Chapter 1

While in Paris, Léon had been popular with the working girls and had enjoyed going to the theater but he had also been a responsible student.  He never forgot Emma, however, and seeing her in Rouen had convinced him that he must seduce her.  Accordingly he follows Emma and Charles to their hotel and returns the next day.  He is pleased to find that Emma has decided to stay for another night.  After a long conversation about their problems and dreams Léon finally works up the courage to tell Emma that he loved her during their time in Yonville.  She is pleased but claims that he is too young and she too old.  The hour grows late and Léon rises to leave but he makes her promise to meet him the following day.  She finally agrees and tells him that she will be at the cathedral at 11am.  When he departs he says "Till tomorrow."  Emma immediately writes a long letter to explain why they cannot be lovers but, not knowing how to send it, she elects to give it to him the following day.  Léon arrives early the next day and to the verger's suppressed anger Léon walks about the cathedral unguided.  Finally Emma arrives, shoves the letter into Léon's hand and immediately falls to her knees in the chapel of the Virgin and begins to pray for strength of will.  Léon impatiently waits for her to finish and is further exasperated when, upon rising, she accepts the verger's offer of a tour.  As the verger drones on about the details of the church Léon's impatience grows to the breaking point.  Finally he shoves a silver piece into the man's hand, grabs Emma by the arm and pulls her from the church and into a cab.  Léon orders the driver to go anywhere and all afternoon, despite several attempts by the weary driver to slow or come to a stop, the cab is seen repeating a circuitous course about the town and countryside.  At one point a bare hand emerges from the window and throws bits of torn paper into the wind.  At 6pm the carriage finally stops and Emma, covered in a veil emerges and walks quickly away.