madame bovary-第29节

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to　you？　Do　you　understand　anything　about　it？〃

〃Certainly　I　understand　it；　since　I　am　a　druggistthat　is　to
say；　a　chemist。　And　the　object　of　chemistry；　Madame　Lefrancois；
being　the　knowledge　of　the　reciprocal　and　molecular　action　of　all
natural　bodies；　it　follows　that　agriculture　is　comprised　within
its　domain。　And；　in　fact；　the　composition　of　the　manure；　the
fermentation　of　liquids；　the　analyses　of　gases；　and　the　influence
of　miasmata；　what；　I　ask　you；　is　all　this；　if　it　isn't　chemistry；
pure　and　simple？〃

The　landlady　did　not　answer。　Homais　went　on

〃Do　you　think　that　to　be　an　agriculturist　it　is　necessary　to　have
tilled　the　earth　or　fattened　fowls　oneself？　It　is　necessary
rather　to　know　the　composition　of　the　substances　in　questionthe
geological　strata；　the　atmospheric　actions；　the　quality　of　the
soil；　the　minerals；　the　waters；　the　density　of　the　different
bodies；　their　capillarity；　and　what　not。　And　one　must　be　master
of　all　the　principles　of　hygiene　in　order　to　direct；　criticize
the　construction　of　buildings；　the　feeding　of　animals；　the　diet
of　domestics。　And；　moreover；　Madame　Lefrancois；　one　must　know
botany；　be　able　to　distinguish　between　plants；　you　understand；
which　are　the　wholesome　and　those　that　are　deleterious；　which　are
unproductive　and　which　nutritive；　if　it　is　well　to　pull　them　up
here　and　re…sow　them　there；　to　propagate　some；　destroy　others；　in
brief；　one　must　keep　pace　with　science　by　means　of　pamphlets　and
public　papers；　be　always　on　the　alert　to　find　out　improvements。〃

The　landlady　never　took　her　eyes　off　the　〃Cafe　Francois〃　and　the
chemist　went　on

〃Would　to　God　our　agriculturists　were　chemists；　or　that　at　least
they　would　pay　more　attention　to　the　counsels　of　science。　Thus
lately　I　myself　wrote　a　considerable　tract；　a　memoir　of　over
seventy…two　pages；　entitled；　'Cider；　its　Manufacture　and　its
Effects；　together　with　some　New　Reflections　on　the　Subject；'　that
I　sent　to　the　Agricultural　Society　of　Rouen；　and　which　even
procured　me　the　honour　of　being　received　among　its
membersSection；　Agriculture；　Class；　Pomological。

Well；　if　my　work　had　been　given　to　the　public〃　But　the　druggist
stopped；　Madame　Lefrancois　seemed　so　preoccupied。

〃Just　look　at　them！〃　she　said。　〃It's　past　comprehension！　Such　a
cookshop　as　that！〃　And　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　that
stretched　out　over　her　breast　the　stitches　of　her　knitted　bodice；
she　pointed　with　both　hands　at　her　rival's　inn；　whence　songs　were
heard　issuing。　〃Well；　it　won't　last　long；〃　she　added。　〃It'll　be
over　before　a　week。〃

Homais　drew　back　with　stupefaction。　She　came　down　three　steps　and
whispered　in　his　ear

〃What！　you　didn't　know　it？　There　is　to　be　an　execution　in　next
week。　It's　Lheureux　who　is　selling　him　out；　he　has　killed　him
with　bills。〃

〃What　a　terrible　catastrophe！〃　cried　the　druggist；　who　always
found　expressions　in　harmony　with　all　imaginable　circumstances。

Then　the　landlady　began　telling　him　the　story　that　she　had　heard
from　Theodore；　Monsieur　Guillaumin's　servant；　and　although　she
detested　Tellier；　she　blamed　Lheureux。　He　was　〃a　wheedler；　a
sneak。〃

