第66章

OldRouaultonhiswaybackbeganquietlysmokingapipe，whichHomaisinhisinnermostconsciencethoughtnotquitethething。

HealsonoticedthatMonsieurBinethadnotbeenpresent，andthatTuvachehad“madeoff“aftermass，andthatTheodore，thenotary’sservantworeabluecoat，“asifonecouldnothavegotablackcoat，sincethatisthecustom，byJove!“Andtosharehisobservationswithothershewentfromgrouptogroup。TheyweredeploringEmma’sdeath，especiallyLheureux，whohadnotfailedtocometothefuneral。

“Poorlittlewoman!Whatatroubleforherhusband!“

Thedruggistcontinued，“Doyouknowthatbutformehewouldhavecommittedsomefatalattemptuponhimself？“

“Suchagoodwoman!TothinkthatIsawheronlylastSaturdayinmyshop。“

“Ihaven’thadleisure，“saidHomais，“toprepareafewwordsthatIwouldhavecastuponhertomb。“

Charlesongettinghomeundressed，andoldRouaultputonhisblueblouse。Itwasanewone，andashehadoftenduringthejourneywipedhiseyesonthesleeves，thedyehadstainedhisface，andthetracesoftearsmadelinesinthelayerofdustthatcoveredit。

MadameBovaryseniorwaswiththem。Allthreeweresilent。Atlasttheoldfellowsighed——

“Doyouremember，myfriend，thatIwenttoTostesoncewhenyouhadjustlostyourfirstdeceased？Iconsoledyouatthattime。I

thoughtofsomethingtosaythen，butnow——“Then，withaloudgroanthatshookhiswholechest，“Ah!thisistheendforme，doyousee!Isawmywifego，thenmyson，andnowto-dayit’smydaughter。“

HewantedtogobackatoncetoBertaux，sayingthathecouldnotsleepinthishouse。Heevenrefusedtoseehisgranddaughter。

“No，no!Itwouldgrievemetoomuch。Onlyyou’llkisshermanytimesforme。Good-bye!you’reagoodfellow!AndthenIshallneverforgetthat，“hesaid，slappinghisthigh。“Neverfear，youshallalwayshaveyourturkey。“

Butwhenhereachedthetopofthehillheturnedback，ashehadturnedoncebeforeontheroadofSaint-Victorwhenhehadpartedfromher。Thewindowsofthevillagewereallonfirebeneaththeslantingraysofthesunsinkingbehindthefield。Heputhishandoverhiseyes，andsawinthehorizonanenclosureofwalls，wheretreeshereandthereformedblackclustersbetweenwhitestones；thenhewentonhiswayatagentletrot，forhisnaghadgonelame。

Despitetheirfatigue，Charlesandhismotherstayedverylongthateveningtalkingtogether。Theyspokeofthedaysofthepastandofthefuture。ShewouldcometoliveatYonville；shewouldkeephouseforhim；theywouldneverpartagain。Shewasingeniousandcaressing，rejoicinginherheartatgainingoncemoreanaffectionthathadwanderedfromherforsomanyyears。

Midnightstruck。Thevillageasusualwassilent，andCharles，awake，thoughtalwaysofher。

Rodolphe，who，todistracthimself，hadbeenramblingaboutthewoodallday，wassleepingquietlyinhischateau，andLeon，downyonder，alwaysslept。

Therewasanotherwhoatthathourwasnotasleep。

Onthegravebetweenthepine-treesachildwasonhiskneesweeping，andhisheart，rentbysobs，wasbeatingintheshadowbeneaththeloadofanimmenseregret，sweeterthanthemoonandfathomlessasthenight。Thegatesuddenlygrated。