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her mamma； and sobbed enough to break her heart。 Justin had gone
out searching the road at random。 Monsieur Homais even had left
his pharmacy。
At last； at eleven o'clock； able to bear it no longer； Charles
harnessed his chaise； jumped in； whipped up his horse； and
reached the 〃Croix…Rouge〃 about two o'clock in the morning。 No
one there！ He thought that the clerk had perhaps seen her； but
where did he live？ Happily； Charles remembered his employer's
address； and rushed off there。
Day was breaking； and he could distinguish the escutcheons over
the door； and knocked。 Someone； without opening the door； shouted
out the required information； adding a few insults to those who
disturb people in the middle of the night。
The house inhabited by the clerk had neither bell； knocker； nor
porter。 Charles knocked loudly at the shutters with his hands。 A
policeman happened to pass by。 Then he was frightened； and went
away。
〃I am mad；〃 he said； 〃no doubt they kept her to dinner at
Monsieur Lormeaux'。〃 But the Lormeaux no longer lived at Rouen。
〃She probably stayed to look after Madame Dubreuil。 Why； Madame
Dubreuil has been dead these ten months！ Where can she be？〃
An idea occurred to him。 At a cafe he asked for a Directory； and
hurriedly looked for the name of Mademoiselle Lempereur； who
lived at No。 74 Rue de la Renelle…des…Maroquiniers。
As he was turning into the street； Emma herself appeared at the
other end of it。 He threw himself upon her rather than embraced
her； crying
〃What kept you yesterday？〃
〃I was not well。〃
〃What was it？ Where？ How？〃
She passed her hand over her forehead and answered； 〃At
Mademoiselle Lempereur's。〃
〃I was sure of it！ I was going there。〃
〃Oh； it isn't worth while；〃 said Emma。 〃She went out just now；
but for the future don't worry。 I do not feel free； you see； if I
know that the least delay upsets you like this。〃
This was a sort of permission that she gave herself； so as to get
perfect freedom in her escapades。 And she profited by it freely；
fully。 When she was seized with the desire to see Leon； she set
out upon any pretext； and as he was not expecting her on that
day； she went to fetch him at his office。
It was a great delight at first； but soon he no longer concealed
the truth； which was； that his master complained very much about
these interruptions。
〃Pshaw！ come along；〃 she said。
And he slipped out。
She wanted him to dress all in black； and grow a pointed beard；
to look like the portraits of Louis XIII。 She wanted to see his
lodgings； thought them poor。 He blushed at them； but she did not
notice this； then advised him to buy some curtains like hers； and
as he objected to the expense
〃Ah！ ah！ you care for your money；〃 she said laughing。
Each time Leon had to tell her everything that he had done since
their last meeting。 She asked him for some versessome verses
〃for herself；〃 a 〃love poem〃 in honour of her。 But he never
succeeded in getting a rhyme for the second verse； and at last
ended by copying a sonnet in a 〃Keepsake。〃 This was less from
vanity than from the one desire of pleasing her。 He did not
question her ideas； he accepted all her tastes； he was rather
becoming her mistress than she his。 She had tender words and
kisses that thrilled his soul。 Where could she have learnt this
corruption almost incorporeal in the strength of its profanity
and dissimulation？
Chapter Six
During the journeys he made to see her； Leon had often dined at
the chemist's； and he felt obliged from politeness to invite him
in turn。
〃With pleasure！〃 Monsieur Homais replied； 〃besides； I must
invigorate my mind； for I am getting rusty here。 We'll go to the
theatre； to the restaurant； we'll make a night of it。〃
〃Oh； my dear！〃 tenderly murmured Madame Homais； alarmed at the
vague perils he was preparing to brave。
〃Well； what？ Do you think I'm not sufficiently ruining my health
living here amid the continual emanations of the pharmacy？ But
there！ that is the way with women！ They are jealous of science；
and then are opposed to our taking the most legitimate
distractions。 No matter！ Count upon me。 One of these days I shall
turn up at Rouen； and we'll go the pace together。〃
The druggist would formerly have taken good care not to use such
an expression； but he was cultivating a gay Parisian style； which
he thought in the best taste； and； like his neighbour； Madame
Bovary； he questioned the clerk curiously about the customs of
the capital； he even talked slang to dazzle the bourgeois； saying
bender； crummy； dandy； macaroni； the cheese； cut my stick and
〃I'll hook it；〃 for 〃I am going。〃
So one Thursday Emma was surprised to meet Monsieur Homais in the
kitchen of the 〃Lion d'Or；〃 wearing a traveller's costume； that
is to say； wrapped in an old cloak which no one knew he had；
while he carried a valise in one hand and the foot…warmer of his
establishment in the other。 He had confided his intentions to no
one； for fear of causing the public anxiety by his absence。
The idea of seeing again the place where his youth had been spent
no doubt excited him； for during the whole journey he never
ceased talking； and as soon as he had arrived； he jumped quickly
out of the diligence to go in search of Leon。 In vain the clerk
tried to get rid of him。 Monsieur Homais dragged him off to the
large Cafe de la Normandie； which he entered majestically； not
raising his hat； thinking it very provincial to uncover in any
public place。
Emma waited for Leon three quarters of an hour。 At last she ran
to his office； and； lost in all sorts of conjectures； accusing
him of indifference； and reproaching herself for her weakness；
she spent the afternoon； her face pressed against the
window…panes。
At two o'clock they were still at a table opposite each other。
The large room was emptying； the stove…pipe； in the shape of a
palm…tree； spread its gilt leaves over the white ceiling； and
near them； outside the window； in the bright sunshine； a little
fountain gurgled in a white basin； where； in the midst of
watercress and asparagus； three torpid lobsters stretched across
to some quails that lay heaped up in a pile on their sides。
Homais was enjoying himself。 Although he was even more
intoxicated with the luxury than the rich fare； the Pommard wine
all the same rather excited his faculties； and when the omelette
au rhum* appeared； he began propounding immoral theories about
women。 What seduced him above all else was chic。 He admired an
elegant toilette in a well…furnished apartment； and as to bodily
qualities； he didn't dislike a young girl。
* In rum。
Leon watched the clock in despair。 The druggist went on drinking；
eating； and talking。
〃You must be very lonely；〃 he said suddenly； 〃here at Rouen。 To
be sure your lady…love doesn't live far away。〃
And the other blushed
〃Come now； be frank。 Can you deny that at Yonville〃
The young man stammered something。
〃At Madame Bovary's； you're not making love to〃
〃To whom？〃
〃The servant！〃
He was not joking； but vanity getting the better of all prudence；
Leon； in spite of himself protested。 Besides； he only liked dark
women。
〃I approve of that；〃 said the chemist； 〃they have more passion。〃
And whispering into his friend'