the country doctor-第48部分

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acted　a　lie　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　and　I　am　well　punished　for　it；　for　after　this　I　cannot　explain　why　I　came　here　to　play　the　spy　upon　you；　confound　it！　Ever　since　I　have　had　a　glimpse　of　your　soul；　so　to　speak；　I　would　far　sooner　have　taken　a　box　on　the　ear　whenever　I　heard　you　call　me　Captain　Bluteau！　Perhaps　you　may　forgive　me　for　this　subterfuge；　but　I　shall　never　forgive　myself；　I；　Pierre　Joseph　Genestas；　who　would　not　lie　to　save　my　life　before　a　court…　martial！〃

〃Are　you　Commandant　Genestas？〃　cried　Benassis；　rising　to　his　feet。　He　grasped　the　officer's　hand　warmly；　and　added：　〃As　you　said　but　a　short　time　ago；　sir；　we　were　friends　before　we　knew　each　other。　I　have　been　very　anxious　to　make　your　acquaintance；　for　I　have　often　heard　M。　Gravier　speak　of　you。　He　used　to　call　you；　'one　of　Plutarch's　men。'　〃

〃Plutarch？　Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　answered　Genestas。　〃I　am　not　worthy　of　you；　I　could　thrash　myself。　I　ought　to　have　told　you　my　secret　in　a　straightforward　way　at　the　first。　Yet；　now！　It　is　quite　as　well　that　I　wore　a　mask；　and　came　here　myself　in　search　of　information　concerning　you；　for　now　I　know　that　I　must　hold　my　tongue。　If　I　had　set　about　this　business　in　the　right　fashion　it　would　have　been　painful　to　you；　and　God　forbid　that　I　should　give　you　the　slightest　annoyance。〃

〃But　I　do　not　understand　you；　commandant。〃

〃Let　the　matter　drop。　I　am　not　ill；　I　have　spent　a　pleasant　day；　and　I　will　go　back　to…morrow。　Whenever　you　come　to　Grenoble；　you　will　find　that　you　have　one　more　friend　there；　who　will　be　your　friend　through　thick　and　thin。　Pierre　Joseph　Genestas'　sword　and　purse　are　at　your　disposal；　and　I　am　yours　to　the　last　drop　of　my　blood。　Well；　after　all；　your　words　have　fallen　on　good　soil。　When　I　am　pensioned　off；　I　will　look　for　some　out…of…the…way　little　place；　and　be　mayor　of　it；　and　try　to　follow　your　example。　I　have　not　your　knowledge；　but　I　will　study　at　any　rate。〃

〃You　are　right；　sir；　the　landowner　who　spends　his　time　in　convincing　a　commune　of　the　folly　of　some　mistaken　notion　of　agriculture；　confers　upon　his　country　a　benefit　quite　as　great　as　any　that　the　most　skilful　physician　can　bestow。　The　latter　lessens　the　sufferings　of　some　few　individuals；　and　the　former　heals　the　wounds　of　his　country。　But　you　have　excited　my　curiosity　to　no　common　degree。　Is　there　really　something　in　which　I　can　be　of　use　to　you？〃

〃Of　use？〃　repeated　the　commandant　in　an　altered　voice。

〃Mon　Dieu！　I　was　about　to　ask　you　to　do　me　a　service　which　is　all　but　impossible；　M。　Benassis。　Just　listen　a　moment！　I　have　killed　a　good　many　Christians　in　my　time；　it　is　true；　but　you　may　kill　people　and　keep　a　good　heart　for　all　that；　so　there　are　some　things　that　I　can　feel　and　understand；　rough　as　I　look。〃

〃But　go　on！〃

〃No；　I　do　not　want　to　give　you　any　pain　if　I　can　help　it。〃

〃Oh！　commandant；　I　can　bear　a　great　deal。〃

〃It　is　a　question　of　a　child's　life；　sir；〃　said　the　officer；　nervously。

Benassis　suddenly　knitted　his　brows；　but　by　a　gesture　he　entreated　Genestas　to　continue。

〃A　child；〃　repeated　the　commandant；〃whose　life　may　yet　be　saved　by　constant　watchfulness　and　incessant　care。　Where　could　I　expect　to　find　a　doctor　capable　of　devoting　himself　to　a　single　patient？　Not　in　a　town；　that　much　was　certain。　I　had　heard　you　spoken　of　as　an　excellent　man；　but　I　wished　to　be　quite　sure　that　this　reputation　was　well　founded。　So　before　putting　my　little　charge　into　the　hands　of　this　M。　Benassis　of　whom　people　spoke　so　highly；　I　wanted　to　study　him　myself。　But　now〃

