Theygraduallycametotalkingmorefrequentlyofmattersoutsidetheirlove，andinthelettersthatEmmawrotehimshespokeofflowers，verses，themoonandthestars，naiveresourcesofawaningpassionstrivingtokeepitselfalivebyallexternalaids。Shewasconstantlypromisingherselfaprofoundfelicityonhernextjourney。Thensheconfessedtoherselfthatshefeltnothingextraordinary。Thisdisappointmentquicklygavewaytoanewhope，andEmmareturnedtohimmoreinflamed，moreeagerthanever。Sheundressedbrutally，tearingoffthethinlacesofhercorsetthatnestledaroundherhipslikeaglidingsnake。Shewentontiptoe，barefooted，toseeoncemorethatthedoorwasclosed，then，pale，serious，and，withoutspeaking，withonemovement，shethrewherselfuponhisbreastwithalongshudder。
Yettherewasuponthatbrowcoveredwithcolddrops，onthosequiveringlips，inthosewildeyes，inthestrainofthosearms，somethingvagueanddrearythatseemedtoLeontoglidebetweenthemsubtlyasiftoseparatethem。
Hedidnotdaretoquestionher；but，seeinghersoskilled，shemusthavepassed，hethought，througheveryexperienceofsufferingandofpleasure。Whathadoncecharmednowfrightenedhimalittle。Besides，herebelledagainsthisabsorption，dailymoremarked，byherpersonality。HebegrudgedEmmathisconstantvictory。Heevenstrovenottoloveher；then，whenheheardthecreakingofherboots，heturnedcoward，likedrunkardsatthesightofstrongdrinks。
Shedidnotfail，intruth，tolavishallsortsofattentionsuponhim，fromthedelicaciesoffoodtothecoquettriesofdressandlanguishinglooks。ShebroughtrosestoherbreastfromYonville，whichshethrewintohisface；wasanxiousabouthishealth，gavehimadviceastohisconduct；and，inorderthemoresurelytokeepherholdonhim，hopingperhapsthatheavenwouldtakeherpart，shetiedamedaloftheVirginroundhisneck。Sheinquiredlikeavirtuousmotherabouthiscompanions。Shesaidtohim——
“Don’tseethem；don’tgoout；thinkonlyofourselves；loveme!“
Shewouldhavelikedtobeabletowatchoverhislife；andtheideaoccurredtoherofhavinghimfollowedinthestreets。Nearthehoteltherewasalwaysakindofloaferwhoaccostedtravellers，andwhowouldnotrefuse。Butherpriderevoltedatthis。
“Bah!somuchtheworse。Lethimdeceiveme!Whatdoesitmattertome？AsIfIcaredforhim!“
Oneday，whentheyhadpartedearlyandshewasreturningalonealongtheboulevard，shesawthewallsofherconvent；thenshesatdownonaformintheshadeoftheelm-trees。Howcalmthattimehadbeen!Howshelongedfortheineffablesentimentsoflovethatshehadtriedtofiguretoherselfoutofbooks!Thefirstmonthofhermarriage，herridesinthewood，theviscountthatwaltzed，andLagardysinging，allrepassedbeforehereyes。
AndLeonsuddenlyappearedtoherasfaroffastheothers。
“YetIlovehim，“shesaidtoherself。
Nomatter!Shewasnothappy——sheneverhadbeen。Whencecamethisinsufficiencyinlife——thisinstantaneousturningtodecayofeverythingonwhichsheleant？Butifthereweresomewhereabeingstrongandbeautiful，avaliantnature，fullatonceofexaltationandrefinement，apoet’sheartinanangel’sform，alyrewithsoundingchordsringingoutelegiacepithalamiatoheaven，why，perchance，shouldshenotfindhim？Ah!howimpossible!Besides，nothingwasworththetroubleofseekingit；
everythingwasalie。Everysmilehidayawnofboredom，everyjoyacurse，allpleasuresatiety，andthesweetestkissesleftuponyourlipsonlytheunattainabledesireforagreaterdelight。
Ametallicclangdronedthroughtheair，andfourstrokeswereheardfromtheconvent-clock。Fouro’clock!Anditseemedtoherthatshehadbeenthereonthatformaneternity。Butaninfinityofpassionsmaybecontainedinaminute，likeacrowdinasmallspace。
Emmalivedallabsorbedinhers，andtroublednomoreaboutmoneymattersthananarchduchess。
Once，however，awretched-lookingman，rubicundandbald，cametoherhouse，sayinghehadbeensentbyMonsieurVincartofRouen。
Hetookoutthepinsthatheldtogethertheside-pocketsofhislonggreenovercoat，stuckthemintohissleeve，andpolitelyhandedherapaper。
