madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第52节

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and　he　looked　upon　it　not　as　a　simple　store；　but　as　a　veritable
sanctuary；　whence　there　afterwards　issued；　elaborated　by　his
hands；　all　sorts　of　pills；　boluses；　infusions；　lotions；　and
potions；　that　would　bear　far　and　wide　his　celebrity。　No　one　in
the　world　set　foot　there；　and　he　respected　it　so；　that　he　swept
it　himself。　Finally；　if　the　pharmacy；　open　to　all　comers；　was　the
spot　where　he　displayed　his　pride；　the　Capharnaum　was　the　refuge
where；　egoistically　concentrating　himself；　Homais　delighted　in
the　exercise　of　his　predilections；　so　that　Justin's
thoughtlessness　seemed　to　him　a　monstrous　piece　of　irreverence；
and；　redder　than　the　currants；　he　repeated
〃Yes；　from　the　Capharnaum！　The　key　that　locks　up　the　acids　and
caustic　alkalies！　To　go　and　get　a　spare　pan！　a　pan　with　a　lid！
and　that　I　shall　perhaps　never　use！　Everything　is　of　importance
in　the　delicate　operations　of　our　art！　But；　devil　take　it！　one
must　make　distinctions；　and　not　employ　for　almost　domestic
purposes　that　which　is　meant　for　pharmaceutical！　It　is　as　if　one
were　to　carve　a　fowl　with　a　scalpel；　as　if　a　magistrate〃
〃Now　be　calm；〃　said　Madame　Homais。
And　Athalie；　pulling　at　his　coat；　cried　〃Papa！　papa！〃
〃No；　let　me　alone；〃　went　on　the　druggist　〃let　me　alone；　hang　it！
My　word！　One　might　as　well　set　up　for　a　grocer。　That's　it！　go　it！
respect　nothing！　break；　smash；　let　loose　the　leeches；　burn　the
mallow…paste；　pickle　the　gherkins　in　the　window　jars；　tear　up　the
bandages！〃
〃I　thought　you　had〃said　Emma。
〃Presently！　Do　you　know　to　what　you　exposed　yourself？　Didn't　you
see　anything　in　the　corner；　on　the　left；　on　the　third　shelf？
Speak；　answer；　articulate　something。〃
〃Idon'tknow；〃　stammered　the　young　fellow。
〃Ah！　you　don't　know！　Well；　then；　I　do　know！　You　saw　a　bottle　of
blue　glass；　sealed　with　yellow　wax；　that　contains　a　white　powder；
on　which　I　have　even　written　'Dangerous！'　And　do　you　know　what　is
in　it？　Arsenic！　And　you　go　and　touch　it！　You　take　a　pan　that　was
next　to　it！〃
〃Next　to　it！〃　cried　Madame　Hoinais；　clasping　her　hands。　〃Arsenic！
You　might　have　poisoned　us　all。〃
And　the　children　began　howling　as　if　they　already　had　frightful
pains　in　their　entrails。
〃Or　poison　a　patient！〃　continued　the　druggist。　〃Do　you　want　to
see　me　in　the　prisoner's　dock　with　criminals；　in　a　court　of
justice？　To　see　me　dragged　to　the　scaffold？　Don't　you　know　what
care　I　take　in　managing　things；　although　I　am　so　thoroughly　used
to　it？　Often　I　am　horrified　myself　when　I　think　of　my
responsibility；　for　the　Government　persecutes　us；　and　the　absurd
legislation　that　rules　us　is　a　veritable　Damocles'　sword　over　our
heads。〃
Emma　no　longer　dreamed　of　asking　what　they　wanted　her　for；　and
the　druggist　went　on　in　breathless　phrases
〃That　is　your　return　for　all　the　kindness　we　have　shown　you！　That
is　how　you　recompense　me　for　the　really　paternal　care　that　I
lavish　on　you！　For　without　me　where　would　you　be？　What　would　you
be　doing？　Who　provides　you　with　food；　education；　clothes；　and　all
