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！
was heard near the pond。
A young woman in a blue merino dress with three flounces came to
the threshold of the door to receive Monsieur Bovary； whom she
led to the kitchen； where a large fire was blazing。 The servant's
breakfast was boiling beside it in small pots of all sizes。 Some
damp clothes were drying inside the chimney…corner。 The shovel；
tongs； and the nozzle of the bellows； all of colossal size； shone
like polished steel； while along the walls hung many pots and
pans in which the clear flame of the hearth； mingling with the
first rays of the sun coming in through the window； was mirrored
fitfully。
Charles went up the first floor to see the patient。 He found him
in his bed； sweating under his bed…clothes； having thrown his
cotton nightcap right away from him。 He was a fat little man of
fifty； with white skin and blue eyes； the forepart of his head
bald； and he wore earrings。 By his side on a chair stood a large
decanter of brandy； whence he poured himself a little from time
to time to keep up his spirits； but as soon as he caught sight of
the doctor his elation subsided； and instead of swearing； as he
had been doing for the last twelve hours； began to groan freely。
The fracture was a simple one； without any kind of complication。
Charles could not have hoped for an easier case。 Then calling to
mind the devices of his masters at the bedsides of patients； he
comforted the sufferer with all sorts of kindly remarks； those
Caresses of the surgeon that are like the oil they put on
bistouries。 In order to make some splints a bundle of laths was
brought up from the cart…house。 Charles selected one； cut it into
two pieces and planed it with a fragment of windowpane； while the
servant tore up sheets to make bandages； and Mademoiselle Emma
tried to sew some pads。 As she was a long time before she found
her work…case； her father grew impatient； she did not answer； but
as she sewed she pricked her fingers； which she then put to her
mouth to suck them。 Charles was surprised at the whiteness of her
nails。 They were shiny； delicate at the tips； more polished than
the ivory of Dieppe； and almond…shaped。 Yet her hand was not
beautiful； perhaps not white enough； and a little hard at the
knuckles； besides； it was too long； with no soft inflections in
the outlines。 Her real beauty was in her eyes。 Although brown；
they seemed black because of the lashes； and her look came at you
frankly； with a candid boldness。
The bandaging over； the doctor was invited by Monsieur Rouault
himself to 〃pick a bit〃 before he left。
Charles went down into the room on the ground floor。 Knives and
forks and silver goblets were laid for two on a little table at
the foot of a huge bed that had a canopy of printed cotton with
figures representing Turks。 There was an odour of iris…root and
damp sheets that escaped from a large oak chest opposite the
window。 On the floor in corners were sacks of flour stuck upright
in rows。 These were the overflow from the neighbouring granary；
to which three stone steps led。 By way of decoration for the
apartment； hanging to a nail in the middle of the wall； whose
green paint scaled off from the effects of the saltpetre； was a
crayon head of Minerva in gold frame； underneath which was
written in Gothic letters 〃To dear Papa。〃
First they spoke of the patient； then of the weather； of the
great cold； of the wolves that infested the fields at night。
Mademoiselle Rouault did not at all like the country； especially
now that she had to look after the farm almost alone。 As the room
was chilly； she shivered as she ate。 This showed something of her
full lips； that she had a habit of biting when silent。
Her neck stood out from a white turned…down collar。 Her hair；
whose two black folds seemed each of a single piece； so smooth
were they； was parted in the middle by a delicate lie that curved
slightly with the curve of the head； and； just showing the tip of
the ear； it was joined behind in a thick chignon； with a wavy
movement at the temples that the country doctor saw now for the
first time in his life。 The upper part of her cheek was
rose…coloured。 She had； like a man； thrust in between two buttons
of her bodice a tortoise…shell eyeglass。
When Charles； after bidding farewell to old Rouault； returned to
the room before leaving； he found her standing； her forehead
against the window； looking into the garden； where the bean props
had been knocked down by the wind。 She turned round。 〃Are you
looking for anything？〃 she asked。
〃My whip； if you please；〃 he answered。
He began rummaging on the bed； behind the doors； under the
chairs。 It had fallen to the floor； between the sacks and the
wall。 Mademoiselle Emma saw it； and bent over the flour sacks。
Charles out of politeness made a dash also； and as he stretched
out his arm； at the same moment felt his breast brush against the
back of the young girl bending beneath him。 She drew herself up；
scarlet； and looked at him over her shoulder as she handed him
his whip。
Instead of returning to the Bertaux in three days as he had
promised； he went back the very next day； then regularly twice a
week； without counting the visits he paid now and then as if by
accident。
Everything； moreover； went well； the patient progressed
favourably； and when； at the end of forty…six days； old Rouault
was seen trying to walk alone in his 〃den；〃 Monsieur Bovary began
to be looked upon as a man of great capacity。 Old Rouault said
that he could not have been cured better by the first doctor of
Yvetot； or even of Rouen。
As to Charles； he did not stop to ask himself why it was a
pleasure to him to go to the Bertaux。 Had he done so； he would；
no doubt； have attributed his zeal to the importance of the case；
or perhaps to the money he hoped to make by it。 Was it for this；
however； that his visits to the farm formed a delightful
exception to the meagre occupations of his life？ On these days he
rose early； set off at a gallop； urging on his horse； then got
down to wipe his boots in the grass and put on black gloves
before entering。 He liked going into the courtyard； and noticing
the gate turn against his shoulder； the cock crow on the wall；
the lads run to meet him。 He liked the granary and the stables；
he liked old Rouault； who pressed his hand and called him his
saviour； he like the small wooden shoes of Mademoiselle Emma on
the scoured flags of the kitchenher high heels made her a
little taller； and when she walked in front of him； the wooden
soles springing up quickly struck with a sharp sound against the
leather of her boots。
She always accompanied him to the first step of the stairs。 When
his horse had not yet been brought round she stayed there。 They
had said 〃Good…bye〃； there was no more talking。 The open air
wrapped her round； playing with the soft down on the back of her
neck； or blew to and fro on her hips the apron…strings； that
fluttered like streamers。 Once； during a thaw the bark of the
trees in the yard was oozing； the snow on the roofs of the
outbuildings was melting； she stood on the threshold； and went to
fetch her sunshade and opened it。 The sunshade of silk of the
colour of pigeons' breasts； through which the sun shone； lighted
up with shifting hues the white skin of her face。 She smiled
under the tender warmth； and drops of water could be heard
falling one by one on the stretched silk。
During the first period of Charles's visits to the Bertaux；
Madame Bovary junior never failed to inquire after the invalid；
and she had even chosen in the book that she kept on a system of
double entry a clean blank page for Monsieur Rouault。 But when
she heard he had a daughter； she began to make inquiries； and she
learnt the Mademoiselle Rouault； brought up at the Ursuline
Convent； had received what is called 〃a good education〃； and so
knew dancing； geography； drawing； how to embroider and play the
piano。 That was the last straw。
〃So it is for this；〃 she said to herself； 〃that his face beams
when he goes to see her； and that he puts on his new waistcoat at
the risk of spoiling it with the rain。 Ah！ that woman！ That
woman！〃
And she detested her instinctively。 At first she