〃There！〃　she　said。　〃Look　at　him！　he　is　in　the　market；　he　is
bowing　to　Madame　Bovary；　who's　got　on　a　green　bonnet。　Why；　she's
taking　Monsieur　Boulanger's　arm。〃

〃Madame　Bovary！〃　exclaimed　Homais。　〃I　must　go　at　once　and　pay　her
my　respects。　Perhaps　she'll　be　very　glad　to　have　a　seat　in　the
enclosure　under　the　peristyle。〃　And；　without　heeding　Madame
Lefrancois；　who　was　calling　him　back　to　tell　him　more　about　it；
the　druggist　walked　off　rapidly　with　a　smile　on　his　lips；　with
straight　knees；　bowing　copiously　to　right　and　left；　and　taking　up
much　room　with　the　large　tails　of　his　frock…coat　that　fluttered
behind　him　in　the　wind。

Rodolphe；　having　caught　sight　of　him　from　afar；　hurried　on；　but
Madame　Bovary　lost　her　breath；　so　he　walked　more　slowly；　and；
smiling　at　her；　said　in　a　rough　tone

〃It's　only　to　get　away　from　that　fat　fellow；　you　know；　the
druggist。〃　She　pressed　his　elbow。

〃What's　the　meaning　of　that？〃　he　asked　himself。　And　he　looked　at
her　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes。

Her　profile　was　so　calm　that　one　could　guess　nothing　from　it。　It
stood　out　in　the　light　from　the　oval　of　her　bonnet；　with　pale
ribbons　on　it　like　the　leaves　of　weeds。　Her　eyes　with　their　long
curved　lashes　looked　straight　before　her；　and　though　wide　open；
they　seemed　slightly　puckered　by　the　cheek…bones；　because　of　the
blood　pulsing　gently　under　the　delicate　skin。　A　pink　line　ran
along　the　partition　between　her　nostrils。　Her　head　was　bent　upon
her　shoulder；　and　the　pearl　tips　of　her　white　teeth　were　seen
between　her　lips。

〃Is　she　making　fun　of　me？〃　thought　Rodolphe。

Emma's　gesture；　however；　had　only　been　meant　for　a　warning；　for
Monsieur　Lheureux　was　accompanying　them；　and　spoke　now　and　again
as　if　to　enter　into　the　conversation。

〃What　a　superb　day！　Everybody　is　out！　The　wind　is　east！〃

And　neither　Madame　Bovary　nor　Rodolphe　answered　him；　whilst　at
the　slightest　movement　made　by　them　he　drew　near；　saying；　〃I　beg
your　pardon！〃　and　raised　his　hat。

When　they　reached　the　farrier's　house；　instead　of　following　the
road　up　to　the　fence；　Rodolphe　suddenly　turned　down　a　path；
drawing　with　him　Madame　Bovary。　He　called　out

〃Good　evening；　Monsieur　Lheureux！　See　you　again　presently。〃

〃How　you　got　rid　of　him！〃　she　said；　laughing。

〃Why；〃　he　went　on；　〃allow　oneself　to　be　intruded　upon　by　others？
And　as　to…day　I　have　the　happiness　of　being　with　you〃

Emma　blushed。　He　did　not　finish　his　sentence。　Then　he　talked　of
the　fine　weather　and　of　the　pleasure　of　walking　on　the　grass。　A
few　daisies　had　sprung　up　again。

〃Here　are　some　pretty　Easter　daisies；〃　he　said；　〃and　enough　of
them　to　furnish　oracles　to　all　the　amorous　maids　in　the　place。〃

He　added；　〃Shall　I　pick　some？　What　do　you　think？〃

〃Are　you　in　love？〃　she　asked；　coughing　a　little。

〃H'm；　h'm！　who　knows？〃　answered　Rodolphe。

The　meadow　began　to　fill；　and　the　housewives　hustled　you　with
their　great　umbrellas；　their　baskets；　and　their　babies。　One　had
often　to　get　out　of　the　way　of　a　long　file　of　country　folk；
servant…maids　with　blue　stockings；　flat　shoes；　silver　rings；　and
who　smelt　of　milk；　when　one　passed　close　to　them。　They　walked
along　holding　one　another　by　the　hand；　and　thus　they　spread　over
the　whole　field　from　the　row　of　open　trees　to　the　banquet　tent。

