madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第69节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


leave　their　hives　on　the　decease　of　any　person。〃
Homais　made　no　remark　upon　these　prejudices；　for　he　had　again
dropped　asleep。　Monsieur　Bournisien；　stronger　than　he；　went　on
moving　his　lips　gently　for　some　time；　then　insensibly　his　chin
sank　down；　he　let　fall　his　big　black　boot；　and　began　to　snore。
They　sat　opposite　one　another；　with　protruding　stomachs；
puffed…up　faces；　and　frowning　looks；　after　so　much　disagreement
uniting　at　last　in　the　same　human　weakness；　and　they　moved　no
more　than　the　corpse　by　their　side；　that　seemed　to　be　sleeping。
Charles　coming　in　did　not　wake　them。　It　was　the　last　time；　he
came　to　bid　her　farewell。
The　aromatic　herbs　were　still　smoking；　and　spirals　of　bluish
vapour　blended　at　the　window…sash　with　the　fog　that　was　coming
in。　There　were　few　stars；　and　the　night　was　warm。　The　wax　of　the
candles　fell　in　great　drops　upon　the　sheets　of　the　bed。　Charles
watched　them　burn；　tiring　his　eyes　against　the　glare　of　their
yellow　flame。
The　watering　on　the　satin　gown　shimmered　white　as　moonlight。　Emma
was　lost　beneath　it；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that；　spreading　beyond
her　own　self；　she　blended　confusedly　with　everything　around　her
the　silence；　the　night；　the　passing　wind；　the　damp　odours　rising
from　the　ground。
Then　suddenly　he　saw　her　in　the　garden　at　Tostes；　on　a　bench
against　the　thorn　hedge；　or　else　at　Rouen　in　the　streets；　on　the
threshold　of　their　house；　in　the　yard　at　Bertaux。　He　again　heard
the　laughter　of　the　happy　boys　beneath　the　apple…trees：　the　room
was　filled　with　the　perfume　of　her　hair；　and　her　dress　rustled　in
his　arms　with　a　noise　like　electricity。　The　dress　was　still　the
same。
For　a　long　while　he　thus　recalled　all　his　lost　joys；　her
attitudes；　her　movements；　the　sound　of　her　voice。　Upon　one　fit　of
despair　followed　another；　and　even　others；　inexhaustible　as　the
waves　of　an　overflowing　sea。
A　terrible　curiosity　seized　him。　Slowly；　with　the　tips　of　bis
fingers；　palpitating；　he　lifted　her　veil。　But　he　uttered　a　cry　of
horror　that　awoke　the　other　two。
They　dragged　him　down　into　the　sitting…room。　Then　Felicite　came
up　to　say　that　he　wanted　some　of　her　hair。
〃Cut　some　off；〃　replied　the　druggist。
And　as　she　did　not　dare　to；　he　himself　stepped　forward；　scissors
in　hand。　He　trembled　so　that　he　pierced　the　skin　of　the　temple　in
several　places。　At　last；　stiffening　himself　against　emotion；
Homais　gave　two　or　three　great　cuts　at　random　that　left　white
patches　amongst　that　beautiful　black　hair。
The　chemist　and　the　cure　plunged　anew　into　their　occupations；　not
without　sleeping　from　time　to　time；　of　which　they　accused　each
other　reciprocally　at　each　fresh　awakening。　Then　Monsieur
Bournisien　sprinkled　the　room　with　holy　water　and　Homais　threw　a
little　chlorine　water　on　the　floor。
Felicite　had　taken　care　to　put　on　the　chest　of　drawers；　for　each
of　them；　a　bottle　of　brandy；　some　cheese；　and　a　large　roll。　And
the　druggist；　who　could　not　hold　out　any　longer；　about　four　in
the　morning　sighed
