Madame Bovary - Penn State University

Flaubert“Ah! you’re not up to much, it seems, but it’s your own fault. will of the Lord, and take advantage of the occasion to reconcilehimself to Heaven.You should do this! do that!” And then they told him storiesof people who had all been cured by other remedies than his. “For,” said the ecclesiastic in a paternal tone, “you ratherThen by way of consolation they added—neglected your duties; you were rarely seen at divine worship.“You give way too much! Get up! You coddle yourself like How many years is it since you approached the holy table? Ia king! All the same, old chap, you don’t smell nice!” understand that your work, that the whirl of the world mayGangrene, in fact, was spreading more and more. Bovary have kept you from care for your salvation. But now is thehimself turned sick at it. He came every hour, every moment. time to reflect. Yet don’t despair. I have known great sinners,Hippolyte looked at him with eyes full of terror, sobbing— who, about to appear before God (you are not yet at this“When shall I get well? Oh, save me! How unfortunate I point I know), had implored His mercy, and who certainlyam! How unfortunate I am!”died in the best frame of mind. Let us hope that, like them,And the doctor left, always recommending him to diet himself. you will set us a good example. Thus, as a precaution, what is“Don’t listen to him, my lad,” said Mere Lefrancois, “Haven’t to prevent you from saying morning and evening a ‘Hail Mary,they tortured you enough already? You’ll grow still weaker. full of grace,’ and ‘Our Father which art in heaven’? Yes, doHere! swallow this.”that, for my sake, to oblige me. That won’t cost you anything.Will you promise me?”And she gave him some good beef-tea, a slice of mutton, apiece of bacon, and sometimes small glasses of brandy, that The poor devil promised. The cure came back day afterhe had not the strength to put to his lips.day. He chatted with the landlady; and even told anecdotesAbbe Bournisien, hearing that he was growing worse, asked interspersed with jokes and puns that Hippolyte did not understand.Then, as soon as he could, he fell back upon mat-to see him. He began by pitying his sufferings, declaring atthe same time that he ought to rejoice at them since it was the ters of religion, putting on an appropriate expression of face.155