liness；　so　she　kept　the　house　neat　and　clean。　If　her　tastes　had　been　different；　it　would　have　been　a　sad　thing　for　M。　Benassis　（so　she　was　wont　to　say）；　for　the　poor　man　was　so　little　particular　that　you　might　feed　him　on　cabbage　for　partridges；　and　he　would　not　find　it　out；　and　if　it　were　not　for　her；　he　would　very　often　wear　the　same　shirt　for　a　week　on　end。　Jacquotte；　however；　was　an　indefatigable　folder　of　linen；　a　born　rubber　and　polisher　of　furniture；　and　a　passionate　lover　of　a　perfectly　religious　and　ceremonial　cleanliness　of　the　most　scrupulous；　the　most　radiant；　and　most　fragrant　kind。　A　sworn　foe　to　dust；　she　swept　and　scoured　and　washed　without　ceasing。
  The　condition　of　the　gateway　caused　her　acute　distress。　On　the　first　day　of　every　month　for　the　past　ten　years；　she　had　extorted　from　her　master　a　promise　that　he　would　replace　the　gate　with　a　new　one；　that　the　walls　of　the　house　should　be　lime…washed；　and　that　everything　should　be　made　quite　straight　and　proper　about　the　place；　but　so　far；　the　master　had　not　kept　his　word。　So　it　happened　that　whenever　she　fell　to　lamenting　over　Benassis'　deeply…rooted　carelessness　about　things；　she　nearly　always　ended　solemnly　in　these　words　with　which　all　her　praises　of　her　master　usually　terminated：
  〃You　cannot　say　that　he　is　a　fool；　because　he　works　such　miracles；　as　you　may　say；　in　the　place；　but；　all　the　same；　he　is　a　fool　at　times；　such　a　fool　that　you　have　to　do　everything　for　him　as　if　he　were　a　child。〃
  Jacquotte　loved　the　house　as　if　it　had　belonged　to　her；　and　when　she　had　lived　in　it　for　twenty…two　years；　had　she　not　some　grounds　for　deluding　herself　on　that　head？　After　the　cure's　death　the　house　had　been　for　sale；　and　Benassis；　who　had　only　just　come　into　the　country；　had　bought　it　as　it　stood；　with　the　walls　about　it　and　the　ground　belonging　to　it；　together　with　the　plate；　wine；　and　furniture；　the　old　sundial；　the　poultry；　the　horse；　and　the　woman…servant。　Jacquotte　was　the　very　pattern　of　a　working　housekeeper；　with　her　clumsy　figure；　and　her　bodice；　always　of　the　same　dark　brown　print　with　large　red　spots　on　it；　which　fitted　her　so　tightly　that　it　looked　as　if　the　material　must　give　way　if　she　moved　at　all。　Her　colorless　face；　with　its　double　chin；　looked　out　from　under　a　round　plaited　cap；　which　made　her　look　paler　than　she　really　was。　She　talked　incessantly；　and　always　in　a　loud　voicethis　short；　active　woman；　with　the　plump；　busy　hands。　Indeed；　if　Jacquotte　was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　took　a　corner　of　her　apron　so　as　to　turn　it　up　in　a　triangle；　it　meant　that　a　lengthy　expostulation　was　about　to　be　delivered　for　the　benefit　of　master　or　man。　Jacquotte　was　beyond　all　doubt　the　happiest　cook　in　the　kingdom；　for；　that　nothing　might　be　lacking　in　a　measure　of　felicity　as　great　as　may　be　known　in　this　world　below；　her　vanity　was　continually　gratifiedthe　townspeople　regarded　her　as　an　authority　of　an　indefinite　kind；　and　ranked　her　somewhere　between　the　mayor　and　the　park…keeper。
  The　master　of　the　house　found　nobody　in　the　kitchen　when　he　entered　it。
  〃Where　the　devil　are　they　all　gone？〃　he　asked。　〃Pardon　me　for　bringing　you　in　this　way；〃　he　went　on；　turning　to　Genestas。　〃The　front　entrance　opens　into　the　garden；　but　I　am　so　little　accustomed　to　receive　visitors　thatJacquotte！〃　he　called　in　rather　peremptory　tones。
  A　woman's　voice　answered　to　the　name　from　the　interior　of　the　house。　A　moment　later　Jacquotte；　assuming　the　offensive；　called　in　her　turn　to　Benassis；　who　forthwith　went　into　the　dining…room。
  〃Just　like　you；　sir！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃you　never　do　like　anybody　else。　You　always　ask　people　to　dinner　without　telling　me　beforehand；　and　you　think　that　everything　is　settled　as　soon　as　you　have　called　for　Jacquotte！　You　are　not　going　to　have　the　gentleman　sit　in　the　kitchen；　are　you？　Is　not　the　salon　to　be　unlocked　and　a　fire　to　be　lighted？　Nicolle　is　there；　and　will　see　after　everything。　Now　take　the　gentleman　into　the　garden　for　a　minute；　that　will　amuse　him；　if　he　likes　to　look　at　pretty　things；　show　him　the　arbor　of　hornbeam　trees　that　the　poor　dear　old　gentleman　made。　I　shall　have　time　then　to　lay　the　cloth；　and　to　get　everything　ready；　the　dinner　and　the　salon　too。〃
  〃Yes。　But；　Jacquotte；〃　Benassis　went　on；　〃the　gentleman　is　going　to　stay　with　us。　Do　not　forget　to　give　a　look　round　M。　Gravier's　room；　and　see　about　the　sheets　and　things；　and　〃
