第43章

“Andsincewhen？“

“Turnthemout!turnthemout!“Peoplewerelookingatthem。Theyweresilent。

Butfromthatmomentshelistenednomore；andthechorusoftheguests，thescenebetweenAshtonandhisservant，thegrandduetinDmajor，allwereforherasfaroffasiftheinstrumentshadgrownlesssonorousandthecharactersmoreremote。Sherememberedthegamesatcardsatthedruggist’s，andthewalktothenurse’s，thereadinginthearbour，thetete-a-tetebythefireside——allthatpoorlove，socalmandsoprotracted，sodiscreet，sotender，andthatshehadneverthelessforgotten。Andwhyhadhecomeback？Whatcombinationofcircumstanceshadbroughthimbackintoherlife？Hewasstandingbehindher，leaningwithhisshoulderagainstthewallofthebox；nowandagainshefeltherselfshudderingbeneaththehotbreathfromhisnostrilsfallinguponherhair。

“Doesthisamuseyou？“saidhe，bendingoverhersocloselythattheendofhismoustachebrushedhercheek。Sherepliedcarelessly——

“Oh，dearme，no，notmuch。“

Thenheproposedthattheyshouldleavethetheatreandgoandtakeanicesomewhere。

“Oh，notyet；letusstay，“saidBovary。“Herhair’sundone；thisisgoingtobetragic。“

ButthemadscenedidnotatallinterestEmma，andtheactingofthesingerseemedtoherexaggerated。

“Shescreamstooloud，“saidshe，turningtoCharles，whowaslistening。

“Yes——alittle，“hereplied，undecidedbetweenthefranknessofhispleasureandhisrespectforhiswife’sopinion。

ThenwithasighLeonsaid——

“Theheatis——“

“Unbearable!Yes!“

“Doyoufeelunwell？“askedBovary。

“Yes，Iamstifling；letusgo。“

MonsieurLeonputherlonglaceshawlcarefullyabouthershoulders，andallthreewentofftositdownintheharbour，intheopenair，outsidethewindowsofacafe。

Firsttheyspokeofherillness，althoughEmmainterruptedCharlesfromtimetotime，forfear，shesaid，ofboringMonsieurLeon；andthelattertoldthemthathehadcometospendtwoyearsatRoueninalargeoffice，inordertogetpracticeinhisprofession，whichwasdifferentinNormandyandParis。ThenheinquiredafterBerthe，theHomais，MereLefrancois，andastheyhad，inthehusband’spresence，nothingmoretosaytooneanother，theconversationsooncametoanend。

Peoplecomingoutofthetheatrepassedalongthepavement，hummingorshoutingatthetopoftheirvoices，“Obelange，maLucie!*“ThenLeon，playingthedilettante，begantotalkmusic。

HehadseenTambourini，Rubini，Persiani，Grisi，and，comparedwiththem，Lagardy，despitehisgrandoutbursts，wasnowhere。

*Ohbeautifulangel，myLucie。

“Yet，“interruptedCharles，whowasslowlysippinghisrum-sherbet，“theysaythatheisquiteadmirableinthelastact。Iregretleavingbeforetheend，becauseitwasbeginningtoamuseme。“

“Why，“saidtheclerk，“hewillsoongiveanotherperformance。“

ButCharlesrepliedthattheyweregoingbacknextday。“Unless