madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第30部分

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evening　he　appeared。
The　day　after　the　show　he　had　said　to　himself〃We　mustn't　go
back　too　soon；　that　would　be　a　mistake。〃
And　at　the　end　of　a　week　he　had　gone　off　hunting。　After　the
hunting　he　had　thought　it　was　too　late；　and　then　he　reasoned
thus
〃If　from　the　first　day　she　loved　me；　she　must　from　impatience　to
see　me　again　love　me　more。　Let's　go　on　with　it！〃
And　he　knew　that　his　calculation　had　been　right　when；　on　entering
the　room；　he　saw　Emma　turn　pale。
She　was　alone。　The　day　was　drawing　in。　The　small　muslin　curtain
along　the　windows　deepened　the　twilight；　and　the　gilding　of　the
barometer；　on　which　the　rays　of　the　sun　fell；　shone　in　the
looking…glass　between　the　meshes　of　the　coral。
Rodolphe　remained　standing；　and　Emma　hardly　answered　his　first
conventional　phrases。
〃I；〃　he　said；　〃have　been　busy。　I　have　been　ill。〃
〃Seriously？〃　she　cried。
〃Well；〃　said　Rodolphe；　sitting　down　at　her　side　on　a　footstool；
〃no；　it　was　because　I　did　not　want　to　come　back。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Can　you　not　guess？〃
He　looked　at　her　again；　but　so　hard　that　she　lowered　her　head；
blushing。　He　went　on
〃Emma！〃
〃Sir；〃　she　said；　drawing　back　a　little。
〃Ah！　you　see；〃　replied　he　in　a　melancholy　voice；　〃that　I　was
right　not　to　come　back；　for　this　name；　this　name　that　fills　my
whole　soul；　and　that　escaped　me；　you　forbid　me　to　use！　Madame
Bovary！　why　all　the　world　calls　you　thus！　Besides；　it　is　not　your
name；　it　is　the　name　of　another！〃
He　repeated；　〃of　another！〃　And　he　hid　his　face　in　his　hands。
〃Yes；　I　think　of　you　constantly。　The　memory　of　you　drives　me　to
despair。　Ah！　forgive　me！　I　will　leave　you！　Farewell！　I　will　go
far　away；　so　far　that　you　will　never　hear　of　me　again；　and　yet
to…dayI　know　not　what　force　impelled　me　towards　you。　For　one
does　not　struggle　against　Heaven；　one　cannot　resist　the　smile　of
angels；　one　is　carried　away　by　that　which　is　beautiful；　charming；
adorable。〃
It　was　the　first　time　that　Emma　had　heard　such　words　spoken　to
herself；　and　her　pride；　like　one　who　reposes　bathed　in　warmth；
expanded　softly　and　fully　at　this　glowing　language。
〃But　if　I　did　not　come；〃　he　continued；　〃if　I　could　not　see　you；
at　least　I　have　gazed　long　on　all　that　surrounds　you。　At
night…every　night…I　arose；　I　came　hither；　I　watched　your　house；
its　glimmering　in　the　moon；　the　trees　in　the　garden　swaying
before　your　window；　and　the　little　lamp；　a　gleam　shining　through
the　window…panes　in　the　darkness。　Ah！　you　never　knew　that　there；
so　near　you；　so　far　from　you；　was　a　poor　wretch！〃
She　turned　towards　him　with　a　sob。
〃Oh；　you　are　good！〃　she　said。
〃No；　I　love　you；　that　is　all！　You　do　not　doubt　that！　Tell　meone
wordonly　one　word！〃
And　Rodolphe　imperceptibly　glided　from　the　footstool　to　the
ground；　but　a　sound　of　wooden　shoes　was　heard　in　the　kitchen；　and
he　noticed　the　door　of　the　room　was　not　closed。
〃How　kind　it　would　be　of　you；〃　he　went　on；　rising；　〃if　you　would
humour　a　whim　of　mine。〃　It　was　to　go　over　her　house；　he　wanted　to
know　it；　and　Madame　Bovary　seeing　no　objection　to　this；　they　both
rose；　when　Charles　came　in。
〃Good　morning；　doctor；〃　Rodolphe　said　to　him。
The　doctor；　flattered　at　this　unexpected　title；　launched　out　into
obsequious　phrases。　Of　this　the　other　took　advantage　to　pull
himself　together　a　little。
〃Madame　was　speaking　to　me；〃　he　then　said；　〃about　her　health。〃
