the country doctor- 第9部分

〃Those　who　dwelt　amidst　these　lovely　natural　surroundings　groveled　in　squalor　and　lived　upon　potatoes；　milk；　butter；　and　cheese。　The　only　produce　that　brought　in　any　money　was　the　cheese；　which　most　of　them　carried　in　small　baskets　to　Grenoble　or　its　outskirts。　The　richer　or　the　more　energetic　among　them　sowed　buckwheat　for　home　consumption；　sometimes　they　raised　a　crop　of　barley　or　oats；　but　wheat　was　unknown。　The　only　trader　in　the　place　was　the　mayor；　who　owned　a　sawmill　and　bought　up　timber　at　a　low　price　to　sell　again。　In　the　absence　of　roads；　his　tree　trunks　had　to　be　transported　during　the　summer　season；　each　log　was　dragged　along　one　at　a　time；　and　with　no　small　difficulty；　by　means　of　a　chain　attached　to　a　halter　about　his　horse's　neck；　and　an　iron　hook　at　the　farther　end　of　the　chain；　which　was　driven　into　the　wood。　Any　one　who　went　to　Grenoble；　whether　on　horseback　or　afoot；　was　obliged　to　follow　a　track　high　up　on　the　mountain　side；　for　the　valley　was　quite　impassable。　The　pretty　road　between　this　place　and　the　first　village　that　you　reach　as　you　come　into　the　canton　（the　way　along　which　you　must　have　come）　was　nothing　but　a　slough　at　all　seasons　of　the　year。

〃Political　events　and　revolutions　had　never　reached　this　inaccessible　countryit　lay　completely　beyond　the　limits　of　social　stir　and　change。　Napoleon's　name；　and　his　alone；　had　penetrated　hither；　he　is　held　in　great　veneration；　thanks　to　one　or　two　old　soldiers　who　have　returned　to　their　native　homes；　and　who　of　evenings　tell　marvelous　tales　about　his　adventures　and　his　armies　for　the　benefit　of　these　simple　folk。　Their　coming　back　is；　moreover；　a　puzzle　that　no　one　can　explain。　Before　I　came　here；　the　young　men　who　went　into　the　army　all　stayed　in　it　for　good。　This　fact　in　itself　is　a　sufficient　revelation　of　the　wretched　condition　of　the　country。　I　need　not　give　you　a　detailed　description　of　it。

〃This；　then；　was　the　state　of　things　when　I　first　came　to　the　canton；　which　has　several　contented；　well…tilled；　and　fairly　prosperous　communes　belonging　to　it　upon　the　other　side　of　the　mountains。　I　will　say　nothing　about　the　hovels　in　the　town；　they　were　neither　more　nor　less　than　stables；　in　which　men　and　animals　were　indiscriminately　huddled　together。　As　there　was　no　inn　in　the　place；　I　was　obliged　to　ask　the　curate　for　a　bed；　he　being　in　possession；　for　the　time　being；　of　this　house；　then　offered　for　sale。　Putting　to　him　question　after　question；　I　came　to　have　some　slight　knowledge　of　the　lamentable　condition　of　the　country　with　the　pleasant　climate；　the　fertile　soil；　and　the　natural　productiveness　that　had　impressed　me　so　much。

〃At　that　time；　sir；　I　was　seeking　to　shape　a　future　for　myself　that　should　be　as　little　as　possible　like　the　troubled　life　that　had　left　me　weary；　and　one　of　those　thoughts　came　into　my　mind　that　God　gives　us　at　times；　to　enable　us　to　take　up　our　burdens　and　bear　them。　I　resolved　to　develop　all　the　resources　of　this　country；　just　as　a　tutor　develops　the　capacities　of　a　child。　Do　not　think　too　much　of　my　benevolence；　the　pressing　need　that　I　felt　for　turning　my　thoughts　into　fresh　channels　entered　too　much　into　my　motives。　I　had　determined　to　give　up　the　remainder　of　my　life　to　some　difficult　task。　A　lifetime　would　be　required　to　bring　about　the　needful　changes　in　a　canton　that　Nature　had　made　so　wealthy；　and　man　so　poor；　and　I　was　tempted　by　the　practical　difficulties　that　stood　in　the　way。　As　soon　as　I　found　that　I　could　secure　the　cure's　house　and　plenty　of　waste　land　at　a　small　cost；　I　solemnly　devoted　myself　to　the　calling　of　a　country　surgeon　the　very　last　position　that　a　man　aspires　to　take。　I　determined　to　become　the　friend　of　the　poor；　and　to　expect　no　reward　of　any　kind　from　them。　Oh！　I　did　not　indulge　in　any　illusions　as　to　the　nature　of　the　country　people；　nor　as　to　the　hindrances　that　lie　in　the　way　of　every　attempt　to　bring　about　a　better　state　of　things　among　men　or　their　surroundings。　I　have　never　made　idyllic　pictures　of　my　people；　I　have　taken　them　at　their　just　worthas　poor　peasants；　neither　wholly　good　nor　wholly　bad；　whose　constant　toil　never　allows　them　to　indulge　in　emotion；　though　they　can　feel　acutely　at　times。　Above　all　things；　in　fact；　I　clearly　understood　that　I　should　do　nothing　with　them　except　through　an　appeal　to　their　selfish　interests；　and　by　schemes　for　their　immediate　well…being。　The　peasants　are　one　and　all　the　sons　of　St。　Thomas；　the　doubting　apostlethey　always　like　words　to　be　supported　by　visible　facts。

