Madame Bovary - Penn State University

Madame Bovary“What is a Christian?”“Leave me alone,” repeated the young woman quite irritably.“He who, being baptized-baptized-baptized—”She went up the steps of the staircase holding on to the Her face frightened the child, who began to scream.banisters, and when she was in her room threw herself into an “Will you leave me alone?” she said, pushing her with herarm-chair.elbow.The whitish light of the window-panes fell with soft undulations.cutting her cheek, which began to bleed, against it. MadameBerthe fell at the foot of the drawers against the brass handle,The furniture in its place seemed to have become more immobile,and to lose itself in the shadow as in an ocean of the servant with all her might, and she was just going to curseBovary sprang to lift her up, broke the bell-rope, called fordarkness. The fire was out, the clock went on ticking, and herself when Charles appeared. It was the dinner-hour; he hadEmma vaguely marvelled at this calm of all things while within come home.herself was such tumult. But little Berthe was there, between “Look, dear!” said Emma, in a calm voice, “the little onethe window and the work-table, tottering on her knitted shoes, fell down while she was playing, and has hurt herself.”and trying to come to her mother to catch hold of the ends Charles reassured her; the case was not a serious one, and heof her apron-strings.went for some sticking plaster.“Leave me alone,” said the latter, putting her from her with Madame Bovary did not go downstairs to the dining-room;her hand.she wished to remain alone to look after the child. Then watchingher sleep, the little anxiety she felt gradually wore off, andThe little girl soon came up closer against her knees, andleaning on them with her arms, she looked up with her large she seemed very stupid to herself, and very good to have beenblue eyes, while a small thread of pure saliva dribbled from so worried just now at so little. Berthe, in fact, no longerher lips on to the silk apron.sobbed.100