drawers； and on the secretary near the window a bouquet of orange
blossoms tied with white satin ribbons stood in a bottle。 It was
a bride's bouquet； it was the other one's。 She looked at it。
Charles noticed it； he took it and carried it up to the attic；
while Emma seated in an arm…chair （they were putting her things
down around her） thought of her bridal flowers packed up in a
bandbox； and wondered； dreaming； what would be done with them if
she were to die。
During the first days she occupied herself in thinking about
changes in the house。 She took the shades off the candlesticks；
had new wallpaper put up； the staircase repainted； and seats made
in the garden round the sundial； she even inquired how she could
get a basin with a jet fountain and fishes。 Finally her husband；
knowing that she liked to drive out； picked up a second…hand
dogcart； which； with new lamps and splashboard in striped
leather； looked almost like a tilbury。
He was happy then； and without a care in the world。 A meal
together； a walk in the evening on the highroad； a gesture of her
hands over her hair； the sight of her straw hat hanging from the
window…fastener； and many another thing in which Charles had
never dreamed of pleasure； now made up the endless round of his
happiness。 In bed； in the morning； by her side； on the pillow； he
watched the sunlight sinking into the down on her fair cheek；
half hidden by the lappets of her night…cap。 Seen thus closely；
her eyes looked to him enlarged； especially when； on waking up；
she opened and shut them rapidly many times。 Black in the shade；
dark blue in broad daylight； they had； as it were； depths of
different colours； that； darker in the centre； grew paler towards
the surface of the eye。 His own eyes lost themselves in these
depths； he saw himself in miniature down to the shoulders； with
his handkerchief round his head and the top of his shirt open。 He
rose。 She came to the window to see him off； and stayed leaning
on the sill between two pots of geranium； clad in her dressing
gown hanging loosely about her。 Charles； in the street buckled
his spurs； his foot on the mounting stone； while she talked to
him from above； picking with her mouth some scrap of flower or
leaf that she blew out at him。 Then this； eddying； floating；
described semicircles in the air like a bird； and was caught
before it reached the ground in the ill…groomed mane of the old
white mare standing motionless at the door。 Charles from
horseback threw her a kiss； she answered with a nod； she shut the
window； and he set off。 And then along the highroad； spreading
out its long ribbon of dust； along the deep lanes that the trees
bent over as in arbours； along paths where the corn reached to
the knees； with the sun on his back and the morning air in his
nostrils； his heart full of the joys of the past night； his mind
at rest； his flesh at ease； he went on； re…chewing his happiness；
like those who after dinner taste again the truffles which they
are digesting。
Until now what good had he had of his life？ His time at school；
when he remained shut up within the high walls； alone； in the
midst of companions richer than he or cleverer at their work； who
laughed at his accent； who jeered at his clothes； and whose
mothers came to the school with cakes in their muffs？ Later on；
when he studied medicine； and never had his purse full enough to
treat some little work…girl who would have become his mistress？
Afterwards； he had lived fourteen months with the widow； whose
feet in bed were cold as icicles。 But now he had for life this
beautiful woman whom he adored。 For him the universe did not
extend beyond the circumference of her petticoat； and he
reproached himself with not loving her。 He wanted to see her
again； he turned back quickly； ran up the stairs with a beating
heart。 Emma； in her room； was dressing； he came up on tiptoe；
kissed her back； she gave a cry。
He could not keep from constantly touching her comb； her ring；
her fichu； sometimes he gave her great sounding kisses with all
his mouth on her cheeks； or else little kisses in a row all along
her bare arm from the tip of her fingers up to her shoulder； and
she put him away half…smiling； half…vexed； as you do a child who
hangs about you。
Before marriage she thought herself in love； but the happiness
that should have followed this love not having come； she must；
she thought； have been mistaken。 And Emma tried to find out what
one meant exactly in life by the words felicity； passion；
rapture； that had seemed to her so beautiful in books。
Chapter Six
She had read 〃Paul and Virginia；〃 and she had dreamed of the
little bamboo…house； the nigger Domingo； the dog Fiddle； but
above all of the sweet friendship of some dear little brother；
who seeks red fruit for you on trees taller than steeples； or who
runs barefoot over the sand； bringing you a bird's nest。
When she was thirteen； her father himself took her to town to
place her in the convent。 They stopped at an inn in the St。
Gervais quarter； where； at their supper； they used painted plates
