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Boulanger's kind offer？〃
She assumed a sulky air； invented a thousand excuses； and finally
declared that perhaps it would look odd。
〃Well； what the deuce do I care for that？〃 said Charles； making a
pirouette。 〃Health before everything！ You are wrong。〃
〃And how do you think I can ride when I haven't got a habit？〃
〃You must order one；〃 he answered。
The riding…habit decided her。
When the habit was ready； Charles wrote to Monsieur Boulanger
that his wife was at his command； and that they counted on his
good…nature。
The next day at noon Rodolphe appeared at Charles's door with two
saddle…horses。 One had pink rosettes at his ears and a deerskin
side…saddle。
Rodolphe had put on high soft boots； saying to himself that no
doubt she had never seen anything like them。 In fact； Emma was
charmed with his appearance as he stood on the landing in his
great velvet coat and white corduroy breeches。 She was ready； she
was waiting for him。
Justin escaped from the chemist's to see her start； and the
chemist also came out。 He was giving Monsieur Boulanger a little
good advice。
〃An accident happens so easily。 Be careful！ Your horses perhaps
are mettlesome。〃
She heard a noise above her； it was Felicite drumming on the
windowpanes to amuse little Berthe。 The child blew her a kiss；
her mother answered with a wave of her whip。
〃A pleasant ride！〃 cried Monsieur Homais。 〃Prudence！ above all；
prudence！〃 And he flourished his newspaper as he saw them
disappear。
As soon as he felt the ground； Emma's horse set off at a gallop。
Rodolphe galloped by her side。 Now and then they exchanged a
word。 Her figure slightly bent； her hand well up； and her right
arm stretched out； she gave herself up to the cadence of the
movement that rocked her in her saddle。 At the bottom of the hill
Rodolphe gave his horse its head； they started together at a
bound； then at the top suddenly the horses stopped； and her large
blue veil fell about her。
It was early in October。 There was fog over the land。 Hazy clouds
hovered on the horizon between the outlines of the hills； others；
rent asunder； floated up and disappeared。 Sometimes through a
rift in the clouds； beneath a ray of sunshine； gleamed from afar
the roots of Yonville； with the gardens at the water's edge； the
yards； the walls and the church steeple。 Emma half closed her
eyes to pick out her house； and never had this poor village where
she lived appeared so small。 From the height on which they were
the whole valley seemed an immense pale lake sending off its
vapour into the air。 Clumps of trees here and there stood out
like black rocks； and the tall lines of the poplars that rose
above the mist were like a beach stirred by the wind。
By the side； on the turf between the pines； a brown light
shimmered in the warm atmosphere。 The earth； ruddy like the
powder of tobacco； deadened the noise of their steps； and with
the edge of their shoes the horses as they walked kicked the
fallen fir cones in front of them。
Rodolphe and Emma thus went along the skirt of the wood。 She
turned away from time to time to avoid his look； and then she saw
only the pine trunks in lines； whose monotonous succession made
her a little giddy。 The horses were panting； the leather of the
saddles creaked。
Just as they were entering the forest the sun shone out。
〃God protects us！〃 said Rodolphe。
〃Do you think so？〃 she said。
〃Forward！ forward！〃 he continued。
He 〃tchk'd〃 with his tongue。 The two beasts set off at a trot。
Long ferns by the roadside caught in Emma's stirrup。
Rodolphe leant forward and removed them as they rode along。 At
other times； to turn aside the branches； he passed close to her；
and Emma felt his knee brushing against her leg。 The sky was now
blue； the leaves no longer stirred。 There were spaces full of
heather in flower； and plots of violets alternated with the
confused patches of the trees that were grey； fawn； or golden
coloured； according to the nature of their leaves。 Often in the
thicket was heard the fluttering of wings； or else the hoarse；
soft cry of the ravens flying off amidst the oaks。
They dismounted。 Rodolphe fastened up the horses。 She walked on
in front on the moss between the paths。 But her long habit got in
her way； although she held it up by the skirt； and Rodolphe；
walking behind her； saw between the black cloth and the black
shoe the fineness of her white stocking； that seemed to him as if
it were a part of her nakedness。
She stopped。 〃I am tired；〃 she said。
〃Come； try again；〃 he went on。 〃Courage！〃
Then some hundred paces farther on she again stopped； and through
her veil； that fell sideways from her man's hat over her hips；
her face appeared in a bluish transparency as if she were
floating under azure waves。
〃But where are we going？〃
He did not answer。 She was breathing irregularly。 Rodolphe looked
round him biting his moustache。 They came to a larger space where
the coppice had been cut。 They sat down on the trunk of a fallen
tree； and Rodolphe began speaking to her of his love。 He did not
begin by frightening her with compliments。 He was calm； serious；
melancholy。
Emma listened to him with bowed head； and stirred the bits of
wood on the ground with the tip of her foot。 But at the words；
〃Are not our destinies now one？〃
〃Oh； no！ she replied。 〃You know that well。 It is impossible！〃
She rose to go。 He seized her by the wrist。 She stopped。 Then；
having gazed at him for a few moments with an amorous and humid
look； she said hurriedly
〃Ah！ do not speak of it again！ Where are the horses？ Let us go
back。〃
He made a gesture of anger and annoyance。 She repeated：
〃Where are the horses？ Where are the horses？〃
Then smiling a strange smile； his pupil fixed； his teeth set； he
advanced with outstretched arms。 She recoiled trembling。 She
stammered：
〃Oh； you frighten me！ You hurt me！ Let me go！〃
〃If it must be；〃 he went on； his face changing； and he again
became respectful； caressing； timid。 She gave him her arm。 They
went back。 He said
〃What was the matter with you？ Why？ I do not understand。 You were
mistaken； no doubt。 In my soul you are as a Madonna on a
pedestal； in a place lofty； secure； immaculate。 But I need you to
live！ I must have your eyes； your voice； your thought！ Be my
friend； my sister； my angel！〃
And he put out his arm round her waist。 She feebly tried to
disengage herself。 He supported her thus as they walked along。
But they heard the two horses browsing on the leaves。
〃Oh！ one moment！〃 said Rodolphe。 〃Do not let us go！ Stay！〃
He drew her farther on to a small pool where duckweeds made a
greenness on the water。 Faded water lilies lay motionless between
the reeds。 At the noise of their steps in the grass； frogs jumped
away to hide themselves。
〃I am wrong！ I am wrong！〃 she said。 〃I am mad to listen to you！〃
〃Why？ Emma！ Emma！〃
〃Oh； Rodolphe！〃 said the young woman slowly； leaning on his
shoulder。
The cloth of her habit caught against the velvet of his coat。 She
threw back her white neck； swelling with a sigh； and faltering；
in tears； with a long shudder and hiding her face； she gave
herself up to him
The shades of night were falling； the horizontal sun passing
between the branches dazzled the eyes。 Here and there around her；
in the leaves or on the ground； trembled luminous patches； as it
hummingbirds flying about had scattered their feathers。 Silence
was everywhere； something sweet seemed to come forth from the
trees； she felt her heart； whose beating had begun again； and the
blood coursing through her flesh like a stream of milk。 Then far
away； beyond the wood； on the other hills； she heard a vague
prolonged cry； a voice which lingered； and in silence she heard
it mingling like music with the last pulsations of her throbbing
nerves。 Rodolphe； a cigar between his lips； was mending with his
penknife one of the two broken bridles。
They returned to Yonville by the same road。 On the mud they saw
again the traces of their horses side by side； the same thickets；
the same stones to the grass； nothing around them seemed changed；
and yet for her something had happened more stupendous than if
the m