the country doctor-第52部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But　where　is　his　snuff…box？〃　asked　La　Fosseuse。

〃It　is　in　a　box　at　Grenoble；〃　the　commandant　replied。

〃I　will　go　over　to　see　it；　if　you　will　let　me。　To　think　that　you　have　something　in　your　possession　that　his　fingers　have　touched！　。　。　。　Had　he　a　well…shaped　hand？〃

〃Very。〃

〃Can　it　be　true　that　he　is　dead？　Come；　tell　me　the　real　truth？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　child；　he　is　dead；　there　is　no　doubt　about　it。〃

〃I　was　such　a　little　girl　in　1815。　I　was　not　tall　enough　to　see　anything　but　his　hat；　and　even　so　I　was　nearly　crushed　to　death　in　the　crowd　at　Grenoble。〃

〃Your　coffee　and　cream　is　very　nice　indeed；〃　said　Genestas。　〃Well；　Adrien；　how　do　you　like　this　country？　Will　you　come　here　to　see　mademoiselle？〃

The　boy　made　no　answer；　he　seemed　afraid　to　look　at　La　Fosseuse。　Benassis　never　took　his　eyes　off　Adrien；　he　appeared　to　be　reading　the　lad's　very　soul。

〃Of　course　he　will　come　to　see　her；〃　said　Benassis。　〃But　let　us　go　home　again；　I　have　a　pretty　long　round　to　make；　and　I　shall　want　a　horse。　I　daresay　you　and　Jacquotte　will　manage　to　get　on　together　whilst　I　am　away。〃

〃Will　you　not　come　with　us？〃　said　Genestas　to　La　Fosseuse。

〃Willingly；〃　she　answered；　〃I　have　a　lot　of　things　to　take　over　for　Mme。　Jacquotte。

They　started　out　for　the　doctor's　house。　Her　visitors　had　raised　La　Fosseuse's　spirits；　she　led　the　way　along　narrow　tracks；　through　the　loneliest　parts　of　the　hills。

〃You　have　told　us　nothing　about　yourself；　Monsieur　l'Officier；〃　she　said。　〃I　should　have　liked　to　hear　you　tell　us　about　some　adventure　in　the　wars。　I　liked　what　you　told　us　about　Napoleon　very　much；　but　it　made　me　feel　sad。　。　。　。　If　you　would　be　so　very　kind〃

〃Quite　right！〃　Benassis　exclaimed。　〃You　ought　to　tell　us　about　some　thrilling　adventure　during　our　walk。　Come；　now；　something　really　interesting　like　that　business　of　the　beam　in　Beresina！〃

〃So　few　of　my　recollections　are　worth　telling；〃　said　Genestas。　〃Some　people　come　in　for　all　kinds　of　adventures；　but　I　have　never　managed　to　be　the　hero　of　any　story。　Oh！　stop　a　bit　though；　a　funny　thing　did　once　happen　to　me。　I　was　with　the　Grand　Army　in　1805；　and　so；　of　course；　I　was　at　Austerlitz。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　skirmishing　just　before　Ulm　surrendered；　which　kept　the　cavalry　pretty　fully　occupied。　Moreover；　we　were　under　the　command　of　Murat；　who　never　let　the　grass　grow　under　his　feet。

〃I　was　still　only　a　sub…lieutenant　in　those　days。　It　was　just　at　the　opening　of　the　campaign；　and　after　one　of　these　affairs；　that　we　took　possession　of　a　district　in　which　there　were　a　good　many　fine　estates；　so　it　fell　out　that　one　evening　my　regiment　bivouacked　in　a　park　belonging　to　a　handsome　chateau　where　a　countess　lived；　a　young　and　pretty　woman　she　was。　Of　course；　I　meant　to　lodge　in　the　house；　and　I　hurried　there　to　put　a　stop　to　pillage　of　any　sort。　I　came　into　the　salon　just　as　my　quartermaster　was　pointing　his　carbine　at　the　countess；　his　brutal　way　of　asking　for　what　she　certainly　could　not　give　the　ugly　scoundrel。　I　struck　up　his　carbine　with　my　sword；　the　bullet　went　through　a　looking…glass　on　the　wall；　then　I　dealt　my　gentleman　a　back…handed　blow　that　stretched　him　on　the　floor。　The　sound　of　the　shot　and　the　cries　of　the　countess　fetched　all　her　people　on　the　scene；　and　it　was　my　turn　to　be　in　danger。

〃　'Stop！'　she　cried　in　German　（for　they　were　going　to　run　me　through　the　body）；　'this　officer　has　saved　my　life！'

