madame bovary-第59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！



〃To　whom？〃

〃The　servant！〃

He　was　not　joking；　but　vanity　getting　the　better　of　all　prudence；
Leon；　in　spite　of　himself　protested。　Besides；　he　only　liked　dark
women。

〃I　approve　of　that；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃they　have　more　passion。〃

And　whispering　into　his　friend's　ear；　he　pointed　out　the　symptoms
by　which　one　could　find　out　if　a　woman　had　passion。　He　even
launched　into　an　ethnographic　digression：　the　German　was
vapourish；　the　French　woman　licentious；　the　Italian　passionate。

〃And　negresses？〃　asked　the　clerk。

〃They　are　an　artistic　taste！〃　said　Homais。　〃Waiter！　two　cups　of
coffee！〃

〃Are　we　going？〃　at　last　asked　Leon　impatiently。

〃Ja！〃

But　before　leaving　he　wanted　to　see　the　proprietor　of　the
establishment　and　made　him　a　few　compliments。　Then　the　young　man；
to　be　alone；　alleged　he　had　some　business　engagement。

〃Ah！　I　will　escort　you；〃　said　Homais。

And　all　the　while　he　was　walking　through　the　streets　with　him　he
talked　of　his　wife；　his　children；　of　their　future；　and　of　his
business；　told　him　in　what　a　decayed　condition　it　had　formerly
been；　and　to　what　a　degree　of　perfection　he　had　raised　it。

Arrived　in　front　of　the　Hotel　de　Boulogne；　Leon　left　him
abruptly；　ran　up　the　stairs；　and　found　his　mistress　in　great
excitement。　At　mention　of　the　chemist　she　flew　into　a　passion。
He；　however；　piled　up　good　reasons；　it　wasn't　his　fault；　didn't
she　know　Homaisdid　she　believe　that　he　would　prefer　his
company？　But　she　turned　away；　he　drew　her　back；　and；　sinking　on
his　knees；　clasped　her　waist　with　his　arms　in　a　languorous　pose；
full　of　concupiscence　and　supplication。

She　was　standing；　up；　her　large　flashing　eyes　looked　at　him
seriously；　almost　terribly。　Then　tears　obscured　them；　her　red
eyelids　were　lowered；　she　gave　him　her　hands；　and　Leon　was
pressing　them　to　his　lips　when　a　servant　appeared　to　tell　the
gentleman　that　he　was　wanted。

〃You　will　come　back？〃　she　said。

〃Yes。〃

〃But　when？〃

〃Immediately。〃

〃It's　a　trick；〃　said　the　chemist；　when　he　saw　Leon。　〃I　wanted　to
interrupt　this　visit；　that　seemed　to　me　to　annoy　you。　Let's　go
and　have　a　glass　of　garus　at　Bridoux'。〃

Leon　vowed　that　he　must　get　back　to　his　office。　Then　the　druggist
joked　him　about　quill…drivers　and　the　law。

〃Leave　Cujas　and　Barthole　alone　a　bit。　Who　the　devil　prevents
you？　Be　a　man！　Let's　go　to　Bridoux'。　You'll　see　his　dog。　It's
very　interesting。〃

And　as　the　clerk　still　insisted

〃I'll　go　with　you。　I'll　read　a　paper　while　I　wait　for　you；　or
turn　over　the　leaves　of　a　'Code。'〃

Leon；　bewildered　by　Emma's　anger；　Monsieur　Homais'　chatter；　and；
perhaps；　by　the　heaviness　of　the　luncheon；　was　undecided；　and；　as
it　were；　fascinated　by　the　chemist；　who　kept　repeating

