第36章

Butbothhadfledintheirexasperation。Emmawasstampingherfeetassherepeated——

“Oh!whatmanners!Whatapeasant!“

Herantohismother；shewasbesideherself。Shestammered“Sheisaninsolent，giddy-headedthing，orperhapsworse!“

Andshewasforleavingatonceiftheotherdidnotapologise。

SoCharleswentbackagaintohiswifeandimploredhertogiveway；heknelttoher；sheendedbysaying——

“Verywell!I’llgotoher。“

Andinfactsheheldoutherhandtohermother-in-lawwiththedignityofamarchionessasshesaid——

“Excuseme，madame。“

Then，havinggoneupagaintoherroom，shethrewherselfflatonherbedandcriedtherelikeachild，herfaceburiedinthepillow。

SheandRodolphehadagreedthatintheeventofanythingextraordinaryoccurring，sheshouldfastenasmallpieceofwhitepapertotheblind，sothatifbychancehehappenedtobeinYonville，hecouldhurrytothelanebehindthehouse。Emmamadethesignal；shehadbeenwaitingthree-quartersofanhourwhenshesuddenlycaughtsightofRodolpheatthecornerofthemarket。Shefelttemptedtoopenthewindowandcallhim，buthehadalreadydisappeared。Shefellbackindespair。

Soon，however，itseemedtoherthatsomeonewaswalkingonthepavement。Itwashe，nodoubt。Shewentdownstairs，crossedtheyard。Hewasthereoutside。Shethrewherselfintohisarms。

“Dotakecare!“hesaid。

“Ah!ifyouknew!“shereplied。

Andshebegantellinghimeverything，hurriedly，disjointedly，exaggeratingthefacts，inventingmany，andsoprodigalofparenthesesthatheunderstoodnothingofit。

“Come，mypoorangel，courage!Becomforted!bepatient!“

“ButIhavebeenpatient；Ihavesufferedforfouryears。Alovelikeoursoughttoshowitselfinthefaceofheaven。Theytortureme!Icanbearitnolonger!Saveme!“

SheclungtoRodolphe。Hereyes，fulloftears，flashedlikeflamesbeneathawave；herbreastheaved；hehadneverlovedhersomuch，sothathelosthisheadandsaid“Whatis，it？Whatdoyouwish？“

“Takemeaway，“shecried，“carrymeoff!Oh，Iprayyou!“

Andshethrewherselfuponhismouth，asiftoseizetheretheunexpectedconsentifbreathedforthinakiss。

“But——“Rodolpheresumed。

“What？“

“Yourlittlegirl!“

Shereflectedafewmoments，thenreplied——

“Wewilltakeher!Itcan’tbehelped!“

“Whatawoman!“hesaidtohimself，watchingherasshewent。Forshehadrunintothegarden。Someonewascallingher。

OnthefollowingdaysMadameBovaryseniorwasmuchsurprisedatthechangeinherdaughter-in-law。Emma，infact，wasshowingherselfmoredocile，andevencarriedherdeferencesofarastoaskforarecipeforpicklinggherkins。

Wasitthebettertodeceivethemboth？Ordidshewishbyasortofvoluptuousstoicismtofeelthemoreprofoundlythebitternessofthethingsshewasabouttoleave？

Butshepaid