madame bovary-第62部分

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〃Get　along！〃　he　said；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃you've　not　got
anything。〃

And　he　called　through　the　peep…hole　that　looked　down　into　the
shop

〃Annette；　don't　forget　the　three　coupons　of　No。　14。〃

The　servant　appeared。　Emma　understood；　and　asked　how　much　money
would　be　wanted　to　put　a　stop　to　the　proceedings。

〃It　is　too　late。〃

〃But　if　I　brought　you　several　thousand　francsa　quarter　of　the
suma　thirdperhaps　the　whole？〃

〃No；　it's　no　use！〃

And　he　pushed　her　gently　towards　the　staircase。

〃I　implore　you；　Monsieur　Lheureux；　just　a　few　days　more！〃　She　was
sobbing。

〃There！　tears　now！〃

〃You　are　driving　me　to　despair！〃

〃What　do　I　care？〃　said　he；　shutting　the　door。



Chapter　Seven

She　was　stoical　the　next　day　when　Maitre　Hareng；　the　bailiff；
with　two　assistants；　presented　himself　at　her　house　to　draw　up
the　inventory　for　the　distraint。

They　began　with　Bovary's　consulting…room；　and　did　not　write　down
the　phrenological　head；　which　was　considered　an　〃instrument　of
his　profession〃；　but　in　the　kitchen　they　counted　the　plates；　the
saucepans；　the　chairs；　the　candlesticks；　and　in　the　bedroom　all
the　nick…nacks　on　the　whatnot。　They　examined　her　dresses；　the
linen；　the　dressing…room；　and　her　whole　existence　to　its　most
intimate　details；　was；　like　a　corpse　on　whom　a　post…mortem　is
made；　outspread　before　the　eyes　of　these　three　men。

Maitre　Hareng；　buttoned　up　in　his　thin　black　coat；　wearing　a
white　choker　and　very　tight　foot…straps；　repeated　from　time　to
time〃Allow　me；　madame。　You　allow　me？〃　Often　he　uttered
exclamations。　〃Charming！　very　pretty。〃　Then　he　began　writing
again；　dipping　his　pen　into　the　horn　inkstand　in　his　left　hand。

When　they　had　done　with　the　rooms　they　went　up　to　the　attic。　She
kept　a　desk　there　in　which　Rodolphe's　letters　were　locked。　It　had
to　be　opened。

〃Ah！　a　correspondence；〃　said　Maitre　Hareng；　with　a　discreet
smile。　〃But　allow　me；　for　I　must　make　sure　the　box　contains
nothing　else。〃　And　he　tipped　up　the　papers　lightly；　as　if　to
shake　out　napoleons。　Then　she　grew　angered　to　see　this　coarse
hand；　with　fingers　red　and　pulpy　like　slugs；　touching　these　pages
against　which　her　heart　had　beaten。

They　went　at　last。　Felicite　came　back。　Emma　had　sent　her　out　to
watch　for　Bovary　in　order　to　keep　him　off；　and　they　hurriedly
installed　the　man　in　possession　under　the　roof；　where　he　swore　he
would　remain。

During　the　evening　Charles　seemed　to　her　careworn。　Emma　watched
him　with　a　look　of　anguish；　fancying　she　saw　an　accusation　in
every　line　of　his　face。　Then；　when　her　eyes　wandered　over　the
chimney…piece　ornamented　with　Chinese　screens；　over　the　large
curtains；　the　armchairs；　all　those　things；　in　a　word；　that　had；
softened　the　bitterness　of　her　life；　remorse　seized　her　or　rather
an　immense　regret；　that；　far　from　crushing；　irritated　her
passion。　Charles　placidly　poked　the　fire；　both　his　feet　on　the
fire…dogs。

Once　the　man；　no　doubt　bored　in　his　hiding…place；　made　a　slight
noise。

〃Is　anyone　walking　upstairs？〃　said　Charles。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　〃it　is　a　window　that　has　been　left　open；　and
is　rattling　in　the　wind。〃