〃They　drew　back　at　that。　The　lady　gave　me　her　handkerchief　（a　fine　embroidered　handkerchief；　which　I　have　yet）；　telling　me　that　her　house　would　always　be　open　to　me；　and　that　I　should　always　find　a　sister　and　a　devoted　friend　in　her；　if　at　any　time　I　should　be　in　any　sort　of　trouble。　In　short；　she　did　not　know　how　to　make　enough　of　me。　She　was　as　fair　as　a　wedding　morning　and　as　charming　as　a　kitten。　We　had　dinner　together。　Next　day；　I　was　distractedly　in　love；　but　next　day　I　had　to　be　at　my　place　at　Guntzburg；　or　wherever　it　was。　There　was　no　help　for　it；　I　had　to　turn　out；　and　started　off　with　my　handkerchief。

〃Well；　we　gave　them　battle；　and　all　the　time　I　kept　on　saying　to　myself；　'I　wish　a　bullet　would　come　my　way！　Mon　Dieu！　they　are　flying　thick　enough！'

〃I　had　no　wish　for　a　ball　in　the　thigh；　for　I　should　have　had　to　stop　where　I　was　in　that　case；　and　there　would　have　been　no　going　back　to　the　chateau；　but　I　was　not　particular；　a　nice　wound　in　the　arm　I　should　have　liked　best；　so　that　I　might　be　nursed　and　made　much　of　by　the　princess。　I　flung　myself　on　the　enemy；　like　mad；　but　I　had　no　sort　of　luck；　and　came　out　of　the　action　quite　safe　and　sound。　We　must　march；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it；　I　never　saw　the　countess　again；　and　there　is　the　whole　story。〃

By　this　time　they　had　reached　Benassis'　house；　the　doctor　mounted　his　horse　at　once　and　disappeared。　Genestas　recommended　his　son　to　Jacquotte's　care；　so　the　doctor　on　his　return　found　that　she　had　taken　Adrien　completely　under　her　wing；　and　had　installed　him　in　M。　Gravier's　celebrated　room。　With　no　small　astonishment；　she　heard　her　master's　order　to　put　up　a　simple　camp…bed　in　his　own　room；　for　that　the　lad　was　to　sleep　there；　and　this　in　such　an　authoritative　tone；　that　for　once　in　her　life　Jacquotte　found　not　a　single　word　to　say。

After　dinner　the　commandant　went　back　to　Grenoble。　Benassis'　reiterated　assurances　that　the　lad　would　soon　be　restored　to　health　had　taken　a　weight　off　his　mind。



Eight　months　later；　in　the　earliest　days　of　the　following　December；　Genestas　was　appointed　to　be　lieutenant…colonel　of　a　regiment　stationed　at　Poitiers。　He　was　just　thinking　of　writing　to　Benassis　to　tell　him　of　the　journey　he　was　about　to　take；　when　a　letter　came　from　the　doctor。　His　friend　told　him　that　Adrien　was　once　more　in　sound　health。

〃The　boy　has　grown　strong　and　tall；〃　he　said；　〃and　he　is　wonderfully　well。　He　has　profited　by　Butifer's　instruction　since　you　saw　him　last；　and　is　now　as　good　a　shot　as　our　smuggler　himself。　He　has　grown　brisk　and　active　too；　he　is　a　good　walker；　and　rides　well；　he　is　not　in　the　least　like　the　lad　of　sixteen　who　looked　like　a　boy　of　twelve　eight　months　ago；　any　one　might　think　that　he　was　twenty　years　old。　There　is　an　air　of　self…reliance　and　independence　about　him。　In　fact　he　is　a　man　now；　and　you　must　begin　to　think　about　his　future　at　once。〃

〃I　shall　go　over　to　Benassis　to…morrow；　of　course；〃　said　Genestas　to　himself；　〃and　I　will　see　what　he　says　before　I　make　up　my　mind　what　to　do　with　that　fellow；〃　and　with　that　he　went　to　a　farewell　dinner　given　to　him　by　his　brother　officers。　He　would　be　leaving　Grenoble　now　in　a　very　few　days。

As　the　lieutenant…colonel　returned　after　the　dinner；　his　servant　handed　him　a　letter。　It　had　been　brought　by　a　messenger；　he　said；　who　had　waited　a　long　while　for　an　answer。

Genestas　recognized　Adrien's　handwriting；　although　his　head　was　swimming　after　the　toasts　that　had　been　drunk　in　his　honor；　probably；　he　thought；　the　letter　merely　contained　a　request　to　gratify　some　boyish　whim；　so　he　left　it　unopened　on　the　table。　The　next　morning；　when　the　fumes　of　champagne　had　passed　off；　he　took　it　up　and　began　to　read。

