inesses　were　started；　they　went　on　at　first　but　slowly；　but　from　day　to　day　their　progress　became　more　rapid；　and　now　sixty　carts　full　of　the　various　products　of　the　district　set　out　every　Monday　for　Grenoble；　and　there　is　more　buckwheat　grown　for　poultry　food　than　they　used　to　sow　for　human　consumption。　The　trade　in　timber　grew　to　be　so　considerable　that　it　was　subdivided；　and　since　the　fourth　year　of　our　industrial　era；　we　have　had　dealers　in　firewood；　squared　timber；　planks；　bark；　and　later　on；　in　charcoal。　In　the　end　four　new　sawmills　were　set　up；　to　turn　out　the　planks　and　beams　of　timber。
  〃When　the　ex…mayor　had　acquired　a　few　business　notions；　he　felt　the　necessity　of　learning　to　read　and　write。　He　compared　the　prices　that　were　asked　for　wood　in　various　neighborhoods；　and　found　such　differences　in　his　favor；　that　he　secured　new　customers　in　one　place　after　another；　and　now　a　third　of　the　trade　in　the　department　passes　through　his　hands。　There　has　been　such　a　sudden　increase　in　our　traffic　that　we　find　constant　work　for　three　wagon…builders　and　two　harness…makers；　each　of　them　employing　three　hands　at　least。　Lastly；　the　quantity　of　ironware　that　we　use　is　so　large　that　an　agricultural　implement　and　tool…maker　has　removed　into　the　town；　and　is　very　well　satisfied　with　the　result。
  〃The　desire　of　gain　develops　a　spirit　of　ambition；　which　has　ever　since　impelled　our　workers　to　extend　their　field　from　the　township　to　the　canton；　and　from　the　canton　to　the　department；　so　as　to　increase　their　profits　by　increasing　their　sales。　I　had　only　to　say　a　word　to　point　out　new　openings　to　them；　and　their　own　sense　did　the　rest。　Four　years　had　been　sufficient　to　change　the　face　of　the　township。　When　I　had　come　through　it　first；　I　did　not　catch　the　slightest　sound；　but　in　less　than　five　years　from　that　time；　there　was　life　and　bustle　everywhere。　The　gay　songs；　the　shrill　or　murmuring　sounds　made　by　the　tools　in　the　workshops　rang　pleasantly　in　my　ears。　I　watched　the　comings　and　goings　of　a　busy　population　congregated　in　the　clean　and　wholesome　new　town；　where　plenty　of　trees　had　been　planted。　Every　one　of　them　seemed　conscious　of　a　happy　lot；　every　face　shone　with　the　content　that　comes　through　a　life　of　useful　toil。
  〃I　look　upon　these　five　years　as　the　first　epoch　of　prosperity　in　the　history　of　our　town；〃　the　doctor　went　on　after　a　pause。　〃During　that　time　I　have　prepared　the　ground　and　sowed　the　seed　in　men's　minds　as　well　as　in　the　land。　Henceforward　industrial　progress　could　not　be　stayed；　the　population　was　bound　to　go　forward。　A　second　epoch　was　about　to　begin。　This　little　world　very　soon　desired　to　be　better　clad。　A　shoemaker　came；　and　with　him　a　haberdasher；　a　tailor；　and　a　hatter。　This　dawn　of　luxury　brought　us　a　butcher　and　a　grocer；　and　a　midwife；　who　became　very　necessary　to　me；　for　I　lost　a　great　deal　of　time　over　maternity　cases。　The　stubbed　wastes　yielded　excellent　harvests；　and　the　superior　quality　of　our　agricultural　produce　was　maintained　through　the　increased　supply　of　manure。　My　enterprise　could　now　develop　itself；　everything　followed　on　quite　naturally。
  〃When　the　houses　had　been　rendered　wholesome；　and　their　inmates　gradually　persuaded　to　feed　and　clothe　themselves　better；　I　wanted　the　dumb　animals　to　feel　the　benefit　of　these　beginnings　of　civilization。　All　the　excellence　of　cattle；　whether　as　a　race　or　as　individuals；　and；　in　consequence；　the　quality　of　the　milk　and　meat；　depends　upon　the　care　that　is　expended　upon　them。　I　took　the　sanitation　of　cowsheds　for　the　text　of　my　sermons。　I　showed　them　how　an　animal　that　is　properly　housed　and　well　cared　for　is　more　profitable　than　a　lean　neglected　beast；　and　the　comparison　wrought　a　gradual　change　for　the　better　in　the　lot　of　the　cattle　in　the　Commune。　Not　one　of　them　was　ill　treated。　The　cows　and　oxen　were　rubbed　down　as　in　Switzerland　and　Auvergne。　Sheep…folds；　stables；　byres；　dairies；　and　barns　were　rebuilt　after　the　pattern　of　the　roomy；　well…ventilated；　and　consequently　healthy　steadings　that　M。　Gravier　and　I　had　constructed。　Our　tenants　became　my　apostles。　They　made　rapid　converts　of　unbelievers；　demonstrating　the　soundness　of　my　doctrines　by　their　prompt　results。　I　lent　money　to　those　who　needed　it；　giving　the　preference　to　hardworking　poor　people；　because　they　served　as　an　example。　Any　unsound　or　sickly　cattle　or　beasts　of　poor　quality　were　quickly　disposed　of　by　my　advice；　and　replaced　by　fine　specimens。　In　this　way　our　dairy　produce　came；　in　time；　to　command　higher　prices　in　the　market　than　that　sent　by　other　communes。　We　had　splendid　herds；　and　as　a　consequence；　capital　leather。
