TowardstheendofFebruaryoldRouault，inmemoryofhiscure，himselfbroughthisson-in-lawasuperbturkey，andstayedthreedaysatTostes。Charlesbeingwithhispatients，Emmakepthimcompany。Hesmokedintheroom，spatonthefiredogs，talkedfarming，calves，cows，poultry，andmunicipalcouncil，sothatwhenheleftsheclosedthedooronhimwithafeelingofsatisfactionthatsurprisedevenherself。Moreovershenolongerconcealedhercontemptforanythingoranybody，andattimesshesetherselftoexpresssingularopinions，findingfaultwiththatwhichothersapproved，andapprovingthingsperverseandimmoral，allofwhichmadeherhusbandopenhiseyeswidely。
　　Wouldthismiserylastforever？Wouldsheneverissuefromit？
　　Yetshewasasgoodasallthewomenwhowerelivinghappily。ShehadseenduchessesatVaubyessardwithclumsierwaistsandcommonerways，andsheexecratedtheinjusticeofGod。Sheleantherheadagainstthewallstoweep；sheenviedlivesofstir；
　　longedformaskedballs，forviolentpleasures，withallthewildnessthatshedidnotknow，butthatthesemustsurelyyield。
　　Shegrewpaleandsufferedfrompalpitationsoftheheart。
　　Charlesprescribedvalerianandcamphorbaths。Everythingthatwastriedonlyseemedtoirritateherthemore。
　　Oncertaindaysshechattedwithfeverishrapidity，andthisover-excitementwassuddenlyfollowedbyastateoftorpor，inwhichsheremainedwithoutspeaking，withoutmoving。Whatthenrevivedherwaspouringabottleofeau-de-cologneoverherarms。
　　AsshewasconstantlycomplainingaboutTostes，Charlesfanciedthatherillnesswasnodoubtduetosomelocalcause，andfixingonthisidea，begantothinkseriouslyofsettingupelsewhere。
　　>Fromthatmomentshedrankvinegar，contractedasharplittlecough，andcompletelylostherappetite。
　　ItcostCharlesmuchtogiveupTostesafterlivingtherefouryearsand“whenhewasbeginningtogetonthere。“Yetifitmustbe!HetookhertoRouentoseehisoldmaster。Itwasanervouscomplaint：changeofairwasneeded。
　　Afterlookingabouthimonthissideandonthat，CharleslearntthatintheNeufchatelarrondissementtherewasaconsiderablemarkettowncalledYonville-l’Abbaye，whosedoctor，aPolishrefugee，haddecampedaweekbefore。Thenhewrotetothechemistoftheplacetoaskthenumberofthepopulation，thedistancefromthenearestdoctor，whathispredecessorhadmadeayear，andsoforth；andtheanswerbeingsatisfactory，hemadeuphismindtomovetowardsthespring，ifEmma’shealthdidnotimprove。
　　Onedaywhen，inviewofherdeparture，shewastidyingadrawer，somethingprickedherfinger。Itwasawireofherweddingbouquet。Theorangeblossomswereyellowwithdustandthesilverborderedsatinribbonsfrayedattheedges。Shethrewitintothefire。Itflaredupmorequicklythandrystraw。Thenitwas，likearedbushinthecinders，slowlydevoured。Shewatcheditburn。
　　Thelittlepasteboardberriesburst，thewiretwisted，thegoldlacemelted；andtheshriveledpapercorollas，flutteringlikeblackbutterfliesatthebackofthestove，atleastflewupthechimney。
　　WhentheyleftTostesatthemonthofMarch，MadameBovarywaspregnant。
　　PartII
　　ChapterOneYonville-l’AbbayesocalledfromanoldCapuchinabbeyofwhichnoteventheruinsremainisamarket-towntwenty-fourmilesfromRouen，betweentheAbbevilleandBeauvaisroads，atthefootofavalleywateredbytheRieule，alittleriverthatrunsintotheAndelleafterturningthreewater-millsnearitsmouth，wherethereareafewtroutthattheladsamusethemselvesbyfishingforonSundays。
