But the next day he called on her with a bill for two hundred and

seventy francs, not counting the centimes. Emma was much embarrassed;

all the drawers of the writing-table were empty; they owed over a

fortnight's wages to Lestiboudois, two quarters to the servant, for any

quantity of other things, and Bovary was impatiently expecting Monsieur

Derozeray's account, which he was in the habit of paying every year

about Midsummer.

She succeeded at first in putting off Lheureux. At last he lost

patience; he was being sued; his capital was out, and unless he got some

in he should be forced to take back all the goods she had received.

"Oh, very well, take them!" said Emma.

"I was only joking," he replied; "the only thing I regret is the whip.

My word! I'll ask monsieur to return it to me."

"No, no!" she said.

"Ah! I've got you!" thought Lheureux.

And, certain of his discovery, he went out repeating to himself in an

undertone, and with his usual low whistle-"Good! we shall see! we shall see!"

She was thinking how to get out of this when the servant coming in

put on the mantelpiece a small roll of blue paper "from Monsieur

Derozeray's." Emma pounced upon and opened it. It contained fifteen

napoleons; it was the account. She heard Charles on the stairs; threw

the gold to the back of her drawer, and took out the key.

Three days after Lheureux reappeared.

"I have an arrangement to suggest to you," he said. "If, instead of the

sum agreed on, you would take--"

"Here it is," she said placing fourteen napoleons in his hand.

The tradesman was dumfounded. Then, to conceal his disappointment, he

was profuse in apologies and proffers of service, all of which Emma

declined; then she remained a few moments fingering in the pocket of

her apron the two five-franc pieces that he had given her in change.

She promised herself she would economise in order to pay back later on.

"Pshaw!" she thought, "he won't think about it again."

Besides the riding-whip with its silver-gilt handle, Rodolphe had

received a seal with the motto Amor nel cor* furthermore, a scarf for

a muffler, and, finally, a cigar-case exactly like the Viscount's, that

Charles had formerly picked up in the road, and that Emma had kept.

These presents, however, humiliated him; he refused several; she

insisted, and he ended by obeying, thinking her tyrannical and

overexacting.

*A loving heart.




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