Itwasabillforsevenhundredfrancs，signedbyher，andwhichLheureux，inspiteofallhisprofessions，hadpaidawaytoVincart。Shesentherservantforhim。Hecouldnotcome。Thenthestranger，whohadremainedstanding，castingrightandleftcuriousglances，thathisthick，faireyebrowshid，askedwithanaiveair——
“WhatansweramItotakeMonsieurVincart？“
“Oh，“saidEmma，“tellhimthatIhaven’tit。Iwillsendnextweek；hemustwait；yes，tillnextweek。“
Andthefellowwentwithoutanotherword。
Butthenextdayattwelveo’clockshereceivedasummons，andthesightofthestampedpaper，onwhichappearedseveraltimesinlargeletters，“MaitreHareng，bailiffatBuchy，“sofrightenedherthatsherushedinhothastetothelinendraper’s。
Shefoundhiminhisshop，doingupaparcel。
“Yourobedient!“hesaid；“Iamatyourservice。“
ButLheureux，allthesame，wentonwithhiswork，helpedbyayounggirlofaboutthirteen，somewhathunch-backed，whowasatoncehisclerkandhisservant。
Then，hisclogsclatteringontheshop-boards，hewentupinfrontofMadameBovarytothefirstdoor，andintroducedherintoanarrowcloset，where，inalargebureauinsapon-wood，laysomeledgers，protectedbyahorizontalpadlockedironbar。Againstthewall，undersomeremnantsofcalico，oneglimpsedasafe，butofsuchdimensionsthatitmustcontainsomethingbesidesbillsandmoney。MonsieurLheureux，infact，wentinforpawnbroking，anditwastherethathehadputMadameBovary’sgoldchain，togetherwiththeearringsofpooroldTellier，who，atlastforcedtosellout，hadboughtameagrestoreofgroceryatQuincampoix，wherehewasdyingofcatarrhamongsthiscandles，thatwerelessyellowthanhisface。
Lheureuxsatdowninalargecanearm-chair，saying：“Whatnews？“
“See!“
Andsheshowedhimthepaper。
“WellhowcanIhelpit？“
Thenshegrewangry，remindinghimofthepromisehehadgivennottopayawayherbills。Heacknowledgedit。
“ButIwaspressedmyself；theknifewasatmyownthroat。“
“Andwhatwillhappennow？“shewenton。
“Oh，it’sverysimple；ajudgmentandthenadistraint——that’saboutit!“
Emmakeptdownadesiretostrikehim，andaskedgentlyiftherewasnowayofquietingMonsieurVincart。
“Idaresay!QuietVincart!Youdon’tknowhim；he’smoreferociousthananArab!“
StillMonsieurLheureuxmustinterfere。
“Well，listen。ItseemstomesofarI’vebeenverygoodtoyou。“
Andopeningoneofhisledgers，“See，“hesaid。Thenrunningupthepagewithhisfinger，“Let’ssee!let’ssee!August3d，twohundredfrancs；June17th，ahundredandfifty；March23d，forty-six。InApril——“
Hestopped，asifafraidofmakingsomemistake。
“NottospeakofthebillssignedbyMonsieurBovary，oneforsevenhundredfrancs，andanotherforthreehundred。Astoyourlittleinstallments，withtheinterest，why，there’snoendto’em；onegetsquitemuddledover’em。I’llhavenothingmoretodowithit。“
Shewept；sheevencalledhim“hergoodMonsieurLheureux。“Buthealwaysfellbackupon“thatrascalVincart。“Besides，hehadn’tabrassfarthing；noonewaspayinghimnow-a-days；theywereeatinghiscoatoffhisback；apoorshopkeeperlikehimcouldn’tadvancemoney。
Emmawassilent，andMonsieurLheureux，whowasbitingthefeathersofaquill，nodoubtbecameuneasyathersilence，forhewenton——
“UnlessoneofthesedaysIhavesomethingcomingin，Imight——“
“Besides，“saidshe，“assoonasthebalanceofBarneville——“
“What!“
AndonhearingthatLangloishadnotyetpaidheseemedmuchsurprised。Theninahoniedvoice——
“Andweagree，yousay？“
“Oh!toanythingyoulike。“
Onthisheclosedhiseyestoreflect，wrotedownafewfigures，anddeclaringitwouldbeverydifficultforhim，thattheaffairwasshady，andthathewasbeingbled，hewroteoutfourbillsfortwohundredandfiftyfrancseach，tofallduemonthbymonth。
“ProvidedthatVincartwilllistentome!However，it’ssettled。
Idon’tplaythefool；I’mstraightenough。“
Nexthecarelesslyshowedherseveralnewgoods，notoneofwhich，however，wasinhisopinionworthyofmadame。
“WhenIthinkthatthere’sadressatthreepence-halfpennyayard，andwarrantedfastcolours!Andyettheyactuallyswallowit!Ofcourseyouunderstandonedoesn’ttellthemwhatitreallyis!“Hehopedbythisconfessionofdishonestytootherstoquiteconvinceherofhisprobitytoher。