“HerearesomeprettyEasterdaisies，“hesaid，“andenoughofthemtofurnishoraclestoalltheamorousmaidsintheplace。“
　　Headded，“ShallIpicksome？Whatdoyouthink？“
　　“Areyouinlove？“sheasked，coughingalittle。
　　“H’m，h’m!whoknows？“answeredRodolphe。
　　Themeadowbegantofill，andthehousewiveshustledyouwiththeirgreatumbrellas，theirbaskets，andtheirbabies。Onehadoftentogetoutofthewayofalongfileofcountryfolk，servant-maidswithbluestockings，flatshoes，silverrings，andwhosmeltofmilk，whenonepassedclosetothem。Theywalkedalongholdingoneanotherbythehand，andthustheyspreadoverthewholefieldfromtherowofopentreestothebanquettent。
　　Butthiswastheexaminationtime，andthefarmersoneaftertheotherenteredakindofenclosureformedbyalongcordsupportedonsticks。
　　Thebeastswerethere，theirnosestowardsthecord，andmakingaconfusedlinewiththeirunequalrumps。Drowsypigswereburrowingintheearthwiththeirsnouts，calveswerebleating，lambsbaaing；thecows，onkneesfoldedin，werestretchingtheirbelliesonthegrass，slowlychewingthecud，andblinkingtheirheavyeyelidsatthegnatsthatbuzzedroundthem。Plough-menwithbarearmswereholdingbythehalterprancingstallionsthatneighedwithdilatednostrilslookingtowardsthemares。Thesestoodquietly，stretchingouttheirheadsandflowingmanes，whiletheirfoalsrestedintheirshadow，ornowandthencameandsuckedthem。Andabovethelongundulationofthesecrowdedanimalsonesawsomewhitemanerisinginthewindlikeawave，orsomesharphornsstickingout，andtheheadsofmenrunningabout。Apart，outsidetheenclosure，ahundredpacesoff，wasalargeblackbull，muzzled，withanironringinitsnostrils，andwhomovednomorethanifhehadbeeninbronze。Achildinragswasholdinghimbyarope。
　　Betweenthetwolinesthecommittee-menwerewalkingwithheavysteps，examiningeachanimal，thenconsultingoneanotherinalowvoice。Onewhoseemedofmoreimportancenowandthentooknotesinabookashewalkedalong。Thiswasthepresidentofthejury，MonsieurDerozeraysdelaPanville。AssoonasherecognisedRodolphehecameforwardquickly，andsmilingamiably，said——
　　“What!MonsieurBoulanger，youaredesertingus？“
　　Rodolpheprotestedthathewasjustcoming。Butwhenthepresidenthaddisappeared——
　　“Mafoi!*“saidhe，“Ishallnotgo。Yourcompanyisbetterthanhis。“
　　*Uponmyword!
　　Andwhilepokingfunattheshow，Rodolphe，tomoveaboutmoreeasily，showedthegendarmehisbluecard，andevenstoppednowandtheninfrontofsomefinebeast，whichMadameBovarydidnotatalladmire。
　　Henoticedthis，andbeganjeeringattheYonvilleladiesandtheirdresses；thenheapologisedforthenegligenceofhisown。Hehadthatincongruityofcommonandelegantinwhichthehabituallyvulgarthinktheyseetherevelationofaneccentricexistence，oftheperturbationsofsentiment，thetyranniesofart，andalwaysacertaincontemptforsocialconventions，thatseducesorexasperatesthem。Thushiscambricshirtwithplaitedcuffswasblownoutbythewindintheopeningofhiswaistcoatofgreyticking，andhisbroad-stripedtrousersdisclosedattheanklenankeenbootswithpatentleathergaiters。
　　Theseweresopolishedthattheyreflectedthegrass。Hetrampledonhorses’sdungwiththem，onehandinthepocketofhisjacketandhisstrawhatononeside。
　　“Besides，“addedhe，“whenonelivesinthecountry——“
　　“It’swasteoftime，“saidEmma。
　　“Thatistrue，“repliedRodolphe。“Tothinkthatnotoneofthesepeopleiscapableofunderstandingeventhecutofacoat!“
　　Thentheytalkedaboutprovincialmediocrity，ofthelivesitcrushed，theillusionslostthere。
　　“AndItoo，“saidRodolphe，“amdriftingintodepression。“
　　“You!“shesaidinastonishment；“Ithoughtyouverylight-hearted。“
　　“Ah!yes。Iseemso，becauseinthemidstoftheworldIknowhowtowearthemaskofascofferuponmyface；andyet，howmanyatimeatthesightofacemeterybymoonlighthaveInotaskedmyselfwhetheritwerenotbettertojointhosesleepingthere!“
　　“Oh!andyourfriends？“shesaid。“Youdonotthinkofthem。“
　　“Myfriends!Whatfriends？HaveIany？Whocaresforme？“Andheaccompaniedthelastwordswithakindofwhistlingofthelips。
　　Buttheywereobligedtoseparatefromeachotherbecauseofagreatpileofchairsthatamanwascarryingbehindthem。Hewassooverladenwiththemthatonecouldonlyseethetipsofhiswoodenshoesandtheendsofhistwooutstretchedarms。ItwasLestiboudois，thegravedigger，whowascarryingthechurchchairsaboutamongstthepeople。Alivetoallthatconcernedhisinterests，hehadhituponthismeansofturningtheshowtoaccount；andhisideawassucceeding，forhenolongerknewwhichwaytoturn。Infact，thevillagers，whowerehot，quarreledfortheseseats，whosestrawsmeltofincense，andtheyleantagainstthethickbacks，stainedwiththewaxofcandles，withacertainveneration。
　　MadameBovaryagaintookRodolphe’sarm；hewentonasifspeakingtohimself——
　　“Yes，Ihavemissedsomanythings。Alwaysalone!Ah!ifIhadsomeaiminlife，ifIhadmetsomelove，ifIhadfoundsomeone!