Charles　interrupted　him；　he　had　indeed　a　thousand　anxieties；　his
wife's　palpitations　of　the　heart　were　beginning　again。　Then
Rodolphe　asked　if　riding　would　not　be　good。
〃Certainly！　excellent！　just　the　thing！　There's　an　idea！　You　ought
to　follow　it　up。〃
And　as　she　objected　that　she　had　no　horse；　Monsieur　Rodolphe
offered　one。　She　refused　his　offer；　he　did　not　insist。　Then　to
explain　his　visit　he　said　that　his　ploughman；　the　man　of　the
blood…letting；　still　suffered　from　giddiness。
〃I'll　call　around；〃　said　Bovary。
〃No；　no！　I'll　send　him　to　you；　we'll　come；　that　will　be　more
convenient　for　you。〃
〃Ah！　very　good！　I　thank　you。〃
And　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　〃Why　don't　you　accept　Monsieur
Boulanger's　kind　offer？〃
She　assumed　a　sulky　air；　invented　a　thousand　excuses；　and　finally
declared　that　perhaps　it　would　look　odd。
〃Well；　what　the　deuce　do　I　care　for　that？〃　said　Charles；　making　a
pirouette。　〃Health　before　everything！　You　are　wrong。〃
〃And　how　do　you　think　I　can　ride　when　I　haven't　got　a　habit？〃
〃You　must　order　one；〃　he　answered。
The　riding…habit　decided　her。
When　the　habit　was　ready；　Charles　wrote　to　Monsieur　Boulanger
that　his　wife　was　at　his　command；　and　that　they　counted　on　his
good…nature。
The　next　day　at　noon　Rodolphe　appeared　at　Charles's　door　with　two
saddle…horses。　One　had　pink　rosettes　at　his　ears　and　a　deerskin
side…saddle。
Rodolphe　had　put　on　high　soft　boots；　saying　to　himself　that　no
doubt　she　had　never　seen　anything　like　them。　In　fact；　Emma　was
charmed　with　his　appearance　as　he　stood　on　the　landing　in　his
great　velvet　coat　and　white　corduroy　breeches。　She　was　ready；　she
was　waiting　for　him。
Justin　escaped　from　the　chemist's　to　see　her　start；　and　the
chemist　also　came　out。　He　was　giving　Monsieur　Boulanger　a　little
good　advice。
〃An　accident　happens　so　easily。　Be　careful！　Your　horses　perhaps
are　mettlesome。〃
She　heard　a　noise　above　her；　it　was　Felicite　drumming　on　the
windowpanes　to　amuse　little　Berthe。　The　child　blew　her　a　kiss；
her　mother　answered　with　a　wave　of　her　whip。
〃A　pleasant　ride！〃　cried　Monsieur　Homais。　〃Prudence！　above　all；
prudence！〃　And　he　flourished　his　newspaper　as　he　saw　them
disappear。
As　soon　as　he　felt　the　ground；　Emma's　horse　set　off　at　a　gallop。
Rodolphe　galloped　by　her　side。　Now　and　then　they　exchanged　a
word。　Her　figure　slightly　bent；　her　hand　well　up；　and　her　right
arm　stretched　out；　she　gave　herself　up　to　the　cadence　of　the
movement　that　rocked　her　in　her　saddle。　At　the　bottom　of　the　hill
Rodolphe　gave　his　horse　its　head；　they　started　together　at　a
bound；　then　at　the　top　suddenly　the　horses　stopped；　and　her　large
blue　veil　fell　about　her。
It　was　early　in　October。　There　was　fog　over　the　land。　Hazy　clouds
hovered　on　the　horizon　between　the　outlines　of　the　hills；　others；
rent　asunder；　floated　up　and　disappeared。　Sometimes　through　a
rift　in　the　clouds；　beneath　a　ray　of　sunshine；　gleamed　from　afar
the　roots　of　Yonville；　with　the　gardens　at　the　water's　edge；　the
yards；　the　walls　and　the　church　steeple。　Emma　half　closed　her
eyes　to　pick　out　her　house；　and　never　had　this　poor　village　where
she　lived　appeared　so　small。　From　the　height　on　which　they　were
the　whole　valley　seemed　an　immense　pale　lake　sending　off　its
vapour　into　the　air。　Clumps　of　trees　here　and　there　stood　out
like　black　rocks；　and　the　tall　lines　of　the　poplars　that　rose
above　the　mist　were　like　a　beach　stirred　by　the　wind。
By　the　side；　on　the　turf　between　the　pines；　a　brown　light
