the country doctor-第3部分

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Then　she　seated　herself　on　a　three…legged　stool；　drew　the　little　weakling　between　her　knees；　and　began　to　comb　and　wash　his　head　with　a　woman's　skill　and　with　motherly　assiduity。　The　four　small　thieves　hung　about。　Some　of　them　stood；　others　leant　against　the　bed　or　the　bread…　hutch。　They　gnawed　their　prunes　without　saying　a　word；　but　they　kept　their　sly　and　mischievous　eyes　fixed　upon　the　stranger。　In　spite　of　grimy　countenances　and　noses　that　stood　in　need　of　wiping；　they　all　looked　strong　and　healthy。

〃Are　they　your　children？〃　the　soldier　asked　the　old　woman。

〃Asking　your　pardon；　sir；　they　are　charity　children。　They　give　me　three　francs　a　month　and　a　pound's　weight　of　soap　for　each　of　them。〃

〃But　it　must　cost　you　twice　as　much　as　that　to　keep　them；　good　woman？〃

〃That　is　just　what　M。　Benassis　tells　me；　sir；　but　if　other　folk　will　board　the　children　for　the　same　money；　one　has　to　make　it　do。　Nobody　wants　the　children；　but　for　all　that　there　is　a　good　deal　of　performance　to　go　through　before　they　will　let　us　have　them。　When　the　milk　we　give　them　comes　to　nothing；　they　cost　us　scarcely　anything。　Besides　that；　three　francs　is　a　great　deal；　sir；　there　are　fifteen　francs　coming　in；　to　say　nothing　of　the　five　pounds'　weight　of　soap。　In　our　part　of　the　world　you　would　simply　have　to　wear　your　life　out　before　you　would　make　ten　sous　a　day。〃

〃Then　you　have　some　land　of　your　own？〃　asked　the　commandant。

〃No；　sir。　I　had　some　land　once　when　my　husband　was　alive；　since　he　died　I　have　done　so　badly　that　I　had　to　sell　it〃

〃Why；　how　do　you　reach　the　year's　end　without　debts？〃　Genestas　went　on；　〃when　you　bring　up　children　for　a　livelihood　and　wash　and　feed　them　on　two　sous　a　day？〃

〃Well；　we　never　go　to　St。　Sylvester's　Day　without　debt；　sir；〃　she　went　on　without　ceasing　to　comb　the　child's　hair。　〃But　so　it　isProvidence　helps　us　out。　I　have　a　couple　of　cows。　Then　my　daughter　and　I　do　some　gleaning　at　harvest…time；　and　in　winter　we　pick　up　firewood。　Then　at　night　we　spin。　Ah！　we　never　want　to　see　another　winter　like　this　last　one；　that　is　certain！　I　owe　the　miller　seventy…five　francs　for　flour。　Luckily　he　is　M。　Benassis'　miller。　M。　Benassis；　ah！　he　is　a　friend　to　poor　people。　He　has　never　asked　for　his　due　from　anybody；　and　he　will　not　begin　with　us。　Besides；　our　cow　has　a　calf；　and　that　will　set　us　a　bit　straighter。〃

The　four　orphans　for　whom　the　old　woman's　affection　represented　all　human　guardianship　had　come　to　an　end　of　their　prunes。　As　their　foster…mother's　attention　was　taken　up　by　the　officer　with　whom　she　was　chatting；　they　seized　the　opportunity；　and　banded　themselves　together　in　a　compact　file；　so　as　to　make　yet　another　assault　upon　the　latch　of　the　door　that　stood　between　them　and　the　tempting　heap　of　dried　plums。　They　advanced　to　the　attack；　not　like　French　soldiers；　but　as　stealthily　as　Germans；　impelled　by　frank　animal　greediness。

〃Oh！　you　little　rogues！　Do　you　want　to　finish　them　up？〃

The　old　woman　rose；　caught　the　strongest　of　the　four；　administered　a　gentle　slap　on　the　back；　and　flung　him　out　of　the　house。　Not　a　tear　did　he　shed；　but　the　others　remained　breathless　with　astonishment。

〃They　give　you　a　lot　of　trouble〃

〃Oh！　no；　sir；　but　they　can　smell　the　prunes；　the　little　dears。　If　I　were　to　leave　them　alone　here　for　a　moment；　they　would　stuff　themselves　with　them。〃

