madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第8章

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wondered。　She　struck　the　notes　with　aplomb；　and　ran　from　top　to
bottom　of　the　keyboard　without　a　break。　Thus　shaken　up；　the　old
instrument；　whose　strings　buzzed；　could　be　heard　at　the　other　end
of　the　village　when　the　window　was　open；　and　often　the　bailiff's
clerk；　passing　along　the　highroad　bare…headed　and　in　list
slippers；　stopped　to　listen；　his　sheet　of　paper　in　his　hand。
Emma；　on　the　other　hand；　knew　how　to　look　after　her　house。　She
sent　the　patients'　accounts　in　well…phrased　letters　that　had　no
suggestion　of　a　bill。　When　they　had　a　neighbour　to　dinner　on
Sundays；　she　managed　to　have　some　tasty　dishpiled　up　pyramids
of　greengages　on　vine　leaves；　served　up　preserves　turned　out　into
platesand　even　spoke　of　buying　finger…glasses　for　dessert。　From
all　this　much　consideration　was　extended　to　Bovary。
Charles　finished　by　rising　in　his　own　esteem　for　possessing　such
a　wife。　He　showed　with　pride　in　the　sitting　room　two　small　pencil
sketched　by　her　that　he　had　had　framed　in　very　large　frames；　and
hung　up　against　the　wallpaper　by　long　green　cords。　People
returning　from　mass　saw　him　at　his　door　in　his　wool…work
slippers。
He　came　home　lateat　ten　o'clock；　at　midnight　sometimes。　Then　he
asked　for　something　to　eat；　and　as　the　servant　had　gone　to　bed；
Emma　waited　on　him。　He　took　off　his　coat　to　dine　more　at　his
ease。　He　told　her；　one　after　the　other；　the　people　he　had　met；
the　villages　where　he　had　been；　the　prescriptions　ha　had　written；
and；　well　　pleased　with　himself；　he　finished　the　remainder　of　the
boiled　beef　and　onions；　picked　pieces　off　the　cheese；　munched　an
apple；　emptied　his　water…bottle；　and　then　went　to　bed；　and　lay　on
his　back　and　snored。
As　he　had　been　for　a　time　accustomed　to　wear　nightcaps；　his
handkerchief　would　not　keep　down　over　his　ears；　so　that　his　hair
in　the　morning　was　all　tumbled　pell…mell　about　his　face　and
whitened　with　the　feathers　of　the　pillow；　whose　strings　came
untied　during　the　night。　He　always　wore　thick　boots　that　had　two
long　creases　over　the　instep　running　obliquely　towards　the　ankle；
while　the　rest　of　the　upper　continued　in　a　straight　line　as　if
stretched　on　a　wooden　foot。　He　said　that　〃was　quite　good　enough
for　the　country。〃
His　mother　approved　of　his　economy；　for　she　came　to　see　him　as
formerly　when　there　had　been　some　violent　row　at　her　place；　and
yet　Madame　Bovary　senior　seemed　prejudiced　against　her
daughter…in…law。　She　thought　〃her　ways　too　fine　for　their
position〃；　the　wood；　the　sugar；　and　the　candles　disappeared　as
〃at　a　grand　establishment；〃　and　the　amount　of　firing　in　the
kitchen　would　have　been　enough　for　twenty…five　courses。　She　put
her　linen　in　order　for　her　in　the　presses；　and　taught　her　to　keep
an　eye　on　the　butcher　when　he　brought　the　meat。　Emma　put　up　with
these　lessons。　Madame　Bovary　was　lavish　of　them；　and　the　words
〃daughter〃　and　〃mother〃　were　exchanged　all　day　long；　accompanied
by　little　quiverings　of　the　lips；　each　one　uttering　gentle　words
in　a　voice　trembling　with　anger。
In　Madame　Dubuc's　time　the　old　woman　felt　that　she　was　still　the
favorite；　but　now　the　love　of　Charles　for　Emma　seemed　to　her　a
desertion　from　her　tenderness；　an　encroachment　upon　what　was
hers；　and　she　watched　her　son's　happiness　in　sad　silence；　as　a
ruined　man　looks　through　the　windows　at　people　dining　in　his　old
house。　She　recalled　to　him　as　remembrances　her　troubles　and　her
sacrifices；　and；　comparing　these　with　Emma's　negligence；　came　to
the　conclusion　that　it　was　not　reasonable　to　adore　her　so
exclusively。
Charles　knew　not　what　to　answer：　he　respected　his　mother；　and　he
loved　his　wife　infinitely；　he　considered　the　judgment　of　the　one
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　resti