the country doctor- 第16部分

Genestas　gave　the　doctor　a　significant　glance；　to　call　his　attention　to　Taboureau's　impassive　countenance。　Not　a　muscle　had　stirred　in　the　usurer's　face　during　this　reprimand；　there　was　no　flush　on　his　forehead；　and　no　sign　of　emotion　in　his　little　eyes。

〃Well；　sir；　I　am　called　upon　to　supply　the　barley　at　last　winter's　price。　Now　_I_　consider　that　I　am　not　bound　to　do　so。〃

〃Look　here；　Taboureau；　deliver　that　barley　and　be　very　quick　about　it；　or　make　up　your　mind　to　be　respected　by　nobody　in　the　future。　Even　if　you　gained　the　day　in　a　case　like　this；　you　would　be　looked　upon　as　an　unscrupulous　man　who　does　not　keep　to　his　word；　and　is　not　bound　by　promises；　or　by　honor；　or〃

〃Go　on；　there　is　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；　tell　me　that　I　am　a　scamp；　a　scoundrel；　a　thief　outright。　You　can　say　things　like　that　in　business　without　insulting　anybody；　M。　le　Maire。　'Tis　each　for　himself　in　business；　you　know。〃

〃Well；　then；　why　deliberately　put　yourself　in　a　position　in　which　you　deserve　to　be　called　by　such　names？〃

〃But　if　the　law　is　on　my　side；　sir？〃

〃But　the　law　will　certainly　NOT　be　on　your　side。〃

〃Are　you　quite　sure　about　it；　sir？　Certain　sure？　For　you　see　it　is　an　important　matter。〃

〃Certainly　I　am。　Quite　sure。　If　I　were　not　at　dinner；　I　would　have　down　the　code；　and　you　should　see　for　yourself。　If　the　case　comes　on；　you　will　lose　it；　and　you　will　never　set　foot　in　my　house　again；　for　I　do　not　wish　to　receive　people　whom　I　do　not　respect。　Do　you　understand？　You　will　lose　your　case。〃

〃Oh！　no；　not　at　all；　I　shall　not　lose　it；　sir；〃　said　Taboureau。　〃You　see；　sir；　it　is　this　way；　it　is　the　man　from　Saint…Laurent　who　owes　ME　the　barley；　I　bought　it　of　him；　and　now　he　refuses　to　deliver　it。　I　just　wanted　to　make　quite　certain　that　I　should　gain　my　case　before　going　to　any　expense　at　court　about　it。〃

Genestas　and　the　doctor　exchanged　glances；　each　concealed　his　amazement　at　the　ingenious　device　by　which　the　man　had　sought　to　learn　the　truth　about　this　point　of　law。

〃Very　well；　Taboureau；　your　man　is　a　swindler；　you　should　not　make　bargains　with　such　people。〃

〃Ah！　sir；　they　understand　business；　those　people　do。〃

〃Good…bye；　Taboureau。〃

〃Your　servant；　gentlemen。〃

〃Well；　now；〃　remarked　Benassis；　when　the　usurer　had　gone；　〃if　that　fellow　were　in　Paris；　do　you　not　think　that　he　would　be　a　millionaire　before　very　long？〃

After　dinner；　the　doctor　and　his　visitor　went　back　to　the　salon；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　evening　until　bedtime　they　talked　about　war　and　politics；　Genestas　evincing　a　most　violent　dislike　of　the　English　in　the　course　of　conversation。

〃May　I　know　whom　I　have　the　honor　of　entertaining　as　a　guest？〃　asked　the　doctor。

〃My　name　is　Pierre　Bluteau；〃　answered　Genestas；　〃I　am　a　captain　stationed　at　Grenoble。〃

