the country doctor-第13部分

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　themselves；　any　illness　among　them　is　caused　in　this　way；　and　as　a　rule　they　enjoy　very　fair　health。

〃When　I　first　decided　to　devote　myself　to　this　life　of　obscure　renunciation；　I　was　in　doubt　for　a　long　while　whether　to　become　a　cure；　a　country　doctor；　or　a　justice　of　the　peace。　It　is　not　without　reason　that　people　speak　collectively　of　the　priest；　the　lawyer；　and　the　doctor　as　'men　of　the　black　robe'so　the　saying　goes。　They　represent　the　three　principal　elements　necessary　to　the　existence　of　societyconscience；　property；　and　health。　At　one　time　the　first；　and　at　a　later　period　the　second；　was　all…important　in　the　State。　Our　predecessors　on　this　earth　thought；　perhaps　not　without　reason；　that　the　priest；　who　prescribed　what　men　should　think；　ought　to　be　paramount；　so　the　priest　was　king；　pontiff；　and　judge　in　one；　for　in　those　days　belief　and　faith　were　everything。　All　this　has　been　changed　in　our　day；　and　we　must　even　take　our　epoch　as　we　find　it。　But　I；　for　one；　believe　that　the　progress　of　civilization　and　the　welfare　of　the　people　depend　on　these　three　men。　They　are　the　three　powers　who　bring　home　to　the　people's　minds　the　ways　in　which　facts；　interests；　and　principles　affect　them。　They　themselves　are　three　great　results　produced　in　the　midst　of　the　nation　by　the　operation　of　events；　by　the　ownership　of　property；　and　by　the　growth　of　ideas。　Time　goes　on　and　brings　changes　to　pass；　property　increases　or　diminishes　in　men's　hands；　all　the　various　readjustments　have　to　be　duly　regulated；　and　in　this　way　principles　of　social　order　are　established。　If　civilization　is　to　spread　itself；　and　production　is　to　be　increased；　the　people　must　be　made　to　understand　the　way　in　which　the　interests　of　the　individual　harmonize　with　national　interests　which　resolve　themselves　into　facts；　interests；　and　principles。　As　these　three　professions　are　bound　to　deal　with　these　issues　of　human　life；　it　seemed　to　me　that　they　must　be　the　most　powerful　civilizing　agencies　of　our　time。　They　alone　afford　to　a　man　of　wealth　the　opportunity　of　mitigating　the　fate　of　the　poor；　with　whom　they　daily　bring　him　in　contact。

〃The　peasant　is　always　more　willing　to　listen　to　the　man　who　lays　down　rules　for　saving　him　from　bodily　ills　than　to　the　priest　who　exhorts　him　to　save　his　soul。　The　first　speaker　can　talk　of　this　earth；　the　scene　of　the　peasant's　labors；　while　the　priest　is　bound　to　talk　to　him　of　heaven；　with　which；　unfortunately；　the　peasant　nowadays　concerns　himself　very　little　indeed；　I　say　unfortunately；　because　the　doctrine　of　a　future　life　is　not　only　a　consolation；　but　a　means　by　which　men　may　be　governed。　Is　not　religion　the　one　power　that　sanctions　social　laws？　We　have　but　lately　vindicated　the　existence　of　God。　In　the　absence　of　a　religion；　the　Government　was　driven　to　invent　the　Terror；　in　order　to　carry　its　laws　into　effect；　but　the　terror　was　the　fear　of　man；　and　it　has　passed　away。

〃When　a　peasant　is　ill；　when　he　is　forced　to　lie　on　his　pallet；　and　while　he　is　recovering；　he　cannot　help　himself；　he　is　forced　to　listen　to　logical　reasoning；　which　he　can　understand　quite　well　if　it　is　put　clearly　before　him。　This　thought　made　a　doctor　of　me。　My　calculations　for　the　peasants　were　made　along　with　them。　I　never　gave　advice　unless　I　was　quite　sure　of　the　results；　and　in　this　way　compelled　them　to　admit　the　wisdom　of　my　views。　The　people　require　infallibility。　Infallibility　was　the　making　of　Napoleon；　he　would　have　been　a　god　if　he　had　not　filled　the　world　with　the　sound　of　his　fall　at　Waterloo。　If　Mahomet　founded　a　permanent　religion　after　conquering　the　third　part　of　the　globe；　it　was　by　dint　of　concealing　his　deathbed　from　the　crowd。　The　same　rules　hold　good　for　the　great　conqueror　and　for　the　provincial　mayor；　and　a　nation　or　a　commune　is　much　the　same　sort　of　crowd；　indeed；　the　great　multitude　of　mankind　is　the　same　everywhere。

