madame bovary-第1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！




Madame　Bovary

By　Gustave　Flaubert

Translated　from　the　French　by　Eleanor　Marx…Aveling

To　Marie…Antoine…Jules　Senard
Member　of　the　Paris　Bar；　Ex…President　of　the　National　Assembly；
and　Former　Minister　of　the　Interior
Dear　and　Illustrious　Friend；
Permit　me　to　inscribe　your　name　at　the　head　of　this　book；　and
above　its　dedication；　for　it　is　to　you；　before　all；　that　I　owe
its　publication。　Reading　over　your　magnificent　defence；　my　work
has　acquired　for　myself；　as　it　were；　an　unexpected　authority。

Accept；　then；　here；　the　homage　of　my　gratitude；　which；　how　great
soever　it　is；　will　never　attain　the　height　of　your　eloquence　and
your　devotion。

Gustave　Flaubert
Paris；　12　April　1857


MADAME　BOVARY

Part　I

Chapter　One

We　were　in　class　when　the　head…master　came　in；　followed　by　a　〃new
fellow；〃　not　wearing　the　school　uniform；　and　a　school　servant
carrying　a　large　desk。　Those　who　had　been　asleep　woke　up；　and
every　one　rose　as　if　just　surprised　at　his　work。

The　head…master　made　a　sign　to　us　to　sit　down。　Then；　turning　to
the　class…master；　he　said　to　him　in　a　low　voice

〃Monsieur　Roger；　here　is　a　pupil　whom　I　recommend　to　your　care；
he'll　be　in　the　second。　If　his　work　and　conduct　are　satisfactory；
he　will　go　into　one　of　the　upper　classes；　as　becomes　his　age。〃

The　〃new　fellow；〃　standing　in　the　corner　behind　the　door　so　that
he　could　hardly　be　seen；　was　a　country　lad　of　about　fifteen；　and
taller　than　any　of　us。　His　hair　was　cut　square　on　his　forehead
like　a　village　chorister's；　he　looked　reliable；　but　very　ill　at
ease。　Although　he　was　not　broad…shouldered；　his　short　school
jacket　of　green　cloth　with　black　buttons　must　have　been　tight
about　the　arm…holes；　and　showed　at　the　opening　of　the　cuffs　red
wrists　accustomed　to　being　bare。　His　legs；　in　blue　stockings；
looked　out　from　beneath　yellow　trousers；　drawn　tight　by　braces；
He　wore　stout；　ill…cleaned；　hob…nailed　boots。

We　began　repeating　the　lesson。　He　listened　with　all　his　ears；　as
attentive　as　if　at　a　sermon；　not　daring　even　to　cross　his　legs　or
lean　on　his　elbow；　and　when　at　two　o'clock　the　bell　rang；　the
master　was　obliged　to　tell　him　to　fall　into　line　with　the　rest　of
us。

When　we　came　back　to　work；　we　were　in　the　habit　of　throwing　our
caps　on　the　ground　so　as　to　have　our　hands　more　free；　we　used
from　the　door　to　toss　them　under　the　form；　so　that　they　hit
against　the　wall　and　made　a　lot　of　dust：　it　was　〃the　thing。〃

But；　whether　he　had　not　noticed　the　trick；　or　did　not　dare　to
attempt　it；　the　〃new　fellow；〃　was　still　holding　his　cap　on　his
knees　even　after　prayers　were　over。　It　was　one　of　those
head…gears　of　composite　order；　in　which　we　can　find　traces　of　the
bearskin；　shako；　billycock　hat；　sealskin　cap；　and　cotton
night…cap；　one　of　those　poor　things；　in　fine；　whose　dumb　ugliness
has　depths　of　expression；　like　an　imbecile's　face。　Oval；
stiffened　with　whalebone；　it　began　with　three　round　knobs；　then
came　in　succession　lozenges　of　velvet　and　rabbit…skin　separated
by　a　red　band；　after　that　a　sort　of　bag　that　ended　in　a　cardboard
polygon　covered　with　complicated　braiding；　from　which　hung；　at
the　end　of　a　long　thin　cord；　small　twisted　gold　threads　in　the
manner　of　a　tassel。　The　cap　was　new；　its　peak　shone。

