madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第54节

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Leon；　on　the　floor　by　her　side；　found　under　his　hand　a　ribbon　of
scarlet　silk。　The　boatman　looked　at　it；　and　at　last　said
〃Perhaps　it　belongs　to　the　party　I　took　out　the　other　day。　A　lot
of　jolly　folk；　gentlemen　and　ladies；　with　cakes；　champagne；
cornetseverything　in　style！　There　was　one　especially；　a　tall
handsome　man　with　small　moustaches；　who　was　that　funny！　And　they
all　kept　saying；　'Now　tell　us　something；　AdolpheDolpe；'　I
think。〃
She　shivered。
〃You　are　in　pain？〃　asked　Leon；　coming　closer　to　her。
〃Oh；　it's　nothing！　No　doubt；　it　is　only　the　night　air。〃
〃And　who　doesn't　want　for　women；　either；〃　softly　added　the
sailor；　thinking　he　was　paying　the　stranger　a　compliment。
Then；　spitting　on　his　hands；　he　took　the　oars　again。
Yet　they　had　to　part。　The　adieux　were　sad。　He　was　to　send　his
letters　to　Mere　Rollet；　and　she　gave　him　such　precise
instructions　about　a　double　envelope　that　he　admired　greatly　her
amorous　astuteness。
〃So　you　can　assure　me　it　is　all　right？〃　she　said　with　her　last
kiss。
〃Yes；　certainly。〃
〃But　why；〃　he　thought　afterwards　as　he　came　back　through　the
streets　alone；　〃is　she　so　very　anxious　to　get　this　power　of
attorney？〃

Chapter　Four
Leon　soon　put　on　an　air　of　superiority　before　his　comrades；
avoided　their　company；　and　completely　neglected　his　work。
He　waited　for　her　letters；　he　re…read　them；　he　wrote　to　her。　He
called　her　to　mind　with　all　the　strength　of　his　desires　and　of
his　memories。　Instead　of　lessening　with　absence；　this　longing　to
see　her　again　grew；　so　that　at　last　on　Saturday　morning　he
escaped　from　his　office。
When；　from　the　summit　of　the　hill；　he　saw　in　the　valley　below　the
church…spire　with　its　tin　flag　swinging　in　the　wind；　he　felt　that
delight　mingled　with　triumphant　vanity　and　egoistic　tenderness
that　millionaires　must　experience　when　they　come　back　to　their
native　village。
He　went　rambling　round　her　house。　A　light　was　burning　in　the
kitchen。　He　watched　for　her　shadow　behind　the　curtains；　but
nothing　appeared。
Mere　Lefrancois；　when　she　saw　him；　uttered　many　exclamations。　She
thought　he　〃had　grown　and　was　thinner；〃　while　Artemise；　on　the
contrary；　thought　him　stouter　and　darker。
He　dined　in　the　little　room　as　of　yore；　but　alone；　without　the
tax…gatherer；　for　Binet；　tired　of　waiting　for　the　〃Hirondelle；〃
had　definitely　put　forward　his　meal　one　hour；　and　now　he　dined
punctually　at　five；　and　yet　he　declared　usually　the　rickety　old
concern　〃was　late。〃
Leon；　however；　made　up　his　mind；　and　knocked　at　the　doctor's
door。　Madame　was　in　her　room；　and　did　not　come　down　for　a　quarter
of　an　hour。　The　doctor　seemed　delighted　to　see　him；　but　he　never
stirred　out　that　evening；　nor　all　the　next　day。
He　saw　her　alone　in　the　evening；　very　late；　behind　the　garden　in
the　lane；　in　the　lane；　as　she　had　the　other　one！　It　was　a　stormy
night；　and　they　talked　under　an　umbrella　by　lightning　flashes。
Their　separation　was　becoming　intolerable。　〃I　would　rather　die！〃
said　Emma。　She　was　writhing　in　his　arms；　weeping。　〃Adieu！　adieu！