〃Very　well；　sir。　Do　you　care　to　adopt　M。　Gravier's　plan？　In　the　morning　after　breakfast　he　liked　to　go　on　my　rounds　with　me。　I　am　not　at　all　sure　that　you　would　find　anything　to　interest　you　in　the　things　that　occupy　methey　are　so　very　commonplace。　For；　after　all；　you　own　no　land　about　here；　nor　are　you　the　mayor　of　the　place；　and　you　will　see　nothing　in　the　canton　that　you　cannot　see　elsewhere；　one　thatched　cottage　is　just　like　another。　Still　you　will　be　in　the　open　air；　and　you　will　have　something　to　take　you　out　of　doors。〃

〃No　proposal　could　give　me　more　pleasure。　I　did　not　venture　to　make　it　myself；　lest　I　should　thrust　myself　upon　you。〃

Commandant　Genestas　（who　shall　keep　his　own　name　in　spite　of　the　fictitious　appellation　which　he　had　thought　fit　to　give　himself）　followed　his　host　to　a　room　on　the　first　floor　above　the　salon。

〃That　is　right；〃　said　Benassis；　〃Jacquotte　has　lighted　a　fire　for　you。　If　you　want　anything；　there　is　a　bell…pull　close　to　the　head　of　the　bed。〃

〃I　am　not　likely　to　want　anything；　however　small；　it　seems　to　me；〃　exclaimed　Genestas。　〃There　is　even　a　boot…jack。　Only　an　old　trooper　knows　what　a　boot…jack　is　worth！　There　are　times；　when　one　is　out　on　a　campaign；　sir；　when　one　is　ready　to　burn　down　a　house　to　come　by　a　knave　of　a　boot…jack。　After　a　few　marches；　one　on　the　top　of　another；　or　above　all；　after　an　engagement；　there　are　times　when　a　swollen　foot　and　the　soaked　leather　will　not　part　company；　pull　as　you　will；　I　have　had　to　lie　down　in　my　boots　more　than　once。　One　can　put　up　with　the　annoyance　so　long　as　one　is　by　oneself。〃

The　commandant's　wink　gave　a　kind　of　profound　slyness　to　his　last　utterance；　then　he　began　to　make　a　survey。　Not　without　surprise；　he　saw　that　the　room　was　neatly　kept；　comfortable；　and　almost　luxurious。

〃What　splendor！〃　was　his　comment。　〃Your　own　room　must　be　something　wonderful。〃

〃Come　and　see；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　am　your　neighbor；　there　is　nothing　but　the　staircase　between　us。〃

Genestas　was　again　surprised　when　he　entered　the　doctor's　room；　a　bare…looking　apartment　with　no　adornment　on　the　walls　save　an　old…　fashioned　wall…paper　of　a　yellowish　tint　with　a　pattern　of　brown　roses　over　it；　the　color　had　gone　in　patches　here　and　there。　There　was　a　roughly　painted　iron　bedstead；　two　gray　cotton　curtains　were　suspended　from　a　wooden　bracket　above　it；　and　a　threadbare　strip　of　carpet　lay　at　the　foot；　it　was　like　a　bed　in　a　hospital。　By　the　bed…head　stood　a　rickety　cupboard　on　four　feet　with　a　door　that　continually　rattled　with　a　sound　like　castanets。　Three　chairs　and　a　couple　of　straw…　bottomed　armchairs　stood　about　the　room；　and　on　a　low　chest　of　drawers　in　walnut　wood　stood　a　basin；　and　a　ewer　of　obsolete　pattern　with　a　lid；　which　was　kept　in　place　by　a　leaden　rim　round　the　top　of　the　vessel。　This　completed　the　list　of　the　furniture。

