the country doctor- 第53部分

Genestas　started　in　his　chair。

〃Yes；　Captain　Bluteau；　you　were　with　me　at　the　time。　Do　you　remember　how；　while　we　were　putting　little　Jacques　to　bed；　you　pointed　to　the　mattress　on　which　Mother　Colas　sleeps？　Well；　you　can　imagine　how　painful　it　all　was；　I　can　never　see　any　child　without　thinking　of　the　dear　child　I　have　lost；　and　this　little　one　was　doomed　to　die！　I　can　never　see　a　child　with　indifferent　eyes〃

Genestas　turned　pale。

〃Yes；　the　sight　of　the　little　golden　heads；　the　innocent　beauty　of　children's　faces　always　awakens　memories　of　my　sorrows；　and　the　old　anguish　returns　afresh。　Now　and　then；　too；　there　comes　the　intolerable　thought　that　so　many　people　here　should　thank　me　for　what　little　I　can　do　for　them；　when　all　that　I　have　done　has　been　prompted　by　remorse。　You　alone；　captain；　know　the　secret　of　my　life。　If　I　had　drawn　my　will　to　serve　them　from　some　purer　source　than　the　memory　of　my　errors；　I　should　be　happy　indeed！　But　then；　too；　there　would　have　been　nothing　to　tell　you；　and　no　story　about　myself。〃



CHAPTER　V

ELEGIES

As　Benassis　finished　his　story；　he　was　struck　by　the　troubled　expression　of　the　officer's　face。　It　touched　him　to　have　been　so　well　understood。　He　was　almost　ready　to　reproach　himself　for　having　distressed　his　visitor。　He　spoke：

〃But　these　troubles　of　mine；　Captain　Bluteau〃

〃Do　not　call　me　Captain　Bluteau；〃　cried　Genestas；　breaking　in　upon　the　doctor；　and　springing　to　his　feet　with　sudden　energy；　a　change　of　position　that　seemed　to　be　prompted　by　inward　dissatisfaction　of　some　kind。　〃There　is　no　such　person　as　Captain　Bluteau。　。　。　。　I　am　a　scoundrel！〃

With　no　little　astonishment；　Benassis　beheld　Genestas　pacing　to　and　fro　in　the　salon；　like　a　bumble…bee　in　quest　of　an　exit　from　the　room　which　he　has　incautiously　entered。

〃Then　who　are　you；　sir？〃　inquired　Benassis。

〃Ah！　there　now！〃　the　officer　answered；　as　he　turned　and　took　his　stand　before　the　doctor；　though　he　lacked　courage　to　look　at　his　friend。　〃I　have　deceived　you！〃　he　went　on　（and　there　was　a　change　in　his　voice）。　〃I　have　acted　a　lie　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　and　I　am　well　punished　for　it；　for　after　this　I　cannot　explain　why　I　came　here　to　play　the　spy　upon　you；　confound　it！　Ever　since　I　have　had　a　glimpse　of　your　soul；　so　to　speak；　I　would　far　sooner　have　taken　a　box　on　the　ear　whenever　I　heard　you　call　me　Captain　Bluteau！　Perhaps　you　may　forgive　me　for　this　subterfuge；　but　I　shall　never　forgive　myself；　I；　Pierre　Joseph　Genestas；　who　would　not　lie　to　save　my　life　before　a　court…　martial！〃

〃Are　you　Commandant　Genestas？〃　cried　Benassis；　rising　to　his　feet。　He　grasped　the　officer's　hand　warmly；　and　added：　〃As　you　said　but　a　short　time　ago；　sir；　we　were　friends　before　we　knew　each　other。　I　have　been　very　anxious　to　make　your　acquaintance；　for　I　have　often　heard　M。　Gravier　speak　of　you。　He　used　to　call　you；　'one　of　Plutarch's　men。'　〃

