y　families　was　fairly　settled　in；　the　rest　of　them　were　not　slow　to　follow。　The　benefits　of　the　change　were　so　evident　that　even　the　most　bigoted　believer　in　the　village；　which　you　might　call　soulless　as　well　as　sunless；　could　not　but　appreciate　them。　The　final　decision　in　this　matter；　which　gave　some　property　to　the　Commune；　in　the　possession　of　which　we　were　confirmed　by　the　Council　of　State；　made　me　a　person　of　great　importance　in　the　canton。　But　what　a　lot　of　worry　there　was　over　it！〃　the　doctor　remarked；　stopping　short；　and　raising　a　hand　which　he　let　fall　againa　gesture　that　spoke　volumes。　〃No　one　knows；　as　I　do；　the　distance　between　the　town　and　the　Prefecturewhence　nothing　comes　outand　from　the　Prefecture　to　the　Council　of　Statewhere　nothing　can　be　got　in。
  〃Well；　after　all；〃　he　resumed；　〃peace　be　to　the　powers　of　this　world！　They　yielded　to　my　importunities；　and　that　is　saying　a　great　deal。　If　you　only　knew　the　good　that　came　of　a　carelessly　scrawled　signature！　Why；　sir；　two　years　after　I　had　taken　these　momentous　trifles　in　hand；　and　had　carried　the　matter　through　to　the　end；　every　poor　family　in　the　Commune　had　two　cows　at　least；　which　they　pastured　on　the　mountain　side；　where　（without　waiting　this　time　for　an　authorization　from　the　Council　of　State）　I　had　established　a　system　of　irrigation　by　means　of　cross　trenches；　like　those　in　Switzerland；　Auvergne；　and　Limousin。　Much　to　their　astonishment；　the　townspeople　saw　some　capital　meadows　springing　up　under　their　eyes；　and　thanks　to　the　improvement　in　the　pasturage；　the　yield　of　milk　was　very　much　larger。　The　results　of　this　triumph　were　great　indeed。　Every　one　followed　the　example　set　by　my　system　of　irrigation；　cattle　were　multiplied；　the　area　of　meadow　land　and　every　kind　of　out…turn　increased。　I　had　nothing　to　fear　after　that。　I　could　continue　my　efforts　to　improve　this；　as　yet；　untilled　corner　of　the　earth；　and　to　civilize　those　who　dwelt　in　it；　whose　minds　had　hitherto　lain　dormant。
  〃Well；　sir；　folk　like　us；　who　live　out　of　the　world；　are　very　talkative。　If　you　ask　us　a　question；　there　is　no　knowing　where　the　answer　will　come　to　an　end；　but　to　cut　it　shortthere　were　about　seven　hundred　souls　in　the　valley　when　I　came　to　it；　and　now　the　population　numbers　some　two　thousand。　I　had　gained　the　good　opinion　of　every　one　in　that　matter　of　the　last　cretin；　and　when　I　had　constantly　shown　that　I　could　rule　both　mildly　and　firmly；　I　became　a　local　oracle。　I　did　everything　that　I　could　to　win　their　confidence；　I　did　not　ask　for　it；　nor　did　I　appear　to　seek　it；　but　I　tried　to　inspire　every　one　with　the　deepest　respect　for　my　character；　by　the　scrupulous　way　in　which　I　always　fulfilled　my　engagements；　even　when　they　were　of　the　most　trifling　kind。　When　I　had　pledged　myself　to　care　for　the　poor　creature　whose　death　you　have　just　witnessed；　I　looked　after　him　much　more　effectually　than　any　of　his　previous　guardians　had　done。　He　has　been　fed　and　cared　for　as　the　adopted　child　of　the　Commune。　After　a　time　the　dwellers　in　the　valley　ended　by　understanding　the　service　which　I　had　done　them　in　spite　of　themselves；　but　for　all　that；　they　still　cherish　some　traces　of　that　old　superstition　of　theirs。　Far　be　it　from　me　to　blame　them　for　it；　has　not　their　cult　of　the　cretin　often　furnished　me　with　an　argument　when　I　have　tried　to　induce　those　who　had　possession　of　their　faculties　to　help　the　unfortunate？　But　here　we　are；〃　said　Benassis；　when　after　a　moment's　pause　he　saw　the　roof　of　his　own　house。
