thicket was heard the fluttering of wings； or else the hoarse；
soft cry of the ravens flying off amidst the oaks。
They dismounted。 Rodolphe fastened up the horses。 She walked on
in front on the moss between the paths。 But her long habit got in
her way； although she held it up by the skirt； and Rodolphe；
walking behind her； saw between the black cloth and the black
shoe the fineness of her white stocking； that seemed to him as if
it were a part of her nakedness。
She stopped。 〃I am tired；〃 she said。
〃Come； try again；〃 he went on。 〃Courage！〃
Then some hundred paces farther on she again stopped； and through
her veil； that fell sideways from her man's hat over her hips；
her face appeared in a bluish transparency as if she were
floating under azure waves。
〃But where are we going？〃
He did not answer。 She was breathing irregularly。 Rodolphe looked
round him biting his moustache。 They came to a larger space where
the coppice had been cut。 They sat down on the trunk of a fallen
tree； and Rodolphe began speaking to her of his love。 He did not
begin by frightening her with compliments。 He was calm； serious；
melancholy。
Emma listened to him with bowed head； and stirred the bits of
wood on the ground with the tip of her foot。 But at the words；
〃Are not our destinies now one？〃
〃Oh； no！ she replied。 〃You know that well。 It is impossible！〃
She rose to go。 He seized her by the wrist。 She stopped。 Then；
having gazed at him for a few moments with an amorous and humid
look； she said hurriedly
〃Ah！ do not speak of it again！ Where are the horses？ Let us go
back。〃
He made a gesture of anger and annoyance。 She repeated：
〃Where are the horses？ Where are the horses？〃
Then smiling a strange smile； his pupil fixed； his teeth set； he
advanced with outstretched arms。 She recoiled trembling。 She
stammered：
〃Oh； you frighten me！ You hurt me！ Let me go！〃
〃If it must be；〃 he went on； his face changing； and he again
became respectful； caressing； timid。 She gave him her arm。 They
went back。 He said
〃What was the matter with you？ Why？ I do not understand。 You were
mistaken； no doubt。 In my soul you are as a Madonna on a
pedestal； in a place lofty； secure； immaculate。 But I need you to
live！ I must have your eyes； your voice； your thought！ Be my
friend； my sister； my angel！〃
And he put out his arm round her waist。 She feebly tried to
disengage herself。 He supported her thus as they walked along。
But they heard the two horses browsing on the leaves。
〃Oh！ one moment！〃 said Rodolphe。 〃Do not let us go！ Stay！〃
He drew her farther on to a small pool where duckweeds made a
greenness on the water。 Faded water lilies lay motionless between
the reeds。 At the noise of their steps in the grass； frogs jumped
away to hide themselves。
〃I am wrong！ I am wrong！〃 she said。 〃I am mad to listen to you！〃
〃Why？ Emma！ Emma！〃
〃Oh； Rodolphe！〃 said the young woman slowly； leaning on his
shoulder。
The cloth of her habit caught against the velvet of his coat。 She
threw back her white neck； swelling with a sigh； and faltering；
in tears； with a long shudder and hiding her face； she gave
herself up to him
The shades of night were falling； the horizontal sun passing
between the branches dazzled the eyes。 Here and there around her；
in the leaves or on the ground； trembled luminous patches； as it
hummingbirds flying about had scattered their feathers。 Silence
was everywhere； something sweet seemed to come forth from the
trees； she felt her heart； whose beating had begun again； and the
blood coursing through her flesh like a stream of milk。 Then far
away； beyond the wood； on the other hills； she heard a vague
prolonged cry； a voice which lingered； and in silence she heard
it mingling like music with the last pulsations of her throbbing
nerves。 Rodolphe； a cigar between his lips； was mending with his
penknife one of the two broken bridles。
They returned to Yonville by the same road。 On the mud they saw
again the traces of their horses side by side； the same thickets；
the same stones to the grass； nothing around them seemed changed；
and yet for her something had happened more stupendous than if
the mountains had moved in their places。 Rodolphe now and again
bent forward and took her hand to kiss it。
She was charming on horsebackupright； with her slender waist；
her knee bent on the mane of her horse； her face somewhat flushed
by the fresh air in the red of the evening。
On entering Yonville she made her horse prance in the road。
People looked at her from the windows。
At dinner her husband thought she looked well； but she pretended
not to hear him when he inquired about her ride； and she remained
sitting there with her elbow at the side of her plate between the
two lighted candles。
〃Emma！〃 he said。
〃What？〃
〃Well； I spent the afternoon at Monsieur Alexandre's。 He has an
old cob； still very fine； only a little brokenkneed； and that
could be bought； I am sure； for a hundred crowns。〃 He added； 〃And
thinking it might please you； I have bespoken itbought it。 Have
I done right？ Do tell me？〃
She nodded her head in assent； then a quarter of an hour later
