第9章

Emmamadehertoiletwiththefastidiouscareofanactressonherdebut。Shedidherhairaccordingtothedirectionsofthehairdresser，andputonthebaregedressspreadoutuponthebed。

Charles’strousersweretightacrossthebelly。

“Mytrouser-strapswillberatherawkwardfordancing，“hesaid。

“Dancing？“repeatedEmma。

“Yes!“

“Why，youmustbemad!Theywouldmakefunofyou；keepyourplace。Besides，itismorebecomingforadoctor，“sheadded。

Charleswassilent。HewalkedupanddownwaitingforEmmatofinishdressing。

Hesawherfrombehindintheglassbetweentwolights。Herblackeyesseemedblackerthanever。Herhair，undulatingtowardstheears，shonewithabluelustre；aroseinherchignontrembledonitsmobilestalk，withartificialdewdropsonthetipoftheleaves。Sheworeagownofpalesaffrontrimmedwiththreebouquetsofpomponrosesmixedwithgreen。

Charlescameandkissedheronhershoulder。

“Letmealone!“shesaid；“youaretumblingme。“

Onecouldheartheflourishoftheviolinandthenotesofahorn。Shewentdownstairsrestrainingherselffromrunning。

Dancinghadbegun。Guestswerearriving。Therewassomecrushing。

Shesatdownonaformnearthedoor。

Thequadrilleover，thefloorwasoccupiedbygroupsofmenstandingupandtalkingandservantsinliverybearinglargetrays。Alongthelineofseatedwomenpaintedfanswerefluttering，bouquetshalfhidsmilingfaces，andgoldstopperedscent-bottleswereturnedinpartly-closedhands，whosewhiteglovesoutlinedthenailsandtightenedonthefleshatthewrists。Lacetrimmings，diamondbrooches，medallionbraceletstrembledonbodices，gleamedonbreasts，clinkedonbarearms。

Thehair，well-smoothedoverthetemplesandknottedatthenape，borecrowns，orbunches，orspraysofmytosotis，jasmine，pomegranateblossoms，earsofcorn，andcorn-flowers。Calmlyseatedintheirplaces，motherswithforbiddingcountenanceswerewearingredturbans。

Emma’sheartbeatratherfasterwhen，herpartnerholdingherbythetipsofthefingers，shetookherplaceinalinewiththedancers，andwaitedforthefirstnotetostart。Butheremotionsoonvanished，and，swayingtotherhythmoftheorchestra，sheglidedforwardwithslightmovementsoftheneck。Asmilerosetoherlipsatcertaindelicatephrasesoftheviolin，thatsometimesplayedalonewhiletheotherinstrumentsweresilent；

onecouldheartheclearclinkofthelouisd’orthatwerebeingthrowndownuponthecardtablesinthenextroom；thenallstruckagain，thecornet-a-pistonuttereditssonorousnote，feetmarkedtime，skirtsswelledandrustled，handstouchedandparted；thesameeyesfallingbeforeyoumetyoursagain。

Afewmen(somefifteenorso)，oftwenty-fivetoforty，scatteredhereandthereamongthedancersortalkingatthedoorways，distinguishedthemselvesfromthecrowdbyacertainairofbreeding，whatevertheirdifferencesinage，dress，orface。

Theirclothes，bettermade，seemedoffinercloth，andtheirhair，broughtforwardincurlstowardsthetemples，glossywithmoredelicatepomades。Theyhadthecomplexionofwealth——thatclearcomplexionthatisheightenedbythepallorofporcelain，theshimmerofsatin，theveneerofoldfurniture，andthatanorderedregimenofexquisitenurturemaintainsatitsbest。Theirnecksmovedeasilyintheirlowcravats，theirlongwhiskersfellovertheirturned-downcollars，theywipedtheirlipsuponhandkerchiefswithembroideredinitialsthatgaveforthasubtleperfume。Thosewhowerebeginningtogrowoldhadanairofyouth，whiletherewassomethingmatureinthefacesoftheyoung。Intheirunconcernedlookswasthecalmofpassionsdailysatiated，andthroughalltheirgentlenessofmannerpiercedthatpeculiarbrutality，theresultofacommandofhalf-easythings，inwhichforceisexercisedandvanityamused——themanagementofthoroughbredhorsesandthesocietyofloosewomen。

