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hampers。 Hivert did not know whom to answer。 It was he who did
the errands of the place in town。 He went to the shops and
brought back rolls of leather for the shoemaker； old iron for the
farrier； a barrel of herrings for his mistress； caps from the
milliner's；l locks from the hair…dresser's and all along the road
on his return journey he distributed his parcels； which he threw；
standing upright on his seat and shouting at the top of his
voice； over the enclosures of the yards。
An accident had delayed him。 Madame Bovary's greyhound had run
across the field。 They had whistled for him a quarter of an hour；
Hivert had even gone back a mile and a half expecting every
moment to catch sight of her； but it had been necessary to go on。
Emma had wept； grown angry； she had accused Charles of this
misfortune。 Monsieur Lheureux； a draper； who happened to be in
the coach with her； had tried to console her by a number of
examples of lost dogs recognizing their masters at the end of
long years。 One； he said had been told of； who had come back to
Paris from Constantinople。 Another had gone one hundred and fifty
miles in a straight line； and swum four rivers； and his own
father had possessed a poodle； which； after twelve years of
absence； had all of a sudden jumped on his back in the street as
he was going to dine in town。
Chapter Two
Emma got out first； then Felicite； Monsieur Lheureux； and a
nurse； and they had to wake up Charles in his corner； where he
had slept soundly since night set in。
Homais introduced himself； he offered his homages to madame and
his respects to monsieur； said he was charmed to have been able
to render them some slight service； and added with a cordial air
that he had ventured to invite himself； his wife being away。
When Madame Bovary was in the kitchen she went up to the chimney。
With the tips of her fingers she caught her dress at the knee；
and having thus pulled it up to her ankle； held out her foot in
its black boot to the fire above the revolving leg of mutton。 The
flame lit up the whole of her； penetrating with a crude light the
woof of her gowns； the fine pores of her fair skin； and even her
eyelids； which she blinked now and again。 A great red glow passed
over her with the blowing of the wind through the half…open door。
On the other side of the chimney a young man with fair hair
watched her silently。
As he was a good deal bored at Yonville； where he was a clerk at
the notary's； Monsieur Guillaumin； Monsieur Leon Dupuis （it was
he who was the second habitue of the 〃Lion d'Or〃） frequently put
back his dinner…hour in hope that some traveler might come to the
inn； with whom he could chat in the evening。 On the days when his
work was done early； he had； for want of something else to do； to
come punctually； and endure from soup to cheese a tete…a…tete
with Binet。 It was therefore with delight that he accepted the
landlady's suggestion that he should dine in company with the
newcomers； and they passed into the large parlour where Madame
Lefrancois； for the purpose of showing off； had had the table
laid for four。
Homais asked to be allowed to keep on his skull…cap； for fear of
coryza； then； turning to his neighbour
〃Madame is no doubt a little fatigued； one gets jolted so
abominably in our 'Hirondelle。'〃
〃That is true；〃 replied Emma； 〃but moving about always amuses me。
I like change of place。〃
〃It is so tedious；〃 sighed the clerk； 〃to be always riveted to
the same places。〃
〃If you were like me；〃 said Charles； 〃constantly obliged to be in
the saddle〃
〃But；〃 Leon went on； addressing himself to Madame Bovary；
〃nothing； it seems to me； is more pleasantwhen one can；〃 he
added。
〃Moreover；〃 said the druggist； 〃the practice of medicine is not
very hard work in our part of the world； for the state of our
roads allows us the use of gigs； and generally； as the farmers
are prosperous； they pay pretty well。 We have； medically
speaking； besides the ordinary cases of enteritis； bronchitis；
bilious affections； etc。； now and then a few intermittent fevers
at harvest…time； but on the whole； little of a serious nature；
nothing special to note； unless it be a great deal of scrofula；
due； no doubt； to the deplorable hygienic conditions of our
peasant dwellings。 Ah！ you will find many prejudices to combat；
Monsieur Bovary； much obstinacy of routine； with which all the
efforts of your science will daily come into collision； for
people still have recourse to novenas； to relics； to the priest；
rather than come straight to the doctor of the chemist。 The
climate； however； is not； truth to tell； bad； and we even have a
few nonagenarians in our parish。 The thermometer （I have made
some observations） falls in winter to 4 degrees Centigrade at the
outside； which gives us 24 degrees Reaumur as the maximum； or
otherwise 54 degrees Fahrenheit （English scale）； not more。 And；
as a matter of fact； we are sheltered from the north winds by the
forest of Argueil on the one side； from the west winds by the St。
Jean range on the other； and this heat； moreover； which； on
account of the aqueous vapours given off by the river and the
considerable number of cattle in the fields； which； as you know；
exhale much ammonia； that is to say； nitrogen； hydrogen and
oxygen （no； nitrogen and hydrogen alone）； and which sucking up
into itself the humus from the ground； mixing together all those
different emanations； unites them into a stack； so to say； and
combining with the electricity diffused through the atmosphere；
when there is any； might in the long run； as in tropical
countries； engender insalubrious miasmatathis heat； I say；
finds itself perfectly tempered on the side whence it comes； or
rather whence it should comethat is to say； the southern side
by the south…eastern winds； which； having cooled themselves
passing over the Seine； reach us sometimes all at once like
breezes from Russia。〃
〃At any rate； you have some walks in the neighbourhood？〃
continued Madame Bovary； speaking to the young man。
〃Oh； very few；〃 he answered。 〃There is a place they call La
Pature； on the top of the hill； on the edge of the forest。
Sometimes； on Sundays； I go and stay there with a book； watching
the sunset。〃
〃I think there is nothing so admirable as sunsets；〃 she resumed；
〃but especially by the side of the sea。〃
〃Oh； I adore the sea！〃 said Monsieur Leon。
〃And then； does it not seem to you；〃 continued Madame Bovary；
〃that the mind travels more freely on this limitless expanse； the
contemplation of which elevates the soul； gives ideas of the
infinite； the ideal？〃
〃It is the same with mountainous landscapes；〃 continued Leon。 〃A
cousin of mine who travelled in Switzerland last year told me
that one could not picture to oneself the poetry of the lakes；
the charm of the waterfalls； the gigantic effect of the glaciers。
One sees pines of incredible size across torrents； cottages
suspended over precipices； and； a thousand feet below one； whole
valleys when the clouds open。 Such spectacles must stir to
enthusiasm； incline to prayer； to ecstasy； and I no longer marvel
at that celebrated musician who； the better to inspire his
imagination； was in the habit of playing the piano bef