Madame Bovary - Penn State University

FlaubertIn spite of the economy with which Bovary lived, he was He was the happiest of fathers, the most fortunate of men.far from being able to pay off his old debts. Lheureux refused Not so! A secret ambition devoured him. Homais hankeredto renew any more bills. A distraint became imminent. Then after the cross of the Legion of Honour. He had plenty ofhe appealed to his mother, who consented to let him take a claims to it.mortgage on her property, but with a great many recriminationsagainst Emma; and in return for her sacrifice she asked self by a boundless devotion; second, by having published, at“First, having at the time of the cholera distinguished my-for a shawl that had escaped the depredations of Felicite. Charles my expense, various works of public utility, such as” (and herefused to give it her; they quarrelled.recalled his pamphlet entitled, “Cider, its manufacture andShe made the first overtures of reconciliation by offering to effects,” besides observation on the lanigerous plant-louse, senthave the little girl, who could help her in the house, to live to the Academy; his volume of statistics, and down to hiswith her. Charles consented to this, but when the time for pharmaceutical thesis); “without counting that I am a memberof several learned societies” (he was member of a singleparting came, all his courage failed him. Then there was afinal, complete rupture.one).As his affections vanished, he clung more closely to the love “In short!” he cried, making a pirouette, “if it were only forof his child. She made him anxious, however, for she coughed distinguishing myself at fires!”sometimes, and had red spots on her cheeks.Then Homais inclined towards the Government. He secretlydid the prefect great service during the elections. HeOpposite his house, flourishing and merry, was the familyof the chemist, with whom everything was prospering. Napoleonhelped him in the laboratory, Athalie embroidered dressed a petition to the sovereign in which he implored himsold himself—in a word, prostituted himself. He even ad-him a skullcap, Irma cut out rounds of paper to cover the to “do him justice”; he called him “our good king,” and comparedhim to Henri preserves, and Franklin recited Pythagoras’ table in a breath.IV.295