the country doctor-第53部分

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he　　　letter。　He　took　it　up　and　glanced　at　the　handwriting。　'Ah！　mon　　　Dieu！'　he　exclaimed；　'perhaps　she　is　free　at　last！'　Then　his　head　　　sank　back；　and　his　hands　shook。　After　a　little　while　he　set　the　　　lamp　on　the　table　and　opened　the　letter。　There　was　something　so　　　alarming　in　the　cry　he　had　given　that　I　watched　him　while　he　read；　　　and　saw　that　his　face　was　flushed；　and　there　were　tears　in　his　　　eyes。　Then　quite　suddenly　he　fell；　head　forwards。　I　tried　to　raise　　　him；　and　saw　how　purple　his　face　was。

　　〃　'It　is　all　over　with　me；'　he　said；　stammering；　it　was　terrible　　　to　see　how　he　struggled　to　rise。　'I　must　be　bled；　bleed　me！'　he　　　cried；　clutching　my　hand。　。　。　。　'Adrien；'　he　said　again；　'burn　　　this　letter！'　He　gave　it　to　me；　and　I　threw　it　on　the　fire。　I　　　called　for　Jacquotte　and　Nicolle。　Jacquotte　did　not　hear　me；　but　　　Nicolle　did；　and　came　hurrying　upstairs；　he　helped　me　to　lay　M。　　　Benassis　on　my　little　bed。　Our　dear　friend　could　not　hear　us　any　　　longer　when　we　spoke　to　him；　and　although　his　eyes　were　open；　he　　　did　not　see　anything。　Nicolle　galloped　off　at　once　to　fetch　the　　　surgeon；　M。　Bordier；　and　in　this　way　spread　the　alarm　through　the　　　town。　It　was　all　astir　in　a　moment。　M。　Janvier；　M。　Dufau；　and　all　　　the　rest　of　your　acquaintance　were　the　first　to　come　to　us。　But　　　all　hope　was　at　an　end；　M。　Benassis　was　dying　fast。　He　gave　no　　　sign　of　consciousness；　not　even　when　M。　Bordier　cauterized　the　　　soles　of　his　feet。　It　was　an　attack　of　gout；　combined　with　an　　　apoplectic　stroke。

　　〃I　am　giving　you　all　these　details；　dear　father；　because　I　know　　　how　much　you　cared　for　him。　As　for　me；　I　am　very　sad　and　full　of　　　grief；　for　I　can　say　to　you　that　I　cared　more　for　him　than　for　any　　　one　else　except　you。　I　learned　more　from　M。　Benassis'　talk　in　the　　　evenings　than　ever　I　could　have　learned　at　school。

　　〃You　cannot　imagine　the　scene　next　morning　when　the　news　of　his　　　death　was　known　in　the　place。　The　garden　and　the　yard　here　were　　　filled　with　people。　How　they　sobbed　and　wailed！　Nobody　did　any　　　work　that　day。　Every　one　recalled　the　last　time　that　they　had　seen　　　M。　Benassis；　and　what　he　had　said；　or　they　talked　of　all　that　he　　　had　done　for　them；　and　those　who　were　least　overcome　with　grief　　　spoke　for　the　others。　Every　one　wanted　to　see　him　once　more；　and　　　the　crowd　grew　larger　every　moment。　The　sad　news　traveled　so　fast　　　that　men　and　women　and　children　came　from　ten　leagues　round；　all　　　the　people　in　the　district；　and　even　beyond　it；　had　that　one　　　thought　in　their　minds。

　　〃It　was　arranged　that　four　of　the　oldest　men　of　the　commune　should　　　carry　the　coffin。　It　was　a　very　difficult　task　for　them；　for　the　　　crowd　was　so　dense　between　the　church　and　M。　Benassis'　house。　　　There　must　have　been　nearly　five　thousand　people　there；　and　almost　　　every　one　knelt　as　if　the　Host　were　passing。　There　was　not　nearly　　　room　for　them　in　the　church。　In　spite　of　their　grief；　the　crowd　　　was　so　silent　that　you　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　bell　during　　　mass　and　the　chanting　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　High　Street；　but　　　when　the　procession　started　again　for　the　new　cemetery；　which　M。　　　Benassis　had　given　to　the　town；　little　thinking；　poor　man；　that　he　　　himself　would　be　the　first　to　be　buried　there；　a　great　cry　went　　　up。　M。　Janvier　wept　as　he　said　the　prayers；　there　were　no　dry　eyes　　　among　the　crowd。　And　so　we　buried　him。

