the country doctor-第6章

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he　square…shaped　kind　that　gave　rise　to　the　expression　〃square…headed。〃　Genestas　was　accustomed　to　read　the　indications　that　mark　the　features　of　men　destined　to　do　great　things；　since　he　had　been　brought　into　close　relations　with　the　energetic　natures　sought　out　by　Napoleon；　so　he　suspected　that　there　must　be　some　mystery　in　this　life　of　obscurity；　and　said　to　himself　as　he　looked　at　the　remarkable　face　before　him：

〃How　comes　it　that　he　is　still　a　country　doctor？〃

When　he　had　made　a　careful　study　of　this　countenance；　that；　in　spite　of　its　resemblance　to　other　human　faces；　revealed　an　inner　life　nowise　in　harmony　with　a　commonplace　exterior；　he　could　not　help　sharing　the　doctor's　interest　in　his　patient；　and　the　sight　of　that　patient　completely　changed　the　current　of　his　thoughts。

Much　as　the　old　cavalry　officer　had　seen　in　the　course　of　his　soldier's　career；　he　felt　a　thrill　of　surprise　and　horror　at　the　sight　of　a　human　face　which　could　never　have　been　lighted　up　with　thoughta　livid　face　in　which　a　look　of　dumb　suffering　showed　so　plainlythe　same　look　that　is　sometimes　worn　by　a　child　too　young　to　speak；　and　too　weak　to　cry　any　longer；　in　short；　it　was　the　wholly　animal　face　of　an　old　dying　cretin。　The　cretin　was　the　one　variety　of　the　human　species　with　which　the　commandant　had　not　yet　come　in　contact。　At　the　sight　of　the　deep；　circular　folds　of　skin　on　the　forehead；　the　sodden；　fish…like　eyes；　and　the　head；　with　its　short；　coarse；　scantily…growing　haira　head　utterly　divested　of　all　the　faculties　of　the　senseswho　would　not　have　experienced；　as　Genestas　did；　an　instinctive　feeling　of　repulsion　for　a　being　that　had　neither　the　physical　beauty　of　an　animal　nor　the　mental　endowments　of　man；　who　was　possessed　of　neither　instinct　nor　reason；　and　who　had　never　heard　nor　spoken　any　kind　of　articulate　speech？　It　seemed　difficult　to　expend　any　regrets　over　the　poor　wretch　now　visibly　drawing　towards　the　very　end　of　an　existence　which　had　not　been　life　in　any　sense　of　the　word；　yet　the　old　woman　watched　him　with　touching　anxiety；　and　was　rubbing　his　legs　where　the　hot　water　did　not　reach　them　with　as　much　tenderness　as　if　he　had　been　her　husband。　Benassis　himself；　after　a　close　scrutiny　of　the　dull　eyes　and　corpse…like　face；　gently　took　the　cretin's　hand　and　felt　his　pulse。

〃The　bath　is　doing　no　good；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head；　〃let　us　put　him　to　bed　again。〃

He　lifted　the　inert　mass　himself；　and　carried　him　across　to　the　truckle…bed；　from　whence；　no　doubt；　he　had　just　taken　him。　Carefully　he　laid　him　at　full　length；　and　straightened　the　limbs　that　were　growing　cold　already；　putting　the　head　and　hand　in　position；　with　all　the　heed　that　a　mother　could　bestow　upon　her　child。

〃It　is　all　over；　death　is　very　near；〃　added　Benassis；　who　remained　standing　by　the　bedside。

The　old　woman　gazed　at　the　dying　form；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips。　A　few　tears　stole　down　her　cheeks。　Genestas　remained　silent。　He　was　unable　to　explain　to　himself　how　it　was　that　the　death　of　a　being　that　concerned　him　so　little　should　affect　him　so　much。　Unconsciously　he　shared　the　feeling　of　boundless　pity　that　these　hapless　creatures　excite　among　the　dwellers　in　the　sunless　valleys　wherein　Nature　has　placed　them。　This　sentiment　has　degenerated　into　a　kind　of　religious　superstition　in　families　to　which　cretins　belong；　but　does　it　not　spring　from　the　most　beautiful　of　Christian　virtuesfrom　charity；　and　from　a　belief　in　a　reward　hereafter；　that　most　effectual　support　of　our　social　system；　and　the　one　thought　that　enables　us　to　endure　our　miseries？　The　hope　of　inheriting　eternal　bliss　helps　the　relations　of　these　unhappy　creatures　and　all　others　round　about　them　to　exert　on　a　large　scale；　and　with　sublime　devotion；　a　mother's　ceaseless　protecting　care　over　an　apathetic　creature　who　does　not　understand　it　in　the　first　instance；　and　who　in　a　little　while　forgets　it　all。　Wonderful　power　of　religion！　that　has　brought　a　blind　beneficence　to　the　aid　of　an　equally　blind　misery。　Wherever　cretins　exist；　there　is　a　popular　belief　that　the　presence　of　one　of　these　creatures　brings　luck　to　a　familya　superstition　that　serves　to　sweeten　lives　which；　in　the　midst　of　a　town　population；　would　be　condemned　by　a　mistaken　philanthropy　to　submit　to　the　harsh　discipline　of　an　asylum。　In　the　higher　end　of　the　valley　of　Isere；　where　cretins　are　very　numerous；　they　lead　an　out…of…door　life　with　the　cattle　which　they　are　taught　to　herd。　There；　at　any　rate；　they　are　at　large；　and　receive　the　reverence　due　to　misfortune。