〃Perhaps　you　will　laugh　at　my　first　start；　sir；〃　the　doctor　went　on　after　a　pause。　〃I　began　my　difficult　enterprise　by　introducing　the　manufacture　of　baskets。　The　poor　folks　used　to　buy　the　wicker　mats　on　which　they　drain　their　cheeses；　and　all　the　baskets　needed　for　the　insignificant　trade　of　the　district。　I　suggested　to　an　intelligent　young　fellow　that　he　might　take　a　lease　on　a　good…sized　piece　of　land　by　the　side　of　the　torrent。　Every　year　the　floods　deposited　a　rich　alluvial　soil　on　this　spot；　where　there　should　be　no　difficulty　in　growing　osiers。　I　reckoned　out　the　quantity　of　wicker…work　of　various　kinds　required　from　time　to　time　by　the　canton；　and　went　over　to　Grenoble；　where　I　found　a　young　craftsman；　a　clever　worker；　but　without　any　capital。　When　I　had　discovered　him；　I　soon　made　up　my　mind　to　set　him　up　in　business　here。　I　undertook　to　advance　the　money　for　the　osiers　required　for　his　work　until　my　osier…farmer　should　be　in　a　position　to　supply　him。　I　induced　him　to　sell　his　baskets　at　rather　lower　prices　than　they　asked　for　them　in　Grenoble；　while；　at　the　same　time；　they　were　better　made。　He　entered　into　my　views　completely。　The　osier…beds　and　the　basket…making　were　two　business　speculations　whose　results　were　only　appreciated　after　a　lapse　of　four　years。　Of　course；　you　know　that　osiers　must　be　three　years　old　before　they　are　fit　to　cut。

〃At　the　commencement　of　operations；　the　basket…maker　was　boarded　and　lodged　gratuitously。　Before　very　long　he　married　a　woman　from　Saint　Laurent　du　Pont；　who　had　a　little　money。　Then　he　had　a　house　built；　in　a　healthy　and　very　airy　situation　which　I　chose；　and　my　advice　was　followed　as　to　the　internal　arrangements。　Here　was　a　triumph！　I　had　created　a　new　industry；　and　had　brought　a　producer　and　several　workers　into　the　town。　I　wonder　if　you　will　regard　my　elations　as　childish？

〃For　the　first　few　days　after　my　basket…maker　had　set　up　his　business；　I　never　went　past　his　shop　but　my　heart　beat　somewhat　faster。　And　when　I　saw　the　newly…built　house；　with　the　green…painted　shutters；　the　vine　beside　the　doorway；　and　the　bench　and　bundles　of　osiers　before　it；　when　I　saw　a　tidy；　neatly…dressed　woman　within　it；　nursing　a　plump；　pink　and　white　baby　among　the　workmen；　who　were　singing　merrily　and　busily　plaiting　their　wicker…work　under　the　superintendence　of　a　man　who　but　lately　had　looked　so　pinched　and　pale；　but　now　had　an　atmosphere　of　prosperity　about　him；　when　I　saw　all　this；　I　confess　that　I　could　not　forego　the　pleasure　of　turning　basket…maker　for　a　moment；　of　going　into　the　shop　to　hear　how　things　went　with　them；　and　of　giving　myself　up　to　a　feeling　of　content　that　I　cannot　express　in　words；　for　I　had　all　their　happiness　as　well　as　my　own　to　make　me　glad。　All　my　hopes　became　centered　on　this　house；　where　the　man　dwelt　who　had　been　the　first　to　put　a　steady　faith　in　me。　Like　the　basket…　maker's　wife；　clasping　her　first　nursling　to　her　breast；　did　not　I　already　fondly　cherish　the　hopes　of　the　future　of　this　poor　district？

〃I　had　to　do　so　many　things　at　once；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　came　into　collision　with　other　people's　notions；　and　met　with　violent　opposition；　fomented　by　the　ignorant　mayor　to　whose　office　I　had　succeeded；　and　whose　influence　had　dwindled　away　as　mine　increased。　I　determined　to　make　him　my　deputy　and　a　confederate　in　my　schemes　of　benevolence。　Yes；　in　the　first　place；　I　endeavored　to　instil　enlightened　ideas　into　the　densest　of　all　heads。　Through　his　self…love　and　cupidity　I　gained　a　hold　upon　my　man。　During　six　months　as　we　dined　together；　I　took　him　deeply　into　my　confidence　about　my　projected　improvements。　Many　people　would　think　this　intimacy　one　of　the　most　painful　inflictions　in　the　course　of　my　task；　but　was　he　not　a　tool　of　the　most　valuable　kind？　Woe　to　him　who　despises　his　axe；　or　flings　it　carelessly　aside！　Would　it　not　have　been　very　inconsistent；　moreover；　if　I；　who　wished　to　improve　a　district；　had　shrunk　back　at　the　thought　of　improving　one　man　in　it？

〃A　road　was　our　first　and　most　pressing　need　in　bringing　about　a　better　state　of　things。　If　we　could　obtain　permission　from　the　Municipal　Council　to　make　a　hard　road；　so　as　to　put　us　in　communication　with　the　highway　to　Grenoble；　the　deputy…mayor　would　be　the　first　gainer　by　it；　for　instead　of　dragging　his　timber　over　rough　tracks　at　a　great　expense；　a　good　road　through　the　canton　would　enable　him　to　transport　it　more　easily；　and　to　engage　in　a　traffic　on　a　large　scale；　in　all　kinds　of　wood；　that　would　bring　in　moneynot　a　miserable　six　hundred　francs　a　year；　but　handsome　sums　which　would　mean　a　certain　fortune　for　him　some　day。　Convinced　at　last；　he　became　my　proselytizer。

〃Through　the　whole　of　one　winter　the　ex…mayor　got　into　the　way　of　explaining　to　our　citizens　that　a　g