　　WeleavethehighroadatLaBoissiereandkeepstraightontothetopoftheLeuxhill，whencethevalleyisseen。Theriverthatrunsthroughitmakesofit，asitwere，tworegionswithdistinctphysiognomies——allontheleftispastureland，alloftherightarable。ThemeadowstretchesunderabulgeoflowhillstojoinatthebackwiththepasturelandoftheBraycountry，whileontheeasternside，theplain，gentlyrising，broadensout，showingasfaraseyecanfollowitsblondcornfields。Thewater，flowingbythegrass，divideswithawhitelinethecolouroftheroadsandoftheplains，andthecountryislikeagreatunfoldedmantlewithagreenvelvetcapeborderedwithafringeofsilver。
　　Beforeus，onthevergeofthehorizon，lietheoaksoftheforestofArgueil，withthesteepsoftheSaint-Jeanhillsscarredfromtoptobottomwithredirregularlines；theyareraintracks，andthesebrick-tonesstandingoutinnarrowstreaksagainstthegreycolourofthemountainareduetothequantityofironspringsthatflowbeyondintheneighboringcountry。
　　HereweareontheconfinesofNormandy，Picardy，andtheIle-de-France，abastardlandwhoselanguageiswithoutaccentanditslandscapeiswithoutcharacter。ItistherethattheymaketheworstNeufchatelcheesesofallthearrondissement；and，ontheotherhand，farmingiscostlybecausesomuchmanureisneededtoenrichthisfriablesoilfullofsandandflints。
　　Upto1835therewasnopracticableroadforgettingtoYonville，butaboutthistimeacross-roadwasmadewhichjoinsthatofAbbevilletothatofAmiens，andisoccasionallyusedbytheRouenwagonersontheirwaytoFlanders。Yonville-l’Abbayehasremainedstationaryinspiteofits“newoutlet。“Insteadofimprovingthesoil，theypersistinkeepingupthepasturelands，howeverdepreciatedtheymaybeinvalue，andthelazyborough，growingawayfromtheplain，hasnaturallyspreadriverwards。Itisseemfromafarsprawlingalongthebankslikeacowherdtakingasiestabythewater-side。
　　Atthefootofthehillbeyondthebridgebeginsaroadway，plantedwithyoungaspens，thatleadsinastraightlinetothefirsthousesintheplace。These，fencedinbyhedges，areinthemiddleofcourtyardsfullofstragglingbuildings，wine-presses，cart-shedsanddistilleriesscatteredunderthicktrees，withladders，poles，orscytheshungontothebranches。Thethatchedroofs，likefurcapsdrawnovereyes，reachdownoveraboutathirdofthelowwindows，whosecoarseconvexglasseshaveknotsinthemiddlelikethebottomsofbottles。Againsttheplasterwalldiagonallycrossedbyblackjoists，ameagrepear-treesometimesleansandtheground-floorshaveattheirdoorasmallswing-gatetokeepoutthechicksthatcomepilferingcrumbsofbreadsteepedincideronthethreshold。Butthecourtyardsgrownarrower，thehousesclosertogether，andthefencesdisappear；abundleoffernsswingsunderawindowfromtheendofabroomstick；thereisablacksmith’sforgeandthenawheelwright’s，withtwoorthreenewcartsoutsidethatpartlyblocktheway。ThenacrossanopenspaceappearsawhitehousebeyondagrassmoundornamentedbyaCupid，hisfingeronhislips；twobrassvasesareateachendofaflightofsteps；
　　scutcheons*blazeuponthedoor。Itisthenotary’shouse，andthefinestintheplace。
　　*Thepanonceauxthathavetobehungoverthedoorsofnotaries。
　　TheChurchisontheothersideofthestreet，twentypacesfartherdown，attheentranceofthesquare。Thelittlecemeterythatsurroundsit，closedinbyawallbreasthigh，issofullofgravesthattheoldstones，levelwiththeground，formacontinuouspavement，onwhichthegrassofitselfhasmarkedoutregulargreensquares。ThechurchwasrebuiltduringthelastyearsofthereignofCharlesX。Thewoodenroofisbeginningtorotfromthetop，andhereandtherehasblackhollowsinitsbluecolour。Overthedoor，wheretheorganshouldbe，isaloftforthemen，withaspiralstaircasethatreverberatesundertheirwoodenshoes。
