madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第37部分

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And　in　fact　she　held　out　her　hand　to　her　mother…in…law　with　the
dignity　of　a　marchioness　as　she　said
〃Excuse　me；　madame。〃
Then；　having　gone　up　again　to　her　room；　she　threw　herself　flat　on
her　bed　and　cried　there　like　a　child；　her　face　buried　in　the
pillow。
She　and　Rodolphe　had　agreed　that　in　the　event　of　anything
extraordinary　occurring；　she　should　fasten　a　small　piece　of　white
paper　to　the　blind；　so　that　if　by　chance　he　happened　to　be　in
Yonville；　he　could　hurry　to　the　lane　behind　the　house。　Emma　made
the　signal；　she　had　been　waiting　three…quarters　of　an　hour　when
she　suddenly　caught　sight　of　Rodolphe　at　the　corner　of　the
market。　She　felt　tempted　to　open　the　window　and　call　him；　but　he
had　already　disappeared。　She　fell　back　in　despair。
Soon；　however；　it　seemed　to　her　that　someone　was　walking　on　the
pavement。　It　was　he；　no　doubt。　She　went　downstairs；　crossed　the
yard。　He　was　there　outside。　She　threw　herself　into　his　arms。
〃Do　take　care！〃　he　said。
〃Ah！　if　you　knew！〃　she　replied。
And　she　began　telling　him　everything；　hurriedly；　disjointedly；
exaggerating　the　facts；　inventing　many；　and　so　prodigal　of
parentheses　that　he　understood　nothing　of　it。
〃Come；　my　poor　angel；　courage！　Be　comforted！　be　patient！〃
〃But　I　have　been　patient；　I　have　suffered　for　four　years。　A　love
like　ours　ought　to　show　itself　in　the　face　of　heaven。　They
torture　me！　I　can　bear　it　no　longer！　Save　me！〃
She　clung　to　Rodolphe。　Her　eyes；　full　of　tears；　flashed　like
flames　beneath　a　wave；　her　breast　heaved；　he　had　never　loved　her
so　much；　so　that　he　lost　his　head　and　said　〃What　is；　it？　What　do
you　wish？〃
〃Take　me　away；〃　she　cried；　〃carry　me　off！　Oh；　I　pray　you！〃
And　she　threw　herself　upon　his　mouth；　as　if　to　seize　there　the
unexpected　consent　if　breathed　forth　in　a　kiss。
〃But〃　Rodolphe　resumed。
〃What？〃
　
〃Your　little　girl！〃
She　reflected　a　few　moments；　then　replied
〃We　will　take　her！　It　can't　be　helped！〃
〃What　a　woman！〃　he　said　to　himself；　watching　her　as　she　went。　For
she　had　run　into　the　garden。　Someone　was　calling　her。
On　the　following　days　Madame　Bovary　senior　was　much　surprised　at
the　change　in　her　daughter…in…law。　Emma；　in　fact；　was　showing
herself　more　docile；　and　even　carried　her　deference　so　far　as　to
ask　for　a　recipe　for　pickling　gherkins。
Was　it　the　better　to　deceive　them　both？　Or　did　she　wish　by　a　sort
of　voluptuous　stoicism　to　feel　the　more　profoundly　the　bitterness
of　the　things　she　was　about　to　leave？
But　she　paid　no　heed　to　them；　on　the　contrary；　she　lived　as　lost
in　the　anticipated　delight　of　her　coming　happiness。
It　was　an　eternal　subject　for　conversation　with　Rodolphe。　She
leant　on　his　shoulder　murmuring
〃Ah！　when　we　are　in　the　mail…coach！　Do　you　think　about　it？　Can　it
be？　It　seems　to　me　that　the　moment　I　feel　the　carriage　start；　it
will　be　as　if　we　were　rising　in　a　balloon；　as　if　we　were　setting
out　for　the　clouds。　Do　you　know　that　I　count　the　hours？　And　you？〃
Never　had　Madame　Bovary　been　so　beautiful　as　at　this　period；　she
had　that　indefinable　beauty　that　results　from　joy；　from
enthusiasm；　from　success；　and　that　is　only　the　harmony　of
temperament　with　circumstances。　Her　desires；　her　sorrows；　the
experience　of　pleasure；　and　her　ever…young　illusions；　that　had；
as　soil　and　rain　and　winds　and　the　sun　make　flowers　grow；
gradually　developed　her；　and　she　at　length　blossomed　forth　in　all
