madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第37节

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so　that　she　was　much　embarrassed　by　her　desire　for　sacrifice；
when　the　druggist　came　just　in　time　to　provide　her　with　an
opportunity。

Chapter　Eleven
He　had　recently　read　a　eulogy　on　a　new　method　for　curing
club…foot；　and　as　he　was　a　partisan　of　progress；　he　conceived　the
patriotic　idea　that　Yonville；　in　order　to　keep　to　the　fore；　ought
to　have　some　operations　for　strephopody　or　club…foot。
〃For；〃　said　he　to　Emma；　〃what　risk　is　there？　See〃　（and　he
enumerated　on　his　fingers　the　advantages　of　the　attempt）；
〃success；　almost　certain　relief　and　beautifying　of　the　patient；
celebrity　acquired　by　the　operator。　Why；　for　example；　should　not
your　husband　relieve　poor　Hippolyte　of　the　'Lion　d'Or'？　Note　that
he　would　not　fail　to　tell　about　his　cure　to　all　the　travellers；
and　then〃　（Homais　lowered　his　voice　and　looked　round　him）　〃who　is
to　prevent　me　from　sending　a　short　paragraph　on　the　subject　to
the　paper？　Eh！　goodness　me！　an　article　gets　about；　it　is　talked
of；　it　ends　by　making　a　snowball！　And　who　knows？　who　knows？〃
In　fact；　Bovary　might　succeed。　Nothing　proved　to　Emma　that　he　was
not　clever；　and　what　a　satisfaction　for　her　to　have　urged　him　to
a　step　by　which　his　reputation　and　fortune　would　be　increased！
She　only　wished　to　lean　on　something　more　solid　than　love。
Charles；　urged　by　the　druggist　and　by　her；　allowed　himself　to　be
persuaded。　He　sent　to　Rouen　for　Dr。　Duval's　volume；　and　every
evening；　holding　his　head　between　both　hands；　plunged　into　the
reading　of　it。
While　he　was　studying　equinus；　varus；　and　valgus；　that　is　to　say；
katastrephopody；　endostrephopody；　and　exostrephopody　（or　better；
the　various　turnings　of　the　foot　downwards；　inwards；　and
outwards；　with　the　hypostrephopody　and　anastrephopody）；　otherwise
torsion　downwards　and　upwards；　Monsier　Homais；　with　all　sorts　of
arguments；　was　exhorting　the　lad　at　the　inn　to　submit　to　the
operation。
〃You　will　scarcely　feel；　probably；　a　slight　pain；　it　is　a　simple
prick；　like　a　little　blood…letting；　less　than　the　extraction　of
certain　corns。〃
Hippolyte；　reflecting；　rolled　his　stupid　eyes。
〃However；〃　continued　the　chemist；　〃it　doesn't　concern　me。　It's
for　your　sake；　for　pure　humanity！　I　should　like　to　see　you；　my
friend；　rid　of　your　hideous　caudication；　together　with　that
waddling　of　the　lumbar　regions　which；　whatever　you　say；　must
considerably　interfere　with　you　in　the　exercise　of　your　calling。〃
Then　Homais　represented　to　him　how　much　jollier　and　brisker　he
would　feel　afterwards；　and　even　gave　him　to　understand　that　he
would　be　more　likely　to　please　the　women；　and　the　stable…boy
began　to　smile　heavily。　Then　he　attacked　him　through　his　vanity：
〃Aren't　you　a　man？　Hang　it！　what　would　you　have　done　if　you　had
had　to　go　into　the　army；　to　go　and　fight　beneath　the　standard？
Ah！　Hippolyte！〃
And　Homais　retired；　declaring　that　he　could　not　understand　this
obstinacy；　this　blindness　in　refusing　the　benefactions　of
science。
The　poor　fellow　gave　way；　for　it　was　like　a　conspiracy。　Binet；
