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towards Emma。 He had taken her hands and pressed them； shuddering
at every beat of her heart； as at the shaking of a falling ruin。
As the death…rattle became stronger the priest prayed faster； his
prayers mingled with the stifled sobs of Bovary； and sometimes
all seemed lost in the muffled murmur of the Latin syllables that
tolled like a passing bell。
Suddenly on the pavement was heard a loud noise of clogs and the
clattering of a stick； and a voice rosea raucous voicethat
sang
〃Maids an the warmth of a summer day
Dream of love and of love always〃
Emma raised herself like a galvanised corpse； her hair undone；
her eyes fixed； staring。
〃Where the sickle blades have been；
Nannette； gathering ears of corn；
Passes bending down； my queen；
To the earth where they were born。〃
〃The blind man！〃 she cried。 And Emma began to laugh； an
atrocious； frantic； despairing laugh； thinking she saw the
hideous face of the poor wretch that stood out against the
eternal night like a menace。
〃The wind is strong this summer day；
Her petticoat has flown away。〃
She fell back upon the mattress in a convulsion。 They all drew
near。 She was dead。
Chapter Nine
There is always after the death of anyone a kind of stupefaction；
so difficult is it to grasp this advent of nothingness and to
resign ourselves to believe in it。 But still； when he saw that
she did not move； Charles threw himself upon her； crying
〃Farewell！ farewell！〃
Homais and Canivet dragged him from the room。
〃Restrain yourself 〃
〃Yes。〃 said he； struggling； 〃I'll be quiet。 I'll not do anything。
But leave me alone。 I want to see her。 She is my wife！〃
And he wept。
〃Cry；〃 said the chemist； 〃let nature take her course； that will
solace you。〃
Weaker than a child； Charles let himself be led downstairs into
the sitting…room； and Monsieur Homais soon went home。 On the
Place he was accosted by the blind man； who； having dragged
himself as far as Yonville； in the hope of getting the
antiphlogistic pomade； was asking every passer…by where the
druggist lived。
〃There now！ as if I hadn't got other fish to fry。 Well； so much
the worse； you must come later on。〃
And he entered the shop hurriedly。
He had to write two letters； to prepare a soothing potion for
Bovary； to invent some lie that would conceal the poisoning； and
work it up into an article for the 〃Fanal；〃 without counting the
people who were waiting to get the news from him； and when the
Yonvillers had all heard his story of the arsenic that she had
mistaken for sugar in making a vanilla cream。 Homais once more
returned to Bovary's。
He found him alone （Monsieur Canivet had left）； sitting in an
arm…chair near the window； staring with an idiotic look at the
flags of the floor。
〃Now；〃 said the chemist； 〃you ought yourself to fix the hour for
the ceremony。〃
〃Why？ What ceremony？〃 Then； in a stammering； frightened voice；
〃Oh； no！ not that。 No！ I want to see her here。〃
Homais； to keep himself in countenance； took up a water…bottle on
the whatnot to water the geraniums。
〃Ah！ thanks；〃 said Charles； 〃you are good。〃
But he did not finish； choking beneath the crowd of memories that
this action of the druggist recalled to him。
Then to distract him； Homais thought fit to talk a little
horticulture： plants wanted humidity。 Charles bowed his head in
sign of approbation。
〃Besides； the fine days will soon be here again。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Bovary。
The druggist； at his wit's end； began softly to draw aside the
small window…curtain。
〃Hallo！ there's Monsieur Tuvache passing。〃
Charles repeated like a machine…
〃Monsieur Tuvache passing！〃
Homais did not dare to speak to him again about the funeral
arrangements； it was the priest who succeeded in reconciling him
to them。
He shut himself up in his consulting…room； took a pen； and after
sobbing for some time； wrote
〃I wish her to be buried in her wedding…dress； with white shoes；
and a wreath。 Her hair is to be spread out over her shoulders。
Three coffins； one of oak； one of mahogany； one of lead。 Let no
one say anything to me。 I shall have strength。 Over all there is
