第1章

Accept，then，here，thehomageofmygratitude，which，howgreatsoeveritis，willneverattaintheheightofyoureloquenceandyourdevotion。

Wewereinclasswhenthehead-mastercamein，followedbya“newfellow，“notwearingtheschooluniform，andaschoolservantcarryingalargedesk。Thosewhohadbeenasleepwokeup，andeveryoneroseasifjustsurprisedathiswork。

Thehead-mastermadeasigntoustositdown。Then，turningtotheclass-master，hesaidtohiminalowvoice——

“MonsieurRoger，hereisapupilwhomIrecommendtoyourcare；

he’llbeinthesecond。Ifhisworkandconductaresatisfactory，hewillgointooneoftheupperclasses，asbecomeshisage。“

The“newfellow，“standinginthecornerbehindthedoorsothathecouldhardlybeseen，wasacountryladofaboutfifteen，andtallerthananyofus。Hishairwascutsquareonhisforeheadlikeavillagechorister’s；helookedreliable，butveryillatease。Althoughhewasnotbroad-shouldered，hisshortschooljacketofgreenclothwithblackbuttonsmusthavebeentightaboutthearm-holes，andshowedattheopeningofthecuffsredwristsaccustomedtobeingbare。Hislegs，inbluestockings，lookedoutfrombeneathyellowtrousers，drawntightbybraces，Heworestout，ill-cleaned，hob-nailedboots。

Webeganrepeatingthelesson。Helistenedwithallhisears，asattentiveasifatasermon，notdaringeventocrosshislegsorleanonhiselbow；andwhenattwoo’clockthebellrang，themasterwasobligedtotellhimtofallintolinewiththerestofus。

Whenwecamebacktowork，wewereinthehabitofthrowingourcapsonthegroundsoastohaveourhandsmorefree；weusedfromthedoortotossthemundertheform，sothattheyhitagainstthewallandmadealotofdust：itwas“thething。“

But，whetherhehadnotnoticedthetrick，ordidnotdaretoattemptit，the“newfellow，“wasstillholdinghiscaponhiskneesevenafterprayerswereover。Itwasoneofthosehead-gearsofcompositeorder，inwhichwecanfindtracesofthebearskin，shako，billycockhat，sealskincap，andcottonnight-cap；oneofthosepoorthings，infine，whosedumbuglinesshasdepthsofexpression，likeanimbecile’sface。Oval，stiffenedwithwhalebone，itbeganwiththreeroundknobs；thencameinsuccessionlozengesofvelvetandrabbit-skinseparatedbyaredband；afterthatasortofbagthatendedinacardboardpolygoncoveredwithcomplicatedbraiding，fromwhichhung，attheendofalongthincord，smalltwistedgoldthreadsinthemannerofatassel。Thecapwasnew；itspeakshone。

“Rise，“saidthemaster。

Hestoodup；hiscapfell。Thewholeclassbegantolaugh。Hestoopedtopickitup。Aneighborknockeditdownagainwithhiselbow；hepickedituponcemore。

“Getridofyourhelmet，“saidthemaster，whowasabitofawag。

Therewasaburstoflaughterfromtheboys，whichsothoroughlyputthepoorladoutofcountenancethathedidnotknowwhethertokeephiscapinhishand，leaveitontheground，orputitonhishead。Hesatdownagainandplaceditonhisknee。

“Rise，“repeatedthemaster，“andtellmeyourname。“

Thenewboyarticulatedinastammeringvoiceanunintelligiblename。

“Again!“

Thesamesputteringofsyllableswasheard，drownedbythetitteringoftheclass。

“Louder!“criedthemaster；“louder!“

The“newfellow“thentookasupremeresolution，openedaninordinatelylargemouth，andshoutedatthetopofhisvoiceasifcallingsomeoneintheword“Charbovari。“

Ahubbubbrokeout，roseincrescendowithburstsofshrillvoices(theyyelled，barked，stamped，repeated“Charbovari!

