第8章

Agamekeeper，curedbythedoctorofinflammationofthelungs，hadgivenmadamealittleItaliangreyhound；shetookheroutwalking，forshewentoutsometimesinordertobealoneforamoment，andnottoseebeforehereyestheeternalgardenandthedustyroad。ShewentasfarasthebeechesofBanneville，nearthedesertedpavilionwhichformsanangleofthewallonthesideofthecountry。Amidstthevegetationoftheditchtherearelongreedswithleavesthatcutyou。

Shebeganbylookingroundhertoseeifnothinghadchangedsincelastshehadbeenthere。Shefoundagaininthesameplacesthefoxglovesandwallflowers，thebedsofnettlesgrowingroundthebigstones，andthepatchesoflichenalongthethreewindows，whoseshutters，alwaysclosed，wererottingawayontheirrustyironbars。Herthoughts，aimlessatfirst，wanderedatrandom，likehergreyhound，whoranroundandroundinthefields，yelpingaftertheyellowbutterflies，chasingtheshrew-mice，ornibblingthepoppiesontheedgeofacornfield。

Thengraduallyherideastookdefiniteshape，and，sittingonthegrassthatshedugupwithlittleprodsofhersunshade，Emmarepeatedtoherself，“Goodheavens!WhydidImarry？“

Sheaskedherselfifbysomeotherchancecombinationitwouldhavenotbeenpossibletomeetanotherman；andshetriedtoimaginewhatwouldhavebeentheseunrealisedevents，thisdifferentlife，thisunknownhusband。All，surely，couldnotbelikethisone。Hemighthavebeenhandsome，witty，distinguished，attractive，suchas，nodoubt，heroldcompanionsoftheconventhadmarried。Whatweretheydoingnow？Intown，withthenoiseofthestreets，thebuzzofthetheatresandthelightsoftheballroom，theywerelivingliveswheretheheartexpands，thesensesbourgeonout。Butshe——herlifewascoldasagarretwhosedormerwindowlooksonthenorth，andennui，thesilentspider，wasweavingitswebinthedarknessineverycornerofherheart。

Sherecalledtheprizedays，whenshemountedtheplatformtoreceiveherlittlecrowns，withherhairinlongplaits。Inherwhitefrockandopenprunellashoesshehadaprettyway，andwhenshewentbacktoherseat，thegentlemenbentoverhertocongratulateher；thecourtyardwasfullofcarriages；farewellswerecalledtoherthroughtheirwindows；themusicmasterwithhisviolincasebowedinpassingby。Howfarallofthis!Howfaraway!ShecalledDjali，tookherbetweenherknees，andsmoothedthelongdelicatehead，saying，“Come，kissmistress；youhavenotroubles。“

Thennotingthemelancholyfaceofthegracefulanimal，whoyawnedslowly，shesoftened，andcomparinghertoherself，spoketoheraloudastosomebodyintroublewhomoneisconsoling。

Occasionallytherecamegustsofwinds，breezesfromthesearollinginonesweepoverthewholeplateauoftheCauxcountry，whichbroughteventothesefieldsasaltfreshness。Therushes，closetotheground，whistled；thebranchestrembledinaswiftrustling，whiletheirsummits，ceaselesslyswaying，keptupadeepmurmur。Emmadrewhershawlroundhershouldersandrose。

Intheavenueagreenlightdimmedbytheleaveslituptheshortmossthatcrackledsoftlybeneathherfeet。Thesunwassetting；

theskyshowedredbetweenthebranches，andthetrunksofthetrees，uniform，andplantedinastraightline，seemedabrowncolonnadestandingoutagainstabackgroundofgold。Afeartookholdofher；shecalledDjali，andhurriedlyreturnedtoTostesbythehighroad，threwherselfintoanarmchair，andfortherestoftheeveningdidnotspeak。

ButtowardstheendofSeptembersomethingextraordinaryfelluponherlife；shewasinvitedbytheMarquisd’AndervillierstoVaubyessard。

SecretaryofStateundertheRestoration，theMarquis，anxioustore-enterpoliticallife，setaboutpreparingforhiscandidaturetotheChamberofDeputieslongbeforehand。Inthewinterhedistributedagreatdealofwood，andintheConseilGeneralalwaysenthusiasticallydemandednewroadsforhisarrondissement。Duringthedog-dayshehadsufferedfromanabscess，whichCharleshadcuredasifbymiraclebygivingatimelylittletouchwiththelancet。ThestewardsenttoTostestopayfortheoperationreportedintheeveningthathehadseensomesuperbcherriesinthedoctor’slittlegarden。NowcherrytreesdidnotthriveatVaubyessard；theMarquisaskedBovaryforsomeslips；madeithisbusinesstothankhispersonally；sawEmma；thoughtshehadaprettyfigure，andthatshedidnotbowlikeapeasant；sothathedidnotthinkhewasgoingbeyondtheboundsofcondescension，nor，ontheotherhand，makingamistake，ininvitingtheyoungcouple。

OnWednesdayatthreeo’clock，MonsieurandMadameBovary，seatedintheirdog-cart，setoutforVaubyessard，withagreattrunkstrappedonbehindandabonnet-boxinfrontoftheapron。

BesidestheseCharlesheldabandboxbetweenhisknees。

Theyarrivedatnightfall，justasthelampsintheparkwerebeinglittoshowthewayforthecarriages。

