ChapterEightAtlastitcame，thefamousagriculturalshow。Onthemorningofthesolemnityalltheinhabitantsattheirdoorswerechattingoverthepreparations。Thepedimentofthetownhallhadbeenhungwithgarlandsofivy；atenthadbeenerectedinameadowforthebanquet；andinthemiddleofthePlace，infrontofthechurch，akindofbombardewastoannouncethearrivaloftheprefectandthenamesofthesuccessfulfarmerswhohadobtainedprizes。TheNationalGuardofBuchytherewasnoneatYonville
　　hadcometojointhecorpsoffiremen，ofwhomBinetwascaptain。
　　Onthatdayheworeacollarevenhigherthanusual；and，tightlybuttonedinhistunic，hisfigurewassostiffandmotionlessthatthewholevitalportionofhispersonseemedtohavedescendedintohislegs，whichroseinacadenceofsetstepswithasinglemovement。Astherewassomerivalrybetweenthetax-collectorandthecolonel，both，toshowofftheirtalents，drilledtheirmenseparately。Onesawtheredepaulettesandtheblackbreastplatespassandre-passalternately；therewasnoendtoit，anditconstantlybeganagain。Therehadneverbeensuchadisplayofpomp。Severalcitizenshadscouredtheirhousestheeveningbefore；tri-colouredflagshungfromhalf-openwindows；
　　allthepublic-houseswerefull；andinthelovelyweatherthestarchedcaps，thegoldencrosses，andthecolouredneckerchiefsseemedwhiterthansnow，shoneinthesun，andrelievedwiththemotleycoloursthesombremonotonyofthefrock-coatsandbluesmocks。Theneighbouringfarmers’wives，whentheygotofftheirhorses，pulledoutthelongpinsthatfastenedaroundthemtheirdresses，turnedupforfearofmud；andthehusbands，fortheirpart，inordertosavetheirhats，kepttheirhandkerchiefsaroundthem，holdingonecornerbetweentheirteeth。
　　Thecrowdcameintothemainstreetfrombothendsofthevillage。Peoplepouredinfromthelanes，thealleys，thehouses；
　　andfromtimetotimeoneheardknockersbangingagainstdoorsclosingbehindwomenwiththeirgloves，whoweregoingouttoseethefete。Whatwasmostadmiredweretwolonglamp-standscoveredwithlanterns，thatflankedaplatformonwhichtheauthoritiesweretosit。Besidesthistherewereagainstthefourcolumnsofthetownhallfourkindsofpoles，eachbearingasmallstandardofgreenishcloth，embellishedwithinscriptionsingoldletters。
　　Ononewaswritten，“ToCommerce“；ontheother，“ToAgriculture“；onthethird，“ToIndustry“；andonthefourth，“TotheFineArts。“
　　ButthejubilationthatbrightenedallfacesseemedtodarkenthatofMadameLefrancois，theinnkeeper。Standingonherkitchen-stepsshemutteredtoherself，“Whatrubbish!whatrubbish!Withtheircanvasbooth!Dotheythinktheprefectwillbegladtodinedownthereunderatentlikeagipsy？Theycallallthisfussingdoinggoodtotheplace!Thenitwasn’tworthwhilesendingtoNeufchatelforthekeeperofacookshop!Andforwhom？Forcowherds!tatterdemalions!“
　　Thedruggistwaspassing。Hehadonafrock-coat，nankeentrousers，beavershoes，and，forawonder，ahatwithalowcrown。
　　“Yourservant!Excuseme，Iaminahurry。“Andasthefatwidowaskedwherehewasgoing——
　　“Itseemsoddtoyou，doesn’tit，Iwhoamalwaysmorecoopedupinmylaboratorythantheman’sratinhischeese。“
　　“Whatcheese？“askedthelandlady。
　　“Oh，nothing!nothing!“Homaiscontinued。“Imerelywishedtoconveytoyou，MadameLefrancois，thatIusuallyliveathomelikearecluse。To-day，however，consideringthecircumstances，itisnecessary——“
　　“Oh，you’regoingdownthere!“shesaidcontemptuously。
　　“Yes，Iamgoing，“repliedthedruggist，astonished。“AmInotamemberoftheconsultingcommission？“
　　MereLefrancoislookedathimforafewmoments，andendedbysayingwithasmile——
　　“That’sanotherpairofshoes!Butwhatdoesagriculturemattertoyou？Doyouunderstandanythingaboutit？“
　　“CertainlyIunderstandit，sinceIamadruggist——thatistosay，achemist。Andtheobjectofchemistry，MadameLefrancois，beingtheknowledgeofthereciprocalandmolecularactionofallnaturalbodies，itfollowsthatagricultureiscomprisedwithinitsdomain。And，infact，thecompositionofthemanure，thefermentationofliquids，theanalysesofgases，andtheinfluenceofmiasmata，what，Iaskyou，isallthis，ifitisn’tchemistry，pureandsimple？“
　　Thelandladydidnotanswer。Homaiswenton——
