the country doctor-第5章

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cumspection；　he　in　nowise　failed　to　do。　The　gates　were　left　ajar；　moreoveranother　piece　of　carelessness！

Encouraged　by　this　countrified　trust　in　all　comers；　the　officer　entered　the　yard　without　ceremony；　and　tethered　his　horse　to　the　bars　of　the　gate。　While　he　was　knotting　the　bridle；　a　neighing　sound　from　the　stable　caused　both　horse　and　rider　to　turn　their　eyes　involuntarily　in　that　direction。　The　door　opened；　and　an　old　servant　put　out　his　head。　He　wore　a　red　woolen　bonnet；　exactly　like　the　Phrygian　cap　in　which　Liberty　is　tricked　out；　a　piece　of　head…gear　in　common　use　in　this　country。

As　there　was　room　for　several　horses；　this　worthy　individual；　after　inquiring　whether　Genestas　had　come　to　see　M。　Benassis；　offered　the　hospitality　of　the　stable　to　the　newly…arrived　steed；　a　very　fine　animal；　at　which　he　looked　with　an　expression　of　admiring　affection。　The　commandant　followed　his　horse　to　see　how　things　were　to　go　with　it。　The　stable　was　clean；　there　was　plenty　of　litter；　and　there　was　the　same　peculiar　air　of　sleek　content　about　M。　Benassis'　pair　of　horses　that　distinguished　the　cure's　horse　from　all　the　rest　of　his　tribe。　A　maid…servant　from　within　the　house　came　out　upon　the　flight　of　steps　and　waited。　She　appeared　to　be　the　proper　authority　to　whom　the　stranger's　inquiries　were　to　be　addressed；　although　the　stableman　had　already　told　him　that　M。　Benassis　was　not　at　home。

〃The　master　has　gone　to　the　flour…mill；〃　said　he。　〃If　you　like　to　overtake　him；　you　have　only　to　go　along　the　path　that　leads　to　the　meadow；　and　the　mill　is　at　the　end　of　it。〃

Genestas　preferred　seeing　the　country　to　waiting　about　indefinitely　for　Benassis'　return；　so　he　set　out　along　the　way　that　led　to　the　flour…mill。　When　he　had　gone　beyond　the　irregular　line　traced　by　the　town　upon　the　hillside；　he　came　in　sight　of　the　mill　and　the　valley；　and　of　one　of　the　loveliest　landscapes　that　he　had　ever　seen。

The　mountains　bar　the　course　of　the　river；　which　forms　a　little　lake　at　their　feet；　and　raise　their　crests　above　it；　tier　on　tier。　Their　many　valleys　are　revealed　by　the　changing　hues　of　the　light；　or　by　the　more　or　less　clear　outlines　of　the　mountain　ridges　fledged　with　their　dark　forests　of　pines。　The　mill　had　not　long　been　built。　It　stood　just　where　the　mountain　stream　fell　into　the　little　lake。　There　was　all　the　charm　about　it　peculiar　to　a　lonely　house　surrounded　by　water　and　hidden　away　behind　the　heads　of　a　few　trees　that　love　to　grow　by　the　water…side。　On　the　farther　bank　of　the　river；　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　with　a　faint　red　glow　of　sunset　upon　its　highest　crest；　Genestas　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　dozen　deserted　cottages。　All　the　windows　and　doors　had　been　taken　away；　and　sufficiently　large　holes　were　conspicuous　in　the　dilapidated　roofs；　but　the　surrounding　land　was　laid　out　in　fields　that　were　highly　cultivated；　and　the　old　garden　spaces　had　been　turned　into　meadows；　watered　by　a　system　of　irrigation　as　artfully　contrived　as　that　in　use　in　Limousin。　Unconsciously　the　commandant　paused　to　look　at　the　ruins　of　the　village　before　him。

How　is　it　that　men　can　never　behold　any　ruins；　even　of　the　humblest　kind；　without　feeling　deeply　stirred？　Doubtless　it　is　because　they　seem　to　be　a　typical　representation　of　evil　fortune　whose　weight　is　felt　so　differently　by　different　natures。　The　thought　of　death　is　called　up　by　a　churchyard；　but　a　deserted　village　puts　us　in　mind　of　the　sorrows　of　life；　death　is　but　one　misfortune　always　foreseen；　but　the　sorrows　of　life　are　infinite。　Does　not　the　thought　of　the　infinite　underlie　all　great　melancholy？

The　officer　reached　the　stony　path　by　the　mill…pond　before　he　could　hit　upon　an　explanation　of　this　deserted　village。　The　miller's　lad　was　sitting　on　some　sacks　of　corn　near　the　door　of　the　house。　Genestas　asked　for　M。　Benassis。

〃M。　Benassis　went　over　there；〃　said　the　miller；　pointing　out　one　of　the　ruined　cottages。

〃Has　the　village　been　burned　down？〃　asked　the　commandant。

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Then　how　did　it　come　to　be　in　this　state？〃　inquired　Genestas。

〃Ah！　how？〃　the　miller　answered；　as　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　went　indoors；　〃M。　Benassis　will　tell　you　that。〃

