Atlastthebrickhousesbegantofollowoneanothermoreclosely，theearthresoundedbeneaththewheels，the“Hirondelle“
　　glidedbetweenthegardens，wherethroughanopeningonesawstatues，aperiwinkleplant，clippedyews，andaswing。Thenonasuddenthetownappeared。Slopingdownlikeanamphitheatre，anddrownedinthefog，itwidenedoutbeyondthebridgesconfusedly。
　　Thentheopencountryspreadawaywithamonotonousmovementtillittouchedinthedistancethevaguelineofthepalesky。Seenthusfromabove，thewholelandscapelookedimmovableasapicture；theanchoredshipsweremassedinonecorner，therivercurvedroundthefootofthegreenhills，andtheisles，obliqueinshape，layonthewater，likelarge，motionless，blackfishes。
　　Thefactorychimneysbelchedforthimmensebrownfumesthatwereblownawayatthetop。Oneheardtherumblingofthefoundries，togetherwiththeclearchimesofthechurchesthatstoodoutinthemist。Theleaflesstreesontheboulevardsmadevioletthicketsinthemidstofthehouses，andtheroofs，allshiningwiththerain，threwbackunequalreflections，accordingtotheheightofthequartersinwhichtheywere。SometimesagustofwinddrovethecloudstowardstheSaintCatherinehills，likeaerialwavesthatbrokesilentlyagainstacliff。
　　Agiddinessseemedtohertodetachitselffromthismassofexistence，andherheartswelledasifthehundredandtwentythousandsoulsthatpalpitatedtherehadallatoncesentintoitthevapourofthepassionsshefanciedtheirs。Herlovegrewinthepresenceofthisvastness，andexpandedwithtumulttothevaguemurmuringsthatrosetowardsher。Shepoureditoutuponthesquare，onthewalks，onthestreets，andtheoldNormancityoutspreadbeforehereyesasanenormouscapital，asaBabylonintowhichshewasentering。Sheleantwithbothhandsagainstthewindow，drinkinginthebreeze；thethreehorsesgalloped，thestonesgratedinthemud，thediligencerocked，andHivert，fromafar，hailedthecartsontheroad，whilethebourgeoiswhohadspentthenightattheGuillaumewoodscamequietlydownthehillintheirlittlefamilycarriages。
　　Theystoppedatthebarrier；Emmaundidherovershoes，putonothergloves，rearrangedhershawl，andsometwentypacesfarthershegotdownfromthe“Hirondelle。“
　　Thetownwasthenawakening。Shop-boysincapswerecleaninguptheshop-fronts，andwomenwithbasketsagainsttheirhips，atintervalsutteredsonorouscriesatthecornersofstreets。Shewalkedwithdowncasteyes，closetothewalls，andsmilingwithpleasureunderherloweredblackveil。
　　Forfearofbeingseen，shedidnotusuallytakethemostdirectroad。Sheplungedintodarkalleys，and，allperspiring，reachedthebottomoftheRueNationale，nearthefountainthatstandsthere。It，isthequarterfortheatres，public-houses，andwhores。Oftenacartwouldpassnearher，bearingsomeshakingscenery。Waitersinapronsweresprinklingsandontheflagstonesbetweengreenshrubs。Itallsmeltofabsinthe，cigars，andoysters。
　　Sheturneddownastreet；sherecognisedhimbyhiscurlinghairthatescapedfrombeneathhishat。
　　Leonwalkedalongthepavement。Shefollowedhimtothehotel。Hewentup，openedthedoor，entered——Whatanembrace!
