第17章

Hadtheynothingelsetosaytooneanother？Yettheireyeswerefullofmoreseriousspeech，andwhiletheyforcedthemselvestofindtrivialphrases，theyfeltthesamelanguorstealingoverthemboth。Itwasthewhisperofthesoul，deep，continuous，dominatingthatoftheirvoices。Surprisedwithwonderatthisstrangesweetness，theydidnotthinkofspeakingofthesensationorofseekingitscause。Comingjoys，liketropicalshores，throwovertheimmensitybeforethemtheirinbornsoftness，anodorouswind，andwearelulledbythisintoxicationwithoutathoughtofthehorizonthatwedonotevenknow。

Inoneplacethegroundhadbeentroddendownbythecattle；theyhadtosteponlargegreenstonesputhereandthereinthemud。

Sheoftenstoppedamomenttolookwheretoplaceherfoot，andtotteringonastonethatshook，herarmsoutspread，herformbentforwardwithalookofindecision，shewouldlaugh，afraidoffallingintothepuddlesofwater。

Whentheyarrivedinfrontofhergarden，MadameBovaryopenedthelittlegate，ranupthestepsanddisappeared。

Leonreturnedtohisoffice。Hischiefwasaway；hejustglancedatthebriefs，thencuthimselfapen，andatlasttookuphishatandwentout。

HewenttoLaPatureatthetopoftheArgueilhillsatthebeginningoftheforest；hethrewhimselfuponthegroundunderthepinesandwatchedtheskythroughhisfingers。

“HowboredIam!“hesaidtohimself，“howboredIam!“

Hethoughthewastobepitiedforlivinginthisvillage，withHomaisforafriendandMonsieruGuillauminformaster。Thelatter，entirelyabsorbedbyhisbusiness，wearinggold-rimmedspectaclesandredwhiskersoverawhitecravat，understoodnothingofmentalrefinements，althoughheaffectedastiffEnglishmanner，whichinthebeginninghadimpressedtheclerk。

Astothechemist’sspouse，shewasthebestwifeinNormandy，gentleasasheep，lovingherchildren，herfather，hermother，hercousins，weepingforother’swoes，lettingeverythinggoinherhousehold，anddetestingcorsets；butsoslowofmovement，suchaboretolistento，socommoninappearance，andofsuchrestrictedconversation，thatalthoughshewasthirty，heonlytwenty，althoughtheysleptinroomsnexteachotherandhespoketoherdaily，heneverthoughtthatshemightbeawomanforanother，orthatshepossessedanythingelseofhersexthanthegown。

Andwhatelsewasthere？Binet，afewshopkeepers，twoorthreepublicans，thecure，andfinally，MonsieurTuvache，themayor，withhistwosons，rich，crabbed，obtusepersons，whofarmedtheirownlandsandhadfeastsamongthemselves，bigotedtoboot，andquiteunbearablecompanions。

ButfromthegeneralbackgroundofallthesehumanfacesEmma’sstoodoutisolatedandyetfarthestoff；forbetweenherandhimheseemedtoseeavagueabyss。

Inthebeginninghehadcalledonherseveraltimesalongwiththedruggist。Charleshadnotappearedparticularlyanxioustoseehimagain，andLeondidnotknowwhattodobetweenhisfearofbeingindiscreetandthedesireforanintimacythatseemedalmostimpossible。

ChapterFourWhenthefirstcolddayssetinEmmaleftherbedroomforthesitting-room，alongapartmentwithalowceiling，inwhichtherewasonthemantelpiecealargebunchofcoralspreadoutagainstthelooking-glass。Seatedinherarmchairnearthewindow，shecouldseethevillagerspassalongthepavement。