  Far　from　expecting　the　slightest　expression　of　praise　or　of　thanks　from　his　listener；　it　appeared　from　his　way　of　telling　the　story　of　this　episode　in　his　administrative　career；　that　he　had　been　moved　by　an　unconscious　desire　to　pour　out　the　thoughts　that　filled　his　mind；　after　the　manner　of　folk　that　live　very　retired　lives。
  〃I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　putting　my　horse　in　your　stable；　sir；〃　said　the　commandant；　〃for　which　in　your　goodness　you　will　perhaps　pardon　me　when　you　learn　the　object　of　my　journey　hither。〃
  〃Ah！　yes；　what　is　it？〃　asked　Benassis；　appearing　to　shake　off　his　preoccupied　mood；　and　to　recollect　that　his　companion　was　a　stranger　to　him。　The　frankness　and　unreserve　of　his　nature　had　led　him　to　accept　Genestas　as　an　acquaintance。
  〃I　have　heard　of　the　almost　miraculous　recovery　of　M。　Gravier　of　Grenoble；　whom　you　received　into　your　house；〃　was　the　soldier's　answer。　〃I　have　come　to　you；　hoping　that　you　will　give　a　like　attention　to　my　case；　although　I　have　not　a　similar　claim　to　your　benevolence；　and　yet；　I　am　possibly　not　undeserving　of　it。　I　am　an　old　soldier；　and　wounds　of　long　standing　give　me　no　peace。　It　will　take　you　at　least　a　week　to　study　my　condition；　for　the　pain　only　comes　back　at　intervals；　and〃
  〃Very　good；　sir；〃　Benassis　broke　in；　〃M。　Gravier's　room　is　in　readiness。　Come　in。〃
  They　went　into　the　house；　the　doctor　flinging　open　the　door　with　an　eagerness　that　Genestas　attributed　to　his　pleasure　at　receiving　a　boarder。
  〃Jacquotte！〃　Benassis　called　out。　〃This　gentleman　will　dine　with　us。〃
  〃But　would　it　not　be　as　well　for　us　to　settle　about　the　payment？〃
  〃Payment　for　what？〃　inquired　the　doctor。
  〃For　my　board。　You　cannot　keep　me　and　my　horse　as　well；　without〃
  〃If　you　are　wealthy；　you　will　repay　me　amply；〃　Benassis　replied；　〃and　if　you　are　not；　I　will　take　nothing　whatever。〃
  〃Nothing　whatever　seems　to　me　to　be　too　dear；〃　said　Genestas。　〃But；　rich　or　poor；　will　ten　francs　a　day　（not　including　your　professional　services）　be　acceptable　to　you？〃
  〃Nothing　could　be　less　acceptable　to　me　than　payment　for　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　a　visitor；〃　the　doctor　answered；　knitting　his　brows；　〃and　as　to　my　advice；　you　shall　have　it　if　I　like　you；　and　not　unless。　Rich　people　shall　not　have　my　time　by　paying　for　it；　it　belongs　exclusively　to　the　folk　here　in　the　valley。　I　do　not　care　about　fame　or　fortune；　and　I　look　for　neither　praise　or　gratitude　from　my　patients。　Any　money　which　you　may　pay　me　will　go　to　the　druggists　in　Grenoble；　to　pay　for　the　medicine　required　by　the　poor　of　the　neighborhood。〃
  Any　one　who　had　heard　the　words　flung　out；　abruptly；　it　is　true；　but　without　a　trace　of　bitterness　in　them；　would　have　said　to　himself　with　Genestas；　〃Here　is　a　man　made　of　good　human　clay。〃
