madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第67节

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〃I　have　even　read　that　various　persons　have　found　themselves
under　toxicological　symptoms；　and；　as　it　were；　thunderstricken　by
black…pudding　that　had　been　subjected　to　a　too　vehement
fumigation。　At　least；　this　was　stated　in　a　very　fine　report　drawn
up　by　one　of　our　pharmaceutical　chiefs；　one　of　our　masters；　the
illustrious　Cadet　de　Gassicourt！〃
Madame　Homais　reappeared；　carrying　one　of　those　shaky　machines
that　are　heated　with　spirits　of　wine；　for　Homais　liked　to　make
his　coffee　at　table；　having；　moreover；　torrefied　it；　pulverised
it；　and　mixed　it　himself。
〃Saccharum；　doctor？〃　said　he；　offering　the　sugar。
Then　he　had　all　his　children　brought　down；　anxious　to　have　the
physician's　opinion　on　their　constitutions。
At　last　Monsieur　Lariviere　was　about　to　leave；　when　Madame　Homais
asked　for　a　consultation　about　her　husband。　He　was　making　his
blood　too　thick　by　going　to　sleep　every　evening　after　dinner。
〃Oh；　it　isn't　his　blood　that's　too　thick；〃　said　the　physician。
And；　smiling　a　little　at　his　unnoticed　joke；　the　doctor　opened
the　door。　But　the　chemist's　shop　was　full　of　people；　he　had　the
greatest　difficulty　in　getting　rid　of　Monsieur　Tuvache；　who
feared　his　spouse　would　get　inflammation　of　the　lungs；　because
she　was　in　the　habit　of　spitting　on　the　ashes；　then　of　Monsieur
Binet；　who　sometimes　experienced　sudden　attacks　of　great　hunger；
and　of　Madame　Caron；　who　suffered　from　tinglings；　of　Lheureux；
who　had　vertigo；　of　Lestiboudois；　who　had　rheumatism；　and　of
Madame　Lefrancois；　who　had　heartburn。　At　last　the　three　horses
started；　and　it　was　the　general　opinion　that　he　had　not　shown
himself　at　all　obliging。
Public　attention　was　distracted　by　the　appearance　of　Monsieur
Bournisien；　who　was　going　across　the　market　with　the　holy　oil。
Homais；　as　was　due　to　his　principles；　compared　priests　to　ravens
attracted　by　the　odour　of　death。　The　sight　of　an　ecclesiastic　was
personally　disagreeable　to　him；　for　the　cassock　made　him　think　of
the　shroud；　and　he　detested　the　one　from　some　fear　of　the　other。
Nevertheless；　not　shrinking　from　what　he　called　his　mission；　he
returned　to　Bovary's　in　company　with　Canivet　whom　Monsieur
Lariviere；　before　leaving；　had　strongly　urged　to　make　this　visit；
and　he　would；　but　for　his　wife's　objections；　have　taken　his　two
sons　with　him；　in　order　to　accustom　them　to　great　occasions；　that
this　might　be　a　lesson；　an　example；　a　solemn　picture；　that　should
remain　in　their　heads　later　on。
The　room　when　they　went　in　was　full　of　mournful　solemnity。　On　the
work…table；　covered　over　with　a　white　cloth；　there　were　five　or
six　small　balls　of　cotton　in　a　silver　dish；　near　a　large　crucifix
between　two　lighted　candles。
Emma；　her　chin　sunken　upon　her　breast；　had　her　eyes　inordinately
wide　open；　and　her　poor　hands　wandered　over　the　sheets　with　that
hideous　and　soft　movement　of　the　dying；　that　seems　as　if　they
wanted　already　to　cover　themselves　with　the　shroud。　Pale　as　a
statue　and　with　eyes　red　as　fire；　Charles；　not　weeping；　stood