Charbovari“)，thendiedawayintosinglenotes，growingquieteronlywithgreatdifficulty，andnowandagainsuddenlyrecommencingalongthelineofaformwhencerosehereandthere，likeadampcrackergoingoff，astifledlaugh。

However，amidarainofimpositions，orderwasgraduallyre-establishedintheclass；andthemasterhavingsucceededincatchingthenameof“CharlesBovary，“havinghaditdictatedtohim，speltout，andre-read，atonceorderedthepoordeviltogoandsitdownonthepunishmentformatthefootofthemaster’sdesk。Hegotup，butbeforegoinghesitated。

“Whatareyoulookingfor？“askedthemaster。

“Myc-a-p，“timidlysaidthe“newfellow，“castingtroubledlooksroundhim。

“Fivehundredlinesforalltheclass!“shoutedinafuriousvoicestopped，liketheQuosego*，afreshoutburst。“Silence!“

continuedthemasterindignantly，wipinghisbrowwithhishandkerchief，whichhehadjusttakenfromhiscap。“Astoyou，’newboy，’youwillconjugate’ridiculussum’**twentytimes。“

Then，inagentlertone，“Come，you’llfindyourcapagain；ithasn’tbeenstolen。“

*AquotationfromtheAeneidsignifyingathreat。

**Iamridiculous。

Quietwasrestored。Headsbentoverdesks，andthe“newfellow“

remainedfortwohoursinanexemplaryattitude，althoughfromtimetotimesomepaperpelletflippedfromthetipofapencamebanginhisface。Buthewipedhisfacewithonehandandcontinuedmotionless，hiseyeslowered。

Intheevening，atpreparation，hepulledouthispensfromhisdesk，arrangedhissmallbelongings，andcarefullyruledhispaper。Wesawhimworkingconscientiously，lookingupeverywordinthedictionary，andtakingthegreatestpains。Thanks，nodoubt，tothewillingnessheshowed，hehadnottogodowntotheclassbelow。Butthoughheknewhisrulespassably，hehadlittlefinishincomposition。ItwasthecureofhisvillagewhohadtaughthimhisfirstLatin；hisparents，frommotivesofeconomy，havingsenthimtoschoolaslateaspossible。

Hisfather，MonsieurCharlesDenisBartolomeBovary，retiredassistant-surgeon-major，compromisedabout1812incertainconscriptionscandals，andforcedatthistimetoleavetheservice，hadtakenadvantageofhisfinefiguretogetholdofadowryofsixtythousandfrancsthatofferedinthepersonofahosier’sdaughterwhohadfalleninlovewithhisgoodlooks。A

fineman，agreattalker，makinghisspursringashewalked，wearingwhiskersthatranintohismoustache，hisfingersalwaysgarnishedwithringsanddressedinloudcolours，hehadthedashofamilitarymanwiththeeasygoofacommercialtraveller。

Oncemarried，helivedforthreeorfouryearsonhiswife’sfortune，diningwell，risinglate，smokinglongporcelainpipes，notcominginatnighttillafterthetheatre，andhauntingcafes。Thefather-in-lawdied，leavinglittle；hewasindignantatthis，“wentinforthebusiness，“lostsomemoneyinit，thenretiredtothecountry，wherehethoughthewouldmakemoney。

But，asheknewnomoreaboutfarmingthancalico，asherodehishorsesinsteadofsendingthemtoplough，drankhisciderinbottleinsteadofsellingitincask，atethefinestpoultryinhisfarmyard，andgreasedhishunting-bootswiththefatofhispigs，hewasnotlonginfindingoutthathewoulddobettertogiveupallspeculation。

FortwohundredfrancsayearhemanagedtoliveontheborderoftheprovincesofCauxandPicardy，inakindofplacehalffarm，halfprivatehouse；andhere，soured，eatenupwithregrets，cursinghisluck，jealousofeveryone，heshuthimselfupattheageofforty-five，sickofmen，hesaid，anddeterminedtoliveatpeace。