　　Thedaylightcomingthroughtheplainglasswindowsfallsobliquelyuponthepewsrangedalongthewalls，whichareadornedhereandtherewithastrawmatbearingbeneathitthewordsinlargeletters，“Mr。So-and-so’spew。“Fartheron，ataspotwherethebuildingnarrows，theconfessionalformsapendanttoastatuetteoftheVirgin，clothedinasatinrobe，coifedwithatulleveilsprinkledwithsilverstars，andwithredcheeks，likeanidoloftheSandwichIslands；and，finally，acopyofthe“HolyFamily，presentedbytheMinisteroftheInterior，“
　　overlookingthehighaltar，betweenfourcandlesticks，closesintheperspective。Thechoirstalls，ofdealwood，havebeenleftunpainted。
　　Themarket，thatistosay，atiledroofsupportedbysometwentyposts，occupiesofitselfabouthalfthepublicsquareofYonville。Thetownhall，constructed“fromthedesignsofaParisarchitect，“isasortofGreektemplethatformsthecornernexttothechemist’sshop。Ontheground-floorarethreeIoniccolumnsandonthefirstfloorasemicirculargallery，whilethedomethatcrownsitisoccupiedbyaGalliccock，restingonefootuponthe“Charte“andholdingintheotherthescalesofJustice。
　　ButthatwhichmostattractstheeyeisoppositetheLiond’Orinn，thechemist’sshopofMonsieurHomais。Intheeveningespeciallyitsargandlampislitupandtheredandgreenjarsthatembellishhisshop-frontthrowfaracrossthestreettheirtwostreamsofcolour；thenacrossthemasifinBengallightsisseentheshadowofthechemistleaningoverhisdesk。Hishousefromtoptobottomisplacardedwithinscriptionswritteninlargehand，roundhand，printedhand：“Vichy，Seltzer，Baregewaters，bloodpurifiers，Raspailpatentmedicine，Arabianracahout，Darcetlozenges，Regnaultpaste，trusses，baths，hygienicchocolate，“etc。Andthesignboard，whichtakesupallthebreadthoftheshop，bearsingoldletters，“Homais，Chemist。“Thenatthebackoftheshop，behindthegreatscalesfixedtothecounter，theword“Laboratory“appearsonascrollaboveaglassdoor，whichabouthalf-wayuponcemorerepeats“Homais“ingoldlettersonablackground。
　　BeyondthisthereisnothingtoseeatYonville。Thestreettheonlyoneagunshotinlengthandflankedbyafewshopsoneithersidestopsshortattheturnofthehighroad。IfitisleftontherighthandandthefootoftheSaint-Jeanhillsfollowedthecemeteryissoonreached。
　　Atthetimeofthecholera，inordertoenlargethis，apieceofwallwaspulleddown，andthreeacresoflandbyitssidepurchased；butallthenewportionisalmosttenantless；thetombs，asheretofore，continuetocrowdtogethertowardsthegate。Thekeeper，whoisatoncegravediggerandchurchbeadlethusmakingadoubleprofitoutoftheparishcorpses，hastakenadvantageoftheunusedplotofgroundtoplantpotatoesthere。Fromyeartoyear，however，hissmallfieldgrowssmaller，andwhenthereisanepidemic，hedoesnotknowwhethertorejoiceatthedeathsorregrettheburials。
　　“Youliveonthedead，Lestiboudois!“thecurieatlastsaidtohimoneday。Thisgrimremarkmadehimreflect；itcheckedhimforsometime；buttothisdayhecarriesonthecultivationofhislittletubers，andevenmaintainsstoutlythattheygrownaturally。
　　Sincetheeventsabouttobenarrated，nothinginfacthaschangedatYonville。Thetintricolourflagstillswingsatthetopofthechurch-steeple；thetwochintzstreamersstillflutterinthewindfromthelinen-draper’s；thechemist’sfetuses，likelumpsofwhiteamadou，rotmoreandmoreintheirturbidalcohol，andabovethebigdooroftheinntheoldgoldenlion，fadedbyrain，stillshowspassers-byitspoodlemane。