　　〃As　night　came　on　the　people　dispersed；　carrying　sorrow　and　　　mourning　everywhere　with　them。　The　next　day　Gondrin　and　Goguelat；　　　and　Butifer；　with　others；　set　to　work　to　raise　a　sort　of　pyramid　　　of　earth；　twenty　feet　high；　above　the　spot　where　M。　Benassis　lies；　　　it　is　being　covered　now　with　green　sods；　and　every　one　is　helping　　　them。　These　things；　dear　father；　have　all　happened　in　three　days。

　　〃M。　Dufau　found　M。　Benassis'　will　lying　open　on　the　table　where　he　　　used　to　write。　When　it　was　known　how　his　property　had　been　left；　　　affection　and　regret　for　his　loss　became　even　deeper　if　possible。　　　And　now；　dear　father；　I　am　writing　for　Butifer　（who　is　taking　this　　　letter　to　you）　to　come　back　with　your　answer。　You　must　tell　me　　　what　I　am　to　do。　Will　you　come　to　fetch　me；　or　shall　I　go　to　you　　　at　Grenoble？　Tell　me　what　you　wish　me　to　do；　and　be　sure　that　I　　　shall　obey　you　in　everything。

　　〃Farewell；　dear　father；　I　send　my　love；　and　I　am　your　affectionate　　　son；

ADRIEN　GENESTAS。〃


〃Ah！　well；　I　must　go　over；〃　the　soldier　exclaimed。

He　ordered　his　horse　and　started　out。　It　was　one　of　those　still　December　mornings　when　the　sky　is　covered　with　gray　clouds。　The　wind　was　too　light　to　disperse　the　thick　fog；　through　which　the　bare　trees　and　damp　house　fronts　seemed　strangely　unfamiliar。　The　very　silence　was　gloomy。　There　is　such　a　thing　as　a　silence　full　of　light　and　gladness；　on　a　bright　day　there　is　a　certain　joyousness　about　the　slightest　sound；　but　in　such　dreary　weather　nature　is　not　silent；　she　is　dumb。　All　sounds　seemed　to　die　away；　stifled　by　the　heavy　air。

There　was　something　in　the　gloom　without　him　that　harmonized　with　Colonel　Genestas'　mood；　his　heart　was　oppressed　with　grief；　and　thoughts　of　death　filled　his　mind。　Involuntarily　he　began　to　think　of　the　cloudless　sky　on　that　lovely　spring　morning；　and　remembered　how　bright　the　valley　had　looked　when　he　passed　through　it　for　the　first　time；　and　now；　in　strong　contrast　with　that　day；　the　heavy　sky　above　him　was　a　leaden　gray；　there　was　no　greenness　about　the　hills；　which　were　still　waiting　for　the　cloak　of　winter　snow　that　invests　them　with　a　certain　beauty　of　its　own。　There　was　something　painful　in　all　this　bleak　and　bare　desolation　for　a　man　who　was　traveling　to　find　a　grave　at　his　journey's　end；　the　thought　of　that　grave　haunted　him。　The　lines　of　dark　pine…trees　here　and　there　along　the　mountain　ridges　against　the　sky　seized　on　his　imagination；　they　were　in　keeping　with　the　officer's　mournful　musings。　Every　time　that　he　looked　over　the　valley　that　lay　before　him；　he　could　not　help　thinking　of　the　trouble　that　had　befallen　the　canton；　of　the　man　who　had　died　so　lately；　and　of　the　blank　left　by　his　death。

Before　long；　Genestas　reached　the　cottage　where　he　had　asked　for　a　cup　of　milk　on　his　first　journey。　The　sight　of　the　smoke　rising　above　the　hovel　where　the　charity…children　were　being　brought　up　recalled　vivid　memories　of　Benassis　and　of　his　kindness　of　heart。　The　officer　made　up　his　mind　to　call　there。　He　would　give　some　alms　to　the　poor　woman　for　his　dead　friend's　sake。　He　tied　his　horse　to　a　tree；　and　opened　the　door　of　the　hut　without　knocking。

〃Good…day；　mother；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　old　woman；　who　was　sitting　by　the　fire　with　the　little　ones　crouching　at　her　side。　〃Do　you　remember　me？〃

〃Oh！　quite　well；　sir！　You　came　here　one　fine　morning　last　spring　and　gave　us　two　crowns。〃

