“Saynothing，oralltheblamewillfallonyourmaster。“
Thenshewenthome，suddenlycalmed，andwithsomethingoftheserenityofonethathadperformedaduty。
WhenCharles，distractedbythenewsofthedistraint，returnedhome，Emmahadjustgoneout。Hecriedaloud，wept，fainted，butshedidnotreturn。Wherecouldshebe？HesentFelicitetoHomais，toMonsieurTuvache，toLheureux，tothe“Liond’Or，“
everywhere，andintheintervalsofhisagonyhesawhisreputationdestroyed，theirfortunelost，Berthe’sfutureruined。
Bywhat？——Notaword!Hewaitedtillsixintheevening。Atlast，unabletobearitanylonger，andfancyingshehadgonetoRouen，hesetoutalongthehighroad，walkedamile，metnoone，againwaited，andreturnedhome。Shehadcomeback。
“Whatwasthematter？Why？Explaintome。“
Shesatdownatherwriting-tableandwrotealetter，whichshesealedslowly，addingthedateandthehour。Thenshesaidinasolemntone：
“Youaretoreaditto-morrow；tillthen，Iprayyou，donotaskmeasinglequestion。No，notone!“
“But——“
“Oh，leaveme!“
Shelaydownfulllengthonherbed。Abittertastethatshefeltinhermouthawakenedher。ShesawCharles，andagainclosedhereyes。
Shewasstudyingherselfcuriously，toseeifshewerenotsuffering。Butno!nothingasyet。Sheheardthetickingoftheclock，thecracklingofthefire，andCharlesbreathingashestooduprightbyherbed。
“Ahlitisbutalittlething，death!“shethought。“Ishallfallasleepandallwillbeover。“
Shedrankamouthfulofwaterandturnedtothewall。Thefrightfultasteofinkcontinued。
“Iamthirsty；oh!sothirsty，“shesighed。
“Whatisit？“saidCharles，whowashandingheraglass。
“Itisnothing!Openthewindow；Iamchoking。“
Shewasseizedwithasicknesssosuddenthatshehadhardlytimetodrawoutherhandkerchieffromunderthepillow。
“Takeitaway，“shesaidquickly；“throwitaway。“
Hespoketoher；shedidnotanswer。Shelaymotionless，afraidthattheslightestmovementmightmakehervomit。Butshefeltanicycoldcreepingfromherfeettoherheart。
“Ah!itisbeginning，“shemurmured。
“Whatdidyousay？“
Sheturnedherheadfromsidetosidewithagentlemovementfullofagony，whileconstantlyopeninghermouthasifsomethingveryheavywereweighinguponhertongue。Ateighto’clockthevomitingbeganagain。
Charlesnoticedthatatthebottomofthebasintherewasasortofwhitesedimentstickingtothesidesoftheporcelain。
“Thisisextraordinary——verysingular，“herepeated。
Butshesaidinafirmvoice，“No，youaremistaken。“
Thengently，andalmostascaressingher，hepassedhishandoverherstomach。Sheutteredasharpcry。Hefellbackterror-stricken。
Thenshebegantogroan，faintlyatfirst。Hershoulderswereshakenbyastrongshuddering，andshewasgrowingpalerthanthesheetsinwhichherclenchedfingersburiedthemselves。Herunequalpulsewasnowalmostimperceptible。
Dropsofsweatoozedfromherbluishface，thatseemedasifrigidintheexhalationsofametallicvapour。Herteethchattered，herdilatedeyeslookedvaguelyabouther，andtoallquestionssherepliedonlywithashakeofthehead；sheevensmiledonceortwice。Gradually，hermoaninggrewlouder；ahollowshriekburstfromher；shepretendedshewasbetterandthatshewouldgetuppresently。Butshewasseizedwithconvulsionsandcriedout——
“Ah!myGod!Itishorrible!“
Hethrewhimselfonhiskneesbyherbed。
“Tellme!whathaveyoueaten？Answer，forheaven’ssake!“
Andhelookedatherwithatendernessinhiseyessuchasshehadneverseen。
