Agamekeeper，curedbythedoctorofinflammationofthelungs，hadgivenmadamealittleItaliangreyhound；shetookheroutwalking，forshewentoutsometimesinordertobealoneforamoment，andnottoseebeforehereyestheeternalgardenandthedustyroad。ShewentasfarasthebeechesofBanneville，nearthedesertedpavilionwhichformsanangleofthewallonthesideofthecountry。Amidstthevegetationoftheditchtherearelongreedswithleavesthatcutyou。
Shebeganbylookingroundhertoseeifnothinghadchangedsincelastshehadbeenthere。Shefoundagaininthesameplacesthefoxglovesandwallflowers，thebedsofnettlesgrowingroundthebigstones，andthepatchesoflichenalongthethreewindows，whoseshutters，alwaysclosed，wererottingawayontheirrustyironbars。Herthoughts，aimlessatfirst，wanderedatrandom，likehergreyhound，whoranroundandroundinthefields，yelpingaftertheyellowbutterflies，chasingtheshrew-mice，ornibblingthepoppiesontheedgeofacornfield。
Thengraduallyherideastookdefiniteshape，and，sittingonthegrassthatshedugupwithlittleprodsofhersunshade，Emmarepeatedtoherself，“Goodheavens!WhydidImarry？“
Sheaskedherselfifbysomeotherchancecombinationitwouldhavenotbeenpossibletomeetanotherman；andshetriedtoimaginewhatwouldhavebeentheseunrealisedevents，thisdifferentlife，thisunknownhusband。All，surely，couldnotbelikethisone。Hemighthavebeenhandsome，witty，distinguished，attractive，suchas，nodoubt，heroldcompanionsoftheconventhadmarried。Whatweretheydoingnow？Intown，withthenoiseofthestreets，thebuzzofthetheatresandthelightsoftheballroom，theywerelivingliveswheretheheartexpands，thesensesbourgeonout。Butshe——herlifewascoldasagarretwhosedormerwindowlooksonthenorth，andennui，thesilentspider，wasweavingitswebinthedarknessineverycornerofherheart。
Sherecalledtheprizedays，whenshemountedtheplatformtoreceiveherlittlecrowns，withherhairinlongplaits。Inherwhitefrockandopenprunellashoesshehadaprettyway，andwhenshewentbacktoherseat，thegentlemenbentoverhertocongratulateher；thecourtyardwasfullofcarriages；farewellswerecalledtoherthroughtheirwindows；themusicmasterwithhisviolincasebowedinpassingby。Howfarallofthis!Howfaraway!ShecalledDjali，tookherbetweenherknees，andsmoothedthelongdelicatehead，saying，“Come，kissmistress；youhavenotroubles。“
Thennotingthemelancholyfaceofthegracefulanimal，whoyawnedslowly，shesoftened，andcomparinghertoherself，spoketoheraloudastosomebodyintroublewhomoneisconsoling。
Occasionallytherecamegustsofwinds，breezesfromthesearollinginonesweepoverthewholeplateauoftheCauxcountry，whichbroughteventothesefieldsasaltfreshness。Therushes，closetotheground，whistled；thebranchestrembledinaswiftrustling，whiletheirsummits，ceaselesslyswaying，keptupadeepmurmur。Emmadrewhershawlroundhershouldersandrose。
Intheavenueagreenlightdimmedbytheleaveslituptheshortmossthatcrackledsoftlybeneathherfeet。Thesunwassetting；
theskyshowedredbetweenthebranches，andthetrunksofthetrees，uniform，andplantedinastraightline，seemedabrowncolonnadestandingoutagainstabackgroundofgold。Afeartookholdofher；shecalledDjali，andhurriedlyreturnedtoTostesbythehighroad，threwherselfintoanarmchair，andfortherestoftheeveningdidnotspeak。
ButtowardstheendofSeptembersomethingextraordinaryfelluponherlife；shewasinvitedbytheMarquisd’AndervillierstoVaubyessard。
SecretaryofStateundertheRestoration，theMarquis，anxioustore-enterpoliticallife，setaboutpreparingforhiscandidaturetotheChamberofDeputieslongbeforehand。Inthewinterhedistributedagreatdealofwood，andintheConseilGeneralalwaysenthusiasticallydemandednewroadsforhisarrondissement。Duringthedog-dayshehadsufferedfromanabscess，whichCharleshadcuredasifbymiraclebygivingatimelylittletouchwiththelancet。ThestewardsenttoTostestopayfortheoperationreportedintheeveningthathehadseensomesuperbcherriesinthedoctor’slittlegarden。NowcherrytreesdidnotthriveatVaubyessard；theMarquisaskedBovaryforsomeslips；madeithisbusinesstothankhispersonally；sawEmma；thoughtshehadaprettyfigure，andthatshedidnotbowlikeapeasant；sothathedidnotthinkhewasgoingbeyondtheboundsofcondescension，nor，ontheotherhand，makingamistake，ininvitingtheyoungcouple。
OnWednesdayatthreeo’clock，MonsieurandMadameBovary，seatedintheirdog-cart，setoutforVaubyessard，withagreattrunkstrappedonbehindandabonnet-boxinfrontoftheapron。
BesidestheseCharlesheldabandboxbetweenhisknees。
Theyarrivedatnightfall，justasthelampsintheparkwerebeinglittoshowthewayforthecarriages。
