the country doctor- 第56部分

〃Why；　nothing　worth　telling　has　ever　happened　to　me；　sir；〃　she　answered；　as　her　color　rose。　〃Will　you　take　a　little　more　rice　pudding？〃　she　added；　as　she　saw　that　Adrien's　plate　was　empty。

〃If　you　please；　mademoiselle。〃

〃The　pudding　is　delicious；〃　said　Genestas。

〃Then　what　will　you　say　to　her　coffee　and　cream？〃　cried　Benassis。

〃I　would　rather　hear　our　pretty　hostess　talk。〃

〃You　did　not　put　that　nicely；　Genestas；〃　said　Benassis。　He　took　La　Fosseuse's　hand　in　his　and　pressed　it　as　he　went　on：　〃Listen；　my　child；　there　is　a　kind　heart　hidden　away　beneath　that　officer's　stern　exterior；　and　you　can　talk　freely　before　him。　We　do　not　want　to　press　you　to　talk；　do　not　tell　us　anything　unless　you　like：　but　if　ever　you　can　be　listened　to　and　understood；　poor　little　one；　it　will　be　by　the　three　who　are　with　you　now　at　this　moment。　Tell　us　all　about　your　love　affairs　in　the　old　days；　that　will　not　admit　us　into　any　of　the　real　secrets　of　your　heart。〃

〃Here　is　Mariette　with　the　coffee；〃　she　answered；　〃and　as　soon　as　you　are　all　served；　I　will　tell　about　my　'love　affairs'　very　willingly。　But　M。　le　Commandant　will　not　forget　his　promise？〃　she　added；　challenging　the　officer　with　a　shy　glance。

〃That　would　be　impossible；　mademoiselle；〃　Genestas　answered　respectfully。

〃When　I　was　sixteen　years　old；〃　La　Fosseuse　began；　〃I　had　to　beg　my　bread　on　the　roadside　in　Savoy；　though　my　health　was　very　bad。　I　used　to　sleep　at　Echelles；　in　a　manger　full　of　straw。　The　innkeeper　who　gave　me　shelter　was　kind；　but　his　wife　could　not　abide　me；　and　was　always　saying　hard　things。　I　used　to　feel　very　miserable；　for　though　I　was　a　beggar；　I　was　not　a　naughty　child；　I　used　to　say　my　prayers　every　night　and　morning；　I　never　stole　anything；　and　I　did　as　Heaven　bade　me　in　begging　for　my　living；　for　there　was　nothing　that　I　could　turn　my　hands　to；　and　I　was　really　unfit　for　workquite　unable　to　handle　a　hoe　or　to　wind　spools　of　cotton。

〃Well；　they　drove　me　away　from　the　inn　at　last；　a　dog　was　the　cause　of　it　all。　I　had　neither　father　nor　mother　nor　friends。　I　had　met　with　no　one；　ever　since　I　was　born；　whose　eyes　had　any　kindness　in　them　for　me。　Morin；　the　old　woman　who　had　brought　me　up；　was　dead。　She　had　been　very　good　to　me；　but　I　cannot　remember　that　she　ever　petted　me　much；　besides；　she　worked　out　in　the　fields　like　a　man；　poor　thing；　and　if　she　fondled　me　at　times；　she　also　used　to　rap　my　fingers　with　the　spoon　if　I　ate　the　soup　too　fast　out　of　the　porringer　we　had　between　us。　Poor　old　woman；　never　a　day　passes　but　I　remember　her　in　my　prayers！　If　it　might　please　God　to　let　her　live　a　happier　life　up　there　than　she　did　here　below！　And；　above　all　things；　if　she　might　only　lie　a　little　softer　there；　for　she　was　always　grumbling　about　the　pallet…bed　that　we　both　used　to　sleep　upon。　You　could　not　possibly　imagine　how　it　hurts　one's　soul　to　be　repulsed　by　every　one；　to　receive　nothing　but　hard　words　and　looks　that　cut　you　to　the　heart；　just　as　if　they　were　so　many　stabs　of　a　knife。　I　have　known　poor　old　people　who　were　so　used　to　these　things　that　they　did　not　mind　them　a　bit；　but　I　was　not　born　for　that　sort　of　life。　A　'No'　always　made　me　cry。　Every　evening　I　came　back　again　more　unhappy　than　ever；　and　only　felt　comforted　when　I　had　said　my　prayers。　In　all　God's　world；　in　fact；　there　was　not　a　soul　to　care　for　me；　no　one　to　whom　I　could　pour　out　my　heart。　My　only　friend　was　the　blue　sky。　I　have　always　been　happy　when　there　was　a　cloudless　sky　above　my　head。　I　used　to　lie　and　watch　the　weather　from　some　nook　among　the　crags　when　the　wind　had　swept　the　clouds　away。　At　such　times　I　used　to　dream　that　I　was　a　great　lady。　I　used　to　gaze　into　the　sky　till　I　felt　myself　bathed　in　the　blue；　I　lived　up　there　in　thought；　rising　higher　and　higher　yet；　till　my　troubles　weighed　on　me　no　more；　and　there　was　nothing　but　gladness　left。