AfewstepsfromEmmaagentlemaninabluecoatwastalkingofItalywithapaleyoungwomanwearingaparureofpearls。

TheywerepraisingthebreadthofthecolumnsofSt。Peter’s，Tivoly，Vesuvius，Castellamare，andCassines，therosesofGenoa，theColiseumbymoonlight。WithherotherearEmmawaslisteningtoaconversationfullofwordsshedidnotunderstand。Acirclegatheredroundaveryyoungmanwhotheweekbeforehadbeaten“MissArabella“and“Romolus，“andwontwothousandlouisjumpingaditchinEngland。Onecomplainedthathisracehorsesweregrowingfat；anotheroftheprinters’errorsthathaddisfiguredthenameofhishorse。

Theatmosphereoftheballwasheavy；thelampsweregrowingdim。

Guestswereflockingtothebilliardroom。Aservantgotuponachairandbrokethewindow-panes。AtthecrashoftheglassMadameBovaryturnedherheadandsawinthegardenthefacesofpeasantspressedagainstthewindowlookinginatthem。ThenthememoryoftheBertauxcamebacktoher。Shesawthefarmagain，themuddypond，herfatherinablouseundertheappletrees，andshesawherselfagainasformerly，skimmingwithherfingerthecreamoffthemilk-pansinthedairy。Butintherefulgenceofthepresenthourherpastlife，sodistinctuntilthen，fadedawaycompletely，andshealmostdoubtedhavinglivedit。Shewasthere；beyondtheballwasonlyshadowoverspreadingalltherest。Shewasjusteatingamaraschinoicethatsheheldwithherlefthandinasilver-giltcup，hereyeshalf-closed，andthespoonbetweenherteeth。

Aladynearherdroppedherfan。Agentlemenwaspassing。

“Wouldyoubesogood，“saidthelady，“astopickupmyfanthathasfallenbehindthesofa？“

Thegentlemanbowed，andashemovedtostretchouthisarm，Emmasawthehandofayoungwomanthrowsomethingwhite，foldedinatriangle，intohishat。Thegentleman，pickingupthefan，offeredittotheladyrespectfully；shethankedhimwithaninclinationofthehead，andbegansmellingherbouquet。

Aftersupper，wherewereplentyofSpanishandRhinewines，soupsalabisqueandaulaitd’amandes*，puddingsalaTrafalgar，andallsortsofcoldmeatswithjelliesthattrembledinthedishes，thecarriagesoneaftertheotherbegantodriveoff。Raisingthecornersofthemuslincurtain，onecouldseethelightoftheirlanternsglimmeringthroughthedarkness。Theseatsbegantoempty，somecard-playerswerestillleft；themusicianswerecoolingthetipsoftheirfingersontheirtongues。Charleswashalfasleep，hisbackproppedagainstadoor。

*Withalmondmilk20

Atthreeo’clockthecotillionbegan。Emmadidnotknowhowtowaltz。

Everyonewaswaltzing，Mademoiselled’AndervilliersherselfandtheMarquis；

onlytheguestsstayingatthecastlewerestillthere，aboutadozenpersons。

Oneofthewaltzers，however，whowasfamiliarlycalledViscount，andwhoselowcutwaistcoatseemedmouldedtohischest，cameasecondtimetoaskMadameBovarytodance，assuringherthathewouldguideher，andthatshewouldgetthroughitverywell。

Theybeganslowly，thenwentmorerapidly。Theyturned；allaroundthemwasturning——thelamps，thefurniture，thewainscoting，thefloor，likeadisconapivot。OnpassingnearthedoorsthebottomofEmma’sdresscaughtagainsthistrousers。