A　moment　later　the　village　bell　clinked　at　slow　regular　intervals；　to　acquaint　the　flock　with　the　death　of　one　of　their　number。　In　the　sound　that　reached　the　cottage　but　faintly　across　the　intervening　space；　there　was　a　thought　of　religion　which　seemed　to　fill　it　with　a　melancholy　peace。　The　tread　of　many　feet　echoed　up　the　road；　giving　notice　of　an　approaching　crowd　of　peoplea　crowd　that　uttered　not　a　word。　Then　suddenly　the　chanting　of　the　Church　broke　the　stillness；　calling　up　the　confused　thoughts　that　take　possession　of　the　most　sceptical　minds；　and　compel　them　to　yield　to　the　influence　of　the　touching　harmonies　of　the　human　voice。　The　Church　was　coming　to　the　aid　of　a　creature　that　knew　her　not。　The　cure　appeared；　preceded　by　a　choir…boy；　who　bore　the　crucifix；　and　followed　by　the　sacristan　carrying　the　vase　of　holy　water；　and　by　some　fifty　women；　old　men；　and　children；　who　had　all　come　to　add　their　prayers　to　those　of　the　Church。　The　doctor　and　the　soldier　looked　at　each　other；　and　silently　withdrew　to　a　corner　to　make　room　for　the　kneeling　crowd　within　and　without　the　cottage。　During　the　consoling　ceremony　of　the　Viaticum；　celebrated　for　one　who　had　never　sinned；　but　to　whom　the　Church　on　earth　was　bidding　a　last　farewell；　there　were　signs　of　real　sorrow　on　most　of　the　rough　faces　of　the　gathering；　and　tears　flowed　over　the　rugged　cheeks　that　sun　and　wind　and　labor　in　the　fields　had　tanned　and　wrinkled。　The　sentiment　of　voluntary　kinship　was　easy　to　explain。　There　was　not　one　in　the　place　who　had　not　pitied　the　unhappy　creature；　not　one　who　would　not　have　given　him　his　daily　bread。　Had　he　not　met　with　a　father's　care　from　every　child；　and　found　a　mother　in　the　merriest　little　girl？

〃He　is　dead！〃　said　the　cure。

The　words　struck　his　hearers　with　the　most　unfeigned　dismay。　The　tall　candles　were　lighted；　and　several　people　undertook　to　watch　with　the　dead　that　night。　Benassis　and　the　soldier　went　out。　A　group　of　peasants　in　the　doorway　stopped　the　doctor　to　say：

〃Ah！　if　you　have　not　saved　his　life；　sir；　it　was　doubtless　because　God　wished　to　take　him　to　Himself。〃

〃I　did　my　best；　children；〃　the　doctor　answered。

When　they　had　come　a　few　paces　from　the　deserted　village；　whose　last　inhabitant　had　just　died；　the　doctor　spoke　to　Genestas。

〃You　would　not　believe；　sir；　what　real　solace　is　contained　for　me　in　what　those　peasants　have　just　said。　Ten　years　ago　I　was　very　nearly　stoned　to　death　in　this　village。　It　is　empty　to…day；　but　thirty　families　lived　in　it　then。〃

Genestas'　face　and　gesture　so　plainly　expressed　an　inquiry；　that；　as　they　went　along；　the　doctor　told　him　the　story　promised　by　this　beginning。

〃When　I　first　settled　here；　sir；　I　found　a　dozen　cretins　in　this　part　of　the　canton；〃　and　the　doctor　turned　round　to　point　out　the　ruined　cottages　for　the　officer's　benefit。　〃All　the　favorable　conditions　for　spreading　the　hideous　disease　are　there；　the　air　is　stagnant；　the　hamlet　lies　in　the　valley　bottom；　close　beside　a　torrent　supplied　with　water　by　the　melted　snows；　and　the　sunlight　only　falls　on　the　mountain…top；　so　that　the　valley　itself　gets　no　good　of　the　sun。　Marriages　among　these　unfortunate　creatures　are　not　forbidden　by　law；　and　in　this　district　they　are　protected　by　superstitious　notions；　of　whose　power　I　had　no　conceptionsuperstitions　which　I　blamed　at　first；　and　afterwards　came　to　admire。　So　cretinism　was　in　a　fair　way　to　spread　all　over　the　valley　from　this　spot。　Was　it　not　doing　the　country　a　great　service　to　put　a　stop　to　this　mental　and　physical　contagion？　But　imperatively　as　the　salutary　changes　were　required；　they　might　cost　the　life　of　any　man　who　endeavored　to　bring　them　about。　Here；　as　in　other　social　spheres；　if　any　good　is　t