“ Is she making fun of me?” thought Rodolphe.
Emma’s gesture, however, had only been meant for a warning; for Monsieur Lheureux was accompanying them, and spoke now and again as if to enter into the conversation.
“ What a superb day! Everybody is out! The wind is east!”
And neither Madame Bovary nor Rodolphe answered him, whilst at the slightest movement made by them he drew near, saying, “I beg your pardon!” and raised his hat.
When they reached the farrier’s house, instead of following the road up to the fence, Rodolphe suddenly turned down a path, drawing with him Madame Bovary. He called out—
“ Good evening, Monsieur Lheureux! See you again presently.”
“ How you got rid of him!” she said, laughing.
“ Why,” he went on, “allow oneself to be intruded upon by others? And as to-