〃Enough；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃so　this　child　is　yours？〃

〃No；　no；　M。　Benassis。　To　clear　up　the　mystery；　I　should　have　to　tell　you　a　long　story；　in　which　I　do　not　exactly　play　the　part　of　a　hero；　but　you　have　given　me　your　confidence　and　I　can　readily　give　you　mine。〃

〃One　moment；　commandant；〃　said　the　doctor。　In　answer　to　his　summons；　Jacquotte　appeared　at　once；　and　her　master　ordered　tea。　〃You　see；　commandant；　at　night　when　every　one　is　sleeping；　I　do　not　sleep。　。　。　。　The　thought　of　my　troubles　lies　heavily　on　me；　and　then　I　try　to　forget　them　by　taking　tea。　It　produces　a　sort　of　nervous　inebriation　a　kind　of　slumber；　without　which　I　could　not　live。　Do　you　still　decline　to　take　it？〃

〃For　my　own　part；〃　said　Genestas；　〃I　prefer　your　Hermitage。〃

〃By　all　means。　Jacquotte；〃　said　Benassis；　turning　to　his　housekeeper；　〃bring　in　some　wine　and　biscuits。　We　will　both　of　us　have　our　night…　cap　after　our　separate　fashions。〃

〃That　tea　must　be　very　bad　for　you！〃　Genestas　remarked。

〃It　brings　on　horrid　attacks　of　gout；　but　I　cannot　break　myself　of　the　habit；　it　is　too　soothing；　it　procures　for　me　a　brief　respite　every　night；　a　few　moments　during　which　life　becomes　less　of　a　burden。　。　。　。　Come。　I　am　listening；　perhaps　your　story　will　efface　the　painful　impressions　left　by　the　memories　that　I　have　just　recalled。〃

Genestas　set　down　his　empty　glass　upon　the　chimney…piece。　〃After　the　Retreat　from　Moscow；〃　he　said；　〃my　regiment　was　stationed　to　recruit　for　a　while　in　a　little　town　in　Poland。　We　were　quartered　there；　in　fact；　till　the　Emperor　returned；　and　we　bought　up　horses　at　long　prices。　So　far　so　good。　I　ought　to　say　that　I　had　a　friend　in　those　days。　More　than　once　during　the　Retreat　I　had　owed　my　life　to　him。　He　was　a　quartermaster；　Renard　by　name；　we　could　not　but　be　like　brothers　（military　discipline　apart）　after　what　he　had　done　for　me。　They　billeted　us　on　the　same　house；　a　sort　of　shanty；　a　rat…hole　of　a　place　where　a　whole　family　lived；　though　you　would　not　have　thought　there　was　room　to　stable　a　horse。　This　particular　hovel　belonged　to　some　Jews　who　carried　on　their　six…and…thirty　trades　in　it。　The　frost　had　not　so　stiffened　the　old　father　Jew's　fingers　but　that　he　could　count　gold　fast　enough；　he　had　thriven　uncommonly　during　our　reverses。　That　sort　of　gentry　lives　in　squalor　and　dies　in　gold。

〃There　were　cellars　underneath　（lined　with　wood　of　course；　the　whole　house　was　built　of　wood）；　they　had　stowed　their　children　away　down　there；　and　one　more　particularly；　a　girl　of　seventeen；　as　handsome　as　a　Jewess　can　be　when　she　keeps　herself　tidy　and　has　not　fair　hair。　She　was　as　white　as　snow；　she　had　eyes　like　velvet；　and　dark　lashes　to　them　like　rats'　tails；　her　hair　was　so　thick　and　glossy　that　it　made　you　long　to　stroke　it。　She　was　perfection；　and　nothing　less！　I　was　the　first　to　discover　this　curious　arrangement。　I　was　walking　up　and　down　outside　one　evening；　smoking　my　pipe；　after　they　thought　I　had　gone　to　bed。　The　children　came　in　helter…skelter；　tumbling　over　one　another　like　so　many　puppies。　It　was　fun　to　watch　them。　Then　they　had　supper　with　their　father　and　mother。　I　strained　my　eyes　to　see　the　young　Jewess　through　the　clouds　of　smoke　that　her　father　blew　from　his　pipe；　she　looked　like　a　new　gold　piece　among　a　lot　of　copper　coins。