the　plenitude　of　her　nature。　Her　eyelids　seemed　chiselled
expressly　for　her　long　amorous　looks　in　which　the　pupil
disappeared；　while　a　strong　inspiration　expanded　her　delicate
nostrils　and　raised　the　fleshy　corner　of　her　lips；　shaded　in　the
light　by　a　little　black　down。　One　would　have　thought　that　an
artist　apt　in　conception　had　arranged　the　curls　of　hair　upon　her
neck；　they　fell　in　a　thick　mass；　negligently；　and　with　the
changing　chances　of　their　adultery；　that　unbound　them　every　day。
Her　voice　now　took　more　mellow　infections；　her　figure　also；
something　subtle　and　penetrating　escaped　even　from　the　folds　of
her　gown　and　from　the　line　of　her　foot。　Charles；　as　when　they
were　first　married；　thought　her　delicious　and　quite　irresistible。
When　he　came　home　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　he　did　not　dare　to
wake　her。　The　porcelain　night…light　threw　a　round　trembling　gleam
upon　the　ceiling；　and　the　drawn　curtains　of　the　little　cot　formed
as　it　were　a　white　hut　standing　out　in　the　shade；　and　by　the
bedside　Charles　looked　at　them。　He　seemed　to　hear　the　light
breathing　of　his　child。　She　would　grow　big　now；　every　season
would　bring　rapid　progress。　He　already　saw　her　coming　from　school
as　the　day　drew　in；　laughing；　with　ink…stains　on　her　jacket；　and
carrying　her　basket　on　her　arm。　Then　she　would　have　to　be　sent　to
the　boarding…school；　that　would　cost　much；　how　was　it　to　be　done？
Then　he　reflected。　He　thought　of　hiring　a　small　farm　in　the
neighbourhood；　that　he　would　superintend　every　morning　on　his　way
to　his　patients。　He　would　save　up　what　he　brought　in；　he　would
put　it　in　the　savings…bank。　Then　he　would　buy　shares　somewhere；
no　matter　where；　besides；　his　practice　would　increase；　he　counted
upon　that；　for　he　wanted　Berthe　to　be　well…educated；　to　be
accomplished；　to　learn　to　play　the　piano。　Ah！　how　pretty　she
would　be　later　on　when　she　was　fifteen；　when；　resembling　her
mother；　she　would；　like　her；　wear　large　straw　hats　in　the
summer…time；　from　a　distance　they　would　be　taken　for　two　sisters。
He　pictured　her　to　himself　working　in　the　evening　by　their　side
beneath　the　light　of　the　lamp；　she　would　embroider　him　slippers；
she　would　look　after　the　house；　she　would　fill　all　the　home　with
her　charm　and　her　gaiety。　At　last；　they　would　think　of　her
marriage；　they　would　find　her　some　good　young　fellow　with　a
steady　business；　he　would　make　her　happy；　this　would　last　for
ever。
Emma　was　not　asleep；　she　pretended　to　be；　and　while　he　dozed　off
by　her　side　she　awakened　to　other　dreams。
To　the　gallop　of　four　horses　she　was　carried　away　for　a　week
towards　a　new　land；　whence　they　would　return　no　more。　They　went
on　and　on；　their　arms　entwined；　without　a　word。　Often　from　the
top　of　a　mountain　there　suddenly　glimpsed　some　splendid　city　with
domes；　and　bridges；　and　ships；　forests　of　citron　trees；　and
cathedrals　of　white　marble；　on　whose　pointed　steeples　were
storks'　nests。　They　went　at　a　walking…pace　because　of　the　great
flag…stones；　and　on　the　ground　there　were　bouquets　of　flowers；
offered　you　by　women　dressed　in　red　bodices。　They　heard　the　
chiming　of　bells；　the　neighing　of　mules；　together　with　the　murmur
of　guitars　and　the　noise　of　fountains；　whose　rising　spray
refreshed　heaps　of　fruit　arranged　like　a　pyramid　at　the　foot　of
pale　statues　that　smiled　beneath　playing　waters。　And　then；　one
night　they　came　to　a　fishing　village；　where　brown　nets　were
drying　in　the　wind　along　the　cliffs　and　in　front　of　the　huts。　It