　　Then，afterthekisses，thewordsgushedforth。Theytoldeachotherthesorrowsoftheweek，thepresentiments，theanxietyfortheletters；butnoweverythingwasforgotten；theygazedintoeachother’sfaceswithvoluptuouslaughs，andtendernames。
　　Thebedwaslarge，ofmahogany，intheshapeofaboat。Thecurtainswereinredlevantine，thathungfromtheceilingandbulgedouttoomuchtowardsthebell-shapedbedside；andnothingintheworldwassolovelyasherbrownheadandwhiteskinstandingoutagainstthispurplecolour，when，withamovementofshame，shecrossedherbarearms，hidingherfaceinherhands。
　　Thewarmroom，withitsdiscreetcarpet，itsgayornaments，anditscalmlight，seemedmadefortheintimaciesofpassion。Thecurtain-rods，endinginarrows，theirbrasspegs，andthegreatballsofthefire-dogsshonesuddenlywhenthesuncamein。Onthechimneybetweenthecandelabrathereweretwoofthosepinkshellsinwhichonehearsthemurmuroftheseaifoneholdsthemtotheear。
　　Howtheylovedthatdearroom，sofullofgaiety，despiteitsratherfadedsplendour!Theyalwaysfoundthefurnitureinthesameplace，andsometimeshairpins，thatshehadforgottentheThursdaybefore，underthepedestaloftheclock。Theylunchedbythefiresideonalittleroundtable，inlaidwithrosewood。Emmacarved，putbitsonhisplatewithallsortsofcoquettishways，andshelaughedwithasonorousandlibertinelaughwhenthefrothofthechampagneranoverfromtheglasstotheringsonherfingers。Theyweresocompletelylostinthepossessionofeachotherthattheythoughtthemselvesintheirownhouse，andthattheywouldlivetheretilldeath，liketwospouseseternallyyoung。Theysaid“ourroom，““ourcarpet，“sheevensaid“myslippers，“agiftofLeon’s，awhimshehadhad。Theywerepinksatin，borderedwithswansdown。Whenshesatonhisknees，herleg，thentooshort，hungintheair，andthedaintyshoe，thathadnobacktoit，washeldonlybythetoestoherbarefoot。
　　Heforthefirsttimeenjoyedtheinexpressibledelicacyoffemininerefinements。Hehadnevermetthisgraceoflanguage，thisreserveofclothing，theseposesofthewearydove。Headmiredtheexaltationofhersoulandthelaceonherpetticoat。
　　Besides，wasshenot“alady“andamarriedwoman——arealmistress，infine？
　　Bythediversityofherhumour，inturnmysticalormirthful，talkative，taciturn，passionate，careless，sheawakenedinhimathousanddesires，calledupinstinctsormemories。Shewasthemistressofallthenovels，theheroineofallthedramas，thevague“she“ofallthevolumesofverse。Hefoundagainonhershouldertheambercolouringofthe“OdalisqueBathing“；shehadthelongwaistoffeudalchatelaines，andsheresembledthe“PaleWomanofBarcelona。“ButaboveallshewastheAngel!
　　Oftenlookingather，itseemedtohimthathissoul，escapingtowardsher，spreadlikeawaveabouttheoutlineofherhead，anddescendeddrawndownintothewhitenessofherbreast。Hekneltonthegroundbeforeher，andwithbothelbowsonherkneeslookedatherwithasmile，hisfaceupturned。
　　Shebentoverhim，andmurmured，asifchokingwithintoxication——
　　“Oh，donotmove!donotspeak!lookatme!Somethingsosweetcomesfromyoureyesthathelpsmesomuch!“
　　Shecalledhim“child。““Child，doyouloveme？“
　　Andshedidnotlistenforhisanswerinthehasteofherlipsthatfastenedtohismouth。
　　Ontheclocktherewasabronzecupid，whosmirkedashebenthisarmbeneathagoldengarland。Theyhadlaughedatitmanyatime，butwhentheyhadtoparteverythingseemedserioustothem。
　　Motionlessinfrontofeachother，theykeptrepeating，“TillThursday，tillThursday。“
　　Suddenlysheseizedhisheadbetweenherhands，kissedhimhurriedlyontheforehead，crying，“Adieu!“andrusheddownthestairs。
