“Saynothing，oralltheblamewillfallonyourmaster。“
　　Thenshewenthome，suddenlycalmed，andwithsomethingoftheserenityofonethathadperformedaduty。
　　WhenCharles，distractedbythenewsofthedistraint，returnedhome，Emmahadjustgoneout。Hecriedaloud，wept，fainted，butshedidnotreturn。Wherecouldshebe？HesentFelicitetoHomais，toMonsieurTuvache，toLheureux，tothe“Liond’Or，“
　　everywhere，andintheintervalsofhisagonyhesawhisreputationdestroyed，theirfortunelost，Berthe’sfutureruined。
　　Bywhat？——Notaword!Hewaitedtillsixintheevening。Atlast，unabletobearitanylonger，andfancyingshehadgonetoRouen，hesetoutalongthehighroad，walkedamile，metnoone，againwaited，andreturnedhome。Shehadcomeback。
　　“Whatwasthematter？Why？Explaintome。“
　　Shesatdownatherwriting-tableandwrotealetter，whichshesealedslowly，addingthedateandthehour。Thenshesaidinasolemntone：
　　“Youaretoreaditto-morrow；tillthen，Iprayyou，donotaskmeasinglequestion。No，notone!“
　　“But——“
　　“Oh，leaveme!“
　　Shelaydownfulllengthonherbed。Abittertastethatshefeltinhermouthawakenedher。ShesawCharles，andagainclosedhereyes。
　　Shewasstudyingherselfcuriously，toseeifshewerenotsuffering。Butno!nothingasyet。Sheheardthetickingoftheclock，thecracklingofthefire，andCharlesbreathingashestooduprightbyherbed。
　　“Ahlitisbutalittlething，death!“shethought。“Ishallfallasleepandallwillbeover。“
　　Shedrankamouthfulofwaterandturnedtothewall。Thefrightfultasteofinkcontinued。
　　“Iamthirsty；oh!sothirsty，“shesighed。
　　“Whatisit？“saidCharles，whowashandingheraglass。
　　“Itisnothing!Openthewindow；Iamchoking。“
　　Shewasseizedwithasicknesssosuddenthatshehadhardlytimetodrawoutherhandkerchieffromunderthepillow。
　　“Takeitaway，“shesaidquickly；“throwitaway。“
　　Hespoketoher；shedidnotanswer。Shelaymotionless，afraidthattheslightestmovementmightmakehervomit。Butshefeltanicycoldcreepingfromherfeettoherheart。
　　“Ah!itisbeginning，“shemurmured。
　　“Whatdidyousay？“
　　Sheturnedherheadfromsidetosidewithagentlemovementfullofagony，whileconstantlyopeninghermouthasifsomethingveryheavywereweighinguponhertongue。Ateighto’clockthevomitingbeganagain。
　　Charlesnoticedthatatthebottomofthebasintherewasasortofwhitesedimentstickingtothesidesoftheporcelain。
　　“Thisisextraordinary——verysingular，“herepeated。
　　Butshesaidinafirmvoice，“No，youaremistaken。“
　　Thengently，andalmostascaressingher，hepassedhishandoverherstomach。Sheutteredasharpcry。Hefellbackterror-stricken。
　　Thenshebegantogroan，faintlyatfirst。Hershoulderswereshakenbyastrongshuddering，andshewasgrowingpalerthanthesheetsinwhichherclenchedfingersburiedthemselves。Herunequalpulsewasnowalmostimperceptible。
　　Dropsofsweatoozedfromherbluishface，thatseemedasifrigidintheexhalationsofametallicvapour。Herteethchattered，herdilatedeyeslookedvaguelyabouther，andtoallquestionssherepliedonlywithashakeofthehead；sheevensmiledonceortwice。Gradually，hermoaninggrewlouder；ahollowshriekburstfromher；shepretendedshewasbetterandthatshewouldgetuppresently。Butshewasseizedwithconvulsionsandcriedout——
　　“Ah!myGod!Itishorrible!“
　　Hethrewhimselfonhiskneesbyherbed。
　　“Tellme!whathaveyoueaten？Answer，forheaven’ssake!“
　　Andhelookedatherwithatendernessinhiseyessuchasshehadneverseen。
