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waters； blood purifiers； Raspail patent medicine； Arabian
racahout； Darcet lozenges； Regnault paste； trusses； baths；
hygienic chocolate；〃 etc。 And the signboard； which takes up all
the breadth of the shop； bears in gold letters； 〃Homais；
Chemist。〃 Then at the back of the shop； behind the great scales
fixed to the counter； the word 〃Laboratory〃 appears on a scroll
above a glass door； which about half…way up once more repeats
〃Homais〃 in gold letters on a black ground。
Beyond this there is nothing to see at Yonville。 The street （the
only one） a gunshot in length and flanked by a few shops on
either side stops short at the turn of the highroad。 If it is
left on the right hand and the foot of the Saint…Jean hills
followed the cemetery is soon reached。
At the time of the cholera； in order to enlarge this； a piece of
wall was pulled down； and three acres of land by its side
purchased； but all the new portion is almost tenantless； the
tombs； as heretofore； continue to crowd together towards the
gate。 The keeper； who is at once gravedigger and church beadle
（thus making a double profit out of the parish corpses）； has
taken advantage of the unused plot of ground to plant potatoes
there。 From year to year； however； his small field grows smaller；
and when there is an epidemic； he does not know whether to
rejoice at the deaths or regret the burials。
〃You live on the dead； Lestiboudois！〃 the curie at last said to
him one day。 This grim remark made him reflect； it checked him
for some time； but to this day he carries on the cultivation of
his little tubers； and even maintains stoutly that they grow
naturally。
Since the events about to be narrated； nothing in fact has
changed at Yonville。 The tin tricolour flag still swings at the
top of the church…steeple； the two chintz streamers still flutter
in the wind from the linen…draper's； the chemist's fetuses； like
lumps of white amadou； rot more and more in their turbid alcohol；
and above the big door of the inn the old golden lion； faded by
rain； still shows passers…by its poodle mane。
On the evening when the Bovarys were to arrive at Yonville； Widow
Lefrancois； the landlady of this inn； was so very busy that she
sweated great drops as she moved her saucepans。 To…morrow was
market…day。 The meat had to be cut beforehand； the fowls drawn；
the soup and coffee made。 Moreover； she had the boarders' meal to
see to； and that of the doctor； his wife； and their servant； the
billiard…room was echoing with bursts of laughter； three millers
in a small parlour were calling for brandy； the wood was blazing；
the brazen pan was hissing； and on the long kitchen table； amid
the quarters of raw mutton； rose piles of plates that rattled
with the shaking of the block on which spinach was being chopped。
》From the poultry…yard was heard the screaming of the fowls whom
the servant was chasing in order to wring their necks。
A man slightly marked with small…pox； in green leather slippers；
and wearing a velvet cap with a gold tassel； was warming his back
at the chimney。 His face expressed nothing but self…satisfaction；
and he appeared to take life as calmly as the goldfinch suspended
over his head in its wicker cage： this was the chemist。
〃Artemise！〃 shouted the landlady； 〃chop some wood； fill the water
bottles； bring some brandy； look sharp！ If only I knew what
dessert to offer the guests you are expecting！ Good heavens！
Those furniture…movers are beginning their racket in the
billiard…room again； and their van has been left before the front
door！ The 'Hirondelle' might run into it when it draws up。 Call
Polyte and tell him to put it up。 Only think； Monsieur Homais；
that since morning they have had about fifteen games； and drunk
eight jars of cider！ Why； they'll tear my cloth for me；〃 she went
on； looking at them from a distance； her strainer in her hand。
〃That wouldn't be much of a loss；〃 replied Monsieur Homais。 〃You
would buy another。〃
〃Another billiard…table！〃 exclaimed the widow。
〃Since that one is coming to pieces； Madame Lefrancois。 I tell
you again you are doing yourself harm； much harm！ And besides；
players now want narrow pockets and heavy cues。 Hazards aren't
played now； everything is changed！ One must keep pace with the
times！ Just look at Tellier！〃
The hostess reddened with vexation。 The chemist went on
〃You may say what you like； his table is better than yours； and
if one were to think； for example； of getting up a patriotic pool
for Poland or the sufferers from the Lyons floods〃
〃It isn't beggars like him that'll frighten us；〃 interrupted the
landlady； shrugging her fat shoulders。 〃Come； come； Monsieur
Homais； as long as the 'Lion d'Or' exists people will come to it。
We've feathered our nest； while one of these days you'll find the
'Cafe Francais' closed with a big placard on the shutters。 Change
my billiard…table！〃 she went on； speaking to herself； 〃the table
that comes in so handy for folding the washing； and on which； in
the hunting season； I have slept six visitors！ But that dawdler；
Hivert； doesn't come！〃
〃Are you waiting for him for your gentlemen's dinner？〃
〃Wait for him！ And what about Monsieur Binet？ As the clock
strikes six you'll see him come in； for he hasn't his equal under
the sun for punctuality。 He must always have his seat in the
small parlour。 He'd rather die than dine anywhere else。 And so
squeamish as he is； and so particular about the cider！ Not like
Monsieur Leon； he sometimes comes at seven； or even half…past；
and he doesn't so much as look at what he eats。 Such a nice young
man！ Never speaks a rough word！〃
〃Well； you see； there's a great difference between an educated
man and an old carabineer who is now a tax…collector。〃
Six o'clock struck。 Binet came in。
He wore a blue frock…coat falling in a straight line round his
thin body； and his leather cap； with its lappets knotted over the
top of his head with string； showed under the turned…up peak a
bald forehead； flattened by the constant wearing of a helmet。 He
wore a black cloth waistcoat； a hair collar； grey trousers； and；
all the year round； well…blacked boots； that had two parallel
swellings due to the sticking out of his big…toes。 Not a hair
stood out from the regular line of fair whiskers； which；
encircling his jaws； framed； after the fashion of a garden
border； his long； wan face； whose eyes were small and the nose
hooked。 Clever at all games of cards； a good hunter； and writing
a fine hand； he had at home a lathe； and amused himself by
turning napkin rings； with which he filled up his house； with the
jealousy of an artist and the egotism of a bourgeois。
He went to the small parlour； but the three millers had to be got
out first； and during the whole time necessary for laying the
cloth； Binet remained silent in his place near the stove。 Then he
shut the door and took off his cap in his usual way。
〃It isn't with saying civil things that he'll wear out his
tongue；〃 said the chemist； as soon as he was along with the
landlady。
〃He never talks more；〃 she replied。 〃Last week two travelers in
the cloth line were heresuch clever chaps who told such jokes
in the evening； that I fairly cried with laughing； and he stood
there like a dab fish and never said a word。〃
〃Yes；〃 observed the chemist； 〃no imagination； no sallies； nothing
that makes the society…man。〃
〃Yet they say he has parts；〃 objected the landlady。
〃Parts！〃 replied Monsieur Homais； 〃he； parts！ In his own line it
is possible；〃 he added in a calmer tone。 And he went on
〃Ah！ That a merchant； who has large connections； a jurisconsult；
a doctor； a chemist； should be thus absent…minded； that the
should become whimsical or even peevish； I can understand； such
cases are cited in history。 But at least it is because they are
thinking of something。 Myself； for example； how often has it
happened to me to look on the bureau for my pen to write a label；
and to find； after all； that I had put it behind my ear！〃
Madame Lefrancois just then went to the door to see if the
〃Hirondelle〃 were not coming。 She started。 A man dressed in black
suddenly came into the kitchen。 By the last gleam of the twilight
one could see