〃I　have　been　exceedingly　firm　with　those　whom　I　have　helped　with　money；　if　I　had　not　been　inflexible　on　this　point；　they　all　would　have　laughed　at　me。　Peasants；　no　less　than　worldlings；　end　by　despising　the　man　that　they　can　deceive。　He　has　been　cheated？　Clearly；　then；　he　must　have　been　weak；　and　it　is　might　alone　that　governs　the　world。　I　have　never　charged　a　penny　for　my　professional　advice；　except　to　those　who　were　evidently　rich　people；　but　I　have　not　allowed　the　value　of　my　services　to　be　overlooked　at　all；　and　I　always　make　them　pay　for　medicine　unless　the　patient　is　exceedingly　poor。　If　my　peasants　do　not　pay　me　in　money；　they　are　quite　aware　that　they　are　in　my　debt；　sometimes　they　satisfy　their　consciences　by　bringing　oats　for　my　horses；　or　corn；　when　it　is　cheap。　But　if　the　miller　were　to　send　me　some　eels　as　a　return　for　my　advice；　I　should　tell　him　that　he　is　too　generous　for　such　a　small　matter。　My　politeness　bears　fruit。　In　the　winter　I　shall　have　some　sacks　of　flour　for　the　poor。　Ah！　sir；　they　have　kind　hearts；　these　people；　if　one　does　not　slight　them；　and　to…　day　I　think　more　good　and　less　evil　of　them　than　I　did　formerly。〃

〃What　a　deal　of　trouble　you　have　taken！〃　said　Genestas。

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　Benassis。　〃It　was　no　more　trouble　to　say　something　useful　than　to　chatter　about　trifles；　and　whether　I　chatted　or　joked；　the　talk　always　turned　on　them　and　their　concerns　wherever　I　went。　They　would　not　listen　to　me　at　first。　I　had　to　overcome　their　dislikes；　I　belonged　to　the　middle　classesthat　is　to　say；　I　was　a　natural　enemy。　I　found　the　struggle　amusing。　An　easy　or　an　uneasy　consciencethat　is　all　the　difference　that　lies　between　doing　well　or　ill；　the　trouble　is　the　same　in　either　case。　If　scoundrels　would　but　behave　themselves　properly；　they　might　be　millionaires　instead　of　being　hanged。　That　is　all。〃

〃The　dinner　is　growing　cold；　sir！〃　cried　Jacquotte；　in　the　doorway。

Genestas　caught　the　doctor's　arm。

〃I　have　only　one　comment　to　offer　on　what　I　have　just　heard；〃　he　remarked。　〃I　am　not　acquainted　with　any　account　of　the　wars　of　Mahomet；　so　that　I　can　form　no　opinions　as　to　his　military　talents；　but　if　you　had　only　watched　the　Emperor's　tactics　during　the　campaign　in　France；　you　might　well　have　taken　him　for　a　god；　and　if　he　was　beaten　on　the　field　of　Waterloo；　it　was　because　he　was　more　than　mortal；　it　was　because　the　earth　found　his　weight　too　heavy　to　bear；　and　sprang　from　under　his　feet！　On　every　other　subject　I　entirely　agree　with　you；　and　tonnerre　de　Dieu！　whoever　hatched　you　did　a　good　day's　work。〃

〃Come；〃　exclaimed　Benassis　with　a　smile；　〃let　us　sit　down　to　dinner。〃

The　walls　of　the　dining…room　were　paneled　from　floor　to　ceiling；　and　painted　gray。　The　furniture　consisted　of　a　few　straw…bottomed　chairs；　a　sideboard；　some　cupboards；　a　stove；　and　the　late　owner's　celebrated　clock；　there　were　white　curtains　in　the　window；　and　a　white　cloth　on　the　table；　about　which　there　was　no　sign　of　luxury。　The　dinner　service　was　of　plain　white　earthenware；　the　soup；　made　after　the　traditions　of　the　late　cure；　was　the　most　concentrated　kind　of　broth　that　was　ever　set　to　simmer　by　any　mortal　cook。　The　doctor　and　his　guest　had　scarcely　finished　it　when　a　man　rushed　into　the　kitchen；　and　in　spite　of　Jacquotte；　suddenly　invaded　the　dining…room。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　asked　the　doctor。

