按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
thousand servilities that had only estranged him the more。 Lively
once； expansive and affectionate； in growing older she had become
（after the fashion of wine that； exposed to air； turns to
vinegar） ill…tempered； grumbling； irritable。 She had suffered so
much without complaint at first； until she had seem him going
after all the village drabs； and until a score of bad houses sent
him back to her at night； weary； stinking drunk。 Then her pride
revolted。 After that she was silent； burying her anger in a dumb
stoicism that she maintained till her death。 She was constantly
going about looking after business matters。 She called on the
lawyers； the president； remembered when bills fell due； got them
renewed； and at home ironed； sewed； washed； looked after the
workmen； paid the accounts； while he； troubling himself about
nothing； eternally besotted in sleepy sulkiness； whence he only
roused himself to say disagreeable things to her； sat smoking by
the fire and spitting into the cinders。
When she had a child； it had to be sent out to nurse。 When he
came home； the lad was spoilt as if he were a prince。 His mother
stuffed him with jam； his father let him run about barefoot； and；
playing the philosopher； even said he might as well go about
quite naked like the young of animals。 As opposed to the maternal
ideas； he had a certain virile idea of childhood on which he
sought to mould his son； wishing him to be brought up hardily；
like a Spartan； to give him a strong constitution。 He sent him to
bed without any fire； taught him to drink off large draughts of
rum and to jeer at religious processions。 But； peaceable by
nature； the lad answered only poorly to his notions。 His mother
always kept him near her； she cut out cardboard for him； told him
tales； entertained him with endless monologues full of melancholy
gaiety and charming nonsense。 In her life's isolation she
centered on the child's head all her shattered； broken little
vanities。 She dreamed of high station； she already saw him； tall；
handsome； clever； settled as an engineer or in the law。 She
taught him to read； and even； on an old piano； she had taught him
two or three little songs。 But to all this Monsieur Bovary；
caring little for letters； said； 〃It was not worth while。 Would
they ever have the means to send him to a public school； to buy
him a practice； or start him in business？ Besides； with cheek a
man always gets on in the world。〃 Madame Bovary bit her lips； and
the child knocked about the village。
He went after the labourers； drove away with clods of earth the
ravens that were flying about。 He ate blackberries along the
hedges； minded the geese with a long switch； went haymaking
during harvest； ran about in the woods； played hop…scotch under
the church porch on rainy days； and at great fetes begged the
beadle to let him toll the bells； that he might hang all his
weight on the long rope and feel himself borne upward by it in
its swing。 Meanwhile he grew like an oak； he was strong on hand；
fresh of colour。
When he was twelve years old his mother had her own way； he began
lessons。 The cure took him in hand； but the lessons were so short
and irregular that they could not be of much use。 They were given
at spare moments in the sacristy； standing up； hurriedly； between
a baptism and a burial； or else the cure； if he had not to go
out； sent for his pupil after the Angelus*。 They went up to his
room and settled down； the flies and moths fluttered round the
candle。 It was close； the child fell asleep； and the good man；
beginning to doze with his hands on his stomach； was soon snoring
with his mouth wide open。 On other occasions； when Monsieur le
Cure； on his way back after administering the viaticum to some
sick person in the neighbourhood； caught sight of Charles playing
about the fields； he called him； lectured him for a quarter of an
hour and took advantage of the occasion to make him conjugate his
verb at the foot of a tree。 The rain interrupted them or an
acquaintance passed。 All the same he was always pleased with him；
and even said the 〃young man〃 had a very good memory。
*A devotion said at morning； noon； and evening； at the sound of a
bell。 Here； the evening prayer。
Charles could not go on like this。 Madame Bovary took strong
steps。 Ashamed； or rather tired out； Monsieur Bovary gave in
without a struggle； and they waited one year longer； so that the
lad should take his first communion。
Six months more passed； and the year after Charles was finally
sent to school at Rouen； where his father took him towards the
end of October； at the time of the St。 Romain fair。
It would now be impossible for any of us to remember anything
about him。 He was a youth of even temperament； who played in
playtime； worked in school…hours； was attentive in class； slept
well in the dormitory； and ate well in the refectory。 He had in
loco parentis* a wholesale ironmonger in the Rue Ganterie； who
took him out once a month on Sundays after his shop was shut；
sent him for a walk on the quay to look at the boats； and then
brought him back to college at seven o'clock before supper。 Every
Thursday evening he wrote a long letter to his mother with red
ink and three wafers； then he went over his history note…books；
or read an old volume of 〃Anarchasis〃 that was knocking about the
study。 When he went for walks he talked to the servant； who； like
himself； came from the country。
*In place of a parent。
By dint of hard work he kept always about the middle of the
class； once even he got a certificate in natural history。 But at
the end of his third year his parents withdrew him from the
school to make him study medicine； convinced that he could even
take his degree by himself。
His mother chose a room for him on the fourth floor of a dyer's
she knew； overlooking the Eau…de…Robec。 She made arrangements for
his board； got him furniture； table and two chairs； sent home for
an old cherry…tree bedstead； and bought besides a small cast…iron
stove with the supply of wood that was to warm the poor child。
Then at the end of a week she departed； after a thousand
injunctions to be good now that he was going to be left to
himself。
The syllabus that he read on the notice…board stunned him；
lectures on anatomy； lectures on pathology； lectures on
physiology； lectures on pharmacy； lectures on botany and clinical
medicine； and therapeutics； without counting hygiene and materia
medicaall names of whose etymologies he was ignorant； and that
were to him as so many doors to sanctuaries filled with
magnificent darkness。
He understood nothing of it all； it was all very well to listen
he did not follow。 Still he worked； he had bound note…books； he
attended all the courses； never missed a single lecture。 He did
his little daily task like a mill…horse； who goes round and round
with his eyes bandaged； not knowing what work he is doing。
To spare him expense his mother sent him every week by the
carrier a piece of veal baked in the oven； with which he lunched
when he came back from the hospital； while he sat kicking his
feet against the wall。 After this he had to run off to lectures；
to the operation…room； to the hospital； and return to his home at
the other end of the town。 In the evening； after the poor dinner
of his landlord； he went back to his room and set to work again
in his wet clothes； which smoked as he sat in front of the hot
stove。
On the fine summer evenings； at the time when the close streets
are empty； when the servants are playing shuttle…cock at the
doors； he opened his window and leaned out。 The river； that makes
of this quarter of Rouen a wretched little Venice； flowed beneath
him； between the bridges and the railings； yellow； violet； or
blue。 Working men； kneeling on the banks； washed their bare arms
in the water。 On poles projecting from the attics； skeins of
cotton were drying in the air。 Opposite； beyond the roots spread
the pure heaven with the red sun setting。 How pleasant it must be
at home！ How fresh under the beech…tree！ And he expanded his
nostrils to breathe in the sweet odours of the country which did
not reach him。
He grew thin； his figure became taller； his fac