madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第14部分

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out；　showing　as　far　as　eye　can　follow　its　blond　cornfields。　The
water；　flowing　by　the　grass；　divides　with　a　white　line　the　colour
of　the　roads　and　of　the　plains；　and　the　country　is　like　a　great
unfolded　mantle　with　a　green　velvet　cape　bordered　with　a　fringe
of　silver。
Before　us；　on　the　verge　of　the　horizon；　lie　the　oaks　of　the
forest　of　Argueil；　with　the　steeps　of　the　Saint…Jean　hills
scarred　from　top　to　bottom　with　red　irregular　lines；　they　are
rain　tracks；　and　these　brick…tones　standing　out　in　narrow　streaks
against　the　grey　colour　of　the　mountain　are　due　to　the　quantity
of　iron　springs　that　flow　beyond　in　the　neighboring　country。
Here　we　are　on　the　confines　of　Normandy；　Picardy；　and　the
Ile…de…France；　a　bastard　land　whose　language　is　without　accent
and　its　landscape　is　without　character。　It　is　there　that　they
make　the　worst　Neufchatel　cheeses　of　all　the　arrondissement；　and；
on　the　other　hand；　farming　is　costly　because　so　much　manure　is
needed　to　enrich　this　friable　soil　full　of　sand　and　flints。
Up　to　1835　there　was　no　practicable　road　for　getting　to　Yonville；
but　about　this　time　a　cross…road　was　made　which　joins　that　of
Abbeville　to　that　of　Amiens；　and　is　occasionally　used　by　the
Rouen　wagoners　on　their　way　to　Flanders。　Yonville…l'Abbaye　has
remained　stationary　in　spite　of　its　〃new　outlet。〃　Instead　of
improving　the　soil；　they　persist　in　keeping　up　the　pasture　lands；
however　depreciated　they　may　be　in　value；　and　the　lazy　borough；
growing　away　from　the　plain；　has　naturally　spread　riverwards。　It
is　seem　from　afar　sprawling　along　the　banks　like　a　cowherd　taking
a　siesta　by　the　water…side。
At　the　foot　of　the　hill　beyond　the　bridge　begins　a　roadway；
planted　with　young　aspens；　that　leads　in　a　straight　line　to　the
first　houses　in　the　place。　These；　fenced　in　by　hedges；　are　in　the
middle　of　courtyards　full　of　straggling　buildings；　wine…presses；
cart…sheds　and　distilleries　scattered　under　thick　trees；　with
ladders；　poles；　or　scythes　hung　on　to　the　branches。　The　thatched
roofs；　like　fur　caps　drawn　over　eyes；　reach　down　over　about　a
third　of　the　low　windows；　whose　coarse　convex　glasses　have　knots
in　the　middle　like　the　bottoms　of　bottles。　Against　the　plaster
wall　diagonally　crossed　by　black　joists；　a　meagre　pear…tree
sometimes　leans　and　the　ground…floors　have　at　their　door　a　small
swing…gate　to　keep　out　the　chicks　that　come　pilfering　crumbs　of
bread　steeped　in　cider　on　the　threshold。　But　the　courtyards　grow
narrower；　the　houses　closer　together；　and　the　fences　disappear；　a
bundle　of　ferns　swings　under　a　window　from　the　end　of　a
broomstick；　there　is　a　blacksmith's　forge　and　then　a
wheelwright's；　with　two　or　three　new　carts　outside　that　partly
block　the　way。　Then　across　an　open　space　appears　a　white　house
beyond　a　grass　mound　ornamented　by　a　Cupid；　his　finger　on　his
lips；　two　brass　vases　are　at　each　end　of　a　flight　of　steps；
scutcheons*　blaze　upon　the　door。　It　is　the　notary's　house；　and
the　finest　in　the　place。
*The　panonceaux　that　have　to　be　hung　over　the　doors　of　notaries。
The　Church　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　twenty　paces
farther　down；　at　the　entrance　of　the　square。　The　little　cemetery
that　surrounds　it；　closed　in　by　a　wall　breast　high；　is　so　full　of
graves　that　the　old　stones；　level　with　the　ground；　form　a
continuous　pavement；　on　which　the　grass　of　itself　has　marked　out
