madame bovary-第10部分

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！


infallible；　and　yet　he　thought　the　conduct　of　the　other
irreproachable。　When　Madam　Bovary　had　gone；　he　tried　timidly　and
in　the　same　terms　to　hazard　one　or　two　of　the　more　anodyne
observations　he　had　heard　from　his　mamma。　Emma　proved　to　him　with
a　word　that　he　was　mistaken；　and　sent　him　off　to　his　patients。

And　yet；　in　accord　with　theories　she　believed　right；　she　wanted
to　make　herself　in　love　with　him。　By　moonlight　in　the　garden　she
recited　all　the　passionate　rhymes　she　knew　by　heart；　and；
sighing；　sang　to　him　many　melancholy　adagios；　but　she　found
herself　as　calm　after　as　before；　and　Charles　seemed　no　more
amorous　and　no　more　moved。

When　she　had　thus　for　a　while　struck　the　flint　on　her　heart
without　getting　a　spark；　incapable；　moreover；　of　understanding
what　she　did　not　experience　as　of　believing　anything　that　did　not
present　itself　in　conventional　forms；　she　persuaded　herself
without　difficulty　that　Charles's　passion　was　nothing　very
exorbitant。　His　outbursts　became　regular；　he　embraced　her　at
certain　fixed　times。　It　was　one　habit　among　other　habits；　and；
like　a　dessert；　looked　forward　to　after　the　monotony　of　dinner。

A　gamekeeper；　cured　by　the　doctor　of　inflammation　of　the　lungs；
had　given　madame　a　little　Italian　greyhound；　she　took　her　out
walking；　for　she　went　out　sometimes　in　order　to　be　alone　for　a
moment；　and　not　to　see　before　her　eyes　the　eternal　garden　and　the
dusty　road。　She　went　as　far　as　the　beeches　of　Banneville；　near
the　deserted　pavilion　which　forms　an　angle　of　the　wall　on　the
side　of　the　country。　Amidst　the　vegetation　of　the　ditch　there　are
long　reeds　with　leaves　that　cut　you。

She　began　by　looking　round　her　to　see　if　nothing　had　changed
since　last　she　had　been　there。　She　found　again　in　the　same　places
the　foxgloves　and　wallflowers；　the　beds　of　nettles　growing　round
the　big　stones；　and　the　patches　of　lichen　along　the　three
windows；　whose　shutters；　always　closed；　were　rotting　away　on
their　rusty　iron　bars。　Her　thoughts；　aimless　at　first；　wandered
at　random；　like　her　greyhound；　who　ran　round　and　round　in　the
fields；　yelping　after　the　yellow　butterflies；　chasing　the
shrew…mice；　or　nibbling　the　poppies　on　the　edge　of　a　cornfield。

Then　gradually　her　ideas　took　definite　shape；　and；　sitting　on　the
grass　that　she　dug　up　with　little　prods　of　her　sunshade；　Emma
repeated　to　herself；　〃Good　heavens！　Why　did　I　marry？〃

She　asked　herself　if　by　some　other　chance　combination　it　would
have　not　been　possible　to　meet　another　man；　and　she　tried　to
imagine　what　would　have　been　these　unrealised　events；　this
different　life；　this　unknown　husband。　All；　surely；　could　not　be
like　this　one。　He　might　have　been　handsome；　witty；　distinguished；
attractive；　such　as；　no　doubt；　her　old　companions　of　the　convent
had　married。　What　were　they　doing　now？　In　town；　with　the　noise　of
the　streets；　the　buzz　of　the　theatres　and　the　lights　of　the
ballroom；　they　were　living　lives　where　the　heart　expands；　the
senses　bourgeon　out。　But　sheher　life　was　cold　as　a　garret　whose
dormer　window　looks　on　the　north；　and　ennui；　the　silent　spider；
was　weaving　its　web　in　the　darkness　in　every　corner　of　her　heart。

She　recalled　the　prize　days；　when　she　mounted　the　platform　to
receive　her　little　crowns；　with　her　hair　in　long　plaits。　In　her
white　frock　and　open　prunella　shoes　she　had　a　pretty　way；　and
when　she　went　back　to　her　seat；　the　gentlemen　bent　over　her　to
congratulate　her；　the　courtyard　was　full　of　carriages；　farewells
were　called　to　her　through　their　windows；　the　music　master　with
his　violin　case　bowed　in　passing　by。　How　far　all　of　this！　How　far
away！　She　called　Djali；　took　her　between　her　knees；　and　smoothed
the　long　delicate　head；　saying；　〃Come；　kiss　mistress；　you　have　no
troubles。〃

Then　noting　the　melancholy　face　of　the　graceful　animal；　who
yawned　slowly；　she　softened；　and　comparing　her　to　herself；　spoke
to　her　aloud　as　to　somebody　in　trouble　whom　one　is　consoling。

Occasionally　there　came　gusts　of　winds；　breezes　from　the　sea
rolling　in　one　sweep　over　the　whole　plateau　of　the　Caux　country；
which　brought　even　to　these　fields　a　salt　freshness。　The　rushes；
close　to　the　ground；　whistled；　the　branches　trembled　in　a　swift
rustling；　while　their　summits；　ceaselessly　swaying；　kept　up　a
deep　murmur。　Emma　drew　her　shawl　round　her　shoulders　and　rose。

In　the　avenue　a　green　light　dimmed　by　the　leaves　lit　up　the　short
moss　that　crackled　softly　beneath　her　feet。　The　sun　was　setting；
the　sky　showed　red　between　the　branches；　and　the　trunks　of　the
trees；　uniform；　and　planted　in　a　straight　line；　seemed　a　brown
colonnade　standing　out　against　a　background　of　gold。　A　fear　took
hold　of　her；　she　called　Djali；　and　hurriedly　returned　to　Tostes
by　the　high　road；　threw　herself　into　an　armchair；　and　for　the
rest　of　the　evening　did　not　speak。

