Charlesfastenedhishorsetoatree;heranintotheroadandwaited。Halfanhourpassed,thenhecountednineteenminutesbyhiswatch。Suddenlyanoisewasheardagainstthewall;theshutterhadbeenthrownback;thehookwasstillswinging。
Thenextdaybynineo’clockhewasatthefarm。Emmablushedasheentered,andshegavealittleforcedlaughtokeepherselfincountenance。OldRouaultembracedhisfutureson-in-law。Thediscussionofmoneymatterswasputoff;moreover,therewasplentyoftimebeforethem,asthemarriagecouldnotdecentlytakeplacetillCharleswasoutofmourning,thatistosay,aboutthespringofthenextyear。
Thewinterpassedwaitingforthis。MademoiselleRouaultwasbusywithhertrousseau。PartofitwasorderedatRouen,andshemadeherselfchemisesandnightcapsafterfashion-platesthatsheborrowed。WhenCharlesvisitedthefarmer,thepreparationsfortheweddingweretalkedover;theywonderedinwhatroomtheyshouldhavedinner;theydreamedofthenumberofdishesthatwouldbewanted,andwhatshouldbeentrees。
Emmawould,onthecontrary,havepreferredtohaveamidnightweddingwithtorches,butoldRouaultcouldnotunderstandsuchanidea。Sotherewasaweddingatwhichforty-threepersonswerepresent,atwhichtheyremainedsixteenhoursattable,beganagainthenextday,andtosomeextentonthedaysfollowing。
ChapterFourTheguestsarrivedearlyincarriages,inone-horsechaises,two-wheeledcars,oldopengigs,waggonetteswithleatherhoods,andtheyoungpeoplefromthenearervillagesincarts,inwhichtheystoodupinrows,holdingontothesidessoasnottofall,goingatatrotandwellshakenup。Somecamefromadistanceofthirtymiles,fromGoderville,fromNormanville,andfromCany。
Alltherelativesofbothfamilieshadbeeninvited,quarrelsbetweenfriendsarranged,acquaintanceslongsincelostsightofwrittento。
>Fromtimetotimeoneheardthecrackofawhipbehindthehedge;
thenthegatesopened,achaiseentered。Gallopinguptothefootofthesteps,itstoppedshortandemptieditsload。Theygotdownfromallsides,rubbingkneesandstretchingarms。Theladies,wearingbonnets,hadondressesinthetownfashion,goldwatchchains,pelerineswiththeendstuckedintobelts,orlittlecolouredfichusfasteneddownbehindwithapin,andthatleftthebackoftheneckbare。Thelads,dressedliketheirpapas,seemeduncomfortableintheirnewclothesmanythatdayhand-sewedtheirfirstpairofboots,andbytheirsides,speakingneverawork,wearingthewhitedressoftheirfirstcommunionlengthenedfortheoccasionweresomebiggirlsoffourteenorsixteen,cousinsoreldersistersnodoubt,rubicund,bewildered,theirhairgreasywithrosepomade,andverymuchafraidofdirtyingtheirgloves。Astherewerenotenoughstable-boystounharnessallthecarriages,thegentlementurneduptheirsleevesandsetaboutitthemselves。Accordingtotheirdifferentsocialpositionstheyworetail-coats,overcoats,shootingjackets,cutaway-coats;finetail-coats,redolentoffamilyrespectability,thatonlycameoutofthewardrobeonstateoccasions;overcoatswithlongtailsflappinginthewindandroundcapesandpocketslikesacks;shootingjacketsofcoarsecloth,generallywornwithacapwithabrass-boundpeak;
veryshortcutaway-coatswithtwosmallbuttonsintheback,closetogetherlikeapairofeyes,andthetailsofwhichseemedcutoutofonepiecebyacarpenter’shatchet。Some,toobutthese,youmaybesure,wouldsitatthebottomofthetable,woretheirbestblouses——thatistosay,withcollarsturneddowntotheshoulders,thebackgatheredintosmallplaitsandthewaistfastenedverylowdownwithaworkedbelt。
Andtheshirtsstoodoutfromthechestslikecuirasses!Everyonehadjusthadhishaircut;earsstoodoutfromtheheads;theyhadbeenclose-shaved;afew,even,whohadhadtogetupbeforedaybreak,andnotbeenabletoseetoshave,haddiagonalgashesundertheirnosesorcutsthesizeofathree-francpiecealongthejaws,whichthefreshairenroutehadenflamed,sothatthegreatwhitebeamingfacesweremottledhereandtherewithreddabs。