regular　green　squares。　The　church　was　rebuilt　during　the　last
years　of　the　reign　of　Charles　X。　The　wooden　roof　is　beginning　to
rot　from　the　top；　and　here　and　there　has　black　hollows　in　its
blue　colour。　Over　the　door；　where　the　organ　should　be；　is　a　loft
for　the　men；　with　a　spiral　staircase　that　reverberates　under
their　wooden　shoes。
The　daylight　coming　through　the　plain　glass　windows　falls
obliquely　upon　the　pews　ranged　along　the　walls；　which　are　adorned
here　and　there　with　a　straw　mat　bearing　beneath　it　the　words　in
large　letters；　〃Mr。　So…and…so's　pew。〃　Farther　on；　at　a　spot　where
the　building　narrows；　the　confessional　forms　a　pendant　to　a
statuette　of　the　Virgin；　clothed　in　a　satin　robe；　coifed　with　a
tulle　veil　sprinkled　with　silver　stars；　and　with　red　cheeks；　like
an　idol　of　the　Sandwich　Islands；　and；　finally；　a　copy　of　the
〃Holy　Family；　presented　by　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；〃
overlooking　the　high　altar；　between　four　candlesticks；　closes　in
the　perspective。　The　choir　stalls；　of　deal　wood；　have　been　left
unpainted。
The　market；　that　is　to　say；　a　tiled　roof　supported　by　some　twenty
posts；　occupies　of　itself　about　half　the　public　square　of
Yonville。　The　town　hall；　constructed　〃from　the　designs　of　a　Paris
architect；〃　is　a　sort　of　Greek　temple　that　forms　the　corner　next
to　the　chemist's　shop。　On　the　ground…floor　are　three　Ionic
columns　and　on　the　first　floor　a　semicircular　gallery；　while　the
dome　that　crowns　it　is　occupied　by　a　Gallic　cock；　resting　one
foot　upon　the　〃Charte〃　and　holding　in　the　other　the　scales　of
Justice。
But　that　which　most　attracts　the　eye　is　opposite　the　Lion　d'Or
inn；　the　chemist's　shop　of　Monsieur　Homais。　In　the　evening
especially　its　argand　lamp　is　lit　up　and　the　red　and　green　jars
that　embellish　his　shop…front　throw　far　across　the　street　their
two　streams　of　colour；　then　across　them　as　if　in　Bengal　lights　is
seen　the　shadow　of　the　chemist　leaning　over　his　desk。　His　house
from　top　to　bottom　is　placarded　with　inscriptions　written　in
large　hand；　round　hand；　printed　hand：　〃Vichy；　Seltzer；　Barege
waters；　blood　purifiers；　Raspail　patent　medicine；　Arabian
racahout；　Darcet　lozenges；　Regnault　paste；　trusses；　baths；
hygienic　chocolate；〃　etc。　And　the　signboard；　which　takes　up　all
the　breadth　of　the　shop；　bears　in　gold　letters；　〃Homais；
Chemist。〃　Then　at　the　back　of　the　shop；　behind　the　great　scales
fixed　to　the　counter；　the　word　〃Laboratory〃　appears　on　a　scroll
above　a　glass　door；　which　about　half…way　up　once　more　repeats
〃Homais〃　in　gold　letters　on　a　black　ground。
Beyond　this　there　is　nothing　to　see　at　Yonville。　The　street　（the
only　one）　a　gunshot　in　length　and　flanked　by　a　few　shops　on
either　side　stops　short　at　the　turn　of　the　highroad。　If　it　is
left　on　the　right　hand　and　the　foot　of　the　Saint…Jean　hills
followed　the　cemetery　is　soon　reached。
At　the　time　of　the　cholera；　in　order　to　enlarge　this；　a　piece　of
wall　was　pulled　down；　and　three　acres　of　land　by　its　side
purchased；　but　all　the　new　portion　is　almost　tenantless；　the
tombs；　as　heretofore；　continue　to　crowd　together　towards　the
gate。　The　keeper；　who　is　at　once　gravedigger　and　church　beadle
（thus　making　a　double　profit　out　of　the　parish　corpses）；　has
taken　advantage　of　the　unused　plot　of　ground　to　plant　potatoes
there。　From　year　to　year；　however；　his　small　field　grows　smaller；
and　when　there　is　an　epidemic；　he　does　not　know　whether　to
rejoice　at　the　deaths　or　regret　the　burials。
