Therewascommotionontheplatform，longwhisperings，muchparleying。Atlastthecouncillorgotup。TheyknewnowthathisnamewasLieuvain，andinthecrowdthenamewaspassedfromonetotheother。Afterhehadcollatedafewpages，andbentoverthemtoseebetter，hebegan——
“Gentlemen!MayIbepermittedfirstofallbeforeaddressingyouontheobjectofourmeetingto-day，andthissentimentwill，Iamsure，besharedbyyouall，mayIbepermitted，Isay，topayatributetothehigheradministration，tothegovernmenttothemonarch，gentlemen，oursovereign，tothatbelovedking，towhomnobranchofpublicorprivateprosperityisamatterofindifference，andwhodirectswithahandatoncesofirmandwisethechariotofthestateamidtheincessantperilsofastormysea，knowing，moreover，howtomakepeacerespectedaswellaswar，industry，commerce，agriculture，andthefinearts？“
“Iought，“saidRodolphe，“togetbackalittlefurther。“
“Why？“saidEmma。
Butatthismomentthevoiceofthecouncillorrosetoanextraordinarypitch。Hedeclaimed——
“Thisisnolongerthetime，gentlemen，whencivildiscordensanguinedourpublicplaces，whenthelandlord，thebusiness-man，theworking-manhimself，fallingasleepatnight，lyingdowntopeacefulsleep，trembledlestheshouldbeawakenedsuddenlybythenoiseofincendiarytocsins，whenthemostsubversivedoctrinesaudaciouslysappedfoundations。“
“Well，someonedowntheremightseeme，“Rodolpheresumed，“thenIshouldhavetoinventexcusesforafortnight；andwithmybadreputation——“
“Oh，youareslanderingyourself，“saidEmma。
“No!Itisdreadful，Iassureyou。“
“But，gentlemen，“continuedthecouncillor，“if，banishingfrommymemorytheremembranceofthesesadpictures，Icarrymyeyesbacktotheactualsituationofourdearcountry，whatdoIseethere？Everywherecommerceandtheartsareflourishing；
everywherenewmeansofcommunication，likesomanynewarteriesinthebodyofthestate，establishwithinitnewrelations。Ourgreatindustrialcentreshaverecoveredalltheiractivity；
religion，moreconsolidated，smilesinallhearts；ourportsarefull，confidenceisbornagain，andFrancebreathesoncemore!“
“Besides，“addedRodolphe，“perhapsfromtheworld’spointofviewtheyareright。“
“Howso？“sheasked。
“What!“saidhe。“Doyounotknowthattherearesoulsconstantlytormented？Theyneedbyturnstodreamandtoact，thepurestpassionsandthemostturbulentjoys，andthustheyflingthemselvesintoallsortsoffantasies，offollies。“
Thenshelookedathimasonelooksatatravellerwhohasvoyagedoverstrangelands，andwenton——
“Wehavenoteventhisdistraction，wepoorwomen!“
“Asaddistraction，forhappinessisn’tfoundinit。“
“Butisiteverfound？“sheasked。
“Yes；onedayitcomes，“heanswered。
“Andthisiswhatyouhaveunderstood，“saidthecouncillor。
“You，farmers，agriculturallabourers!youpacificpioneersofaworkthatbelongswhollytocivilization!you，menofprogressandmorality，youhaveunderstood，Isay，thatpoliticalstormsareevenmoreredoubtablethanatmosphericdisturbances!“
“Itcomesoneday，“repeatedRodolphe，“onedaysuddenly，andwhenoneisdespairingofit。Thenthehorizonexpands；itisasifavoicecried，’Itishere!’Youfeeltheneedofconfidingthewholeofyourlife，ofgivingeverything，sacrificingeverythingtothisbeing。Thereisnoneedforexplanations；theyunderstandoneanother。Theyhaveseeneachotherindreams!“
Andhelookedather。“Infine，hereitis，thistreasuresosoughtafter，herebeforeyou。Itglitters，itflashes；yetonestilldoubts，onedoesnotbelieveit；oneremainsdazzled，asifonewentoutirondarknessintolight。“
AndasheendedRodolphesuitedtheactiontotheword。Hepassedhishandoverhisface，likeamanseizedwithgiddiness。ThenheletitfallonEmma’s。Shetookhersaway。
“Andwhowouldbesurprisedatit，gentlemen？Heonlywhoissoblind，soplungedIdonotfeartosayit，soplungedintheprejudicesofanotherageasstilltomisunderstandthespiritofagriculturalpopulations。Where，indeed，istobefoundmorepatriotismthaninthecountry，greaterdevotiontothepublicwelfare，moreintelligence，inaword？And，gentlemen，Idonotmeanthatsuperficialintelligence，vainornamentofidleminds，butratherthatprofoundandbalancedintelligencethatappliesitselfaboveallelsetousefulobjects，thuscontributingtothegoodofall，tothecommonameliorationandtothesupportofthestate，bornofrespectforlawandthepracticeofduty——“
“Ah!again!“saidRodolphe。“Always’duty。’Iamsickoftheword。Theyarealotofoldblockheadsinflannelvestsandofoldwomenwithfoot-warmersandrosarieswhoconstantlydroneintoourears’Duty，duty!’Ah!byJove!one’sdutyistofeelwhatisgreat，cherishthebeautiful，andnotacceptalltheconventionsofsocietywiththeignominythatitimposesuponus。“
