the country doctor-第6部分

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〃All　the　rich　were　on　my　side；　but　the　poor；　the　old　women；　the　children；　and　a　few　pig…headed　people　were　violently　opposed　to　me。　Unluckily　it　so　fell　out　that　my　last　removal　had　not　been　completely　carried　out。　The　cretin　whom　you　have　just　seen；　not　having　returned　to　his　house；　had　not　been　taken　away；　so　that　the　next　morning　he　was　the　sole　remaining　example　of　his　species　in　the　village。　There　were　several　families　still　living　there；　but　though　they　were　little　better　than　idiots；　they　were；　at　any　rate；　free　from　the　taint　of　cretinism。　I　determined　to　go　through　with　my　work；　and　came　officially　in　open　day　to　take　the　luckless　creature　from　his　dwelling。　I　had　no　sooner　left　my　house　than　my　intention　got　abroad。　The　cretin's　friends　were　there　before　me；　and　in　front　of　his　hovel　I　found　a　crowd　of　women　and　children　and　old　people；　who　hailed　my　arrival　with　insults　accompanied　by　a　shower　of　stones。

〃In　the　midst　of　the　uproar　I　should　perhaps　have　fallen　a　victim　to　the　frenzy　that　possesses　a　crowd　excited　by　its　own　outcries　and　stirred　up　by　one　common　feeling；　but　the　cretin　saved　my　life！　The　poor　creature　came　out　of　his　hut；　and　raised　the　clucking　sound　of　his　voice。　He　seemed　to　be　an　absolute　ruler　over　the　fanatical　mob；　for　the　sight　of　him　put　a　sudden　stop　to　the　clamor。　It　occurred　to　me　that　I　might　arrange　a　compromise；　and　thanks　to　the　quiet　so　opportunely　restored；　I　was　able　to　propose　and　explain　it。　Of　course；　those　who　approved　of　my　schemes　would　not　dare　to　second　me　in　this　emergency；　their　support　was　sure　to　be　of　a　purely　passive　kind；　while　these　superstitious　folk　would　exert　the　most　active　vigilance　to　keep　their　last　idol　among　them；　it　was　impossible；　it　seemed　to　me；　to　take　him　away　from　them。　So　I　promised　to　leave　the　cretin　in　peace　in　his　dwelling；　with　the　understanding　that　he　should　live　quite　by　himself；　and　that　the　remaining　families　in　the　village　should　cross　the　stream　and　come　to　live　in　the　town；　in　some　new　houses　which　I　myself　undertook　to　build；　adding　to　each　house　a　piece　of　ground　for　which　the　Commune　was　to　repay　me　later　on。

〃Well；　my　dear　sir；　it　took　me　fully　six　months　to　overcome　their　objection　to　this　bargain；　however　much　it　may　have　been　to　the　advantage　of　the　village　families。　The　affection　which　they　have　for　their　wretched　hovels　in　country　districts　is　something　quite　unexplainable。　No　matter　how　unwholesome　his　hovel　may　be；　a　peasant　clings　far　more　to　it　than　a　banker　does　to　his　mansion。　The　reason　of　it？　That　I　do　not　know。　Perhaps　thoughts　and　feelings　are　strongest　in　those　who　have　but　few　of　them；　simply　because　they　have　but　few。　Perhaps　material　things　count　for　much　in　the　lives　of　those　who　live　so　little　in　thought；　certain　it　is　that　the　less　they　have；　the　dearer　their　possessions　are　to　them。　Perhaps；　too；　it　is　with　the　peasant　as　with　the　prisoner　he　does　not　squander　the　powers　of　his　soul；　he　centres　them　all　upon　a　single　idea；　and　this　is　how　his　feelings　come　to　be　so　exceedingly　strong。　Pardon　these　reflections　on　the　part　of　a　man　who　seldom　exchanges　ideas　with　any　one。　But；　indeed；　you　must　not　suppose；　sir；　that　I　am　much　taken　up　with　these　far…fetched　considerations。　We　all　have　to　be　active　and　practical　here。

