Madame Bovary - Penn State University

FlaubertChapter TwelvelveHer tenderness, in fact, grew each day with her repulsion toher husband. The more she gave up herself to the one, theTHEY BEGAN TO LOVE one another again. Often, even in the middle more she loathed the other. Never had Charles seemed to herof the day, Emma suddenly wrote to him, then from the window so disagreeable, to have such stodgy fingers, such vulgar ways,made a sign to Justin, who, taking his apron off, quickly ran to La to be so dull as when they found themselves together afterHuchette. Rodolphe would come; she had sent for him to tell him her meeting with Rodolphe. Then, while playing the spousethat she was bored, that her husband was odious, her life frightful. and virtue, she was burning at the thought of that head whose“But what can I do?” he cried one day impatiently. black hair fell in a curl over the sunburnt brow, of that form“Ah! if you would—”at once so strong and elegant, of that man, in a word, whoShe was sitting on the floor between his knees, her hair had such experience in his reasoning, such passion in his desires.It was for him that she filed her nails with the care of aloose, her look lost.“Why, what?” said Rodolphe.chaser, and that there was never enough cold-cream for herShe sighed.skin, nor of patchouli for her handkerchiefs. She loaded herselfwith bracelets, rings, and necklaces. When he was coming“We would go and live elsewhere—somewhere!”“You are really mad!” he said laughing. “How could that be she filled the two large blue glass vases with roses, and preparedher room and her person like a courtesan expecting apossible?”She returned to the subject; he pretended not to understand,and turned the conversation.all day Felicite did not stir from the kitchen, where little Jus-prince. The servant had to be constantly washing linen, andWhat he did not understand was all this worry about so tin, who often kept her company, watched her at work.simple an affair as love. She had a motive, a reason, and, as it With his elbows on the long board on which she was ironing,he greedily watched all these women’s clothes spread were, a pendant to her affection.about161