Thenhecalledherbacktoshowherthreeyardsofguipurethathehadlatelypickedup“atasale。“
“Isn’titlovely？“saidLheureux。“Itisverymuchusednowforthebacksofarm-chairs。It’squitetherage。“
And，morereadythanajuggler，hewrappeduptheguipureinsomebluepaperandputitinEmma’shands。
“Butatleastletmeknow——“
“Yes，anothertime，“hereplied，turningonhisheel。
ThatsameeveningsheurgedBovarytowritetohismother，toaskhertosendasquicklyaspossiblethewholeofthebalanceduefromthefather’sestate。Themother-in-lawrepliedthatshehadnothingmore，thewindingupwasover，andtherewasduetothembesidesBarnevilleanincomeofsixhundredfrancs，thatshewouldpaythempunctually。
ThenMadameBovarysentinaccountstotwoorthreepatients，andshemadelargeuseofthismethod，whichwasverysuccessful。Shewasalwayscarefultoaddapostscript：“Donotmentionthistomyhusband；youknowhowproudheis。Excuseme。Yoursobediently。“Thereweresomecomplaints；sheinterceptedthem。
Togetmoneyshebegansellingheroldgloves，heroldhats，theoldoddsandends，andshebargainedrapaciously，herpeasantbloodstandingheringoodstead。Thenonherjourneytotownshepickedupnick-nackssecondhand，that，indefaultofanyoneelse，MonsieurLheureuxwouldcertainlytakeoffherhands。Sheboughtostrichfeathers，Chineseporcelain，andtrunks；sheborrowedfromFelicite，fromMadameLefrancois，fromthelandladyattheCroix-Rouge，fromeverybody，nomatterwhere。
WiththemoneysheatlastreceivedfromBarnevilleshepaidtwobills；theotherfifteenhundredfrancsfelldue。Sherenewedthebills，andthusitwascontinually。
Sometimes，itistrue，shetriedtomakeacalculation，butshediscoveredthingssoexorbitantthatshecouldnotbelievethempossible。Thensherecommenced，soongotconfused，gaveitallup，andthoughtnomoreaboutit。
Thehousewasverydrearynow。Tradesmenwereseenleavingitwithangryfaces。Handkerchiefswerelyingaboutonthestoves，andlittleBerthe，tothegreatscandalofMadameHomais，worestockingswithholesinthem。IfCharlestimidlyventuredaremark，sheansweredroughlythatitwasn’therfault。
Whatwasthemeaningofallthesefitsoftemper？Sheexplainedeverythingthroughheroldnervousillness，andreproachinghimselfwithhavingtakenherinfirmitiesforfaults，accusedhimselfofegotism，andlongedtogoandtakeherinhisarms。
“Ah，no!“hesaidtohimself；“Ishouldworryher。“
Andhedidnotstir。
Afterdinnerhewalkedaboutaloneinthegarden；hetooklittleBertheonhisknees，andunfoldinghismedicaljournal，triedtoteachhertoread。Butthechild，whoneverhadanylessons，soonlookedupwithlarge，sadeyesandbegantocry。Thenhecomfortedher；wenttofetchwaterinhercantomakeriversonthesandpath，orbrokeoffbranchesfromtheprivethedgestoplanttreesinthebeds。Thisdidnotspoilthegardenmuch，allchokednowwithlongweeds。TheyowedLestiboudoisforsomanydays。Thenthechildgrewcoldandaskedforhermother。
“Calltheservant，“saidCharles。“Youknow，dearie，thatmammadoesnotliketobedisturbed。“
Autumnwassettingin，andtheleaveswerealreadyfalling，astheydidtwoyearsagowhenshewasill。Wherewoulditallend？
Andhewalkedupanddown，hishandsbehindhisback。
Madamewasinherroom，whichnooneentered。Shestayedtherealldaylong，torpid，halfdressed，andfromtimetotimeburningTurkishpastilleswhichshehadboughtatRoueninanAlgerian’sshop。Inordernottohaveatnightthissleepingmanstretchedatherside，bydintofmanoeuvring，sheatlastsucceededinbanishinghimtothesecondfloor，whileshereadtillmorningextravagantbooks，fullofpicturesoforgiesandthrillingsituations。Often，seizedwithfear，shecriedout，andCharleshurriedtoher。
“Oh，goaway!“shewouldsay。
Oratothertimes，consumedmoreardentlythaneverbythatinnerflametowhichadulteryaddedfuel，panting，tremulous，alldesire，shethrewopenherwindow，breathedinthecoldair，shooklooseinthewindhermassesofhair，tooheavy，and，gazinguponthestars，longedforsomeprincelylove。Shethoughtofhim，ofLeon。Shewouldthenhavegivenanythingforasingleoneofthosemeetingsthatsurfeitedher。
Thesewerehergaladays。Shewantedthemtobesumptuous，andwhenhealonecouldnotpaytheexpenses，shemadeupthedeficitliberally，whichhappenedprettywelleverytime。Hetriedtomakeherunderstandthattheywouldbequiteascomfortablesomewhereelse，inasmallerhotel，butshealwaysfoundsomeobjection。
Onedayshedrewsixsmallsilver-giltspoonsfromherbagtheywereoldRoualt’sweddingpresent，begginghimtopawnthematonceforher，andLeonobeyed，thoughtheproceedingannoyedhim。
Hewasafraidofcompromisinghimself。
Then，on，reflection，hebegantothinkhismistress’swaysweregrowingodd，andthattheywereperhapsnotwronginwishingtoseparatehimfromher。
