madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第35节

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sleeping。　It　was　Rodolphe。　She　uttered　a　cry。
〃You　here？　You　here？〃　he　repeated。　〃How　did　you　manage　to　come？
Ah！　your　dress　is　damp。〃
〃I　love　you；〃　she　answered；　throwing　her　arms　about　his　neck。
This　first　piece　of　daring　successful；　now　every　time　Charles
went　out　early　Emma　dressed　quickly　and　slipped　on　tiptoe　down
the　steps　that　led　to　the　waterside。
But　when　the　plank　for　the　cows　was　taken　up；　she　had　to　go　by
the　walls　alongside　of　the　river；　the　bank　was　slippery；　in　order
not　to　fall　she　caught　hold　of　the　tufts　of　faded　wallflowers。
Then　she　went　across　ploughed　fields；　in　which　she　sank；
stumbling；　and　clogging　her　thin　shoes。　Her　scarf；　knotted　round
her　head；　fluttered　to　the　wind　in　the　meadows。　She　was　afraid　of
the　oxen；　she　began　to　run；　she　arrived　out　of　breath；　with　rosy
cheeks；　and　breathing　out　from　her　whole　person　a　fresh　perfume
of　sap；　of　verdure；　of　the　open　air。　At　this　hour　Rodolphe　still
slept。　It　was　like　a　spring　morning　coming　into　his　room。
The　yellow　curtains　along　the　windows　let　a　heavy；　whitish　light
enter　softly。　Emma　felt　about；　opening　and　closing　her　eyes；
while　the　drops　of　dew　hanging　from　her　hair　formed；　as　it　were；
a　topaz　aureole　around　her　face。　Rodolphe；　laughing；　drew　her　to
him；　and　pressed　her　to　his　breast。
Then　she　examined　the　apartment；　opened　the　drawers　of　the
tables；　combed　her　hair　with　his　comb；　and　looked　at　herself　in
his　shaving…glass。　Often　she　even　put　between　her　teeth　the　big
pipe　that　lay　on　the　table　by　the　bed；　amongst　lemons　and　pieces
of　sugar　near　a　bottle　of　water。
It　took　them　a　good　quarter　of　an　hour　to　say　goodbye。　Then　Emma
cried。　She　would　have　wished　never　to　leave　Rodolphe。　Something
stronger　than　herself　forced　her　to　him；　so　much　so；　that　one
day；　seeing　her　come　unexpectedly；　he　frowned　as　one　put　out。
〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　she　said。　〃Are　you　ill？　Tell　me！〃
At　last　he　declared　with　a　serious　air　that　her　visits　were
becoming　imprudentthat　she　was　compromising　herself。

Chapter　Ten
Gradually　Rodolphe's　fears　took　possession　of　her。　At　first；　love
had　intoxicated　her；　and　she　had　thought　of　nothing　beyond。　But
now　that　he　was　indispensable　to　her　life；　she　feared　to　lose
anything　of　this；　or　even　that　it　should　be　disturbed。　When　she
came　back　from　his　house　she　looked　all　about　her；　anxiously
watching　every　form　that　passed　in　the　horizon；　and　every　village
window　from　which　she　could　be　seen。　She　listened　for　steps；
cries；　the　noise　of　the　ploughs；　and　she　stopped　short；　white；
and　trembling　more　than　the　aspen　leaves　swaying　overhead。
One　morning　as　she　was　thus　returning；　she　suddenly　thought　she
saw　the　long　barrel　of　a　carbine　that　seemed　to　be　aimed　at　her。
It　stuck　out　sideways　from　the　end　of　a　small　tub　half…buried　in
the　grass　on　the　edge　of　a　ditch。　Emma；　half…fainting　with
terror；　nevertheless　walked　on；　and　a　man　stepped　out　of　the　tub
like　a　Jack…in…the…box。　He　had　gaiters　buckled　up　to　the　knees；
his　cap　pulled　down　over　his　eyes；　trembling　lips；　and　a　red
