按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Sometimes even； half…rising； he delicately pointed out to madame
the tenderest morsel； or turning to the servant； gave her some
advice on the manipulation of stews and the hygiene of seasoning。
He talked aroma； osmazome； juices； and gelatine in a bewildering
manner。 Moreover； Homais； with his head fuller of recipes than
his shop of jars； excelled in making all kinds of preserves；
vinegars； and sweet liqueurs； he knew also all the latest
inventions in economic stoves； together with the art of
preserving cheese and of curing sick wines。
At eight o'clock Justin came to fetch him to shut up the shop。
Then Monsieur Homais gave him a sly look； especially if Felicite
was there； for he half noticed that his apprentice was fond of
the doctor's house。
〃The young dog；〃 he said； 〃is beginning to have ideas； and the
devil take me if I don't believe he's in love with your servant！〃
But a more serious fault with which he reproached Justin was his
constantly listening to conversation。 On Sunday； for example； one
could not get him out of the drawing…room； whither Madame Homais
had called him to fetch the children； who were falling asleep in
the arm…chairs； and dragging down with their backs calico
chair…covers that were too large。
Not many people came to these soirees at the chemist's； his
scandal…mongering and political opinions having successfully
alienated various respectable persons from him。 The clerk never
failed to be there。 As soon as he heard the bell he ran to meet
Madame Bovary； took her shawl； and put away under the
shop…counter the thick list shoes that she wore over her boots
when there was snow。
First they played some hands at trente…et…un； next Monsieur
Homais played ecarte with Emma； Leon behind her gave her advice。
Standing up with his hands on the back of her chair he saw the
teeth of her comb that bit into her chignon。 With every movement
that she made to throw her cards the right side of her dress was
drawn up。 From her turned…up hair a dark colour fell over her
back； and growing gradually paler； lost itself little by little
in the shade。 Then her dress fell on both sides of her chair；
puffing out full of folds； and reached the ground。 When Leon
occasionally felt the sole of his boot resting on it； he drew
back as if he had trodden upon some one。
When the game of cards was over； the druggist and the Doctor
played dominoes； and Emma； changing her place； leant her elbow on
the table； turning over the leaves of L'Illustration。〃 She had
brought her ladies' journal with her。 Leon sat down near her；
they looked at the engravings together； and waited for one
another at the bottom of the pages。 She often begged him to read
her the verses； Leon declaimed them in a languid voice； to which
he carefully gave a dying fall in the love passages。 But the
noise of the dominoes annoyed him。 Monsieur Homais was strong at
the game； he could beat Charles and give him a double…six。 Then
the three hundred finished； they both stretched themselves out in
front of the fire； and were soon asleep。 The fire was dying out
in the cinders； the teapot was empty； Leon was still reading。
Emma listened to him； mechanically turning around the lampshade；
on the gauze of which were painted clowns in carriages； and
tight…rope dances with their balancing…poles。 Leon stopped；
pointing with a gesture to his sleeping audience； then they
talked in low tones； and their conversation seemed the more sweet
to them because it was unheard。
Thus a kind of bond was established between them； a constant
commerce of books and of romances。 Monsieur Bovary； little given
to jealousy； did not trouble himself about it。
On his birthday he received a beautiful phrenological head； all
marked with figures to the thorax and painted blue。 This was an
attention of the clerk's。 He showed him many others； even to
doing errands for him at Rouen； and the book of a novelist having
made the mania for cactuses fashionable； Leon bought some for
Madame Bovary； bringing them back on his knees in the
〃Hirondelle；〃 pricking his fingers on their hard hairs。
She had a board with a balustrade fixed against her window to
hold the pots。 The clerk； too； had his small hanging garden； they
saw each other tending their flowers at their windows。
Of the windows of the village there was one yet more often
occupied； for on Sundays from morning to night； and every morning
when the weather was bright； one could see at the dormer…window
of the garret the profile of Monsieur Binet bending over his
lathe； whose monotonous humming could be heard at the Lion d'Or。
One evening on coming home Leon found in his room a rug in velvet
and wool with leaves on a pale ground。 He called Madame Homais；
Monsieur Homais； Justin； the children； the cook； he spoke of it
to his chief； every one wanted to see this rug。 Why did the
doctor's wife give the clerk presents？ It looked queer。 They
decided that she must be his lover。
He made this seem likely； so ceaselessly did he talk of her
charms and of her wit； so much so； that Binet once roughly
answered him
〃What does it matter to me since I'm not in her set？〃
He tortured himself to find out how he could make his declaration
to her； and always halting between the fear of displeasing her
and the shame of being such a coward； he wept with discouragement
and desire。 Then he took energetic resolutions； wrote letters
that he tore up； put it off to times that he again deferred。
Often he set out with the determination to dare all； but this
resolution soon deserted him in Emma's presence； and when
Charles； dropping in； invited him to jump into his chaise to go
with him to see some patient in the neighbourhood； he at once
accepted； bowed to madame； and went out。 Her husband； was he not
something belonging to her？ As to Emma； she did not ask herself
whether she loved。 Love； she thought； must come suddenly； with
great outbursts and lightnings a hurricane of the skies； which
falls upon life； revolutionises it； roots up the will like a
leaf； and sweeps the whole heart into the abyss。 She did not know
that on the terrace of houses it makes lakes when the pipes are
choked； and she would thus have remained in her security when she
suddenly discovered a rent in the wall of it。
Chapter Five
It was a Sunday in February； an afternoon when the snow was
falling。
They had all； Monsieur and Madame Bovary； Homais； and Monsieur
Leon； gone to see a yarn…mill that was being built in the valley
a mile and a half from Yonville。 The druggist had taken Napoleon
and Athalie to give them some exercise； and Justin accompanied
them； carrying the umbrellas on his shoulder。
Nothing； however； could be less curious than this curiosity。 A
great piece of waste ground； on which pell…mell； amid a mass of
sand and stones； were a few break…wheels； already rusty；
surrounded by a quadrangular building pierced by a number of
little windows。 The building was unfinished； the sky could be
seen through the joists of the roofing。 Attached to the
stop…plank of the gable a bunch of straw mixed with corn…ears
fluttered its tricoloured ribbons in the wind。
Homais was talking。 He explained to the company the future
importance of this establishment； computed the strength of the
floorings； the thickness of the walls； and regretted extremely
not having a yard…stick such as Monsieur Binet possessed for his
own special use。
Emma； who had taken his arm； bent lightly against his shoulder；
and she looked at the sun's disc shedding afar through the mist
his pale splendour。 She turned。 Charles was there。 His cap was
drawn down over his eyebrows； and his two thick lips were
trembling； which added a look of stupidity to his face； his very
back； his calm back； was irritating to behold； and she saw
written upon his coat all the platitude of the bearer。
While she was considering him thus； tasting in her irritation a
sort of depraved pleasure； Leon made a step forward。 The cold
that made him pale seemed to add a more gentle languor to his
face； between his cravat and his neck the somewhat loose collar
of his shirt showed the skin； the lobe of his ear looked out from
beneath a lock of hair； and his large blue eyes； raised to the
clouds