Madame Bovary - Penn State University

Flauberther handkerchief wiping up the stains from her handsome “Silence!” cried a voice from the pit, for the third act wascherry-coloured taffeta gown, he angrily muttered about indemnity,costs, reimbursement. At last Charles reached his “So you are at Rouen?”beginning.wife, saying to her, quite out of breath—“Yes.”“Ma foi! I thought I should have had to stay there. There is “And since when?”such a crowd—such a crowd!”“Turn them out! turn them out!” People were looking atHe added—them. They were silent.“Just guess whom I met up there! Monsieur Leon!” But from that moment she listened no more; and the chorusof the guests, the scene between Ashton and his servant,“Leon?”“Himself! He’s coming along to pay his respects.” And as the grand duet in D major, all were for her as far off as if thehe finished these words the ex-clerk of Yonville entered the instruments had grown less sonorous and the characters morebox.remote. She remembered the games at cards at the druggist’s,He held out his hand with the ease of a gentleman; and and the walk to the nurse’s, the reading in the arbour, theMadame Bovary extended hers, without doubt obeying the tete-a-tete by the fireside—all that poor love, so calm and soattraction of a stronger will. She had not felt it since that protracted, so discreet, so tender, and that she had neverthelessforgotten. And why had he come back? What combina-spring evening when the rain fell upon the green leaves, andthey had said good-bye standing at the window. But soon tion of circumstances had brought him back into her life? Herecalling herself to the necessities of the situation, with an was standing behind her, leaning with his shoulder against theeffort she shook off the torpor of her memories, and began wall of the box; now and again she felt herself shudderingstammering a few hurried words.beneath the hot breath from his nostrils falling upon her hair.“Ah, good-day! What! you here?”“Does this amuse you?” said he, bending over her so closely195