〃Alas！　the　fewer　ideas　these　poor　folk　have　in　their　heads；　the　harder　it　is　to　make　them　see　where　their　real　interests　lie。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　give　my　whole　attention　to　every　trifling　detail　of　my　enterprise。　One　and　all　made　me　the　same　answer；　one　of　those　sayings；　filled　with　homely　sense；　to　which　there　is　no　possible　reply；　'But　your　houses　are　not　yet　built；　sir！'　they　used　to　say。　'Very　good；'　said　I；　'promise　me　that　as　soon　as　they　are　finished　you　will　come　and　live　in　them。'

〃Luckily；　sir；　I　obtained　a　decision　to　the　effect　that　the　whole　of　the　mountain　side　above　the　now　deserted　village　was　the　property　of　the　township。　The　sum　of　money　brought　in　by　the　woods　on　the　higher　slopes　paid　for　the　building　of　the　new　houses　and　for　the　land　on　which　they　stood。　They　were　built　forthwith；　and　when　once　one　of　my　refractory　families　was　fairly　settled　in；　the　rest　of　them　were　not　slow　to　follow。　The　benefits　of　the　change　were　so　evident　that　even　the　most　bigoted　believer　in　the　village；　which　you　might　call　soulless　as　well　as　sunless；　could　not　but　appreciate　them。　The　final　decision　in　this　matter；　which　gave　some　property　to　the　Commune；　in　the　possession　of　which　we　were　confirmed　by　the　Council　of　State；　made　me　a　person　of　great　importance　in　the　canton。　But　what　a　lot　of　worry　there　was　over　it！〃　the　doctor　remarked；　stopping　short；　and　raising　a　hand　which　he　let　fall　againa　gesture　that　spoke　volumes。　〃No　one　knows；　as　I　do；　the　distance　between　the　town　and　the　Prefecturewhence　nothing　comes　outand　from　the　Prefecture　to　the　Council　of　Statewhere　nothing　can　be　got　in。

〃Well；　after　all；〃　he　resumed；　〃peace　be　to　the　powers　of　this　world！　They　yielded　to　my　importunities；　and　that　is　saying　a　great　deal。　If　you　only　knew　the　good　that　came　of　a　carelessly　scrawled　signature！　Why；　sir；　two　years　after　I　had　taken　these　momentous　trifles　in　hand；　and　had　carried　the　matter　through　to　the　end；　every　poor　family　in　the　Commune　had　two　cows　at　least；　which　they　pastured　on　the　mountain　side；　where　（without　waiting　this　time　for　an　authorization　from　the　Council　of　State）　I　had　established　a　system　of　irrigation　by　means　of　cross　trenches；　like　those　in　Switzerland；　Auvergne；　and　Limousin。　Much　to　their　astonishment；　the　townspeople　saw　some　capital　meadows　springing　up　under　their　eyes；　and　thanks　to　the　improvement　in　the　pasturage；　the　yield　of　milk　was　very　much　larger。　The　results　of　this　triumph　were　great　indeed。　Every　one　followed　the　example　set　by　my　system　of　irrigation；　cattle　were　multiplied；　the　area　of　meadow　land　and　every　kind　of　out…turn　increased。　I　had　nothing　to　fear　after　that。　I　could　continue　my　efforts　to　improve　this；　as　yet；　untilled　corner　of　the　earth；　and　to　civilize　those　who　dwelt　in　it；　whose　minds　had　hitherto　lain　dormant。

〃Well；　sir；　folk　like　us；　who　live　out　of　the　world；　are　very　talkative。　If　you　ask　us　a　question；　there　is　no　knowing　where　the　answer　will　come　to　an　end；　but　to　cut　it　shortthere　were　about　seven　hundred　souls　in　the　valley　when　I　came　to　it；　and　now　the　population　numbers　some　two　thousand。　I　had　gained　the　good　opinion　of　every　one　in　that　matter　of　the　last　cretin；　and　when　I　had　constantly　shown　that　I　could　rule　both　mildly　and　firmly；　I　became　a　local　oracle。　I　did　everything　that　I　could　to　win　their　confidence；　I　did　not　ask　for　it；　nor　did　I　appear　to　seek　it；　but　I　tried　to　inspire　every　one　with　the　deepest　respect　for　my　character；　by　the　scrupulous　way　in　which　I　always　fulfilled　my　engagements；　even　when　they　were　of　the　most　trifling　kind。　When　I　had　pledged　myself　to　care　for　the　poor　creature　whose　death　you　have　just　witnessed；　I　looked　after　him　much　more　effectually　than　any　of　his　previous　guardians　had　done。　He　has　been　fed　and　cared　for　as　the　adopted　child　of　the　Commune。　After　a　time　the　dwellers　in　the　valley　ended　by　understanding　the　service　which　I　had　done　them　in　spite　of　themselves；　but　for　all　that；　they　still　cherish　some　traces　of　that　old　superstition　of　theirs。　Far　be　it　from　me　to　blame　them　for　it；　has　not　their　cult　of　the　cretin　often　furnished　me　with　an　argument　when　I　have　tried　to　induce　those　who　had　possession　of　their　faculties　to　help　the　unfortunate？　But　here　we　are；〃　said　Benassis；　when　after　a　moment's　pause　he　saw　the　roof　of　his　own　house。