〃Rise；〃　said　the　master。

He　stood　up；　his　cap　fell。　The　whole　class　began　to　laugh。　He
stooped　to　pick　it　up。　A　neighbor　knocked　it　down　again　with　his
elbow；　he　picked　it　up　once　more。

〃Get　rid　of　your　helmet；〃　said　the　master；　who　was　a　bit　of　a
wag。

There　was　a　burst　of　laughter　from　the　boys；　which　so　thoroughly
put　the　poor　lad　out　of　countenance　that　he　did　not　know　whether
to　keep　his　cap　in　his　hand；　leave　it　on　the　ground；　or　put　it　on
his　head。　He　sat　down　again　and　placed　it　on　his　knee。

〃Rise；〃　repeated　the　master；　〃and　tell　me　your　name。〃

The　new　boy　articulated　in　a　stammering　voice　an　unintelligible
name。

〃Again！〃

The　same　sputtering　of　syllables　was　heard；　drowned　by　the
tittering　of　the　class。

〃Louder！〃　cried　the　master；　〃louder！〃

The　〃new　fellow〃　then　took　a　supreme　resolution；　opened　an
inordinately　large　mouth；　and　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice　as
if　calling　someone　in　the　word　〃Charbovari。〃

A　hubbub　broke　out；　rose　in　crescendo　with　bursts　of　shrill
voices　（they　yelled；　barked；　stamped；　repeated　〃Charbovari！
Charbovari〃）；　then　died　away　into　single　notes；　growing　quieter
only　with　great　difficulty；　and　now　and　again　suddenly
recommencing　along　the　line　of　a　form　whence　rose　here　and　there；
like　a　damp　cracker　going　off；　a　stifled　laugh。

However；　amid　a　rain　of　impositions；　order　was　gradually
re…established　in　the　class；　and　the　master　having　succeeded　in
catching　the　name　of　〃Charles　Bovary；〃　having　had　it　dictated　to
him；　spelt　out；　and　re…read；　at　once　ordered　the　poor　devil　to　go
and　sit　down　on　the　punishment　form　at　the　foot　of　the　master's
desk。　He　got　up；　but　before　going　hesitated。

〃What　are　you　looking　for？〃　asked　the　master。

〃My　c…a…p；〃　timidly　said　the　〃new　fellow；〃　casting　troubled　looks
round　him。

〃Five　hundred　lines　for　all　the　class！〃　shouted　in　a　furious
voice　stopped；　like　the　Quos　ego*；　a　fresh　outburst。　〃Silence！〃
continued　the　master　indignantly；　wiping　his　brow　with　his
handkerchief；　which　he　had　just　taken　from　his　cap。　〃As　to　you；
'new　boy；'　you　will　conjugate　'ridiculus　sum'**　twenty　times。〃

Then；　in　a　gentler　tone；　〃Come；　you'll　find　your　cap　again；　it
hasn't　been　stolen。〃

*A　quotation　from　the　Aeneid　signifying　a　threat。

**I　am　ridiculous。

Quiet　was　restored。　Heads　bent　over　desks；　and　the　〃new　fellow〃
remained　for　two　hours　in　an　exemplary　attitude；　although　from
time　to　time　some　paper　pellet　flipped　from　the　tip　of　a　pen　came
bang　in　his　face。　But　he　wiped　his　face　with　one　hand　and
continued　motionless；　his　eyes　lowered。