〃There；　mother！　that　is　for　you　and　the　children〃

〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir。　May　Heaven　bless　you！〃

〃You　must　not　thank　me；　mother；〃　said　the　officer；　〃it　is　all　through　M。　Benassis　that　the　money　had　come　to　you。〃

The　old　woman　raised　her　eyes　and　gazed　at　Genestas。

〃Ah！　sir；〃　she　said；　〃he　has　left　his　property　to　our　poor　countryside；　and　made　all　of　us　his　heirs；　but　we　have　lost　him　who　was　worth　more　than　all；　for　it　was　he　who　made　everything　turn　out　well　for　us。〃

〃Good…bye；　mother！　Pray　for　him；〃　said　Genestas；　making　a　few　playful　cuts　at　the　children　with　his　riding…whip。

The　old　woman　and　her　little　charges　went　out　with　him；　they　watched　him　mount　his　horse　and　ride　away。

He　followed　the　road　along　the　valley　until　he　reached　the　bridle…path　that　led　to　La　Fosseuse's　cottage。　From　the　slope　above　the　house　he　saw　that　the　door　was　fastened　and　the　shutters　closed。　In　some　anxiety　he　returned　to　the　highway；　and　rode　on　under　the　poplars；　now　bare　and　leafless。　Before　long　he　overtook　the　old　laborer；　who　was　dressed　in　his　Sunday　best；　and　creeping　slowly　along　the　road。　There　was　no　bag　of　tools　on　his　shoulder。

〃Good…day；　old　Moreau！〃

〃Ah！　good…day；　sir。　。　。　。　I　mind　who　you　are　now！〃　the　old　fellow　exclaimed　after　a　moment。　〃You　are　a　friend　of　monsieur；　our　late　mayor！　Ah！　sir；　would　it　not　have　been　far　better　if　God　had　only　taken　a　poor　rheumatic　old　creature　like　me　instead？　It　would　not　have　mattered　if　He　had　taken　me；　but　HE　was　the　light　of　our　eyes。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　it　is　that　there　is　no　one　at　home　up　there　at　La　Fosseuse's　cottage？〃

The　old　man　gave　a　look　at　the　sky。

〃What　time　is　it；　sir？　The　sun　has　not　shone　all　day；〃　he　said。

〃It　is　ten　o'clock。〃

〃Oh！　well；　then；　she　will　have　gone　to　mass　or　else　to　the　cemetery。　She　goes　there　every　day。　He　has　left　her　five　hundred　livres　a　year　and　her　house　for　as　long　as　she　lives；　but　his　death　has　fairly　turned　her　brain；　as　you　may　say〃

〃And　where　are　you　going；　old　Moreau？〃

〃Little　Jacques　is　to　be　buried　to…day；　and　I　am　going　to　the　funeral。　He　was　my　nephew；　poor　little　chap；　he　had　been　ailing　for　a　long　while；　and　he　died　yesterday　morning。　It　really　looked　as　though　it　was　M。　Benassis　who　kept　him　alive。　That　is　the　way！　All　these　younger　ones　die！〃　Moreau　added；　half…jestingly；　half…sadly。

Genestas　reined　in　his　horse　as　he　entered　the　town；　for　he　met　Gondrin　and　Goguelat；　each　carrying　a　pickaxe　and　shovel。　He　called　to　them；　〃Well；　old　comrades；　we　have　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　him〃

〃There；　there；　that　is　enough；　sir！〃　interrupted　Goguelat；　〃we　know　that　well　enough。　We　have　just　been　cutting　turf　to　cover　his　grave。〃

〃His　life　will　make　a　grand　story　to　tell；　eh？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Goguelat；　〃he　was　the　Napoleon　of　our　valley；　barring　the　battles。〃

As　they　reached　the　parsonage；　Genestas　saw　a　little　group　about　the　door；　Butifer　and　Adrien　were　talking　with　M。　Janvier；　who；　no　doubt；　had　just　returned　from　saying　mass。　Seeing　that　the　officer　made　as　though　he　were　about　to　dismount；　Butifer　promptly　went　to　hold　the　horse；　while　Adrien　sprang　forward　and　flung　his　arms　about　his　father's　neck。　Genestas　was　deeply　touched　by　the　boy's　affection；　though　no　sign　of　this　appeared　in　the　soldier's　words　or　manner。

〃Why；　Adrien；〃　he　said；　〃you　certainly　are　set　up　again。　My　goodness！　Thanks　to　our　poor　friend；　you　have　almost　grown　into　a　man。　I　shall　not　forget　your　tutor　here；　Master　Butifer。〃