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he set out along the highroad； walked a mile； met no one； again
waited； and returned home。 She had come back。
〃What was the matter？ Why？ Explain to me。〃
She sat down at her writing…table and wrote a letter； which she
sealed slowly； adding the date and the hour。 Then she said in a
solemn tone：
〃You are to read it to…morrow； till then； I pray you； do not ask
me a single question。 No； not one！〃
〃But〃
〃Oh； leave me！〃
She lay down full length on her bed。 A bitter taste that she felt
in her mouth awakened her。 She saw Charles； and again closed her
eyes。
She was studying herself curiously； to see if she were not
suffering。 But no！ nothing as yet。 She heard the ticking of the
clock； the crackling of the fire； and Charles breathing as he
stood upright by her bed。
〃Ahl it is but a little thing； death！〃 she thought。 〃I shall fall
asleep and all will be over。〃
She drank a mouthful of water and turned to the wall。 The
frightful taste of ink continued。
〃I am thirsty； oh！ so thirsty；〃 she sighed。
〃What is it？〃 said Charles； who was handing her a glass。
〃It is nothing！ Open the window； I am choking。〃
She was seized with a sickness so sudden that she had hardly time
to draw out her handkerchief from under the pillow。
〃Take it away；〃 she said quickly； 〃throw it away。〃
He spoke to her； she did not answer。 She lay motionless； afraid
that the slightest movement might make her vomit。 But she felt an
icy cold creeping from her feet to her heart。
〃Ah！ it is beginning；〃 she murmured。
〃What did you say？〃
She turned her head from side to side with a gentle movement full
of agony； while constantly opening her mouth as if something very
heavy were weighing upon her tongue。 At eight o'clock the
vomiting began again。
Charles noticed that at the bottom of the basin there was a sort
of white sediment sticking to the sides of the porcelain。
〃This is extraordinaryvery singular；〃 he repeated。
But she said in a firm voice； 〃No； you are mistaken。〃
Then gently； and almost as caressing her； he passed his hand over
her stomach。 She uttered a sharp cry。 He fell back
terror…stricken。
Then she began to groan； faintly at first。 Her shoulders were
shaken by a strong shuddering； and she was growing paler than the
sheets in which her clenched fingers buried themselves。 Her
unequal pulse was now almost imperceptible。
Drops of sweat oozed from her bluish face； that seemed as if
rigid in the exhalations of a metallic vapour。 Her teeth
chattered； her dilated eyes looked vaguely about her； and to all
questions she replied only with a shake of the head； she even
smiled once or twice。 Gradually； her moaning grew louder； a
hollow shriek burst from her； she pretended she was better and
that she would get up presently。 But she was seized with
convulsions and cried out
〃Ah！ my God！ It is horrible！〃
He threw himself on his knees by her bed。
〃Tell me！ what have you eaten？ Answer； for heaven's sake！〃
And he looked at her with a tenderness in his eyes such as she
had never seen。
〃Well； therethere！〃 she said in a faint voice。 He flew to the
writing…table； tore open the seal； and read aloud： 〃Accuse no
one。〃 He stopped； passed his hands across his eyes； and read it
over again。
〃What！ helphelp！〃
He could only keep repeating the word： 〃Poisoned！ poisoned！〃
Felicite ran to Homais； who proclaimed it in the market…place；
Madame Lefrancois heard it at the 〃Lion d'Or〃； some got up to go
and tell their neighbours； and all night the village was on the
alert。
Distraught； faltering； reeling； Charles wandered about the room。
He knocked against the furniture； tore his hair； and the chemist
had never believed that there could be so terrible a sight。
He went home to write to Monsieur Canivet and to Doctor
Lariviere。 He lost his head； and made more than fifteen rough
copies。 Hippolyte went to Neufchatel； and Justin so spurred
Bovary's horse that he left it foundered and three parts dead by
the hill at Bois…Guillaume。
Charles tried to look up his medical dictionary； but could not
read it； the lines were dancing。
〃Be calm；〃 said the druggist； 〃we have only to administer a
powerful antidote。 What is the poison？〃
Charles showed him the letter。 It was arsenic。
〃Very well；〃 said Homais； 〃we must make an analysis。〃
For he knew that in cases of poisoning an analysis must be made；
and the other； who did not understand； answered
〃Oh； do anything！ save her！〃
Then going back to her； he sank upon the carpet； and lay there
with his head leaning against the edge of her bed； sobbing。
〃Don't cry；〃 she said to him。 〃Soon I shall not trouble you any
more。〃
〃Why was it？ Who drove you to it？〃
She replied。 〃It had to be； my dear！〃
〃Weren't you happy？ Is it my fault？ I did all I could！〃
〃Yes； that is trueyou are goodyou。〃
And she passed her hand slowly over his hair。 The sweetness of
this sensation deepened his sadness； he felt his whole being
dissolving in despair at the thought that he must lose her； just
when she was confessing more love for him than ever。 And he could
think of nothing； he did not know； he did not dare； the urgent
need for some immediate resolution gave the finishing stroke to
the turmoil of his mind。
So she had done； she thought； with all the treachery； and
meanness； and numberless desires that had tortured her。 She hated
no one now； a twilight dimness was settling upon her thoughts；
and； of all earthly noises； Emma heard none but the intermittent
lamentations of this poor heart； sweet and indistinct like the
echo of a symphony dying away。
〃Bring me the child；〃 she said； raising herself on her elbow。
〃You are not worse； are you？〃 asked Charles。
〃No； no！〃
The child； serious； and still half…asleep； was carried in on the
servant's arm in her long white nightgown； from which her bare
feet peeped out。 She looked wonderingly at the disordered room；
and half…closed her eyes； dazzled by the candles burning on the
table。 They reminded her； no doubt； of the morning of New Year's
day and Mid…Lent； when thus awakened early by candle…light she
came to her mother's bed to fetch her presents； for she began
saying
〃But where is it； mamma？〃 And as everybody was silent； 〃But I
can't see my little stocking。〃
Felicite held her over the bed while she still kept looking
towards the mantelpiece。
〃Has nurse taken it？〃 she asked。
And at this name； that carried her back to the memory of her
adulteries and her calamities； Madame Bovary turned away her
head； as at the loathing of another bitterer poison that rose to
her mouth。 But Berthe remained perched on the bed。
〃Oh； how big your eyes are； mamma！ How pale you are！ how hot you
are！〃
Her mother looked at her。 〃I am frightened！〃 cried the child；
recoiling。
Emma took her hand to kiss it； the child struggled。
〃That will do。 Take her away；〃 cried Charles； who was sobbing in
the alcove。
Then the symptoms ceased for a moment； she seemed less agitated；
and at every insignificant word； at every respiration a little
more easy； he regained hope。 At last； when Canivet came in； he
threw himself into his arms。
〃Ah！ it is you。 Thanks！ You are good！ But she is better。 See！
look at her。〃
His colleague was by no means of this opinion； and； as he said of
himself； 〃n