登陆注册
5226200000117

第117章 Chapter Eight(5)

"Imbecile!" cried Homais. "awkward lout! block-head! confounded ass!"

But suddenly controlling himself--

"I wished, doctor, to make an analysis, and primo I delicately introduced a tube--"

"You would have done better," said the physician, "to introduce your fingers into her throat."

His colleague was silent, having just before privately received a severe lecture about his emetic, so that this good Canivet, so arrogant and so verbose at the time of the clubfoot, was to-day very modest. He smiled without ceasing in an approving manner.

Homais dilated in Amphytrionic pride, and the affecting thought of Bovary vaguely contributed to his pleasure by a kind of egotistic reflex upon himself. Then the presence of the doctor transported him. He displayed his erudition, cited pell-mell cantharides, upas, the manchineel, vipers.

"I have even read that various persons have found themselves under toxicological symptoms, and, as it were, thunderstricken by black-pudding that had been subjected to a too vehement fumigation. At least, this was stated in a very fine report drawn up by one of our pharmaceutical chiefs, one of our masters, the illustrious Cadet de Gassicourt!"

Madame Homais reappeared, carrying one of those shaky machines that are heated with spirits of wine; for Homais liked to make his coffee at table, having, moreover, torrefied it, pulverised it, and mixed it himself.

"Saccharum, doctor?" said he, offering the sugar.

Then he had all his children brought down, anxious to have the physician's opinion on their constitutions.

At last Monsieur Lariviere was about to leave, when Madame Homais asked for a consultation about her husband. He was making his blood too thick by going to sleep every evening after dinner.

"Oh, it isn't his blood that's too thick," said the physician.

And, smiling a little at his unnoticed joke, the doctor opened the door. But the chemist's shop was full of people; he had the greatest difficulty in getting rid of Monsieur Tuvache, who feared his spouse would get inflammation of the lungs, because she was in the habit of spitting on the ashes; then of Monsieur Binet, who sometimes experienced sudden attacks of great hunger; and of Madame Caron, who suffered from tinglings; of Lheureux, who had vertigo; of Lestiboudois, who had rheumatism; and of Madame Lefrancois, who had heartburn. At last the three horses started; and it was the general opinion that he had not shown himself at all obliging.

Public attention was distracted by the appearance of Monsieur Bournisien, who was going across the market with the holy oil.

Homais, as was due to his principles, compared priests to ravens attracted by the odour of death. The sight of an ecclesiastic was personally disagreeable to him, for the cassock made him think of the shroud, and he detested the one from some fear of the other.

Nevertheless, not shrinking from what he called his mission, he returned to Bovary's in company with Canivet whom Monsieur Lariviere, before leaving, had strongly urged to make this visit; and he would, but for his wife's objections, have taken his two sons with him, in order to accustom them to great occasions; that this might be a lesson, an example, a solemn picture, that should remain in their heads later on.

The room when they went in was full of mournful solemnity. On the work-table, covered over with a white cloth, there were five or six small balls of cotton in a silver dish, near a large crucifix between two lighted candles.

Emma, her chin sunken upon her breast, had her eyes inordinately wide open, and her poor hands wandered over the sheets with that hideous and soft movement of the dying, that seems as if they wanted already to cover themselves with the shroud. Pale as a statue and with eyes red as fire, Charles, not weeping, stood opposite her at the foot of the bed, while the priest, bending one knee, was muttering words in a low voice.

同类推荐
  • Robbery Under Arms

    Robbery Under Arms

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Great War Syndicate

    The Great War Syndicate

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞渊集-长筌子

    洞渊集-长筌子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 红粉楼

    红粉楼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 越缦堂读书记

    越缦堂读书记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 在北大听的12堂管理课

    在北大听的12堂管理课

    作为享誉百年的世界名校,北京大学获得了世人的一致赞誉,能够参加北大的课程学习是一件颇有意义的事。1994年,北大光华管理学院正式成立,至今不到20年的时间培养了一大批在管理上独当一面的优秀毕业生。正因如此,学习一下北大的管理课,对很多身在职场的人来说大有裨益。
  • 住在橘子里的仙女

    住在橘子里的仙女

    著名儿童作家黄蓓佳女士四十年创作精华,书中收录了作者创作的5篇小故事:《欢喜河娃》《住在橘子里的仙女》《美丽的壮锦》《小渔夫和公主》《牛郎和织女》。作者用丰富的想象力给小朋友们展现了一个个奇妙梦幻的世界,让孩子在童年中感受到爱和温暖。
  • 窥词管见

    窥词管见

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说大金刚香陀罗尼经

    佛说大金刚香陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编人事典名字部

    明伦汇编人事典名字部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大明名相徐阶传

    大明名相徐阶传

    他历仕嘉靖隆庆两朝,死后毁誉参半;他是张居正的恩师,张居正却对他诸多不满;他对海瑞有大恩,却几被海瑞家毁人亡;他是严嵩的对头,却手下留情严嵩终老;他砍了严世蕃,却引来世人无数诟病;他知人善任,却被高拱逼出内阁;他情深意笃,青丝白发一生相随;他生于斯葬于斯,充满宿命轮回。他就是大明名相徐阶。历史的尘埃湮没不了他的光辉,一生的是非功过任凭他人评说。本书是第一部翔实记录徐阶生平的人物传记,第一部全景展示大明历史的扛鼎之作!
  • 系统养成:男主攻略手册

    系统养成:男主攻略手册

    【一对一,已完结!】她绑定女配系统,目标只有两个——攻略男主!拆各种CP!未曾想,招惹了某个男人,不管到哪个位面都无法摆脱他的身影。沈言:你还要跟我到什么时候?!他嗓音低沉:永生永世,都别想逃。
  • 中西合俎集

    中西合俎集

    本丛书体现了西南交通大学外国语学院全体同仁如是学术旨趣——静虑澄心,“虚怀若谷,静一至道”。于学科建设而言,此为根本,当有深意焉。“大学,乃大师之谓也”。西南交通大学外国语学院全体同仁恪尽职守,教书育人,同时“皓首穷经”,不断提升理论素养,拓展学术境界,提高专业能力。我们高悬起“学术境界”这把标尺作为理想的目标去衡量、读解与阐释外语教学生动的现实实践,试图以求“道”之旨“月印万川”,鉴照理论与教学实际,使其呈现“有我之境”。丛书的核心理论追求就是“求道”,并将其悬为映照万川之“月”,作为价值尺度,以求“学理”。
  • 像芭比娃娃一样生活

    像芭比娃娃一样生活

    芭比娃娃在它所经历的岁月里一直都在不同的角色之间转换,尽管没有一个固定的角色可以来定格我对于芭比的记忆,但是她的独立、她的优雅、她的智慧、她的完美人生,在作者的成长道路上给了她很大的动力。在事业上成为一位雷厉风行的完美女性,在生活上成为一位成熟知性的优雅女性,是作者一直孜孜不倦所追寻的目标。值得庆幸的是,不断地努力,不断地追寻,她最终赢得了自己的芭比人生。如果你能做到这些,你就是生活中下一个芭比!
  • 外经微言

    外经微言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。