〃I　had　never　reflected　about　love；　my　dear　Benassis；　I　had　never　had　time；　but　now　at　the　sight　of　this　young　girl　I　lost　my　heart　and　head　and　everything　else　at　once；　and　then　it　was　plain　to　me　that　I　had　never　been　in　love　before。　I　was　hard　hit；　and　over　head　and　ears　in　love。　There　I　stayed　smoking　my　pipe；　absorbed　in　watching　the　Jewess　until　she　blew　out　the　candle　and　went　to　bed。　I　could　not　close　my　eyes。　The　whole　night　long　I　walked　up　and　down　the　street　smoking　my　pipe　and　refilling　it　from　time　to　time。　I　had　never　felt　like　that　before；　and　for　the　first　and　last　time　in　my　life　I　thought　of　marrying。

〃At　daybreak　I　saddled　my　horse　and　rode　out　into　the　country；　to　clear　my　head。　I　kept　him　at　a　trot　for　two　mortal　hours；　and　all　but　foundered　the　animal　before　I　noticed　it〃

Genestas　stopped　short；　looked　at　his　new　friend　uneasily；　and　said；　〃You　must　excuse　me；　Benassis；　I　am　no　orator；　things　come　out　just　as　they　turn　up　in　my　mind。　In　a　room　full　of　fine　folk　I　should　feel　awkward；　but　here　in　the　country　with　you〃

〃Go　on；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃When　I　came　back　to　my　room　I　found　Renard　finely　flustered。　He　thought　I　had　fallen　in　a　duel。　He　was　cleaning　his　pistols；　his　head　full　of　schemes　for　fastening　a　quarrel　on　any　one　who　should　have　turned　me　off　into　the　dark。　。　。　。　Oh！　that　was　just　the　fellow's　way！　I　confided　my　story　to　Renard；　showed　him　the　kennel　where　the　children　were；　and；　as　my　comrade　understood　the　jargon　that　those　heathens　talked；　I　begged　him　to　help　me　to　lay　my　proposals　before　her　father　and　mother；　and　to　try　to　arrange　some　kind　of　communication　between　me　and　Judith。　Judith　they　called　her。　In　short；　sir；　for　a　fortnight　the　Jew　and　his　wife　so　arranged　matters　that　we　supped　every　night　with　Judith；　and　for　a　fortnight　I　was　the　happiest　of　men。　You　understand　and　you　know　how　it　was；　so　I　shall　not　wear　out　your　patience；　still；　if　you　do　not　smoke；　you　cannot　imagine　how　pleasant　it　was　to　smoke　a　pipe　at　one's　ease　with　Renard　and　the　girl's　father　and　one's　princess　there　before　one's　eyes。　Oh！　yes；　it　was　very　pleasant！

〃But　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　Renard　was　a　Parisian；　and　dependent　on　his　father；　a　wholesale　grocer；　who　had　educated　his　son　with　a　view　to　making　a　notary　of　him；　so　Renard　had　come　by　a　certain　amount　of　book　learning　before　he　had　been　drawn　by　the　conscription　and　had　to　bid　his　desk　good…bye。　Add　to　this　that　he　was　the　kind　of　man　who　looks　well　in　a　uniform；　with　a　face　like　a　girl's；　and　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　art　of　wheedling　people。　It　was　HE　whom　Judith　loved；　she　cared　about　as　much　for　me　as　a　horse　cares　for　roast　fowls。　Whilst　I　was　in　the　seventh　heaven；　soaring　above　the　clouds　at　the　bare　sight　of　Judith；　my　friend　Renard　（who；　as　you　see；　fairly　deserved　his　name）　arrived　at　an　understanding　with　the　girl；　and　to　such　good　purpose；　that　they　were　married　forthwith　after　the　custom　of　her　country；　without　waiting　for　permission；　which　would　have　been　too　long　in　coming。　He　promised　her；　however；　that　if　it　should　happen　that　the　validity　of　this　marriage　was　afterwards　called　in　question；　they　were　to　be　married　again　according　to　French　law。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　as　soon　as　she　reached　France；　Mme。　Renard　became　Mlle。　Judith　once　more。

〃If　I　had　known　all　this；　I　would　have　killed　Renard　then　and　there；　without　giving　him　time　to　draw　another　breath；　but　the　father；　the　mother；　the　girl　hersel