  〃Now　you　are　not　going　to　interfere　about　the　sheets；　are　you？〃　asked　Jacquotte。　〃If　he　is　to　sleep　here；　I　know　what　must　be　done　for　him　perfectly　well。　You　have　not　so　much　as　set　foot　in　M。　Gravier's　room　these　ten　months　past。　There　is　nothing　to　see　there；　the　place　is　as　clean　as　a　new　pin。　Then　will　the　gentleman　make　some　stay　here？〃　she　continued　in　a　milder　tone。
  〃Yes。〃
  〃How　long　will　he　stay？〃
  〃Faith；　I　do　not　know：　What　does　it　matter　to　you？〃
  〃What　does　it　matter　to　me；　sir？　Oh！　very　well；　what　does　it　matter　to　me？　Did　any　one　ever　hear　the　like！　And　the　provisions　and　all　that　and〃
  At　any　other　time　she　would　have　overwhelmed　her　master　with　reproaches　for　his　breach　of　trust；　but　now　she　followed　him　into　the　kitchen　before　the　torrent　of　words　had　come　to　an　end。　She　had　guessed　that　there　was　a　prospect　of　a　boarder；　and　was　eager　to　see　Genestas；　to　whom　she　made　a　very　deferential　courtesy；　while　she　scanned　him　from　head　to　foot。　A　thoughtful　and　dejected　expression　gave　a　harsh　look　to　the　soldier's　face。　In　the　dialogue　between　master　and　servant　the　latter　had　appeared　to　him　in　the　light　of　a　nonentity；　and　although　he　regretted　the　fact；　this　revelation　had　lessened　the　high　opinion　that　he　had　formed　of　the　man　whose　persistent　efforts　to　save　the　district　from　the　horrors　of　cretinism　had　won　his　admiration。
  〃I　do　not　like　the　looks　of　that　fellow　at　all！〃　said　Jacquotte　to　herself。
  〃If　you　are　not　tired；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor　to　his　supposed　patient；　〃we　will　take　a　turn　round　the　garden　before　dinner。〃
  〃Willingly；〃　answered　the　commandant。
  They　went　through　the　dining…room；　and　reached　the　garden　by　way　of　a　sort　of　vestibule　at　the　foot　of　the　staircase　between　the　salon　and　the　dining…room。　Beyond　a　great　glass　door　at　the　farther　end　of　the　vestibule　lay　a　flight　of　stone　steps　which　adorned　the　garden　side　of　the　house。　The　garden　itself　was　divided　into　four　large　squares　of　equal　size　by　two　paths　that　intersected　each　other　in　the　form　of　a　cross；　a　box　edging　along　their　sides。　At　the　farther　end　there　was　a　thick；　green　alley　of　hornbeam　trees；　which　had　been　the　joy　and　pride　of　the　late　owner。　The　soldier　seated　himself　on　a　worm…eaten　bench；　and　saw　neither　the　trellis…work　nor　the　espaliers；　nor　the　vegetables　of　which　Jacquotte　took　such　great　care。　She　followed　the　traditions　of　the　epicurean　churchman　to　whom　this　valuable　garden　owed　its　origin；　but　Benassis　himself　regarded　it　with　sufficient　indifference。
  The　commandant　turned　their　talk　from　the　trivial　matters　which　had　occupied　them　by　saying　to　the　doctor：
  〃How　comes　it；　sir；　that　the　population　of　the　valley　has　been　trebled　in　ten　years？　There　were　seven　hundred　souls　in　it　when　you　came；　and　to…day　you　say　that　they　number　more　than　two　thousand。〃
  〃You　are　the　first　person　who　has　put　that　question　to　me；〃　the　doctor　answered。　〃Though　it　has　been　my　aim　to　develop　the　capabilities　of　this　little　corner　of　the　earth　to　the　utmost；　the　constant　pressure　of　a　busy　life　has　not　left　me　time　to　think　over　the　way　in　which　（like　the　mendicant　brother）　I　have　made　'broth　from　a　flint'　on　a　large　scale。　M。　Gravier　himself；　who　is　one　of　several　who　have　done　a　great　deal　for　us；　and　to　whom　I　was　able　to　render　a　service　by　re…　establishing　his　health；　has　never　given　a　thought　to　the　theory；　though　he　has　been　everywhere　over　our　mountain　sides　with　me；　to　see　its　practical　results。〃
  There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　Benassis　followed　his　own　thoughts；　careless　of　the　keen　glance　by　which　his　guest　friend　tried　to　fathom　him。
  〃You　ask　how　it　came　about；　my　dear　sir？〃　the　doctor　resumed。　〃It　came　about　quite　naturally　through　the　working　of　the　social　law　by　which　the　need　and　the　means　of　supplying　it　are　correlated。　Herein　lies　the　whole　story。　Races　who　have　no　wants　are　always　poor。　When　I　first　came　to　live　here　in　this　township；　there　were　about　a　hundred　and　thirty　peasant　families　in　it；　and　some　two　hundred　hearths　in　the　valley。　The　local　authorities　were　such　as　might　be　expected　in　the　prevailing　wretchedness　of　the　population。　The　mayor　himself　could　not　write；　and　the　deputy…mayor　was　a　small　farmer；　who　lived　beyond　the　limits　of　the　Commune。　The　justice　of　the　peace　was　a　poor　devil　who　had　nothing　but　his　salary；　and　who　was　forced　to　relinquish　the　registration　of　births；　marriages；　and　deaths　to　his　clerk；　another　hapless　wretch　who　was　scarcely　able　to　understand　his　duties。　The　old　cure　had　died　at　the　age　of　seventy；　and　his　curate；　a　quite　uneducated　man；　had　just　succeeded　to　his　position。　These　people　comprised　all　the　intelligence　of　the　district　over　which　they　ruled。
  〃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