“Well，there——there!“shesaidinafaintvoice。Heflewtothewriting-table，toreopentheseal，andreadaloud：“Accusenoone。“Hestopped，passedhishandsacrosshiseyes，andreaditoveragain。
“What!help——help!“
Hecouldonlykeeprepeatingtheword：“Poisoned!poisoned!“
FeliciterantoHomais，whoproclaimeditinthemarket-place；
MadameLefrancoishearditatthe“Liond’Or“；somegotuptogoandtelltheirneighbours，andallnightthevillagewasonthealert。
Distraught，faltering，reeling，Charleswanderedabouttheroom。
Heknockedagainstthefurniture，torehishair，andthechemisthadneverbelievedthattherecouldbesoterribleasight。
HewenthometowritetoMonsieurCanivetandtoDoctorLariviere。Helosthishead，andmademorethanfifteenroughcopies。HippolytewenttoNeufchatel，andJustinsospurredBovary’shorsethatheleftitfounderedandthreepartsdeadbythehillatBois-Guillaume。
Charlestriedtolookuphismedicaldictionary，butcouldnotreadit；thelinesweredancing。
“Becalm，“saidthedruggist；“wehaveonlytoadministerapowerfulantidote。Whatisthepoison？“
Charlesshowedhimtheletter。Itwasarsenic。
“Verywell，“saidHomais，“wemustmakeananalysis。“
Forheknewthatincasesofpoisoningananalysismustbemade；
andtheother，whodidnotunderstand，answered——
“Oh，doanything!saveher!“
Thengoingbacktoher，hesankuponthecarpet，andlaytherewithhisheadleaningagainsttheedgeofherbed，sobbing。
“Don’tcry，“shesaidtohim。“SoonIshallnottroubleyouanymore。“
“Whywasit？Whodroveyoutoit？“
Shereplied。“Ithadtobe，mydear!“
“Weren’tyouhappy？Isitmyfault？IdidallIcould!“
“Yes，thatistrue——youaregood——you。“
Andshepassedherhandslowlyoverhishair。Thesweetnessofthissensationdeepenedhissadness；hefelthiswholebeingdissolvingindespairatthethoughtthathemustloseher，justwhenshewasconfessingmoreloveforhimthanever。Andhecouldthinkofnothing；hedidnotknow，hedidnotdare；theurgentneedforsomeimmediateresolutiongavethefinishingstroketotheturmoilofhismind。
Soshehaddone，shethought，withallthetreachery；andmeanness，andnumberlessdesiresthathadtorturedher。Shehatednoonenow；atwilightdimnesswassettlinguponherthoughts，and，ofallearthlynoises，Emmaheardnonebuttheintermittentlamentationsofthispoorheart，sweetandindistinctliketheechoofasymphonydyingaway。
“Bringmethechild，“shesaid，raisingherselfonherelbow。
“Youarenotworse，areyou？“askedCharles。
“No，no!“
Thechild，serious，andstillhalf-asleep，wascarriedinontheservant’sarminherlongwhitenightgown，fromwhichherbarefeetpeepedout。Shelookedwonderinglyatthedisorderedroom，andhalf-closedhereyes，dazzledbythecandlesburningonthetable。Theyremindedher，nodoubt，ofthemorningofNewYear’sdayandMid-Lent，whenthusawakenedearlybycandle-lightshecametohermother’sbedtofetchherpresents，forshebegansaying——
“Butwhereisit，mamma？“Andaseverybodywassilent，“ButI
can’tseemylittlestocking。“
Feliciteheldheroverthebedwhileshestillkeptlookingtowardsthemantelpiece。
“Hasnursetakenit？“sheasked。
Andatthisname，thatcarriedherbacktothememoryofheradulteriesandhercalamities，MadameBovaryturnedawayherhead，asattheloathingofanotherbittererpoisonthatrosetohermouth。ButBertheremainedperchedonthebed。
“Oh，howbigyoureyesare，mamma!Howpaleyouare!howhotyouare!“
Hermotherlookedather。“Iamfrightened!“criedthechild，recoiling。
Emmatookherhandtokissit；thechildstruggled。