to be placed a large piece of green velvet。 This is my wish； see
that it is done。〃
The two men were much surprised at Bovary's romantic ideas。 The
chemist at once went to him and said
〃This velvet seems to me a superfetation。 Besides； the expense〃
〃What's that to you？〃 cried Charles。 〃Leave me！ You did not love
her。 Go！〃
The priest took him by the arm for a turn in the garden。 He
discoursed on the vanity of earthly things。 God was very great；
was very good： one must submit to his decrees without a murmur；
nay； must even thank him。
Charles burst out into blasphemies： 〃I hate your God！〃
〃The spirit of rebellion is still upon you；〃 sighed the
ecclesiastic。
Bovary was far away。 He was walking with great strides along by
the wall； near the espalier； and he ground his teeth； he raised
to heaven looks of malediction； but not so much as a leaf
stirred。
A fine rain was falling： Charles； whose chest was bare； at last
began to shiver； he went in and sat down in the kitchen。
At six o'clock a noise like a clatter of old iron was heard on
the Place； it was the 〃Hirondelle〃 coming in； and he remained
with his forehead against the windowpane； watching all the
passengers get out； one after the other。 Felicite put down a
mattress for him in the drawing…room。 He threw himself upon it
and fell asleep。
Although a philosopher； Monsieur Homais respected the dead。 So
bearing no grudge to poor Charles； he came back again in the
evening to sit up with the body； bringing with him three volumes
and a pocket…book for taking notes。
Monsieur Bournisien was there； and two large candles were burning
at the head of the bed； that had been taken out of the alcove。
The druggist； on whom the silence weighed； was not long before he
began formulating some regrets about this 〃unfortunate young
woman。〃 and the priest replied that there was nothing to do now
but pray for her。
〃Yet；〃 Homais went on； 〃one of two things； either she died in a
state of grace （as the Church has it）； and then she has no need
of our prayers； or else she departed impertinent （that is； I
believe； the ecclesiastical expression）； and then〃
Bournisien interrupted him； replying testily that it was none the
less necessary to pray。
〃But；〃 objected the chemist； 〃since God knows all our needs； what
can be the good of prayer？〃
〃What！〃 cried the ecclesiastic； 〃prayer！ Why； aren't you a
Christian？〃
〃Excuse me；〃 said Homais； 〃I admire Christianity。 To begin with；
it enfranchised the slaves； introduced into the world a
morality〃
〃That isn't the question。 All the texts…〃
〃Oh！ oh！ As to texts； look at history； it； is known that all the
texts have been falsified by the Jesuits。〃
Charles came in； and advancing towards the bed； slowly drew the
curtains。
Emma's head was turned towards her right shoulder； the corner of
her mouth； which was open； seemed like a black hole at the lower
part of her face； her two thumbs were bent into the palms of her
hands； a kind of white dust besprinkled her lashes； and her eyes
were beginning to disappear in that viscous pallor that looks
like a thin web； as if spiders had spun it over。 The sheet sunk
in from her breast to her knees； and then rose at the tips of her
toes； and it seemed to Charles that infinite masses； an enormous
load； were weighing upon her。
The church clock struck two。 They could hear the loud murmur of
the river flowing in the darkness at the foot of the terrace。
Monsieur Bournisien from time to time blew his nose noisily； and
Homais' pen was scratching over the paper。
〃Come； my good friend；〃 he said； 〃withdraw； this spectacle is
tearing you to pieces。〃
Charles once gone； the chemist and the cure recommenced their
discussions。
〃Read Voltaire；〃 said the one； 〃read D'Holbach； read the
'Encyclopaedia'！〃
〃Read the 'Letters of some Portuguese Jews；'〃 said the other；
〃read 'The Meaning of Christianity；' by Nicolas； formerly a
magistrate。〃
They grew warm； they grew red； they both talked at once without
listening to each other。 Bournisien was scandalized at such
audacity； Homais marvelled at such stupidity； and they were on
the point of insulting one another when Cha