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expanded softly and fully at this glowing language。
〃But if I did not come；〃 he continued； 〃if I could not see you；
at least I have gazed long on all that surrounds you。 At
night…every night…I arose； I came hither； I watched your house；
its glimmering in the moon； the trees in the garden swaying
before your window； and the little lamp； a gleam shining through
the window…panes in the darkness。 Ah！ you never knew that there；
so near you； so far from you； was a poor wretch！〃
She turned towards him with a sob。
〃Oh； you are good！〃 she said。
〃No； I love you； that is all！ You do not doubt that！ Tell meone
wordonly one word！〃
And Rodolphe imperceptibly glided from the footstool to the
ground； but a sound of wooden shoes was heard in the kitchen； and
he noticed the door of the room was not closed。
〃How kind it would be of you；〃 he went on； rising； 〃if you would
humour a whim of mine。〃 It was to go over her house； he wanted to
know it； and Madame Bovary seeing no objection to this； they both
rose； when Charles came in。
〃Good morning； doctor；〃 Rodolphe said to him。
The doctor； flattered at this unexpected title； launched out into
obsequious phrases。 Of this the other took advantage to pull
himself together a little。
〃Madame was speaking to me；〃 he then said； 〃about her health。〃
Charles interrupted him； he had indeed a thousand anxieties； his
wife's palpitations of the heart were beginning again。 Then
Rodolphe asked if riding would not be good。
〃Certainly！ excellent！ just the thing！ There's an idea！ You ought
to follow it up。〃
And as she objected that she had no horse； Monsieur Rodolphe
offered one。 She refused his offer； he did not insist。 Then to
explain his visit he said that his ploughman； the man of the
blood…letting； still suffered from giddiness。
〃I'll call around；〃 said Bovary。
〃No； no！ I'll send him to you； we'll come； that will be more
convenient for you。〃
〃Ah！ very good！ I thank you。〃
And as soon as they were alone； 〃Why don't you accept Monsieur
Boulanger's kind offer？〃
She assumed a sulky air； invented a thousand excuses； and finally
declared that perhaps it would look odd。
〃Well； what the deuce do I care for that？〃 said Charles； making a
pirouette。 〃Health before everything！ You are wrong。〃
〃And how do you think I can ride when I haven't got a habit？〃
〃You must order one；〃 he answered。
The riding…habit decided her。
When the habit was ready； Charles wrote to Monsieur Boulanger
that his wife was at his command； and that they counted on his
good…nature。
The next day at noon Rodolphe appeared at Charles's door with two
saddle…horses。 One had pink rosettes at his ears and a deerskin
side…saddle。
Rodolphe had put on high soft boots； saying to himself that no
doubt she had never seen anything like them。 In fact； Emma was
charmed with his appearance as he stood on the landing in his
great velvet coat and white corduroy breeches。 She was ready； she
was waiting for him。
Justin escaped from the chemist's to see her start； and the
chemist also came out。 He was giving Monsieur Boulanger a little
good advice。
〃An accident happens so easily。 Be careful！ Your horses perhaps
are mettlesome。〃
She heard a noise above her； it was Felicite drumming on the
windowpanes to amuse little Berthe。 The child blew her a kiss；
her mother answered with a wave of her whip。
〃A pleasant ride！〃 cried Monsieur Homais。 〃Prudence！ above all；
prudence！〃 And he flourished his newspaper as he saw them
disappear。
As soon as he felt the ground； Emma's horse set off at a gallop。
Rodolphe galloped by her side。 Now and then they exchanged a
word。 Her figure slightly bent； her hand well up； and her right
arm stretched out； she gave herself up to the cadence of the
movement that rocked her in her saddle。 At the bottom of the hill
Rodolphe gave his horse its head； they started together at a
bound； then at the top suddenly the horses stopped； and her large
blue veil fell about her。
It was early in October。 There was fog over the land。 Hazy clouds
hovered on the horizon between the outlines of the hills； others；
rent asunder； floated up and disappeared。 Sometimes through a
rift in the clouds； beneath a ray of sunshine； gleamed from afar
the roots of Yonville； with the gardens at the water's edge； the
yards； the walls and the church steeple。 Emma half closed her
eyes to pick out her house； and never had this poor village where
she lived appeared so small。 From the height on which they were
the whole valley seemed an immense pale lake sending off its
vapour into the air。 Clumps of trees here and there stood out
like black rocks； and the tall lines of the poplars that rose
above the mist were like a beach stirred by the wind。
By the side； on the turf between the pines； a brown light
shimmered in the warm atmosphere。 The earth； ruddy like the
powder of tobacco； deadened the noise of their steps； and with
the edge of their shoes the horses as they walked kicked the
fallen fir cones in front of them。
Rodolphe and Emma thus went along the skirt of the wood。 She
turned away from time to time to avoid his look； and then she saw
only the pine trunks in lines； whose monotonous succession made
her a little giddy。 The horses were panting； the leather of the
saddles creaked。
Just as they were entering the forest the sun shone out。
〃God protects us！〃 said Rodolphe。
〃Do you think so？〃 she said。
〃Forward！ forward！〃 he continued。
He 〃tchk'd〃 with his tongue。 The two beasts set off at a trot。
Long ferns by the roadside caught in Emma's stirrup。
Rodolphe leant forward and removed them as they rode along。 At
other times； to turn aside the branches； he passed close to her；
and Emma felt his knee brushing against her leg。 The sky was now
blue； the leaves no longer stirred。 There were spaces full of
heather in flower； and plots of violets alternated with the
confused patches of the trees that were grey； fawn； or golden
coloured； according to the nature of their leaves。 Often in the
thicket was heard the fluttering of wings； or else the hoarse；
soft cry of the ravens flying off amidst the oaks。
They dismounted。 Rodolphe fastened up the horses。 She walked on
in front on the moss between the paths。 But her long habit got in
her way； although she held it up by the skirt； and Rodolphe；
walking behind her； saw between the black cloth and the black
shoe the fineness of her white stocking； that seemed to him as if
it were a part of her nakedness。
She stopped。 〃I am tired；〃 she said。
〃Come； try again；〃 he went on。 〃Courage！〃
Then some hundred paces farther on she again stopped； and through
her veil； that fell sideways from her man's hat over her hips；
her face appeared in a bluish transparency as if she were
floating under azure waves。
〃But where are we going？〃
He did not answer。 She was breathing irregularly。 Rodolphe looked
round him biting his moustache。 They came to a larger space where
the coppice had been cut。 They sat down on the trunk of a fallen
tree； and Rodolphe began speaking to her of his love。 He did not
begin by frightening her with compliments。 He was calm； serious；
melancholy。