CHAPTER SEVEN

She was quite brave the next day when the law officers arrived at her home to make the list of goods to be taken away. They looked all through the house, even in Charles' office, and in the attic, where they found her love letters from Rodolphe. At last, they went. Felicite came back inside—she had been outside to keep Bovary away.

The following day, a Sunday, she left for Rouen, to visit all the bankers she knew. They were out of town, or away on a journey. She refused to give up. Those bankers she did see all refused to loan her the money.

At two o'clock, she hurried to Leon's and knocked at his door. Eventually, he appeared.

"I've got to talk to you," she said.

They went to their secret hotel room.

"Leon, I need three hundred pounds."

"You're crazy."

She told him the story. Charles knew nothing of it. Her mother-in-law hated her. Her father couldn't help. But he, Leon, he must find the money for her.

"Go on, go and try! You must! I will love you so!"

He went away. After an hour, he returned looking serious. He found nothing.

"I would soon have it if I were you," she said quietly.

"Where from?"

"Your office!" she said with a wild look in her eyes.

He was frightened, realizing that she seriously wanted him to commit a crime.

"Morel is coming back tonight! I think he will give me the money," he told her. Morel was a friend of his, the son of a wealthy businessman. "I can bring it to you tomorrow."

Emma did not look happy to hear this. Did she guess he was lying? "Don't wait, though, darling, if I'm not here by three o'clock. Now, I must go. Goodbye!"

She returned to Yonville.

"What will be, will be," she said to herself.

And you never knew, something quite unexpected might happen at any moment. Lheureux might even die.

At nine o'clock the next morning, she was awakened by voices outside. The people were gathered to read a large notice posted. She saw Justin climb up and tear it down.

"Madame! Madame" cried Felicite, running in. The girl nervously handed her a sheet of paper. Emma saw that all her furniture was for sale. They looked at each other in silence. They no longer had any secrets from one another now.

"If I were you, Madame," Felicite told her, "I'd go to Monsieur Guillaumin."

She dressed, and left to speak with Monsieur Guillaumin. She arrived and was taken to a large dining room, with elegant furniture and colored glass windows.

"This is the dining room I should have," she thought to herself.

Monsieur Guillaumin walked in and they greeted each other.

"Monsieur," said she, "I want to ask you ... "

"What, Madame? I am listening."

She then told him about her money troubles.

He knew of Lheureux's terrible business practices, and was not surprised to hear her story. She became more comfortable sitting with him, and soon told him more about her problems. Yes, he could understand.

But when she asked him for a hundred and twenty pounds, he declared that he was extremely sorry that she did not come to him earlier.

"Why didn't you come to me?" he asked.

"I don't really know," she said.

He then gently raised her hand to kiss it tenderly. He then moved his hand up her arm.

She quickly stood up.

"I am waiting, sir!" she said.

"What, what ... " he said, confused.

"The money ... "

"But ... all right, yes!"

He moved closer to her. "I love you!" he said, before grabbing her around the waist.

"I am to be pitied ... I am not to be bought!"

And she was gone.

She stopped in fear as she came near her house. She couldn't go on, but she must. Where else was there?

Felicite was waiting at the door.

"Well?"

"No," said Emma.

She thought to herself. Charles would soon return and she would have to explain the story to him. There would be crying, and in the end, after the shock was over, he would forgive her ... 

"Yes," she thought, "he'll forgive me."

She soon saw Charles coming; she became frightened, and ran from the house. She soon reached Madame Rollet's house, crying as she arrived. Madame Rollet wondered why she had come. Looking around the house, Emma remembered the time she had come with Leon to see her child. Then she remembered his promise.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Nearly three o'clock."

"Ah, thank you, thank you!"

Leon would come! Perhaps he'd go to her house. She told the nurse to run and fetch him.

The nurse took quite a long time to return. At last, the nurse returned.

"No one has come! And your husband's crying. He keeps calling for you. They're looking for you."

Emma said nothing. Then, she remembered Rodolphe! He was so kind and generous! She immediately left to go to see him.

(end of section)