第6章

ChapterFiveThebrickfrontwasjustinalinewiththestreet，orrathertheroad。Behindthedoorhungacloakwithasmallcollar，abridle，andablackleathercap，andonthefloor，inacorner，wereapairofleggings，stillcoveredwithdrymud。Ontherightwastheoneapartment，thatwasbothdiningandsittingroom。A

canaryyellowpaper，relievedatthetopbyagarlandofpaleflowers，waspuckeredeverywhereoverthebadlystretchedcanvas；

whitecalicocurtainswitharedborderhungcrosswaysatthelengthofthewindow；andonthenarrowmantelpieceaclockwithaheadofHippocratesshoneresplendentbetweentwoplatecandlesticksunderovalshades。OntheothersideofthepassagewasCharles’sconsultingroom，alittleroomaboutsixpaceswide，withatable，threechairs，andanofficechair。Volumesofthe“DictionaryofMedicalScience，“uncut，butthebindingrathertheworseforthesuccessivesalesthroughwhichtheyhadgone，occupiedalmostalongthesixshelvesofadealbookcase。

Thesmellofmeltedbutterpenetratedthroughthewallswhenhesawpatients，justasinthekitchenonecouldhearthepeoplecoughingintheconsultingroomandrecountingtheirhistories。

Then，openingontheyard，wherethestablewas，camealargedilapidatedroomwithastove，nowusedasawood-house，cellar，andpantry，fullofoldrubbish，ofemptycasks，agriculturalimplementspastservice，andamassofdustythingswhoseuseitwasimpossibletoguess。

Thegarden，longerthanwide，ranbetweentwomudwallswithespalieredapricots，toahawthornhedgethatseparateditfromthefield。Inthemiddlewasaslatesundialonabrickpedestal；

fourflowerbedswitheglantinessurroundedsymmetricallythemoreusefulkitchengardenbed。Rightatthebottom，underthesprucebushes，wasacureinplasterreadinghisbreviary。

Emmawentupstairs。Thefirstroomwasnotfurnished，butinthesecond，whichwastheirbedroom，wasamahoganybedsteadinanalcovewithreddrapery。Ashellboxadornedthechestofdrawers，andonthesecretarynearthewindowabouquetoforangeblossomstiedwithwhitesatinribbonsstoodinabottle。Itwasabride’sbouquet；itwastheotherone’s。Shelookedatit。

Charlesnoticedit；hetookitandcarriedituptotheattic，whileEmmaseatedinanarm-chair(theywereputtingherthingsdownaroundher)thoughtofherbridalflowerspackedupinabandbox，andwondered，dreaming，whatwouldbedonewiththemifsheweretodie。

Duringthefirstdayssheoccupiedherselfinthinkingaboutchangesinthehouse。Shetooktheshadesoffthecandlesticks，hadnewwallpaperputup，thestaircaserepainted，andseatsmadeinthegardenroundthesundial；sheeveninquiredhowshecouldgetabasinwithajetfountainandfishes。Finallyherhusband，knowingthatshelikedtodriveout，pickedupasecond-handdogcart，which，withnewlampsandsplashboardinstripedleather，lookedalmostlikeatilbury。

