madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第4节

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crayon　head　of　Minerva　in　gold　frame；　underneath　which　was
written　in　Gothic　letters　〃To　dear　Papa。〃
First　they　spoke　of　the　patient；　then　of　the　weather；　of　the
great　cold；　of　the　wolves　that　infested　the　fields　at　night。
Mademoiselle　Rouault　did　not　at　all　like　the　country；　especially
now　that　she　had　to　look　after　the　farm　almost　alone。　As　the　room
was　chilly；　she　shivered　as　she　ate。　This　showed　something　of　her
full　lips；　that　she　had　a　habit　of　biting　when　silent。
Her　neck　stood　out　from　a　white　turned…down　collar。　Her　hair；
whose　two　black　folds　seemed　each　of　a　single　piece；　so　smooth
were　they；　was　parted　in　the　middle　by　a　delicate　lie　that　curved
slightly　with　the　curve　of　the　head；　and；　just　showing　the　tip　of
the　ear；　it　was　joined　behind　in　a　thick　chignon；　with　a　wavy
movement　at　the　temples　that　the　country　doctor　saw　now　for　the
first　time　in　his　life。　The　upper　part　of　her　cheek　was
rose…coloured。　She　had；　like　a　man；　thrust　in　between　two　buttons
of　her　bodice　a　tortoise…shell　eyeglass。
When　Charles；　after　bidding　farewell　to　old　Rouault；　returned　to
the　room　before　leaving；　he　found　her　standing；　her　forehead
against　the　window；　looking　into　the　garden；　where　the　bean　props
had　been　knocked　down　by　the　wind。　She　turned　round。　〃Are　you
looking　for　anything？〃　she　asked。
〃My　whip；　if　you　please；〃　he　answered。
He　began　rummaging　on　the　bed；　behind　the　doors；　under　the
chairs。　It　had　fallen　to　the　floor；　between　the　sacks　and　the
wall。　Mademoiselle　Emma　saw　it；　and　bent　over　the　flour　sacks。
Charles　out　of　politeness　made　a　dash　also；　and　as　he　stretched
out　his　arm；　at　the　same　moment　felt　his　breast　brush　against　the
back　of　the　young　girl　bending　beneath　him。　She　drew　herself　up；
scarlet；　and　looked　at　him　over　her　shoulder　as　she　handed　him
his　whip。
Instead　of　returning　to　the　Bertaux　in　three　days　as　he　had
promised；　he　went　back　the　very　next　day；　then　regularly　twice　a
week；　without　counting　the　visits　he　paid　now　and　then　as　if　by
accident。
Everything；　moreover；　went　well；　the　patient　progressed
favourably；　and　when；　at　the　end　of　forty…six　days；　old　Rouault
was　seen　trying　to　walk　alone　in　his　〃den；〃　Monsieur　Bovary　began
to　be　looked　upon　as　a　man　of　great　capacity。　Old　Rouault　said
that　he　could　not　have　been　cured　better　by　the　first　doctor　of
Yvetot；　or　even　of　Rouen。
As　to　Charles；　he　did　not　stop　to　ask　himself　why　it　was　a
pleasure　to　him　to　go　to　the　Bertaux。　Had　he　done　so；　he　would；
no　doubt；　have　attributed　his　zeal　to　the　importance　of　the　case；
or　perhaps　to　the　money　he　hoped　to　make　by　it。　Was　it　for　this；
however；　that　his　visits　to　the　farm　formed　a　delightful
exception　to　the　meagre　occupations　of　his　life？　On　these　days　he
rose　early；　set　off　at　a　gallop；　urging　on　his　horse；　then　got
down　to　wipe　his　boots　in　the　grass　and　put　on　black　gloves
before　entering。　He　liked　going　into　the　courtyard；　and　noticing
the　gate　turn　against　his　shoulder；　the　cock　crow　on　the　wall；
the　lads　run　to　meet　him。　He　liked　the　granary　and　the　stables；
