madame bovary- 第48部分

She　was　silent。　At　last；　understanding　that　she　must　say
something；　〃How　old　was　your　father？〃　she　asked。

〃Fifty…eight。〃

〃Ah！〃

And　that　was　all。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　after　he　added；　〃My　poor　mother！　what　will
become　of　her　now？〃

She　made　a　gesture　that　signified　she　did　not　know。　Seeing　her　so
taciturn；　Charles　imagined　her　much　affected；　and　forced　himself
to　say　nothing；　not　to　reawaken　this　sorrow　which　moved　him。　And；
shaking　off　his　own

〃Did　you　enjoy　yourself　yesterday？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。〃

When　the　cloth　was　removed；　Bovary　did　not　rise；　nor　did　Emma；
and　as　she　looked　at　him；　the　monotony　of　the　spectacle　drove
little　by　little　all　pity　from　her　heart。　He　seemed　to　her
paltry；　weak；　a　cipherin　a　word；　a　poor　thing　in　every　way。　How
to　get　rid　of　him？　What　an　interminable　evening！　Something
stupefying　like　the　fumes　of　opium　seized　her。

They　heard　in　the　passage　the　sharp　noise　of　a　wooden　leg　on　the
boards。　It　was　Hippolyte　bringing　back　Emma's　luggage。　In　order
to　put　it　down　he　described　painfully　a　quarter　of　a　circle　with
his　stump。

〃He　doesn't　even　remember　any　more　about　it；〃　she　thought；
looking　at　the　poor　devil；　whose　coarse　red　hair　was　wet　with
perspiration。

Bovary　was　searching　at　the　bottom　of　his　purse　for　a　centime；
and　without　appearing　to　understand　all　there　was　of　humiliation
for　him　in　the　mere　presence　of　this　man；　who　stood　there　like　a
personified　reproach　to　his　incurable　incapacity。

〃Hallo！　you've　a　pretty　bouquet；〃　he　said；　noticing　Leon's
violets　on　the　chimney。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied　indifferently；　〃it's　a　bouquet　I　bought　just
now　from　a　beggar。〃

Charles　picked　up　the　flowers；　and　freshening　his　eyes；　red　with
tears；　against　them；　smelt　them　delicately。

She　took　them　quickly　from　his　hand　and　put　them　in　a　glass　of
water。

The　next　day　Madame　Bovary　senior　arrived。　She　and　her　son　wept
much。　Emma；　on　the　pretext　of　giving　orders；　disappeared。　The
following　day　they　had　a　talk　over　the　mourning。　They　went　and
sat　down　with　their　workboxes　by　the　waterside　under　the　arbour。

Charles　was　thinking　of　his　father；　and　was　surprised　to　feel　so
much　affection　for　this　man；　whom　till　then　he　had　thought　he
cared　little　about。　Madame　Bovary　senior　was　thinking　of　her
husband。　The　worst　days　of　the　past　seemed　enviable　to　her。　All
was　forgotten　beneath　the　instinctive　regret　of　such　a　long
habit；　and　from　time　to　time　whilst　she　sewed；　a　big　tear　rolled
along　her　nose　and　hung　suspended　there　a　moment。　Emma　was
thinking　that　it　was　scarcely　forty…eight　hours　since　they　had
been　together；　far　from　the　world；　all　in　a　frenzy　of　joy；　and
not　having　eyes　enough　to　gaze　upon　each　other。　She　tried　to
recall　the　slightest　details　of　that　past　day。　But　the　presence
of　her　husband　and　mother…in…law　worried　her。　She　would　have
liked　to　hear　nothing；　to　see　nothing；　so　as　not　to　disturb　the
meditation　on　her　love；　that；　do　what　she　would；　became　lost　in
external　sensations。

She　was　unpicking　the　lining　of　a　dress；　and　the　strips　were
scattered　around　her。　Madame　Bovary　senior　was　plying　her　scissor
without　looking　up；　and　Charles；　in　his　list　slippers　and　his　old
brown　surtout　that　he　used　as　a　dressing…gown；　sat　with　both
hands　in　his　pockets；　and　did　not　speak　either；　near　them　Berthe；
in　a　little　white　pinafore；　was　raking　sand　in　the　walks　with　her
spade。　Suddenly　she　saw　Monsieur　Lheureux；　the　linendraper；　come
in　through　the　gate。