opposite　her　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　while　the　priest；　bending
one　knee；　was　muttering　words　in　a　low　voice。
She　turned　her　face　slowly；　and　seemed　filled　with　joy　on　seeing
suddenly　the　violet　stole；　no　doubt　finding　again；　in　the　midst
of　a　temporary　lull　in　her　pain；　the　lost　voluptuousness　of　her
first　mystical　transports；　with　the　visions　of　eternal　beatitude
that　were　beginning。
The　priest　rose　to　take　the　crucifix；　then　she　stretched　forward
her　neck　as　one　who　is　athirst；　and　glueing　her　lips　to　the　body
of　the　Man…God；　she　pressed　upon　it　with　all　her　expiring
strength　the　fullest　kiss　of　love　that　she　had　ever　given。　Then
he　recited　the　Misereatur　and　the　Indulgentiam；　dipped　his　right
thumb　in　the　oil；　and　began　to　give　extreme　unction。　First　upon
the　eyes；　that　had　so　coveted　all　worldly　pomp；　then　upon　the
nostrils；　that　had　been　greedy　of　the　warm　breeze　and　amorous
odours；　then　upon　the　mouth；　that　had　uttered　lies；　that　had
curled　with　pride　and　cried　out　in　lewdness；　then　upon　the　hands
that　had　delighted　in　sensual　touches；　and　finally　upon　the　soles
of　the　feet；　so　swift　of　yore；　when　she　was　running　to　satisfy
her　desires；　and　that　would　now　walk　no　more。
The　cure　wiped　his　fingers；　threw　the　bit　of　cotton　dipped　in　oil
into　the　fire；　and　came　and　sat　down　by　the　dying　woman；　to　tell
her　that　she　must　now　blend　her　sufferings　with　those　of　Jesus
Christ　and　abandon　herself　to　the　divine　mercy。
Finishing　his　exhortations；　he　tried　to　place　in　her　hand　a
blessed　candle；　symbol　of　the　celestial　glory　with　which　she　was
soon　to　be　surrounded。　Emma；　too　weak；　could　not　close　her
fingers；　and　the　taper；　but　for　Monsieur　Bournisien　would　have
fallen　to　the　ground。
However；　she　was　not　quite　so　pale；　and　her　face　had　an
expression　of　serenity　as　if　the　sacrament　had　cured　her。
The　priest　did　not　fail　to　point　this　out；　he　even　explained　to
Bovary　that　the　Lord　sometimes　prolonged　the　life　of　persons　when
he　thought　it　meet　for　their　salvation；　and　Charles　remembered
the　day　when；　so　near　death；　she　had　received　the　communion。
Perhaps　there　was　no　need　to　despair；　he　thought。
In　fact；　she　looked　around　her　slowly；　as　one　awakening　from　a
dream；　then　in　a　distinct　voice　she　asked　for　her　looking…glass；
and　remained　some　time　bending　over　it；　until　the　big　tears　fell
from　her　eyes。　Then　she　turned　away　her　head　with　a　sigh　and　fell
back　upon　the　pillows。
Her　chest　soon　began　panting　rapidly；　the　whole　of　her　tongue
protruded　from　her　mouth；　her　eyes；　as　they　rolled；　grew　paler；
like　the　two　globes　of　a　lamp　that　is　going　out；　so　that　one
might　have　thought　her　already　dead　but　for　the　fearful　labouring
of　her　ribs；　shaken　by　violent　breathing；　as　if　the　soul　were
struggling　to　free　itself。　Felicite　knelt　down　before　the
crucifix；　and　the　druggist　himself　slightly　bent　his　knees；　while
Monsieur　Canivet　looked　out　vaguely　at　the　Place。　Bournisien　had
again　begun　to　pray；　his　face　bowed　against　the　edge　of　the　bed；
his　long　black　cassock　trailing　behind　him　in　the　room。　Charles
was　on　the　other　side；　on　his　knees；　his　arms　outstretched