“Yet——yet——“objectedMadameBovary。
“No，no!Whycryoutagainstthepassions？Aretheynottheonebeautifulthingontheearth，thesourceofheroism，ofenthusiasm，ofpoetry，music，thearts，ofeverything，inaword？“
“Butonemust，“saidEmma，“tosomeextentbowtotheopinionoftheworldandacceptitsmoralcode。“
“Ah!buttherearetwo，“hereplied。“Thesmall，theconventional，thatofmen，thatwhichconstantlychanges，thatbraysoutsoloudly，thatmakessuchacommotionherebelow，oftheearthearthly，likethemassofimbecilesyouseedownthere。
Buttheother，theeternal，thatisaboutusandabove，likethelandscapethatsurroundsus，andtheblueheavensthatgiveuslight。“
MonsieurLieuvainhadjustwipedhismouthwithapocket-handkerchief。Hecontinued——
“AndwhatshouldIdoheregentlemen，pointingouttoyoutheusesofagriculture？Whosuppliesourwants？Whoprovidesourmeansofsubsistence？Isitnottheagriculturist？Theagriculturist，gentlemen，who，sowingwithlaborioushandthefertilefurrowsofthecountry，bringsforththecorn，which，beingground，ismadeintoapowderbymeansofingeniousmachinery，comesoutthenceunderthenameofflour，andfromthere，transportedtoourcities，issoondeliveredatthebaker’s，whomakesitintofoodforpoorandrichalike。Again，isitnottheagriculturistwhofattens，forourclothes，hisabundantflocksinthepastures？Forhowshouldweclotheourselves，hownourishourselves，withouttheagriculturist？And，gentlemen，isitevennecessarytogosofarforexamples？Whohasnotfrequentlyreflectedonallthemomentousthingsthatwegetoutofthatmodestanimal，theornamentofpoultry-yards，thatprovidesusatoncewithasoftpillowforourbed，withsucculentfleshforourtables，andeggs？ButIshouldneverendifIweretoenumerateoneaftertheotherallthedifferentproductswhichtheearth，wellcultivated，likeagenerousmother，lavishesuponherchildren。Hereitisthevine，elsewheretheappletreeforcider，therecolza，fartheroncheesesandflax。Gentlemen，letusnotforgetflax，whichhasmadesuchgreatstridesoflateyears，andtowhichIwillmoreparticularlycallyourattention。“
Hehadnoneedtocallit，forallthemouthsofthemultitudewerewideopen，asiftodrinkinhiswords。Tuvachebyhissidelistenedtohimwithstaringeyes。MonsieurDerozeraysfromtimetotimesoftlyclosedhiseyelids，andfartheronthechemist，withhissonNapoleonbetweenhisknees，puthishandbehindhisearinordernottoloseasyllable。Thechinsoftheothermembersofthejurywentslowlyupanddownintheirwaistcoatsinsignofapproval。Thefiremenatthefootoftheplatformrestedontheirbayonets；andBinet，motionless，stoodwithout-turnedelbows，thepointofhissabreintheair。Perhapshecouldhear，butcertainlyhecouldseenothing，becauseofthevisorofhishelmet，thatfelldownonhisnose。Hislieutenant，theyoungestsonofMonsieurTuvache，hadabiggerone，forhiswasenormous，andshookonhishead，andfromitanendofhiscottonscarfpeepedout。Hesmiledbeneathitwithaperfectlyinfantinesweetness，andhispalelittleface，whencedropswererunning，woreanexpressionofenjoymentandsleepiness。
Thesquareasfarasthehouseswascrowdedwithpeople。Onesawfolkleaningontheirelbowsatallthewindows，othersstandingatdoors，andJustin，infrontofthechemist’sshop，seemedquitetransfixedbythesightofwhathewaslookingat。InspiteofthesilenceMonsieurLieuvain’svoicewaslostintheair。Itreachedyouinfragmentsofphrases，andinterruptedhereandtherebythecreakingofchairsinthecrowd；thenyousuddenlyheardthelongbellowingofanox，orelsethebleatingofthelambs，whoansweredoneanotheratstreetcorners。Infact，thecowherdsandshepherdshaddriventheirbeaststhusfar，andtheselowedfromtimetotime，whilewiththeirtonguestheytoredownsomescrapoffoliagethathungabovetheirmouths。
RodolphehaddrawnnearertoEmma，andsaidtoherinalowvoice，speakingrapidly——
“Doesnotthisconspiracyoftheworldrevoltyou？Isthereasinglesentimentitdoesnotcondemn？Thenoblestinstincts，thepurestsympathiesarepersecuted，slandered；andifatlengthtwopoorsoulsdomeet，allissoorganisedthattheycannotblendtogether。Yettheywillmaketheattempt；theywillfluttertheirwings；theywillcalluponeachother。Oh!nomatter。Soonerorlater，insixmonths，tenyears，theywillcometogether，willlove；forfatehasdecreedit，andtheyarebornonefortheother。“
Hisarmswerefoldedacrosshisknees，andthusliftinghisfacetowardsEmma，closebyher，helookedfixedlyather。Shenoticedinhiseyessmallgoldenlinesradiatingfromblackpupils；sheevensmelttheperfumeofthepomadethatmadehishairglossy。