〃You　are　very　fond　of　them？〃

The　old　woman　raised　her　head　at　this；　and　looked　at　him　with　gentle　malice　in　her　eyes。

〃Fond　of　them！〃　she　said。　〃I　have　had　to　part　with　three　of　them　already。　I　only　have　the　care　of　them　until　they　are　six　years　old；〃　she　went　on　with　a　sigh。

〃But　where　are　your　own　children？〃

〃I　have　lost　them。〃

〃How　old　are　you？〃　Genestas　asked；　to　efface　the　impression　left　by　his　last　question。

〃I　am　thirty…eight　years　old；　sir。　It　will　be　two　years　come　next　St。　John's　Day　since　my　husband　died。〃

She　finished　dressing　the　poor　sickly　mite；　who　seemed　to　thank　her　by　a　loving　look　in　his　faded　eyes。

〃What　a　life　of　toil　and　self…denial！〃　thought　the　cavalry　officer。

Beneath　a　roof　worthy　of　the　stable　wherein　Jesus　Christ　was　born；　the　hardest　duties　of　motherhood　were　fulfilled　cheerfully　and　without　consciousness　of　merit。　What　hearts　were　these　that　lay　so　deeply　buried　in　neglect　and　obscurity！　What　wealth；　and　what　poverty！　Soldiers；　better　than　other　men；　can　appreciate　the　element　of　grandeur　to　be　found　in　heroism　in　sabots；　in　the　Evangel　clad　in　rags。　The　Book　may　be　found　elsewhere；　adorned；　embellished；　tricked　out　in　silk　and　satin　and　brocade；　but　here；　of　a　surety；　dwelt　the　spirit　of　the　Book。　It　was　impossible　to　doubt　that　Heaven　had　some　holy　purpose　underlying　it　all；　at　the　sight　of　the　woman　who　had　taken　a　mother's　lot　upon　herself；　as　Jesus　Christ　had　taken　the　form　of　a　man；　who　gleaned　and　suffered　and　ran　into　debt　for　her　little　waifs；　a　woman　who　defrauded　herself　in　her　reckonings；　and　would　not　own　that　she　was　ruining　herself　that　she　might　be　a　Mother。　One　was　constrained　to　admit；　at　the　sight　of　her；　that　the　good　upon　earth　have　something　in　common　with　the　angels　in　heaven；　Commandant　Genestas　shook　his　head　as　he　looked　at　her。

〃Is　M。　Benassis　a　clever　doctor？〃　he　asked　at　last。

〃I　do　not　know；　sir；　but　he　cures　poor　people　for　nothing。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　this　is　a　man　and　no　mistake！〃　he　went　on；　speaking　to　himself。

〃Oh！　yes；　sir；　and　a　good　man　too！　There　is　scarcely　any　one　hereabouts　that　does　not　put　his　name　in　their　prayers；　morning　and　night！〃

〃That　is　for　you；　mother；〃　said　the　soldier；　as　he　gave　her　several　coins；　〃and　that　is　for　the　children；〃　he　went　on；　as　he　added　another　crown。　〃Is　M。　Benassis'　house　still　a　long　way　off？〃　he　asked；　when　he　had　mounted　his　horse。

〃Oh！　no；　sir；　a　bare　league　at　most。〃

The　commandant　set　out；　fully　persuaded　that　two　leagues　remained　ahead　of　him。　Yet　after　all　he　soon　caught　a　glimpse　through　the　trees　of　the　little　town's　first　cluster　of　houses；　and　then　of　all　the　roofs　that　crowded　about　a　conical　steeple；　whose　slates　were　secured　to　the　angles　of　the　wooden　framework　by　sheets　of　tin　that　glittered　in　the　sun。　This　sort　of　roof；　which　has　a　peculiar　appearance；　denotes　the　nearness　of　the　borders　of　Savoy；　where　it　is　very　common。　The　valley　is　wide　at　this　particular　point；　and　a　fair　number　of　houses　pleasantly　situated；　either　in　the　little　plain　or　along　the　side　of　the　mountain　stream；　lend　human　interest　to　the　well…tilled　spot；　a　stronghold　with　no　apparent　outlet　among　the　mountains　that　surround　it。