Hewashappythen，andwithoutacareintheworld。Amealtogether，awalkintheeveningonthehighroad，agestureofherhandsoverherhair，thesightofherstrawhathangingfromthewindow-fastener，andmanyanotherthinginwhichCharleshadneverdreamedofpleasure，nowmadeuptheendlessroundofhishappiness。Inbed，inthemorning，byherside，onthepillow，hewatchedthesunlightsinkingintothedownonherfaircheek，halfhiddenbythelappetsofhernight-cap。Seenthusclosely，hereyeslookedtohimenlarged，especiallywhen，onwakingup，sheopenedandshutthemrapidlymanytimes。Blackintheshade，darkblueinbroaddaylight，theyhad，asitwere，depthsofdifferentcolours，that，darkerinthecentre，grewpalertowardsthesurfaceoftheeye。Hisowneyeslostthemselvesinthesedepths；hesawhimselfinminiaturedowntotheshoulders，withhishandkerchiefroundhisheadandthetopofhisshirtopen。Herose。Shecametothewindowtoseehimoff，andstayedleaningonthesillbetweentwopotsofgeranium，cladinherdressinggownhanginglooselyabouther。Charles，inthestreetbuckledhisspurs，hisfootonthemountingstone，whileshetalkedtohimfromabove，pickingwithhermouthsomescrapofflowerorleafthatsheblewoutathim。Thenthis，eddying，floating，describedsemicirclesintheairlikeabird，andwascaughtbeforeitreachedthegroundintheill-groomedmaneoftheoldwhitemarestandingmotionlessatthedoor。Charlesfromhorsebackthrewherakiss；sheansweredwithanod；sheshutthewindow，andhesetoff。Andthenalongthehighroad，spreadingoutitslongribbonofdust，alongthedeeplanesthatthetreesbentoverasinarbours，alongpathswherethecornreachedtotheknees，withthesunonhisbackandthemorningairinhisnostrils，hisheartfullofthejoysofthepastnight，hismindatrest，hisfleshatease，hewenton，re-chewinghishappiness，likethosewhoafterdinnertasteagainthetruffleswhichtheyaredigesting。

Untilnowwhatgoodhadhehadofhislife？Histimeatschool，whenheremainedshutupwithinthehighwalls，alone，inthemidstofcompanionsricherthanheorclevererattheirwork，wholaughedathisaccent，whojeeredathisclothes，andwhosemotherscametotheschoolwithcakesintheirmuffs？Lateron，whenhestudiedmedicine，andneverhadhispursefullenoughtotreatsomelittlework-girlwhowouldhavebecomehismistress？

Afterwards，hehadlivedfourteenmonthswiththewidow，whosefeetinbedwerecoldasicicles。Butnowhehadforlifethisbeautifulwomanwhomheadored。Forhimtheuniversedidnotextendbeyondthecircumferenceofherpetticoat，andhereproachedhimselfwithnotlovingher。Hewantedtoseeheragain；heturnedbackquickly，ranupthestairswithabeatingheart。Emma，inherroom，wasdressing；hecameupontiptoe，kissedherback；shegaveacry。

Hecouldnotkeepfromconstantlytouchinghercomb，herring，herfichu；sometimeshegavehergreatsoundingkisseswithallhismouthonhercheeks，orelselittlekissesinarowallalongherbarearmfromthetipofherfingersuptohershoulder，andsheputhimawayhalf-smiling，half-vexed，asyoudoachildwhohangsaboutyou。

Beforemarriageshethoughtherselfinlove；butthehappinessthatshouldhavefollowedthislovenothavingcome，shemust，shethought，havebeenmistaken。AndEmmatriedtofindoutwhatonemeantexactlyinlifebythewordsfelicity，passion，rapture，thathadseemedtohersobeautifulinbooks。

ChapterSixShehadread“PaulandVirginia，“andshehaddreamedofthelittlebamboo-house，theniggerDomingo，thedogFiddle，butaboveallofthesweetfriendshipofsomedearlittlebrother，whoseeksredfruitforyouontreestallerthansteeples，orwhorunsbarefootoverthesand，bringingyouabird’snest。

Whenshewasthirteen，herfatherhimselftookhertotowntoplaceherintheconvent。TheystoppedataninnintheSt。

Gervaisquarter，where，attheirsupper，theyusedpaintedplatesthatsetforththestoryofMademoiselledelaValliere。Theexplanatorylegends，chippedhereandtherebythescratchingofknives，allglorifiedreligion，thetendernessesoftheheart，andthepompsofcourt。

Farfrombeingboredatfirstattheconvent，shetookpleasureinthesocietyofthegoodsisters，who，toamuseher，tookhertothechapel，whichoneenteredfromtherefectorybyalongcorridor。Sheplayedverylittleduringrecreationhours，knewhercatechismwell，anditwasshewhoalwaysansweredMonsieurleVicaire’sdifficultquestions。Livingthus，withouteveryleavingthewarmatmosphereoftheclassrooms，andamidthesepale-facedwomenwearingrosarieswithbrasscrosses，shewassoftlylulledbythemysticlanguorexhaledintheperfumesofthealtar，thefreshnessoftheholywater，andthelightsofthetapers。Insteadofattendingtomass，shelookedatthepiousvignetteswiththeirazurebordersinherbook，andshelovedthesicklamb，thesacredheartpiercedwithsharparrows，orthepoorJesussinkingbeneaththecrosshecarries。Shetried，bywayofmortification，toeatnothingawholeday。Shepuzzledherheadtofindsomevowtofulfil。