　　“Doyouthinkthattobeanagriculturistitisnecessarytohavetilledtheearthorfattenedfowlsoneself？Itisnecessaryrathertoknowthecompositionofthesubstancesinquestion——thegeologicalstrata，theatmosphericactions，thequalityofthesoil，theminerals，thewaters，thedensityofthedifferentbodies，theircapillarity，andwhatnot。Andonemustbemasterofalltheprinciplesofhygieneinordertodirect，criticizetheconstructionofbuildings，thefeedingofanimals，thedietofdomestics。And，moreover，MadameLefrancois，onemustknowbotany，beabletodistinguishbetweenplants，youunderstand，whicharethewholesomeandthosethataredeleterious，whichareunproductiveandwhichnutritive，ifitiswelltopullthemuphereandre-sowthemthere，topropagatesome，destroyothers；inbrief，onemustkeeppacewithsciencebymeansofpamphletsandpublicpapers，bealwaysonthealerttofindoutimprovements。“
　　Thelandladynevertookhereyesoffthe“CafeFrancois“andthechemistwenton——
　　“WouldtoGodouragriculturistswerechemists，orthatatleasttheywouldpaymoreattentiontothecounselsofscience。ThuslatelyImyselfwroteaconsiderabletract，amemoirofoverseventy-twopages，entitled，’Cider，itsManufactureanditsEffects，togetherwithsomeNewReflectionsontheSubject，’thatIsenttotheAgriculturalSocietyofRouen，andwhichevenprocuredmethehonourofbeingreceivedamongitsmembers——Section，Agriculture；Class，Pomological。
　　Well，ifmyworkhadbeengiventothepublic——“Butthedruggiststopped，MadameLefrancoisseemedsopreoccupied。
　　“Justlookatthem!“shesaid。“It’spastcomprehension!Suchacookshopasthat!“Andwithashrugoftheshouldersthatstretchedoutoverherbreastthestitchesofherknittedbodice，shepointedwithbothhandsatherrival’sinn，whencesongswereheardissuing。“Well，itwon’tlastlong，“sheadded。“It’llbeoverbeforeaweek。“
　　Homaisdrewbackwithstupefaction。Shecamedownthreestepsandwhisperedinhisear——
　　“What!youdidn’tknowit？Thereistobeanexecutioninnextweek。It’sLheureuxwhoissellinghimout；hehaskilledhimwithbills。“
　　“Whataterriblecatastrophe!“criedthedruggist，whoalwaysfoundexpressionsinharmonywithallimaginablecircumstances。
　　ThenthelandladybegantellinghimthestorythatshehadheardfromTheodore，MonsieurGuillaumin’sservant，andalthoughshedetestedTellier，sheblamedLheureux。Hewas“awheedler，asneak。“
　　“There!“shesaid。“Lookathim!heisinthemarket；heisbowingtoMadameBovary，who’sgotonagreenbonnet。Why，she’stakingMonsieurBoulanger’sarm。“
　　“MadameBovary!“exclaimedHomais。“Imustgoatonceandpayhermyrespects。Perhapsshe’llbeverygladtohaveaseatintheenclosureundertheperistyle。“And，withoutheedingMadameLefrancois，whowascallinghimbacktotellhimmoreaboutit，thedruggistwalkedoffrapidlywithasmileonhislips，withstraightknees，bowingcopiouslytorightandleft，andtakingupmuchroomwiththelargetailsofhisfrock-coatthatflutteredbehindhiminthewind。
　　Rodolphe，havingcaughtsightofhimfromafar，hurriedon，butMadameBovarylostherbreath；sohewalkedmoreslowly，and，smilingather，saidinaroughtone——
　　“It’sonlytogetawayfromthatfatfellow，youknow，thedruggist。“Shepressedhiselbow。
　　“What’sthemeaningofthat？“heaskedhimself。Andhelookedatheroutofthecornerofhiseyes。
　　Herprofilewassocalmthatonecouldguessnothingfromit。Itstoodoutinthelightfromtheovalofherbonnet，withpaleribbonsonitliketheleavesofweeds。Hereyeswiththeirlongcurvedlasheslookedstraightbeforeher，andthoughwideopen，theyseemedslightlypuckeredbythecheek-bones，becauseofthebloodpulsinggentlyunderthedelicateskin。Apinklineranalongthepartitionbetweenhernostrils。Herheadwasbentuponhershoulder，andthepearltipsofherwhiteteethwereseenbetweenherlips。
　　“Isshemakingfunofme？“thoughtRodolphe。
　　Emma’sgesture，however，hadonlybeenmeantforawarning；forMonsieurLheureuxwasaccompanyingthem，andspokenowandagainasiftoenterintotheconversation。
　　“Whatasuperbday!Everybodyisout!Thewindiseast!“
　　AndneitherMadameBovarynorRodolpheansweredhim，whilstattheslightestmovementmadebythemhedrewnear，saying，“Ibegyourpardon!“andraisedhishat。
　　Whentheyreachedthefarrier’shouse，insteadoffollowingtheroaduptothefence，Rodolphesuddenlyturneddownapath，drawingwithhimMadameBovary。Hecalledout——
　　“Goodevening，MonsieurLheureux!Seeyouagainpresently。“
　　“Howyougotridofhim!“shesaid，laughing。
　　“Why，“hewenton，“allowoneselftobeintrudeduponbyothers？
　　Andasto-dayIhavethehappinessofbeingwithyou——“
　　Emmablushed。Hedidnotfinishhissentence。Thenhetalkedofthefineweatherandofthepleasureofwalkingonthegrass。A
　　fewdaisieshadsprungupagain。