Page 446 - madame-bovary

CHAPTER ELEVEN

he next day Charles had the child brought back. She
Tasked for her mamma. They told her she was away; that
she would bring her back some playthings. Berthe spoke of
her again several times, then at last thought no more of her.
The child’s gaiety broke Bovary’s heart, and he had to bear
besides the intolerable consolations of the chemist.
Money troubles soon began again, Monsieur Lheureux
urging on anew his friend Vincart, and Charles pledged
himself for exorbitant sums; for he would never consent to
let the smallest of the things that had belonged to HER be
sold. His mother was exasperated with him; he grew even
more angry than she did. He had altogether changed. She
left the house.
Then everyone began ‘taking advantage’ of him. Made-
moiselle Lempereur presented a bill for six months’ teaching,
although Emma had never taken a lesson (despite the re-
ceipted bill she had shown Bovary); it was an arrangement
between the two women. The man at the circulating library
demanded three years’ subscriptions; Mere Rollet claimed
the postage due for some twenty letters, and when Charles
asked for an explanation, she had the delicacy to reply—
‘Oh, I don’t know. It was for her business affairs.’
With every debt he paid Charles thought he had come to
the end of them. But others followed ceaselessly. He sent in