Theirlegscommingled；helookeddownather；sheraisedhereyestohis。Atorporseizedher；shestopped。Theystartedagain，andwithamorerapidmovement；theViscount，draggingheralongdisappearedwithhertotheendofthegallery，wherepanting，shealmostfell，andforamomentrestedherheaduponhisbreast。Andthen，stillturning，butmoreslowly，heguidedherbacktoherseat。Sheleanedbackagainstthewallandcoveredhereyeswithherhands。

Whensheopenedthemagain，inthemiddleofthedrawingroomthreewaltzerswerekneelingbeforealadysittingonastool。

ShechosetheViscount，andtheviolinstruckuponcemore。

Everyonelookedatthem。Theypassedandre-passed，shewithrigidbody，herchinbentdown，andhealwaysinthesamepose，hisfigurecurved，hiselbowrounded，hischinthrownforward。

Thatwomanknewhowtowaltz!Theykeptupalongtime，andtiredoutalltheothers。

Thentheytalkedafewmomentslonger，andafterthegoodnights，orrathergoodmornings，theguestsofthechateauretiredtobed。

Charlesdraggedhimselfupbythebalusters。His“kneesweregoingupintohisbody。“Hehadspentfiveconsecutivehoursstandingboltuprightatthecardtables，watchingthemplaywhist，withoutunderstandinganythingaboutit，anditwaswithadeepsighofreliefthathepulledoffhisboots。

Emmathrewashawloverhershoulders，openedthewindow，andleantout。

Thenightwasdark；somedropsofrainwerefalling。Shebreathedinthedampwindthatrefreshedhereyelids。Themusicoftheballwasstillmurmuringinherears。Andshetriedtokeepherselfawakeinordertoprolongtheillusionthatthisluxuriouslifethatshewouldsoonhavetogiveup。

Daybegantobreak。Shelookedlongatthewindowsofthechateau，tryingtoguesswhichweretheroomsofallthoseshehadnoticedtheeveningbefore。Shewouldfainhaveknowntheirlives，havepenetrated，blendedwiththem。Butshewasshiveringwithcold。Sheundressed，andcowereddownbetweenthesheetsagainstCharles，whowasasleep。

Therewereagreatmanypeopletoluncheon。Therepastlastedtenminutes；noliqueurswereserved，whichastonishedthedoctor。

Next，Mademoiselled“Andervillierscollectedsomepiecesofrollinasmallbaskettotakethemtotheswansontheornamentalwaters，andtheywenttowalkinthehot-houses，wherestrangeplants，bristlingwithhairs，roseinpyramidsunderhangingvases，whence，asfromover-fillednestsofserpents，felllonggreencordsinterlacing。Theorangery，whichwasattheotherend，ledbyacoveredwaytotheouthousesofthechateau。TheMarquis，toamusetheyoungwoman，tookhertoseethestables。

Abovethebasket-shapedracksporcelainslabsborethenamesofthehorsesinblackletters。Eachanimalinitsstallwhiskeditstailwhenanyonewentnearandsaid“Tchk!tchk!“Theboardsoftheharnessroomshoneliketheflooringofadrawingroom。Thecarriageharnesswaspiledupinthemiddleagainsttwotwistedcolumns，andthebits，thewhips，thespurs，thecurbs，wererangedinalineallalongthewall。

Charles，meanwhile，wenttoaskagroomtoputhishorseto。Thedog-cartwasbroughttothefootofthesteps，and，alltheparcelsbeingcrammedin，theBovaryspaidtheirrespectstotheMarquisandMarchionessandsetoutagainforTostes。

Emmawatchedtheturningwheelsinsilence。Charles，ontheextremeedgeoftheseat，heldthereinswithhistwoarmswideapart，andthelittlehorseambledalongintheshaftsthatweretoobigforhim。Theloosereinshangingoverhiscrupperwerewetwithfoam，andtheboxfastenedonbehindthechaisegavegreatregularbumpsagainstit。

TheywereontheheightsofThibourvillewhensuddenlysomehorsemenwithcigarsbetweentheirlipspassedlaughing。EmmathoughtsherecognizedtheViscount，turnedback，andcaughtonthehorizononlythemovementoftheheadsrisingorfallingwiththeunequalcadenceofthetrotorgallop。