Page 209 - madame-bovary

more convenient for you.’
‘Ah! very good! I thank you.’
And as soon as they were alone, ‘Why don’t you accept
Monsieur Boulanger’s kind offer?’
She assumed a sulky air, invented a thousand excuses,
and finally declared that perhaps it would look odd.
‘Well, what the deuce do I care for that?’ said Charles,
making a pirouette. ‘Health before everything! You are
wrong.’
‘And how do you think I can ride when I haven’t got a
habit?’
‘You must order one,’ he answered.
The riding-habit decided her.
When the habit was ready, Charles wrote to Monsieur
Boulanger that his wife was at his command, and that they
counted on his good-nature.
The next day at noon Rodolphe appeared at Charles’s
door with two saddle-horses. One had pink rosettes at his
ears and a deerskin side-saddle.
Rodolphe had put on high soft boots, saying to himself
that no doubt she had never seen anything like them. In
fact, Emma was charmed with his appearance as he stood
on the landing in his great velvet coat and white corduroy
breeches. She was ready; she was waiting for him.
Justin escaped from the chemist’s to see her start, and
the chemist also came out. He was giving Monsieur Bou-
langer a little good advice.
‘An accident happens so easily. Be careful! Your horses
perhaps are mettlesome.’

0 Madame Bovary