he　liked　old　Rouault；　who　pressed　his　hand　and　called　him　his
saviour；　he　like　the　small　wooden　shoes　of　Mademoiselle　Emma　on
the　scoured　flags　of　the　kitchenher　high　heels　made　her　a
little　taller；　and　when　she　walked　in　front　of　him；　the　wooden
soles　springing　up　quickly　struck　with　a　sharp　sound　against　the
leather　of　her　boots。
She　always　accompanied　him　to　the　first　step　of　the　stairs。　When
his　horse　had　not　yet　been　brought　round　she　stayed　there。　They
had　said　〃Good…bye〃；　there　was　no　more　talking。　The　open　air
wrapped　her　round；　playing　with　the　soft　down　on　the　back　of　her
neck；　or　blew　to　and　fro　on　her　hips　the　apron…strings；　that
fluttered　like　streamers。　Once；　during　a　thaw　the　bark　of　the
trees　in　the　yard　was　oozing；　the　snow　on　the　roofs　of　the
outbuildings　was　melting；　she　stood　on　the　threshold；　and　went　to
fetch　her　sunshade　and　opened　it。　The　sunshade　of　silk　of　the
colour　of　pigeons'　breasts；　through　which　the　sun　shone；　lighted
up　with　shifting　hues　the　white　skin　of　her　face。　She　smiled
under　the　tender　warmth；　and　drops　of　water　could　be　heard
falling　one　by　one　on　the　stretched　silk。
During　the　first　period　of　Charles's　visits　to　the　Bertaux；
Madame　Bovary　junior　never　failed　to　inquire　after　the　invalid；
and　she　had　even　chosen　in　the　book　that　she　kept　on　a　system　of
double　entry　a　clean　blank　page　for　Monsieur　Rouault。　But　when
she　heard　he　had　a　daughter；　she　began　to　make　inquiries；　and　she
learnt　the　Mademoiselle　Rouault；　brought　up　at　the　Ursuline
Convent；　had　received　what　is　called　〃a　good　education〃；　and　so
knew　dancing；　geography；　drawing；　how　to　embroider　and　play　the
piano。　That　was　the　last　straw。
〃So　it　is　for　this；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃that　his　face　beams
when　he　goes　to　see　her；　and　that　he　puts　on　his　new　waistcoat　at
the　risk　of　spoiling　it　with　the　rain。　Ah！　that　woman！　That
woman！〃
And　she　detested　her　instinctively。　At　first　she　solaced　herself
by　allusions　that　Charles　did　not　understand；　then　by　casual
observations　that　he　let　pass　for　fear　of　a　storm；　finally　by
open　apostrophes　to　which　he　knew　not　what　to　answer。　〃Why　did　he
go　back　to　the　Bertaux　now　that　Monsieur　Rouault　was　cured　and
that　these　folks　hadn't　paid　yet？　Ah！　it　was　because　a　young　lady
was　there；　some　one　who　know　how　to　talk；　to　embroider；　to　be
witty。　That　was　what　he　cared　about；　he　wanted　town　misses。〃　And
she　went　on
〃The　daughter　of　old　Rouault　a　town　miss！　Get　out！　Their
grandfather　was　a　shepherd；　and　they　have　a　cousin　who　was　almost
had　up　at　the　assizes　for　a　nasty　blow　in　a　quarrel。　It　is　not
worth　while　making　such　a　fuss；　or　showing　herself　at　church　on
Sundays　in　a　silk　gown　like　a　countess。　Besides；　the　poor　old
chap；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　the　colza　last　year；　would　have　had
much　ado　to　pay　up　his　arrears。〃
For　very　weariness　Charles　left　off　going　to　the　Bertaux。　Heloise
made　him　swear；　his　hand　on　the　prayer…book；　that　he　would　go
there　no　more　after　much　sobbing　and　many　kisses；　in　a　great
outburst　of　love。　He　obeyed　then；　but　the　strength　of　his　desire