  〃Well；　then；　I　will　pay　you　ten　francs　a　day；　sir；〃　the　soldier　answered；　returning　to　the　charge　with　wonted　pertinacity；　〃and　you　will　do　as　you　choose　after　that。　We　shall　understand　each　other　better；　now　that　the　question　is　settled；〃　he　added；　grasping　the　doctor's　hand　with　eager　cordiality。　〃In　spite　of　my　ten　francs；　you　shall　see　that　I　am　by　no　means　a　Tartar。〃
  After　this　passage　of　arms；　in　which　Benassis　showed　not　the　slightest　sign　of　a　wish　to　appear　generous　or　to　pose　as　a　philanthropist；　the　supposed　invalid　entered　his　doctor's　house。　Everything　within　it　was　in　keeping　with　the　ruinous　state　of　the　gateway；　and　with　the　clothing　worn　by　its　owner。　There　was　an　utter　disregard　for　everything　not　essentially　useful；　which　was　visible　even　in　the　smallest　trifles。　Benassis　took　Genestas　through　the　kitchen；　that　being　the　shortest　way　to　the　dining…room。
  Had　the　kitchen　belonged　to　an　inn；　it　could　not　have　been　more　smoke…　begrimed；　and　if　there　was　a　sufficiency　of　cooking　pots　within　its　precincts；　this　lavish　supply　was　Jacquotte's　doingJacquotte　who　had　formerly　been　the　cure's　housekeeperJacquotte　who　always　said　〃we；〃　and　who　ruled　supreme　over　the　doctor's　household。　If；　for　instance；　there　was　a　brightly　polished　warming…pan　above　the　mantelshelf；　it　probably　hung　there　because　Jacquotte　liked　to　sleep　warm　of　a　winter　night；　which　led　her　incidentally　to　warm　her　master's　sheets。　He　never　took　a　thought　about　anything；　so　she　was　wont　to　say。
  It　was　on　account　of　a　defect；　which　any　one　else　would　have　found　intolerable；　that　Benassis　had　taken　her　into　his　service。　Jacquotte　had　a　mind　to　rule　the　house；　and　a　woman　who　would　rule　his　house　was　the　very　person　that　the　doctor　wanted。　So　Jacquotte　bought　and　sold；　made　alterations　about　the　place；　set　up　and　took　down；　arranged　and　disarranged　everything　at　her　own　sweet　will；　her　master　had　never　raised　a　murmur。　Over　the　yard；　the　stable；　the　man…servant　and　the　kitchen；　in　fact；　over　the　whole　house　and　garden　and　its　master；　Jacquotte's　sway　was　absolute。　She　looked　out　fresh　linen；　saw　to　the　washing；　and　laid　in　provisions　without　consulting　anybody。　She　decided　everything　that　went　on　in　the　house；　and　the　date　when　the　pigs　were　to　be　killed。　She　scolded　the　gardener；　decreed　the　menu　at　breakfast　and　dinner；　and　went　from　cellar　to　garret；　and　from　garret　to　cellar；　setting　everything　to　rights　according　to　her　notions；　without　a　word　of　opposition　of　any　sort　or　description。　Benassis　had　made　but　two　stipulationshe　wished　to　dine　at　six　o'clock；　and　that　the　household　expenses　should　not　exceed　a　certain　fixed　sum　every　month。
  A　woman　whom　every　one　obeys　in　this　way　is　always　singing；　so　Jacquotte　laughed　and　warbled　on　the　staircase；　she　was　always　humming　something　when　she　was　not　singing；　and　singing　when　she　was　not　humming。　Jacquotte　had　a　natural　liking　for　cleanliness；　so　she　kept　the　house　neat　and　clean。　If　her　tastes　had　been　different；　it　would　have　been　a