madame bovary-第3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！


off　when　Charles　was　installed；　opposite　his　place；　as　his
successor。

But　it　was　not　everything　to　have　brought　up　a　son；　to　have　had
him　taught　medicine；　and　discovered　Tostes；　where　he　could
practice　it；　he　must　have　a　wife。　She　found　him　onethe　widow　of
a　bailiff　at　Dieppewho　was　forty…five　and　had　an　income　of
twelve　hundred　francs。　Though　she　was　ugly；　as　dry　as　a　bone；　her
face　with　as　many　pimples　as　the　spring　has　buds；　Madame　Dubuc
had　no　lack　of　suitors。　To　attain　her　ends　Madame　Bovary　had　to
oust　them　all；　and　she　even　succeeded　in　very　cleverly　baffling
the　intrigues　of　a　port…butcher　backed　up　by　the　priests。

Charles　had　seen　in　marriage　the　advent　of　an　easier　life；
thinking　he　would　be　more　free　to　do　as　he　liked　with　himself　and
his　money。　But　his　wife　was　master；　he　had　to　say　this　and　not
say　that　in　company；　to　fast　every　Friday；　dress　as　she　liked；
harass　at　her　bidding　those　patients　who　did　not　pay。　She　opened
his　letter；　watched　his　comings　and　goings；　and　listened　at　the
partition…wall　when　women　came　to　consult　him　in　his　surgery。

She　must　have　her　chocolate　every　morning；　attentions　without
end。　She　constantly　complained　of　her　nerves；　her　chest；　her
liver。　The　noise　of　footsteps　made　her　ill；　when　people　left　her；
solitude　became　odious　to　her；　if　they　came　back；　it　was
doubtless　to　see　her　die。　When　Charles　returned　in　the　evening；
she　stretched　forth　two　long　thin　arms　from　beneath　the　sheets；
put　them　round　his　neck；　and　having　made　him　sit　down　on　the　edge
of　the　bed；　began　to　talk　to　him　of　her　troubles：　he　was
neglecting　her；　he　loved　another。　She　had　been　warned　she　would
be　unhappy；　and　she　ended　by　asking　him　for　a　dose　of　medicine
and　a　little　more　love。



Chapter　Two

One　night　towards　eleven　o'clock　they　were　awakened　by　the　noise
of　a　horse　pulling　up　outside　their　door。　The　servant　opened　the
garret…window　and　parleyed　for　some　time　with　a　man　in　the　street
below。　He　came　for　the　doctor；　had　a　letter　for　him。　Natasie　came
downstairs　shivering　and　undid　the　bars　and　bolts　one　after　the
other。　The　man　left　his　horse；　and；　following　the　servant；
suddenly　came　in　behind　her。　He　pulled　out　from　his　wool　cap　with
grey　top…knots　a　letter　wrapped　up　in　a　rag　and　presented　it
gingerly　to　Charles；　who　rested　on　his　elbow　on　the　pillow　to
read　it。　Natasie；　standing　near　the　bed；　held　the　light。　Madame
in　modesty　had　turned　to　the　wall　and　showed　only　her　back。

This　letter；　sealed　with　a　small　seal　in　blue　wax；　begged
Monsieur　Bovary　to　come　immediately　to　the　farm　of　the　Bertaux　to
set　a　broken　leg。　Now　from　Tostes　to　the　Bertaux　was　a　good
eighteen　miles　across　country　by　way　of　Longueville　and
Saint…Victor。　It　was　a　dark　night；　Madame　Bovary　junior　was
afraid　of　accidents　for　her　husband。　So　it　was　decided　the
stable…boy　should　go　on　first；　Charles　would　start　three　hours
later　when　the　moon　rose。　A　boy　was　to　be　sent　to　meet　him；　and
show　him　the　way　to　the　farm；　and　open　the　gates　for　him。

