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！
〃What surprises you in that？ He absents himself like that from
time to time for a change； and； ma foi； I think he's right； when
one has a fortune and is a bachelor。 Besides； he has jolly times；
has our friend。 He's a bit of a rake。 Monsieur Langlois told me〃
He stopped for propriety's sake because the servant came in。 She
put back into the basket the apricots scattered on the sideboard。
Charles； without noticing his wife's colour； had them brought to
him； took one； and bit into it。
〃Ah！ perfect！〃 said he； 〃just taste！〃
And he handed her the basket； which she put away from her gently。
〃Do just smell！ What an odour！〃 he remarked； passing it under her
nose several times。
〃I am choking；〃 she cried； leaping up。 But by an effort of will
the spasm passed； then
〃It is nothing；〃 she said； 〃it is nothing！ It is nervousness。 Sit
down and go on eating。〃 For she dreaded lest he should begin
questioning her； attending to her； that she should not be left
alone。
Charles； to obey her； sat down again； and he spat the stones of
the apricots into his hands； afterwards putting them on his
plate。
Suddenly a blue tilbury passed across the square at a rapid trot。
Emma uttered a cry and fell back rigid to the ground。
In fact； Rodolphe； after many reflections； had decided to set out
for Rouen。 Now； as from La Huchette to Buchy there is no other
way than by Yonville； he had to go through the village； and Emma
had recognised him by the rays of the lanterns； which like
lightning flashed through the twilight。
The chemist； at the tumult which broke out in the house ran
thither。 The table with all the plates was upset； sauce； meat；
knives； the salt； and cruet…stand were strewn over the room；
Charles was calling for help； Berthe； scared； was crying； and
Felicite； whose hands trembled； was unlacing her mistress； whose
whole body shivered convulsively。
〃I'll run to my laboratory for some aromatic vinegar；〃 said the
druggist。
Then as she opened her eyes on smelling the bottle
〃I was sure of it；〃 he remarked； 〃that would wake any dead person
for you！〃
〃Speak to us；〃 said Charles； 〃collect yourself； it is your
Charles； who loves you。 Do you know me？ See！ here is your little
girl！ Oh； kiss her！〃
The child stretched out her arms to her mother to cling to her
neck。 But turning away her head； Emma said in a broken voice
〃No； no！ no one！〃
She fainted again。 They carried her to her bed。 She lay there
stretched at full length； her lips apart； her eyelids closed； her
hands open； motionless； and white as a waxen image。 Two streams
of tears flowed from her eyes and fell slowly upon the pillow。
Charles； standing up； was at the back of the alcove； and the
chemist； near him； maintained that meditative silence that is
becoming on the serious occasions of life。
〃Do not be uneasy；〃 he said； touching his elbow； 〃I think the
paroxysm is past。〃
〃Yes； she is resting a little now；〃 answered Charles； watching
her sleep。 〃Poor girl！ poor girl！ She had gone off now！〃
Then Homais asked how the accident had come about。 Charles
answered that she had been taken ill suddenly while she was
eating some apricots。
〃Extraordinary！〃 continued the chemist。 〃But it might be that the
apricots had brought on the syncope。 Some natures are so
sensitive to certain smells； and it would even be a very fine
question to study both in its pathological and physiological
relation。 The priests know the importance of it； they who have
introduced aromatics into all their ceremonies。 It is to stupefy
the senses and to bring on ecstasiesa thing； moreover； very
easy in persons of the weaker sex； who are more delicate than the
other。 Some are cited who faint at the smell of burnt hartshorn；
of new bread〃
〃Take care； you'll wake her！〃 said Bovary in a low voice。
〃And not only；〃 the druggist went on； 〃are human beings subject
to such anomalies； but animals also。 Thus you are not ignorant of
the singularly aphrodisiac effect produced by the Nepeta cataria；
vulgarly called catmint； on the feline race； and； on the other
hand； to quote an example whose authenticity I can answer for。
Bridaux （one of my old comrades； at present established in the
Rue Malpalu） possesses a dog that falls into convulsions as soon
as you hold out a snuff…box to him。 He often even makes the
experiment before his friends at his summer…house at Guillaume
Wood。 Would anyone believe that a simple sternutation could
produce such ravages on a quadrupedal organism？ It is extremely
curious； is it not？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Charles； who was not listening to him。
〃This shows us；〃 went on the other； smiling with benign
self…sufficiency； 〃the innumerable irregularities of the nervous
system。 With regard to madame； she has always seemed to me； I
confess； very susceptible。 And so I should by no means recommend
to you； my dear friend； any of those so…called remedies that；
under the pretence of attacking the symptoms； attack the
constitution。 No； no useless physicking！ Diet； that is all；
sedatives； emollients； dulcification。 Then； don't you think that
perhaps her imagination should be worked upon？〃
〃In what way？ How？〃 said Bovary。
〃Ah！ that is it。 Such is indeed the question。 'That is the
question；' as I lately read in a newspaper。〃
But Emma； awaking； cried out
〃The letter！ the letter！〃
They thought she was delirious； and she was by midnight。
Brain…fever had set in。
For forty…three days Charles did not leave her。 He gave up all
his patients； he no longer went to bed； he was constantly feeling
her pulse； putting on sinapisms and cold…water compresses。 He
sent Justin as far as Neufchatel for ice； the ice melted on the
way； he sent him back again。 He called Monsieur Canivet into
consultation； he sent for Dr。 Lariviere； his old master； from
Rouen； he was in despair。 What alarmed him most was Emma's
prostration； for she did not speak； did not listen； did not even
seem to suffer； as if her body and soul were both resting
together after all their troubles。
About the middle of October she could sit up in bed supported by
pillows。 Charles wept when he saw her eat her first
bread…and…jelly。 Her strength returned to her； she got up for a
few hours of an afternoon； and one day； when she felt better； he
tried to take her； leaning on his arm； for a walk round the
garden。 The sand of the paths was disappearing beneath the dead
leaves； she walked slowly； dragging along her slippers； and
leaning against Charles's shoulder。 She smiled all the time。
They went thus to the bottom of the garden near the terrace。 She
drew herself up slowly； shading her eyes with her hand to look。
She looked far off； as far as she could； but on the horizon were
only great bonfires of grass smoking on the hills。
〃You will tire yourself； my darling！〃 said Bovary。 And； pushing
her gently to make her go into the arbour； 〃Sit down on this
seat； you'll be comfortable。〃
〃Oh！ no； not there！〃 she said in a faltering voice。
She was seized with giddiness； and from that evening her illness
recommenced； with a more uncertain character； it is true； and
more complex symptoms。 Now she suffered in her heart； then in the
chest； the head； the limbs； she had vomitings； in which Charles
thought he saw the first