He　came　to　offer　his　services　〃under　the　sad　circumstances。〃　Emma
answered　that　she　thought　she　could　do　without。　The　shopkeeper
was　not　to　be　beaten。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　should　like　to　have　a
private　talk　with　you。〃　Then　in　a　low　voice；　〃It's　about　that
affairyou　know。〃

Charles　crimsoned　to　his　ears。　〃Oh；　yes！　certainly。〃　And　in　his
confusion；　turning　to　his　wife；　〃Couldn't　you；　my　darling？〃

She　seemed　to　understand　him；　for　she　rose；　and　Charles　said　to
his　mother；　〃It　is　nothing　particular。　No　doubt；　some　household
trifle。〃　He　did　not　want　her　to　know　the　story　of　the　bill；
fearing　her　reproaches。

As　soon　as　they　were　alone；　Monsieur　Lheureux　in　sufficiently
clear　terms　began　to　congratulate　Emma　on　the　inheritance；　then
to　talk　of　indifferent　matters；　of　the　espaliers；　of　the　harvest；
and　of　his　own　health；　which　was　always　so…so；　always　having　ups
and　downs。　In　fact；　he　had　to　work　devilish　hard；　although　he
didn't　make　enough；　in　spite　of　all　people　said；　to　find　butter
for　his　bread。

Emma　let　him　talk　on。　She　had　bored　herself　so　prodigiously　the
last　two　days。

〃And　so　you're　quite　well　again？〃　he　went　on。　〃Ma　foi！　I　saw　your
husband　in　a　sad　state。　He's　a　good　fellow；　though　we　did　have　a
little　misunderstanding。〃

She　asked　what　misunderstanding；　for　Charles　had　said　nothing　of
the　dispute　about　the　goods　supplied　to　her。

〃Why；　you　know　well　enough；〃　cried　Lheureux。　〃It　was　about　your
little　fanciesthe　travelling　trunks。〃

He　had　drawn　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and；　with　his　hands　behind
his　back；　smiling　and　whistling；　he　looked　straight　at　her　in　an
unbearable　manner。　Did　he　suspect　anything？

She　was　lost　in　all　kinds　of　apprehensions。　At　last；　however；　he
went　on

〃We　made　it　up；　all　the　same；　and　I've　come　again　to　propose
another　arrangement。〃

This　was　to　renew　the　bill　Bovary　had　signed。　The　doctor；　of
course；　would　do　as　he　pleased；　he　was　not　to　trouble　himself；
especially　just　now；　when　he　would　have　a　lot　of　worry。　〃And　he
would　do　better　to　give　it　over　to　someone　elseto　you；　for
example。　With　a　power　of　attorney　it　could　be　easily　managed；　and
then　we　（you　and　I）　would　have　our　little　business　transactions
together。〃

She　did　not　understand。　He　was　silent。　Then；　passing　to　his
trade；　Lheureux　declared　that　madame　must　require　something。　He
would　send　her　a　black　barege；　twelve　yards；　just　enough　to　make
a　gown。

〃The　one　you've　on　is　good　enough　for　the　house；　but　you　want
another　for　calls。　I　saw　that　the　very　moment　that　I　came　in。
I've　the　eye　of　an　American！〃

He　did　not　send　the　stuff；　he　brought　it。　Then　he　came　again　to
measure　it；　he　came　again　on　other　pretexts；　always　trying　to
make　himself　agreeable；　useful；　〃enfeoffing　himself；〃　as　Homais
would　have　said；　and　always　dropping　some　hint　to　Emma　about　the
power　of　attorney。　He　never　mentioned　the　bill；　she　did　not　think
of　it。　Charles；　at　the　beginning　of　her　convalescence；　had
certainly　said　something　about　it　to　her；　but　so　many　emotions
had　passed　through　her　head　that　she　no　longer　remembered　it。
Besides；　she　took　care　not　to　talk　of　any　money　questions。　Madame
Bovary　seemed　surprised　at　this；　and　attributed　the　change　in　her
ways　to　the　religious　sentiments　she　had　contracted　during　her
illness。