〃You　live　on　the　dead；　Lestiboudois！〃　the　curie　at　last　said　to
him　one　day。　This　grim　remark　made　him　reflect；　it　checked　him
for　some　time；　but　to　this　day　he　carries　on　the　cultivation　of
his　little　tubers；　and　even　maintains　stoutly　that　they　grow
naturally。
Since　the　events　about　to　be　narrated；　nothing　in　fact　has
changed　at　Yonville。　The　tin　tricolour　flag　still　swings　at　the
top　of　the　church…steeple；　the　two　chintz　streamers　still　flutter
in　the　wind　from　the　linen…draper's；　the　chemist's　fetuses；　like
lumps　of　white　amadou；　rot　more　and　more　in　their　turbid　alcohol；
and　above　the　big　door　of　the　inn　the　old　golden　lion；　faded　by
rain；　still　shows　passers…by　its　poodle　mane。
On　the　evening　when　the　Bovarys　were　to　arrive　at　Yonville；　Widow
Lefrancois；　the　landlady　of　this　inn；　was　so　very　busy　that　she
sweated　great　drops　as　she　moved　her　saucepans。　To…morrow　was
market…day。　The　meat　had　to　be　cut　beforehand；　the　fowls　drawn；
the　soup　and　coffee　made。　Moreover；　she　had　the　boarders'　meal　to
see　to；　and　that　of　the　doctor；　his　wife；　and　their　servant；　the
billiard…room　was　echoing　with　bursts　of　laughter；　three　millers
in　a　small　parlour　were　calling　for　brandy；　the　wood　was　blazing；
the　brazen　pan　was　hissing；　and　on　the　long　kitchen　table；　amid
the　quarters　of　raw　mutton；　rose　piles　of　plates　that　rattled
with　the　shaking　of　the　block　on　which　spinach　was　being　chopped。
》From　the　poultry…yard　was　heard　the　screaming　of　the　fowls　whom
the　servant　was　chasing　in　order　to　wring　their　necks。
A　man　slightly　marked　with　small…pox；　in　green　leather　slippers；
and　wearing　a　velvet　cap　with　a　gold　tassel；　was　warming　his　back
at　the　chimney。　His　face　expressed　nothing　but　self…satisfaction；
and　he　appeared　to　take　life　as　calmly　as　the　goldfinch　suspended
over　his　head　in　its　wicker　cage：　this　was　the　chemist。
〃Artemise！〃　shouted　the　landlady；　〃chop　some　wood；　fill　the　water
bottles；　bring　some　brandy；　look　sharp！　If　only　I　knew　what
dessert　to　offer　the　guests　you　are　expecting！　Good　heavens！
Those　furniture…movers　are　beginning　their　racket　in　the
billiard…room　again；　and　their　van　has　been　left　before　the　front
door！　The　'Hirondelle'　might　run　into　it　when　it　draws　up。　Call
Polyte　and　tell　him　to　put　it　up。　Only　think；　Monsieur　Homais；
that　since　morning　they　have　had　about　fifteen　games；　and　drunk
eight　jars　of　cider！　Why；　they'll　tear　my　cloth　for　me；〃　she　went
on；　looking　at　them　from　a　distance；　her　strainer　in　her　hand。
〃That　wouldn't　be　much　of　a　loss；〃　replied　Monsieur　Homais。　〃You
would　buy　another。〃
〃Another　billiard…table！〃　exclaimed　the　widow。
〃Since　that　one　is　coming　to　pieces；　Madame　Lefrancois。　I　tell
you　again　you　are　doing　yourself　harm；　much　harm！　And　besides；
players　now　want　narrow　pockets　and　heavy　cues。　Hazards　aren't
played　now；　everything　is　changed！　One　must　keep　pace　with　the
times！　Just　look　at　Tellier！〃
The　hostess　reddened　with　vexation。　The　chemist　went　on
〃You　may　say　what　you　like；　his　table　is　better　than　yours；　and
if　one　were　to　think；　for　example；　of　getting　up　a　patriotic　pool
for　Poland　or　the　sufferers　from　the　Lyons　floods〃
〃It　isn't　beggars　like　him　that'll　frighten　us；〃　interrupted　the
landlady；　shrugging　her　fat　shoulders。　〃Come；　come；　Monsieur
Homais；　as　long　as　the　'Lion　d'Or'　exists　people　will　come　to　it。
We've　feathered　our　nest；　while　one　of　these　days　you'll　find　the
'Cafe　Francais'　closed　with　a　big　placard　on　t