Emmamadehertoiletwiththefastidiouscareofanactressonherdebut。Shedidherhairaccordingtothedirectionsofthehairdresser，andputonthebaregedressspreadoutuponthebed。
Charles’strousersweretightacrossthebelly。
“Mytrouser-strapswillberatherawkwardfordancing，“hesaid。
“Dancing？“repeatedEmma。
“Yes!“
“Why，youmustbemad!Theywouldmakefunofyou；keepyourplace。Besides，itismorebecomingforadoctor，“sheadded。
Charleswassilent。HewalkedupanddownwaitingforEmmatofinishdressing。
Hesawherfrombehindintheglassbetweentwolights。Herblackeyesseemedblackerthanever。Herhair，undulatingtowardstheears，shonewithabluelustre；aroseinherchignontrembledonitsmobilestalk，withartificialdewdropsonthetipoftheleaves。Sheworeagownofpalesaffrontrimmedwiththreebouquetsofpomponrosesmixedwithgreen。
Charlescameandkissedheronhershoulder。
“Letmealone!“shesaid；“youaretumblingme。“
Onecouldheartheflourishoftheviolinandthenotesofahorn。Shewentdownstairsrestrainingherselffromrunning。
Dancinghadbegun。Guestswerearriving。Therewassomecrushing。
Shesatdownonaformnearthedoor。
Thequadrilleover，thefloorwasoccupiedbygroupsofmenstandingupandtalkingandservantsinliverybearinglargetrays。Alongthelineofseatedwomenpaintedfanswerefluttering，bouquetshalfhidsmilingfaces，andgoldstopperedscent-bottleswereturnedinpartly-closedhands，whosewhiteglovesoutlinedthenailsandtightenedonthefleshatthewrists。Lacetrimmings，diamondbrooches，medallionbraceletstrembledonbodices，gleamedonbreasts，clinkedonbarearms。
Thehair，well-smoothedoverthetemplesandknottedatthenape，borecrowns，orbunches，orspraysofmytosotis，jasmine，pomegranateblossoms，earsofcorn，andcorn-flowers。Calmlyseatedintheirplaces，motherswithforbiddingcountenanceswerewearingredturbans。
Emma’sheartbeatratherfasterwhen，herpartnerholdingherbythetipsofthefingers，shetookherplaceinalinewiththedancers，andwaitedforthefirstnotetostart。Butheremotionsoonvanished，and，swayingtotherhythmoftheorchestra，sheglidedforwardwithslightmovementsoftheneck。Asmilerosetoherlipsatcertaindelicatephrasesoftheviolin，thatsometimesplayedalonewhiletheotherinstrumentsweresilent；
onecouldheartheclearclinkofthelouisd’orthatwerebeingthrowndownuponthecardtablesinthenextroom；thenallstruckagain，thecornet-a-pistonuttereditssonorousnote，feetmarkedtime，skirtsswelledandrustled，handstouchedandparted；thesameeyesfallingbeforeyoumetyoursagain。
Afewmensomefifteenorso，oftwenty-fivetoforty，scatteredhereandthereamongthedancersortalkingatthedoorways，distinguishedthemselvesfromthecrowdbyacertainairofbreeding，whatevertheirdifferencesinage，dress，orface。
Theirclothes，bettermade，seemedoffinercloth，andtheirhair，broughtforwardincurlstowardsthetemples，glossywithmoredelicatepomades。Theyhadthecomplexionofwealth——thatclearcomplexionthatisheightenedbythepallorofporcelain，theshimmerofsatin，theveneerofoldfurniture，andthatanorderedregimenofexquisitenurturemaintainsatitsbest。Theirnecksmovedeasilyintheirlowcravats，theirlongwhiskersfellovertheirturned-downcollars，theywipedtheirlipsuponhandkerchiefswithembroideredinitialsthatgaveforthasubtleperfume。Thosewhowerebeginningtogrowoldhadanairofyouth，whiletherewassomethingmatureinthefacesoftheyoung。Intheirunconcernedlookswasthecalmofpassionsdailysatiated，andthroughalltheirgentlenessofmannerpiercedthatpeculiarbrutality，theresultofacommandofhalf-easythings，inwhichforceisexercisedandvanityamused——themanagementofthoroughbredhorsesandthesocietyofloosewomen。
