To begin with, he did not know how he could pay Monsieur Homais for all

the physic supplied by him, and though, as a medical man, he was not

obliged to pay for it, he nevertheless blushed a little at such an

obligation. Then the expenses of the household, now that the servant was

mistress, became terrible. Bills rained in upon the house; the tradesmen

grumbled; Monsieur Lheureux especially harassed him. In fact, at

the height of Emma's illness, the latter, taking advantage of the

circumstances to make his bill larger, had hurriedly brought the cloak,

the travelling-bag, two trunks instead of one, and a number of other

things. It was very well for Charles to say he did not want them.

The tradesman answered arrogantly that these articles had been ordered, and

that he would not take them back; besides, it would vex madame in her

convalescence; the doctor had better think it over; in short, he was

resolved to sue him rather than give up his rights and take back his

goods. Charles subsequently ordered them to be sent back to the shop.

Felicite forgot; he had other things to attend to; then thought no more

about them. Monsieur Lheureux returned to the charge, and, by turns

threatening and whining, so managed that Bovary ended by signing a

bill at six months. But hardly had he signed this bill than a bold idea

occurred to him: it was to borrow a thousand francs from Lheureux.

So, with an embarrassed air, he asked if it were possible to get them,

adding that it would be for a year, at any interest he wished. Lheureux

ran off to his shop, brought back the money, and dictated another bill,

by which Bovary undertook to pay to his order on the 1st of September

next the sum of one thousand and seventy francs, which, with the hundred

and eighty already agreed to, made just twelve hundred and fifty, thus

lending at six per cent in addition to one-fourth for commission: and

the things bringing him in a good third at the least, this ought in

twelve months to give him a profit of a hundred and thirty francs. He

hoped that the business would not stop there; that the bills would not

be paid; that they would be renewed; and that his poor little money,

having thriven at the doctor's as at a hospital, would come back to him

one day considerably more plump, and fat enough to burst his bag.

Everything, moreover, succeeded with him. He was adjudicator for a

supply of cider to the hospital at Neufchatel; Monsieur Guillaumin

promised him some shares in the turf-pits of Gaumesnil, and he dreamt of

establishing a new diligence service between Arcueil and Rouen, which

no doubt would not be long in ruining the ramshackle van of the "Lion

d'Or," and that, travelling faster, at a cheaper rate, and carrying more

luggage, would thus put into his hands the whole commerce of Yonville.




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