the country doctor-第31章
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e about her movements； and such music in her voice； that little as her features seemed to harmonize with the disposition which Benassis had praised to the commandant； the officer recognized in her the capricious and ailing creature； condemned to suffering by a nature that had been thwarted in its growth。
La Fosseuse deftly stirred the fire of dry branches and turfs of peat； then sat down in an armchair and took up one of the shirts that she had begun。 She sat there under the officer's eyes； half bashful； afraid to look up； and calm to all appearance； but her bodice rose and fell with the rapid breathing that betrayed her nervousness； and it struck Genestas that her figure was very graceful。
〃Well； my poor child； is your work going on nicely？〃 said Benassis； taking up the material intended for the shirts； and passing it through his fingers。
La Fosseuse gave the doctor a timid and beseeching glance。
〃Do not scold me； sir；〃 she entreated； 〃I have not touched them to… day； although they were ordered by you； and for people who need them very badly。 But the weather has been so fine！ I wandered out and picked a quantity of mushrooms and white truffles； and took them over to Jacquotte； she was very pleased； for some people are coming to dinner。 I was so glad that I thought of it； something seemed to tell me to go to look for them。〃
She began to ply her needle again。
〃You have a very pretty house here； mademoiselle；〃 said Genestas； addressing her。
〃It is not mine at all； sir；〃 she said； looking at the stranger； and her eyes seemed to grow red and tearful； 〃it belongs to M。 Benassis；〃 and she turned towards the doctor with a gentle expression on her face。
〃You know quite well； my child； that you will never have to leave it；〃 he said； as he took her hand in his。
La Fosseuse suddenly rose and left the room。
〃Well；〃 said the doctor； addressing the officer；〃what do you think of her？〃
〃There is something strangely touching about her；〃 Genestas answered。 〃How very nicely you have fitted up this little nest of hers！〃
〃Bah！ a wall…paper at fifteen or twenty sous； it was carefully chosen； but that was all。 The furniture is nothing very much either； my basket…maker made it for me； he wanted to show his gratitude； and La Fosseuse made the curtains herself out of a few yards of calico。 This little house of hers； and her simple furniture； seem pretty to you； because you come upon them up here on a hillside in a forlorn part of the world where you did not expect to find things clean and tidy。 The reason of the prettiness is a kind of harmony between the little house and its surroundings。 Nature has set picturesque groups of trees and running streams about it； and has scattered her fairest flowers among the grass； her sweet…scented wild strawberry blossoms； and her lovely violets。 。 。 。 Well； what is the matter？〃 asked Benassis； as La Fosseuse came back to them。
〃Oh！ nothing； nothing；〃 she answered。 〃I fancied that one of my chickens was missing； and had not been shut up。〃
Her remark was disingenuous； but this was only noticed by the doctor； who said in her ear； 〃You have been crying！〃
〃Why do you say things like that to me before some one else？〃 she asked in reply。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said Genestas； 〃it is a great pity that you live here all by yourself； you ought to have a mate in such a charming cage as this。〃
〃That is true；〃 she said； 〃but what would you have？ I am poor； and I am hard to please。 I feel that it would not suit me at all to carry the soup out into the fields； nor to push a hand…cart； to feel the misery of those whom I should love； and have no power to put an end to it； to carry my children in my arms all day； and patch and re…patch a man's rags。 The cure tells me that such thoughts as these are not very Christian； I know that myself； but how can I help it？ There are days when I would rather eat a morsel of dry bread than cook anything for my dinner。 Why would you have me worry some man's life out with my failings？ He would perhaps work himself to death to satisfy my whims； and that would not be right。 Pshaw！ an unlucky lot has fallen to me； and I ought to bear it by myself。〃
〃And besides； she is a born do…nothing；〃 said Benassis。 〃We must take my poor Fosseuse as we find her。 But all that she has been saying to you simply means that she has never loved as yet；〃 he added； smiling。 Then he rose and went out on to the lawn for a moment。
〃You must be very fond of M。 Benassis？〃 asked Genestas。
〃Oh！ yes； sir； and there are plenty of people hereabouts who feel as I dothat they would be glad to do anything in the world for him。 And yet he who cures other people has some trouble of his own that nothing can cure。 You are his friend； perhaps you know what it is？ Who could have given pain to such a man； who is the very image of God on earth？ I know a great many who think that the corn grows faster if he has passed by their field in the morning。〃
〃And what do you think yourself？〃
〃I； sir？ When I have seen him；〃 she seemed to hesitate； then she went on； 〃I am happy all the rest of the day。〃
She bent her head over her work； and plied her needle with unwonted swiftness。
〃Well； has the captain been telling you something about Napoleon？〃 said the doctor； as he came in again。
〃Have you seen the Emperor； sir？〃 cried La Fosseuse； gazing at the officer's face with eager curiosity。
〃PARBLEU！〃 said Genestas； 〃hundreds of times！〃
〃Oh！ how I should like to know something about the army！〃
〃Perhaps we will come to take a cup of coffee with you to…morrow； and you shall hear 'something about the army；' dear child；〃 said Benassis； who laid his hand on her shoulder and kissed her brow。 〃She is my daughter； you see！〃 he added； turning to the commandant； 〃there is something wanting in the day； somehow； when I have not kissed her forehead。〃
La Fosseuse held Benassis' hand in a tight clasp as she murmured； 〃Oh！ you are very kind！〃
They left the house； but she came after them to see them mount。 She waited till Genestas was in the saddle； and then whispered in Benassis' ear； 〃Tell me who that gentleman is？〃
〃Aha！〃 said the doctor； putting a foot in the stirrup； 〃a husband for you； perhaps。〃
She stood on the spot where they left her； absorbed in watching their progress down the steep path； and when they came past the end of the garden； they saw her already perched on a little heap of stones； so that she might still keep them in view and give them a last nod of farewell。
〃There is something very unusual about that girl； sir；〃 Genestas said to the doctor when they had left the house far behind。
〃There is； is there not？〃 he answered。 〃Many a time I have said to myself that she will make a charming wife； but I can only love her as a sister or a daughter； and in no other way； my heart is dead。〃
〃Has she any relations？〃 asked Genestas。 〃What did her father and mother do？〃
〃Oh； it is quite a long story；〃 answered Benassis。 〃Neither her father nor mother nor any of her relations are living。 Everything about her down to her name interested me。 La Fosseuse was born here in the town。 Her father； a laborer from Saint Laurent du Pont； was nicknamed Le Fosseur； which is no doubt a contraction of fossoyeur； for the office of sexton had been in his family time out of mind。 All the sad associations of the graveyard hang about the name。 Here as in some other parts of France； there is an old custom； dating from the times of the Latin civilization； in virtue of which a woman takes her husband's name； with the addition of a feminine termination； and this girl has been called La Fosseuse； after her father。
〃The laborer had married the waiting…woman of some countess or other who owns an estate at a distance of a few leagues。 It was a love… match。 Here； as in all country districts； love is a very small element in a marriage。 The peasant； as a rule； wants a wife who will bear him children； a housewife who will make good soup and take it out to him in the fields； who will spin and make his shirts and mend his clothes。 Such a thing had not happened for a long while in a district where a young man not unfrequently leaves his betrothed for another girl who is richer by three or four acres of land。 The f
