第3章

Itwasasubstantial-lookingfarm。Inthestables，overthetopoftheopendoors，onecouldseegreatcart-horsesquietlyfeedingfromnewracks。Rightalongtheoutbuildingsextendedalargedunghill，fromwhichmanureliquidoozed，whileamidstfowlsandturkeys，fiveorsixpeacocks，aluxuryinChauchoisfarmyards，wereforagingonthetopofit。Thesheepfoldwaslong，thebarnhigh，withwallssmoothasyourhand。Underthecart-shedweretwolargecartsandfourploughs，withtheirwhips，shaftsandharnessescomplete，whosefleecesofbluewoolweregettingsoiledbythefinedustthatfellfromthegranaries。Thecourtyardslopedupwards，plantedwithtreessetoutsymmetrically，andthechatteringnoiseofaflockofgeesewasheardnearthepond。

AyoungwomaninabluemerinodresswiththreeflouncescametothethresholdofthedoortoreceiveMonsieurBovary，whomsheledtothekitchen，wherealargefirewasblazing。Theservant’sbreakfastwasboilingbesideitinsmallpotsofallsizes。Somedampclothesweredryinginsidethechimney-corner。Theshovel，tongs，andthenozzleofthebellows，allofcolossalsize，shonelikepolishedsteel，whilealongthewallshungmanypotsandpansinwhichtheclearflameofthehearth，minglingwiththefirstraysofthesuncominginthroughthewindow，wasmirroredfitfully。

Charleswentupthefirstfloortoseethepatient。Hefoundhiminhisbed，sweatingunderhisbed-clothes，havingthrownhiscottonnightcaprightawayfromhim。Hewasafatlittlemanoffifty，withwhiteskinandblueeyes，theforepartofhisheadbald，andheworeearrings。Byhissideonachairstoodalargedecanterofbrandy，whencehepouredhimselfalittlefromtimetotimetokeepuphisspirits；butassoonashecaughtsightofthedoctorhiselationsubsided，andinsteadofswearing，ashehadbeendoingforthelasttwelvehours，begantogroanfreely。

Thefracturewasasimpleone，withoutanykindofcomplication。

Charlescouldnothavehopedforaneasiercase。Thencallingtomindthedevicesofhismastersatthebedsidesofpatients，hecomfortedthesuffererwithallsortsofkindlyremarks，thoseCaressesofthesurgeonthatareliketheoiltheyputonbistouries。Inordertomakesomesplintsabundleoflathswasbroughtupfromthecart-house。Charlesselectedone，cutitintotwopiecesandplaneditwithafragmentofwindowpane，whiletheservanttoreupsheetstomakebandages，andMademoiselleEmmatriedtosewsomepads。Asshewasalongtimebeforeshefoundherwork-case，herfathergrewimpatient；shedidnotanswer，butasshesewedsheprickedherfingers，whichshethenputtohermouthtosuckthem。Charleswassurprisedatthewhitenessofhernails。Theywereshiny，delicateatthetips，morepolishedthantheivoryofDieppe，andalmond-shaped。Yetherhandwasnotbeautiful，perhapsnotwhiteenough，andalittlehardattheknuckles；besides，itwastoolong，withnosoftinflectionsintheoutlines。Herrealbeautywasinhereyes。Althoughbrown，theyseemedblackbecauseofthelashes，andherlookcameatyoufrankly，withacandidboldness。

Thebandagingover，thedoctorwasinvitedbyMonsieurRouaulthimselfto“pickabit“beforeheleft。

Charleswentdownintotheroomonthegroundfloor。KnivesandforksandsilvergobletswerelaidfortwoonalittletableatthefootofahugebedthathadacanopyofprintedcottonwithfiguresrepresentingTurks。Therewasanodourofiris-rootanddampsheetsthatescapedfromalargeoakchestoppositethewindow。Onthefloorincornersweresacksofflourstuckuprightinrows。Theseweretheoverflowfromtheneighbouringgranary，towhichthreestonestepsled。Bywayofdecorationfortheapartment，hangingtoanailinthemiddleofthewall，whosegreenpaintscaledofffromtheeffectsofthesaltpetre，wasacrayonheadofMinervaingoldframe，underneathwhichwaswritteninGothicletters“TodearPapa。“

Firsttheyspokeofthepatient，thenoftheweather，ofthegreatcold，ofthewolvesthatinfestedthefieldsatnight。

MademoiselleRouaultdidnotatalllikethecountry，especiallynowthatshehadtolookafterthefarmalmostalone。Astheroomwaschilly，sheshiveredassheate。Thisshowedsomethingofherfulllips，thatshehadahabitofbitingwhensilent。

Herneckstoodoutfromawhiteturned-downcollar。Herhair，whosetwoblackfoldsseemedeachofasinglepiece，sosmoothwerethey，waspartedinthemiddlebyadelicateliethatcurvedslightlywiththecurveofthehead；and，justshowingthetipoftheear，itwasjoinedbehindinathickchignon，withawavymovementatthetemplesthatthecountrydoctorsawnowforthefirsttimeinhislife。Theupperpartofhercheekwasrose-coloured。Shehad，likeaman，thrustinbetweentwobuttonsofherbodiceatortoise-shelleyeglass。

WhenCharles，afterbiddingfarewelltooldRouault，returnedtotheroombeforeleaving，hefoundherstanding，herforeheadagainstthewindow，lookingintothegarden，wherethebeanpropshadbeenknockeddownbythewind。Sheturnedround。“Areyoulookingforanything？“sheasked。

“Mywhip，ifyouplease，“heanswered。

Hebeganrummagingonthebed，behindthedoors，underthechairs。Ithadfallentothefloor，betweenthesacksandthewall。MademoiselleEmmasawit，andbentoverthefloursacks。

