　of　dust。　It　was　in　this　yellow
carriage　that　Leon　had　so　often　come　back　to　her；　and　by　this
route　down　there　that　he　had　gone　for　ever。　She　fancied　she　saw
him　opposite　at　his　windows；　then　all　grew　confused；　clouds
gathered；　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　was　again　turning　in　the
waltz　under　the　light　of　the　lustres　on　the　arm　of　the　Viscount；
and　that　Leon　was　not　far　away；　that　he　was　coming；　and　yet　all
the　time　she　was　conscious　of　the　scent　of　Rodolphe's　head　by　her
side。　This　sweetness　of　sensation　pierced　through　her　old
desires；　and　these；　like　grains　of　sand　under　a　gust　of　wind；
eddied　to　and　fro　in　the　subtle　breath　of　the　perfume　which
suffused　her　soul。　She　opened　wide　her　nostrils　several　times　to
drink　in　the　freshness　of　the　ivy　round　the　capitals。　She　took
off　her　gloves；　she　wiped　her　hands；　then　fanned　her　face　with
her　handkerchief；　while　athwart　the　throbbing　of　her　temples　she
heard　the　murmur　of　the　crowd　and　the　voice　of　the　councillor
intoning　his　phrases。　He　said〃Continue；　persevere；　listen
neither　to　the　suggestions　of　routine；　nor　to　the　over…hasty
councils　of　a　rash　empiricism。
Apply　yourselves；　above　all；　to　the　amelioration　of　the　soil；　to
good　manures；　to　the　development　of　the　equine；　bovine；　ovine；
and　porcine　races。　Let　these　shows　be　to　you　pacific　arenas；
where　the　victor　in　leaving　it　will　hold　forth　a　hand　to　the
vanquished；　and　will　fraternise　with　him　in　the　hope　of　better
success。　And　you；　aged　servants；　humble　domestics；　whose　hard
labour　no　Government　up　to　this　day　has　taken　into　consideration；
come　hither　to　receive　the　reward　of　your　silent　virtues；　and　be
assured　that　the　state　henceforward　has　its　eye　upon　you；　that　it
encourages　you；　protects　you；　that　it　will　accede　to　your　just
demands；　and　alleviate　as　much　as　in　it　lies　the　burden　of　your
painful　sacrifices。〃
Monsieur　Lieuvain　then　sat　down；　Monsieur　Derozerays　got　up；
beginning　another　speech。　His　was　not　perhaps　so　florid　as　that
of　the　councillor；　but　it　recommended　itself　by　a　more　direct
style；　that　is　to　say；　by　more　special　knowledge　and　more
elevated　considerations。　Thus　the　praise　of　the　Government　took
up　less　space　in　it；　religion　and　agriculture　more。　He　showed　in
it　the　relations　of　these　two；　and　how　they　had　always
contributed　to　civilisation。　Rodolphe　with　Madame　Bovary　was
talking　dreams；　presentiments；　magnetism。　Going　back　to　the
cradle　of　society；　the　orator　painted　those　fierce　times　when　men
lived　on　acorns　in　the　heart　of　woods。　Then　they　had　left　off　the
skins　of　beasts；　had　put　on　cloth；　tilled　the　soil；　planted　the
vine。　Was　this　a　good；　and　in　this　discovery　was　there　not　more
of　injury　than　of　gain？　Monsieur　Derozerays　set　himself　this
problem。　From　magnetism　little　by　little　Rodolphe　had　come　to
affinities；　and　while　the　president　was　citing　Cincinnatus　and
his　plough；　Diocletian；　planting　his　cabbage