　　“Well，there——there!“shesaidinafaintvoice。Heflewtothewriting-table，toreopentheseal，andreadaloud：“Accusenoone。“Hestopped，passedhishandsacrosshiseyes，andreaditoveragain。
　　“What!help——help!“
　　Hecouldonlykeeprepeatingtheword：“Poisoned!poisoned!“
　　FeliciterantoHomais，whoproclaimeditinthemarket-place；
　　MadameLefrancoishearditatthe“Liond’Or“；somegotuptogoandtelltheirneighbours，andallnightthevillagewasonthealert。
　　Distraught，faltering，reeling，Charleswanderedabouttheroom。
　　Heknockedagainstthefurniture，torehishair，andthechemisthadneverbelievedthattherecouldbesoterribleasight。
　　HewenthometowritetoMonsieurCanivetandtoDoctorLariviere。Helosthishead，andmademorethanfifteenroughcopies。HippolytewenttoNeufchatel，andJustinsospurredBovary’shorsethatheleftitfounderedandthreepartsdeadbythehillatBois-Guillaume。
　　Charlestriedtolookuphismedicaldictionary，butcouldnotreadit；thelinesweredancing。
　　“Becalm，“saidthedruggist；“wehaveonlytoadministerapowerfulantidote。Whatisthepoison？“
　　Charlesshowedhimtheletter。Itwasarsenic。
　　“Verywell，“saidHomais，“wemustmakeananalysis。“
　　Forheknewthatincasesofpoisoningananalysismustbemade；
　　andtheother，whodidnotunderstand，answered——
　　“Oh，doanything!saveher!“
　　Thengoingbacktoher，hesankuponthecarpet，andlaytherewithhisheadleaningagainsttheedgeofherbed，sobbing。
　　“Don’tcry，“shesaidtohim。“SoonIshallnottroubleyouanymore。“
　　“Whywasit？Whodroveyoutoit？“
　　Shereplied。“Ithadtobe，mydear!“
　　“Weren’tyouhappy？Isitmyfault？IdidallIcould!“
　　“Yes，thatistrue——youaregood——you。“
　　Andshepassedherhandslowlyoverhishair。Thesweetnessofthissensationdeepenedhissadness；hefelthiswholebeingdissolvingindespairatthethoughtthathemustloseher，justwhenshewasconfessingmoreloveforhimthanever。Andhecouldthinkofnothing；hedidnotknow，hedidnotdare；theurgentneedforsomeimmediateresolutiongavethefinishingstroketotheturmoilofhismind。
　　Soshehaddone，shethought，withallthetreachery；andmeanness，andnumberlessdesiresthathadtorturedher。Shehatednoonenow；atwilightdimnesswassettlinguponherthoughts，and，ofallearthlynoises，Emmaheardnonebuttheintermittentlamentationsofthispoorheart，sweetandindistinctliketheechoofasymphonydyingaway。
　　“Bringmethechild，“shesaid，raisingherselfonherelbow。
　　“Youarenotworse，areyou？“askedCharles。
　　“No，no!“
　　Thechild，serious，andstillhalf-asleep，wascarriedinontheservant’sarminherlongwhitenightgown，fromwhichherbarefeetpeepedout。Shelookedwonderinglyatthedisorderedroom，andhalf-closedhereyes，dazzledbythecandlesburningonthetable。Theyremindedher，nodoubt，ofthemorningofNewYear’sdayandMid-Lent，whenthusawakenedearlybycandle-lightshecametohermother’sbedtofetchherpresents，forshebegansaying——
　　“Butwhereisit，mamma？“Andaseverybodywassilent，“ButI
　　can’tseemylittlestocking。“
　　Feliciteheldheroverthebedwhileshestillkeptlookingtowardsthemantelpiece。
　　“Hasnursetakenit？“sheasked。
　　Andatthisname，thatcarriedherbacktothememoryofheradulteriesandhercalamities，MadameBovaryturnedawayherhead，asattheloathingofanotherbittererpoisonthatrosetohermouth。ButBertheremainedperchedonthebed。
　　“Oh，howbigyoureyesare，mamma!Howpaleyouare!howhotyouare!“
　　Hermotherlookedather。“Iamfrightened!“criedthechild，recoiling。
　　Emmatookherhandtokissit；thechildstruggled。