Themairiewasamileandahalffromthefarm,andtheywentthitheronfoot,returninginthesamewayaftertheceremonyinthechurch。Theprocession,firstunitedlikeonelongcolouredscarfthatundulatedacrossthefields,alongthenarrowpathwindingamidthegreencorn,soonlengthenedout,andbrokeupintodifferentgroupsthatloiteredtotalk。Thefiddlerwalkedinfrontwithhisviolin,gaywithribbonsatitspegs。Thencamethemarriedpair,therelations,thefriends,allfollowingpell-mell;thechildrenstayedbehindamusingthemselvespluckingthebell-flowersfromoat-ears,orplayingamongstthemselvesunseen。Emma’sdress,toolong,trailedalittleontheground;
fromtimetotimeshestoppedtopullitup,andthendelicately,withherglovedhands,shepickedoffthecoarsegrassandthethistledowns,whileCharles,emptyhanded,waitedtillshehadfinished。OldRouault,withanewsilkhatandthecuffsofhisblackcoatcoveringhishandsuptothenails,gavehisarmtoMadameBovarysenior。AstoMonsieurBovarysenior,who,heartilydespisingallthesefolk,hadcomesimplyinafrock-coatofmilitarycutwithonerowofbuttons——hewaspassingcomplimentsofthebartoafairyoungpeasant。Shebowed,blushed,anddidnotknowwhattosay。Theotherweddinggueststalkedoftheirbusinessorplayedtricksbehindeachother’sbacks,eggingoneanotheroninadvancetobejolly。Thosewholistenedcouldalwayscatchthesqueakingofthefiddler,whowentonplayingacrossthefields。Whenhesawthattherestwerefarbehindhestoppedtotakebreath,slowlyrosinedhisbow,sothatthestringsshouldsoundmoreshrilly,thensetoffagain,byturnsloweringandraisinghisneck,thebettertomarktimeforhimself。Thenoiseoftheinstrumentdroveawaythelittlebirdsfromafar。
Thetablewaslaidunderthecart-shed。Onitwerefoursirloins,sixchickenfricassees,stewedveal,threelegsofmutton,andinthemiddleafineroastsucklingpig,flankedbyfourchitterlingswithsorrel。Atthecornersweredecantersofbrandy。Sweetbottled-ciderfrothedroundthecorks,andalltheglasseshadbeenfilledtothebrimwithwinebeforehand。Largedishesofyellowcream,thattrembledwiththeleastshakeofthetable,haddesignedontheirsmoothsurfacetheinitialsofthenewlyweddedpairinnonpareilarabesques。AconfectionerofYvetothadbeenintrustedwiththetartsandsweets。Ashehadonlyjustsetupontheplace,hehadtakenalotoftrouble,andatdesserthehimselfbroughtinasetdishthatevokedloudcriesofwonderment。Tobeginwith,atitsbasetherewasasquareofbluecardboard,representingatemplewithporticoes,colonnades,andstuccostatuettesallround,andinthenichesconstellationsofgiltpaperstars;thenonthesecondstagewasadungeonofSavoycake,surroundedbymanyfortificationsincandiedangelica,almonds,raisins,andquartersoforanges;andfinally,ontheupperplatformagreenfieldwithrockssetinlakesofjam,nutshellboats,andasmallCupidbalancinghimselfinachocolateswingwhosetwouprightsendedinrealrosesforballsatthetop。
Untilnighttheyate。Whenanyofthemweretootiredofsitting,theywentoutforastrollintheyard,orforagamewithcorksinthegranary,andthenreturnedtotable。Sometowardsthefinishwenttosleepandsnored。Butwiththecoffeeeveryonewokeup。Thentheybegansongs,showedofftricks,raisedheavyweights,performedfeatswiththeirfingers,thentriedliftingcartsontheirshoulders,madebroadjokes,kissedthewomen。Atnightwhentheyleft,thehorses,stuffeduptothenostrilswithoats,couldhardlybegotintotheshafts;theykicked,reared,theharnessbroke,theirmasterslaughedorswore;andallnightinthelightofthemoonalongcountryroadstherewererunawaycartsatfullgallopplungingintotheditches,jumpingoveryardafteryardofstones,clamberingupthehills,withwomenleaningoutfromthetilttocatchholdofthereins。
