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look at her。〃
His colleague was by no means of this opinion； and； as he said of
himself； 〃never beating about the bush；〃 he prescribed； an emetic
in order to empty the stomach completely。
She soon began vomiting blood。 Her lips became drawn。 Her limbs
were convulsed； her whole body covered with brown spots； and her
pulse slipped beneath the fingers like a stretched thread； like a
harp…string nearly breaking。
After this she began to scream horribly。 She cursed the poison；
railed at it； and implored it to be quick； and thrust away with
her stiffened arms everything that Charles； in more agony than
herself； tried to make her drink。 He stood up； his handkerchief
to his lips； with a rattling sound in his throat； weeping； and
choked by sobs that shook his whole body。 Felicite was running
hither and thither in the room。 Homais； motionless； uttered great
sighs； and Monsieur Canivet； always retaining his self…command；
nevertheless began to feel uneasy。
〃The devil！ yet she has been purged； and from the moment that the
cause ceases〃
〃The effect must cease；〃 said Homais； 〃that is evident。〃
〃Oh； save her！〃 cried Bovary。
And； without listening to the chemist； who was still venturing
the hypothesis； 〃It is perhaps a salutary paroxysm；〃 Canivet was
about to administer some theriac； when they heard the cracking of
a whip； all the windows rattled； and a post…chaise drawn by three
horses abreast； up to their ears in mud； drove at a gallop round
the corner of the market。 It was Doctor Lariviere。
The apparition of a god would not have caused more commotion。
Bovary raised his hands； Canivet stopped short； and Homais pulled
off his skull…cap long before the doctor had come in。
He belonged to that great school of surgery begotten of Bichat；
to that generation； now extinct； of philosophical practitioners；
who； loving their art with a fanatical love； exercised it with
enthusiasm and wisdom。 Everyone in his hospital trembled when he
was angry； and his students so revered him that they tried； as
soon as they were themselves in practice； to imitate him as much
as possible。 So that in all the towns about they were found
wearing his long wadded merino overcoat and black frock…coat；
whose buttoned cuffs slightly covered his brawny handsvery
beautiful hands； and that never knew gloves； as though to be more
ready to plunge into suffering。 Disdainful of honours； of titles；
and of academies； like one of the old Knight…Hospitallers；
generous； fatherly to the poor； and practising virtue without
believing in it； he would almost have passed for a saint if the
keenness of his intellect had not caused him to be feared as a
demon。 His glance； more penetrating than his bistouries； looked
straight into your soul； and dissected every lie athwart all
assertions and all reticences。 And thus he went along； full of
that debonair majesty that is given by the consciousness of great
talent； of fortune； and of forty years of a labourious and
irreproachable life。
He frowned as soon as he had passed the door when he saw the
cadaverous face of Emma stretched out on her back with her mouth
open。 Then； while apparently listening to Canivet； he rubbed his
fingers up and down beneath his nostrils； and repeated
〃Good！ good！
But he made a slow gesture with his shoulders。 Bovary watched
him； they looked at one another； and this man； accustomed as he
was to the sight of pain； could not keep back a tear that fell on
his shirt…frill。
He tried to take Canivet into the next room。 Charles followed
him。
〃She is very ill； isn't she？ If we put on sinapisms？ Anything！
Oh； think of something； you who have saved so many！〃
Charles caught him in both his arms； and gazed at him wildly；
imploringly； half…fainting against his breast。
〃Come； my poor fellow； courage！ There is nothing more to be
done。〃
And Doctor Lariviere turned away。
〃You are going？〃
〃I will come back。〃
He went out only to give an order to the coachman； with Monsieur
Canivet； who did not care either to have Emma die under his
hands。
The chemist rejoined them on the Place。 He could not by
temperament keep away from celebrities； so he begged Monsieur
Lariviere to do him the signal honour of accepting some
breakfast。
He sent quickly to the 〃Lion d'Or〃 for some pigeons； to the
butcher's for all the cutlets that were to be had； to Tuvache for
cream； and to Lestiboudois for eggs； and the druggist himself
aided in the preparations； while Madame Homais was saying as she
pulled together the strings of her jacket
〃You must excuse us； sir； for in this poor place； when one hasn't
been told the night before〃
〃Wine glasses！〃 whispered Homais。
〃If only we were in town； we could fall back upon stuffed
trotters。〃
〃Be quiet！ Sit down； doctor！〃
He thought fit； after the first few mouthfuls； to give some
details as to the catastrophe。
〃We first had a feeling of siccity in the pharynx； then
intolerable pains at the epigastrium； super purgation； coma。〃
〃But how did she poison herself？〃
〃I don't know； doctor； and I don't even know where she can have
procured the arsenious acid。〃
Justin； who was just bringing in a pile of plates； began to
tremble。
〃What's the matter？〃 said the chemist。
At this question the young man dropped the whole lot on the
ground with a crash。
〃Imbecile！〃 cried Homais。 〃awkward lout！ block…head！ confounded
ass！〃
But suddenly controlling himself
〃I wished； doctor； to make an analysis； and primo I delicately
introduced a tube〃
〃You would have done better；〃 said the physician； 〃to introduce
your fingers into her throat。〃
His colleague was silent； having just before privately received a
severe lecture about his emetic； so that this good Canivet； so
arrogant and so verbose at the time of the clubfoot； was to…day
very modest。 He smiled without ceasing in an approving manner。
Homais dilated in Amphytrionic pride； and the affecting thought
of Bovary vaguely contributed to his pleasure by a kind of
egotistic reflex upon himself。 Then the presence of the doctor
transported him。 He displayed his erudition； cited pell…mell
cantharides； upas； the manchineel； vipers。
〃I have even read that various persons have found themselves
under toxicological symptoms； and； as it were； thunderstricken by
black…pudding that had been subjected to a too vehement
fumigation。 At least； this was stated in a very fine report drawn
up by one of our pharmaceutical chiefs； one of our masters； the
illustrious Cadet de Gassicourt！〃
Madame Homais reappeared； carrying one of those shaky machines
that are heated with spirits of wine； for Homais liked to make
his coffee at table； having； moreover； torrefied it； pulverised
it； and mixed it himself。
〃Saccharum； doctor？〃 said he； offering the sugar。
Then he had all his children brought down； anxious to have the
physician's opinion on their constitutions。
At last Monsieur Lariviere was about to leave； when Madame Homais
asked for a consultation about her husband。 He was making his
blood too thick by going to sleep every evening after dinner。
〃Oh； it isn't his blood that's too thick；〃 said the physician。
And； smiling a little at his unnoticed joke； the doctor opened
the door。 But the chemist's shop was full of