the country doctor-第11部分

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〃But　if　this　place　was　to　be　a　permanent　forge　of　industry；　fuel　must　be　constantly　added　to　the　fire。　The　town　had　not　as　yet　a　renascent　industry　which　could　maintain　this　commercial　process；　an　industry　which　should　make　great　transactions；　a　warehouse；　and　a　market　necessary。　It　is　not　enough　that　a　country　should　lose　none　of　the　money　that　forms　its　capital；　you　will　not　increase　its　prosperity　by　more　or　less　ingenious　devices　for　causing　this　amount　to　circulate；　by　means　of　production　and　consumption；　through　the　greatest　possible　number　of　hands。　That　is　not　where　your　problem　lies。　When　a　country　is　fully　developed　and　its　production　keeps　pace　with　its　consumption；　if　private　wealth　is　to　increase　as　well　as　the　wealth　of　the　community　at　large；　there　must　be　exchanges　with　other　communities；　which　will　keep　a　balance　on　the　right　side　of　the　balance…sheet。　This　thought　has　let　states　with　a　limited　territorial　basis　like　Tyre；　Carthage；　Venice；　Holland；　and　England；　for　instance；　to　secure　the　carrying　trade。　I　cast　about　for　some　such　notion　as　this　to　apply　to　our　little　world；　so　as　to　inaugurate　a　third　commercial　epoch。　Our　town　is　so　much　like　any　other；　that　our　prosperity　was　scarcely　visible　to　a　passing　stranger；　it　was　only　for　me　that　it　was　astonishing。　The　folk　had　come　together　by　degrees；　they　themselves　were　a　part　of　the　change；　and　could　not　judge　of　its　effects　as　a　whole。

〃Seven　years　had　gone　by　when　I　met　with　two　strangers；　the　real　benefactors　of　the　place；　which　perhaps　some　day　they　will　transform　into　a　large　town。　One　of　them　is　a　Tyrolese；　an　exceedingly　clever　fellow；　who　makes　rough　shoes　for　country　people's　wear；　and　boots　for　people　of　fashion　in　Grenoble　as　no　one　can　make　them；　not　even　in　Paris　itself。　He　was　a　poor　strolling　musician；　who；　singing　and　working；　had　made　his　way　through　Italy；　one　of　those　busy　Germans　who　fashion　the　tools　of　their　own　work；　and　make　the　instrument　that　they　play　upon。　When　he　came　to　the　town　he　asked　if　any　one　wanted　a　pair　of　shoes。　They　sent　him　to　me；　and　I　gave　him　an　order　for　two　pairs　of　boots；　for　which　he　made　his　own　lasts。　The　foreigner's　skill　surprised　me。　He　gave　accurate　and　consistent　answers　to　the　questions　I　put；　and　his　face　and　manner　confirmed　the　good　opinion　I　had　formed　of　him。　I　suggested　that　he　should　settle　in　the　place；　undertaking　to　assist　him　in　business　in　every　way　that　I　could；　in　fact；　I　put　a　fairly　large　sum　of　money　at　his　disposal。　He　accepted　my　offer。　I　had　my　own　ideas　in　this。　The　quality　of　our　leather　had　improved；　and　why　should　we　not　use　it　ourselves；　and　before　very　long　make　our　own　shoes　at　moderate　prices？

〃It　was　the　basket…maker's　business　over　again　on　a　larger　scale。　Chance　had　put　an　exceedingly　clever　hard…working　man　in　my　way；　and　he　must　be　retained　so　that　a　steady　and　profitable　trade　might　be　given　to　the　place。　There　is　a　constant　demand　for　foot…gear；　and　a　very　slight　difference　in　price　is　felt　at　once　by　the　purchaser。

〃This　was　my　reasoning；　sir；　and　fortunately　events　have　justified　it。　At　this　time　we　have　five　tanyards；　each　of　which　has　its　bark…mill。　They　take　all　the　hides　produced　in　the　department　itself；　and　even　draw　part　of　their　supply　from　Provence；　and　yet　the　Tyrolese　uses　more　leather　than　they　can　produce；　and　has　forty　work…people　in　his　employ！