the　means　of　figuring　one　day　with　honour　in　the　ranks　of
society？　But　you　must　pull　hard　at　the　oar　if　you're　to　do　that；
and　get；　as；　people　say；　callosities　upon　your　hands。　Fabricando
fit　faber；　age　quod　agis。*
*　The　worker　lives　by　working；　do　what　he　will。

He　was　so　exasperated　he　quoted　Latin。　He　would　have　quoted
Chinese　or　Greenlandish　had　he　known　those　two　languages；　for　he
was　in　one　of　those　crises　in　which　the　whole　soul　shows
indistinctly　what　it　contains；　like　the　ocean；　which；　in　the
storm；　opens　itself　from　the　seaweeds　on　its　shores　down　to　the
sands　of　its　abysses。
And　he　went　on
〃I　am　beginning　to　repent　terribly　of　having　taken　you　up！　I
should　certainly　have　done　better　to　have　left　you　to　rot　in　your
poverty　and　the　dirt　in　which　you　were　born。　Oh；　you'll　never　be
fit　for　anything　but　to　herd　animals　with　horns！　You　have　no
aptitude　for　science！　You　hardly　know　how　to　stick　on　a　label！
And　there　you　are；　dwelling　with　me　snug　as　a　parson；　living　in
clover；　taking　your　ease！〃
But　Emma；　turning　to　Madame　Homais；　〃I　was　told　to　come　here〃
〃Oh；　dear　me！〃　interrupted　the　good　woman；　with　a　sad　air；　〃how
am　I　to　tell　you？　It　is　a　misfortune！〃
She　could　not　finish；　the　druggist　was　thundering〃Empty　it！
Clean　it！　Take　it　back！　Be　quick！〃
And　seizing　Justin　by　the　collar　of　his　blouse；　he　shook　a　book
out　of　his　pocket。　The　lad　stooped；　but　Homais　was　the　quicker；
and；　having　picked　up　the　volume；　contemplated　it　with　staring
eyes　and　open　mouth。
〃CONJUGALLOVE！〃　he　said；　slowly　separating　the　two　words。　〃Ah！
very　good！　very　good！　very　pretty！　And　illustrations！　Oh；　this　is
too　much！〃
Madame　Homais　came　forward。
〃No；　do　not　touch　it！〃
The　children　wanted　to　look　at　the　pictures。
〃Leave　the　room；〃　he　said　imperiously；　and　they　went　out。
First　he　walked　up　and　down　with　the　open　volume　in　his　hand；
rolling　his　eyes；　choking；　tumid；　apoplectic。　Then　he　came
straight　to　his　pupil；　and；　planting　himself　in　front　of　him　with
crossed　arms
〃Have　you　every　vice；　then；　little　wretch？　Take　care！　you　are　on
a　downward　path。　Did　not　you　reflect　that　this　infamous　book
might　fall　in　the　hands　of　my　children；　kindle　a　spark　in　their
minds；　tarnish　the　purity　of　Athalie；　corrupt　Napoleon。　He　is
already　formed　like　a　man。　Are　you　quite　sure；　anyhow；　that　they
have　not　read　it？　Can　you　certify　to　me〃
〃But　really；　sir；〃　said　Emma；　〃you　wished　to　tell　me〃
〃Ah；　yes！　madame。　Your　father…in…law　is　dead。〃
In　fact；　Monsieur　Bovary　senior　had　expired　the　evening　before
suddenly　from　an　attack　of　apoplexy　as　he　got　up　from　table；　and
by　way　of　greater　precaution；　on　account　of　Emma's　sensibility；
Charles　had　begged　Homais　to　break　the　horrible　news　to　her
gradually。　Homais　had　thought　over　his　speech；　he　had　rounded；
polished　it；　made　it　rhythmical；　it　was　a　masterpiece　of　prudence
and　transitions；　of　subtle　turns　and　delicacy；　but　anger　had　got
the　better　of　rhetoric。
Emma；　giving　up　all　chance　of　hearing　any　details；　left　the
pharmacy；　for　Monsieur　Homais　had　taken　up　the　thread　of　his
vituperations。　However；　he　was　growing　calmer；　and　was　now