　　〃My　dear　father〃

〃Oh！　you　young　rogue；〃　was　his　comment；　〃you　know　how　to　coax　whenever　you　want　something。〃

　　〃Our　dear　M。　Benassis　is　dead〃

The　letter　dropped　from　Genestas'　hands；　it　was　some　time　before　he　could　read　any　more。

　　〃Every　one　is　in　consternation。　The　trouble　is　all　the　greater　　　because　it　came　as　a　sudden　shock。　It　was　so　unexpected。　M。　　　Benassis　seemed　perfectly　well　the　day　before；　there　was　not　a　　　sign　of　ill…health　about　him。　Only　the　day　before　yesterday　he　　　went　to　see　all　his　patients；　even　those　who　lived　farthest　away；　　　it　was　as　if　he　had　known　what　was　going　to　happen；　and　he　spoke　　　to　every　one　whom　he　met；　saying；　'Good…bye；　my　friends；'　each　　　time。　Towards　five　o'clock　he　came　back　just　as　usual　to　have　　　dinner　with　me。　He　was　tired；　Jacquotte　noticed　the　purplish　flush　　　on　his　face；　but　the　weather　was　so　very　cold　that　she　would　not　　　get　ready　a　warm　foot…bath　for　him；　as　she　usually　did　when　she　　　saw　that　the　blood　had　gone　to　his　head。　So　she　has　been　wailing；　　　poor　thing；　through　her　tears　for　these　two　days　past；　'If　I　had　　　ONLY　given　him　a　foot…bath；　he　would　be　living　now！'

　　〃M　Benassis　was　hungry；　he　made　a　good　dinner。　I　thought　that　he　　　was　in　higher　spirits　than　usual；　we　both　of　us　laughed　a　great　　　deal；　I　had　never　seen　him　laugh　so　much　before。　After　dinner；　　　towards　seven　o'clock；　a　man　came　with　a　message　from　Saint　　　Laurent　du　Pont；　it　was　a　serious　case；　and　M。　Benassis　was　　　urgently　needed。　He　said　to　me；　'I　shall　have　to　go；　though　I　　　never　care　to　set　out　on　horseback　when　I　have　hardly　digested　my　　　dinner；　more　especially　when　it　is　as　cold　as　this。　It　is　enough　　　to　kill　a　man！'

　　〃For　all　that；　he　went。　At　nine　o'clock　the　postman　Goguelat；　　　brought　a　letter　for　M。　Benassis。　Jacquotte　was　tired　out；　for　it　　　was　her　washing…day。　She　gave　me　the　letter　and　went　off　to　bed。　　　She　begged　me　to　keep　a　good　fire　in　our　bedroom；　and　to　have　some　　　tea　ready　for　M。　Benassis　when　he　came　in；　for　I　am　still　sleeping　　　in　the　little　cot…　bed　in　his　room。　I　raked　out　the　fire　in　the　　　salon；　and　went　upstairs　to　wait　for　my　good　friend。　I　looked　at　　　the　letter；　out　of　curiosity；　before　I　laid　it　on　the　chimney…　　　piece；　and　noticed　the　handwriting　and　the　postmark。　It　came　from　　　Paris；　and　I　think　it　was　a　lady's　hand。　I　am　telling　you　about　it　　　because　of　things　that　happened　afterwards。

　　〃About　ten　o'clock；　I　heard　the　horse　returning；　and　M。　Benassis'　　　voice。　He　said　to　Nicolle；　'It　is　cold　enough　to…night　to　bring　　　the　wolves　out。　I　do　not　feel　at　all　well。'　Nicolle　said；　'Shall　I　　　go　and　wake　Jacquotte？'　And　M。　Benassis　answered；　'Oh！　no；　no；'　　　and　came　upstairs。

　　〃I　said；　'I　have　your　tea　here；　all　ready　for　you；'　and　he　smiled　　　at　me　in　the　way　that　you　know；　and　said；　'Thank　you；　Adrien。'　　　That　was　his　last　smile。　In　a　moment　he　began　to　take　off　his　　　cravat；　as　though　he　could　not　breathe。　'How　hot　it　is　in　here！'　　　he　said　and　flung　himself　down　in　an　armchair。　'A　letter　has　come　　　for　you；　my　good　friend；'　I　said；　'here　it　is；'　and　I　gave　him　the　　　letter。　He　took　it　up　and　glanced　at　the　handwritin