〃I　happened　on　the　other　man　after　a　fashion　no　whit　less　strange；　but　you　might　find　the　story　tedious。　He　is　just　an　ordinary　peasant；　who　discovered　a　cheaper　way　of　making　the　great　broad…brimmed　hats　that　are　worn　in　this　part　of　the　world。　He　sells　them　in　other　cantons；　and　even　sends　them　into　Switzerland　and　Savoy。　So　long　as　the　quality　and　the　low　prices　can　be　maintained；　here　are　two　inexhaustible　sources　of　wealth　for　the　canton；　which　suggested　to　my　mind　the　idea　of　establishing　three　fairs　in　the　year。　The　prefect；　amazed　at　our　industrial　progress；　lent　his　aid　in　obtaining　the　royal　ordinance　which　authorized　them；　and　last　year　we　held　our　three　fairs。　They　are　known　as　far　as　Savoy　as　the　Shoe　Fair　and　the　Hat　Fair。

〃The　head　clerk　of　a　notary　in　Grenoble　heard　of　these　changes。　He　was　poor；　but　he　was　a　well…educated；　hardworking　young　fellow；　and　Mlle。　Gravier　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　him。　He　went　to　Paris　to　ask　for　an　authorization　to　establish　himself　here　as　a　notary；　and　his　request　was　granted。　As　he　had　not　to　pay　for　his　appointment；　he　could　afford　to　build　a　house　in　the　market　square　of　the　new　town；　opposite　the　house　of　the　justice　of　the　peace。　We　have　a　market　once　a　week；　and　a　considerable　amount　of　business　is　transacted　in　corn　and　cattle。

〃Next　year　a　druggist　surely　ought　to　come　among　us；　and　next　we　want　a　clockmaker；　a　furniture　dealer；　and　a　bookseller；　and　so；　by　degrees；　we　shall　have　all　the　desirable　luxuries　of　life。　Who　knows　but　that　at　last　we　shall　have　a　number　of　substantial　houses；　and　give　ourselves　all　the　airs　of　a　small　city？　Education　has　made　such　strides　that　there　has　never　been　any　opposition　made　at　the　council…board　when　I　proposed　that　we　should　restore　our　church　and　build　a　parsonage；　nor　when　I　brought　forward　a　plan　for　laying　out　a　fine　open　space；　planted　with　trees；　where　the　fairs　could　be　held；　and　a　further　scheme　for　a　survey　of　the　township；　so　that　its　future　streets　should　be　wholesome；　spacious；　and　wisely　planned。

〃This　is　how　we　came　to　have　nineteen　hundred　hearths　in　the　place　of　a　hundred　and　thirty…seven；　three　thousand　head　of　cattle　instead　of　eight　hundred；　and　for　a　population　of　seven　hundred；　no　less　than　two　thousand　persons　are　living　in　the　township；　or　three　thousand；　if　the　people　down　the　valley　are　included。　There　are　twelve　houses　belonging　to　wealthy　people　in　the　Commune；　there　are　a　hundred　well…to…do　families；　and　two　hundred　more　which　are　thriving。　The　rest　have　their　own　exertions　to　look　to。　Every　one　knows　how　to　read　and　write；　and　we　subscribe　to　seventeen　different　newspapers。

〃We　have　poor　people　still　among　usthere　are　far　too　many　of　them；　in　fact；　but　we　have　no　beggars；　and　there　is　work　enough　for　all。　I　have　so　many　patients　that　my　daily　round　taxes　the　powers　of　two　horses。　I　can　go　anywhere　for　five　miles　round　at　any　hour　without　fear；　for　if　any　one　was　minded　to　fire　a　shot　at　me；　his　life　would　not　be　worth　ten　minutes'　purchase。　The　undemonstrative　affection　of　the　people　is　my　sole　gain　from　all　these　changes；　except　the　radiant　'Good…day；　M。　Benassis；'　that　every　one　gives　me　as　I　pass。　You　will　understand；　of　course；　that　the　wealth　incidentally　acquired　through　my　model　farms　has　only　been　a　means　and　not　an　end。〃

〃If　every　one　followed　your　example　in　other　places；　sir；　France　would　be　great　indeed；　and　might　laugh　at　the　rest　of　Europe！〃　cried　Genestas　enthusiastically。