　　Oh，howIwouldhavespentalltheenergyofwhichIamcapable，surmountedeverything，overcomeeverything!“
　　“Yetitseemstome，“saidEmma，“thatyouarenottobepitied。“
　　“Ah!youthinkso？“saidRodolphe。
　　“For，afterall，“shewenton，“youarefree——“shehesitated，“rich——“
　　“Donotmockme，“hereplied。
　　Andsheprotestedthatshewasnotmockinghim，whenthereportofacannonresounded。Immediatelyallbeganhustlingoneanotherpell-melltowardsthevillage。
　　Itwasafalsealarm。Theprefectseemednottobecoming，andthemembersofthejuryfeltmuchembarrassed，notknowingiftheyoughttobeginthemeetingorstillwait。
　　AtlastattheendofthePlacealargehiredlandauappeared，drawnbytwothinhorses，whichacoachmaninawhitehatwaswhippinglustily。Binethadonlyjusttimetoshout，“Presentarms!“andthecoloneltoimitatehim。Allrantowardstheenclosure；everyonepushedforward。Afewevenforgottheircollars；buttheequipageoftheprefectseemedtoanticipatethecrowd，andthetwoyokedjades，trapesingintheirharness，cameupatalittletrotinfrontoftheperistyleofthetownhallattheverymomentwhentheNationalGuardandfiremendeployed，beatingdrumsandmarkingtime。
　　“Present!“shoutedBinet。
　　“Halt!“shoutedthecolonel。“Leftabout，march。“
　　Andafterpresentingarms，duringwhichtheclangoftheband，lettingloose，rangoutlikeabrasskettlerollingdownstairs，allthegunswerelowered。Thenwasseensteppingdownfromthecarriageagentlemaninashortcoatwithsilverbraiding，withbaldbrow，andwearingatuftofhairatthebackofhishead，ofasallowcomplexionandthemostbenignappearance。Hiseyes，verylargeandcoveredbyheavylids，werehalf-closedtolookatthecrowd，whileatthesametimeheraisedhissharpnose，andforcedasmileuponhissunkenmouth。Herecognisedthemayorbyhisscarf，andexplainedtohimthattheprefectwasnotabletocome。Hehimselfwasacouncillorattheprefecture；thenheaddedafewapologies。MonsieurTuvacheansweredthemwithcompliments；theotherconfessedhimselfnervous；andtheyremainedthus，facetoface，theirforeheadsalmosttouching，withthemembersofthejuryallround，themunicipalcouncil，thenotablepersonages，theNationalGuardandthecrowd。Thecouncillorpressinghislittlecockedhattohisbreastrepeatedhisbows，whileTuvache，bentlikeabow，alsosmiled，stammered，triedtosaysomething，protestedhisdevotiontothemonarchyandthehonourthatwasbeingdonetoYonville。
　　Hippolyte，thegroomfromtheinn，tooktheheadofthehorsesfromthecoachman，and，limpingalongwithhisclub-foot，ledthemtothedoorofthe“Liond’Or“，whereanumberofpeasantscollectedtolookatthecarriage。Thedrumbeat，thehowitzerthundered，andthegentlemenonebyonemountedtheplatform，wheretheysatdowninredutrechtvelvetarm-chairsthathadbeenlentbyMadameTuvache。
　　Allthesepeoplelookedalike。Theirfairflabbyfaces，somewhattannedbythesun，werethecolourofsweetcider，andtheirpuffywhiskersemergedfromstiffcollars，keptupbywhitecravatswithbroadbows。Allthewaist-coatswereofvelvet，double-breasted；allthewatcheshad，attheendofalongribbon，anovalcornelianseal；everyonerestedhistwohandsonhisthighs，carefullystretchingthestrideoftheirtrousers，whoseunspongedglossyclothshonemorebrilliantlythantheleatheroftheirheavyboots。
　　Theladiesofthecompanystoodatthebackunderthevestibulebetweenthepillarswhilethecommonherdwasopposite，standinguporsittingonchairs。Asamatteroffact，Lestiboudoishadbroughtthitherallthosethathehadmovedfromthefield，andheevenkeptrunningbackeveryminutetofetchothersfromthechurch。Hecausedsuchconfusionwiththispieceofbusinessthatonehadgreatdifficultyingettingtothesmallstepsoftheplatform。
　　“Ithink，“saidMonsieurLheureuxtothechemist，whowaspassingtohisplace，“thattheyoughttohaveputuptwoVenetianmastswithsomethingrathersevereandrichforornaments；itwouldhavebeenaveryprettyeffect。“
　　“Tobesure，“repliedHomais；“butwhatcanyouexpect？Themayortookeverythingonhisownshoulders。Hehasn’tmuchtaste。PoorTuvache!andheisevencompletelydestituteofwhatiscalledthegeniusofart。“
　　Rodolphe，meanwhile，withMadameBovary，hadgoneuptothefirstfloorofthetownhall，tothe“council-room，“and，asitwasempty，hedeclaredthattheycouldenjoythesighttheremorecomfortably。Hefetchedthreestoolsfromtheroundtableunderthebustofthemonarch，andhavingcarriedthemtooneofthewindows，theysatdownbyeachother。