〃Plutarch？　Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　answered　Genestas。　〃I　am　not　worthy　of　you；　I　could　thrash　myself。　I　ought　to　have　told　you　my　secret　in　a　straightforward　way　at　the　first。　Yet；　now！　It　is　quite　as　well　that　I　wore　a　mask；　and　came　here　myself　in　search　of　information　concerning　you；　for　now　I　know　that　I　must　hold　my　tongue。　If　I　had　set　about　this　business　in　the　right　fashion　it　would　have　been　painful　to　you；　and　God　forbid　that　I　should　give　you　the　slightest　annoyance。〃

〃But　I　do　not　understand　you；　commandant。〃

〃Let　the　matter　drop。　I　am　not　ill；　I　have　spent　a　pleasant　day；　and　I　will　go　back　to…morrow。　Whenever　you　come　to　Grenoble；　you　will　find　that　you　have　one　more　friend　there；　who　will　be　your　friend　through　thick　and　thin。　Pierre　Joseph　Genestas'　sword　and　purse　are　at　your　disposal；　and　I　am　yours　to　the　last　drop　of　my　blood。　Well；　after　all；　your　words　have　fallen　on　good　soil。　When　I　am　pensioned　off；　I　will　look　for　some　out…of…the…way　little　place；　and　be　mayor　of　it；　and　try　to　follow　your　example。　I　have　not　your　knowledge；　but　I　will　study　at　any　rate。〃

〃You　are　right；　sir；　the　landowner　who　spends　his　time　in　convincing　a　commune　of　the　folly　of　some　mistaken　notion　of　agriculture；　confers　upon　his　country　a　benefit　quite　as　great　as　any　that　the　most　skilful　physician　can　bestow。　The　latter　lessens　the　sufferings　of　some　few　individuals；　and　the　former　heals　the　wounds　of　his　country。　But　you　have　excited　my　curiosity　to　no　common　degree。　Is　there　really　something　in　which　I　can　be　of　use　to　you？〃

〃Of　use？〃　repeated　the　commandant　in　an　altered　voice。

〃Mon　Dieu！　I　was　about　to　ask　you　to　do　me　a　service　which　is　all　but　impossible；　M。　Benassis。　Just　listen　a　moment！　I　have　killed　a　good　many　Christians　in　my　time；　it　is　true；　but　you　may　kill　people　and　keep　a　good　heart　for　all　that；　so　there　are　some　things　that　I　can　feel　and　understand；　rough　as　I　look。〃

〃But　go　on！〃

〃No；　I　do　not　want　to　give　you　any　pain　if　I　can　help　it。〃

〃Oh！　commandant；　I　can　bear　a　great　deal。〃

〃It　is　a　question　of　a　child's　life；　sir；〃　said　the　officer；　nervously。

Benassis　suddenly　knitted　his　brows；　but　by　a　gesture　he　entreated　Genestas　to　continue。

〃A　child；〃　repeated　the　commandant；〃whose　life　may　yet　be　saved　by　constant　watchfulness　and　incessant　care。　Where　could　I　expect　to　find　a　doctor　capable　of　devoting　himself　to　a　single　patient？　Not　in　a　town；　that　much　was　certain。　I　had　heard　you　spoken　of　as　an　excellent　man；　but　I　wished　to　be　quite　sure　that　this　reputation　was　well　founded。　So　before　putting　my　little　charge　into　the　hands　of　this　M。　Benassis　of　whom　people　spoke　so　highly；　I　wanted　to　study　him　myself。　But　now〃

〃Enough；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃so　this　child　is　yours？〃

〃No；　no；　M。　Benassis。　To　clear　up　the　mystery；　I　should　have　to　tell　you　a　long　story；　in　which　I　do　not　exactly　play　the　part　of　a　hero；　but　you　have　given　me　your　confidence　and　I　can　readily　give　you　mine。〃

〃One　moment；　commandant；〃　said　the　doctor。　In　answer　to　his　summons；　Jacquotte　appeared　at　once；　and　her　master　ordered　tea。　〃You　see；　commandant；　at　night　when　every　one　is　sleeping；　I　do　not　sleep。　。　。　。　The　thought　of　my　troubles　lies　heavily　on　me；　and　then　I　try　to　forget　them　by　taking　tea。　It　produces　a　sort　of　nervous　inebriation　a　kind　of　slumber；　without　which　I　could　not　live。　Do　you　still　decline　to　take　it？〃

