On Wednesdays his shop was never empty, and the people pushed in less to buy drugs than for consultations. So great was Homais’ reputation in the neighbouring villages.
His robust aplomb had fascinated the rustics.
They considered him a greater doctor than all the doctors.
Emma was leaning out at the window; she was often there. The window in the provinces replaces the theatre and the promenade, she was amusing herself with watching the crowd of boors when she saw a gentleman in a green velvet coat.
He had on yellow gloves, although he wore heavy gaiters; he was coming towards the doctor’s house, followed by a peasant walking with a bent head and quite a thoughtful air.
“Can I see the doctor?” he asked Justin, who was talking on the doorsteps with Felicite, and, taking him for a servant of the house—“Tell him that Monsieur Rodolphe Boulanger of La Huchette is here.”
It was not from territorial vanity that the new arrival added “of La Huchette” to his name, but to make himself the better known.
La Huchette, in fact, was an estate near Yonville, where he had just bought the chateau and two farms that he cultivated himself, without, however, troubling very much about them.
He lived as a bachelor, and was supposed to have “at least fifteen thousand francs a year.”
Charles came into the room.
Monsieur Boulanger introduced his man, who wanted to be bled because he felt “a tingling all over.”
“That’ll purge me,” he urged as an objection to all reasoning.
So Bovary ordered a bandage and a basin, and asked Justin to hold it.
Then addressing the peasant, who was already pale—
“Don’t be afraid, my lad.”
“No, no, sir,” said the other; “get on.”
And with an air of bravado he held out his great arm.
At the prick of the lancet the blood spurted out, splashing against the looking-glass.
“Hold the basin nearer,” exclaimed Charles.
“Lor!” said the peasant, “one would swear it was a little fountain flowing.
How red my blood is!
That’s a good sign, isn’t it?”
“Sometimes,” answered the doctor, “one feels nothing at first, and then syncope sets in, and more especially with people of strong constitution like this man.”
At these words the rustic let go the lancet-case he was twisting between his fingers.
A shudder of his shoulders made the chair-back creak.
His hat fell off.
“I thought as much,” said Bovary, pressing his finger on the vein.
The basin was beginning to tremble in Justin’s hands; his knees shook, he turned pale.
“Emma!
Emma!” called Charles.
With one bound she came down the staircase.
“Some vinegar,” he cried. “O dear! two at once!”
And in his emotion he could hardly put on the compress.
“It is nothing,” said Monsieur Boulanger quietly, taking Justin in his arms.
He seated him on the table with his back resting against the wall.
Madame Bovary began taking off his cravat.
The strings of his shirt had got into a knot, and she was for some minutes moving her light fingers about the young fellow’s neck.
Then she poured some vinegar on her cambric handkerchief; she moistened his temples with little dabs, and then blew upon them softly.
The ploughman revived, but Justin’s syncope still lasted, and his eyeballs disappeared in the pale sclerotics like blue flowers in milk.
“We must hide this from him,” said Charles.
Madame Bovary took the basin to put it under the table.
With the movement she made in bending down, her dress (it was a summer dress with four flounces, yellow, long in the waist and wide in the skirt) spread out around her on the flags of the room; and as Emma stooping, staggered a little as she stretched out her arms. The stuff here and there gave with the inflections of her bust.
Then she went to fetch a bottle of water, and she was melting some pieces of sugar when the chemist arrived.
The servant had been to fetch him in the tumult.
Seeing his pupil’s eyes staring he drew a long breath; then going around him he looked at him from head to foot.
“Fool!” he said, “really a little fool!
A fool in four letters!
A phlebotomy’s a big affair, isn’t it!
And a fellow who isn’t afraid of anything; a kind of squirrel, just as he is who climbs to vertiginous heights to shake down nuts.
Oh, yes! you just talk to me, boast about yourself!