madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第63节

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out　at　long　dates；　and　constantly　renewed　up　to　the　day；　when；
gathering　together　all　the　protested　bills；　the　shopkeeper　had
bidden　his　friend　Vincart　take　in　his　own　name　all　the　necessary
proceedings；　not　wishing　to　pass　for　a　tiger　with　his
fellow…citizens。
She　mingled　her　story　with　recriminations　against　Lheureux；　to
which　the　notary　replied　from　time　to　time　with　some
insignificant　word。　Eating　his　cutlet　and　drinking　his　tea；　he
buried　his　chin　in　his　sky…blue　cravat；　into　which　were　thrust
two　diamond　pins；　held　together　by　a　small　gold　chain；　and　he
smiled　a　singular　smile；　in　a　sugary；　ambiguous　fashion。　But
noticing　that　her　feet　were　damp；　he　said
〃Do　get　closer　to　the　stove；　put　your　feet　up　against　the
porcelain。〃
She　was　afraid　of　dirtying　it。　The　notary　replied　in　a　gallant
tone
〃Beautiful　things　spoil　nothing。〃
Then　she　tried　to　move　him；　and；　growing　moved　herself；　she　began
telling　him　about　the　poorness　of　her　home；　her　worries；　her
wants。　He　could　understand　that；　an　elegant　woman！　and；　without
leaving　off　eating；　he　had　turned　completely　round　towards　her；
so　that　his　knee　brushed　against　her　boot；　whose　sole　curled
round　as　it　smoked　against　the　stove。
But　when　she　asked　for　a　thousand　sous；　he　closed　his　lips；　and
declared　he　was　very　sorry　he　had　not　had　the　management　of　her
fortune　before；　for　there　were　hundreds　of　ways　very　convenient；
even　for　a　lady；　of　turning　her　money　to　account。　They　might；
either　in　the　turf…peats　of　Grumesnil　or　building…ground　at
Havre；　almost　without　risk；　have　ventured　on　some　excellent
speculations；　and　he　let　her　consume　herself　with　rage　at　the
thought　of　the　fabulous　sums　that　she　would　certainly　have　made。
〃How　was　it；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　you　didn't　come　to　me？〃
〃I　hardly　know；〃　she　said。
〃Why；　hey？　Did　I　frighten　you　so　much？　It　is　I；　on　the　contrary；
who　ought　to　complain。　We　hardly　know　one　another；　yet　I　am　very
devoted　to　you。　You　do　not　doubt　that；　I　hope？〃
He　held　out　his　hand；　took　hers；　covered　it　with　a　greedy　kiss；
then　held　it　on　his　knee；　and　he　played　delicately　with　her
fingers　whilst　he　murmured　a　thousand　blandishments。　His　insipid
voice　murmured　like　a　running　brook；　a　light　shone　in　his　eyes
through　the　glimmering　of　his　spectacles；　and　his　hand　was
advancing　up　Emma's　sleeve　to　press　her　arm。　She　felt　against　her
cheek　his　panting　breath。　This　man　oppressed　her　horribly。
She　sprang　up　and　said　to　him
〃Sir；　I　am　waiting。〃
〃For　what？〃　said　the　notary；　who　suddenly　became　very　pale。
〃This　money。〃
〃But〃　Then；　yielding　to　the　outburst　of　too　powerful　a　desire；
〃Well；　yes！〃
He　dragged　himself　towards　her　on　his　knees；　regardless　of　his
dressing…gown。
〃For　pity's　sake；　stay。　I　love　you！〃
He　seized　her　by　her　waist。　Madame　Bovary's　face　flushed　purple。
She　recoiled　with　a　terrible　look；　crying
〃You　are　taking　a　shameless　advantage　of　my　distress；　sir！　I　am
to　be　pitiednot　to　be　sold。〃
And　she　went　out。
The　notary　remained　quite　stupefied；　his　eyes　fixed　on　his　fine