TwiceadayLeonwentfromhisofficetotheLiond’Or。Emmacouldhearhimcomingfromafar；sheleantforwardlistening，andtheyoungmanglidedpastthecurtain，alwaysdressedinthesameway，andwithoutturninghishead。Butinthetwilight，when，herchinrestingonherlefthand，shelettheembroideryshehadbegunfallonherknees，sheoftenshudderedattheapparitionofthisshadowsuddenlyglidingpast。Shewouldgetupandorderthetabletobelaid。

MonsieurHomaiscalledatdinner-time。Skull-capinhand，hecameinontiptoe，inordertodisturbnoone，alwaysrepeatingthesamephrase，“Goodevening，everybody。“Then，whenhehadtakenhisseatatthetablebetweenthepair，heaskedthedoctorabouthispatients，andthelatterconsultedhisastotheprobabilityoftheirpayment。Nexttheytalkedof“whatwasinthepaper。“

Homaisbythishourknewitalmostbyheart，andherepeateditfromendtoend，withthereflectionsofthepenny-a-liners，andallthestoriesofindividualcatastrophesthathadoccurredinFranceorabroad。Butthesubjectbecomingexhausted，hewasnotslowinthrowingoutsomeremarksonthedishesbeforehim。

Sometimeseven，half-rising，hedelicatelypointedouttomadamethetenderestmorsel，orturningtotheservant，gavehersomeadviceonthemanipulationofstewsandthehygieneofseasoning。

Hetalkedaroma，osmazome，juices，andgelatineinabewilderingmanner。Moreover，Homais，withhisheadfullerofrecipesthanhisshopofjars，excelledinmakingallkindsofpreserves，vinegars，andsweetliqueurs；heknewalsoallthelatestinventionsineconomicstoves，togetherwiththeartofpreservingcheeseandofcuringsickwines。

Ateighto’clockJustincametofetchhimtoshutuptheshop。

ThenMonsieurHomaisgavehimaslylook，especiallyifFelicitewasthere，forhehalfnoticedthathisapprenticewasfondofthedoctor’shouse。

“Theyoungdog，“hesaid，“isbeginningtohaveideas，andthedeviltakemeifIdon’tbelievehe’sinlovewithyourservant!“

ButamoreseriousfaultwithwhichhereproachedJustinwashisconstantlylisteningtoconversation。OnSunday，forexample，onecouldnotgethimoutofthedrawing-room，whitherMadameHomaishadcalledhimtofetchthechildren，whowerefallingasleepinthearm-chairs，anddraggingdownwiththeirbackscalicochair-coversthatweretoolarge。

Notmanypeoplecametothesesoireesatthechemist’s，hisscandal-mongeringandpoliticalopinionshavingsuccessfullyalienatedvariousrespectablepersonsfromhim。Theclerkneverfailedtobethere。AssoonasheheardthebellherantomeetMadameBovary，tookhershawl，andputawayundertheshop-counterthethicklistshoesthatsheworeoverherbootswhentherewassnow。

Firsttheyplayedsomehandsattrente-et-un；nextMonsieurHomaisplayedecartewithEmma；Leonbehindhergaveheradvice。

Standingupwithhishandsonthebackofherchairhesawtheteethofhercombthatbitintoherchignon。Witheverymovementthatshemadetothrowhercardstherightsideofherdresswasdrawnup。Fromherturned-uphairadarkcolourfelloverherback，andgrowinggraduallypaler，lostitselflittlebylittleintheshade。Thenherdressfellonbothsidesofherchair，puffingoutfulloffolds，andreachedtheground。WhenLeonoccasionallyfeltthesoleofhisbootrestingonit，hedrewbackasifhehadtroddenuponsomeone。