ChapterEightThechateau，amodernbuildinginItalianstyle，withtwoprojectingwingsandthreeflightsofsteps，layatthefootofanimmensegreen-sward，onwhichsomecowsweregrazingamonggroupsoflargetreessetoutatregularintervals，whilelargebedsofarbutus，rhododendron，syringas，andguelderrosesbulgedouttheirirregularclustersofgreenalongthecurveofthegravelpath。Ariverflowedunderabridge；throughthemistonecoulddistinguishbuildingswiththatchedroofsscatteredoverthefieldborderedbytwogentlysloping，welltimberedhillocks，andinthebackgroundamidthetreesroseintwoparallellinesthecoachhousesandstables，allthatwasleftoftheruinedoldchateau。

Charles’sdog-cartpulledupbeforethemiddleflightofsteps；

servantsappeared；theMarquiscameforward，and，offeringhisarmtothedoctor’swife，conductedhertothevestibule。

Itwaspavedwithmarbleslabs，wasverylofty，andthesoundoffootstepsandthatofvoicesre-echoedthroughitasinachurch。

Oppositeroseastraightstaircase，andontheleftagalleryoverlookingthegardenledtothebilliardroom，throughwhosedooronecouldheartheclickoftheivoryballs。Asshecrossedittogotothedrawingroom，Emmasawstandingroundthetablemenwithgravefaces，theirchinsrestingonhighcravats。Theyallworeorders，andsmiledsilentlyastheymadetheirstrokes。

Onthedarkwainscotingofthewallslargegoldframesboreatthebottomnameswritteninblackletters。Sheread：

“Jean-Antoined’Andervilliersd’Yvervonbille，CountdelaVaubyessardandBarondelaFresnay，killedatthebattleofCoutrasonthe20thofOctober，1857。“Andonanother：

“Jean-Antoine-Henry-Guyd’AndervilliersdelaVaubyessard，AdmiralofFranceandChevalieroftheOrderofSt。Michael，woundedatthebattleoftheHougue-Saint-Vaastonthe29thofMay，1692；diedatVaubyessardonthe23rdofJanuary1693。“Onecouldhardlymakeoutthosethatfollowed，forthelightofthelampsloweredoverthegreencloththrewadimshadowroundtheroom。Burnishingthehorizontalpictures，itbrokeupagainsttheseindelicatelineswheretherewerecracksinthevarnish，andfromallthesegreatblacksquaresframedinwithgoldstoodouthereandtheresomelighterportionofthepainting——apalebrow，twoeyesthatlookedatyou，perukesflowingoverandpowderingred-coatedshoulders，orthebuckleofagarteraboveawell-roundedcalf。

TheMarquisopenedthedrawingroomdoor；oneoftheladies(theMarchionessherself)cametomeetEmma。Shemadehersitdownbyheronanottoman，andbegantalkingtoherasamicablyasifshehadknownheralongtime。Shewasawomanofaboutforty，withfineshoulders，ahooknose，adrawlingvoice，andonthiseveningsheworeoverherbrownhairasimpleguipurefichuthatfellinapointattheback。Afairyoungwomansatinahigh-backedchairinacorner；andgentlemenwithflowersintheirbuttonholesweretalkingtoladiesroundthefire。

Atsevendinnerwasserved。Themen，whowereinthemajority，satdownatthefirsttableinthevestibule；theladiesatthesecondinthediningroomwiththeMarquisandMarchioness。

Emma，onentering，feltherselfwrappedroundbythewarmair，ablendingoftheperfumeofflowersandofthefinelinen，ofthefumesoftheviands，andtheodourofthetruffles。Thesilverdishcoversreflectedthelightedwaxcandlesinthecandelabra，thecutcrystalcoveredwithlightsteamreflectedfromonetotheotherpalerays；bouquetswereplacedinarowthewholelengthofthetable；andinthelarge-borderedplateseachnapkin，arrangedafterthefashionofabishop’smitre，heldbetweenitstwogapingfoldsasmallovalshapedroll。Theredclawsoflobstershungoverthedishes；richfruitinopenbasketswaspileduponmoss；therewerequailsintheirplumage；

smokewasrising；andinsilkstockings，knee-breeches，whitecravat，andfrilledshirt，thesteward，graveasajudge，offeringreadycarveddishesbetweentheshouldersoftheguests，withatouchofthespoongaveyouthepiecechosen。Onthelargestoveofporcelaininlaidwithcopperbaguettesthestatueofawoman，drapedtothechin，gazedmotionlessontheroomfulloflife。

MadameBovarynoticedthatmanyladieshadnotputtheirglovesintheirglasses。

Butattheupperendofthetable，aloneamongstallthesewomen，bentoverhisfullplate，andhisnapkintiedroundhisnecklikeachild，anoldmansateating，lettingdropsofgravydripfromhismouth。Hiseyeswerebloodshot，andheworealittlequeuetiedwithblackribbon。HewastheMarquis’sfather-in-law，theoldDukedeLaverdiere，onceonatimefavouriteoftheCountd’Artois，inthedaysoftheVaudreuilhunting-partiesattheMarquisdeConflans’，andhadbeen，itwassaid，theloverofQueenMarieAntoinette，betweenMonsieurdeCoignyandMonsieurdeLauzun。Hehadlivedalifeofnoisydebauch，fullofduels，bets，elopements；hehadsquanderedhisfortuneandfrightenedallhisfamily。Aservantbehindhischairnamedaloudtohiminhisearthedishesthathepointedtostammering，andconstantlyEmma’seyesturnedinvoluntarilytothisoldmanwithhanginglips，astosomethingextraordinary。Hehadlivedatcourtandsleptinthebedofqueens!Icedchampagnewaspouredout。Emmashiveredalloverasshefeltitcoldinhermouth。Shehadneverseenpomegranatesnortastedpineapples。Thepowderedsugarevenseemedtoherwhiterandfinerthanelsewhere。

Theladiesafterwardswenttotheirroomstopreparefortheball。