nose。　It　was　Captain　Binet　lying　in　ambush　for　wild　ducks。
〃You　ought　to　have　called　out　long　ago！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃When　one
sees　a　gun；　one　should　always　give　warning。〃
The　tax…collector　was　thus　trying　to　hide　the　fright　he　had　had；
for　a　prefectorial　order　having　prohibited　duckhunting　except　in
boats；　Monsieur　Binet；　despite　his　respect　for　the　laws；　was
infringing　them；　and　so　he　every　moment　expected　to　see　the　rural
guard　turn　up。　But　this　anxiety　whetted　his　pleasure；　and；　all
alone　in　his　tub；　he　congratulated　himself　on　his　luck　and　on　his
cuteness。　At　sight　of　Emma　he　seemed　relieved　from　a　great
weight；　and　at　once　entered　upon　a　conversation。
〃It　isn't　warm；　it's　nipping。〃
Emma　answered　nothing。　He　went　on
〃And　you're　out　so　early？〃
〃Yes；〃　she　said　stammering；　〃I　am　just　coming　from　the　nurse
where　my　child　is。〃
〃Ah！　very　good！　very　good！　For　myself；　I　am　here；　just　as　you
see　me；　since　break　of　day；　but　the　weather　is　so　muggy；　that
unless　one　had　the　bird　at　the　mouth　of　the　gun〃
〃Good　evening；　Monsieur　Binet；〃　she　interrupted　him；　turning　on
her　heel。
〃Your　servant；　madame；〃　he　replied　drily；　and　he　went　back　into
his　tub。
Emma　regretted　having　left　the　tax…collector　so　abruptly。　No
doubt　he　would　form　unfavourable　conjectures。　The　story　about　the
nurse　was　the　worst　possible　excuse；　everyone　at　Yonville　knowing
that　the　little　Bovary　had　been　at　home　with　her　parents　for　a
year。　Besides；　no　one　was　living　in　this　direction；　this　path　led
only　to　La　Huchette。　Binet；　then；　would　guess　whence　she　came；
and　he　would　not　keep　silence；　he　would　talk；　that　was　certain。
She　remained　until　evening　racking　her　brain　with　every
conceivable　lying　project；　and　had　constantly　before　her　eyes
that　imbecile　with　the　game…bag。
Charles　after　dinner；　seeing　her　gloomy；　proposed；　by　way　of
distraction；　to　take　her　to　the　chemist's；　and　the　first　person
she　caught　sight　of　in　the　shop　was　the　taxcollector　again。　He
was　standing　in　front　of　the　counter；　lit　up　by　the　gleams　of　the
red　bottle；　and　was　saying
〃Please　give　me　half　an　ounce　of　vitriol。〃
〃Justin；〃　cried　the　druggist；　〃bring　us　the　sulphuric　acid。〃　Then
to　Emma；　who　was　going　up　to　Madame　Homais'　room；　〃No；　stay　here；
it　isn't　worth　while　going　up；　she　is　just　coming　down。　Warm
yourself　at　the　stove　in　the　meantime。　Excuse　me。　Good…day；
doctor；〃　（for　the　chemist　much　enjoyed　pronouncing　the　word
〃doctor；〃　as　if　addressing　another　by　it　reflected　on　himself
some　of　the　grandeur　that　he　found　in　it）。　〃Now；　take　care　not　to
upset　the　mortars！　You'd　better　fetch　some　chairs　from　the　little
room；　you　know　very　well　that　the　arm…chairs　are　not　to　be　taken
out　of　the　drawing…room。〃
And　to　put　his　arm…chair　back　in　its　place　he　was　darting　away
from　the　counter；　when　Binet　asked　him　for　half　an　ounce　of　sugar
acid。
〃Sugar　acid！〃　said　the　chemist　contemptuously；　〃don't　know　it；
I'm　ignorant　of　it！　But　perhaps　you　want　oxalic　acid。　It　is
oxalic　acid；　isn't　it？〃
Binet　explained　that　he　wanted　a　corrosive　to　make　himself　some
copperwater　with　which　to　remove　rust　from　his　hunting　things。