shimmered　in　the　warm　atmosphere。　The　earth；　ruddy　like　the
powder　of　tobacco；　deadened　the　noise　of　their　steps；　and　with
the　edge　of　their　shoes　the　horses　as　they　walked　kicked　the
fallen　fir　cones　in　front　of　them。
Rodolphe　and　Emma　thus　went　along　the　skirt　of　the　wood。　She
turned　away　from　time　to　time　to　avoid　his　look；　and　then　she　saw
only　the　pine　trunks　in　lines；　whose　monotonous　succession　made
her　a　little　giddy。　The　horses　were　panting；　the　leather　of　the
saddles　creaked。
Just　as　they　were　entering　the　forest　the　sun　shone　out。
〃God　protects　us！〃　said　Rodolphe。
〃Do　you　think　so？〃　she　said。
〃Forward！　forward！〃　he　continued。
He　〃tchk'd〃　with　his　tongue。　The　two　beasts　set　off　at　a　trot。
Long　ferns　by　the　roadside　caught　in　Emma's　stirrup。
Rodolphe　leant　forward　and　removed　them　as　they　rode　along。　At
other　times；　to　turn　aside　the　branches；　he　passed　close　to　her；
and　Emma　felt　his　knee　brushing　against　her　leg。　The　sky　was　now
blue；　the　leaves　no　longer　stirred。　There　were　spaces　full　of
heather　in　flower；　and　plots　of　violets　alternated　with　the
confused　patches　of　the　trees　that　were　grey；　fawn；　or　golden
coloured；　according　to　the　nature　of　their　leaves。　Often　in　the
thicket　was　heard　the　fluttering　of　wings；　or　else　the　hoarse；
soft　cry　of　the　ravens　flying　off　amidst　the　oaks。
They　dismounted。　Rodolphe　fastened　up　the　horses。　She　walked　on
in　front　on　the　moss　between　the　paths。　But　her　long　habit　got　in
her　way；　although　she　held　it　up　by　the　skirt；　and　Rodolphe；
walking　behind　her；　saw　between　the　black　cloth　and　the　black
shoe　the　fineness　of　her　white　stocking；　that　seemed　to　him　as　if
it　were　a　part　of　her　nakedness。
She　stopped。　〃I　am　tired；〃　she　said。
〃Come；　try　again；〃　he　went　on。　〃Courage！〃
Then　some　hundred　paces　farther　on　she　again　stopped；　and　through
her　veil；　that　fell　sideways　from　her　man's　hat　over　her　hips；
her　face　appeared　in　a　bluish　transparency　as　if　she　were
floating　under　azure　waves。
〃But　where　are　we　going？〃
He　did　not　answer。　She　was　breathing　irregularly。　Rodolphe　looked
round　him　biting　his　moustache。　They　came　to　a　larger　space　where
the　coppice　had　been　cut。　They　sat　down　on　the　trunk　of　a　fallen
tree；　and　Rodolphe　began　speaking　to　her　of　his　love。　He　did　not
begin　by　frightening　her　with　compliments。　He　was　calm；　serious；
melancholy。
Emma　listened　to　him　with　bowed　head；　and　stirred　the　bits　of
wood　on　the　ground　with　the　tip　of　her　foot。　But　at　the　words；
〃Are　not　our　destinies　now　one？〃
〃Oh；　no！　she　replied。　〃You　know　that　well。　It　is　impossible！〃
She　rose　to　go。　He　seized　her　by　the　wrist。　She　stopped。　Then；
having　gazed　at　him　for　a　few　moments　with　an　amorous　and　humid
look；　she　said　hurriedly
〃Ah！　do　not　speak　of　it　again！　Where　are　the　horses？　Let　us　go
back。〃
He　made　a　gesture　of　anger　and　annoyance。　She　repeated：
〃Where　are　the　horses？　Where　are　the　horses？〃
Then　smiling　a　strange　smile；　his　pupil　fixed；　his　teeth　set；　he
advanced　with　outstretched　arms。　She　recoiled　trembling。　She
stammered：
〃Oh；　you　frighten　me！　You　hurt　me！　Let　me　go！〃
〃If　it　must　be；〃　he　went　on；　his　face　changing；　and　he　again
became　respectful；　caressing；　timid。　She　gave　him　her　arm。　They
went　back。　He　said
〃What　was　the　matter　with　you？　Why？　I　do　not　understand。　You　were
mistaken；　no　doubt。　In　my　soul　you　are　as　a　Madonna　on　a
pedestal；　in　a　place　lofty；　secure；　immaculate。　But　I　need　you　to
live！　I　must　have　your　eyes；　your　voice；　your