Page 163 - madame-bovary

‘Ah! how far off he must be already!’ she thought.
Monsieur Homais, as usual, came at half-past six dur-
ing dinner.
‘Well,’ said he, ‘so we’ve sent off our young friend!’
‘So it seems,’ replied the doctor. Then turning on his
chair; ‘Any news at home?’
‘Nothing much. Only my wife was a little moved this
afternoon. You know women—a nothing upsets them, es-
pecially my wife. And we should be wrong to object to that,
since their nervous organization is much more malleable
than ours.’
‘Poor Leon!’ said Charles. ‘How will he live at Paris? Will
he get used to it?’
Madame Bovary sighed.
‘Get along!’ said the chemist, smacking his lips. ‘The out-
ings at restaurants, the masked balls, the champagne—all
that’ll be jolly enough, I assure you.’
‘I don’t think he’ll go wrong,’ objected Bovary.
‘Nor do I,’ said Monsieur Homais quickly; ‘although
he’ll have to do like the rest for fear of passing for a Jesuit.
And you don’t know what a life those dogs lead in the Latin
quarter with actresses. Besides, students are thought a great
deal of in Paris. Provided they have a few accomplishments,
they are received in the best society; there are even ladies
of the Faubourg Saint-Germain who fall in love with them,
which subsequently furnishes them opportunities for mak-
ing very good matches.’
‘But,’ said the doctor, ‘I fear for him that down there—‘
‘You are right,’ interrupted the chemist; ‘that is the re-

1 Madame Bovary