ChapterEightThechateau，amodernbuildinginItalianstyle，withtwoprojectingwingsandthreeflightsofsteps，layatthefootofanimmensegreen-sward，onwhichsomecowsweregrazingamonggroupsoflargetreessetoutatregularintervals，whilelargebedsofarbutus，rhododendron，syringas，andguelderrosesbulgedouttheirirregularclustersofgreenalongthecurveofthegravelpath。Ariverflowedunderabridge；throughthemistonecoulddistinguishbuildingswiththatchedroofsscatteredoverthefieldborderedbytwogentlysloping，welltimberedhillocks，andinthebackgroundamidthetreesroseintwoparallellinesthecoachhousesandstables，allthatwasleftoftheruinedoldchateau。
Charles’sdog-cartpulledupbeforethemiddleflightofsteps；
servantsappeared；theMarquiscameforward，and，offeringhisarmtothedoctor’swife，conductedhertothevestibule。
Itwaspavedwithmarbleslabs，wasverylofty，andthesoundoffootstepsandthatofvoicesre-echoedthroughitasinachurch。
Oppositeroseastraightstaircase，andontheleftagalleryoverlookingthegardenledtothebilliardroom，throughwhosedooronecouldheartheclickoftheivoryballs。Asshecrossedittogotothedrawingroom，Emmasawstandingroundthetablemenwithgravefaces，theirchinsrestingonhighcravats。Theyallworeorders，andsmiledsilentlyastheymadetheirstrokes。
Onthedarkwainscotingofthewallslargegoldframesboreatthebottomnameswritteninblackletters。Sheread：
“Jean-Antoined’Andervilliersd’Yvervonbille，CountdelaVaubyessardandBarondelaFresnay，killedatthebattleofCoutrasonthe20thofOctober，1857。“Andonanother：
“Jean-Antoine-Henry-Guyd’AndervilliersdelaVaubyessard，AdmiralofFranceandChevalieroftheOrderofSt。Michael，woundedatthebattleoftheHougue-Saint-Vaastonthe29thofMay，1692；diedatVaubyessardonthe23rdofJanuary1693。“Onecouldhardlymakeoutthosethatfollowed，forthelightofthelampsloweredoverthegreencloththrewadimshadowroundtheroom。Burnishingthehorizontalpictures，itbrokeupagainsttheseindelicatelineswheretherewerecracksinthevarnish，andfromallthesegreatblacksquaresframedinwithgoldstoodouthereandtheresomelighterportionofthepainting——apalebrow，twoeyesthatlookedatyou，perukesflowingoverandpowderingred-coatedshoulders，orthebuckleofagarteraboveawell-roundedcalf。
TheMarquisopenedthedrawingroomdoor；oneoftheladiestheMarchionessherselfcametomeetEmma。Shemadehersitdownbyheronanottoman，andbegantalkingtoherasamicablyasifshehadknownheralongtime。Shewasawomanofaboutforty，withfineshoulders，ahooknose，adrawlingvoice，andonthiseveningsheworeoverherbrownhairasimpleguipurefichuthatfellinapointattheback。Afairyoungwomansatinahigh-backedchairinacorner；andgentlemenwithflowersintheirbuttonholesweretalkingtoladiesroundthefire。
Atsevendinnerwasserved。Themen，whowereinthemajority，satdownatthefirsttableinthevestibule；theladiesatthesecondinthediningroomwiththeMarquisandMarchioness。
Emma，onentering，feltherselfwrappedroundbythewarmair，ablendingoftheperfumeofflowersandofthefinelinen，ofthefumesoftheviands，andtheodourofthetruffles。Thesilverdishcoversreflectedthelightedwaxcandlesinthecandelabra，thecutcrystalcoveredwithlightsteamreflectedfromonetotheotherpalerays；bouquetswereplacedinarowthewholelengthofthetable；andinthelarge-borderedplateseachnapkin，arrangedafterthefashionofabishop’smitre，heldbetweenitstwogapingfoldsasmallovalshapedroll。Theredclawsoflobstershungoverthedishes；richfruitinopenbasketswaspileduponmoss；therewerequailsintheirplumage；
smokewasrising；andinsilkstockings，knee-breeches，whitecravat，andfrilledshirt，thesteward，graveasajudge，offeringreadycarveddishesbetweentheshouldersoftheguests，withatouchofthespoongaveyouthepiecechosen。Onthelargestoveofporcelaininlaidwithcopperbaguettesthestatueofawoman，drapedtothechin，gazedmotionlessontheroomfulloflife。
MadameBovarynoticedthatmanyladieshadnotputtheirglovesintheirglasses。
Butattheupperendofthetable，aloneamongstallthesewomen，bentoverhisfullplate，andhisnapkintiedroundhisnecklikeachild，anoldmansateating，lettingdropsofgravydripfromhismouth。Hiseyeswerebloodshot，andheworealittlequeuetiedwithblackribbon。HewastheMarquis’sfather-in-law，theoldDukedeLaverdiere，onceonatimefavouriteoftheCountd’Artois，inthedaysoftheVaudreuilhunting-partiesattheMarquisdeConflans’，andhadbeen，itwassaid，theloverofQueenMarieAntoinette，betweenMonsieurdeCoignyandMonsieurdeLauzun。Hehadlivedalifeofnoisydebauch，fullofduels，bets，elopements；hehadsquanderedhisfortuneandfrightenedallhisfamily。Aservantbehindhischairnamedaloudtohiminhisearthedishesthathepointedtostammering，andconstantlyEmma’seyesturnedinvoluntarilytothisoldmanwithhanginglips，astosomethingextraordinary。Hehadlivedatcourtandsleptinthebedofqueens!Icedchampagnewaspouredout。Emmashiveredalloverasshefeltitcoldinhermouth。Shehadneverseenpomegranatesnortastedpineapples。Thepowderedsugarevenseemedtoherwhiterandfinerthanelsewhere。
Theladiesafterwardswenttotheirroomstopreparefortheball。