〃My　word！　I　should　like　to　take　some　sustenance。〃
The　priest　did　not　need　any　persuading；　he　went　out　to　go　and　say
mass；　came　back；　and　then　they　ate　and　hobnobbed；　giggling　a
little　without　knowing　why；　stimulated　by　that　vague　gaiety　that
comes　upon　us　after　times　of　sadness；　and　at　the　last　glass　the
priest　said　to　the　druggist；　as　he　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder
〃We　shall　end　by　understanding　one　another。〃
In　the　passage　downstairs　they　met　the　undertaker's　men；　who　were
coming　in。　Then　Charles　for　two　hours　had　to　suffer　the　torture
of　hearing　the　hammer　resound　against　the　wood。　Next　day　they
lowered　her　into　her　oak　coffin；　that　was　fitted　into　the　other
two；　but　as　the　bier　was　too　large；　they　had　to　fill　up　the　gaps
with　the　wool　of　a　mattress。　At　last；　when　the　three　lids　had
been　planed　down；　nailed；　soldered；　it　was　placed　outside　in
front　of　the　door；　the　house　was　thrown　open；　and　the　people　of
Yonville　began　to　flock　round。
Old　Rouault　arrived；　and　fainted　on　the　Place　when　he　saw　the
black　cloth！

Chapter　Ten
He　had　only　received　the　chemist's　letter　thirty…six　hours　after
the　event；　and；　from　consideration　for　his　feelings；　Homais　had
so　worded　it　that　it　was　impossible　to　make　out　what　it　was　all
about。
First；　the　old　fellow　had　fallen　as　if　struck　by　apoplexy。　Next；
he　understood　that　she　was　not　dead；　but　she　might　be。　At　last；
he　had　put　on　his　blouse；　taken　his　hat；　fastened　his　spurs　to
his　boots；　and　set　out　at　full　speed；　and　the　whole　of　the　way
old　Rouault；　panting；　was　torn　by　anguish。　Once　even　he　was
obliged　to　dismount。　He　was　dizzy；　he　heard　voices　round　about
him；　he　felt　himself　going　mad。
Day　broke。　He　saw　three　black　hens　asleep　in　a　tree。　He
shuddered；　horrified　at　this　omen。　Then　he　promised　the　Holy
Virgin　three　chasubles　for　the　church；　and　that　he　would　go
barefooted　from　the　cemetery　at　Bertaux　to　the　chapel　of
Vassonville。
He　entered　Maromme　shouting　for　the　people　of　the　inn；　burst　open
the　door　with　a　thrust　of　his　shoulder；　made　for　a　sack　of　oats；
emptied　a　bottle　of　sweet　cider　into　the　manger；　and　again
mounted　his　nag；　whose　feet　struck　fire　as　it　dashed　along。
He　said　to　himself　that　no　doubt　they　would　save　her；　the　doctors
would　discover　some　remedy　surely。　He　remembered　all　the
miraculous　cures　he　had　been　told　about。　Then　she　appeared　to　him
dead。　She　was　there；　before　his　eyes；　lying　on　her　back　in　the
middle　of　the　road。　He　reined　up；　and　the　hallucination
disappeared。
At　Quincampoix；　to　give　himself　heart；　he　drank　three　cups　of
coffee　one　after　the　other。　He　fancied　they　had　made　a　mistake　in
the　name　in　writing。　He　looked　for　the　letter　in　his　pocket；　felt
it　there；　but　did　not　dare　to　open　it。
At　last　he　began　to　think　it　was　all　a　joke；　someone's　spite；　the
jest　of　some　wag；　and　besides；　if　she　were　dead；　one　would　have
known　it。　But　no！　There　was　nothing　extraordinary　about　the
country；　the　sky　was　blue；　the　trees　swayed；　a　flock　of　sheep
passed。　He　saw　the　village；　he　was　seen　coming　bending　forward
upon　his　horse；　belabouring　it　with　great　blows；　the　girths
dripping　with　blood。