But　this　was　the　examination　time；　and　the　farmers　one　after　the
other　entered　a　kind　of　enclosure　formed　by　a　long　cord　supported
on　sticks。

The　beasts　were　there；　their　noses　towards　the　cord；　and　making　a
confused　line　with　their　unequal　rumps。　Drowsy　pigs　were
burrowing　in　the　earth　with　their　snouts；　calves　were　bleating；
lambs　baaing；　the　cows；　on　knees　folded　in；　were　stretching　their
bellies　on　the　grass；　slowly　chewing　the　cud；　and　blinking　their
heavy　eyelids　at　the　gnats　that　buzzed　round　them。　Plough…men
with　bare　arms　were　holding　by　the　halter　prancing　stallions　that
neighed　with　dilated　nostrils　looking　towards　the　mares。　These
stood　quietly；　stretching　out　their　heads　and　flowing　manes；
while　their　foals　rested　in　their　shadow；　or　now　and　then　came
and　sucked　them。　And　above　the　long　undulation　of　these　crowded
animals　one　saw　some　white　mane　rising　in　the　wind　like　a　wave；
or　some　sharp　horns　sticking　out；　and　the　heads　of　men　running
about。　Apart；　outside　the　enclosure；　a　hundred　paces　off；　was　a
large　black　bull；　muzzled；　with　an　iron　ring　in　its　nostrils；　and
who　moved　no　more　than　if　he　had　been　in　bronze。　A　child　in　rags
was　holding　him　by　a　rope。

Between　the　two　lines　the　committee…men　were　walking　with　heavy
steps；　examining　each　animal；　then　consulting　one　another　in　a
low　voice。　One　who　seemed　of　more　importance　now　and　then　took
notes　in　a　book　as　he　walked　along。　This　was　the　president　of　the
jury；　Monsieur　Derozerays　de　la　Panville。　As　soon　as　he
recognised　Rodolphe　he　came　forward　quickly；　and　smiling　amiably；
said

〃What！　Monsieur　Boulanger；　you　are　deserting　us？〃

Rodolphe　protested　that　he　was　just　coming。　But　when　the
president　had　disappeared

〃Ma　foi！*〃　said　he；　〃I　shall　not　go。　Your　company　is　better　than
his。〃

*Upon　my　word！

And　while　poking　fun　at　the　show；　Rodolphe；　to　move　about　more　easily；
showed　the　gendarme　his　blue　card；　and　even　stopped　now　and　then　in
front　of　some　fine　beast；　which　Madame　Bovary　did　not　at　all　admire。
He　noticed　this；　and　began　jeering　at　the　Yonville　ladies　and　their
dresses；　then　he　apologised　for　the　negligence　of　his　own。　He　had　that
incongruity　of　common　and　elegant　in　which　the　habitually　vulgar　think
they　see　the　revelation　of　an　eccentric　existence；　of　the
perturbations　of　sentiment；　the　tyrannies　of　art；　and　always　a
certain　contempt　for　social　conventions；　that　seduces　or
exasperates　them。　Thus　his　cambric　shirt　with　plaited　cuffs　was
blown　out　by　the　wind　in　the　opening　of　his　waistcoat　of　grey
ticking；　and　his　broad…striped　trousers　disclosed　at　the　ankle
nankeen　boots　with　patent　leather　gaiters。

These　were　so　polished　that　they　reflected　the　grass。　He　trampled
on　horses's　dung　with　them；　one　hand　in　the　pocket　of　his　jacket
and　his　straw　hat　on　one　side。

〃Besides；〃　adde