Hiswifehadadoredhimonceonatime；shehadboredhimwithathousandservilitiesthathadonlyestrangedhimthemore。Livelyonce，expansiveandaffectionate，ingrowingoldershehadbecome(afterthefashionofwinethat，exposedtoair，turnstovinegar)ill-tempered，grumbling，irritable。Shehadsufferedsomuchwithoutcomplaintatfirst，untilshehadseemhimgoingafterallthevillagedrabs，anduntilascoreofbadhousessenthimbacktoheratnight，weary，stinkingdrunk。Thenherpriderevolted。Afterthatshewassilent，buryingherangerinadumbstoicismthatshemaintainedtillherdeath。Shewasconstantlygoingaboutlookingafterbusinessmatters。Shecalledonthelawyers，thepresident，rememberedwhenbillsfelldue，gotthemrenewed，andathomeironed，sewed，washed，lookedaftertheworkmen，paidtheaccounts，whilehe，troublinghimselfaboutnothing，eternallybesottedinsleepysulkiness，whenceheonlyrousedhimselftosaydisagreeablethingstoher，satsmokingbythefireandspittingintothecinders。

Whenshehadachild，ithadtobesentouttonurse。Whenhecamehome，theladwasspoiltasifhewereaprince。Hismotherstuffedhimwithjam；hisfatherlethimrunaboutbarefoot，and，playingthephilosopher，evensaidhemightaswellgoaboutquitenakedliketheyoungofanimals。Asopposedtothematernalideas，hehadacertainvirileideaofchildhoodonwhichhesoughttomouldhisson，wishinghimtobebroughtuphardily，likeaSpartan，togivehimastrongconstitution。Hesenthimtobedwithoutanyfire，taughthimtodrinkofflargedraughtsofrumandtojeeratreligiousprocessions。But，peaceablebynature，theladansweredonlypoorlytohisnotions。Hismotheralwayskepthimnearher；shecutoutcardboardforhim，toldhimtales，entertainedhimwithendlessmonologuesfullofmelancholygaietyandcharmingnonsense。Inherlife’sisolationshecenteredonthechild’sheadallhershattered，brokenlittlevanities。Shedreamedofhighstation；shealreadysawhim，tall，handsome，clever，settledasanengineerorinthelaw。Shetaughthimtoread，andeven，onanoldpiano，shehadtaughthimtwoorthreelittlesongs。ButtoallthisMonsieurBovary，caringlittleforletters，said，“Itwasnotworthwhile。Wouldtheyeverhavethemeanstosendhimtoapublicschool，tobuyhimapractice，orstarthiminbusiness？Besides，withcheekamanalwaysgetsonintheworld。“MadameBovarybitherlips，andthechildknockedaboutthevillage。

Hewentafterthelabourers，droveawaywithclodsofearththeravensthatwereflyingabout。Heateblackberriesalongthehedges，mindedthegeesewithalongswitch，wenthaymakingduringharvest，ranaboutinthewoods，playedhop-scotchunderthechurchporchonrainydays，andatgreatfetesbeggedthebeadletolethimtollthebells，thathemighthangallhisweightonthelongropeandfeelhimselfborneupwardbyitinitsswing。Meanwhilehegrewlikeanoak；hewasstrongonhand，freshofcolour。

Whenhewastwelveyearsoldhismotherhadherownway；hebeganlessons。Thecuretookhiminhand；butthelessonsweresoshortandirregularthattheycouldnotbeofmuchuse。Theyweregivenatsparemomentsinthesacristy，standingup，hurriedly，betweenabaptismandaburial；orelsethecure，ifhehadnottogoout，sentforhispupilaftertheAngelus*。Theywentuptohisroomandsettleddown；thefliesandmothsflutteredroundthecandle。Itwasclose，thechildfellasleep，andthegoodman，beginningtodozewithhishandsonhisstomach，wassoonsnoringwithhismouthwideopen。Onotheroccasions，whenMonsieurleCure，onhiswaybackafteradministeringtheviaticumtosomesickpersonintheneighbourhood，caughtsightofCharlesplayingaboutthefields，hecalledhim，lecturedhimforaquarterofanhourandtookadvantageoftheoccasiontomakehimconjugatehisverbatthefootofatree。Theraininterruptedthemoranacquaintancepassed。Allthesamehewasalwayspleasedwithhim，andevensaidthe“youngman“hadaverygoodmemory。