I’mignorantofit!Butperhapsyouwantoxalicacid。Itisoxalicacid，isn’tit？“
Binetexplainedthathewantedacorrosivetomakehimselfsomecopperwaterwithwhichtoremoverustfromhishuntingthings。
Emmashuddered。Thechemistbegansaying——
“Indeedtheweatherisnotpropitiousonaccountofthedamp。“
“Nevertheless，“repliedthetax-collector，withaslylook，“therearepeoplewholikeit。“
Shewasstifling。
“Andgiveme——“
“Willhenevergo？“thoughtshe。
“Halfanounceofresinandturpentine，fourouncesofyellowwax，andthreehalfouncesofanimalcharcoal，ifyouplease，tocleanthevarnishedleatherofmytogs。“
ThedruggistwasbeginningtocutthewaxwhenMadameHomaisappeared，Irmainherarms，Napoleonbyherside，andAthaliefollowing。Shesatdownonthevelvetseatbythewindow，andtheladsquatteddownonafootstool，whilehiseldestsisterhoveredroundthejujubeboxnearherpapa。Thelatterwasfillingfunnelsandcorkingphials，stickingonlabels，makingupparcels。Aroundhimallweresilent；onlyfromtimetotime，wereheardtheweightsjinglinginthebalance，andafewlowwordsfromthechemistgivingdirectionstohispupil。
“Andhow’sthelittlewoman？“suddenlyaskedMadameHomais。
“Silence!“exclaimedherhusband，whowaswritingdownsomefiguresinhiswaste-book。
“Whydidn’tyoubringher？“shewentoninalowvoice。
“Hush!hush!“saidEmma，pointingwithherfingertothedruggist。
ButBinet，quiteabsorbedinlookingoverhisbill，hadprobablyheardnothing。Atlasthewentout。ThenEmma，relieved，utteredadeepsigh。
“Howhardyouarebreathing!“saidMadameHomais。
“Well，yousee，it’sratherwarm，“shereplied。
Sothenextdaytheytalkedoverhowtoarrangetheirrendezvous。
Emmawantedtobribeherservantwithapresent，butitwouldbebettertofindsomesafehouseatYonville。Rodolphepromisedtolookforone。
Allthroughthewinter，threeorfourtimesaweek，inthedeadofnighthecametothegarden。Emmahadonpurposetakenawaythekeyofthegate，whichCharlesthoughtlost。
Tocallher，Rodolphethrewasprinkleofsandattheshutters。
Shejumpedupwithastart；butsometimeshehadtowait，forCharleshadamaniaforchattingbythefireside，andhewouldnotstop。Shewaswildwithimpatience；ifhereyescouldhavedoneit，shewouldhavehurledhimoutatthewindow。Atlastshewouldbegintoundress，thentakeupabook，andgoonreadingveryquietlyasifthebookamusedher。ButCharles，whowasinbed，calledtohertocometoo。
“Come，now，Emma，“hesaid，“itistime。“
“Yes，Iamcoming，“sheanswered。
Then，asthecandlesdazzledhim；heturnedtothewallandfellasleep。Sheescaped，smiling，palpitating，undressed。Rodolphehadalargecloak；hewrappedherinit，andputtinghisarmroundherwaist，hedrewherwithoutawordtotheendofthegarden。
Itwasinthearbour，onthesameseatofoldstickswhereformerlyLeonhadlookedathersoamorouslyonthesummerevenings。Sheneverthoughtofhimnow。
Thestarsshonethroughtheleaflessjasminebranches。Behindthemtheyheardtheriverflowing，andnowandagainonthebanktherustlingofthedryreeds。Massesofshadowhereandthereloomedoutinthedarkness，andsometimes，vibratingwithonemovement，theyroseupandswayedlikeimmenseblackwavespressingforwardtoengulfthem。Thecoldofthenightsmadethemclaspcloser；thesighsoftheirlipsseemedtothemdeeper；
theireyesthattheycouldhardlysee，larger；andinthemidstofthesilencelowwordswerespokenthatfellontheirsoulssonorous，crystalline，andthatreverberatedinmultipliedvibrations。
Whenthenightwasrainy，theytookrefugeintheconsulting-roombetweenthecart-shedandthestable。Shelightedoneofthekitchencandlesthatshehadhiddenbehindthebooks。Rodolphesettleddownthereasifathome。Thesightofthelibrary，ofthebureau，ofthewholeapartment，infine，excitedhismerriment，andhecouldnotrefrainfrommakingjokesaboutCharles，whichratherembarrassedEmma。Shewouldhavelikedtoseehimmoreserious，andevenonoccasionsmoredramatic；as，forexample，whenshethoughtsheheardanoiseofapproachingstepsinthealley。
“Someoneiscoming!“shesaid。
Heblewoutthelight。
“Haveyouyourpistols？“
“Why？“
“Why，todefendyourself，“repliedEmma。
“Fromyourhusband？Oh，poordevil!“AndRodolphefinishedhissentencewithagesturethatsaid，“Icouldcrushhimwithaflipofmyfinger。“
Shewaswonder-strickenathisbravery，althoughshefeltinitasortofindecencyandanaivecoarsenessthatscandalisedher。
Rodolphereflectedagooddealontheaffairofthepistols。Ifshehadspokenseriously，itwasveryridiculous，hethought，evenodious；forhehadnoreasontohatethegoodCharles，notbeingwhatiscalleddevouredbyjealousy；andonthissubjectEmmahadtakenagreatvowthathedidnotthinkinthebestoftaste。
Besides，shewasgrowingverysentimental。Shehadinsistedonexchangingminiatures；theyhadcutoffhandfulsofhair，andnowshewasaskingforaring——arealwedding-ring，insignofaneternalunion。Sheoftenspoketohimoftheeveningchimes，ofthevoicesofnature。Thenshetalkedtohimofhermother——hers!