that set forth the story of Mademoiselle de la Valliere。 The
explanatory legends； chipped here and there by the scratching of
knives； all glorified religion； the tendernesses of the heart；
and the pomps of court。
Far from being bored at first at the convent； she took pleasure
in the society of the good sisters； who； to amuse her； took her
to the chapel； which one entered from the refectory by a long
corridor。 She played very little during recreation hours； knew
her catechism well； and it was she who always answered Monsieur
le Vicaire's difficult questions。 Living thus； without every
leaving the warm atmosphere of the classrooms； and amid these
pale…faced women wearing rosaries with brass crosses； she was
softly lulled by the mystic languor exhaled in the perfumes of
the altar； the freshness of the holy water； and the lights of the
tapers。 Instead of attending to mass； she looked at the pious
vignettes with their azure borders in her book； and she loved the
sick lamb； the sacred heart pierced with sharp arrows； or the
poor Jesus sinking beneath the cross he carries。 She tried； by
way of mortification； to eat nothing a whole day。 She puzzled her
head to find some vow to fulfil。
When she went to confession； she invented little sins in order
that she might stay there longer； kneeling in the shadow； her
hands joined； her face against the grating beneath the whispering
of the priest。 The comparisons of betrothed； husband； celestial
lover； and eternal marriage； that recur in sermons； stirred
within her soul depths of unexpected sweetness。
In the evening； before prayers； there was some religious reading
in the study。 On week…nights it was some abstract of sacred
history or the Lectures of the Abbe Frayssinous； and on Sundays
passages from the 〃Genie du Christianisme；〃 as a recreation。 How
she listened at first to the sonorous lamentations of its
romantic melancholies reechoing through the world and eternity！
If her childhood had been spent in the shop…parlour of some
business quarter； she might perhaps have opened her heart to
those lyrical invasions of Nature； which usually come to us only
through translation in books。 But she knew the country too well；
she knew the lowing of cattle； the milking； the ploughs。
Accustomed to calm aspects of life； she turned； on the contrary；
to those of excitement。 She loved the sea only for the sake of
its storms； and the green fields only when broken up by ruins。
She wanted to get some personal profit out of things； and she
rejected as useless all that did not contribute to the immediate
desires of her heart； being of a temperament more sentimental
than artistic； looking for emotions； not landscapes。
At the convent there was an old maid who came for a week each
month to mend the linen。 Patronized by the clergy； because she
belonged to an ancient family of noblemen ruined by the
Revolution； she dined in the refectory at the table of the good
sisters； and after the meal had a bit of chat with them before
going back to her work。 The girls often slipped out from the
study to go and see her。 She knew by heart the love songs of the
last century； and sang them in a low voice as she stitched away。
She told stories； gave them news； went errands in the town； and
on the sly lent the big girls some novel； that she always carried
in the pockets of her apron； and of which the good lady herself
swallowed long chapters in the intervals of her work。 They were
all love； lovers； sweethearts； persecuted ladies fainting in
lonely pavilions； postilions killed at every stage； horses ridden
to death on every page； sombre forests； heartaches； vows； sobs；
tears and kisses； little skiffs by moonlight； nightingales in
shady groves； 〃gentlemen〃 brave as lions； gentle as lambs；
virtuous as no one ever was； always well dressed； and weeping
like fountains。 For six months； then； Emma； at fifteen years of
age； made her hands dirty with books from old lending libraries。
Through Walter Scott； later on； she fell in love with historical
events； dreamed of old chests； guard…rooms and minstrels。 She
would have liked to live in some old manor…house； like those
long…waisted chatelaines who； in the shade of pointed arches；
spent their days leaning on the stone； chin in hand； watching a
cavalier with white plume galloping on his black horse from the
distant fields。 At this time she had a cult for Mary Stuart and
enthusiastic veneration for illustrious or unhappy women。 Joan of
Arc； Heloise； Agnes Sorel； the beautiful Ferroniere； and Clemence
Isaure stood out to her like comets in the dark immensity of
heaven； where also were seen； lost in shadow； and all
unconnected； St。 Louis with his oak； the dying Bayard； some
cruelties of Louis XI； a little of St。 Bartholomew's Day； the
plume of the Bearnais； and always the remembrance of the plates
painted in honour of Louis XIV。
In the music class； in the ballads she sang； there was nothing
but little angels with golden wings； madonnas； lagunes；
gondoliers；…mild compositions that allowed her to catch a glimpse
athwart the obscurity of style and the weakness of the music