〃Let's　go　to　Bridoux'。　It's　just　by　here；　in　the　Rue　Malpalu。〃

Then；　through　cowardice；　through　stupidity；　through　that
indefinable　feeling　that　drags　us　into　the　most　distasteful　acts；
he　allowed　himself　to　be　led　off　to　Bridoux'；　whom　they　found　in
his　small　yard；　superintending　three　workmen；　who　panted　as　they
turned　the　large　wheel　of　a　machine　for　making　seltzer…water。
Homais　gave　them　some　good　advice。　He　embraced　Bridoux；　they　took
some　garus。　Twenty　times　Leon　tried　to　escape；　but　the　other
seized　him　by　the　arm　saying

〃Presently！　I'm　coming！　We'll　go　to　the　'Fanal　de　Rouen'　to　see
the　fellows　there。　I'll　introduce　you　to　Thornassin。〃

At　last　he　managed　to　get　rid　of　him；　and　rushed　straight　to　the
hotel。　Emma　was　no　longer　there。　She　had　just　gone　in　a　fit　of
anger。　She　detested　him　now。　This　failing　to　keep　their
rendezvous　seemed　to　her　an　insult；　and　she　tried　to　rake　up
other　reasons　to　separate　herself　from　him。　He　was　incapable　of
heroism；　weak；　banal；　more　spiritless　than　a　woman；　avaricious
too；　and　cowardly。

Then；　growing　calmer；　she　at　length　discovered　that　she　had；　no
doubt；　calumniated　him。　But　the　disparaging　of　those　we　love
always　alienates　us　from　them　to　some　extent。　We　must　not　touch
our　idols；　the　gilt　sticks　to　our　fingers。

They　gradually　came　to　talking　more　frequently　of　matters　outside
their　love；　and　in　the　letters　that　Emma　wrote　him　she　spoke　of
flowers；　verses；　the　moon　and　the　stars；　naive　resources　of　a
waning　passion　striving　to　keep　itself　alive　by　all　external
aids。　She　was　constantly　promising　herself　a　profound　felicity　on
her　next　journey。　Then　she　confessed　to　herself　that　she　felt
nothing　extraordinary。　This　disappointment　quickly　gave　way　to　a
new　hope；　and　Emma　returned　to　him　more　inflamed；　more　eager　than
ever。　She　undressed　brutally；　tearing　off　the　thin　laces　of　her
corset　that　nestled　around　her　hips　like　a　gliding　snake。　She
went　on　tiptoe；　barefooted；　to　see　once　more　that　the　door　was
closed；　then；　pale；　serious；　and；　without　speaking；　with　one
movement；　she　threw　herself　upon　his　breast　with　a　long　shudder。

Yet　there　was　upon　that　brow　covered　with　cold　drops；　on　those
quivering　lips；　in　those　wild　eyes；　in　the　strain　of　those　arms；
something　vague　and　dreary　that　seemed　to　Leon　to　glide　between
them　subtly　as　if　to　separate　them。

He　did　not　dare　to　question　her；　but；　seeing　her　so　skilled；　she
must　have　passed；　he　thought；　through　every　experience　of
suffering　and　of　pleasure。　What　had　once　charmed　now　frightened
him　a　little。　Besides；　he　rebelled　against　his　absorption；　daily
more　marked；　by　her　personality。　He　begrudged　Emma　this　constant
victory。　He　even　strove　not　to　love　her；　then；　when　he　heard　the
creaking　of　her　boots；　he　turned　coward；　like　drunkards　at　the
sight　of　strong　drinks。

She　did　not　fail；　in　truth；　to　lavish　all　sorts　of　attentions
upon　him；　from　the　delicacies　of　food　to　the　coquettries　of　dress
and　languishing　looks。　She　brought　roses　to　her　breast　from
Yonville；　which　she　threw　into　his　face；　was　anxious　about　his
health；　gave　him　advice　as　to　his　conduct；　and；　in　order　the　more
surely　to　keep　her　hold　on　him；　hoping　perhaps　that　heaven　would
take　her　part；　she　tied　a　medal　of　the　Virgin　round　his　neck。　She
inquired　like　a　virtuous　mother　about　his　companions。　She　said　to
him