AfewstepsfromEmmaagentlemaninabluecoatwastalkingofItalywithapaleyoungwomanwearingaparureofpearls。
TheywerepraisingthebreadthofthecolumnsofSt。Peter’s，Tivoly，Vesuvius，Castellamare，andCassines，therosesofGenoa，theColiseumbymoonlight。WithherotherearEmmawaslisteningtoaconversationfullofwordsshedidnotunderstand。Acirclegatheredroundaveryyoungmanwhotheweekbeforehadbeaten“MissArabella“and“Romolus，“andwontwothousandlouisjumpingaditchinEngland。Onecomplainedthathisracehorsesweregrowingfat；anotheroftheprinters’errorsthathaddisfiguredthenameofhishorse。
Theatmosphereoftheballwasheavy；thelampsweregrowingdim。
Guestswereflockingtothebilliardroom。Aservantgotuponachairandbrokethewindow-panes。AtthecrashoftheglassMadameBovaryturnedherheadandsawinthegardenthefacesofpeasantspressedagainstthewindowlookinginatthem。ThenthememoryoftheBertauxcamebacktoher。Shesawthefarmagain，themuddypond，herfatherinablouseundertheappletrees，andshesawherselfagainasformerly，skimmingwithherfingerthecreamoffthemilk-pansinthedairy。Butintherefulgenceofthepresenthourherpastlife，sodistinctuntilthen，fadedawaycompletely，andshealmostdoubtedhavinglivedit。Shewasthere；beyondtheballwasonlyshadowoverspreadingalltherest。Shewasjusteatingamaraschinoicethatsheheldwithherlefthandinasilver-giltcup，hereyeshalf-closed，andthespoonbetweenherteeth。
Aladynearherdroppedherfan。Agentlemenwaspassing。
“Wouldyoubesogood，“saidthelady，“astopickupmyfanthathasfallenbehindthesofa？“
Thegentlemanbowed，andashemovedtostretchouthisarm，Emmasawthehandofayoungwomanthrowsomethingwhite，foldedinatriangle，intohishat。Thegentleman，pickingupthefan，offeredittotheladyrespectfully；shethankedhimwithaninclinationofthehead，andbegansmellingherbouquet。
Aftersupper，wherewereplentyofSpanishandRhinewines，soupsalabisqueandaulaitd’amandes*，puddingsalaTrafalgar，andallsortsofcoldmeatswithjelliesthattrembledinthedishes，thecarriagesoneaftertheotherbegantodriveoff。Raisingthecornersofthemuslincurtain，onecouldseethelightoftheirlanternsglimmeringthroughthedarkness。Theseatsbegantoempty，somecard-playerswerestillleft；themusicianswerecoolingthetipsoftheirfingersontheirtongues。Charleswashalfasleep，hisbackproppedagainstadoor。
*Withalmondmilk20
Atthreeo’clockthecotillionbegan。Emmadidnotknowhowtowaltz。
Everyonewaswaltzing，Mademoiselled’AndervilliersherselfandtheMarquis；
onlytheguestsstayingatthecastlewerestillthere，aboutadozenpersons。
Oneofthewaltzers，however，whowasfamiliarlycalledViscount，andwhoselowcutwaistcoatseemedmouldedtohischest，cameasecondtimetoaskMadameBovarytodance，assuringherthathewouldguideher，andthatshewouldgetthroughitverywell。
Theybeganslowly，thenwentmorerapidly。Theyturned；allaroundthemwasturning——thelamps，thefurniture，thewainscoting，thefloor，likeadisconapivot。OnpassingnearthedoorsthebottomofEmma’sdresscaughtagainsthistrousers。
