FLAUBERT
197
This
here and there
in the midst of thesc stiff sentences is like a brief
quiver, a second of exceptional liberty constituting no threat to secu–
rity, a mere instant during which something stirs then, once more,
turns to stone;
of clusters of palm trees here and there, and of glass baIls shoot–
ing fire; ...
The
and
can't
be
far now and, in fact, here it is:
shooting fire; and the ramparts formed as it were the gigantic
rim of this horn of plenty which poured itself out before him.
Time, to be mastered, is taken captive, broken up and im–
prisoned, placed under lock and key, consigned to safekeeping. And
so it goes, as anthology piece follows anthology piece in rapid suc–
cession.
Occasionally, for a brief second, time stretches ponderously from
one period to the other. Such words as
meanwhile, thereupon, so,
and
above all
then (alors)-like
a solemn trumpet-call opening the fes–
tivities-announce that time has resumed its course, that from the
phrase just ended an extension is about to emerge, another heavy
mass
is
forming.
Then,
despairing of the Republic, Hamilcar....
Then,
many a one recalled similar mornings when.
Then,
four heroes chosen for their strong lungs....
These
thens
appear constantly, by the hundreds, and at times one
has the impression of a stylistic tic that is hard to believe of a writer
so concerned with achieving absolute perfection of form.
But the reading I have just given is of a very special nature.
It
has to do exclusively with form, with a certain quality of style. I
could just as well have pointed out certain other characteristics of
Flaubert's style, discussed, for instance, the use of certain verbal
forms that are peculiarly his own. But I wanted to calI attention
only to what was relevant to my argument. This reading, consequent–
ly,
is
the reading of a specialist, so to speak, as circumscribed, limited
and artificial as would be that of a grammarian.
It
demands great
effort on the part of the reader.
