第29章

“Ah!verygood!Ithankyou。“

Andassoonastheywerealone，“Whydon’tyouacceptMonsieurBoulanger’skindoffer？“

Sheassumedasulkyair，inventedathousandexcuses，andfinallydeclaredthatperhapsitwouldlookodd。

“Well，whatthedeucedoIcareforthat？“saidCharles，makingapirouette。“Healthbeforeeverything!Youarewrong。“

“AndhowdoyouthinkIcanridewhenIhaven’tgotahabit？“

“Youmustorderone，“heanswered。

Theriding-habitdecidedher。

Whenthehabitwasready，CharleswrotetoMonsieurBoulangerthathiswifewasathiscommand，andthattheycountedonhisgood-nature。

ThenextdayatnoonRodolpheappearedatCharles’sdoorwithtwosaddle-horses。Onehadpinkrosettesathisearsandadeerskinside-saddle。

Rodolphehadputonhighsoftboots，sayingtohimselfthatnodoubtshehadneverseenanythinglikethem。Infact，Emmawascharmedwithhisappearanceashestoodonthelandinginhisgreatvelvetcoatandwhitecorduroybreeches。Shewasready；shewaswaitingforhim。

Justinescapedfromthechemist’stoseeherstart，andthechemistalsocameout。HewasgivingMonsieurBoulangeralittlegoodadvice。

“Anaccidenthappenssoeasily。Becareful!Yourhorsesperhapsaremettlesome。“

Sheheardanoiseaboveher；itwasFelicitedrummingonthewindowpanestoamuselittleBerthe。Thechildblewherakiss；

hermotheransweredwithawaveofherwhip。

“Apleasantride!“criedMonsieurHomais。“Prudence!aboveall，prudence!“Andheflourishedhisnewspaperashesawthemdisappear。

Assoonashefelttheground，Emma’shorsesetoffatagallop。

Rodolphegallopedbyherside。Nowandthentheyexchangedaword。Herfigureslightlybent，herhandwellup，andherrightarmstretchedout，shegaveherselfuptothecadenceofthemovementthatrockedherinhersaddle。AtthebottomofthehillRodolphegavehishorseitshead；theystartedtogetheratabound，thenatthetopsuddenlythehorsesstopped，andherlargeblueveilfellabouther。

ItwasearlyinOctober。Therewasfogovertheland。Hazycloudshoveredonthehorizonbetweentheoutlinesofthehills；others，rentasunder，floatedupanddisappeared。Sometimesthroughariftintheclouds，beneatharayofsunshine，gleamedfromafartherootsofYonville，withthegardensatthewater’sedge，theyards，thewallsandthechurchsteeple。Emmahalfclosedhereyestopickoutherhouse，andneverhadthispoorvillagewhereshelivedappearedsosmall。Fromtheheightonwhichtheywerethewholevalleyseemedanimmensepalelakesendingoffitsvapourintotheair。Clumpsoftreeshereandtherestoodoutlikeblackrocks，andthetalllinesofthepoplarsthatroseabovethemistwerelikeabeachstirredbythewind。

Bytheside，ontheturfbetweenthepines，abrownlightshi