CHAPTER SIX

One evening in the beginning of April, she was sitting upstairs with little Berthe. She came up to her mother with a smile on her face.

"Leave me alone!" said Emma, gently pushing the girl away.

The little girl soon returned, holding her mother's knees, looking at her with big blue eyes.

"Oh, leave me alone, will you!" and she pushed her away again with her elbow.

Berthe fell against a drawer and cut her cheek. Madame Bovary picked her up, and shouted for the maid when Charles appeared.

"Look, dear!" said Emma quietly. "She's just fallen and hurt herself playing."

Charles told her it was not serious, and cared for the girl's wound.

Emma refused to go to dinner, and stayed upstairs alone to look after her child. After Berthe fell asleep, she no longer worried, and then thought herself a very good mother to have been worried over something so small.

As she watched her daughter sleep, she thought to herself, "Strange, what an ugly child she is!"

As Charles returned late that evening from the chemist's, to discuss the health of his child, he found his wife watching their sleeping child.

"It's really nothing to worry about," he said, kissing her on her forehead.

While at the chemist's, he wished to speak with Leon about an important matter. Leon wondered if he suspected something. At last, after Charles had closed the door, he requested that Leon find out about prices of portraits, while in Rouen. He wanted to give a portrait of himself to his dear wife as a small surprise.

Leon was more upset than usual. Leon was tired of loving, but not seeing that love returned. He was bored with Yonville and the people there. He soon decided to leave for Paris. He would become an artist. When the moment came for him to leave, Madame Homais began to cry, as did Justin; Homais did not show his emotion, like a man. He had a little time to say goodbye to Monsieur Bovary. As he arrived, Madame Bovary stood up quickly.

"I knew you'd come back!"

"The doctor's not here?" he asked.

"He's out."

She repeated, "He's out."

And then there was silence. They looked at each other, thinking the same thought.

"I'd like to kiss Berthe goodbye," said Leon.

She went for Berthe, quickly returned, and Leon kissed the child gently.

"Goodbye little one! Goodbye dear Berthe!"

And he handed her back to her mother.

"Take her," she said to the maid.

They were alone again; soon he departed.

"Goodbye, then!" he said.

"Yes, goodbye ... Go!"

They looked at each other, and he was gone.

As he walked away from the house, he turned around for a final look, and he saw a shadow at the upstairs window.

"Come and shake hands," said Homais, with tears in his eyes.

Monsieur Leon then left; Homais returned home.

Hours after Leon left, Emma opened her window and looked toward Paris.

"How far away he'll be already!" she thought.

Homais came to visit as usual at half past six, during dinner.

"Poor Leon!" said Charles. "How will he live in Paris?"

Madame Bovary sighed and was silent for the rest of the meal.

(end of section)