ThosewhostayedattheBertauxspentthenightdrinkinginthekitchen。Thechildrenhadfallenasleepundertheseats。
Thebridehadbeggedherfathertobesparedtheusualmarriagepleasantries。However,afishmonger,oneoftheircousinswhohadevenbroughtapairofsolesforhisweddingpresent,begantosquirtwaterfromhismouththroughthekeyhole,whenoldRouaultcameupjustintimetostophim,andexplaintohimthatthedistinguishedpositionofhisson-in-lawwouldnotallowofsuchliberties。Thecousinallthesamedidnotgiveintothesereasonsreadily。InhisheartheaccusedoldRouaultofbeingproud,andhejoinedfourorfiveotherguestsinacorner,whohaving,throughmerechance,beenseveraltimesrunningservedwiththeworsthelpsofmeat,alsowereofopiniontheyhadbeenbadlyused,andwerewhisperingabouttheirhost,andwithcoveredhintshopinghewouldruinhimself。
MadameBovary,senior,hadnotopenedhermouthallday。Shehadbeenconsultedneitherastothedressofherdaughter-in-lawnorastothearrangementofthefeast;shewenttobedearly。Herhusband,insteadoffollowingher,senttoSaint-Victorforsomecigars,andsmokedtilldaybreak,drinkingkirsch-punch,amixtureunknowntothecompany。Thisaddedgreatlytotheconsiderationinwhichhewasheld。
Charles,whowasnotofafacetiousturn,didnotshineatthewedding。Heansweredfeeblytothepuns,doublesentendres*,compliments,andchaffthatitwasfeltadutytoletoffathimassoonasthesoupappeared。
*Doublemeanings。
Thenextday,ontheotherhand,heseemedanotherman。Itwashewhomightratherhavebeentakenforthevirginoftheeveningbefore,whilstthebridegavenosignthatrevealedanything。Theshrewdestdidnotknowwhattomakeofit,andtheylookedatherwhenshepassednearthemwithanunboundedconcentrationofmind。ButCharlesconcealednothing。Hecalledher“mywife“,tutoyed*her,askedforherofeveryone,lookedforhereverywhere,andoftenhedraggedherintotheyards,wherehecouldbeseenfromfarbetweenthetrees,puttinghisarmaroundherwaist,andwalkinghalf-bendingoverher,rufflingthechemisetteofherbodicewithhishead。
*Usedthefamiliarformofaddress。
Twodaysaftertheweddingthemarriedpairleft。Charles,onaccountofhispatients,couldnotbeawaylonger。OldRouaulthadthemdrivenbackinhiscart,andhimselfaccompaniedthemasfarasVassonville。Hereheembracedhisdaughterforthelasttime,gotdown,andwenthisway。Whenhehadgoneaboutahundredpaceshestopped,andashesawthecartdisappearing,itswheelsturninginthedust,hegaveadeepsigh。Thenherememberedhiswedding,theoldtimes,thefirstpregnancyofhiswife;he,too,hadbeenveryhappythedaywhenhehadtakenherfromherfathertohishome,andhadcarriedheroffonapillion,trottingthroughthesnow,foritwasnearChristmas-time,andthecountrywasallwhite。Sheheldhimbyonearm,herbaskethangingfromtheother;thewindblewthelonglaceofherCauchoisheaddresssothatitsometimesflappedacrosshismouth,andwhenheturnedhisheadhesawnearhim,onhisshoulder,herlittlerosyface,smilingsilentlyunderthegoldbandsofhercap。Towarmherhandssheputthemfromtimetotimeinhisbreast。Howlongagoitallwas!Theirsonwouldhavebeenthirtybynow。Thenhelookedbackandsawnothingontheroad。Hefeltdrearyasanemptyhouse;andtendermemoriesminglingwiththesadthoughtsinhisbrain,addledbythefumesofthefeast,hefeltinclinedforamomenttotakeaturntowardsthechurch。Ashewasafraid,however,thatthissightwouldmakehimyetmoresad,hewentrightawayhome。
MonsieurandMadameCharlesarrivedatTostesaboutsixo’clock。
Theneighborscametothewindowstoseetheirdoctor’snewwife。
Theoldservantpresentedherself,curtsiedtoher,apologisedfornothavingdinnerready,andsuggestedthatmadame,inthemeantime,shouldlookoverherhouse。
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