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wondered。 She struck the notes with aplomb； and ran from top to
bottom of the keyboard without a break。 Thus shaken up； the old
instrument； whose strings buzzed； could be heard at the other end
of the village when the window was open； and often the bailiff's
clerk； passing along the highroad bare…headed and in list
slippers； stopped to listen； his sheet of paper in his hand。
Emma； on the other hand； knew how to look after her house。 She
sent the patients' accounts in well…phrased letters that had no
suggestion of a bill。 When they had a neighbour to dinner on
Sundays； she managed to have some tasty dishpiled up pyramids
of greengages on vine leaves； served up preserves turned out into
platesand even spoke of buying finger…glasses for dessert。 From
all this much consideration was extended to Bovary。
Charles finished by rising in his own esteem for possessing such
a wife。 He showed with pride in the sitting room two small pencil
sketched by her that he had had framed in very large frames； and
hung up against the wallpaper by long green cords。 People
returning from mass saw him at his door in his wool…work
slippers。
He came home lateat ten o'clock； at midnight sometimes。 Then he
asked for something to eat； and as the servant had gone to bed；
Emma waited on him。 He took off his coat to dine more at his
ease。 He told her； one after the other； the people he had met；
the villages where he had been； the prescriptions ha had written；
and； well pleased with himself； he finished the remainder of the
boiled beef and onions； picked pieces off the cheese； munched an
apple； emptied his water…bottle； and then went to bed； and lay on
his back and snored。
As he had been for a time accustomed to wear nightcaps； his
handkerchief would not keep down over his ears； so that his hair
in the morning was all tumbled pell…mell about his face and
whitened with the feathers of the pillow； whose strings came
untied during the night。 He always wore thick boots that had two
long creases over the instep running obliquely towards the ankle；
while the rest of the upper continued in a straight line as if
stretched on a wooden foot。 He said that 〃was quite good enough
for the country。〃
His mother approved of his economy； for she came to see him as
formerly when there had been some violent row at her place； and
yet Madame Bovary senior seemed prejudiced against her
daughter…in…law。 She thought 〃her ways too fine for their
position〃； the wood； the sugar； and the candles disappeared as
〃at a grand establishment；〃 and the amount of firing in the
kitchen would have been enough for twenty…five courses。 She put
her linen in order for her in the presses； and taught her to keep
an eye on the butcher when he brought the meat。 Emma put up with
these lessons。 Madame Bovary was lavish of them； and the words
〃daughter〃 and 〃mother〃 were exchanged all day long； accompanied
by little quiverings of the lips； each one uttering gentle words
in a voice trembling with anger。
In Madame Dubuc's time the old woman felt that she was still the
favorite； but now the love of Charles for Emma seemed to her a
desertion from her tenderness； an encroachment upon what was
hers； and she watched her son's happiness in sad silence； as a
ruined man looks through the windows at people dining in his old
house。 She recalled to him as remembrances her troubles and her
sacrifices； and； comparing these with Emma's negligence； came to
the conclusion that it was not reasonable to adore her so
exclusively。
Charles knew not what to answer： he respected his mother； and he
loved his wife infinitely； he considered the judgment of the one
infallible； and yet he thought the conduct of the other
irreproachable。 When Madam Bovary had gone； he tried timidly and
in the same terms to hazard one or two of the more anodyne
observations he had heard from his mamma。 Emma proved to him with
a word that he was mistaken； and sent him off to his patients。
And yet； in accord with theories she believed right； she wanted
to make herself in love with him。 By moonlight in the garden she
recited all the passionate rhymes she knew by heart； and；
sighing； sang to him many melancholy adagios； but she found
herself as calm after as before； and Charles seemed no more
amorous and no more moved。
When she had thus for a while struck the flint on her heart
without getting a spark； incapable； moreover； of understanding
what she did not experience as of believing anything that did not
present itself in conventional forms； she persuaded herself
without difficulty that Charles's passion was nothing very
exorbitant。 His outbursts became regular； he embraced her at
certain fixed times。 It was one habit among other habits； and；
like a dessert； looked forward to after the monotony of dinner。
A gamekeeper； cured by the doctor of inflammation of the lungs；
had given madame a little Italian greyhound； she took her out
walking； for she went out sometimes in order to be alone for a
moment； and not to see before her eyes the eternal garden and the
dusty road。 She went as far as the beeches of Banneville； near
the deserted pavilion which forms an angle of the wall on the
side of the country。 Amidst the vegetation of the ditch there are
long reeds with leaves that cut you。
She began by looking round her to see if nothing had changed
since last she had been there。 She found again in the same places
the foxgloves and wallflowers； the beds of nettles growing round
the big stones； and the patches of lichen along the three
windows； whose shutters； always closed； were rotting away on
their rusty iron bars。 Her thoughts； aimless at first； wandered
at random； like her greyhound； who ran round and round in the
fields； yelping after the yellow butterflies； chasing the
shrew…mice； or nibbling the poppies on the edge of a cornfield。
Then gradually her ideas took definite shape； and； sitting on the
grass that she dug up with little prods of her sunshade； Emma
repeated to herself； 〃Good heavens！ Why did I marry？〃
She asked herself if by some other chance combination it would
have not been possible to meet another man； and she tried to
imagine what would have been these unrealised events； this
different life； this unknown husband。 All； surely； could not be
like this one。 He might have been handsome； witty； distinguished；
attractive； such as； no doubt； her old companions of the convent
had married。 What were they doing now？ In town； with the noise of
the streets； the buzz of the theatres and the lights of the
ballroom； they were living lives where the heart expands； the
senses bourgeon out。 But sheher life was cold as a garret whose
dormer window looks on the north； and ennui； the silent spider；
was weaving its web in the darkness in every corner of her heart。
She recalled the prize days； when she mounted the platform to
receive her little crowns； with her hair in long plaits。 In her
white frock and open prunella shoes she had a pretty way； and
when she went back to her seat； the gentlemen bent over her to
congratulate her； the courtyard was full of carriages； farewells
were called to her through their windows； the music master with
his violin case bowed in pa