was　there　that　they　would　stay；　they　would　live　in　a　low；
flat…roofed　house；　shaded　by　a　palm…tree；　in　the　heart　of　a　gulf；
by　the　sea。　They　would　row　in　gondolas；　swing　in　hammocks；　and
their　existence　would　be　easy　and　large　as　their　silk　gowns；　warm
and　star…spangled　as　the　nights　they　would　contemplate。　However；
in　the　immensity　of　this　future　that　she　conjured　up；　nothing
special　stood　forth；　the　days；　all　magnificent；　resembled
each　other　like　waves；　and　it　swayed　in　the　horizon；　infinite；
harmonised；　azure；　and　bathed　in　sunshine。　But　the　child　began　to
cough　in　her　cot　or　Bovary　snored　more　loudly；　and　Emma　did　not
fall　asleep　till　morning；　when　the　dawn　whitened　the　windows；　and
when　little　Justin　was　already　in　the　square　taking　down　the
shutters　of　the　chemist's　shop。
She　had　sent　for　Monsieur　Lheureux；　and　had　said　to　him
〃I　want　a　cloaka　large　lined　cloak　with　a　deep　collar。〃
〃You　are　going　on　a　journey？〃　he　asked。
〃No；　butnever　mind。　I　may　count　on　you；　may　I　not；　and
quickly？〃
He　bowed。
〃Besides；　I　shall　want；〃　she　went　on；　〃a　trunknot　too　heavy
handy。〃
〃Yes；　yes；　I　understand。　About　three　feet　by　a　foot　and　a　half；
as　they　are　being　made　just　now。〃
〃And　a　travelling　bag。〃
〃Decidedly；〃　thought　Lheureux。　〃there's　a　row　on　here。〃
〃And；〃　said　Madame　Bovary；　taking　her　watch　from　her　belt；　〃take
this；　you　can　pay　yourself　out　of　it。〃
But　the　tradesman　cried　out　that　she　was　wrong；　they　knew　one
another；　did　he　doubt　her？　What　childishness！
She　insisted；　however；　on　his　taking　at　least　the　chain；　and
Lheureux　had　already　put　it　in　his　pocket　and　was　going；　when　she
called　him　back。
〃You　will　leave　everything　at　your　place。　As　to　the　cloak〃she
seemed　to　be　reflecting〃do　not　bring　it　either；　you　can　give　me
the　maker's　address；　and　tell　him　to　have　it　ready　for　me。〃
It　was　the　next　month　that　they　were　to　run　away。　She　was　to
leave　Yonville　as　if　she　was　going　on　some　business　to　Rouen。
Rodolphe　would　have　booked　the　seats；　procured　the　passports；　and
even　have　written　to　Paris　in　order　to　have　the　whole　mail…coach
reserved　for　them　as　far　as　Marseilles；　where　they　would　buy　a
carriage；　and　go　on　thence　without　stopping　to　Genoa。　She　would
take　care　to　send　her　luggage　to　Lheureux　whence　it　would　be
taken　direct　to　the　〃Hirondelle；〃　so　that　no　one　would　have　any
suspicion。　And　in　all　this　there　never　was　any　allusion　to　the
child。　Rodolphe　avoided　speaking　of　her；　perhaps　he　no　longer
thought　about　it。
He　wished　to　have　two　more　weeks　before　him　to　arrange　some
affairs；　then　at　the　end　of　a　week　he　wanted　two　more；　then　he
said　he　was　ill；　next　he　went　on　a　journey。　The　month　of　August
passed；　and；　after　all　these　delays；　they　decided　that　it　was　to
be　irrevocably　fixed　for　the　4th　Septembera　Monday。
At　length　the　Saturday　before　arrived。
Rodolphe　came　in　the　evening　earlier　than　usual。
〃Everything　is　ready？〃　she　asked　him。
〃Yes。〃
Then　they　walked　round　a　garden…bed；　and　went　to　sit　down　near
the　terrace　on　the　kerb…stone　of　the　wall。
〃You　are　sad；〃　said　Emma。
〃No；　why？〃
And　yet　he　looked　at　her　strangely　in　a　tender　fashion。
〃It　is　because　you　are　going　away？〃　she　went　on；　〃because　you　are
leaving　what　is　dear　to　youyour　life？　Ah！　I　understand。　I　have
nothing　in　the　world！　you　are　all　to　me；　so　shall　I　be　to　you。　I
will　be　your　people；　your　country；　I　will　tend；　I　will　love　you！〃
〃How　sweet　you　are！〃　he　said；　seizing　her　in　his　ar