Far　from　expecting　the　slightest　expression　of　praise　or　of　thanks　from　his　listener；　it　appeared　from　his　way　of　telling　the　story　of　this　episode　in　his　administrative　career；　that　he　had　been　moved　by　an　unconscious　desire　to　pour　out　the　thoughts　that　filled　his　mind；　after　the　manner　of　folk　that　live　very　retired　lives。

〃I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　putting　my　horse　in　your　stable；　sir；〃　said　the　commandant；　〃for　which　in　your　goodness　you　will　perhaps　pardon　me　when　you　learn　the　object　of　my　journey　hither。〃

〃Ah！　yes；　what　is　it？〃　asked　Benassis；　appearing　to　shake　off　his　preoccupied　mood；　and　to　recollect　that　his　companion　was　a　stranger　to　him。　The　frankness　and　unreserve　of　his　nature　had　led　him　to　accept　Genestas　as　an　acquaintance。

〃I　have　heard　of　the　almost　miraculous　recovery　of　M。　Gravier　of　Grenoble；　whom　you　received　into　your　house；〃　was　the　soldier's　answer。　〃I　have　come　to　you；　hoping　that　you　will　give　a　like　attention　to　my　case；　although　I　have　not　a　similar　claim　to　your　benevolence；　and　yet；　I　am　possibly　not　undeserving　of　it。　I　am　an　old　soldier；　and　wounds　of　long　standing　give　me　no　peace。　It　will　take　you　at　least　a　week　to　study　my　condition；　for　the　pain　only　comes　back　at　intervals；　and〃

〃Very　good；　sir；〃　Benassis　broke　in；　〃M。　Gravier's　room　is　in　readiness。　Come　in。〃

They　went　into　the　house；　the　doctor　flinging　open　the　door　with　an　eagerness　that　Genestas　attributed　to　his　pleasure　at　receiving　a　boarder。

〃Jacquotte！〃　Benassis　called　out。　〃This　gentleman　will　dine　with　us。〃

〃But　would　it　not　be　as　well　for　us　to　settle　about　the　payment？〃

〃Payment　for　what？〃　inquired　the　doctor。

〃For　my　board。　You　cannot　keep　me　and　my　horse　as　well；　without〃

〃If　you　are　wealthy；　you　will　repay　me　amply；〃　Benassis　replied；　〃and　if　you　are　not；　I　will　take　nothing　whatever。〃

〃Nothing　whatever　seems　to　me　to　be　too　dear；〃　said　Genestas。　〃But；　rich　or　poor；　will　ten　francs　a　day　（not　including　your　professional　services）　be　acceptable　to　you？〃

〃Nothing　could　be　less　acceptable　to　me　than　payment　for　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　a　visitor；〃　the　doctor　answered；　knitting　his　brows；　〃and　as　to　my　advice；　you　shall　have　it　if　I　like　you；　and　not　unless。　Rich　people　shall　not　have　my　time　by　paying　for　it；　it　belongs　exclusively　to　the　folk　here　in　the　valley。　I　do　not　care　about　fame　or　fortune；　and　I　look　for　neither　praise　or　gratitude　from　my　patients。　Any　money　which　you　may　pay　me　will　go　to　the　druggists　in　Grenoble；　to　pay　for　the　medicine　required　by　the　poor　of　the　neighborhood。〃

Any　one　who　had　heard　the　words　flung　out；　abruptly；　it　is　true；　but　witho