When　shall　I　see　you　again？〃
They　came　back　again　to　embrace　once　more；　and　it　was　then　that
she　promised　him　to　find　soon；　by　no　matter　what　means；　a　regular
opportunity　for　seeing　one　another　in　freedom　at　least　once　a
week。　Emma　never　doubted　she　should　be　able　to　do　this。　Besides；
she　was　full　of　hope。　Some　money　was　coming　to　her。
On　the　strength　of　it　she　bought　a　pair　of　yellow　curtains　with
large　stripes　for　her　room；　whose　cheapness　Monsieur　Lheureux　had
commended；　she　dreamed　of　getting　a　carpet；　and　Lheureux；
declaring　that　it　wasn't　〃drinking　the　sea；〃　politely　undertook
to　supply　her　with　one。　She　could　no　longer　do　without　his
services。　Twenty　times　a　day　she　sent　for　him；　and　he　at　once　put
by　his　business　without　a　murmur。　People　could　not　understand
either　why　Mere　Rollet　breakfasted　with　her　every　day；　and　even
paid　her　private　visits。
It　was　about　this　time；　that　is　to　say；　the　beginning　of　winter；
that　she　seemed　seized　with　great　musical　fervour。
One　evening　when　Charles　was　listening　to　her；　she　began　the　same
piece　four　times　over；　each　time　with　much　vexation；　while　he；
not　noticing　any　difference；　cried
〃Bravo！　very　goodl　You　are　wrong　to　stop。　Go　on！〃
〃Oh；　no；　it　is　execrable！　My　fingers　are　quite　rusty。〃
The　next　day　he　begged　her　to　play　him　something　again。
〃Very　well；　to　please　you！〃
And　Charles　confessed　she　had　gone　off　a　little。　She　played　wrong
notes　and　blundered；　then；　stopping　short
〃Ah！　it　is　no　use。　I　ought　to　take　some　lessons；　but〃　She　bit
her　lips　and　added；　〃Twenty　francs　a　lesson；　that's　too　dear！〃
〃Yes；　so　it　israther；〃　said　Charles；　giggling　stupidly。　〃But　it
seems　to　me　that　one　might　be　able　to　do　it　for　less；　for　there
are　artists　of　no　reputation；　and　who　are　often　better　than　the
celebrities。〃
〃Find　them！〃　said　Emma。
The　next　day　when　he　came　home　he　looked　at　her　shyly；　and　at
last　could　no　longer　keep　back　the　words。
〃How　obstinate　you　are　sometimes！　I　went　to　Barfucheres　to…day。
Well；　Madame　Liegard　assured　me　that　her　three　young　ladies　who
are　at　La　Misericorde　have　lessons　at　fifty　sous　apiece；　and　that
from　an　excellent　mistress！〃
She　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　did　not　open　her　piano　again。　But
when　she　passed　by　it　（if　Bovary　were　there）；　she　sighed
〃Ah！　my　poor　piano！〃
And　when　anyone　came　to　see　her；　she　did　not　fail　to　inform　them
she　had　given　up　music；　and　could　not　begin　again　now　for
important　reasons。　Then　people　commiserated　her
〃What　a　pity！　she　had　so　much　talent！〃
They　even　spoke　to　Bovary　about　it。　They　put　him　to　shame；　and
especially　the　chemist。
〃You　are　wrong。　One　should　never　let　any　of　the　faculties　of
nature　lie　fallow。　Besides；　just　think；　my　good　friend；　that　by
inducing　madame　to　study；　you　are　economising　on　the　subsequent
musical　education　of　your　child。　For　my　own　part；　I　think　that
mothers　ought　themselves　to　instruct　their　children。　That　is　an
idea　of　Rousseau's；　still　rather　new　perhaps；　but　that　will　end
by　triumphing；　I　am　certain　of　it；　like　mothers　nursing　their　own
children　and　vaccination。〃