Whenshewenttoconfession，sheinventedlittlesinsinorderthatshemightstaytherelonger，kneelingintheshadow，herhandsjoined，herfaceagainstthegratingbeneaththewhisperingofthepriest。Thecomparisonsofbetrothed，husband，celestiallover，andeternalmarriage，thatrecurinsermons，stirredwithinhersouldepthsofunexpectedsweetness。

Intheevening，beforeprayers，therewassomereligiousreadinginthestudy。Onweek-nightsitwassomeabstractofsacredhistoryortheLecturesoftheAbbeFrayssinous，andonSundayspassagesfromthe“GenieduChristianisme，“asarecreation。Howshelistenedatfirsttothesonorouslamentationsofitsromanticmelancholiesreechoingthroughtheworldandeternity!

Ifherchildhoodhadbeenspentintheshop-parlourofsomebusinessquarter，shemightperhapshaveopenedherhearttothoselyricalinvasionsofNature，whichusuallycometousonlythroughtranslationinbooks。Butsheknewthecountrytoowell；

sheknewthelowingofcattle，themilking，theploughs。

Accustomedtocalmaspectsoflife，sheturned，onthecontrary，tothoseofexcitement。Shelovedtheseaonlyforthesakeofitsstorms，andthegreenfieldsonlywhenbrokenupbyruins。

Shewantedtogetsomepersonalprofitoutofthings，andsherejectedasuselessallthatdidnotcontributetotheimmediatedesiresofherheart，beingofatemperamentmoresentimentalthanartistic，lookingforemotions，notlandscapes。

Attheconventtherewasanoldmaidwhocameforaweekeachmonthtomendthelinen。Patronizedbytheclergy，becauseshebelongedtoanancientfamilyofnoblemenruinedbytheRevolution，shedinedintherefectoryatthetableofthegoodsisters，andafterthemealhadabitofchatwiththembeforegoingbacktoherwork。Thegirlsoftenslippedoutfromthestudytogoandseeher。Sheknewbyheartthelovesongsofthelastcentury，andsangtheminalowvoiceasshestitchedaway。

Shetoldstories，gavethemnews，wenterrandsinthetown，andontheslylentthebiggirlssomenovel，thatshealwayscarriedinthepocketsofherapron，andofwhichthegoodladyherselfswallowedlongchaptersintheintervalsofherwork。Theywerealllove，lovers，sweethearts，persecutedladiesfaintinginlonelypavilions，postilionskilledateverystage，horsesriddentodeathoneverypage，sombreforests，heartaches，vows，sobs，tearsandkisses，littleskiffsbymoonlight，nightingalesinshadygroves，“gentlemen“braveaslions，gentleaslambs，virtuousasnooneeverwas，alwayswelldressed，andweepinglikefountains。Forsixmonths，then，Emma，atfifteenyearsofage，madeherhandsdirtywithbooksfromoldlendinglibraries。

ThroughWalterScott，lateron，shefellinlovewithhistoricalevents，dreamedofoldchests，guard-roomsandminstrels。Shewouldhavelikedtoliveinsomeoldmanor-house，likethoselong-waistedchatelaineswho，intheshadeofpointedarches，spenttheirdaysleaningonthestone，chininhand，watchingacavalierwithwhiteplumegallopingonhisblackhorsefromthedistantfields。AtthistimeshehadacultforMaryStuartandenthusiasticvenerationforillustriousorunhappywomen。JoanofArc，Heloise，AgnesSorel，thebeautifulFerroniere，andClemenceIsaurestoodouttoherlikecometsinthedarkimmensityofheaven，wherealsowereseen，lostinshadow，andallunconnected，St。Louiswithhisoak，thedyingBayard，somecrueltiesofLouisXI，alittleofSt。Bartholomew’sDay，theplumeoftheBearnais，andalwaystheremembranceoftheplatespaintedinhonourofLouisXIV。