首页 >出版文学> Madame Bovary>第63章

第63章

  andhewould,butforhiswife’sobjections,havetakenhistwosonswithhim,inordertoaccustomthemtogreatoccasions;thatthismightbealesson,anexample,asolemnpicture,thatshouldremainintheirheadslateron。
  Theroomwhentheywentinwasfullofmournfulsolemnity。Onthework-table,coveredoverwithawhitecloth,therewerefiveorsixsmallballsofcottoninasilverdish,nearalargecrucifixbetweentwolightedcandles。
  Emma,herchinsunkenuponherbreast,hadhereyesinordinatelywideopen,andherpoorhandswanderedoverthesheetswiththathideousandsoftmovementofthedying,thatseemsasiftheywantedalreadytocoverthemselveswiththeshroud。Paleasastatueandwitheyesredasfire,Charles,notweeping,stoodoppositeheratthefootofthebed,whilethepriest,bendingoneknee,wasmutteringwordsinalowvoice。
  Sheturnedherfaceslowly,andseemedfilledwithjoyonseeingsuddenlythevioletstole,nodoubtfindingagain,inthemidstofatemporarylullinherpain,thelostvoluptuousnessofherfirstmysticaltransports,withthevisionsofeternalbeatitudethatwerebeginning。
  Thepriestrosetotakethecrucifix;thenshestretchedforwardherneckasonewhoisathirst,andglueingherlipstothebodyoftheMan-God,shepresseduponitwithallherexpiringstrengththefullestkissoflovethatshehadevergiven。ThenherecitedtheMisereaturandtheIndulgentiam,dippedhisrightthumbintheoil,andbegantogiveextremeunction。Firstupontheeyes,thathadsocovetedallworldlypomp;thenuponthenostrils,thathadbeengreedyofthewarmbreezeandamorousodours;thenuponthemouth,thathadutteredlies,thathadcurledwithprideandcriedoutinlewdness;thenuponthehandsthathaddelightedinsensualtouches;andfinallyuponthesolesofthefeet,soswiftofyore,whenshewasrunningtosatisfyherdesires,andthatwouldnowwalknomore。
  Thecurewipedhisfingers,threwthebitofcottondippedinoilintothefire,andcameandsatdownbythedyingwoman,totellherthatshemustnowblendhersufferingswiththoseofJesusChristandabandonherselftothedivinemercy。
  Finishinghisexhortations,hetriedtoplaceinherhandablessedcandle,symbolofthecelestialglorywithwhichshewassoontobesurrounded。Emma,tooweak,couldnotcloseherfingers,andthetaper,butforMonsieurBournisienwouldhavefallentotheground。
  However,shewasnotquitesopale,andherfacehadanexpressionofserenityasifthesacramenthadcuredher。
  Thepriestdidnotfailtopointthisout;heevenexplainedtoBovarythattheLordsometimesprolongedthelifeofpersonswhenhethoughtitmeetfortheirsalvation;andCharlesrememberedthedaywhen,soneardeath,shehadreceivedthecommunion。
  Perhapstherewasnoneedtodespair,hethought。
  Infact,shelookedaroundherslowly,asoneawakeningfromadream;theninadistinctvoicesheaskedforherlooking-glass,andremainedsometimebendingoverit,untilthebigtearsfellfromhereyes。Thensheturnedawayherheadwithasighandfellbackuponthepillows。
  Herchestsoonbeganpantingrapidly;thewholeofhertongueprotrudedfromhermouth;hereyes,astheyrolled,grewpaler,likethetwoglobesofalampthatisgoingout,sothatonemighthavethoughtheralreadydeadbutforthefearfullabouringofherribs,shakenbyviolentbreathing,asifthesoulwerestrugglingtofreeitself。Felicitekneltdownbeforethecrucifix,andthedruggisthimselfslightlybenthisknees,whileMonsieurCanivetlookedoutvaguelyatthePlace。Bournisienhadagainbeguntopray,hisfacebowedagainsttheedgeofthebed,hislongblackcassocktrailingbehindhimintheroom。Charleswasontheotherside,onhisknees,hisarmsoutstretchedtowardsEmma。Hehadtakenherhandsandpressedthem,shudderingateverybeatofherheart,asattheshakingofafallingruin。
  Asthedeath-rattlebecamestrongerthepriestprayedfaster;hisprayersmingledwiththestifledsobsofBovary,andsometimesallseemedlostinthemuffledmurmuroftheLatinsyllablesthattolledlikeapassingbell。
  Suddenlyonthepavementwasheardaloudnoiseofclogsandtheclatteringofastick;andavoicerose——araucousvoice——thatsang——