Infactsomeonehadsenthismotheralonganonymouslettertowarnherthathewas“ruininghimselfwithamarriedwoman，“andthegoodladyatonceconjuringuptheeternalbugbearoffamiliesthevagueperniciouscreature，thesiren，themonster，whodwellsfantasticallyindepthsoflove，wrotetoLawyerDubocage，hisemployer，whobehavedperfectlyintheaffair。Hekepthimforthreequartersofanhourtryingtoopenhiseyes，towarnhimoftheabyssintowhichhewasfalling。Suchanintriguewoulddamagehimlateron，whenhesetupforhimself。
Heimploredhimtobreakwithher，and，ifhewouldnotmakethissacrificeinhisowninterest，todoitatleastforhis，Dubocage’ssake。
AtlastLeonsworehewouldnotseeEmmaagain，andhereproachedhimselfwithnothavingkepthisword，consideringalltheworryandlecturesthiswomanmightstilldrawdownuponhim，withoutreckoningthejokesmadebyhiscompanionsastheysatroundthestoveinthemorning。Besides，hewassoontobeheadclerk；itwastimetosettledown。Sohegaveuphisflute，exaltedsentiments，andpoetry；foreverybourgeoisintheflushofhisyouth，wereitbutforaday，amoment，hasbelievedhimselfcapableofimmensepassions，ofloftyenterprises。Themostmediocrelibertinehasdreamedofsultanas；everynotarybearswithinhimthedebrisofapoet。
HewasborednowwhenEmmasuddenlybegantosobonhisbreast，andhisheart，likethepeoplewhocanonlystandacertainamountofmusic，dozedtothesoundofalovewhosedelicacieshenolongernoted。
Theyknewoneanothertoowellforanyofthosesurprisesofpossessionthatincreaseitsjoysahundred-fold。Shewasassickofhimashewaswearyofher。Emmafoundagaininadulteryalltheplatitudesofmarriage。
Buthowtogetridofhim？Then，thoughshemightfeelhumiliatedatthebasenessofsuchenjoyment，sheclungtoitfromhabitorfromcorruption，andeachdayshehungeredafterthemthemore，exhaustingallfelicityinwishingfortoomuchofit。SheaccusedLeonofherbaffledhopes，asifhehadbetrayedher；andsheevenlongedforsomecatastrophethatwouldbringabouttheirseparation，sinceshehadnotthecouragetomakeuphermindtoitherself。
Shenonethelesswentonwritinghimloveletters，invirtueofthenotionthatawomanmustwritetoherlover。
Butwhilstshewroteitwasanothermanshesaw，aphantomfashionedoutofhermostardentmemories，ofherfinestreading，herstrongestlusts，andatlasthebecamesoreal，sotangible，thatshepalpitatedwondering，without，however，thepowertoimaginehimclearly，solostwashe，likeagod，beneaththeabundanceofhisattributes。Hedweltinthatazurelandwheresilkladdershangfrombalconiesunderthebreathofflowers，inthelightofthemoon。Shefelthimnearher；hewascoming，andwouldcarryherrightawayinakiss。
Thenshefellbackexhausted，forthesetransportsofvagueloveweariedhermorethangreatdebauchery。
Shenowfeltconstantachealloverher。Oftensheevenreceivedsummonses，stampedpaperthatshebarelylookedat。Shewouldhavelikednottobealive，ortobealwaysasleep。
OnMid-LentshedidnotreturntoYonville，butintheeveningwenttoamaskedball。Sheworevelvetbreeches，redstockings，aclubwig，andthree-corneredhatcockedononeside。Shedancedallnighttothewildtonesofthetrombones；peoplegatheredroundher，andinthemorningshefoundherselfonthestepsofthetheatretogetherwithfiveorsixmasks，debardeuses*andsailors，Leon’scomrades，whoweretalkingabouthavingsupper。
*Peopledressedaslongshoremen。
Theneighbouringcafeswerefull。Theycaughtsightofoneontheharbour，averyindifferentrestaurant，whoseproprietorshowedthemtoalittleroomonthefourthfloor。
Themenwerewhisperinginacorner，nodoubtconsortingaboutexpenses。Therewereaclerk，twomedicalstudents，andashopman——whatcompanyforher!Astothewomen，Emmasoonperceivedfromthetoneoftheirvoicesthattheymustalmostbelongtothelowestclass。Thenshewasfrightened，pushedbackherchair，andcastdownhereyes。
Theothersbegantoeat；sheatenothing。Herheadwasonfire，hereyessmarted，andherskinwasice-cold。Inherheadsheseemedtofeeltheflooroftheball-roomreboundingagainbeneaththerhythmicalpulsationofthethousandsofdancingfeet。Andnowthesmellofthepunch，thesmokeofthecigars，madehergiddy。Shefainted，andtheycarriedhertothewindow。
Daywasbreaking，andagreatstainofpurplecolourbroadenedoutinthepalehorizonovertheSt。Catherinehills。Thelividriverwasshiveringinthewind；therewasnooneonthebridges；
thestreetlampsweregoingout。
Sherevived，andbeganthinkingofBertheasleepyonderintheservant’sroom。Thenacartfilledwithlongstripsofironpassedby，andmadeadeafeningmetallicvibrationagainstthewallsofthehouses。