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nightgown； turned back the bedclothes。
〃Come！〃 said she； 〃that will do。 Now you can go。〃
For he stood there； his hands hanging down and his eyes wide
open； as if enmeshed in the innumerable threads of a sudden
reverie。
The following day was frightful； and those that came after still
more unbearable； because of her impatience to once again seize
her happiness； an ardent lust； inflamed by the images of past
experience； and that burst forth freely on the seventh day
beneath Leon's caresses。 His ardours were hidden beneath
outbursts of wonder and gratitude。 Emma tasted this love in a
discreet； absorbed fashion； maintained it by all the artifices of
her tenderness； and trembled a little lest it should be lost
later on。
She often said to him； with her sweet； melancholy voice
〃Ah！ you too； you will leave me！ You will marry！ You will be like
all the others。〃
He asked； 〃What others？〃
〃Why； like all men；〃 she replied。 Then added； repulsing him with
a languid movement
〃You are all evil！〃
One day； as they were talking philosophically of earthly
disillusions； to experiment on his jealousy； or yielding；
perhaps； to an over…strong need to pour out her heart； she told
him that formerly； before him； she had loved someone。
〃Not like you；〃 she went on quickly； protesting by the head of
her child that 〃nothing had passed between them。〃
The young man believed her； but none the less questioned her to
find out what he was。
〃He was a ship's captain； my dear。〃
Was this not preventing any inquiry； and； at the same time；
assuming a higher ground through this pretended fascination
exercised over a man who must have been of warlike nature and
accustomed to receive homage？
The clerk then felt the lowliness of his position； he longed for
epaulettes； crosses； titles。 All that would please herhe
gathered that from her spendthrift habits。
Emma nevertheless concealed many of these extravagant fancies；
such as her wish to have a blue tilbury to drive into Rouen；
drawn by an English horse and driven by a groom in top…boots。 It
was Justin who had inspired her with this whim； by begging her to
take him into her service as valet…de…chambre*； and if the
privation of it did not lessen the pleasure of her arrival at
each rendezvous； it certainly augmented the bitterness of the
return。
* Manservant。
Often； when they talked together of Paris； she ended by
murmuring； 〃Ah！ how happy we should be there！〃
〃Are we not happy？〃 gently answered the young man passing his
hands over her hair。
〃Yes； that is true；〃 she said。 〃I am mad。 Kiss me！〃
To her husband she was more charming than ever。 She made him
pistachio…creams； and played him waltzes after dinner。 So he
thought himself the most fortunate of men and Emma was without
uneasiness； when； one evening suddenly he said
〃It is Mademoiselle Lempereur； isn't it； who gives you lessons？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； I saw her just now；〃 Charles went on； 〃at Madame
Liegeard's。 I spoke to her about you； and she doesn't know you。〃
This was like a thunderclap。 However； she replied quite
naturally
〃Ah！ no doubt she forgot my name。〃
〃But perhaps；〃 said the doctor； 〃there are several Demoiselles
Lempereur at Rouen who are music…mistresses。〃
〃Possibly！〃 Then quickly〃But I have my receipts here。 See！〃
And she went to the writing…table； ransacked all the drawers；
rummaged the papers； and at last lost her head so completely that
Charles earnestly begged her not to take so much trouble about
those wretched receipts。
〃Oh； I will find them；〃 she said。
And； in fact； on the following Friday； as Charles was putting on
one of his boots in the dark cabinet where his clothes were kept；
he felt a piece of paper between the leather and his sock。 He
took it out and read
〃Received； for three months' lessons and several pieces of music；
the sum of sixty…three francs。Felicie Lempereur； professor of
music。〃
〃How the devil did it get into my boots？〃
〃It must；〃 she replied； 〃have fallen from the old box of bills
that is on the edge of the shelf。〃
》From that moment her existence was but one long tissue of lies；
in which she enveloped her love as in veils to hide it。 It was a
want； a mania； a pleasure carried to such an extent that if she
said she had the day before walked on the right side of a road；
one might know she had taken the left。
One morning； when she had gone； as usual； rather lightly clothed；
it suddenly began to snow； and as Charles was watching the
weather from the window； he caught sight of Monsieur Bournisien
in the chaise of Monsieur Tuvache； who was driving him to Rouen。
Then he went down to give the priesta thick shawl that he was to
hand over to Emma as soon as he reached the 〃Croix…Rouge。〃 When
he got to the inn； Monsieur Bournisien asked for the wife of the
Yonville doctor。 The landlady replied that she very rarely came
to her establishment。 So that evening； when he recognised Madame
Bovary in the 〃Hirondelle；〃 the cure told her his dilemma；
without； however； appearing to attach much importance to it； for
he began praising a preacher who was doing wonders at the
Cathedral； and whom all the ladies were rushing to hear。
Still； if he did not ask for any explanation； others； later on；
might prove less discreet。 So she thought well to get down each
time at the 〃Croix…Rouge；〃 so that the good folk of her village
who saw her on the stairs should suspect nothing。
One day； however； Monsieur Lheureux met her coming out of the
Hotel de Boulogne on Leon's arm； and she was frightened； thinking
he would gossip。 He was not such a fool。 But three days after he
came to her room； shut the door； and said； 〃I must have some
money。〃
She declared she could not give him any。 Lheureux burst into
lamentations and reminded her of all the kindnesses he had shown
her。
In fact； of the two bills signed by Charles； Emma up to the
present had paid only one。 As to the second； the shopkeeper； at
her request； had consented to replace it by another； which again
had been renewed for a long date。 Then he drew from his pocket a
list of goods not paid for； to wit； the curtains； the carpet； the
material for the armchairs； several dresses； and divers articles
of dress； the bills for which amounted to about two thousand
francs。
She bowed her head。 He went on
〃But if you haven't any ready money； you have an estate。〃 And he
reminded her of a miserable little hovel situated at Barneville；
near Aumale； that brought in almost nothing。 It had formerly been
part of a small farm sold by Monsieur Bovary senior； for Lheureux
knew everything； even to the number of acres and the names of the
neighbours。
〃If I were in your place；〃 he said； 〃I should clear myself of my
debts； and have money left over。〃
She pointed out the difficulty of getting a purchaser。 He held
out the hope of finding one； but she asked him how she should
manage to sell it。
〃Haven't you your power of attorney？〃 he replied。
The phrase came to her like a breath of fresh air。 〃Leave me the
bill；〃 said Emma。
〃Oh； it isn't worth while；〃 answered Lheureux。
He came back the following week and boasted of having； after much
trouble； at last discovered a certain Langlois； who； for a long
time； had had an eye on the proper