  〃This　step　forward　was　of　great　importance；　and　in　this　wise。　In　rural　economy　nothing　can　be　regarded　as　trifling。　Our　hides　used　to　fetch　scarcely　anything；　and　the　leather　we　made　was　of　little　value；　but　when　once　our　leather　and　hides　were　improved；　tanneries　were　easily　established　along　the　waterside。　We　became　tanners；　and　business　rapidly　increased。
  〃Wine；　properly　speaking；　had　been　hitherto　unknown；　a　thin；　sour　beverage　like　verjuice　had　been　their　only　drink；　but　now　wineshops　were　established　to　supply　a　natural　demand。　The　oldest　tavern　was　enlarged　and　transformed　into　an　inn；　which　furnished　mules　to　pilgrims　to　the　Grand　Chartreuse　who　began　to　come　our　way；　and　after　two　years　there　was　just　enough　business　for　two　innkeepers。
  〃The　justice　of　the　peace　died　just　as　our　second　prosperous　epoch　began；　and　luckily　for　us；　his　successor　had　formerly　been　a　notary　in　Grenoble　who　had　lost　most　of　his　fortune　by　a　bad　speculation；　though　enough　of　it　yet　remained　to　cause　him　to　be　looked　upon　in　the　village　as　a　wealthy　man。　It　was　M。　Gravier　who　induced　him　to　settle　among　us。　He　built　himself　a　comfortable　house　and　helped　me　by　uniting　his　efforts　to　mine。　He　also　laid　out　a　farm；　and　broke　up　and　cleaned　some　of　the　waste　land；　and　at　this　moment　he　has　three　chalets　up　above　on　the　mountain　side。　He　has　a　large　family。　He　dismissed　the　old　registrar　and　the　clerk；　and　in　their　place　installed　better…educated　men；　who　worked　far　harder；　moreover；　than　their　predecessors　had　done。　One　of　the　heads　of　these　two　new　households　started　a　distillery　of　potato…spirit；　and　the　other　was　a　wool…washer；　each　combined　these　occupations　with　his　official　work；　and　in　this　way　two　valuable　industries　were　created　among　us。
  〃Now　that　the　Commune　had　some　revenues　of　its　own；　no　opposition　was　raised　in　any　quarter　when　they　were　spent　on　building　a　town…hall；　with　a　free　school　for　elementary　education　in　the　building　and　accommodation　for　a　teacher。　For　this　important　post　I　had　selected　a　poor　priest　who　had　taken　the　oath；　and　had　therefore　been　cast　out　by　the　department；　and　who　at　last　found　a　refuge　among　us　for　his　old　age。　The　schoolmistress　is　a　very　worthy　woman　who　had　lost　all　that　she　had；　and　was　in　great　distress。　We　made　up　a　nice　little　sum　for　her；　and　she　has　just　opened　a　boarding…school　for　girls　to　which　the　wealthy　farmers　hereabouts　are　beginning　to　send　their　daughters。
  〃If　so　far；　sir；　I　have　been　entitled　to　tell　you　the　story　of　my　own　doings　as　the　chronicle　of　this　little　spot　of　earth；　I　have　reached　the　point　where　M。　Janvier；　the　new　parson；　began　to　divide　the　work　of　regeneration　with　me。　He　has　been　a　second　Fenelon；　unknown　beyond　the　narrow　limits　of　a　country　parish；　and　by　some　secret　of　his　own　has　infused　a　spirit　of　brotherliness　and　of　charity　among　these　folk　that　has　made　them　almost　like　one　large　family。　M。　Dufau；　the　justice　of　the　peace；　was　a　late　comer；　but　he　in　an　equal　degree　deserves　the　gratitude　of　the　people　here。
  〃I　will　put　the　whole　position　before　you　in　figures　that　will　make　it　clearer　than　any　words　of　mine。　At　this　moment　the　Commune　owns　two　hundred　acres　of　woodland；　and　a　hundred　and　sixty　acres　of　meadow。　Without　running　up　the　rates；　we　give　a　hundred　crowns　to　supplement　the　cure's　stipend；　we　pay　two　hundred　francs　to　the　rural　policeman；　and　as　much　again　to　the　schoolmaster　and　schoolmistress。　The　maintenance　of　the　roads　costs　us　five　hundred　francs；　while　necessary　repairs　to　the　townhall；　the　parsonage；　and　the　church；　with　some　few　other　expenses；　also　amount　to　a　similar　sum。　In　fifteen　years'　time　there　will　be　a　thousand　francs　worth　of　wood　to　fell　for　every　hundred　francs'　worth　cut　now；　and　the　taxes　will　not　cost　the　inhabitants　a　penny。　This　Commune　is　bound　to　become　one　of　the　richest　in　France。　But　perhaps　I　am　taxing　your　patience；　sir？〃　said　Benassis；　suddenly　discovering　that　his　companion　wore　such　a　pensive　expression　that　it　seemed　as　though　his　attention　was　wandering。
  〃No！　no！〃　answered　the　commandant。
  〃Our　trade；　handicrafts；　and　agriculture　so　far　only　supplied　the　needs　of　the　district；〃　the　doctor　went　on。　〃At　a　certain　point　our　prosperity　came　to　a　standstill。　I　wanted　a　post…office；　and　sellers　of　tobacco；　stationery；　powder　and　shot。　The　receiver　of　taxes　had　hitherto　preferred　to　live　elsewhere；　but　now　I　succeeded　in　persuading　him　to　take　up　his　abode　in　the　town；　holding　out　as　inducements　the　pleasantness　of　the　place　and　of　the　new　society。　As　time　and　place　permitted　I　had　succeeded　in　producing　a　supply　of　everything　for　which　I　had　first　creat