〃But　I　have　kept　you　out　here　for　half　an　hour；〃　said　Benassis；　〃it　is　growing　dark；　let　us　go　in　to　dinner。〃



The　doctor's　house；　on　the　side　facing　the　garden；　consists　of　a　ground　floor　and　a　single　story；　with　a　row　of　five　windows　in　each；　dormer　windows　also　project　from　the　tiled　mansard…roof。　The　green…　painted　shutters　are　in　startling　contrast　with　the　gray　tones　of　the　walls。　A　vine　wanders　along　the　whole　side　of　the　house；　a　pleasant　strip　of　green　like　a　frieze；　between　the　two　stories。　A　few　struggling　Bengal　roses　make　shift　to　live　as　best　they　may；　half　drowned　at　times　by　the　drippings　from　the　gutterless　eaves。

As　you　enter　the　large　vestibule；　the　salon　lies　to　your　right；　it　contains　four　windows；　two　of　which　look　into　the　yard；　and　two　into　the　garden。　Ceiling　and　wainscot　are　paneled；　and　the　walls　are　hung　with　seventeenth　century　tapestrypathetic　evidence　that　the　room　had　been　the　object　of　the　late　owner's　aspiration；　and　that　he　had　lavished　all　that　he　could　spare　upon　it。　The　great　roomy　armchairs；　covered　with　brocaded　damask；　the　old　fashioned；　gilded　candle…sconces　above　the　chimney…piece；　and　the　window　curtains　with　their　heavy　tassels；　showed　that　the　cure　had　been　a　wealthy　man。　Benassis　had　made　some　additions　to　this　furniture；　which　was　not　without　a　character　of　its　own。　He　had　placed　two　smaller　tables；　decorated　with　carved　wooden　garlands；　between　the　windows　on　opposite　sides　of　the　room；　and　had　put　a　clock；　in　a　case　of　tortoise　shell；　inlaid　with　copper；　upon　the　mantel…shelf。　The　doctor　seldom　occupied　the　salon；　its　atmosphere　was　damp　and　close；　like　that　of　a　room　that　is　always　kept　shut。　Memories　of　the　dead　cure　still　lingered　about　it；　the　peculiar　scent　of　his　tobacco　seemed　to　pervade　the　corner　by　the　hearth　where　he　had　been　wont　to　sit。　The　two　great　easy…chairs　were　symmetrically　arranged　on　either　side　of　the　fire；　which　had　not　been　lighted　since　the　time　of　M。　Gravier's　visit；　the　bright　flames　from　the　pine　logs　lighted　the　room。

〃The　evenings　are　chilly　even　now；〃　said　Benassis；　〃it　is　pleasant　to　see　a　fire。〃

Genestas　was　meditating。　He　was　beginning　to　understand　the　doctor's　indifference　to　his　every…day　surroundings。

〃It　is　surprising　to　me；　sir；　that　you；　who　possess　real　public　spirit；　should　have　made　no　effort　to　enlighten　the　Government；　after　accomplishing　so　much。〃

Benassis　began　to　laugh；　but　without　bitterness；　he　said；　rather　sadly：

〃You　mean　that　I　should　draw　up　some　sort　of　memorial　on　various　ways　of　civilizing　France？　You　are　not　the　first　to　suggest　it；　sir；　M。　Gravier　has　forestalled　you。　Unluckily；　Governments　cannot　be　enlightened；　and　a　Government　which　regards　itself　as　a　diffuser　of　light　is　the　least　open　to　enlightenment。　What　we　have　done　for　our　canton；　every　mayor　ought；　of　course；　to　do　for　his；　the　magistrate　should　work　for　his　town；　the　sub…prefect　for　his　district；　the　prefect　for　the　department；　and　the　minister　for　France；　each　acting　in　his　own　sphere　of　interest。　For　the　few　miles　of　country　road　that　I　persuaded　our　people　to　make；　another　would　succeed　in　constructing　a　canal　or　a　highway；　and　for　my　encouragement　of　the　peasants'　trade　in　hats；　a　minister　would　emancipate　France　from　the　industrial　yoke　of　the　foreigner　by　encouraging　the　manufacture　of　clocks　in　different　places；　by　helping　to　bring　to　perfection　our　iron　and　steel；　our　tools　and　applian