who　never　interfered　with　other　people's　business；　Madame
Lefrancois；　Artemise；　the　neighbours；　even　the　mayor；　Monsieur
Tuvacheeveryone　persuaded　him；　lectured　him；　shamed　him；　but
what　finally　decided　him　was　that　it　would　cost　him　nothing。
Bovary　even　undertook　to　provide　the　machine　for　the　operation。
This　generosity　was　an　idea　of　Emma's；　and　Charles　consented　to
it；　thinking　in　his　heart　of　hearts　that　his　wife　was　an　angel。
So　by　the　advice　of　the　chemist；　and　after　three　fresh　starts；　he
had　a　kind　of　box　made　by　the　carpenter；　with　the　aid　of　the
locksmith；　that　weighed　about　eight　pounds；　and　in　which　iron；
wood；　sheer…iron；　leather；　screws；　and　nuts　had　not　been　spared。
But　to　know　which　of　Hippolyte's　tendons　to　cut；　it　was　necessary
first　of　all　to　find　out　what　kind　of　club…foot　he　had。
He　had　a　foot　forming　almost　a　straight　line　with　the　leg；　which；
however；　did　not　prevent　it　from　being　turned　in；　so　that　it　was
an　equinus　together　with　something　of　a　varus；　or　else　a　slight
varus　with　a　strong　tendency　to　equinus。　But　with　this　equinus；
wide　in　foot　like　a　horse's　hoof；　with　rugose　skin；　dry　tendons；
and　large　toes；　on　which　the　black　nails　looked　as　if　made　of
iron；　the　clubfoot　ran　about　like　a　deer　from　morn　till　night。　He
was　constantly　to　be　seen　on　the　Place；　jumping　round　the　carts；
thrusting　his　limping　foot　forwards。　He　seemed　even　stronger　on
that　leg　than　the　other。　By　dint　of　hard　service　it　had　acquired；
as　it　were；　moral　qualities　of　patience　and　energy；　and　when　he
was　given　some　heavy　work；　he　stood　on　it　in　preference　to　its
fellow。
Now；　as　it　was　an　equinus；　it　was　necessary　to　cut　the　tendon　of
Achilles；　and；　if　need　were；　the　anterior　tibial　muscle　could　be
seen　to　afterwards　for　getting　rid　of　the　varus；　for　the　doctor
did　not　dare　to　risk　both　operations　at　once；　he　was　even
trembling　already　for　fear　of　injuring　some　important　region　that
he　did　not　know。
Neither　Ambrose　Pare；　applying　for　the　first　time　since　Celsus；
after　an　interval　of　fifteen　centuries；　a　ligature　to　an　artery；
nor　Dupuytren；　about　to　open　an　abscess　in　the　brain；　nor　Gensoul
when　he　first　took　away　the　superior　maxilla；　had　hearts　that
trembled；　hands　that　shook；　minds　so　strained　as　Monsieur　Bovary
when　he　approached　Hippolyte；　his　tenotome　between　his　fingers。
And　as　at　hospitals；　near　by　on　a　table　lay　a　heap　of　lint；　with
waxed　thread；　many　bandagesa　pyramid　of　bandagesevery　bandage
to　be　found　at　the　druggist's。　It　was　Monsieur　Homais　who　since
morning　had　been　organising　all　these　preparations；　as　much　to
dazzle　the　multitude　as　to　keep　up　his　illusions。　Charles　pierced
the　skin；　a　dry　crackling　was　heard。　The　tendon　was　cut；　the
operation　over。　Hippolyte　could　not　get　over　his　surprise；　but
bent　over　Bovary's　hands　to　cover　them　with　kisses。
〃Come；　be　calm；〃　said　the　druggist；　〃later　on　you　will　show　your
gratitude　to　your　benefactor。〃
And　he　went　down　to　tell　the　result　to　five　or　six　inquirers　who
were　waiting　in　the　yard；　and　who　fancied　that　Hippolyte　would
reappear　walking　properly。　Then　Charles；　having　buckled　his
