Page 329 - madame-bovary

till you are man yourself and your temperament is formed.’
When Emma knocked at the door. Charles, who was
waiting for her, came forward with open arms and said to
her with tears in his voice—
‘Ah! my dear!’
And he bent over her gently to kiss her. But at the con-
tact of his lips the memory of the other seized her, and she
passed her hand over her face shuddering.
But she made answer, ‘Yes, I know, I know!’
He showed her the letter in which his mother told the
event without any sentimental hypocrisy. She only regretted
her husband had not received the consolations of religion,
as he had died at Daudeville, in the street, at the door of a
cafe after a patriotic dinner with some ex-officers.
Emma gave him back the letter; then at dinner, for ap-
pearance’s sake, she affected a certain repugnance. But as he
urged her to try, she resolutely began eating, while Charles
opposite her sat motionless in a dejected attitude.
Now and then he raised his head and gave her a long look
full of distress. Once he sighed, ‘I should have liked to see
him again!’
She was silent. At last, understanding that she must say
something, ‘How old was your father?’ she asked.
‘Fifty-eight.’
‘Ah!’
And that was all.
A quarter of an hour after he added, ‘My poor mother!
what will become of her now?’
She made a gesture that signified she did not know. See-

Madame Bovary