“Good-bye，mydearchildren。Ikissyou，mygirl，youtoo，myson-in-law，andthelittleoneonbothcheeks。Iam，withbestcompliments，yourlovingfather。
“TheodoreRouault。“
Sheheldthecoarsepaperinherfingersforsomeminutes。Thespellingmistakeswereinterwovenonewiththeother，andEmmafollowedthekindlythoughtthatcackledrightthroughitlikeahenhalfhiddeninthehedgeofthorns。Thewritinghadbeendriedwithashesfromthehearth，foralittlegreypowderslippedfromtheletterontoherdress，andshealmostthoughtshesawherfatherbendingoverthehearthtotakeupthetongs。
Howlongsinceshehadbeenwithhim，sittingonthefootstoolinthechimney-corner，wheresheusedtoburntheendofabitofwoodinthegreatflameofthesea-sedges!Sherememberedthesummereveningsallfullofsunshine。Thecoltsneighedwhenanyonepassedby，andgalloped，galloped。Underherwindowtherewasabeehive，andsometimesthebeeswheelingroundinthelightstruckagainstherwindowlikereboundingballsofgold。Whathappinesstherehadbeenatthattime，whatfreedom，whathope!
Whatanabundanceofillusions!Nothingwasleftofthemnow。Shehadgotridofthemallinhersoul’slife，inallhersuccessiveconditionsoflifemaidenhood，hermarriage，andherlove——thusconstantlylosingthemallherlifethrough，likeatravellerwholeavessomethingofhiswealthateveryinnalonghisroad。
Butwhatthen，madehersounhappy？Whatwastheextraordinarycatastrophethathadtransformedher？Andsheraisedherhead，lookingroundasiftoseekthecauseofthatwhichmadehersuffer。
AnAprilraywasdancingonthechinaofthewhatnot；thefireburned；beneathherslippersshefeltthesoftnessofthecarpet；
thedaywasbright，theairwarm，andsheheardherchildshoutingwithlaughter。
Infact，thelittlegirlwasjustthenrollingonthelawninthemidstofthegrassthatwasbeingturned。Shewaslyingflatonherstomachatthetopofarick。Theservantwasholdingherbyherskirt。Lestiboudoiswasrakingbyherside，andeverytimehecamenearshelentforward，beatingtheairwithbothherarms。
“Bringhertome，“saidhermother，rushingtoembraceher。“HowIloveyou，mypoorchild!HowIloveyou!“
Thennoticingthatthetipsofherearswereratherdirty，sherangatonceforwarmwater，andwashedher，changedherlinen，herstockings，hershoes，askedathousandquestionsaboutherhealth，asifonthereturnfromalongjourney，andfinally，kissingheragainandcryingalittle，shegaveherbacktotheservant，whostoodquitethunderstrickenatthisexcessoftenderness。
ThateveningRodolphefoundhermoreseriousthanusual。
“Thatwillpassover，“heconcluded；“it’sawhim：“
Andhemissedthreerendezvousrunning。Whenhedidcome，sheshowedherselfcoldandalmostcontemptuous。
“Ah!you’relosingyourtime，mylady!“
Andhepretendednottonoticehermelancholysighs，northehandkerchiefshetookout。
ThenEmmarepented。SheevenaskedherselfwhyshedetestedCharles；ifithadnotbeenbettertohavebeenabletolovehim？
Buthegavehernoopportunitiesforsucharevivalofsentiment，sothatshewasmuchembarrassedbyherdesireforsacrifice，whenthedruggistcamejustintimetoprovideherwithanopportunity。
ChapterElevenHehadrecentlyreadaeulogyonanewmethodforcuringclub-foot，andashewasapartisanofprogress，heconceivedthepatrioticideathatYonville，inordertokeeptothefore，oughttohavesomeoperationsforstrephopodyorclub-foot。
“For，“saidhetoEmma，“whatriskisthere？See——“andheenumeratedonhisfingerstheadvantagesoftheattempt，“success，almostcertainreliefandbeautifyingofthepatient，celebrityacquiredbytheoperator。Why，forexample，shouldnotyourhusbandrelievepoorHippolyteofthe’Liond’Or’？Notethathewouldnotfailtotellabouthiscuretoallthetravellers，andthen“Homaisloweredhisvoiceandlookedroundhim“whoistopreventmefromsendingashortparagraphonthesubjecttothepaper？Eh!goodnessme!anarticlegetsabout；itistalkedof；itendsbymakingasnowball!Andwhoknows？whoknows？“
Infact，Bovarymightsucceed。NothingprovedtoEmmathathewasnotclever；andwhatasatisfactionforhertohaveurgedhimtoastepbywhichhisreputationandfortunewouldbeincreased!