towards　Emma。　He　had　taken　her　hands　and　pressed　them；　shuddering
at　every　beat　of　her　heart；　as　at　the　shaking　of　a　falling　ruin。
As　the　death…rattle　became　stronger　the　priest　prayed　faster；　his
prayers　mingled　with　the　stifled　sobs　of　Bovary；　and　sometimes
all　seemed　lost　in　the　muffled　murmur　of　the　Latin　syllables　that
tolled　like　a　passing　bell。
Suddenly　on　the　pavement　was　heard　a　loud　noise　of　clogs　and　the
clattering　of　a　stick；　and　a　voice　rosea　raucous　voicethat
sang
〃Maids　an　the　warmth　of　a　summer　day
Dream　of　love　and　of　love　always〃
Emma　raised　herself　like　a　galvanised　corpse；　her　hair　undone；
her　eyes　fixed；　staring。
〃Where　the　sickle　blades　have　been；
Nannette；　gathering　ears　of　corn；
Passes　bending　down；　my　queen；
To　the　earth　where　they　were　born。〃
〃The　blind　man！〃　she　cried。　And　Emma　began　to　laugh；　an
atrocious；　frantic；　despairing　laugh；　thinking　she　saw　the
hideous　face　of　the　poor　wretch　that　stood　out　against　the
eternal　night　like　a　menace。
〃The　wind　is　strong　this　summer　day；
Her　petticoat　has　flown　away。〃
She　fell　back　upon　the　mattress　in　a　convulsion。　They　all　drew
near。　She　was　dead。

Chapter　Nine
There　is　always　after　the　death　of　anyone　a　kind　of　stupefaction；
so　difficult　is　it　to　grasp　this　advent　of　nothingness　and　to
resign　ourselves　to　believe　in　it。　But　still；　when　he　saw　that
she　did　not　move；　Charles　threw　himself　upon　her；　crying
〃Farewell！　farewell！〃
Homais　and　Canivet　dragged　him　from　the　room。
〃Restrain　yourself　〃
〃Yes。〃　said　he；　struggling；　〃I'll　be　quiet。　I'll　not　do　anything。
But　leave　me　alone。　I　want　to　see　her。　She　is　my　wife！〃
And　he　wept。
〃Cry；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃let　nature　take　her　course；　that　will
solace　you。〃
Weaker　than　a　child；　Charles　let　himself　be　led　downstairs　into
the　sitting…room；　and　Monsieur　Homais　soon　went　home。　On　the
Place　he　was　accosted　by　the　blind　man；　who；　having　dragged
himself　as　far　as　Yonville；　in　the　hope　of　getting　the
antiphlogistic　pomade；　was　asking　every　passer…by　where　the
druggist　lived。
〃There　now！　as　if　I　hadn't　got　other　fish　to　fry。　Well；　so　much
the　worse；　you　must　come　later　on。〃
And　he　entered　the　shop　hurriedly。
He　had　to　write　two　letters；　to　prepare　a　soothing　potion　for
Bovary；　to　invent　some　lie　that　would　conceal　the　poisoning；　and
work　it　up　into　an　article　for　the　〃Fanal；〃　without　counting　the
people　who　were　waiting　to　get　the　news　from　him；　and　when　the
Yonvillers　had　all　heard　his　story　of　the　arsenic　that　she　had
mistaken　for　sugar　in　making　a　vanilla　cream。　Homais　once　more
returned　to　Bovary's。
He　found　him　alone　（Monsieur　Canivet　had　left）；　sitting　in　an
arm…chair　near　the　window；　staring　with　an　idiotic　look　at　the
flags　of　the　floor。
〃Now；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃you　ought　yourself　to　fix　the　hour　for
the　ceremony。〃
〃Why？　What　ceremony？〃　Then；　in　a　stammering；　frightened　voice；
〃Oh；　no！　not　that。　No！　I　want　to　see　her　here。〃
Homais；　to　keep　himself　in　countenance；　took　up　a　water…bottle　on
the　whatnot　to　water　the　geraniums。
〃Ah！　thanks；〃　said　Charles；　〃you　are　good。〃
But　he　did　not　finish；　choking　beneath　the　crowd