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madame bovary(包法利夫人)-第59章

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they do seltzer…water at restaurants。〃
But during his demonstration the cider often spurted right into
their faces; and then the ecclesiastic; with a thick laugh; never
missed this joke
〃Its goodness strikes the eye!〃
He was; in fact; a good fellow and one day he was not even
scandalised at the chemist; who advised Charles to give madame
some distraction by taking her to the theatre at Rouen to hear
the illustrious tenor; Lagardy。 Homais; surprised at this
silence; wanted to know his opinion; and the priest declared that
he considered music less dangerous for morals than literature。
But the chemist took up the defence of letters。 The theatre; he
contended; served for railing at prejudices; and; beneath a mask
of pleasure; taught virtue。
〃'Castigat ridendo mores;'* Monsieur Bournisien! Thus consider
the greater part of Voltaire's tragedies; they are cleverly
strewn with philosophical reflections; that made them a vast
school of morals and diplomacy for the people。〃
*It corrects customs through laughter。

〃I;〃 said Binet; 〃once saw a piece called the 'Gamin de Paris;'
in which there was the character of an old general that is really
hit off to a T。 He sets down a young swell who had seduced a
working girl; who at the ending〃
〃Certainly;〃 continued Homais; 〃there is bad literature as there
is bad pharmacy; but to condemn in a lump the most important of
the fine arts seems to me a stupidity; a Gothic idea; worthy of
the abominable times that imprisoned Galileo。〃
〃I know very well;〃 objected the cure; 〃that there are good
works; good authors。 However; if it were only those persons of
different sexes united in a bewitching apartment; decorated
rouge; those lights; those effeminate voices; all this must; in
the long…run; engender a certain mental libertinage; give rise to
immodest thoughts and impure temptations。 Such; at any rate; is
the opinion of all the Fathers。 Finally;〃 he added; suddenly
assuming a mystic tone of voice while he rolled a pinch of snuff
between his fingers; 〃if the Church has condemned the theatre;
she must be right; we must submit to her decrees。〃
〃Why;〃 asked the druggist; 〃should she excommunicate actors? For
formerly they openly took part in religious ceremonies。 Yes; in
the middle of the chancel they acted; they performed a kind of
farce called 'Mysteries;' which often offended against the laws
of decency。〃
The ecclesiastic contented himself with uttering a groan; and the
chemist went on
〃It's like it is in the Bible; there there are; you know; more
than one piquant detail; matters really libidinous!〃
And on a gesture of irritation from Monsieur Bournisien
〃Ah! you'll admit that it is not a book to place in the hands of
a young girl; and I should be sorry if Athalie〃
〃But it is the Protestants; and not we;〃 cried the other
impatiently; 〃who recommend the Bible。〃
〃No matter;〃 said Homais。 〃I am surprised that in our days; in
this century of enlightenment; anyone should still persist in
proscribing an intellectual relaxation that is inoffensive;
moralising; and sometimes even hygienic; is it not; doctor?〃
〃No doubt;〃 replied the doctor carelessly; either because;
sharing the same ideas; he wished to offend no one; or else
because he had not any ideas。
The conversation seemed at an end when the chemist thought fit to
shoot a Parthian arrow。
〃I've known priests who put on ordinary clothes to go and see
dancers kicking about。〃
〃Come; come!〃 said the cure。
〃Ah! I've known some!〃 And separating the words of his sentence;
Homais repeated; 〃Ihaveknownsome!〃
〃Well; they were wrong;〃 said Bournisien; resigned to anything。
〃By Jove! they go in for more than that;〃 exclaimed the druggist。
〃Sir!〃 replied the ecclesiastic; with such angry eyes that the
druggist was intimidated by them。
〃I only mean to say;〃 he replied in less brutal a tone; 〃that
toleration is the surest way to draw people to religion。〃
〃That is true! that is true!〃 agreed the good fellow; sitting
down again on his chair。 But he stayed only a few moments。
Then; as soon as he had gone; Monsieur Homais said to the doctor
〃That's what I call a cock…fight。 I beat him; did you see; in a
way!Now take my advice。 Take madame to the theatre; if it were
only for once in your life; to enrage one of these ravens; hang
it! If anyone could take my place; I would accompany you myself。
Be quick about it。 Lagardy is only going to give one performance;
he's engaged to go to England at a high salary。 From what I hear;
he's a regular dog; he's rolling in money; he's taking three
mistresses and a cook along with him。 All these great artists
burn the candle at both ends; they require a dissolute life; that
suits the imagination to some extent。 But they die at the
hospital; because they haven't the sense when young to lay by。
Well; a pleasant dinner! Goodbye till to…morrow。〃
The idea of the theatre quickly germinated in Bovary's head; for
he at once communicated it to his wife; who at first refused;
alleging the fatigue; the worry; the expense; but; for a wonder;
Charles did not give in; so sure was he that this recreation
would be good for her。 He saw nothing to prevent it: his mother
had sent them three hundred francs which he had no longer
expected; the current debts were not very large; and the falling
in of Lheureux's bills was still so far off that there was no
need to think about them。 Besides; imagining that she was
refusing from delicacy; he insisted the more; so that by dint of
worrying her she at last made up her mind; and the next day at
eight o'clock they set out in the 〃Hirondelle。〃
The druggist; whom nothing whatever kept at Yonville; but who
thought himself bound not to budge from it; sighed as he saw them
go。
〃Well; a pleasant journey!〃 he said to them; 〃happy mortals that
you are!〃
Then addressing himself to Emma; who was wearing a blue silk gown
with four flounces
〃You are as lovely as a Venus。 You'll cut a figure at Rouen。〃
The diligence stopped at the 〃Croix…Rouge〃 in the Place
Beauvoisine。 It was the inn that is in every provincial faubourg;
with large stables and small bedrooms; where one sees in the
middle of the court chickens pilfering the oats under the muddy
gigs of the commercial travellersa good old house; with
worm…eaten balconies that creak in the wind on winter nights;
always full of people; noise; and feeding; whose black tables are
sticky with coffee and brandy; the thick windows made yellow by
the flies; the damp napkins stained with cheap wine; and that
always smells of the village; like ploughboys dressed in
Sundayclothes; has a cafe on the street; and towards the
countryside a kitchen…garden。 Charles at once set out。 He muddled
up the stage…boxes with the gallery; the pit with the boxes;
asked for explanations; did not understand them; was sent from
the box…office to the acting…manager; came back to the inn;
returned to the theatre; and thus several times traversed the
whole length of the town from the theatre to the boulevard。
Madame Bovary bought a bonnet; gloves; and a bouquet。 The doctor
was much afraid of missing the beginning; and; without having had
time to swallow a plate of soup; they presented themselves at th
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