Towards　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　Charles；　well　wrapped　up　in
his　cloak；　set　out　for　the　Bertaux。　Still　sleepy　from　the　warmth
of　his　bed；　he　let　himself　be　lulled　by　the　quiet　trot　of　his
horse。　When　it　stopped　of　its　own　accord　in　front　of　those　holes
surrounded　with　thorns　that　are　dug　on　the　margin　of　furrows；
Charles　awoke　with　a　start；　suddenly　remembered　the　broken　leg；
and　tried　to　call　to　mind　all　the　fractures　he　knew。　The　rain　had
stopped；　day　was　breaking；　and　on　the　branches　of　the　leafless
trees　birds　roosted　motionless；　their　little　feathers　bristling
in　the　cold　morning　wind。　The　flat　country　stretched　as　far　as
eye　could　see；　and　the　tufts　of　trees　round　the　farms　at　long
intervals　seemed　like　dark　violet　stains　on　the　cast　grey
surface；　that　on　the　horizon　faded　into　the　gloom　of　the　sky。

Charles　from　time　to　time　opened　his　eyes；　his　mind　grew　weary；
and；　sleep　coming　upon　him；　he　soon　fell　into　a　doze　wherein；　his
recent　sensations　blending　with　memories；　he　became　conscious　of
a　double　self；　at　once　student　and　married　man；　lying　in　his　bed
as　but　now；　and　crossing　the　operation　theatre　as　of　old。　The
warm　smell　of　poultices　mingled　in　his　brain　with　the　fresh　odour
of　dew；　he　heard　the　iron　rings　rattling　along　the　curtain…rods
of　the　bed　and　saw　his　wife　sleeping。　As　he　passed　Vassonville　he
came　upon　a　boy　sitting　on　the　grass　at　the　edge　of　a　ditch。

〃Are　you　the　doctor？〃　asked　the　child。

And　on　Charles's　answer　he　took　his　wooden　shoes　in　his　hands　and
ran　on　in　front　of　him。

The　general　practitioner；　riding　along；　gathered　from　his　guide's
talk　that　Monsieur　Rouault　must　be　one　of　the　well…to…do　farmers。

He　had　broken　his　leg　the　evening　before　on　his　way　home　from　a
Twelfth…night　feast　at　a　neighbour's。　His　wife　had　been　dead　for
two　years。　There　was　with　him　only　his　daughter；　who　helped　him
to　keep　house。

The　ruts　were　becoming　deeper；　they　were　approaching　the　Bertaux。

The　little　lad；　slipping　through　a　hole　in　the　hedge；
disappeared；　then　he　came　back　to　the　end　of　a　courtyard　to　open
the　gate。　The　horse　slipped　on　the　wet　grass；　Charles　had　to
stoop　to　pass　under　the　branches。　The　watchdogs　in　their　kennels
barked；　dragging　at　their　chains。　As　he　entered　the　Bertaux；　the
horse　took　fright　and　stumbled。

It　was　a　substantial…looking　farm。　In　the　stables；　over　the　top
of　the　open　doors；　one　could　see　great　cart…horses　quietly
feeding　from　new　racks。　Right　along　the　outbuildings　extended　a
large　dunghill；　from　which　manure　liquid　oozed；　while　amidst
fowls　and　turkeys；　five　or　six　peacocks；　a　luxury　in　Chauchois
farmyards；　were　foraging　on　the　top　of　it。　The　sheepfold　was
long；　the　barn　high；　with　walls　smooth　as　your　hand。　Under　the
cart…shed　were　two　large　carts　and　four　ploughs；　with　their
whips；　shafts　and　harnesses　complete；　whose　fleeces　of　blue　wool
were　getting　soiled　by　the　fine　dust　that　fell　from　the
granaries。　The　courtyard　sloped　upwards；　planted　with　trees　set
out　symmetrically；　and　the　chattering　noise　of　a　flock　of　geese
was　heard　near　the　pond。

