第56章

Sheslippedawaysuddenly，threwoffhercostume，toldLeonshemustgetback，andatlastwasaloneattheHoteldeBoulogne。

Everything，evenherself，wasnowunbearabletoher。Shewishedthat，takingwinglikeabird，shecouldflysomewhere，farawaytoregionsofpurity，andtheregrowyoungagain。

Shewentout，crossedtheBoulevard，thePlaceCauchoise，andtheFaubourg，asfarasanopenstreetthatoverlookedsomegardens。

Shewalkedrapidly；thefreshaircalmingher；and，littlebylittle，thefacesofthecrowd，themasks，thequadrilles，thelights，thesupper，thosewomen，alldisappearedlikemistsfadingaway。Then，reachingthe“Croix-Rouge，“shethrewherselfonthebedinherlittleroomonthesecondfloor，wheretherewerepicturesofthe“TourdeNesle。“Atfouro’clockHivertawokeher。

Whenshegothome，Feliciteshowedherbehindtheclockagreypaper。Sheread——

“Invirtueoftheseizureinexecutionofajudgment。“

Whatjudgment？Asamatteroffact，theeveningbeforeanotherpaperhadbeenbroughtthatshehadnotyetseen，andshewasstunnedbythesewords——

“Byorderoftheking，law，andjustice，toMadameBovary。“Then，skippingseverallines，sheread，“Withintwenty-fourhours，withoutfail——“Butwhat？“Topaythesumofeightthousandfrancs。“Andtherewasevenatthebottom，“Shewillbeconstrainedtheretobyeveryformoflaw，andnotablybyawritofdistraintonherfurnitureandeffects。“

Whatwastobedone？Intwenty-fourhours——tomorrow。Lheureux，shethought，wantedtofrightenheragain；forshesawthroughallhisdevices，theobjectofhiskindnesses。Whatreassuredherwastheverymagnitudeofthesum。

However，bydintofbuyingandnotpaying，ofborrowing，signingbills，andrenewingthesebillsthatgrewateachnewfalling-in，shehadendedbypreparingacapitalforMonsieurLheureuxwhichhewasimpatientlyawaitingforhisspeculations。

Shepresentedherselfathisplacewithanoffhandair。

“Youknowwhathashappenedtome？Nodoubtit’sajoke!“

“Howso？“

Heturnedawayslowly，and，foldinghisarms，saidtoher——

“Mygoodlady，didyouthinkIshouldgoontoalleternitybeingyourpurveyorandbanker，fortheloveofGod？Nowbejust。I

mustgetbackwhatI’velaidout。Nowbejust。“

Shecriedoutagainstthedebt。

“Ah!somuchtheworse。Thecourthasadmittedit。There’sajudgment。It’sbeennotifiedtoyou。Besides，itisn’tmyfault。

It’sVincart’s。“

“Couldyounot——？