Emma　shuddered。　The　chemist　began　saying
〃Indeed　the　weather　is　not　propitious　on　account　of　the　damp。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃　replied　the　tax…collector；　with　a　sly　look；
〃there　are　people　who　like　it。〃
She　was　stifling。
〃And　give　me〃
〃Will　he　never　go？〃　thought　she。
〃Half　an　ounce　of　resin　and　turpentine；　four　ounces　of　yellow
wax；　and　three　half　ounces　of　animal　charcoal；　if　you　please；　to
clean　the　varnished　leather　of　my　togs。〃
The　druggist　was　beginning　to　cut　the　wax　when　Madame　Homais
appeared；　Irma　in　her　arms；　Napoleon　by　her　side；　and　Athalie
following。　She　sat　down　on　the　velvet　seat　by　the　window；　and　the
lad　squatted　down　on　a　footstool；　while　his　eldest　sister　hovered
round　the　jujube　box　near　her　papa。　The　latter　was　filling
funnels　and　corking　phials；　sticking　on　labels；　making　up
parcels。　Around　him　all　were　silent；　only　from　time　to　time；　were
heard　the　weights　jingling　in　the　balance；　and　a　few　low　words
from　the　chemist　giving　directions　to　his　pupil。
〃And　how's　the　little　woman？〃　suddenly　asked　Madame　Homais。
〃Silence！〃　exclaimed　her　husband；　who　was　writing　down　some
figures　in　his　waste…book。
〃Why　didn't　you　bring　her？〃　she　went　on　in　a　low　voice。
〃Hush！　hush！〃　said　Emma；　pointing　with　her　finger　to　the
druggist。
But　Binet；　quite　absorbed　in　looking　over　his　bill；　had　probably
heard　nothing。　At　last　he　went　out。　Then　Emma；　relieved；　uttered
a　deep　sigh。
〃How　hard　you　are　breathing！〃　said　Madame　Homais。
〃Well；　you　see；　it's　rather　warm；〃　she　replied。
So　the　next　day　they　talked　over　how　to　arrange　their　rendezvous。
Emma　wanted　to　bribe　her　servant　with　a　present；　but　it　would　be
better　to　find　some　safe　house　at　Yonville。　Rodolphe　promised　to
look　for　one。
All　through　the　winter；　three　or　four　times　a　week；　in　the　dead
of　night　he　came　to　the　garden。　Emma　had　on　purpose　taken　away
the　key　of　the　gate；　which　Charles　thought　lost。
To　call　her；　Rodolphe　threw　a　sprinkle　of　sand　at　the　shutters。
She　jumped　up　with　a　start；　but　sometimes　he　had　to　wait；　for
Charles　had　a　mania　for　chatting　by　the　fireside；　and　he　would
not　stop。　She　was　wild　with　impatience；　if　her　eyes　could　have
done　it；　she　would　have　hurled　him　out　at　the　window。　At　last　she
would　begin　to　undress；　then　take　up　a　book；　and　go　on　reading
very　quietly　as　if　the　book　amused　her。　But　Charles；　who　was　in
bed；　called　to　her　to　come　too。
〃Come；　now；　Emma；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　time。〃
〃Yes；　I　am　coming；〃　she　answered。
Then；　as　the　candles　dazzled　him；　he　turned　to　the　wall　and　fell
asleep。　She　escaped；　smiling；　palpitating；　undressed。　Rodolphe
had　a　large　cloak；　he　wrapped　her　in　it；　and　putting　his　arm
round　her　waist；　he　drew　her　without　a　word　to　the　end　of　the
garden。
It　was　in　the　arbour；　on　the　same　seat　of　old　sticks　where
formerly　Leon　had　looked　at　her　so　amorously　on　the　summer
evenings。　She　never　thought　of　him　now。
The　stars　shone　through　the　leafless　jasmine　branches。　Behind
them　they　heard　the　river　flowing；　and　now　and　again　on　the　bank
the　rustling　of　the　dry　reeds。　Masses　of　shadow　here　and　there
loome