The　grate　was　empty。　All　the　apparatus　required　for　shaving　lay　about　in　front　of　an　old　mirror　suspended　above　the　painted　stone　chimney…　piece　by　a　bit　of　string。　The　floor　was　clean　and　carefully　swept；　but　it　was　worn　and　splintered　in　various　places；　and　there　were　hollows　in　it　here　and　there。　Gray　cotton　curtains　bordered　with　a　green　fringe　adorned　the　two　windows。　The　scrupulous　cleanliness　maintained　by　Jacquotte　gave　a　certain　air　of　distinction　to　this　picture　of　simplicity；　but　everything　in　it；　down　to　the　round　table　littered　with　stray　papers；　and　the　very　pens　on　the　writing…desk；　gave　the　idea　of　an　almost　monastic　lifea　life　so　wholly　filled　with　thought　and　feeling　of　a　wider　kind　that　outward　surroundings　had　come　to　be　matters　of　no　moment。　An　open　door　allowed　the　commandant　to　see　the　smaller　room；　which　doubtless　the　doctor　seldom　occupied。　It　was　scarcely　kept　in　the　same　condition　as　the　adjoining　apartment；　a　few　dusty　books　lay　strewn　about　over　the　no　less　dusty　shelves；　and　from　the　rows　of　labeled　bottles　it　was　easy　to　guess　that　the　place　was　devoted　rather　to　the　dispensing　of　drugs　than　scientific　studies。

〃Why　this　difference　between　your　room　and　mine；　you　will　ask？〃　said　Benassis。　〃Listen　a　moment。　I　have　always　blushed　for　those　who　put　their　guests　in　the　attics；　who　furnish　them　with　mirrors　that　distort　everything　to　such　a　degree　that　any　one　beholding　himself　might　think　that　he　was　smaller　or　larger　than　nature　made　him；　or　suffering　from　apoplectic　stroke　or　some　other　bad　complaint。　Ought　we　not　to　do　our　utmost　to　make　a　room　as　pleasant　as　possible　during　the　time　that　our　friend　can　be　with　us？　Hospitality；　to　my　thinking；　is　a　virtue；　a　pleasure；　and　a　luxury；　but　in　whatever　light　it　is　considered；　nay；　even　if　you　regard　it　as　a　speculation；　ought　not　our　guest　or　our　friend　to　be　made　much　of？　Ought　not　every　refinement　of　luxury　to　be　reserved　for　him？

〃So　the　best　furniture　is　put　into　your　room；　where　a　thick　carpet　is　laid　down；　there　are　hangings　on　the　walls；　and　a　clock　and　wax　candles；　and　for　you　Jacquotte　will　do　her　best；　she　has　no　doubt　brought　a　night…light；　and　a　pair　of　new　slippers　and　some　milk；　and　her　warming…pan　too　for　your　benefit。　I　hope　that　you　will　find　that　luxurious　armchair　the　most　comfortable　seat　you　have　ever　sat　in；　it　was　a　discovery　of　the　late　cure's；　I　do　not　know　where　he　found　it；　but　it　is　a　fact　that　if　you　wish　to　meet　with　the　perfection　of　comfort；　beauty；　or　convenience；　you　must　ask　counsel　of　the　Church。　Well；　I　hope　that　you　will　find　everything　in　your　room　to　your　liking。　You　will　find　some　good　razors　and　excellent　soap；　and　all　the　trifling　details　that　make　one's　own　home　so　pleasant。　And　if　my　views　on　the　subject　of　hospitality　should　not　at　once　explain　the　difference　between　your　room　and　mine；　to…morrow；　M。　Bluteau；　you　will　arrive　at　a　wonderfully　clear　comprehension　of　the　bareness　of　my　room　and　the　untidy　condition　of　my　study；　when　you　see　all　the　continual　comings　and　goings　here。　Mine　is　not　an　indoor　life；　to　begin　with。　I　am　almost　always　out　of　the　house；　and　if　I　stay　at　home；　peasants　come　in　at　every　moment　to　speak　to　me。　My　body　and　soul　and　house　are　all　theirs。　Why　should　I　worry　about　social　conventions　in　these　matters；　or　trouble　myself　over　the　damage　unintentionally　done　to　floors　and　furniture　by　these　worthy　folk？　Such　things　cannot　be　helped。　Luxury　properly　belongs　to　the　boudoir　and　the　guest…chamber；　to　great　houses　and　chateaux。　In　short；　as　I　scarcely　do　more　than　sleep　here；　what　do　I　want　with　superfluities　of　wealth？　You　do　not　know；