But　as　soon　as　she　was　gone；　Emma　greatly　astounded　Bovary　by　her
practical　good　sense。　It　would　be　necessary　to　make　inquiries；　to
look　into　mortgages；　and　see　if　there　were　any　occasion　for　a
sale　by　auction　or　a　liquidation。　She　quoted　technical　terms
casually；　pronounced　the　grand　words　of　order；　the　future；
foresight；　and　constantly　exaggerated　the　difficulties　of
settling　his　father's　affairs　so　much；　that　at　last　one　day　she
showed　him　the　rough　draft　of　a　power　of　attorney　to　manage　and
administer　his　business；　arrange　all　loans；　sign　and　endorse　all
bills；　pay　all　sums；　etc。　She　had　profited　by　Lheureux's　lessons。
Charles　naively　asked　her　where　this　paper　came　from。

〃Monsieur　Guillaumin〃；　and　with　the　utmost　coolness　she　added；　〃I
don't　trust　him　overmuch。　Notaries　have　such　a　bad　reputation。
Perhaps　we　ought　to　consultwe　only　knowno　one。〃

〃Unless　Leon〃　replied　Charles；　who　was　reflecting。　But　it　was
difficult　to　explain　matters　by　letter。　Then　she　offered　to　make
the　journey；　but　he　thanked　her。　She　insisted。　It　was　quite　a
contest　of　mutual　consideration。　At　last　she　cried　with　affected
waywardness

〃No；　I　will　go！〃

〃How　good　you　are！〃　he　said；　kissing　her　forehead。

The　next　morning　she　set　out　in　the　〃Hirondelle〃　to　go　to　Rouen
to　consult　Monsieur　Leon；　and　she　stayed　there　three　days。



Chapter　Three

They　were　three　full；　exquisite　daysa　true　honeymoon。　They　were
at　the　Hotel…de…Boulogne；　on　the　harbour；　and　they　lived　there；
with　drawn　blinds　and　closed　doors；　with　flowers　on　the　floor；
and　iced　syrups　were　brought　them　early　in　the　morning。

Towards　evening　they　took　a　covered　boat　and　went　to　dine　on　one
of　the　islands。　It　was　the　time　when　one　hears　by　the　side　of　the
dockyard　the　caulking…mallets　sounding　against　the　hull　of
vessels。　The　smoke　of　the　tar　rose　up　between　the　trees；　there
were　large　fatty　drops　on　the　water；　undulating　in　the　purple
colour　of　the　sun；　like　floating　plaques　of　Florentine　bronze。

They　rowed　down　in　the　midst　of　moored　boats；　whose　long　oblique
cables　grazed　lightly　against　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　The　din　of
the　town　gradually　grew　distant；　the　rolling　of　carriages；　the
tumult　of　voices；　the　yelping　of　dogs　on　the　decks　of　vessels。
She　took　off　her　bonnet；　and　they　landed　on　their　island。

They　sat　down　in　the　low…ceilinged　room　of　a　tavern；　at　whose
door　hung　black　nets。　They　ate　fried　smelts；　cream　and　cherries。
They　lay　down　upon　the　grass；　they　kissed　behind　the　poplars；　and
they　would　fain；　like　two　Robinsons；　have　lived　for　ever　in　this
little　place；　which　seemed　to　them　in　their　beatitude　the　most
magnificent　on　earth。　It　was　not　the　first　time　that　they　had
seen　trees；　a　blue　sky；　meadows；　that　they　had　heard　the　water
flowing　and　the　wind　blowing　in　the　leaves；　but；　no　doubt；　they
had　never　admired　all　this；　as　if　Nature　had　not　existed　before；
or　had　only　begun　to　be　beautiful　since　the　gratification　of
their　desires。

At　night　they　returned。　The　boat　glided　along　the　shores　of　the
islands。　They　sat　at　the　bottom；　both　hidden　by　the　shade；　in
silence。　The　square　oars　rang　in　the　iron　thwarts；　and；　in　the
stillness；　seemed　to　mark　time；　like　the　beating　of　a　metronome；
while　at　the　stern　the　rudder　that　trailed　behind　never　ceased
its　gentle　splash　against　the　water。

Once　the　moon　rose；　they　did　not　fail　to　make　fine　phrases；
finding　the　orb　melancholy　and　full　of　poetry。　She　even　began　to
si