Madame Bovary - Penn State University

Flaubert“There now! as if I hadn’t got other fish to fry. Well, so memories that this action of the druggist recalled to him.much the worse; you must come later on.”Then to distract him, Homais thought fit to talk a littleAnd he entered the shop hurriedly.horticulture: plants wanted humidity. Charles bowed his headHe had to write two letters, to prepare a soothing potion in sign of approbation.for Bovary, to invent some lie that would conceal the poisoning,and work it up into an article for the “Fanal,” without “Ah!” said Bovary.“Besides, the fine days will soon be here again.”counting the people who were waiting to get the news from The druggist, at his wit’s end, began softly to draw asidehim; and when the Yonvillers had all heard his story of the the small window-curtain.arsenic that she had mistaken for sugar in making a vanilla “Hallo! there’s Monsieur Tuvache passing.”cream. Homais once more returned to Bovary’s.Charles repeated like a machine—He found him alone (Monsieur Canivet had left), sitting in “Monsieur Tuvache passing!”an arm-chair near the window, staring with an idiotic look at Homais did not dare to speak to him again about the funeralarrangements; it was the priest who succeeded in recon-the flags of the floor.“Now,” said the chemist, “you ought yourself to fix the ciling him to them.hour for the ceremony.”He shut himself up in his consulting-room, took a pen,“Why? What ceremony?” Then, in a stammering, frightenedvoice, “Oh, no! not that. No! I want to see her here.” “I wish her to be buried in her wedding-dress, with white shoes,and after sobbing for some time, wrote—Homais, to keep himself in countenance, took up a waterbottleon the whatnot to water the geraniums.coffins, one of oak, one of mahogany, one of lead. Let no one sayand a wreath. Her hair is to be spread out over her shoulders. Three“Ah! thanks,” said Charles; “you are good.”anything to me. I shall have strength. Over all there is to be placedBut he did not finish, choking beneath the crowd of a large piece of green velvet. This is my wish; see that it is done.”279