It　was　noon　when　Genestas　reined　in　his　horse　beneath　an　avenue　of　elm…trees　half…way　up　the　hillside；　and　only　a　few　paces　from　the　town；　to　ask　the　group　of　children　who　stood　before　him　for　M。　Benassis'　house。　At　first　the　children　looked　at　each　other；　then　they　scrutinized　the　stranger　with　the　expression　that　they　usually　wear　when　they　set　eyes　upon　anything　for　the　first　time；　a　different　curiosity　and　a　different　thought　in　every　little　face。　Then　the　boldest　and　the　merriest　of　the　band；　a　little　bright…eyed　urchin；　with　bare；　muddy　feet；　repeated　his　words　over　again；　in　child　fashion。

〃M。　Benassis'　house；　sir？〃　adding；　〃I　will　show　you　the　way　there。〃

He　walked　along　in　front　of　the　horse；　prompted　quite　as　much　by　a　wish　to　gain　a　kind　of　importance　by　being　in　the　stranger's　company；　as　by　a　child's　love　of　being　useful；　or　the　imperative　craving　to　be　doing　something；　that　possesses　mind　and　body　at　his　age。　The　officer　followed　him　for　the　entire　length　of　the　principal　street　of　the　country　town。　The　way　was　paved　with　cobblestones；　and　wound　in　and　out　among　the　houses；　which　their　owners　had　erected　along　its　course　in　the　most　arbitrary　fashion。　In　one　place　a　bake…house　had　been　built　out　into　the　middle　of　the　roadway；　in　another　a　gable　protruded；　partially　obstructing　the　passage；　and　yet　farther　on　a　mountain　stream　flowed　across　it　in　a　runnel。　Genestas　noticed　a　fair　number　of　roofs　of　tarred　shingle；　but　yet　more　of　them　were　thatched；　a　few　were　tiled；　and　some　seven　or　eight　（belonging　no　doubt　to　the　cure；　the　justice　of　the　peace；　and　some　of　the　wealthier　townsmen）　were　covered　with　slates。　There　was　a　total　absence　of　regard　for　appearances　befitting　a　village　at　the　end　of　the　world；　which　had　nothing　beyond　it；　and　no　connection　with　any　other　place。　The　people　who　lived　in　it　seemed　to　belong　to　one　family　that　dwelt　beyond　the　limits　of　the　bustling　world；　with　which　the　collector　of　taxes　and　a　few　ties　of　the　very　slenderest　alone　served　to　connect　them。

When　Genestas　had　gone　a　step　or　two　farther；　he　saw　on　the　mountain　side　a　broad　road　that　rose　above　the　village。　Clearly　there　must　be　an　old　town　and　a　new　town；　and；　indeed；　when　the　commandant　reached　a　spot　where　he　could　slacken　the　pace　of　his　horse；　he　could　easily　see　between　the　houses　some　well…built　dwellings　whose　new　roofs　brightened　the　old…fashioned　village。　An　avenue　of　trees　rose　above　these　new　houses；　and　from　among　them　came　the　confused　sounds　of　several　industries。　He　heard　the　songs　peculiar　to　busy　toilers；　a　murmur　of　many　workshops；　the　rasping　of　files；　and　the　sound　of　falling　hammers。　He　saw　the　thin　lines　of　smoke　from　the　chimneys　of　each　household；　and　the　more　copious　outpourings　from　the　forges　of　the　van…builder；　the　blacksmith；　and　the　farrier。　At　length；　at　the　very　end　of　the　village　towards　which　his　guide　was　taking　him；　Genestas　beheld　scattered　farms　and　well…tilled　fields　and　plantations　of　trees　in　thorough　order。　It　might　have　been　a　little　corner　of　Brie；　so　hidden　away　in　a　great　fold　of　the　land；　that　at　first　sight　its　existence　would　not　be　suspected　between　the　little　town　and　the　mountains　that　closed　the　country　round。

Presently　the　child　stopped。

〃There　is　the　door　of　HIS　house；〃　he　remarked。

The　officer　dismounted　and　passed　his　arm　through　the　bridle。　Then；　thinking　that　the　laborer　is　worthy　of　his　hire；　he　drew　a　few　sous　from　his　waistcoat　pocket；　and　held　them　out　to　the　child；　who　looked　astonished　at　this；　opened　his　eyes　very　wide；　and　stayed　on；　without　thanking　him；　to　watch　what　the　stranger　would　do　next。

〃Civilization　has　not　made　much　headway　hereabouts；〃　thought　Genestas；　〃the　religion　of　w