Theirlegscommingled；helookeddownather；sheraisedhereyestohis。Atorporseizedher；shestopped。Theystartedagain，andwithamorerapidmovement；theViscount，draggingheralongdisappearedwithhertotheendofthegallery，wherepanting，shealmostfell，andforamomentrestedherheaduponhisbreast。Andthen，stillturning，butmoreslowly，heguidedherbacktoherseat。Sheleanedbackagainstthewallandcoveredhereyeswithherhands。
Whensheopenedthemagain，inthemiddleofthedrawingroomthreewaltzerswerekneelingbeforealadysittingonastool。
ShechosetheViscount，andtheviolinstruckuponcemore。
Everyonelookedatthem。Theypassedandre-passed，shewithrigidbody，herchinbentdown，andhealwaysinthesamepose，hisfigurecurved，hiselbowrounded，hischinthrownforward。
Thatwomanknewhowtowaltz!Theykeptupalongtime，andtiredoutalltheothers。
Thentheytalkedafewmomentslonger，andafterthegoodnights，orrathergoodmornings，theguestsofthechateauretiredtobed。
Charlesdraggedhimselfupbythebalusters。His“kneesweregoingupintohisbody。“Hehadspentfiveconsecutivehoursstandingboltuprightatthecardtables，watchingthemplaywhist，withoutunderstandinganythingaboutit，anditwaswithadeepsighofreliefthathepulledoffhisboots。
Emmathrewashawloverhershoulders，openedthewindow，andleantout。
Thenightwasdark；somedropsofrainwerefalling。Shebreathedinthedampwindthatrefreshedhereyelids。Themusicoftheballwasstillmurmuringinherears。Andshetriedtokeepherselfawakeinordertoprolongtheillusionthatthisluxuriouslifethatshewouldsoonhavetogiveup。
Daybegantobreak。Shelookedlongatthewindowsofthechateau，tryingtoguesswhichweretheroomsofallthoseshehadnoticedtheeveningbefore。Shewouldfainhaveknowntheirlives，havepenetrated，blendedwiththem。Butshewasshiveringwithcold。Sheundressed，andcowereddownbetweenthesheetsagainstCharles，whowasasleep。
Therewereagreatmanypeopletoluncheon。Therepastlastedtenminutes；noliqueurswereserved，whichastonishedthedoctor。
Next，Mademoiselled“Andervillierscollectedsomepiecesofrollinasmallbaskettotakethemtotheswansontheornamentalwaters，andtheywenttowalkinthehot-houses，wherestrangeplants，bristlingwithhairs，roseinpyramidsunderhangingvases，whence，asfromover-fillednestsofserpents，felllonggreencordsinterlacing。Theorangery，whichwasattheotherend，ledbyacoveredwaytotheouthousesofthechateau。TheMarquis，toamusetheyoungwoman，tookhertoseethestables。
Abovethebasket-shapedracksporcelainslabsborethenamesofthehorsesinblackletters。Eachanimalinitsstallwhiskeditstailwhenanyonewentnearandsaid“Tchk!tchk!“Theboardsoftheharnessroomshoneliketheflooringofadrawingroom。Thecarriageharnesswaspiledupinthemiddleagainsttwotwistedcolumns，andthebits，thewhips，thespurs，thecurbs，wererangedinalineallalongthewall。
Charles，meanwhile，wenttoaskagroomtoputhishorseto。Thedog-cartwasbroughttothefootofthesteps，and，alltheparcelsbeingcrammedin，theBovaryspaidtheirrespectstotheMarquisandMarchionessandsetoutagainforTostes。
Emmawatchedtheturningwheelsinsilence。Charles，ontheextremeedgeoftheseat，heldthereinswithhistwoarmswideapart，andthelittlehorseambledalongintheshaftsthatweretoobigforhim。Theloosereinshangingoverhiscrupperwerewetwithfoam，andtheboxfastenedonbehindthechaisegavegreatregularbumpsagainstit。
TheywereontheheightsofThibourvillewhensuddenlysomehorsemenwithcigarsbetweentheirlipspassedlaughing。EmmathoughtsherecognizedtheViscount，turnedback，andcaughtonthehorizononlythemovementoftheheadsrisingorfallingwiththeunequalcadenceofthetrotorgallop。