  “MaidsanthewarmthofasummerdayDreamofloveandoflovealways“
  Emmaraisedherselflikeagalvanisedcorpse,herhairundone,hereyesfixed,staring。
  “Wherethesicklebladeshavebeen,Nannette,gatheringearsofcorn,Passesbendingdown,myqueen,Totheearthwheretheywereborn。“
  “Theblindman!“shecried。AndEmmabegantolaugh,anatrocious,frantic,despairinglaugh,thinkingshesawthehideousfaceofthepoorwretchthatstoodoutagainsttheeternalnightlikeamenace。
  “Thewindisstrongthissummerday,Herpetticoathasflownaway。“
  Shefellbackuponthemattressinaconvulsion。Theyalldrewnear。Shewasdead。
  ChapterNineThereisalwaysafterthedeathofanyoneakindofstupefaction;
  sodifficultisittograspthisadventofnothingnessandtoresignourselvestobelieveinit。Butstill,whenhesawthatshedidnotmove,Charlesthrewhimselfuponher,crying——
  “Farewell!farewell!“
  HomaisandCanivetdraggedhimfromtheroom。
  “Restrainyourself“
  “Yes。“saidhe,struggling,“I’llbequiet。I’llnotdoanything。
  Butleavemealone。Iwanttoseeher。Sheismywife!“
  Andhewept。
  “Cry,“saidthechemist;“letnaturetakehercourse;thatwillsolaceyou。“
  Weakerthanachild,Charleslethimselfbeleddownstairsintothesitting-room,andMonsieurHomaissoonwenthome。OnthePlacehewasaccostedbytheblindman,who,havingdraggedhimselfasfarasYonville,inthehopeofgettingtheantiphlogisticpomade,wasaskingeverypasser-bywherethedruggistlived。
  “Therenow!asifIhadn’tgototherfishtofry。Well,somuchtheworse;youmustcomelateron。“
  Andheenteredtheshophurriedly。
  Hehadtowritetwoletters,toprepareasoothingpotionforBovary,toinventsomeliethatwouldconcealthepoisoning,andworkitupintoanarticleforthe“Fanal,“withoutcountingthepeoplewhowerewaitingtogetthenewsfromhim;andwhentheYonvillershadallheardhisstoryofthearsenicthatshehadmistakenforsugarinmakingavanillacream。HomaisoncemorereturnedtoBovary’s。
  HefoundhimaloneMonsieurCanivethadleft,sittinginanarm-chairnearthewindow,staringwithanidioticlookattheflagsofthefloor。
  “Now,“saidthechemist,“yououghtyourselftofixthehourfortheceremony。“
  “Why?Whatceremony?“Then,inastammering,frightenedvoice,“Oh,no!notthat。No!Iwanttoseeherhere。“
  Homais,tokeephimselfincountenance,tookupawater-bottleonthewhatnottowaterthegeraniums。
  “Ah!thanks,“saidCharles;“youaregood。“
  Buthedidnotfinish,chokingbeneaththecrowdofmemoriesthatthisactionofthedruggistrecalledtohim。
  Thentodistracthim,Homaisthoughtfittotalkalittlehorticulture:plantswantedhumidity。Charlesbowedhisheadinsignofapprobation。
  “Besides,thefinedayswillsoonbehereagain。“
  “Ah!“saidBovary。
  Thedruggist,athiswit’send,begansoftlytodrawasidethesmallwindow-curtain。
  “Hallo!there’sMonsieurTuvachepassing。“
  Charlesrepeatedlikeamachine——
  “MonsieurTuvachepassing!“
  Homaisdidnotdaretospeaktohimagainaboutthefuneralarrangements;itwasthepriestwhosucceededinreconcilinghimtothem。
  Heshuthimselfupinhisconsulting-room,tookapen,andaftersobbingforsometime,wrote——
  “Iwishhertobeburiedinherwedding-dress,withwhiteshoes,andawreath。Herhairistobespreadoutoverhershoulders。
  Threecoffins,oneofoak,oneofmahogany,oneoflead。Letnoonesayanythingtome。Ishallhavestrength。Overallthereistobeplacedalargepieceofgreenvelvet。Thisismywish;seethatitisdone。“
  ThetwomenweremuchsurprisedatBovary’sromanticideas。Thechemistatoncewenttohimandsaid——
  “Thisvelvetseemstomeasuperfetation。Besides,theexpense——“
  “What’sthattoyou?“criedCharles。“Leaveme!Youdidnotloveher。Go!“
  Thepriesttookhimbythearmforaturninthegarden。Hediscoursedonthevanityofearthlythings。Godwasverygreat,wasverygood:onemustsubmittohisdecreeswithoutamurmur;
  nay,musteventhankhim。
  Charlesburstoutintoblasphemies:“IhateyourGod!“
  “Thespiritofrebellionisstilluponyou,“sighedtheecclesiastic。