grumbling　in　a　paternal　tone　whilst　he　fanned　himself　with　his
skull…cap。
〃It　is　not　that　I　entirely　disapprove　of　the　work。　Its　author　was
a　doctor！　There　are　certain　scientific　points　in　it　that　it　is
not　ill　a　man　should　know；　and　I　would　even　venture　to　say　that　a
man　must　know。　But　laterlater！　At　any　rate；　not　till　you　are
man　yourself　and　your　temperament　is　formed。〃
When　Emma　knocked　at　the　door。　Charles；　who　was　waiting　for　her；
came　forward　with　open　arms　and　said　to　her　with　tears　in　his
voice
〃Ah！　my　dear！〃
And　he　bent　over　her　gently　to　kiss　her。　But　at　the　contact　of
his　lips　the　memory　of　the　other　seized　her；　and　she　passed　her
hand　over　her　face　shuddering。
But　she　made　answer；　〃Yes；　I　know；　I　know！〃
He　showed　her　the　letter　in　which　his　mother　told　the　event
without　any　sentimental　hypocrisy。　She　only　regretted　her　husband
had　not　received　the　consolations　of　religion；　as　he　had　died　at
Daudeville；　in　the　street；　at　the　door　of　a　cafe　after　a
patriotic　dinner　with　some　ex…officers。
Emma　gave　him　back　the　letter；　then　at　dinner；　for　appearance's
sake；　she　affected　a　certain　repugnance。　But　as　he　urged　her　to
try；　she　resolutely　began　eating；　while　Charles　opposite　her　sat
motionless　in　a　dejected　attitude。
Now　and　then　he　raised　his　head　and　gave　her　a　long　look　full　of
distress。　Once　he　sighed；　〃I　should　have　liked　to　see　him　again！〃
She　was　silent。　At　last；　understanding　that　she　must　say
something；　〃How　old　was　your　father？〃　she　asked。
〃Fifty…eight。〃
〃Ah！〃
And　that　was　all。
A　quarter　of　an　hour　after　he　added；　〃My　poor　mother！　what　will
become　of　her　now？〃
She　made　a　gesture　that　signified　she　did　not　know。　Seeing　her　so
taciturn；　Charles　imagined　her　much　affected；　and　forced　himself
to　say　nothing；　not　to　reawaken　this　sorrow　which　moved　him。　And；
shaking　off　his　own
〃Did　you　enjoy　yourself　yesterday？〃　he　asked。
〃Yes。〃
When　the　cloth　was　removed；　Bovary　did　not　rise；　nor　did　Emma；
and　as　she　looked　at　him；　the　monotony　of　the　spectacle　drove
little　by　little　all　pity　from　her　heart。　He　seemed　to　her
paltry；　weak；　a　cipherin　a　word；　a　poor　thing　in　every　way。　How
to　get　rid　of　him？　What　an　interminable　evening！　Something
stupefying　like　the　fumes　of　opium　seized　her。
They　heard　in　the　passage　the　sharp　noise　of　a　wooden　leg　on　the
boards。　It　was　Hippolyte　bringing　back　Emma's　luggage。　In　order
to　put　it　down　he　described　painfully　a　quarter　of　a　circle　with
his　stump。
〃He　doesn't　even　remember　any　more　about　it；〃　she　thought；
looking　at　the　poor　devil；　whose　coarse　red　hair　was　wet　with
perspiration。
Bovary　was　searching　at　the　bottom　of　his　purse　for　a　centime；
and　without　appearing　to　understand　all　there　was　of　humiliation
for　him　in　the　mere　presence　of　this　man；　who　stood　there　like　a
personified　reproach　to　his　incurable　incapacity。
〃Hallo！　you've　a　pretty　bouquet；〃　he　said；　noticing　Leon's
violets　on　the　chimney。
〃Yes；〃　she　replied　indifferently；　〃it's　a　bouquet　I　bought　just
now　from　a　beggar。〃
Charles　picked　up　the　flowers；　and　freshening　his　eyes；　red　with
tears；　against　them；　smelt　them　delicately。
S