protested　against　the　servility　of　his　conduct；　and　he　thought；
with　a　kind　of　naive　hypocrisy；　that　his　interdict　to　see　her
gave　him　a　sort　of　right　to　love　her。　And　then　the　widow　was
thin；　she　had　long　teeth；　wore　in　all　weathers　a　little　black
shawl；　the　edge　of　which　hung　down　between　her　shoulder…blades；
her　bony　figure　was　sheathed　in　her　clothes　as　if　they　were　a
scabbard；　they　were　too　short；　and　displayed　her　ankles　with　the
laces　of　her　large　boots　crossed　over　grey　stockings。
Charles's　mother　came　to　see　them　from　time　to　time；　but　after　a
few　days　the　daughter…in…law　seemed　to　put　her　own　edge　on　her；
and　then；　like　two　knives；　they　scarified　him　with　their
reflections　and　observations。　It　was　wrong　of　him　to　eat　so　much。
Why　did　he　always　offer　a　glass　of　something　to　everyone　who
came？　What　obstinacy　not　to　wear　flannels！　In　the　spring　it　came
about　that　a　notary　at　Ingouville；　the　holder　of　the　widow
Dubuc's　property；　one　fine　day　went　off；　taking　with　him　all　the
money　in　his　office。　Heloise；　it　is　true；　still　possessed；
besides　a　share　in　a　boat　valued　at　six　thousand　francs；　her
house　in　the　Rue　St。　Francois；　and　yet；　with　all　this　fortune
that　had　been　so　trumpeted　abroad；　nothing；　excepting　perhaps　a
little　furniture　and　a　few　clothes；　had　appeared　in　the
household。　The　matter　had　to　be　gone　into。　The　house　at　Dieppe
was　found　to　be　eaten　up　with　mortgages　to　its　foundations；　what
she　had　placed　with　the　notary　God　only　knew；　and　her　share　in
the　boat　did　not　exceed　one　thousand　crowns。　She　had　lied；　the
good　lady！　In　his　exasperation；　Monsieur　Bovary　the　elder；
smashing　a　chair　on　the　flags；　accused　his　wife　of　having　caused
misfortune　to　the　son　by　harnessing　him　to　such　a　harridan；　whose
harness　wasn't　worth　her　hide。　They　came　to　Tostes。　Explanations
followed。　There　were　scenes。　Heloise　in　tears；　throwing　her　arms
about　her　husband；　implored　him　to　defend　her　from　his　parents。
Charles　tried　to　speak　up　for　her。　They　grew　angry　and　left　the
house。
But　〃the　blow　had　struck　home。〃　A　week　after；　as　she　was　hanging
up　some　washing　in　her　yard；　she　was　seized　with　a　spitting　of
blood；　and　the　next　day；　while　Charles　had　his　back　turned　to　her
drawing　the　window…curtain；　she　said；　〃O　God！〃　gave　a　sigh　and
fainted。　She　was　dead！　What　a　surprise！　When　all　was　over　at　the
cemetery　Charles　went　home。　He　found　no　one　downstairs；　he　went
up　to　the　first　floor　to　their　room；　say　her　dress　still　hanging
at　the　foot　of　the　alcove；　then；　leaning　against　the
writing…table；　he　stayed　until　the　evening；　buried　in　a　sorrowful
reverie。　She　had　loved　him　after　all！

Chapter　Three
One　morning　old　Rouault　brought　Charles　the　money　for　setting　his
legseventy…five　francs　in　forty…sou　pieces；　and　a　turkey。　He
had　heard　of　his　loss；　and　consoled　him　as　well　as　he　could。
〃I　know　what　it　is；〃　said　he；　clapping　him　on　the　shoulder；　〃I've
been　through　it。　When　I　lost　my　dear　departed；　I　went　into　the
fields　to　be　quite　alone。　I　fell　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　I　cried；
I　called　on　God；　I　talked　nonsense　to　Him。　I　wanted　to　be　like
the　moles