When　he　had　recovered　consciousness；　he　fell；　weeping；　into
Bovary's　arms：　〃My　girl！　Emma！　my　child！　tell　me〃
The　other　replied；　sobbing；　〃I　don't　know！　I　don't　know！　It's　a
curse！〃
The　druggist　separated　them。　〃These　horrible　details　are　useless。
I　will　tell　this　gentleman　all　about　it。　Here　are　the　people
coming。　Dignity！　Come　now！　Philosophy！〃
The　poor　fellow　tried　to　show　himself　brave；　and　repeated　several
times。　〃Yes！　courage！〃
〃Oh；〃　cried　the　old　man；　〃so　I　will　have；　by　God！　I'll　go　along
o'　her　to　the　end！〃
The　bell　began　tolling。　All　was　ready；　they　had　to　start。　And
seated　in　a　stall　of　the　choir；　side　by　side；　they　saw　pass　and
repass　in　front　of　them　continually　the　three　chanting
choristers。
The　serpent…player　was　blowing　with　all　his　might。　Monsieur
Bournisien；　in　full　vestments；　was　singing　in　a　shrill　voice。　He
bowed　before　the　tabernacle；　raising　his　hands；　stretched　out　his
arms。　Lestiboudois　went　about　the　church　with　his　whalebone
stick。　The　bier　stood　near　the　lectern；　between　four　rows　of
candles。　Charles　felt　inclined　to　get　up　and　put　them　out。
Yet　he　tried　to　stir　himself　to　a　feeling　of　devotion；　to　throw
himself　into　the　hope　of　a　future　life　in　which　he　should　see　her
again。　He　imagined　to　himself　she　had　gone　on　a　long　journey；　far
away；　for　along　time。　But　when　he　thought　of　her　lying　there；　and
that　all　was　over；　that　they　would　lay　her　in　the　earth；　he　was
seized　with　a　fierce；　gloomy；　despairful　rage。　At　times　he
thought　he　felt　nothing　more；　and　he　enjoyed　this　lull　in　his
pain；　whilst　at　the　same　time　he　reproached　himself　for　being　a
wretch。
The　sharp　noise　of　an　iron…ferruled　stick　was　heard　on　the
stones；　striking　them　at　irregular　intervals。　It　came　from　the
end　of　the　church；　and　stopped　short　at　the　lower　aisles。　A　man
in　a　coarse　brown　jacket　knelt　down　painfully。　It　was　Hippolyte；
the　stable…boy　at　the　〃Lion　d'Or。〃　He　had　put　on　his　new　leg。
One　of　the　choristers　went　round　the　nave　making　a　collection；
and　the　coppers　chinked　one　after　the　other　on　the　silver　plate。
〃Oh；　make　haste！　I　am　in　pain！〃　cried　Bovary；　angrily　throwing
him　a　five…franc　piece。　The　churchman　thanked　him　with　a　deep　bow。
They　sang；　they　knelt；　they　stood　up；　it　was　endless！　He
remembered　that　once；　in　the　early　times；　they　had　been　to　mass
together；　and　they　had　sat　down　on　the　other　side；　on　the　right；
by　the　wall。　The　bell　began　again。　There　was　a　great　moving　of
chairs；　the　bearers　slipped　their　three　staves　under　the　coffin；
and　everyone　left　the　church。
Then　Justin　appeared　at　the　door　of　the　shop。　He　suddenly　went　in
again；　pale；　staggering。
People　were　at　the　windows　to　see　the　procession　pass。　Charles　at
the　head　walked　erect。　He　affected　a　brave　air；　and　saluted　with
a　nod　those　who；　coming　out　from　the　lanes　or　from　their　doors；
stood　amidst　the　crowd。
The　six　men；　three　on　either　side；　walked　slowly；　panting　a
little。　The　priests；　the　choristers；　and　the　two　choirboys
recited　the　De　profundis*；　and　their　voices　echoed　over　the
fields；　rising　and　falling　with　their　undulations。　Sometimes　they
disappeared　in　the　windings