But　towards　the　end　of　September　something　extraordinary　fell
upon　her　life；　she　was　invited　by　the　Marquis　d'Andervilliers　to
Vaubyessard。

Secretary　of　State　under　the　Restoration；　the　Marquis；　anxious　to
re…enter　political　life；　set　about　preparing　for　his　candidature
to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　long　beforehand。　In　the　winter　he
distributed　a　great　deal　of　wood；　and　in　the　Conseil　General
always　enthusiastically　demanded　new　roads　for　his
arrondissement。　During　the　dog…days　he　had　suffered　from　an
abscess；　which　Charles　had　cured　as　if　by　miracle　by　giving　a
timely　little　touch　with　the　lancet。　The　steward　sent　to　Tostes
to　pay　for　the　operation　reported　in　the　evening　that　he　had　seen
some　superb　cherries　in　the　doctor's　little　garden。　Now　cherry
trees　did　not　thrive　at　Vaubyessard；　the　Marquis　asked　Bovary　for
some　slips；　made　it　his　business　to　thank　his　personally；　saw
Emma；　thought　she　had　a　pretty　figure；　and　that　she　did　not　bow
like　a　peasant；　so　that　he　did　not　think　he　was　going　beyond　the
bounds　of　condescension；　nor；　on　the　other　hand；　making　a
mistake；　in　inviting　the　young　couple。

On　Wednesday　at　three　o'clock；　Monsieur　and　Madame　Bovary；　seated
in　their　dog…cart；　set　out　for　Vaubyessard；　with　a　great　trunk
strapped　on　behind　and　a　bonnet…box　in　front　of　the　apron。
Besides　these　Charles　held　a　bandbox　between　his　knees。

They　arrived　at　nightfall；　just　as　the　lamps　in　the　park　were
being　lit　to　show　the　way　for　the　carriages。



Chapter　Eight

The　chateau；　a　modern　building　in　Italian　style；　with　two
projecting　wings　and　three　flights　of　steps；　lay　at　the　foot　of
an　immense　green…sward；　on　which　some　cows　were　grazing　among
groups　of　large　trees　set　out　at　regular　intervals；　while　large
beds　of　arbutus；　rhododendron；　syringas；　and　guelder　roses　bulged
out　their　irregular　clusters　of　green　along　the　curve　of　the
gravel　path。　A　river　flowed　under　a　bridge；　through　the　mist　one
could　distinguish　buildings　with　thatched　roofs　scattered　over
the　field　bordered　by　two　gently　sloping；　well　timbered　hillocks；
and　in　the　background　amid　the　trees　rose　in　two　parallel　lines
the　coach　houses　and　stables；　all　that　was　left　of　the　ruined　old
chateau。

Charles's　dog…cart　pulled　up　before　the　middle　flight　of　steps；
servants　appeared；　the　Marquis　came　forward；　and；　offering　his
arm　to　the　doctor's　wife；　conducted　her　to　the　vestibule。

It　was　paved　with　marble　slabs；　was　very　lofty；　and　the　sound　of
footsteps　and　that　of　voices　re…echoed　through　it　as　in　a　church。

Opposite　rose　a　straight　staircase；　and　on　the　left　a　gallery
overlooking　the　garden　led　to　the　billiard　room；　through　whose
door　one　could　hear　the　click　of　the　ivory　balls。　As　she　crossed
it　to　go　to　the　drawing　room；　Emma　saw　standing　round　the　table
men　with　grave　faces；　their　chins　resting　on　high　cravats。　They
all　wore　orders；　and　smiled　silently　as　they　made　their　strokes。

On　the　dark　wainscoting　of　the　walls　large　gold　frames　bore　at
the　bottom　names　written　in　black　letters。　She　read：
〃Jean…Antoine　d'Andervilliers　d'Yvervonbille；　Count　de　la
Vaubyessard　and　Baron　de　la　Fresnay；　killed　at　the　battle　of
Coutras　on　the　20th　of　October；　1857。〃　And　on　another：
〃Jean…Antoine…Henry…Guy　d'Andervilliers　de　la　Vaubyessard；
Admiral　of　France　and　Chevalier　of　the　Order　of　St。　Michael；
wounded　at　the　battle　of　the　Hougue…Saint…Vaast　on　the　29th　of
May；　1692；　died　at　Vaubyessard　on　the　23rd　of　January　1693。〃　One
could　hardly　make　out　those　that　followed；　for　the　light　of　the
lamps　lowered　over　the　green　cloth　threw　a　dim　shadow　round　the
room。　Burnishing　the　horizontal　pictures；　it　broke　up　against
these　in　delicate　lines　where　there　were　cracks　in　the　varnish；
and　from　all　these　great　black　squares　framed　in　with　gold　stood
out　here　and　there　some　lighter　portion　of　the　paintinga　pale
brow；　two　eyes　that　looked　at　you；　perukes　flowing　over　and
powdering　red…coated　shoulders；　or　the　buckle　of　a　garter　above　a
well…rounded　calf。

The　Marquis　opened　the　drawing　room　door；　one　of　the　ladies　（the
Marchioness　herself）　came　to　meet　Emma。　She　made　her　sit　down　by
her　on　an　ottoman；　and　began　talking　to　her　as　amicably　as　if　she
had　known　her　a　long　time。　She　was　a　woman　of　about　forty；　with
fine　shoulders；　a　hook　nose；　a　drawling　voice；　and　on　this
evening　she　wore　over　her　brown　hair　a　simple　guipure　fichu　that
fell　in　a　point　at　the　ba