patient　into　the　machine；　went　home；　where　Emma；　all　anxiety；
awaited　him　at　the　door。　She　threw　herself　on　his　neck；　they　sat
down　to　table；　he　ate　much；　and　at　dessert　he　even　wanted　to　take
a　cup　of　coffee；　a　luxury　he　only　permitted　himself　on　Sundays
when　there　was　company。
The　evening　was　charming；　full　of　prattle；　of　dreams　together。
They　talked　about　their　future　fortune；　of　the　improvements　to　be
made　in　their　house；　he　saw　people's　estimation　of　him　growing；
his　comforts　increasing；　his　wife　always　loving　him；　and　she　was
happy　to　refresh　herself　with　a　new　sentiment；　healthier；　better；
to　feel　at　last　some　tenderness　for　this　poor　fellow　who　adored
her。　The　thought　of　Rodolphe　for　one　moment　passed　through　her
mind；　but　her　eyes　turned　again　to　Charles；　she　even　noticed　with
surprise　that　he　had　not　bad　teeth。
They　were　in　bed　when　Monsieur　Homais；　in　spite　of　the　servant；
suddenly　entered　the　room；　holding　in　his　hand　a　sheet　of　paper
just　written。　It　was　the　paragraph　he　intended　for　the　〃Fanal　de
Rouen。〃　He　brought　it　for　them　to　read。
〃Read　it　yourself；〃　said　Bovary。
He　read
〃　'Despite　the　prejudices　that　still　invest　a　part　of　the　face　of
Europe　like　a　net；　the　light　nevertheless　begins　to　penetrate　our
country　places。　Thus　on　Tuesday　our　little　town　of　Yonville　found
itself　the　scene　of　a　surgical　operation　which　is　at　the　same
time　an；　act　of　loftiest　philanthropy。　Monsieur　Bovary；　one　of
our；　most　distinguished　practitioners'〃
〃Oh；　that　is　too　much！　too　much！〃　said　Charles；　choking　with
emotion。
〃No；　no！　not　at　all！　What　next！〃
〃　'Performed　an　operation　on　a　club…footed　man。'　I　have　not
used　the　scientific　term；　because　you　know　in　a　newspaper
everyone　would　not　perhaps　understand。　The　masses　must'〃
〃No　doubt；〃　said　Bovary；　〃go　on！〃
〃I　proceed；〃　said　the　chemist。　〃'Monsieur　Bovary；　one　of　our　most
distinguished　practitioners；　performed　an　operation　on　a
club…footed　man　called　Hippolyte　Tautain；　stableman　for　the　last
twenty…five　years　at　the　hotel　of　the　〃Lion　d'Or；〃　kept　by　Widow
Lefrancois；　at　the　Place　d'Armes。　The　novelty　of　the　attempt；　and
the　interest　incident　to　the　subject；　had　attracted　such　a
concourse　of　persons　that　there　was　a　veritable　obstruction　on
the　threshold　of　the　establishment。　The　operation；　moreover；　was
performed　as　if　by　magic；　and　barely　a　few　drops　of　blood
appeared　on　the　skin；　as　though　to　say　that　the　rebellious　tendon
had　at　last　given　way　beneath　the　efforts　of　art。　The　patient；
strangely　enoughwe　affirm　it　as　an　eye…witnesscomplained　of
no　pain。　His　condition　up　to　the　present　time　leaves　nothing　to
be　desired。　Everything　tends　to　show　that　his　convelescence　will
be　brief；　and　who　knows　even　if　at　our　next　village　festivity　we
shall　not　see　our　good　Hippolyte　figuring　in　the　bacchic　dance　in
the　midst　of　a　chorus　of　joyous　boon…companions；　and　thus　proving
to　all　eyes　by　his　verve　and　his　capers　his　complete　cure？
Honour；　then；　to　the　generous　savants！　Honour　to　those
indefatigable　spirits　who　consecrate　their　vigils　to　the
amelioration　or　to　the　alleviation　of　their　kind！　Honour；　thrice