ThisamputationofthethighbyDoctorCanivetwasagreateventinthevillage。Onthatdayalltheinhabitantsgotupearlier，andtheGrandeRue，althoughfullofpeople，hadsomethinglugubriousaboutit，asifanexecutionhadbeenexpected。Atthegrocer’stheydiscussedHippolyte’sillness；theshopsdidnobusiness，andMadameTuvache，themayor’swife，didnotstirfromherwindow，suchwasherimpatiencetoseetheoperatorarrive。
Hecameinhisgig，whichhedrovehimself。Butthespringsoftherightsidehavingatlengthgivenwaybeneaththeweightofhiscorpulence，ithappenedthatthecarriageasitrolledalongleanedoveralittle，andontheothercushionnearhimcouldbeseenalargeboxcoveredinredsheep-leather，whosethreebrassclaspsshonegrandly。
Afterhehadenteredlikeawhirlwindtheporchofthe“Liond’Or，“thedoctor，shoutingveryloud，orderedthemtounharnesshishorse。Thenhewentintothestabletoseethathewaseatinghisoatsallright；foronarrivingatapatient’shefirstofalllookedafterhismareandhisgig。Peopleevensaidaboutthis——
“Ah!MonsieurCanivet’sacharacter!“
Andhewasthemoreesteemedforthisimperturbablecoolness。Theuniversetothelastmanmighthavedied，andhewouldnothavemissedthesmallestofhishabits。
Homaispresentedhimself。
“Icountonyou，“saidthedoctor。“Areweready？Comealong!“
Butthedruggist，turningred，confessedthathewastoosensitivetoassistatsuchanoperation。
“Whenoneisasimplespectator，“hesaid，“theimagination，youknow，isimpressed。AndthenIhavesuchanervoussystem!“
“Pshaw!“interruptedCanivet；“onthecontrary，youseemtomeinclinedtoapoplexy。Besides，thatdoesn’tastonishme，foryouchemistfellowsarealwayspokingaboutyourkitchens，whichmustendbyspoilingyourconstitutions。Nowjustlookatme。Igetupeverydayatfouro’clock；Ishavewithcoldwaterandamnevercold。Idon’twearflannels，andInevercatchcold；mycarcassisgoodenough!Ilivenowinoneway，nowinanother，likeaphilosopher，takingpot-luck；thatiswhyIamnotsqueamishlikeyou，anditisasindifferenttometocarveaChristianasthefirstfowlthatturnsup。Then，perhaps，youwillsay，habit!
habit!“
Then，withoutanyconsiderationforHippolyte，whowassweatingwithagonybetweenhissheets，thesegentlemenenteredintoaconversation，inwhichthedruggistcomparedthecoolnessofasurgeontothatofageneral；andthiscomparisonwaspleasingtoCanivet，wholaunchedoutontheexigenciesofhisart。Helookedupon，itasasacredoffice，althoughtheordinarypractitionersdishonouredit。Atlast，comingbacktothepatient，heexaminedthebandagesbroughtbyHomais，thesamethathadappearedfortheclub-foot，andaskedforsomeonetoholdthelimbforhim。
Lestiboudoiswassentfor，andMonsieurCanivethavingturneduphissleeves，passedintothebilliard-room，whilethedruggiststayedwithArtemiseandthelandlady，bothwhiterthantheiraprons，andwithearsstrainedtowardsthedoor。
Bovaryduringthistimedidnotdaretostirfromhishouse。
Hekeptdownstairsinthesitting-roombythesideofthefirelesschimney，hischinonhisbreast，hishandsclasped，hiseyesstaring。“Whatamishap!“hethought，“whatamishap!“
Perhaps，afterall，hehadmadesomeslip。Hethoughtitover，butcouldhituponnothing。Butthemostfamoussurgeonsalsomademistakes；andthatiswhatnoonewouldeverbelieve!
People，onthecontrary，wouldlaugh，jeer!ItwouldspreadasfarasForges，asNeufchatel，asRouen，everywhere!Whocouldsayifhiscolleagueswouldnotwriteagainsthim。Polemicswouldensue；hewouldhavetoanswerinthepapers。Hippolytemightevenprosecutehim。Hesawhimselfdishonoured，ruined，lost；andhisimagination，assailedbyaworldofhypotheses，tossedamongstthemlikeanemptycaskbornebytheseaandfloatinguponthewaves。
Emma，opposite，watchedhim；shedidnotsharehishumiliation；
shefeltanother——thatofhavingsupposedsuchamanwasworthanything。Asiftwentytimesalreadyshehadnotsufficientlyperceivedhismediocrity。
Charleswaswalkingupanddowntheroom；hisbootscreakedonthefloor。
“Sitdown，“shesaid；“youfidgetme。“
Hesatdownagain。
Howwasitthatshe——she，whowassointelligent——couldhaveallowedherselftobedeceivedagain？andthroughwhatdeplorablemadnesshadshethusruinedherlifebycontinualsacrifices？Sherecalledallherinstinctsofluxury，alltheprivationsofhersoul，thesordidnessofmarriage，ofthehousehold，herdreamsinkingintothemirelikewoundedswallows；allthatshehadlongedfor，allthatshehaddeniedherself，allthatshemighthavehad!Andforwhat？forwhat？
Inthemidstofthesilencethathungoverthevillageaheart-rendingcryroseontheair。Bovaryturnedwhitetofainting。Sheknitherbrowswithanervousgesture，thenwenton。Anditwasforhim，forthiscreature，forthisman，whounderstoodnothing，whofeltnothing!Forhewastherequitequiet，notevensuspectingthattheridiculeofhisnamewouldhenceforthsullyhersaswellashis。Shehadmadeeffortstolovehim，andshehadrepentedwithtearsforhavingyieldedtoanother!