embroidered　slippers。　They　were　a　love　gift；　and　the　sight　of
them　at　last　consoled　him。　Besides；　he　reflected　that　such　an
adventure　might　have　carried　him　too　far。
〃What　a　wretch！　what　a　scoundrel！　what　an　infamy！〃　she　said　to
herself；　as　she　fled　with　nervous　steps　beneath　the　aspens　of　the
path。　The　disappointment　of　her　failure　increased　the　indignation
of　her　outraged　modesty；　it　seemed　to　her　that　Providence　pursued
her　implacably；　and；　strengthening　herself　in　her　pride；　she　had
never　felt　so　much　esteem　for　herself　nor　so　much　contempt　for
others。　A　spirit　of　warfare　transformed　her。　She　would　have　liked
to　strike　all　men；　to　spit　in　their　faces；　to　crush　them；　and　she
walked　rapidly　straight　on；　pale；　quivering；　maddened；　searching
the　empty　horizon　with　tear…dimmed　eyes；　and　as　it　were　rejoicing
in　the　hate　that　was　choking　her。
When　she　saw　her　house　a　numbness　came　over　her。　She　could　not　go
on；　and　yet　she　must。　Besides；　whither　could　she　flee　？
Felicite　was　waiting　for　her　at　the　door。　〃Well？〃
〃No！〃　said　Emma。
And　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　two　of　them　went　over　the
various　persons　in　Yonville　who　might　perhaps　be　inclined　to　help
her。　But　each　time　that　Felicite　named　someone　Emma　replied
〃Impossible！　they　will　not！〃
〃And　the　master'll　soon　be　in。〃
〃I　know　that　well　enough。　Leave　me　alone。〃
She　had　tried　everything；　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done　now；
and　when　Charles　came　in　she　would　have　to　say　to　him
〃Go　away！　This　carpet　on　which　you　are　walking　is　no　longer　ours。
In　your　own　house　you　do　not　possess　a　chair；　a　pin；　a　straw；　and
it　is　I；　poor　man；　who　have　ruined　you。〃
Then　there　would　be　a　great　sob；　next　he　would　weep　abundantly；
and　at　last；　the　surprise　past；　he　would　forgive　her。
〃Yes；〃　she　murmured；　grinding　her　teeth；　〃he　will　forgive　me；　he
who　would　give　a　million　if　I　would　forgive　him　for　having　known
me！　Never！　never！〃
This　thought　of　Bovary's　superiority　to　her　exasperated　her。
Then；　whether　she　confessed　or　did　not　confess；　presently；
immediately；　to…morrow；　he　would　know　the　catastrophe　all　the
same；　so　she　must　wait　for　this　horrible　scene；　and　bear　the
weight　of　his　magnanimity。　The　desire　to　return　to　Lheureux's
seized　herwhat　would　be　the　use？　To　write　to　her　fatherit　was
too　late；　and　perhaps；　she　began　to　repent　now　that　she　had　not
yielded　to　that　other；　when　she　heard　the　trot　of　a　horse　in　the
alley。　It　was　he；　he　was　opening　the　gate；　he　was　whiter　than　the
plaster　wall。　Rushing　to　the　stairs；　she　ran　out　quickly　to　the
square；　and　the　wife　of　the　mayor；　who　was　talking　to
Lestiboudois　in　front　of　the　church；　saw　her　go　in　to　the
tax…collector's。
She　hurried　off　to　tell　Madame　Caron；　and　the　two　ladies　went　up
to　the　attic；　and；　hidden　by　some　linen　spread　across　props；
stationed　themselves　comfortably　for　overlooking　the　whole　of
Binet's　room。
He　was　alone　in　his　garret；　busy　imitating　in　wood　one　of　those
indescribable　bits　of　ivory；　composed　of　crescents；　of　spheres
hollowed　out　one　within　the　other；　the　whole　as　straight　as　an