Whenthegameofcardswasover，thedruggistandtheDoctorplayeddominoes，andEmma，changingherplace，leantherelbowonthetable，turningovertheleavesofL’Illustration。“Shehadbroughtherladies’journalwithher。Leonsatdownnearher；

theylookedattheengravingstogether，andwaitedforoneanotheratthebottomofthepages。Sheoftenbeggedhimtoreadhertheverses；Leondeclaimedtheminalanguidvoice，towhichhecarefullygaveadyingfallinthelovepassages。Butthenoiseofthedominoesannoyedhim。MonsieurHomaiswasstrongatthegame；hecouldbeatCharlesandgivehimadouble-six。Thenthethreehundredfinished，theybothstretchedthemselvesoutinfrontofthefire，andweresoonasleep。Thefirewasdyingoutinthecinders；theteapotwasempty，Leonwasstillreading。

Emmalistenedtohim，mechanicallyturningaroundthelampshade，onthegauzeofwhichwerepaintedclownsincarriages，andtight-ropedanceswiththeirbalancing-poles。Leonstopped，pointingwithagesturetohissleepingaudience；thentheytalkedinlowtones，andtheirconversationseemedthemoresweettothembecauseitwasunheard。

Thusakindofbondwasestablishedbetweenthem，aconstantcommerceofbooksandofromances。MonsieurBovary，littlegiventojealousy，didnottroublehimselfaboutit。

Onhisbirthdayhereceivedabeautifulphrenologicalhead，allmarkedwithfigurestothethoraxandpaintedblue。Thiswasanattentionoftheclerk’s。Heshowedhimmanyothers，eventodoingerrandsforhimatRouen；andthebookofanovelisthavingmadethemaniaforcactusesfashionable，LeonboughtsomeforMadameBovary，bringingthembackonhiskneesinthe“Hirondelle，“prickinghisfingersontheirhardhairs。

Shehadaboardwithabalustradefixedagainstherwindowtoholdthepots。Theclerk，too，hadhissmallhanginggarden；theysaweachothertendingtheirflowersattheirwindows。

Ofthewindowsofthevillagetherewasoneyetmoreoftenoccupied；foronSundaysfrommorningtonight，andeverymorningwhentheweatherwasbright，onecouldseeatthedormer-windowofthegarrettheprofileofMonsieurBinetbendingoverhislathe，whosemonotonoushummingcouldbeheardattheLiond’Or。

OneeveningoncominghomeLeonfoundinhisroomaruginvelvetandwoolwithleavesonapaleground。HecalledMadameHomais，MonsieurHomais，Justin，thechildren，thecook；hespokeofittohischief；everyonewantedtoseethisrug。Whydidthedoctor’swifegivetheclerkpresents？Itlookedqueer。Theydecidedthatshemustbehislover。

Hemadethisseemlikely，soceaselesslydidhetalkofhercharmsandofherwit；somuchso，thatBinetonceroughlyansweredhim——

“WhatdoesitmattertomesinceI’mnotinherset？“

Hetorturedhimselftofindouthowhecouldmakehisdeclarationtoher，andalwayshaltingbetweenthefearofdispleasingherandtheshameofbeingsuchacoward，heweptwithdiscouragementanddesire。Thenhetookenergeticresolutions，wrotelettersthathetoreup，putitofftotimesthatheagaindeferred。

Oftenhesetoutwiththedeterminationtodareall；butthisresolutionsoondesertedhiminEmma’spresence，andwhenCharles，droppingin，invitedhimtojumpintohischaisetogowithhimtoseesomepatientintheneighbourhood，heatonceaccepted，bowedtomadame，andwentout。Herhusband，washenotsomethingbelongingtoher？AstoEmma，shedidnotaskherselfwhethersheloved。Love，shethought，mustcomesuddenly，withgreatoutburstsandlightnings——ahurricaneoftheskies，whichfallsuponlife，revolutionisesit，rootsupthewilllikealeaf，andsweepsthewholeheartintotheabyss。Shedidnotknowthatontheterraceofhousesitmakeslakeswhenthepipesarechoked，andshewouldthushaveremainedinhersecuritywhenshesuddenlydiscoveredarentinthewallofit。

ChapterFiveItwasaSundayinFebruary，anafternoonwhenthesnowwasfalling。