Madame Bovary - Penn State University

Flaubert“Yet it seems to me,” said Emma, “that you are not to be National Guard and firemen deployed, beating drums andpitied.”marking time.“Ah! you think so?” said Rodolphe.“Present!” shouted Binet.“For, after all,” she went on, “you are free—” she hesitated, “Halt!” shouted the colonel. “Left about, march.”“rich—”And after presenting arms, during which the clang of the“Do not mock me,” he replied.band, letting loose, rang out like a brass kettle rolling downstairs,all the guns were lowered. Then was seen stepping downAnd she protested that she was not mocking him, when thereport of a cannon resounded. Immediately all began hustlingone another pell-mell towards the village.ing, with bald brow, and wearing a tuft of hair at the back offrom the carriage a gentleman in a short coat with silver braid-It was a false alarm. The prefect seemed not to be coming, his head, of a sallow complexion and the most benign appearance.His eyes, very large and covered by heavy lids, wereand the members of the jury felt much embarrassed, notknowing if they ought to begin the meeting or still wait. half-closed to look at the crowd, while at the same time heAt last at the end of the Place a large hired landau appeared,drawn by two thin horses, which a coachman in a mouth. He recognised the mayor by his scarf, and explainedraised his sharp nose, and forced a smile upon his sunkenwhite hat was whipping lustily. Binet had only just time to to him that the prefect was not able to come. He himself wasshout, “Present arms!” and the colonel to imitate him. All a councillor at the prefecture; then he added a few apologies.ran towards the enclosure; everyone pushed forward. A few Monsieur Tuvache answered them with compliments; theeven forgot their collars; but the equipage of the prefect other confessed himself nervous; and they remained thus, faceseemed to anticipate the crowd, and the two yoked jades, to face, their foreheads almost touching, with the memberstrapesing in their harness, came up at a little trot in front of of the jury all round, the municipal council, the notable personages,the National Guard and the crowd. The the peristyle of the town hall at the very moment when thecouncillor121