〃For　my　own　part；〃　said　Genestas；　〃I　prefer　your　Hermitage。〃

〃By　all　means。　Jacquotte；〃　said　Benassis；　turning　to　his　housekeeper；　〃bring　in　some　wine　and　biscuits。　We　will　both　of　us　have　our　night…　cap　after　our　separate　fashions。〃

〃That　tea　must　be　very　bad　for　you！〃　Genestas　remarked。

〃It　brings　on　horrid　attacks　of　gout；　but　I　cannot　break　myself　of　the　habit；　it　is　too　soothing；　it　procures　for　me　a　brief　respite　every　night；　a　few　moments　during　which　life　becomes　less　of　a　burden。　。　。　。　Come。　I　am　listening；　perhaps　your　story　will　efface　the　painful　impressions　left　by　the　memories　that　I　have　just　recalled。〃

Genestas　set　down　his　empty　glass　upon　the　chimney…piece。　〃After　the　Retreat　from　Moscow；〃　he　said；　〃my　regiment　was　stationed　to　recruit　for　a　while　in　a　little　town　in　Poland。　We　were　quartered　there；　in　fact；　till　the　Emperor　returned；　and　we　bought　up　horses　at　long　prices。　So　far　so　good。　I　ought　to　say　that　I　had　a　friend　in　those　days。　More　than　once　during　the　Retreat　I　had　owed　my　life　to　him。　He　was　a　quartermaster；　Renard　by　name；　we　could　not　but　be　like　brothers　（military　discipline　apart）　after　what　he　had　done　for　me。　They　billeted　us　on　the　same　house；　a　sort　of　shanty；　a　rat…hole　of　a　place　where　a　whole　family　lived；　though　you　would　not　have　thought　there　was　room　to　stable　a　horse。　This　particular　hovel　belonged　to　some　Jews　who　carried　on　their　six…and…thirty　trades　in　it。　The　frost　had　not　so　stiffened　the　old　father　Jew's　fingers　but　that　he　could　count　gold　fast　enough；　he　had　thriven　uncommonly　during　our　reverses。　That　sort　of　gentry　lives　in　squalor　and　dies　in　gold。

〃There　were　cellars　underneath　（lined　with　wood　of　course；　the　whole　house　was　built　of　wood）；　they　had　stowed　their　children　away　down　there；　and　one　more　particularly；　a　girl　of　seventeen；　as　handsome　as　a　Jewess　can　be　when　she　keeps　herself　tidy　and　has　not　fair　hair。　She　was　as　white　as　snow；　she　had　eyes　like　velvet；　and　dark　lashes　to　them　like　rats'　tails；　her　hair　was　so　thick　and　glossy　that　it　made　you　long　to　stroke　it。　She　was　perfection；　and　nothing　less！　I　was　the　first　to　discover　this　curious　arrangement。　I　was　walking　up　and　down　outside　one　evening；　smoking　my　pipe；　after　they　thought　I　had　gone　to　bed。　The　children　came　in　helter…skelter；　tumbling　over　one　another　like　so　many　puppies。　It　was　fun　to　watch　them。　Then　they　had　supper　with　their　father　and　mother。　I　strained　my　eyes　to　see　the　young　Jewess　through　the　clouds　of　smoke　that　her　father　blew　from　his　pipe；　she　looked　like　a　new　gold　piece　among　a　lot　of　copper　coins。

〃I　had　never　reflected　about　love；　my　dear　Benassis；　I　had　never　had　time；　but　now　at　the　sight　of　this　young　girl　I　lost　my　heart　and　head　and　everything　else　at　once；　and　then　it　was　plain　to　me　that　I　had　never　been　in　love　before。　I　was　hard　hit；　and　over　head　and　ears　in　love。　There　I　stayed　smoking　my　pipe；　absorbed　in　watching　the　Jewess　until　she　blew　out