The　officer　went　over　a　rough　sort　of　bridge　built　up　of　boulders　taken　from　the　torrent　bed；　and　soon　reached　the　house　that　had　been　pointed　out　to　him。　The　thatched　roof　of　the　dwelling　was　still　entire；　it　was　covered　with　moss　indeed；　but　there　were　no　holes　in　it；　and　the　door　and　its　fastenings　seemed　to　be　in　good　repair。　Genestas　saw　a　fire　on　the　hearth　as　he　entered；　an　old　woman　kneeling　in　the　chimney…corner　before　a　sick　man　seated　in　a　chair；　and　another　man；　who　was　standing　with　his　face　turned　toward　the　fireplace。　The　house　consisted　of　a　single　room；　which　was　lighted　by　a　wretched　window　covered　with　linen　cloth。　The　floor　was　of　beaten　earth；　the　chair；　a　table；　and　a　truckle…bed　comprised　the　whole　of　the　furniture。　The　commandant　had　never　seen　anything　so　poor　and　bare；　not　even　in　Russia；　where　the　moujik's　huts　are　like　the　dens　of　wild　beasts。　Nothing　within　it　spoke　of　ordinary　life；　there　were　not　even　the　simplest　appliances　for　cooking　food　of　the　commonest　description。　It　might　have　been　a　dog…kennel　without　a　drinking…pan。　But　for　the　truckle…bed；　a　smock…frock　hanging　from　a　nail；　and　some　sabots　filled　with　straw；　which　composed　the　invalid's　entire　wardrobe；　this　cottage　would　have　looked　as　empty　as　the　others。　The　aged　peasant　woman　upon　her　knees　was　devoting　all　her　attention　to　keeping　the　sufferer's　feet　in　a　tub　filled　with　a　brown　liquid。　Hearing　a　footstep　and　the　clank　of　spurs；　which　sounded　strangely　in　ears　accustomed　to　the　plodding　pace　of　country　folk；　the　man　turned　to　Genestas。　A　sort　of　surprise；　in　which　the　old　woman　shared　was　visible　in　his　face。

〃There　is　no　need　to　ask　if　you　are　M。　Benassis；〃　said　the　soldier。　〃You　will　pardon　me；　sir；　if；　as　a　stranger　impatient　to　see　you；　I　have　come　to　seek　you　on　your　field　of　battle；　instead　of　awaiting　you　at　your　house。　Pray　do　not　disturb　yourself；　go　on　with　what　you　are　doing。　When　it　is　over；　I　will　tell　you　the　purpose　of　my　visit。〃

Genestas　half　seated　himself　upon　the　edge　of　the　table；　and　remained　silent。　The　firelight　shone　more　brightly　in　the　room　than　the　faint　rays　of　the　sun；　for　the　mountain　crests　intercepted　them；　so　that　they　seldom　reached　this　corner　of　the　valley。　A　few　branches　of　resinous　pinewood　made　a　bright　blaze；　and　it　was　by　the　light　of　this　fire　that　the　soldier　saw　the　face　of　the　man　towards　whom　he　was　drawn　by　a　secret　motive；　by　a　wish　to　seek　him　out；　to　study　and　to　know　him　thoroughly　well。　M。　Benassis；　the　local　doctor；　heard　Genestas　with　indifference；　and　with　folded　arms　he　returned　his　bow；　and　went　back　to　his　patient；　quite　unaware　that　he　was　being　subjected　to　a　scrutiny　as　earnest　as　that　which　the　soldier　turned　upon　him。

Benassis　was　a　man　of　ordinary　height；　broad…shouldered　and　deep…　chested。　A　capacious　green　overcoat；　buttoned　up　to　the　chin；　prevented　the　officer　from　observing　any　characteristic　details　of　his　personal　appearance；　but　his　dark　and　motionless　figure　served　as　a　strong　relief　to　his　face；　which　caught　the　bright　light　of　the　blazing　fire。　The　face　was　not　unlike　that　of　a　satyr；　there　was　the　same　slightly　protruding　forehead；　full；　in　this　case；　of　prominences；　all　more　or　less　denoting　character；　the　same　turned…up　nose；　with　a　sprightly　cleavage　at　the　tip；　the　same　high　cheek…bones。　The　lines　of　the　mouth　were　crooked；　the　lips；　thick　and　red。　The　chin　turned　sharply　upwards。　There　was　an　alert；　animated　look　in　the　brown　eyes；　to　which　their　pearly　whites　gave　great　brightness；　and　which　expressed　passions　now　subdued。　His　iron…gray　hair；　the　deep　wrinkles　in　his　face；　the　bushy　eyebrows　that　had　grown　white　already；　the　veins　on　his　protuberant　nose；　the　tanned　face　covered　with　red　blotches；　everything　about　him；　in　short；　indicated　a　man　of　fifty　and　the　hard　work　of　his　profession。　The　officer　could　come　to　no　conclusion　as　to　the　capacity　of　the　head；　which　was　covered　by　a　close　cap；　but　hidden　though　it　was；　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　one　of　the　square…shaped　kind　that　gave　rise　to　the　expression　〃square…headed。〃　Genestas　was　accustomed　to　r