So　Charles　returned　once　more　to　this　question　of　the　piano。　Emma
replied　bitterly　that　it　would　be　better　to　sell　it。　This　poor
piano；　that　had　given　her　vanity　so　much　satisfactionto　see　it
go　was　to　Bovary　like　the　indefinable　suicide　of　a　part　of
herself。
〃If　you　liked；〃　he　said；　〃a　lesson　from　time　to　time；　that
wouldn't　after　all　be　very　ruinous。〃
〃But　lessons；〃　she　replied；　〃are　only　of　use　when　followed　up。〃
And　thus　it　was　she　set　about　obtaining　her　husband's　permission
to　go　to　town　once　a　week　to　see　her　lover。　At　the　end　of　a　month
she　was　even　considered　to　have　made　considerable　progress。

Chapter　Five
She　went　on　Thursdays。　She　got　up　and　dressed　silently；　in　order
not　to　awaken　Charles；　who　would　have　made　remarks　about　her
getting　ready　too　early。　Next　she　walked　up　and　down；　went　to　the
windows；　and　looked　out　at　the　Place。　The　early　dawn　was
broadening　between　the　pillars　of　the　market；　and　the　chemist's
shop；　with　the　shutters　still　up；　showed　in　the　pale　light　of　the
dawn　the　large　letters　of　his　signboard。
When　the　clock　pointed　to　a　quarter　past　seven；　she　went　off　to
the　〃Lion　d'Or；〃　whose　door　Artemise　opened　yawning。　The　girl
then　made　up　the　coals　covered　by　the　cinders；　and　Emma　remained
alone　in　the　kitchen。　Now　and　again　she　went　out。　Hivert　was
leisurely　harnessing　his　horses；　listening；　moreover；　to　Mere
Lefrancois；　who；　passing　her　head　and　nightcap　through　a　grating；
was　charging　him　with　commissions　and　giving　him　explanations
that　would　have　confused　anyone　else。　Emma　kept　beating　the　soles
of　her　boots　against　the　pavement　of　the　yard。
At　last；　when　he　had　eaten　his　soup；　put　on　his　cloak；　lighted
his　pipe；　and　grasped　his　whip；　he　calmly　installed　himself　on
his　seat。
The　〃Hirondelle〃　started　at　a　slow　trot；　and　for　about　a　mile
stopped　here　and　there　to　pick　up　passengers　who　waited　for　it；
standing　at　the　border　of　the　road；　in　front　of　their　yard　gates。
Those　who　had　secured　seats　the　evening　before　kept　it　waiting；
some　even　were　still　in　bed　in　their　houses。　Hivert　called；
shouted；　swore；　then　he　got　down　from　his　seat　and　went　and
knocked　loudly　at　the　doors。　The　wind　blew　through　the　cracked
windows。
The　four　seats；　however；　filled　up。　The　carriage　rolled　off；　rows
of　apple…trees　followed　one　upon　another；　and　the　road　between
its　two　long　ditches；　full　of　yellow　water；　rose；　constantly
narrowing　towards　the　horizon。
Emma　knew　it　from　end　to　end；　she　knew　that　after　a　meadow　there
was　a　sign…post；　next　an　elm；　a　barn；　or　the　hut　of　a　lime…kiln
tender。　Sometimes　even；　in　the　hope　of　getting　some　surprise；　she
shut　her　eyes；　but　she　never　lost　the　clear　perception　of　the
distance　to　be　traversed。
At　last　the　brick　houses　began　to　follow　one　another　more
closely；　the　earth　resounded　beneath　the　wheels；　the　〃Hirondelle〃
glided　between　the　gardens；　where　through　an　opening　one　saw
statues；　a　periwinkle　plant；　clipped　yews；　and　a　swing。　Then　on　a
sudden　the　town　appeared。　Sloping　down　like　an　amphitheatre；　and
drowned　in　the　fog；　it　widened　out　beyond　the　bridges　confusedly。
Then　the　open　country　spread　away　with　a　monotonous　moveme