〃It　is　this；　sir。　The　mistress；　our　Mme。　Vigneau；　has　turned　as　white　as　white　can　be；　so　that　we　are　frightened　about　her。〃

〃Oh；　well；　then；〃　Benassis　said　cheerfully；　〃I　must　leave　the　table；〃　and　he　rose　to　go。

In　spite　of　the　doctor's　entreaties；　Genestas　flung　down　his　table…　napkin；　and　swore　in　a　soldierly　fashion　that　he　would　not　finish　his　dinner　without　his　host。　He　returned　indeed　to　the　salon；　and　as　he　warmed　himself　by　the　fire；　he　thought　over　the　troubles　that　no　man　may　escape；　the　troubles　that　are　found　in　every　lot　that　it　falls　to　man　to　endure　here　upon　earth。

Benassis　soon　came　back；　and　the　two　future　friends　sat　down　again。

〃Taboureau　has　just　come　up　to　speak　to　you；〃　said　Jacquotte　to　her　master；　as　she　brought　in　the　dishes　that　she　had　kept　hot　for　them。

〃Who　can　be　ill　at　his　place？〃　asked　the　doctor。

〃No　one　is　ill；　sir。　I　think　from　what　he　said　that　it　is　some　matter　of　his　own　that　he　wants　to　ask　you　about；　he　is　coming　back　again。〃

〃Very　good。　This　Taboureau；〃　Benassis　went　on；　addressing　Genestas；　〃is　for　me　a　whole　philosophical　treatise；　take　a　good　look　at　him　when　he　comes；　he　is　sure　to　amuse　you。　He　was　a　laborer；　a　thrifty；　hard…working　man；　eating　little　and　getting　through　a　good　deal　of　work。　As　soon　as　the　rogue　came　to　have　a　few　crowns　of　his　own；　his　intelligence　began　to　develop；　he　watched　the　progress　which　I　had　originated　in　this　little　district　with　an　eye　to　his　own　profit。　He　had　made　quite　a　fortune　in　eight　year's　time；　that　is　to　say；　a　fortune　for　our　part　of　the　world。　Very　likely　he　may　have　a　couple　of　score　thousand　francs　by　now。　But　if　I　were　to　give　you　a　thousand　guesses；　you　would　never　find　out　how　he　made　the　money。　He　is　a　usurer；　and　his　scheme　of　usury　is　so　profoundly　and　so　cleverly　based　upon　the　requirements　of　the　whole　canton；　that　I　should　merely　waste　my　time　if　I　were　to　take　it　upon　myself　to　undeceive　them　as　to　the　benefits　which　they　reap；　in　their　own　opinion；　from　their　dealings　with　Taboureau。　When　this　devil　of　a　fellow　saw　every　one　cultivating　his　own　plot　of　ground；　he　hurried　about　buying　grain　so　as　to　supply　the　poor　with　the　requisite　seed。　Here；　as　everywhere　else；　the　peasants　and　even　some　of　the　farmers　had　no　ready　money　with　which　to　pay　for　seed。　To　some；　Master　Taboureau　would　lend　a　sack　of　barley；　for　which　he　was　to　receive　a　sack　of　rye　at　harvest　time；　and　to　others　a　measure　of　wheat　for　a　sack　of　four。　At　the　present　day　the　man　has　extended　this　curious　business　of　his　all　over　the　department；　and　unless　something　happens　to　prevent　him；　he　will　go　on　and　very　likely　make　a　million。　Well；　my　dear　sir；　Taboureau　the　laborer；　an　obliging；　hard…working；　good…natured　fellow；　used　to　lend　a　helping　hand　to　any　one　who　asked　him；　but　as　his　gains　have　increased　MONSIEUR　Taboureau　has　become　litigious；　arrogant；　and　somewhat　given　to　sharp　practice。　The　more　money　he　makes；　the　worse　he　grows。　The　moment　that　the　peasant　forsakes　his　life　of　toil　pure　and　simple　for　the　leisured　existence