The　next　day；　Sunday；　she　went　to　Rouen　to　call　on　all　the
brokers　whose　names　she　knew。　They　were　at　their　country…places
or　on　journeys。　She　was　not　discouraged；　and　those　whom　she　did
manage　to　see　she　asked　for　money；　declaring　she　must　have　some；
and　that　she　would　pay　it　back。　Some　laughed　in　her　face；　all
refused。

At　two　o'clock　she　hurried　to　Leon；　and　knocked　at　the　door。　No
one　answered。　At　length　he　appeared。

〃What　brings　you　here？〃

〃Do　I　disturb　you？〃

〃No；　but〃　And　he　admitted　that　his　landlord　didn't　like　his
having　〃women〃　there。

〃I　must　speak　to　you；〃　she　went　on。

Then　he　took　down　the　key；　but　she　stopped　him。

〃No；　no！　Down　there；　in　our　home！〃

And　they　went　to　their　room　at　the　Hotel　de　Boulogne。

On　arriving　she　drank　off　a　large　glass　of　water。　She　was　very
pale。　She　said　to　him

〃Leon；　you　will　do　me　a　service？〃

And；　shaking　him　by　both　hands　that　she　grasped　tightly；　she
added

〃Listen；　I　want　eight　thousand　francs。〃

〃But　you　are　mad！〃

〃Not　yet。〃

And　thereupon；　telling　him　the　story　of　the　distraint；　she
explained　her　distress　to　him；　for　Charles　knew　nothing　of　it；
her　mother…in…law　detested　her；　old　Rouault　could　do　nothing；　but
he；　Leon；　he　would　set　about　finding　this　indispensable　sum。

〃How　on　earth　can　I？〃

〃What　a　coward　you　are！〃　she　cried。

Then　he　said　stupidly；　〃You　are　exaggerating　the　difficulty。
Perhaps；　with　a　thousand　crowns　or　so　the　fellow　could　be
stopped。〃

All　the　greater　reason　to　try　and　do　something；　it　was　impossible
that　they　could　not　find　three　thousand　francs。　Besides；　Leon；
could　be　security　instead　of　her。

〃Go；　try；　try！　I　will　love　you　so！〃

He　went　out；　and　came　back　at　the　end　of　an　hour；　saying；　with
solemn　face

〃I　have　been　to　three　people　with　no　success。〃

Then　they　remained　sitting　face　to　face　at　the　two　chimney
corners；　motionless；　in　silence。　Emma　shrugged　her　shoulders　as
she　stamped　her　feet。　He　heard　her　murmuring

〃If　I　were　in　your　place　_I_　should　soon　get　some。〃

〃But　where？〃

〃At　your　office。〃　And　she　looked　at　him。

An　infernal　boldness　looked　out　from　her　burning　eyes；　and　their
lids　drew　close　together　with　a　lascivious　and　encouraging　look；
so　that　the　young　man　felt　himself　growing　weak　beneath　the　mute
will　of　this　woman　who　was　urging　him　to　a　crime。　Then　he　was
afraid；　and　to　avoid　any　explanation　he　smote　his　forehead；
crying

〃Morel　is　to　come　back　to…night；　he　will　not　refuse　me；　I　hope〃
（this　was　one　of　his　friends；　the　son　of　a　very　rich　merchant）；
〃and　I　will　bring　it　you　to…morrow；〃　he　added。

Emma　did　not　seem　to　welcome　this　hope　with　all　the　joy　he　had
expected。　Did　she　suspect　the　lie？　He　went　on；　blushing

〃However；　if　you　don't　see　me　by　three　o'clock　do　not　wait　for
me；　my　darling。　I　must　be　off　now；　forgive　me！　Goodbye！〃

He　pressed　her　hand；　but　it　felt　quite　lifeless。　Emma　had　no
strength　left　for　any　sentiment。

Four　o'clock　struck；　and　she　rose　to　return　to　Yonville；
mechanically　obeying　the　force　of　old　habits。