obelisk；　and　of　no　use　whatever；　and　he　was　beginning　on　the　last
piecehe　was　nearing　his　goal。　In　the　twilight　of　the　workshop
the　white　dust　was　flying　from　his　tools　like　a　shower　of　sparks
under　the　hoofs　of　a　galloping　horse；　the　two　wheels　were
turning；　droning；　Binet　smiled；　his　chin　lowered；　his　nostrils
distended；　and；　in　a　word；　seemed　lost　in　one　of　those　complete
happinesses　that；　no　doubt；　belong　only　to　commonplace
occupations；　which　amuse　the　mind　with　facile　difficulties；　and
satisfy　by　a　realisation　of　that　beyond　which　such　minds　have　not
a　dream。
〃Ah！　there　she　is！〃　exclaimed　Madame　Tuvache。
But　it　was　impossible　because　of　the　lathe　to　hear　what　she　was
saying。
At　last　these　ladies　thought　they　made　out　the　word　〃francs；〃　and
Madame　Tuvache　whispered　in　a　low　voice
〃She　is　begging　him　to　give　her　time　for　paying　her　taxes。〃
〃Apparently！〃　replied　the　other。
They　saw　her　walking　up　and　down；　examining　the　napkin…rings；　the
candlesticks；　the　banister　rails　against　the　walls；　while　Binet
stroked　his　beard　with　satisfaction。
〃Do　you　think　she　wants　to　order　something　of　him？〃　said　Madame
Tuvache。
〃Why；　he　doesn't　sell　anything；〃　objected　her　neighbour。
The　tax…collector　seemed　to　be　listening　with　wide…open　eyes；　as
if　he　did　not　understand。　She　went　on　in　a　tender；　suppliant
manner。　She　came　nearer　to　him；　her　breast　heaving；　they　no
longer　spoke。
〃Is　she　making　him　advances？〃　said　Madame　Tuvache。　Binet　was
scarlet　to　his　very　ears。　She　took　hold　of　his　hands。
〃Oh；　it's　too　much！〃
And　no　doubt　she　was　suggesting　something　abominable　to　him；　for
the　tax…collectoryet　he　was　brave；　had　fought　at　Bautzen　and　at
Lutzen；　had　been　through　the　French　campaign；　and　had　even　been
recommended　for　the　crosssuddenly；　as　at　the　sight　of　a
serpent；　recoiled　as　far　as　he　could　from　her；　crying
〃Madame！　what　do　you　mean？〃
〃Women　like　that　ought　to　be　whipped；〃　said　Madame　Tuvache。
〃But　where　is　she？〃　continued　Madame　Caron；　for　she　had
disappeared　whilst　they　spoke；　then　catching　sight　of　her　going
up　the　Grande　Rue；　and　turning　to　the　right　as　if　making　for　the
cemetery；　they　were　lost　in　conjectures。
〃Nurse　Rollet；〃　she　said　on　reaching　the　nurse's；　〃I　am　choking；
unlace　me！〃　She　fell　on　the　bed　sobbing。　Nurse　Rollet　covered　her
with　a　petticoat　and　remained　standing　by　her　side。　Then；　as　she
did　not　answer；　the　good　woman　withdrew；　took　her　wheel　and　began
spinning　flax。
〃Oh；　leave　off！〃　she　murmured；　fancying　she　heard　Binet's　lathe。
〃What's　bothering　her？〃　said　the　nurse　to　herself。　〃Why　has　she
come　here？〃
She　had　rushed　thither；　impelled　by　a　kind　of　horror　that　drove
her　from　her　home。
Lying　on　her　back；　motionless；　and　with　staring　eyes；　she　saw
things　but　vaguely；　although　she　tried　to　with　idiotic
persistence。　She　looked　at　the　scales　on　the　walls；　two　brands
smoking　end　to　end；　and　a　long　spider　crawling　over　her　head　in　a
rent　in　the　beam。　At　last　she　began　to　collect　her　thoughts。　She
rememberedone　dayLeonOh！　how　long　ago　that　wasthe　sun　was
shining　on　the　river；　and　the　clematis　were　perfuming　the　air。
Then；　carried　away　as　by　a　rushing　torrent；　sh