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Everyone； he thought； must have adored her； all men assuredly
must have coveted her。 She seemed but the more beautiful to him
for this； he was seized with a lasting； furious desire for her；
that inflamed his despair； and that was boundless； because it was
now unrealisable。
To please her； as if she were still living； he adopted her
predilections； her ideas； he bought patent leather boots and took
to wearing white cravats。 He put cosmetics on his moustache； and；
like her； signed notes of hand。 She corrupted him from beyond the
grave。
He was obliged to sell his silver piece by piece； next he sold
the drawing…room furniture。 All the rooms were stripped； but the
bedroom； her own room； remained as before。 After his dinner
Charles went up there。 He pushed the round table in front of the
fire； and drew up her armchair。 He sat down opposite it。 A candle
burnt in one of the gilt candlesticks。 Berthe by his side was
painting prints。
He suffered； poor man； at seeing her so badly dressed； with
laceless boots； and the arm…holes of her pinafore torn down to
the hips； for the charwoman took no care of her。 But she was so
sweet； so pretty； and her little head bent forward so gracefully；
letting the dear fair hair fall over her rosy cheeks； that an
infinite joy came upon him； a happiness mingled with bitterness；
like those ill…made wines that taste of resin。 He mended her
toys； made her puppets from cardboard； or sewed up half…torn
dolls。 Then； if his eyes fell upon the workbox； a ribbon lying
about； or even a pin left in a crack of the table； he began to
dream； and looked so sad that she became as sad as he。
No one now came to see them； for Justin had run away to Rouen；
where he was a grocer's assistant； and the druggist's children
saw less and less of the child； Monsieur Homais not caring；
seeing the difference of their social position； to continue the
intimacy。
The blind man； whom he had not been able to cure with the pomade；
had gone back to the hill of Bois…Guillaume； where he told the
travellers of the vain attempt of the druggist； to such an
extent； that Homais when he went to town hid himself behind the
curtains of the 〃Hirondelle〃 to avoid meeting him。 He detested
him； and wishing； in the interests of his own reputation； to get
rid of him at all costs； he directed against him a secret
battery； that betrayed the depth of his intellect and the
baseness of his vanity。 Thus； for six consecutive months； one
could read in the 〃Fanal de Rouen〃 editorials such as these
〃All who bend their steps towards the fertile plains of Picardy
have； no doubt； remarked； by the Bois…Guillaume hill； a wretch
suffering from a horrible facial wound。 He importunes； persecutes
one； and levies a regular tax on all travellers。 Are we still
living in the monstrous times of the Middle Ages； when vagabonds
were permitted to display in our public places leprosy and
scrofulas they had brought back from the Crusades？〃
Or
〃In spite of the laws against vagabondage； the approaches to our
great towns continue to be infected by bands of beggars。 Some are
seen going about alone； and these are not； perhaps； the least
dangerous。 What are our ediles about？〃
Then Homais invented anecdotes
〃Yesterday； by the Bois…Guillaume hill； a skittish horse〃 And
then followed the story of an accident caused by the presence of
the blind man。
He managed so well that the fellow was locked up。 But he was
released。 He began again； and Homais began again。 It was a
struggle。 Homais won it； for his foe was condemned to life…long
confinement in an asylum。
This success emboldened him； and henceforth there was no longer a
dog run over； a barn burnt down； a woman beaten in the parish； of
which he did not immediately inform the public； guided always by
the love of progress and the hate of priests。 He instituted
comparisons between the elementary and clerical schools to the
detriment of the latter； called to mind the massacre of St。
Bartholomew a propos of a grant of one hundred francs to the
church； and denounced abuses； aired new views。 That was his
phrase。 Homais was digging and delving； he was becoming
dangerous。
However； he was stifling in the narrow limits of journalism； and
soon a book； a work was necessary to him。 Then he composed
〃General Statistics of the Canton of Yonville； followed by
Climatological Remarks。〃 The statistics drove him to philosophy。
He busied himself with great questions： the social problem：
moralisation of the poorer classes； pisciculture； caoutchouc；
railways； etc。 He even began to blush at being a bourgeois。 He
affected the artistic style； he smoked。 He bought two chic
Pompadour statuettes to adorn his drawing…room。
He by no means gave up his shop。 On the contrary； he kept well
abreast of new discoveries。 He followed the great movement of
chocolates； he was the first to introduce 〃cocoa〃 and 〃revalenta〃
into the Seine…Inferieure。 He was enthusiastic about the
hydro…electric Pulvermacher chains； he wore one himself； and when
at night he took off his flannel vest； Madame Homais stood quite
dazzled before the golden spiral beneath which he was hidden；
and felt her ardour redouble for this man more bandaged than a
Scythian； and splendid as one of the Magi。
He had fine ideas about Emma's tomb。 First he proposed a broken
column with some drapery； next a pyramid； then a Temple of Vesta；
a sort of rotunda； or else a 〃mass of ruins。〃 And in all his
plans Homais always stuck to the weeping willow； which he looked
upon as the indispensable symbol of sorrow。
Charles and he made a journey to Rouen together to look at some
tombs at a funeral furnisher's； accompanied by an artist； one
Vaufrylard； a friend of Bridoux's； who made puns all the time。 At
last； after having examined some hundred designs； having ordered
an estimate and made another journey to Rouen； Charles decided in
favour of a mausoleum； which on the two principal sides was to
have a 〃spirit bearing an extinguished torch。〃
As to the inscription； Homais could think of nothing so fine as
Sta viator*； and he got no further； he racked his brain； he
constantly repeated Sta viator。 At last he hit upon Amabilen
conjugem calcas**； which was adopted。
* Rest traveler。
** Tread upon a loving wife。
A strange thing was that Bovary； while continually thinking of
Emma； was forgetting her。 He grew desperate as he felt this image
fading from his memory in spite of all efforts to retain it。 Yet
every night he dreamt of her； it was always the same dream。 He
drew near her； but when he was about to clasp her she fell into
decay in his arms。
For a week he was seen going to church in the evening。 Monsieur
Bournisien even paid him two or three visits； then gave him up。
Moreover； the old fellow was growing intolerant； fanatic； said
Homais。 He thundered against the spirit of the age； and never
failed； every other week； in his sermon； to recount the death
agony of Voltaire； who died devouring his excrements； as everyone
knows。
In spite of the economy with which Bovary lived； he was far from
being able to pay off his old debts。 Lheureux refused to renew
any more bills。 A distraint became imminent。 Then he appealed to
his mother； who c