andofhismother——his!Rodolphehadlosthistwentyyearsago。
Emmanonethelessconsoledhimwithcaressingwordsasonewouldhavedonealostchild，andshesometimesevensaidtohim，gazingatthemoon“Iamsurethatabovetheretogethertheyapproveofourlove。“
Butshewassopretty。Hehadpossessedsofewwomenofsuchingenuousness。Thislovewithoutdebaucherywasanewexperienceforhim，and，drawinghimoutofhislazyhabits，caressedatoncehisprideandhissensuality。Emma’senthusiasm，whichhisbourgeoisgoodsensedisdained，seemedtohiminhisheartofheartscharming，sinceitwaslavishedonhim。Then，sureofbeingloved，henolongerkeptupappearances，andinsensiblyhiswayschanged。
Hehadnolonger，asformerly，wordssogentlethattheymadehercry，norpassionatecaressesthatmadehermad，sothattheirgreatlove，whichengrossedherlife，seemedtolessenbeneathherlikethewaterofastreamabsorbedintoitschannel，andshecouldseethebedofit。Shewouldnotbelieveit；sheredoubledintenderness，andRodolpheconcealedhisindifferencelessandless。
Shedidnotknowifsheregrettedhavingyieldedtohim，orwhethershedidnotwish，onthecontrary，toenjoyhimthemore。
Thehumiliationoffeelingherselfweakwasturningtorancour，temperedbytheirvoluptuouspleasures。Itwasnotaffection；itwaslikeacontinualseduction。Hesubjugatedher；shealmostfearedhim。
Appearances，nevertheless，werecalmerthanever，Rodolphehavingsucceededincarryingouttheadulteryafterhisownfancy；andattheendofsixmonths，whenthespring-timecame，theyweretooneanotherlikeamarriedcouple，tranquillykeepingupadomesticflame。
ItwasthetimeofyearwhenoldRouaultsenthisturkeyinremembranceofthesettingofhisleg。Thepresentalwaysarrivedwithaletter。Emmacutthestringthattiedittothebasket，andreadthefollowinglines：——
“MyDearChildren——Ihopethiswillfindyouwell，andthatthisonewillbeasgoodastheothers。Foritseemstomealittlemoretender，ifImayventuretosayso，andheavier。Butnexttime，forachange，I’llgiveyouaturkeycock，unlessyouhaveapreferenceforsomedabs；andsendmebackthehamper，ifyouplease，withthetwooldones。Ihavehadanaccidentwithmycart-sheds，whosecoveringflewoffonewindynightamongthetrees。Theharvesthasnotbeenovergoodeither。Finally，Idon’tknowwhenIshallcometoseeyou。ItissodifficultnowtoleavethehousesinceIamalone，mypoorEmma。“
Heretherewasabreakinthelines，asiftheoldfellowhaddroppedhispentodreamalittlewhile。
“Formyself，Iamverywell，exceptforacoldIcaughttheotherdayatthefairatYvetot，whereIhadgonetohireashepherd，havingturnedawayminebecausehewastoodainty。Howwearetobepitiedwithsuchalotofthieves!Besides，hewasalsorude。
Iheardfromapedlar，who，travellingthroughyourpartofthecountrythiswinter，hadatoothdrawn，thatBovarywasasusualworkinghard。Thatdoesn’tsurpriseme；andheshowedmehistooth；wehadsomecoffeetogether。Iaskedhimifhehadseenyou，andhesaidnot，butthathehadseentwohorsesinthestables，fromwhichIconcludethatbusinessislookingup。Somuchthebetter，mydearchildren，andmayGodsendyoueveryimaginablehappiness!Itgrievesmenotyettohaveseenmydearlittlegrand-daughter，BertheBovary。IhaveplantedanOrleansplum-treeforherinthegardenunderyourroom，andIwon’thaveittouchedunlessitistohavejammadeforherbyandbye，thatIwillkeepinthecupboardforherwhenshecomes。