“Butitwasperhapsavalgus!“suddenlyexclaimedBovary，whowasmeditating。
Attheunexpectedshockofthisphrasefallingonherthoughtlikealeadenbulletonasilverplate，Emma，shuddering，raisedherheadinordertofindoutwhathemeanttosay；andtheylookedattheotherinsilence，almostamazedtoseeeachother，sofarsunderedweretheybytheirinnerthoughts。Charlesgazedatherwiththedulllookofadrunkenman，whilehelistenedmotionlesstothelastcriesofthesufferer，thatfollowedeachotherinlong-drawnmodulations，brokenbysharpspasmslikethefar-offhowlingofsomebeastbeingslaughtered。Emmabitherwanlips，androllingbetweenherfingersapieceofcoralthatshehadbroken，fixedonCharlestheburningglanceofhereyesliketwoarrowsoffireabouttodartforth。Everythinginhimirritatedhernow；hisface，hisdress，whathedidnotsay，hiswholeperson，hisexistence，infine。Sherepentedofherpastvirtueasofacrime，andwhatstillremainedofitrumbledawaybeneaththefuriousblowsofherpride。Sherevelledinalltheevilironiesoftriumphantadultery。Thememoryofherlovercamebacktoherwithdazzlingattractions；shethrewherwholesoulintoit，borneawaytowardsthisimagewithafreshenthusiasm；
andCharlesseemedtoherasmuchremovedfromherlife，asabsentforever，asimpossibleandannihilated，asifhehadbeenabouttodieandwerepassingunderhereyes。
Therewasasoundofstepsonthepavement。Charleslookedup，andthroughtheloweredblindshesawatthecornerofthemarketinthebroadsunshineDr。Canivet，whowaswipinghisbrowwithhishandkerchief。Homais，behindhim，wascarryingalargeredboxinhishand，andbothweregoingtowardsthechemist’s。
ThenwithafeelingofsuddentendernessanddiscouragementCharlesturnedtohiswifesayingtoher——
“Oh，kissme，myown!“
“Leaveme!“shesaid，redwithanger。
“Whatisthematter？“heasked，stupefied。“Becalm；composeyourself。YouknowwellenoughthatIloveyou。Come!“
“Enough!“shecriedwithaterriblelook。
Andescapingfromtheroom，Emmaclosedthedoorsoviolentlythatthebarometerfellfromthewallandsmashedonthefloor。
Charlessankbackintohisarm-chairoverwhelmed，tryingtodiscoverwhatcouldbewrongwithher，fancyingsomenervousillness，weeping，andvaguelyfeelingsomethingfatalandincomprehensiblewhirlingroundhim。
WhenRodolphecametothegardenthatevening，hefoundhismistresswaitingforhimatthefootofthestepsontheloweststair。Theythrewtheirarmsroundoneanother，andalltheirrancourmeltedlikesnowbeneaththewarmthofthatkiss。
ChapterTwelveTheybegantoloveoneanotheragain。Often，eveninthemiddleoftheday，Emmasuddenlywrotetohim，thenfromthewindowmadeasigntoJustin，who，takinghisapronoff，quicklyrantoLaHuchette。Rodolphewouldcome；shehadsentforhimtotellhimthatshewasbored，thatherhusbandwasodious，herlifefrightful。
“ButwhatcanIdo？“hecriedonedayimpatiently。
“Ah!ifyouwould——“
Shewassittingonthefloorbetweenhisknees，herhairloose，herlooklost。
“Why，what？“saidRodolphe。
Shesighed。
“Wewouldgoandliveelsewhere——somewhere!“
“Youarereallymad!“hesaidlaughing。“Howcouldthatbepossible？“
Shereturnedtothesubject；hepretendednottounderstand，andturnedtheconversation。
Whathedidnotunderstandwasallthisworryaboutsosimpleanaffairaslove。Shehadamotive，areason，and，asitwere，apendanttoheraffection。
Hertenderness，infact，greweachdaywithherrepulsiontoherhusband。Themoreshegaveupherselftotheone，themoresheloathedtheother。NeverhadCharlesseemedtohersodisagreeable，tohavesuchstodgyfingers，suchvulgarways，tobesodullaswhentheyfoundthemselvestogetherafterhermeetingwithRodolphe。Then，whileplayingthespouseandvirtue，shewasburningatthethoughtofthatheadwhoseblackhairfellinacurloverthesunburntbrow，ofthatformatoncesostrongandelegant，ofthatman，inaword，whohadsuchexperienceinhisreasoning，suchpassioninhisdesires。Itwasforhimthatshefiledhernailswiththecareofachaser，andthattherewasneverenoughcold-creamforherskin，norofpatchouliforherhandkerchiefs。Sheloadedherselfwithbracelets，rings，andnecklaces。Whenhewascomingshefilledthetwolargeblueglassvaseswithroses，andpreparedherroomandherpersonlikeacourtesanexpectingaprince。Theservanthadtobeconstantlywashinglinen，andalldayFelicitedidnotstirfromthekitchen，wherelittleJustin，whooftenkepthercompany，watchedheratwork。