　　Shewenttoahairdresser’sintheRuedelaComedietohaveherhairarranged。Nightfell；thegaswaslightedintheshop。Sheheardthebellatthetheatrecallingthemummerstotheperformance，andshesaw，passingopposite，menwithwhitefacesandwomeninfadedgownsgoinginatthestage-door。
　　Itwashotintheroom，small，andtoolowwherethestovewashissinginthemidstofwigsandpomades。Thesmellofthetongs，togetherwiththegreasyhandsthathandledherhead，soonstunnedher，andshedozedalittleinherwrapper。Often，ashedidherhair，themanofferedherticketsforamaskedball。
　　Thenshewentaway。Shewentupthestreets；reachedtheCroix-Rouge，putonherovershoes，thatshehadhiddeninthemorningundertheseat，andsankintoherplaceamongtheimpatientpassengers。Somegotoutatthefootofthehill。Sheremainedaloneinthecarriage。Ateveryturningallthelightsofthetownwereseenmoreandmorecompletely，makingagreatluminousvapouraboutthedimhouses。Emmakneltonthecushionsandhereyeswanderedoverthedazzlinglight。Shesobbed；calledonLeon，senthimtenderwordsandkisseslostinthewind。
　　Onthehillsideapoordevilwanderedaboutwithhisstickinthemidstofthediligences。Amassofragscoveredhisshoulders，andanoldstaved-inbeaver，turnedoutlikeabasin，hidhisface；butwhenhetookitoffhediscoveredintheplaceofeyelidsemptyandbloodyorbits。Thefleshhunginredshreds，andthereflowedfromitliquidsthatcongealedintogreenscaledowntothenose，whoseblacknostrilssniffedconvulsively。Tospeaktoyouhethrewbackhisheadwithanidioticlaugh；thenhisbluisheyeballs，rollingconstantly，atthetemplesbeatagainsttheedgeoftheopenwound。Hesangalittlesongashefollowedthecarriages——
　　“MaidsanthewarmthofasummerdayDreamoflove，andoflovealways“
　　Andalltherestwasaboutbirdsandsunshineandgreenleaves。
　　SometimesheappearedsuddenlybehindEmma，bareheaded，andshedrewbackwithacry。Hivertmadefunofhim。HewouldadvisehimtogetaboothattheSaintRomainfair，orelseaskhim，laughing，howhisyoungwomanwas。
　　Oftentheyhadstartedwhen，withasuddenmovement，hishatenteredthediligencethroughthesmallwindow，whileheclungwithhisotherarmtothefootboard，betweenthewheelssplashingmud。Hisvoice，feebleatfirstandquavering，grewsharp；itresoundedinthenightliketheindistinctmoanofavaguedistress；andthroughtheringingofthebells，themurmurofthetrees，andtherumblingoftheemptyvehicle，ithadafar-offsoundthatdisturbedEmma。Itwenttothebottomofhersoul，likeawhirlwindinanabyss，andcarriedherawayintothedistancesofaboundlessmelancholy。ButHivert，noticingaweightbehind，gavetheblindmansharpcutswithhiswhip。Thethonglashedhiswounds，andhefellbackintothemudwithayell。Thenthe，passengersinthe“Hirondelle“endedbyfallingasleep，somewithopenmouths，otherswithloweredchins，leaningagainsttheirneighbour’sshoulder，orwiththeirarmpassedthroughthestrap，oscillatingregularlywiththejoltingofthecarriage；andthereflectionofthelanternswingingwithout，onthecrupperofthewheeler；penetratingintotheinteriorthroughthechocolatecalicocurtains，threwsanguineousshadowsoverallthesemotionlesspeople。Emma，drunkwithgrief，shiveredinherclothes，feelingherfeetgrowcolderandcolder，anddeathinhersoul。
　　Charlesathomewaswaitingforher；the“Hirondelle“wasalwayslateonThursdays。Madamearrivedatlast，andscarcelykissedthechild。Thedinnerwasnotready。Nomatter!Sheexcusedtheservant。Thisgirlnowseemedallowedtodojustassheliked。