〃Are you going out to…night？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。 Why？〃
〃Oh； nothing； nothing； my dear！〃
And as soon as she had got rid of Charles she went and shut
herself up in her room。
At first she felt stunned； she saw the trees； the paths； the
ditches； Rodolphe； and she again felt the pressure of his arm；
while the leaves rustled and the reeds whistled。
But when she saw herself in the glass she wondered at her face。
Never had her eyes been so large； so black； of so profound a
depth。 Something subtle about her being transfigured her。 She
repeated； 〃I have a lover！ a lover！〃 delighting at the idea as if
a second puberty had come to her。 So at last she was to know
those joys of love； that fever of happiness of which she had
despairedl She was entering upon marvels where all would be
passion； ecstasy； delirium。 An azure infinity encompassed her；
the heights of sentiment sparkled under her thought； and ordinary
existence appeared only afar off； down below in the shade；
through the interspaces of these heights。
Then she recalled the heroines of the books that she had read；
and the lyric legion of these adulterous women began to sing in
her memory with the voice of sisters that charmed her。 She became
herself； as it were； an actual part of these imaginings； and
realised the love…dream of her youth as she saw herself in this
type of amorous women whom she had so envied。 Besides； Emma felt
a satisfaction of revenge。 Had she not suffered enough？ But now
she triumphed； and the love so long pent up burst forth in full
joyous bubblings。 She tasted it without remorse； without anxiety；
without trouble。
The day following passed with a new sweetness。 They made vows to
one another She told him of her sorrows。 Rodolphe interrupted her
with kisses； and she looking at him through half…closed eyes；
asked him to call her again by her nameto say that he loved her
They were in the forest； as yesterday； in the shed of some
woodenshoe maker。 The walls were of straw； and the roof so low
they had to stoop。 They were seated side by side on a bed of dry
leaves。
》From that day forth they wrote to one another regularly every
evening。 Emma placed her letter at the end of the garden； by the
river； in a fissure of the wall。 Rodolphe came to fetch it； and
put another there； that she always found fault with as too
short。
One morning； when Charles had gone out before day break； she was
seized with the fancy to see Rodolphe at once。 She would go
quickly to La Huchette； stay there an hour； and be back again at
Yonville while everyone was still asleep。 This idea made her pant
with desire； and she soon found herself in the middle of the
field； walking with rapid steps； without looking behind her。
Day was just breaking。 Emma from afar recognised her lover's
house。 Its two dove…tailed weathercocks stood out black against
the pale dawn。
Beyond the farmyard there was a detached building that she
thought must be the chateau She enteredit was if the doors at
her approach had opened wide of their own accord。 A large
straight staircase led up to the corridor。 Emma raised the latch
of a door； and suddenly at the end of the room she saw a man
sleeping。 It was Rodolphe。 She uttered a cry。
〃You here？ You here？〃 he repeated。 〃How did you manage to come？
Ah！ your dress is damp。〃
〃I love you；〃 she answered； throwing her arms about his neck。
This first piece of daring successful； now every time Charles
went out early Emma dressed quickly and slipped on tiptoe down
the steps that led to the waterside。
But when the plank for the cows was taken up； she had to go by
the walls alongside of the river； the bank was slippery； in order
not to fall she caught hold of the tufts of faded wallflowers。
Then she went across ploughed fields； in which she sank；
stumbling； and clogging her thin shoes。 Her scarf； knotted round
her head； fluttered to the wind in the meadows。 She was afraid of
the oxen； she began to run； she arrived out of breath； with rosy
cheeks； and breathing out from her whole person a fresh perfume
of sap； of verdure； of the open air。 At this hour Rodolphe still
slept。 It was like a spring morning coming into his room。
The yellow curtains along the windows let a heavy； whitish light
enter softly。 Emma felt about； opening and closing her eyes；
while the drops of dew hanging from her hair formed； as it were；
a topaz aureole around her face。 Rodolphe； laughing； drew her to
him； and pressed her to his breast。
Then she examined the apartment； opened the drawers of the
tables； combed her hair with his comb； and looked at herself in
his shaving…glass。 Often she even put between her teeth the big
pipe that lay on the table by the bed； amongst lemons and pieces
of sugar near a bottle of water。
It took them a good quarter of an hour to say goodbye。 Then Emma
cried。 She would have wished never to leave Rodolphe。 Something
stronger than herself forced her to him； so much so； that one
day； seeing her come unexpectedly； he frowned as one put out。
〃What is the matter with you？〃 s