第25章

“HerearesomeprettyEasterdaisies，“hesaid，“andenoughofthemtofurnishoraclestoalltheamorousmaidsintheplace。“

Headded，“ShallIpicksome？Whatdoyouthink？“

“Areyouinlove？“sheasked，coughingalittle。

“H’m，h’m!whoknows？“answeredRodolphe。

Themeadowbegantofill，andthehousewiveshustledyouwiththeirgreatumbrellas，theirbaskets，andtheirbabies。Onehadoftentogetoutofthewayofalongfileofcountryfolk，servant-maidswithbluestockings，flatshoes，silverrings，andwhosmeltofmilk，whenonepassedclosetothem。Theywalkedalongholdingoneanotherbythehand，andthustheyspreadoverthewholefieldfromtherowofopentreestothebanquettent。

Butthiswastheexaminationtime，andthefarmersoneaftertheotherenteredakindofenclosureformedbyalongcordsupportedonsticks。

Thebeastswerethere，theirnosestowardsthecord，andmakingaconfusedlinewiththeirunequalrumps。Drowsypigswereburrowingintheearthwiththeirsnouts，calveswerebleating，lambsbaaing；thecows，onkneesfoldedin，werestretchingtheirbelliesonthegrass，slowlychewingthecud，andblinkingtheirheavyeyelidsatthegnatsthatbuzzedroundthem。Plough-menwithbarearmswereholdingbythehalterprancingstallionsthatneighedwithdilatednostrilslookingtowardsthemares。Thesestoodquietly，stretchingouttheirheadsandflowingmanes，whiletheirfoalsrestedintheirshadow，ornowandthencameandsuckedthem。Andabovethelongundulationofthesecrowdedanimalsonesawsomewhitemanerisinginthewindlikeawave，orsomesharphornsstickingout，andtheheadsofmenrunningabout。Apart，outsidetheenclosure，ahundredpacesoff，wasalargeblackbull，muzzled，withanironringinitsnostrils，andwhomovednomorethanifhehadbeeninbronze。Achildinragswasholdinghimbyarope。

Betweenthetwolinesthecommittee-menwerewalkingwithheavysteps，examiningeachanimal，thenconsultingoneanotherinalowvoice。Onewhoseemedofmoreimportancenowandthentooknotesinabookashewalkedalong。Thiswasthepresidentofthejury，MonsieurDerozeraysdelaPanville。AssoonasherecognisedRodolphehecameforwardquickly，andsmilingamiably，said——

“What!MonsieurBoulanger，youaredesertingus？“

Rodolpheprotestedthathewasjustcoming。Butwhenthepresidenthaddisappeared——

“Mafoi!*“saidhe，“Ishallnotgo。Yourcompanyisbetterthanhis。“

*Uponmyword!

Andwhilepokingfunattheshow，Rodolphe，tomoveaboutmoreeasily，showedthegendarmehisbluecard，andevenstoppednowandtheninfrontofsomefinebeast，whichMadameBovarydidnotatalladmire。

Henoticedthis，andbeganjeeringattheYonvilleladiesandtheirdresses；thenheapologisedforthenegligenceofhisown。Hehadthatincongruityofcommonandelegantinwhichthehabituallyvulgarthinktheyseetherevelationofaneccentricexistence，oftheperturbationsofsentiment，thetyranniesofart，andalwaysacertaincontemptforsocialconventions，thatseducesorexasperatesthem。Thushiscambricshirtwithplaitedcuffswasblownoutbythewindintheopeningofhiswaistcoatofgreyticking，andhisbroad-stripedtrousersdisclosedattheanklenankeenbootswithpatentleathergaiters。

Theseweres