〃But　to　return　to　my　'love　affairs。'　I　must　tell　you　that　the　innkeeper's　spaniel　had　a　dear　little　puppy；　just　as　sensible　as　a　human　being；　he　was　quite　white；　with　black　spots　on　his　paws；　a　cherub　of　a　puppy！　I　can　see　him　yet。　Poor　little　fellow；　he　was　the　only　creature　who　ever　gave　me　a　friendly　look　in　those　days；　I　kept　all　my　tidbits　for　him。　He　knew　me；　and　came　to　look　for　me　every　evening。　How　he　used　to　spring　up　at　me！　And　he　would　bite　my　feet；　he　was　not　ashamed　of　my　poverty；　there　was　something　so　grateful　and　so　kind　in　his　eyes　that　it　brought　tears　into　mine　to　see　it。　'That　is　the　one　living　creature　that　really　cares　for　me！'　I　used　to　say。　He　slept　at　my　feet　that　winter。　It　hurt　me　so　much　to　see　him　beaten；　that　I　broke　him　of　the　habit　of　going　into　houses；　to　steal　bones；　and　he　was　quite　contented　with　my　crusts。　When　I　was　unhappy；　he　used　to　come　and　stand　in　front　of　me；　and　look　into　my　eyes；　it　was　just　as　if　he　said；　'So　you　are　sad；　my　poor　Fosseuse？'

〃If　a　traveler　threw　me　some　halfpence；　he　would　pick　them　up　out　of　the　dust　and　bring　them　to　me；　clever　little　spaniel　that　he　was！　I　was　less　miserable　so　long　as　I　had　that　friend。　Every　day　I　put　away　a　few　halfpence；　for　I　wanted　to　get　fifteen　francs　together；　so　that　I　might　buy　him　of　Pere　Manseau。　One　day　his　wife　saw　that　the　dog　was　fond　of　me；　so　she　herself　took　a　sudden　violent　fancy　to　him。　The　dog；　mind　you；　could　not　bear　her。　Oh；　animals　know　people　by　instinct！　If　you　really　care　for　them；　they　find　it　out　in　a　moment。　I　had　a　gold　coin；　a　twenty…franc　piece；　sewed　into　the　band　of　my　skirt；　so　I　spoke　to　M。　Manseau：　'Dear　sir；　I　meant　to　offer　you　my　year's　savings　for　your　dog；　but　now　your　wife　has　a　mind　to　keep　him；　although　she　cares　very　little　about　him；　and　rather　than　that；　will　you　sell　him　to　me　for　twenty　francs？　Look；　I　have　the　money　here。'

〃　'No；　no；　little　woman；'　he　said；　'put　up　your　twenty　francs。　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　take　their　money　from　the　poor！　Keep　the　dog；　and　if　my　wife　makes　a　fuss　about　it；　you　must　go　away。'

