CHAPTER EIGHT

Dinner was at seven. As Emma went in, she breathed in the smell of fresh flowers, choice meats and fine chocolates. Iced champagne was served. She had never tasted many of the dishes presented.

After dinner, the ladies went upstairs to get ready for the dance. Emma took great care in dressing. As she was fixing her hair, Charles came to kiss her on the shoulder.

"Let me alone!" she said.

She walked down the stairs. Emma was nervous for the dancing, but once she began, her worries left her, and she was soon smiling.

Among the dancers, Emma noticed some looking quite more gentlemanly than the rest. Their coats were cut better, their hair looked more fashionable and they had the appearance of wealth.

Emma saw a peasant outside and thought of her past life at Les Bertaux. She remembered herself at the dusty farm with her father. But, here she was at a dance, holding a silver glass of wine in her hand.

One of the men, called "Viscount," asked Madame Bovary to dance. They started slowly, and then got faster. He looked down at her and she looked up at him as they danced. He soon took her back to her seat, where she sat and covered her eyes with her hands.

There was a large party at breakfast, but the guests quickly departed. The Bovarys soon left to return to Tostes.

Emma sat in silence. Soon, a number of horsemen passed by, laughing, with cigars in their mouths. Emma saw the Viscount among them.

A mile further, the Bovarys had to stop. Charles noticed a cigar case lying on the ground. Emma looked at it carefully, and knew it belonged to the Viscount.

When they returned home, dinner was not ready. Madame Bovary was angry and fired the maid immediately.

The next day went, oh, so slowly! She could not forget about her exciting adventure at la Vaubyessard; she was changed after seeing so much fortune. And so it gave Emma something to do, to think about the dance. Each time Wednesday arrived, she awoke, saying to herself, "A week ago ... Two weeks ago ... Three weeks ago, I was there!" She soon forgot the guests' faces and the music of the dance, but she still desired it all.

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