In　the　evening；　at　preparation；　he　pulled　out　his　pens　from　his
desk；　arranged　his　small　belongings；　and　carefully　ruled　his
paper。　We　saw　him　working　conscientiously；　looking　up　every　word
in　the　dictionary；　and　taking　the　greatest　pains。　Thanks；　no
doubt；　to　the　willingness　he　showed；　he　had　not　to　go　down　to　the
class　below。　But　though　he　knew　his　rules　passably；　he　had　little
finish　in　composition。　It　was　the　cure　of　his　village　who　had
taught　him　his　first　Latin；　his　parents；　from　motives　of　economy；
having　sent　him　to　school　as　late　as　possible。

His　father；　Monsieur　Charles　Denis　Bartolome　Bovary；　retired
assistant…surgeon…major；　compromised　about　1812　in　certain
conscription　scandals；　and　forced　at　this　time　to　leave　the
service；　had　taken　advantage　of　his　fine　figure　to　get　hold　of　a
dowry　of　sixty　thousand　francs　that　offered　in　the　person　of　a
hosier's　daughter　who　had　fallen　in　love　with　his　good　looks。　　A
fine　man；　a　great　talker；　making　his　spurs　ring　as　he　walked；
wearing　whiskers　that　ran　into　his　moustache；　his　fingers　always
garnished　with　rings　and　dressed　in　loud　colours；　he　had　the　dash
of　a　military　man　with　the　easy　go　of　a　commercial　traveller。

Once　married；　he　lived　for　three　or　four　years　on　his　wife's
fortune；　dining　well；　rising　late；　smoking　long　porcelain　pipes；
not　coming　in　at　night　till　after　the　theatre；　and　haunting
cafes。　The　father…in…law　died；　leaving　little；　he　was　indignant
at　this；　〃went　in　for　the　business；〃　lost　some　money　in　it；　then
retired　to　the　country；　where　he　thought　he　would　make　money。

But；　as　he　knew　no　more　about　farming　than　calico；　as　he　rode　his
horses　instead　of　sending　them　to　plough；　drank　his　cider　in
bottle　instead　of　selling　it　in　cask；　ate　the　finest　poultry　in
his　farmyard；　and　greased　his　hunting…boots　with　the　fat　of　his
pigs；　he　was　not　long　in　finding　out　that　he　would　do　better　to
give　up　all　speculation。

For　two　hundred　francs　a　year　he　managed　to　live　on　the　border　of
the　provinces　of　Caux　and　Picardy；　in　a　kind　of　place　half　farm；
half　private　house；　and　here；　soured；　eaten　up　with　regrets；
cursing　his　luck；　jealous　of　everyone；　he　shut　himself　up　at　the
age　of　forty…five；　sick　of　men；　he　said；　and　determined　to　live
at　peace。

His　wife　had　adored　him　once　on　a　time；　she　had　bored　him　with　a
thousand　servilities　that　had　only　estranged　him　the　more。　Lively
once；　expansive　and　affectionate；　in　growing　older　she　had　become
（after　the　fashion　of　wine　that；　exposed　to　air；　turns　to
vinegar）　ill…tempered；　grumbling；　irritable。　She　had　suffered　so
much　without　complaint　at　first；　until　she　had　seem　him　going
after　all　the　village　drabs；　and　until　a　score　of　bad　houses　sent
him　back　to　her　at　night；　weary；　stinking　drunk。　Then　her　pride
revolted。　After　that　she　was　silent；　burying　her　anger　in　a　dumb
stoicism　that　she　maintained　till　her　death。　She　was　constantly
going　about　looking　after　business　matters。　She　called　on　the
lawyers；　the　president；　remembered　when　bills　fell　due；　got　them
renewed；　and　at　home　ironed；　sewed；　washed；　looked　after　the
workmen；　paid　the　accounts；　while　he；　troubling　himself　about
nothing；　eternally　besotted　in　sleepy　sulkiness；　whence　he　only
roused　himself　to　say　disagreeable　things　to　her；　sat　smoking　by
the　fire　and　spitting　into　the　cinders。

When　she　had　a　child；　it　had　to　be　sent　out　to　nurse。　When　he
came