〃His　wife　made　a　terrible　to…do　about　the　dog。　Ah！　mon　Dieu！　any　one　might　have　thought　the　house　was　on　fire！　You　never　would　guess　the　notion　that　next　came　into　her　head。　She　saw　that　the　little　fellow　looked　on　me　as　his　mistress；　and　that　she　could　only　have　him　against　his　will；　so　she　had　him　poisoned；　and　my　poor　spaniel　died　in　my　arms。　。　。　。　I　cried　over　him　as　if　he　had　been　my　child；　and　buried　him　under　a　pine…tree。　You　do　not　know　all　that　I　laid　in　that　grave。　As　I　sat　there　beside　it；　I　told　myself　that　henceforward　I　should　always　be　alone　in　the　world；　that　I　had　nothing　left　to　hope　for；　that　I　should　be　again　as　I　had　been　before；　a　poor　lonely　girl；　that　I　should　never　more　see　a　friendly　light　in　any　eyes。　I　stayed　out　there　all　through　the　night；　praying　God　to　have　pity　on　me。　When　I　went　back　to　the　highroad　I　saw　a　poor　little　child；　about　ten　years　old；　who　had　no　hands。

〃　'God　has　heard　me；'　I　thought。　I　had　prayed　that　night　as　I　had　never　prayed　before。　'I　will　take　care　of　the　poor　little　one；　we　will　beg　together；　and　I　will　be　a　mother　to　him。　Two　of　us　ought　to　do　better　than　one；　perhaps　I　should　have　more　courage　for　him　than　I　have　for　myself。'

〃At　first　the　little　boy　seemed　to　be　quite　happy；　and；　indeed；　he　would　have　been　hard　to　please　if　he　had　not　been　content。　I　did　everything　that　he　wanted；　and　gave　him　the　best　of　all　that　I　had；　I　was　his　slave　in　fact；　and　he　tyrannized　over　me；　but　that　was　nicer　than　being　alone；　I　used　to　think！　Pshaw！　no　sooner　did　the　little　good…for…nothing　know　that　I　carried　a　twenty…franc　piece　sewed　into　my　skirtband　than　he　cut　the　stitches；　and　stole　my　gold　coin；　the　price　of　my　poor　spaniel！　I　had　meant　to　have　masses　said　with　it。　。　。　。　A　child　without　hands；　too！　Oh；　it　makes　one　shudder！　Somehow　that　theft　took　all　the　heart　out　of　me。　It　seemed　as　if　I　was　to　love　nothing　but　it　should　come　to　some　wretched　end。

〃One　day　at　Echelles；　I　watched　a　fine　carriage　coming　slowly　up　the　hillside。　There　was　a　young　lady；　as　beautiful　as　the　Virgin　Mary；　in　the　carriage；　and　a　young　man；　who　looked　like　the　young　lady。　'Just　look；'　he　said；　'there　is　a　pretty　girl！'　and　he　flung　a　silver　coin　to　me。

〃No　one　but　you；　M。　Benassis；　could　understand　how　pleased　I　was　with　the　compliment；　the　first　that　I　had　ever　had：　but；　indeed；　the　gentleman　ought　not　to　have　thrown　the　money　to　me。　I　was　in　a　flutter；　I　knew　of　a　short　cut；　a　footpath　among　the　rocks；　and　started　at　once　to　run；　so　that　I　reached　the　summit　of　the　Echelles　long　before　the　carriage；　which　was　coming　up　very　slowly。　I　saw　the　young　man　again；　he　was　quite　surprised　to　find　me　there；　and　as　for　me；　I　was　so　pleased　that　my　heart　seemed　to　be　throbbing　in　my　throat。　Some　kind　of　instinct　drew　me　towards　him。　After　he　had　recognized　me；　I　went　on　my　way　again；　I　felt　quite　sure　that　he　and　the　young　lady　with　him　would　leave　the　carriage　to　see　the　waterfall　at　Couz；　and　so　they　did。　When　they　alighted；　they　saw　me　once　more；　under　the　walnut…trees　by　the　wayside。　They　asked　me　many　questions；　and　seemed　to　take　an　interest　in　what　I　told　them　about　myself。　In　all　my　life　I　had　never　heard　such　pleasant　voices　as　they　had；　that　handsome　young　man　and　his　sister；　for　she　was　his　sister；　I　am　sure。　I　thought　about　them　for　a　whole　yea