Sheonlywishedtoleanonsomethingmoresolidthanlove。
Charles，urgedbythedruggistandbyher，allowedhimselftobepersuaded。HesenttoRouenforDr。Duval’svolume，andeveryevening，holdinghisheadbetweenbothhands，plungedintothereadingofit。
Whilehewasstudyingequinus，varus，andvalgus，thatistosay，katastrephopody，endostrephopody，andexostrephopodyorbetter，thevariousturningsofthefootdownwards，inwards，andoutwards，withthehypostrephopodyandanastrephopody，otherwisetorsiondownwardsandupwards，MonsierHomais，withallsortsofarguments，wasexhortingtheladattheinntosubmittotheoperation。
“Youwillscarcelyfeel，probably，aslightpain；itisasimpleprick，likealittleblood-letting，lessthantheextractionofcertaincorns。“
Hippolyte，reflecting，rolledhisstupideyes。
“However，“continuedthechemist，“itdoesn’tconcernme。It’sforyoursake，forpurehumanity!Ishouldliketoseeyou，myfriend，ridofyourhideouscaudication，togetherwiththatwaddlingofthelumbarregionswhich，whateveryousay，mustconsiderablyinterferewithyouintheexerciseofyourcalling。“
ThenHomaisrepresentedtohimhowmuchjollierandbriskerhewouldfeelafterwards，andevengavehimtounderstandthathewouldbemorelikelytopleasethewomen；andthestable-boybegantosmileheavily。Thenheattackedhimthroughhisvanity：
“Aren’tyouaman？Hangit!whatwouldyouhavedoneifyouhadhadtogointothearmy，togoandfightbeneaththestandard？
Ah!Hippolyte!“
AndHomaisretired，declaringthathecouldnotunderstandthisobstinacy，thisblindnessinrefusingthebenefactionsofscience。
Thepoorfellowgaveway，foritwaslikeaconspiracy。Binet，whoneverinterferedwithotherpeople’sbusiness，MadameLefrancois，Artemise，theneighbours，eventhemayor，MonsieurTuvache——everyonepersuadedhim，lecturedhim，shamedhim；butwhatfinallydecidedhimwasthatitwouldcosthimnothing。
Bovaryevenundertooktoprovidethemachinefortheoperation。
ThisgenerositywasanideaofEmma’s，andCharlesconsentedtoit，thinkinginhisheartofheartsthathiswifewasanangel。
Sobytheadviceofthechemist，andafterthreefreshstarts，hehadakindofboxmadebythecarpenter，withtheaidofthelocksmith，thatweighedabouteightpounds，andinwhichiron，wood，sheer-iron，leather，screws，andnutshadnotbeenspared。
ButtoknowwhichofHippolyte’stendonstocut，itwasnecessaryfirstofalltofindoutwhatkindofclub-foothehad。
Hehadafootformingalmostastraightlinewiththeleg，which，however，didnotpreventitfrombeingturnedin，sothatitwasanequinustogetherwithsomethingofavarus，orelseaslightvaruswithastrongtendencytoequinus。Butwiththisequinus，wideinfootlikeahorse’shoof，withrugoseskin，drytendons，andlargetoes，onwhichtheblacknailslookedasifmadeofiron，theclubfootranaboutlikeadeerfrommorntillnight。HewasconstantlytobeseenonthePlace，jumpingroundthecarts，thrustinghislimpingfootforwards。Heseemedevenstrongeronthatlegthantheother。Bydintofhardserviceithadacquired，asitwere，moralqualitiesofpatienceandenergy；andwhenhewasgivensomeheavywork，hestoodonitinpreferencetoitsfellow。
Now，asitwasanequinus，itwasnecessarytocutthetendonofAchilles，and，ifneedwere，theanteriortibialmusclecouldbeseentoafterwardsforgettingridofthevarus；forthedoctordidnotdaretoriskbothoperationsatonce；hewaseventremblingalreadyforfearofinjuringsomeimportantregionthathedidnotknow。
NeitherAmbrosePare，applyingforthefirsttimesinceCelsus，afteranintervaloffifteencenturies，aligaturetoanartery，norDupuytren，abouttoopenanabscessinthebrain，norGensoulwhenhefirsttookawaythesuperiormaxilla，hadheartsthattrembled，handsthatshook，mindssostrainedasMonsieurBovarywhenheapproachedHippolyte，histenotomebetweenhisfingers。
Andasathospitals，nearbyonatablelayaheapoflint，withwaxedthread，manybandages——apyramidofbandages——everybandagetobefoundatthedruggist’s。ItwasMonsieurHomaiswhosincemorninghadbeenorganisingallthesepreparations，asmuchtodazzlethemultitudeastokeepuphisillusions。Charlespiercedtheskin；adrycracklingwasheard。Thetendonwascut，theoperationover。Hippolytecouldnotgetoverhissurprise，butbentoverBovary’shandstocoverthemwithkisses。
“Come，becalm，“saidthedruggist；“lateronyouwillshowyourgratitudetoyourbenefactor。“
Andhewentdowntotelltheresulttofiveorsixinquirerswhowerewaitingintheyard，andwhofanciedthatHippolytewouldreappearwalkingproperly。ThenCharles，havingbuckledhispatientintothemachine，wenthome，whereEmma，allanxiety，awaitedhimatthedoor。Shethrewherselfonhisneck；theysatdowntotable；heatemuch，andatdessertheevenwantedtotakeacupofcoffee，aluxuryheonlypermittedhimselfonSundayswhentherewascompany。
Theeveningwascharming，fullofprattle，ofdreamstogether。
Theytalkedabouttheirfuturefortune，oftheimprovementstobemadeintheirhouse；hesawpeople’sestimationofhimgrowing，hiscomfortsincreasing，hiswifealwayslovinghim；andshewashappytorefreshherselfwithanewsentiment，healthier，better，tofeelatlastsometendernessforthispoorfellowwhoadoredher。ThethoughtofRodolpheforonemomentpassedthroughhermind，buthereyesturnedagaintoCharles；sheevennoticedwithsurprisethathehadnotbadteeth。