One morning, when she had gone, as usual, rather lightly clothed, it suddenly began to snow, and as Charles was watching the weather from the window, he caught sight of Monsieur Bournisien in the chaise of Monsieur Tuvache, who was driving him to Rouen.  Then he went down to give the priest a thick shawl that he was to hand over to Emma as soon as he reached the “Croix-Rouge.”  When he got to the inn, Monsieur Bournisien asked for the wife of the Yonville doctor.  The landlady replied that she very rarely came to her establishment.  So that evening, when he recognised Madame Bovary in the “Hirondelle,” the cure told her his dilemma, without, however, appearing to attach much importance to it, for he began praising a preacher who was doing wonders at the Cathedral, and whom all the ladies were rushing to hear.

Still, if he did not ask for any explanation, others, later on, might prove less discreet.  So she thought well to get down each time at the “Croix-Rouge,” so that the good folk of her village who saw her on the stairs should suspect nothing.

One day, however, Monsieur Lheureux met her coming out of the Hotel de Boulogne on Leon’s arm; and she was frightened, thinking he would gossip.  He was not such a fool.  But three days after he came to her room, shut the door, and said, “I must have some money.”

She declared she could not give him any.  Lheureux burst into lamentations and reminded her of all the kindnesses he had shown her.

In fact, of the two bills signed by Charles, Emma up to the present had paid only one.  As to the second, the shopkeeper, at her request, had consented to replace it by another, which again had been renewed for a long date.  Then he drew from his pocket a list of goods not paid for; to wit, the curtains, the carpet, the material for the armchairs, several dresses, and divers articles of dress, the bills for which amounted to about two thousand francs.

She bowed her head.  He went on—­

“But if you haven’t any ready money, you have an estate.”  And he reminded her of a miserable little hovel situated at Barneville, near Aumale, that brought in almost nothing.  It had formerly been part of a small farm sold by Monsieur Bovary senior; for Lheureux knew everything, even to the number of acres and the names of the neighbours.

“If I were in your place,” he said, “I should clear myself of my debts, and have money left over.”

She pointed out the difficulty of getting a purchaser.  He held out the hope of finding one; but she asked him how she should manage to sell it.

“Haven’t you your power of attorney?” he replied.

The phrase came to her like a breath of fresh air.  “Leave me the bill,” said Emma.

“Oh, it isn’t worth while,” answered Lheureux.

He came back the following week and boasted of having, after much trouble, at last discovered a certain Langlois, who, for a long time, had had an eye on the property, but without mentioning his price.