〃Don't　see　them；　don't　go　out；　think　only　of　ourselves；　love　me！〃

She　would　have　liked　to　be　able　to　watch　over　his　life；　and　the
idea　occurred　to　her　of　having　him　followed　in　the　streets。　Near
the　hotel　there　was　always　a　kind　of　loafer　who　accosted
travellers；　and　who　would　not　refuse。　But　her　pride　revolted　at
this。

〃Bah！　so　much　the　worse。　Let　him　deceive　me！　What　does　it　matter
to　me？　As　If　I　cared　for　him！〃

One　day；　when　they　had　parted　early　and　she　was　returning　alone
along　the　boulevard；　she　saw　the　walls　of　her　convent；　then　she
sat　down　on　a　form　in　the　shade　of　the　elm…trees。　How　calm　that
time　had　been！　How　she　longed　for　the　ineffable　sentiments　of
love　that　she　had　tried　to　figure　to　herself　out　of　books！　The
first　month　of　her　marriage；　her　rides　in　the　wood；　the　viscount
that　waltzed；　and　Lagardy　singing；　all　repassed　before　her　eyes。
And　Leon　suddenly　appeared　to　her　as　far　off　as　the　others。

〃Yet　I　love　him；〃　she　said　to　herself。

No　matter！　She　was　not　happyshe　never　had　been。　Whence　came
this　insufficiency　in　lifethis　instantaneous　turning　to　decay
of　everything　on　which　she　leant？　But　if　there　were　somewhere　a
being　strong　and　beautiful；　a　valiant　nature；　full　at　once　of
exaltation　and　refinement；　a　poet's　heart　in　an　angel's　form；　a
lyre　with　sounding　chords　ringing　out　elegiac　epithalamia　to
heaven；　why；　perchance；　should　she　not　find　him？　Ah！　how
impossible！　Besides；　nothing　was　worth　the　trouble　of　seeking　it；
everything　was　a　lie。　Every　smile　hid　a　yawn　of　boredom；　every
joy　a　curse；　all　pleasure　satiety；　and　the　sweetest　kisses　left
upon　your　lips　only　the　unattainable　desire　for　a　greater
delight。

A　metallic　clang　droned　through　the　air；　and　four　strokes　were
heard　from　the　convent…clock。　Four　o'clock！　And　it　seemed　to　her
that　she　had　been　there　on　that　form　an　eternity。　But　an　infinity
of　passions　may　be　contained　in　a　minute；　like　a　crowd　in　a　small
space。

Emma　lived　all　absorbed　in　hers；　and　troubled　no　more　about　money
matters　than　an　archduchess。

Once；　however；　a　wretched…looking　man；　rubicund　and　bald；　came　to
her　house；　saying　he　had　been　sent　by　Monsieur　Vincart　of　Rouen。
He　took　out　the　pins　that　held　together　the　side…pockets　of　his
long　green　overcoat；　stuck　them　into　his　sleeve；　and　politely
handed　her　a　paper。

It　was　a　bill　for　seven　hundred　francs；　signed　by　her；　and　which
Lheureux；　in　spite　of　all　his　professions；　had　paid　away　to
Vincart。　She　sent　her　servant　for　him。　He　could　not　come。　Then
the　stranger；　who　had　remained　standing；　casting　right　and　left
curious　glances；　that　his　thick；　fair　eyebrows　hid；　asked　with　a
naive　air

〃What　answer　am　I　to　take　Monsieur　Vincart？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Emma；　〃tell　him　that　I　haven't　it。　I　will　send　next
week；　he　must　wait；　yes；　till　next　week。〃

And　the　fellow　went　without　another　word。

But　the　next　day　at　twelve　o'clock　she　received　a　summons；　and
the　sight　of　the　stamped　paper；　on　which　appeared　several　times
in　large　letters；　〃Maitre　Hareng；　bailiff　at　Buchy；〃　so
frightened　her　that　she　rushed　in　hot　haste　to　the　linendraper's。
She　found　him　in　his　shop；　doing