Page 189 - madame-bovary

somewhat tanned by the sun, were the colour of sweet cider,
and their puffy whiskers emerged from stiff collars, kept up
by white cravats with broad bows. All the waist-coats were
of velvet, double-breasted; all the watches had, at the end of
a long ribbon, an oval cornelian seal; everyone rested his
two hands on his thighs, carefully stretching the stride of
their trousers, whose unsponged glossy cloth shone more
brilliantly than the leather of their heavy boots.
The ladies of the company stood at the back under the
vestibule between the pillars while the common herd was
opposite, standing up or sitting on chairs. As a matter of
fact, Lestiboudois had brought thither all those that he had
moved from the field, and he even kept running back ev-
ery minute to fetch others from the church. He caused such
confusion with this piece of business that one had great dif-
ficulty in getting to the small steps of the platform.
‘I think,’ said Monsieur Lheureux to the chemist, who
was passing to his place, ‘that they ought to have put up two
Venetian masts with something rather severe and rich for
ornaments; it would have been a very pretty effect.’
‘To be sure,’ replied Homais; ‘but what can you expect?
The mayor took everything on his own shoulders. He hasn’t
much taste. Poor Tuvache! and he is even completely desti-
tute of what is called the genius of art.’
Rodolphe, meanwhile, with Madame Bovary, had gone
up to the first floor of the town hall, to the ‘council-room,’
and, as it was empty, he declared that they could enjoy the
sight there more comfortably. He fetched three stools from
the round table under the bust of the monarch, and having

1 Madame Bovary