Charlesoutofpolitenessmadeadashalso，andashestretchedouthisarm，atthesamemomentfelthisbreastbrushagainstthebackoftheyounggirlbendingbeneathhim。Shedrewherselfup，scarlet，andlookedathimoverhershoulderasshehandedhimhiswhip。

InsteadofreturningtotheBertauxinthreedaysashehadpromised，hewentbacktheverynextday，thenregularlytwiceaweek，withoutcountingthevisitshepaidnowandthenasifbyaccident。

Everything，moreover，wentwell；thepatientprogressedfavourably；andwhen，attheendofforty-sixdays，oldRouaultwasseentryingtowalkaloneinhis“den，“MonsieurBovarybegantobelookeduponasamanofgreatcapacity。OldRouaultsaidthathecouldnothavebeencuredbetterbythefirstdoctorofYvetot，orevenofRouen。

AstoCharles，hedidnotstoptoaskhimselfwhyitwasapleasuretohimtogototheBertaux。Hadhedoneso，hewould，nodoubt，haveattributedhiszealtotheimportanceofthecase，orperhapstothemoneyhehopedtomakebyit。Wasitforthis，however，thathisvisitstothefarmformedadelightfulexceptiontothemeagreoccupationsofhislife？Onthesedaysheroseearly，setoffatagallop，urgingonhishorse，thengotdowntowipehisbootsinthegrassandputonblackglovesbeforeentering。Helikedgoingintothecourtyard，andnoticingthegateturnagainsthisshoulder，thecockcrowonthewall，theladsruntomeethim。Helikedthegranaryandthestables；

helikedoldRouault，whopressedhishandandcalledhimhissaviour；helikethesmallwoodenshoesofMademoiselleEmmaonthescouredflagsofthekitchen——herhighheelsmadeheralittletaller；andwhenshewalkedinfrontofhim，thewoodensolesspringingupquicklystruckwithasharpsoundagainsttheleatherofherboots。

Shealwaysaccompaniedhimtothefirststepofthestairs。Whenhishorsehadnotyetbeenbroughtroundshestayedthere。Theyhadsaid“Good-bye“；therewasnomoretalking。Theopenairwrappedherround，playingwiththesoftdownonthebackofherneck，orblewtoandfroonherhipstheapron-strings，thatflutteredlikestreamers。Once，duringathawthebarkofthetreesintheyardwasoozing，thesnowontheroofsoftheoutbuildingswasmelting；shestoodonthethreshold，andwenttofetchhersunshadeandopenedit。Thesunshadeofsilkofthecolourofpigeons’breasts，throughwhichthesunshone，lightedupwithshiftinghuesthewhiteskinofherface。Shesmiledunderthetenderwarmth，anddropsofwatercouldbeheardfallingonebyoneonthestretchedsilk。

DuringthefirstperiodofCharles’svisitstotheBertaux，MadameBovaryjuniorneverfailedtoinquireaftertheinvalid，andshehadevenchoseninthebookthatshekeptonasystemofdoubleentryacleanblankpageforMonsieurRouault。Butwhensheheardhehadadaughter，shebegantomakeinquiries，andshelearnttheMademoiselleRouault，broughtupattheUrsulineConvent，hadreceivedwhatiscalled“agoodeducation“；andsoknewdancing，geography，drawing，howtoembroiderandplaythepiano。Thatwasthelaststraw。

“Soitisforthis，“shesaidtoherself，“thathisfacebeamswhenhegoestoseeher，andthatheputsonhisnewwaistcoatattheriskofspoilingitwiththerain。Ah!thatwoman!Thatwoman!“

Andshedetestedherinstinctively。AtfirstshesolacedherselfbyallusionsthatCharlesdidnotunderstand，thenbycasualobservationsthatheletpassforfearofastorm，finallybyopenapostrophestowhichheknewnotwhattoanswer。“WhydidhegobacktotheBertauxnowthatMonsieurRouaultwascuredandthatthesefolkshadn’tpaidyet？Ah!itwasbecauseayoungladywasthere，someonewhoknowhowtotalk，toembroider，tobewitty。Thatwaswhathecaredabout；hewantedtownmisses。“Andshewenton——

“ThedaughterofoldRouaultatownmiss!Getout!Theirgrandfatherwasashepherd，andtheyhaveacousinwhowasalmosthadupattheassizesforanastyblowinaquarrel。Itisnotworthwhilemakingsuchafuss，orshowingherselfatchurchonSundaysinasilkgownlikeacountess。Besides，thepooroldchap，ifithadn’tbeenforthecolzalastyear，wouldhavehadmuchadotopayuphisarrears。“

ForverywearinessCharlesleftoffgoingtotheBertaux。Heloisemadehimswear，hishandontheprayer-book，thathewouldgotherenomoreaftermuchsobbingandmanykisses，inagreatoutburstoflove。Heobeyedthen，butthestrengthofhisdesireprotestedagainsttheservilityofhisconduct；andhethought，withakindofnaivehypocrisy，thathisinterdicttoseehergavehimasortofrighttoloveher。Andthenthewidowwasthin；shehadlongteeth；woreinallweathersalittleblackshawl，theedgeofwhichhungdownbetweenhershoulder-blades；

herbonyfigurewassheathedinherclothesasiftheywereascabbard；theyweretooshort，anddisplayedherankleswiththelacesofherlargebootscrossedovergreystockings。

Charles’smothercametoseethemfromtimetotime，butafterafewdaysthedaughter-in-lawseemedtoputherownedgeonher，andthen，liketwoknives，theyscarifiedhimwiththeirreflectionsandobservations。Itwaswrongofhimtoeatsomuch。