A　young　woman　in　a　blue　merino　dress　with　three　flounces　came　to
the　threshold　of　the　door　to　receive　Monsieur　Bovary；　whom　she
led　to　the　kitchen；　where　a　large　fire　was　blazing。　The　servant's
breakfast　was　boiling　beside　it　in　small　pots　of　all　sizes。　Some
damp　clothes　were　drying　inside　the　chimney…corner。　The　shovel；
tongs；　and　the　nozzle　of　the　bellows；　all　of　colossal　size；　shone
like　polished　steel；　while　along　the　walls　hung　many　pots　and
pans　in　which　the　clear　flame　of　the　hearth；　mingling　with　the
first　rays　of　the　sun　coming　in　through　the　window；　was　mirrored
fitfully。

Charles　went　up　the　first　floor　to　see　the　patient。　He　found　him
in　his　bed；　sweating　under　his　bed…clothes；　having　thrown　his
cotton　nightcap　right　away　from　him。　He　was　a　fat　little　man　of
fifty；　with　white　skin　and　blue　eyes；　the　forepart　of　his　head
bald；　and　he　wore　earrings。　By　his　side　on　a　chair　stood　a　large
decanter　of　brandy；　whence　he　poured　himself　a　little　from　time
to　time　to　keep　up　his　spirits；　but　as　soon　as　he　caught　sight　of
the　doctor　his　elation　subsided；　and　instead　of　swearing；　as　he
had　been　doing　for　the　last　twelve　hours；　began　to　groan　freely。

The　fracture　was　a　simple　one；　without　any　kind　of　complication。

Charles　could　not　have　hoped　for　an　easier　case。　Then　calling　to
mind　the　devices　of　his　masters　at　the　bedsides　of　patients；　he
comforted　the　sufferer　with　all　sorts　of　kindly　remarks；　those
Caresses　of　the　surgeon　that　are　like　the　oil　they　put　on
bistouries。　In　order　to　make　some　splints　a　bundle　of　laths　was
brought　up　from　the　cart…house。　Charles　selected　one；　cut　it　into
two　pieces　and　planed　it　with　a　fragment　of　windowpane；　while　the
servant　tore　up　sheets　to　make　bandages；　and　Mademoiselle　Emma
tried　to　sew　some　pads。　As　she　was　a　long　time　before　she　found
her　work…case；　her　father　grew　impatient；　she　did　not　answer；　but
as　she　sewed　she　pricked　her　fingers；　which　she　then　put　to　her
mouth　to　suck　them。　Charles　was　surprised　at　the　whiteness　of　her
nails。　They　were　shiny；　delicate　at　the　tips；　more　polished　than
the　ivory　of　Dieppe；　and　almond…shaped。　Yet　her　hand　was　not
beautiful；　perhaps　not　white　enough；　and　a　little　hard　at　the
knuckles；　besides；　it　was　too　long；　with　no　soft　inflections　in
the　outlines。　Her　real　beauty　was　in　her　eyes。　Although　brown；
they　seemed　black　because　of　the　lashes；　and　her　look　came　at　you
frankly；　with　a　candid　boldness。

The　bandaging　over；　the　doctor　was　invited　by　Monsieur　Rouault
himself　to　〃pick　a　bit〃　before　he　left。

Charles　went　down　into　the　room　on　the　ground　floor。　Knives　and
forks　and　silver　goblets　were　laid　for　two　on　a　little　table　at
the　foot　of　a　huge　bed　that　had　a　canopy　of　printed　cotton　with
figures　representing　Turks。　There　was　an　odour　of　iris…root　and
damp　sheets　that　escaped　from　a　large　oak　chest　opposite　the
window。　On　the　floor　in　corners　were　sacks　of　flour　stuck　upright
in　rows。　These　were　the　overflow　from　the　neighbouring　granary；
to　which　three　stone　steps　led。　By　way　of　decoration　for　the
apartment；　hanging　to　a　nail　in　the　middle　of　the　wall；　whose
green　pain