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〃but especially by the side of the sea。〃
〃Oh； I adore the sea！〃 said Monsieur Leon。
〃And then； does it not seem to you；〃 continued Madame Bovary；
〃that the mind travels more freely on this limitless expanse； the
contemplation of which elevates the soul； gives ideas of the
infinite； the ideal？〃
〃It is the same with mountainous landscapes；〃 continued Leon。 〃A
cousin of mine who travelled in Switzerland last year told me
that one could not picture to oneself the poetry of the lakes；
the charm of the waterfalls； the gigantic effect of the glaciers。
One sees pines of incredible size across torrents； cottages
suspended over precipices； and； a thousand feet below one； whole
valleys when the clouds open。 Such spectacles must stir to
enthusiasm； incline to prayer； to ecstasy； and I no longer marvel
at that celebrated musician who； the better to inspire his
imagination； was in the habit of playing the piano before some
imposing site。〃
〃You play？〃 she asked。
〃No； but I am very fond of music；〃 he replied。
〃Ah！ don't you listen to him； Madame Bovary；〃 interrupted Homais；
bending over his plate。 〃That's sheer modesty。 Why； my dear
fellow； the other day in your room you were singing 'L'Ange
Gardien' ravishingly。 I heard you from the laboratory。 You gave
it like an actor。〃
Leon； in fact； lodged at the chemist's where he had a small room
on the second floor； overlooking the Place。 He blushed at the
compliment of his landlord； who had already turned to the doctor；
and was enumerating to him； one after the other； all the
principal inhabitants of Yonville。 He was telling anecdotes；
giving information； the fortune of the notary was not known
exactly； and 〃there was the Tuvache household；〃 who made a good
deal of show。
Emma continued； 〃And what music do you prefer？〃
〃Oh； German music； that which makes you dream。〃
〃Have you been to the opera？〃
〃Not yet； but I shall go next year； when I am living at Paris to
finish reading for the bar。〃
〃As I had the honour of putting it to your husband；〃 said the
chemist； 〃with regard to this poor Yanoda who has run away； you
will find yourself； thanks to his extravagance； in the possession
of one of the most comfortable houses of Yonville。 Its greatest
convenience for a doctor is a door giving on the Walk； where one
can go in and out unseen。 Moreover； it contains everything that
is agreeable in a householda laundry； kitchen with offices；
sitting…room； fruit…room； and so on。 He was a gay dog； who didn't
care what he spent。 At the end of the garden； by the side of the
water； he had an arbour built just for the purpose of drinking
beer in summer； and if madame is fond of gardening she will be
able〃
〃My wife doesn't care about it；〃 said Charles； 〃although she has
been advised to take exercise； she prefers always sitting in her
room reading。〃
〃Like me；〃 replied Leon。 〃And indeed； what is better than to sit
by one's fireside in the evening with a book； while the wind
beats against the window and the lamp is burning？〃
〃What； indeed？〃 she said； fixing her large black eyes wide open
upon him。
〃One thinks of nothing；〃 he continued； 〃the hours slip by。
Motionless we traverse countries we fancy we see； and your
thought； blinding with the fiction； playing with the details；
follows the outline of the adventures。 It mingles with the
characters； and it seems as if it were yourself palpitating
beneath their costumes。〃
〃That is true！ That is true？〃 she said。
〃Has it ever happened to you；〃 Leon went on； 〃to come across some
vague idea of one's own in a book； some dim image that comes back
to you from afar； and as the completest expression of your own
slightest sentiment？〃
〃I have experienced it；〃 she replied。
〃That is why；〃 he said； 〃I especially love the poets。 I think
verse more tender than prose； and that it moves far more easily
to tears。〃
〃Still in the long run it is tiring；〃 continued Emma。 Now I； on
the contrary； adore stories that rush breathlessly along； that
frighten one。 I detest commonplace heroes and moderate
sentiments； such as there are in nature。〃
〃In fact；〃 observed the clerk； 〃these works； not touching the
heart； miss； it seems to me； the true end of art。 It is so sweet；
amid all the disenchantments of life； to be able to dwell in
thought upon noble characters； pure affections； and pictures of
happiness。 For myself； living here far from the world； this is my
one distraction； but Yonville affords so few resources。〃
〃Like Tostes； no doubt；〃 replied Emma； 〃and so I always
subscribed to a lending library。〃
〃If madame will do me the honour of making use of it〃； said the
chemist； who had just caught the last words； 〃I have at her
disposal a library composed of the best authors； Voltaire；
Rousseau； Delille； Walter Scott； the 'Echo des Feuilletons'； and
in addition I receive various periodicals； among them the 'Fanal
de Rouen' daily； having the advantage to be its correspondent for
the districts of Buchy； Forges； Neufchatel； Yonville； and
vicinity。〃
For two hours and a half they had been at table； for the servant
Artemis； carelessly dragging her old list slippers over the
flags； brought one plate after the other； forgot everything； and
constantly left the door of the billiard…room half open； so that
it beat against the wall with its hooks。
Unconsciously； Leon； while talking； had placed his foot on one of
the bars of the chair on which Madame Bovary was sitting。 She
wore a small blue silk necktie； that kept up like a ruff a
gauffered cambric collar； and with the movements of her head the
lower part of her face gently sunk into the linen or came out
from it。 Thus side by side； while Charles and the chemist
chatted； they entered into one of those vague conversations where
the hazard of all that is said brings you back to the fixed
centre of a common sympathy。 The Paris theatres； titles of
novels； new quadrilles； and the world they did not know； Tostes；
where she had lived； and Yonville； where they were； they examined
all； talked of everything till to the end of dinner。
When coffee was served Felicite went away to get ready the room
in the new house； and the guests soon raised the siege。 Madame
Lefrancois was asleep near the cinders； while the stable…boy；
lantern in hand； was waiting to show Monsieur and Madame Bovary
the way home。 Bits of straw stuck in his red hair； and he limped
with his left leg。 When he had taken in his other hand the cure's
umbrella； they started。
The town was asleep； the pillars of the market threw great
shadows； the earth was all grey as on a summer's night。 But as
the doctor's house was only some fifty paces from the inn； they
had to say good…night almost immediately； and the company
dispersed。
As soon as she entered the passage； Emma felt the cold of the
plaster fall about her shoulders like damp linen。 The walls were
new and the wooden stairs creaked。 In their bedroom； on the first
floor； a whitish light passed through the curtainless windows。
She could catch glimpses of tree tops； and beyond； the fields；
half…drowned in the fog that lay reeking in the moonlight along
the course of the river。 In the middle of the room； p