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be pitied with such a lot of thieves！ Besides； he was also rude。
I heard from a pedlar； who； travelling through your part of the
country this winter； had a tooth drawn； that Bovary was as usual
working hard。 That doesn't surprise me； and he showed me his
tooth； we had some coffee together。 I asked him if he had seen
you； and he said not； but that he had seen two horses in the
stables； from which I conclude that business is looking up。 So
much the better； my dear children； and may God send you every
imaginable happiness！ It grieves me not yet to have seen my dear
little grand…daughter； Berthe Bovary。 I have planted an Orleans
plum…tree for her in the garden under your room； and I won't have
it touched unless it is to have jam made for her by and bye； that
I will keep in the cupboard for her when she comes。
〃Good…bye； my dear children。 I kiss you； my girl； you too； my
son…in…law； and the little one on both cheeks。 I am； with best
compliments； your loving father。
〃Theodore Rouault。〃
She held the coarse paper in her fingers for some minutes。 The
spelling mistakes were interwoven one with the other； and Emma
followed the kindly thought that cackled right through it like a
hen half hidden in the hedge of thorns。 The writing had been
dried with ashes from the hearth； for a little grey powder
slipped from the letter on to her dress； and she almost thought
she saw her father bending over the hearth to take up the tongs。
How long since she had been with him； sitting on the footstool in
the chimney…corner； where she used to burn the end of a bit of
wood in the great flame of the sea…sedges！ She remembered the
summer evenings all full of sunshine。 The colts neighed when
anyone passed by； and galloped； galloped。 Under her window there
was a beehive； and sometimes the bees wheeling round in the light
struck against her window like rebounding balls of gold。 What
happiness there had been at that time； what freedom； what hope！
What an abundance of illusions！ Nothing was left of them now。 She
had got rid of them all in her soul's life； in all her successive
conditions of lifemaidenhood； her marriage； and her lovethus
constantly losing them all her life through； like a traveller who
leaves something of his wealth at every inn along his road。
But what then； made her so unhappy？ What was the extraordinary
catastrophe that had transformed her？ And she raised her head；
looking round as if to seek the cause of that which made her
suffer。
An April ray was dancing on the china of the whatnot； the fire
burned； beneath her slippers she felt the softness of the carpet；
the day was bright； the air warm； and she heard her child
shouting with laughter。
In fact； the little girl was just then rolling on the lawn in the
midst of the grass that was being turned。 She was lying flat on
her stomach at the top of a rick。 The servant was holding her by
her skirt。 Lestiboudois was raking by her side； and every time he
came near she lent forward； beating the air with both her arms。
〃Bring her to me；〃 said her mother； rushing to embrace her。 〃How
I love you； my poor child！ How I love you！〃
Then noticing that the tips of her ears were rather dirty； she
rang at once for warm water； and washed her； changed her linen；
her stockings； her shoes； asked a thousand questions about her
health； as if on the return from a long journey； and finally；
kissing her again and crying a little； she gave her back to the
servant； who stood quite thunderstricken at this excess of
tenderness。
That evening Rodolphe found her more serious than usual。
〃That will pass over；〃 he concluded； 〃it's a whim：〃
And he missed three rendezvous running。 When he did come； she
showed herself cold and almost contemptuous。
〃Ah！ you're losing your time； my lady！〃
And he pretended not to notice her melancholy sighs； nor the
handkerchief she took out。
Then Emma repented。 She even asked herself why she detested
Charles； if it had not been better to have been able to love him？
But he gave her no opportunities for such a revival of sentiment；
so that she was much embarrassed by her desire for sacrifice；
when the druggist came just in time to provide her with an
opportunity。
Chapter Eleven
He had recently read a eulogy on a new method for curing
club…foot； and as he was a partisan of progress； he conceived the
patriotic idea that Yonville； in order to keep to the fore； ought
to have some operations for strephopody or club…foot。
〃For；〃 said he to Emma； 〃what risk is there？ See〃 （and he
enumerated on his fingers the advantages of the attempt）；
〃success； almost certain relief and beautifying of the patient；
celebrity acquired by the operator。 Why； for example； should not
your husband relieve poor Hippolyte of the 'Lion d'Or'？ Note that
he would not fail to tell about his cure to all the travellers；
and then〃 （Homais lowered his voice and looked round him） 〃who is
to prevent me from sending a short paragraph on the subject to
the paper？ Eh！ goodness me！ an article gets about； it is talked
of； it ends by making a snowball！ And who knows？ who knows？〃
In fact； Bovary might succeed。 Nothing proved to Emma that he was
not clever； and what a satisfaction for her to have urged him to
a step by which his reputation and fortune would be increased！
She only wished to lean on something more solid than love。
Charles； urged by the druggist and by her； allowed himself to be
persuaded。 He sent to Rouen for Dr。 Duval's volume； and every
evening； holding his head between both hands； plunged into the
reading of it。
While he was studying equinus； varus； and valgus； that is to say；
katastrephopody； endostrephopody； and exostrephopody （or better；
the various turnings of the foot downwards； inwards； and
outwards； with the hypostrephopody and anastrephopody）； otherwise
torsion downwards and upwards； Monsier Homais； with all sorts of
arguments； was exhorting the lad at the inn to submit to the
operation。
〃You will scarcely feel； probably； a slight pain； it is a simple
prick； like a little blood…letting； less than the extraction of
certain corns。〃
Hippolyte； reflecting； rolled his stupid eyes。
〃However；〃 continued the chemist； 〃it doesn't concern me。 It's
for your sake； for pure humanity！ I should like to see you； my
friend； rid of your hideous caudication； together with that
waddling of the lumbar regions which； whatever you say； must
considerably interfere with you in the exercise of your calling。〃
Then Homais represented to him how much jollier and brisker he
would feel afterwards； and even gave him to understand that he
would be more likely to please the women； and the stable…boy
began to smile heavily。 Then he attacked him through his vanity：
〃Aren't you a man？ Hang it！ what would you have done if you had
had to go into the army； to go and fight beneath the standard？
Ah！ Hippolyte！〃
And Homais retired； declaring that he could not understand this
obstinacy； this blindness in refusing the benefactions of
science。
The poor fellow gave way； for it was like a conspiracy。 Binet；
who never interfered with other people's business； Madame
Lefrancois； Artemise； the neighbours； even the mayor； Monsieur
Tuvacheeveryone persuaded him； lectured him； shamed him； but
what finally decided him was that it would cost him nothing。
Bovary even undertook to provide the machine for the operation。
This generosity was an idea of Emma's； and Charles consented to
it； thinking in his heart of hearts that his wife was an angel。
So by the advice of the chemist； and after three fresh starts； he
had a kind of box made by the carpenter； with the aid of the
locksmith； that weighed about eight pounds； and in which iron；
wood； sheer…iron； leather； screws； and nuts had not been spared。
But to know which of Hippolyte's tendons to cut； it was necessary
first of all to find out what kind of club…foot he had。
He had a foot forming almost a straight line with the leg； which；
however； did not prevent it from being turned in； so that it was
an equinus together with something of a varus； or else a slight
varus with a strong tendency to equinus。 But with this equinus；
wide in foot like a horse's hoof； with rugose skin； dry tendons；
and large toes； on which