The　weather　was　fine。　It　was　one　of　those　March　days；　clear　and
sharp；　when　the　sun　shines　in　a　perfectly　white　sky。　The　Rouen
folk；　in　Sunday…clothes；　were　walking　about　with　happy　looks。　She
reached　the　Place　du　Parvis。　People　were　coming　out　after
vespers；　the　crowd　flowed　out　through　the　three　doors　like　a
stream　through　the　three　arches　of　a　bridge；　and　in　the　middle
one；　more　motionless　than　a　rock；　stood　the　beadle。

Then　she　remembered　the　day　when；　all　anxious　and　full　of　hope；
she　had　entered　beneath　this　large　nave；　that　had　opened　out
before　her；　less　profound　than　her　love；　and　she　walked　on
weeping　beneath　her　veil；　giddy；　staggering；　almost　fainting。

〃Take　care！〃　cried　a　voice　issuing　from　the　gate　of　a　courtyard
that　was　thrown　open。

She　stopped　to　let　pass　a　black　horse；　pawing　the　ground　between
the　shafts　of　a　tilbury；　driven　by　a　gentleman　in　sable　furs。　Who
was　it？　She　knew　him。　The　carriage　darted　by　and　disappeared。

Why；　it　was　hethe　Viscount。　She　turned　away；　the　street　was
empty。　She　was　so　overwhelmed；　so　sad；　that　she　had　to　lean
against　a　wall　to　keep　herself　from　falling。

Then　she　thought　she　had　been　mistaken。　Anyhow；　she　did　not　know。
All　within　her　and　around　her　was　abandoning　her。　She　felt　lost；
sinking　at　random　into　indefinable　abysses；　and　it　was　almost
with　joy　that；　on　reaching　the　〃Croix…Rouge；〃　she　saw　the　good
Homais；　who　was　watching　a　large　box　full　of　pharmaceutical
stores　being　hoisted　on　to　the　〃Hirondelle。〃　In　his　hand　he　held
tied　in　a　silk　handkerchief　six　cheminots　for　his　wife。

Madame　Homais　was　very　fond　of　these　small；　heavy　turban…shaped
loaves；　that　are　eaten　in　Lent　with　salt　butter；　a　last　vestige
of　Gothic　food　that　goes　back；　perhaps；　to　the　time　of　the
Crusades；　and　with　which　the　robust　Normans　gorged　themselves　of
yore；　fancying　they　saw　on　the　table；　in　the　light　of　the　yellow
torches；　between　tankards　of　hippocras　and　huge　boars'　heads；　the
heads　of　Saracens　to　be　devoured。　The　druggist's　wife　crunched
them　up　as　they　had　doneheroically；　despite　her　wretched　teeth。
And　so　whenever　Homais　journeyed　to　town；　he　never　failed　to
bring　her　home　some　that　he　bought　at　the　great　baker's　in　the
Rue　Massacre。

〃Charmed　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　offering　Emma　a　hand　to　help　her
into　the　〃Hirondelle。〃　Then　he　hung　up　his　cheminots　to　the　cords
of　the　netting；　and　remained　bare…headed　in　an　attitude　pensive
and　Napoleonic。

But　when　the　blind　man　appeared　as　usual　at　the　foot　of　the　hill
he　exclaimed

〃I　can't　understand　why　the　authorities　tolerate　such　culpable
industries。　Such　unfortunates　should　be　locked　up　and　forced　to
work。　Progress；　my　word！　creeps　at　a　snail's　pace。　We　are
floundering　about　in　mere　barbarism。〃

The　blind　man　held　out　his　hat；　that　flapped　about　at　the　door；
as　if　it　were　a　bag　in　the　lining　that　had　come　unnailed。

〃This；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃is　a　scrofulous　affection。〃

And　though　he　knew　the　poor　devil；　he　pretended　to　see　him　for
the　first　time；　murmured　something　about　〃cornea；〃　〃opaque