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。
第63章