cloaks。　The　whole　barn　was　lighted　by　a　blazing　pine　log；　it　might　have　set　the　place　on　fire；　and　no　one　would　have　troubled　to　get　up　and　put　it　out。
  〃I　lay　down　on　my　back；　and；　naturally；　just　before　I　dropped　off；　my　eyes　traveled　to　the　roof　above　me；　and　then　I　saw　that　the　main　beam　which　bore　the　weight　of　the　joists　was　being　slightly　shaken　from　east　to　west。　The　blessed　thing　danced　about　in　fine　style。　'Gentlemen；'　said　I；　'one　of　our　friends　outside　has　a　mind　to　warm　himself　at　our　expense。'　A　few　moments　more　and　the　beam　was　sure　to　come　down。　'Gentlemen！　gentlemen！'　I　shouted；　'we　shall　all　be　killed　in　a　minute！　Look　at　the　beam　there！'　and　I　made　such　a　noise　that　my　bed…fellows　awoke　at　last。　Well；　sir；　they　all　stared　up　at　the　beam；　and　then　those　who　had　been　sleeping　turned　round　and　went　off　to　sleep　again；　while　those　who　were　eating　did　not　even　stop　to　answer　me。
  〃Seeing　how　things　were；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　get　up　and　leave　my　place；　and　run　the　risk　of　finding　it　taken　by　somebody　else；　for　all　the　lives　of　this　heap　of　heroes　were　at　stake。　So　out　I　go。　I　turn　the　corner　of　the　barn　and　come　upon　a　great　devil　of　a　Wurtemberger；　who　was　tugging　at　the　beam　with　a　certain　enthusiasm。　'Aho！　aho！'　I　shouted；　trying　to　make　him　understand　that　he　must　desist　from　his　toil。　'Gehe　mir　aus　dem　Gesicht；　oder　ich　schlag　dich　todt！Get　out　of　my　sight；　or　I　will　kill　you；'　he　cried。　'Ah！　yes；　just　so；　Que　mire　aous　dem　guesit；'　I　answered；　'but　that　is　not　the　point。'　I　picked　up　his　gun　that　he　had　left　on　the　ground；　and　broke　his　back　with　it；　then　I　turned　in　again；　and　went　off　to　sleep。　Now　you　know　the　whole　business。〃
  〃But　that　was　a　case　of　self…defence；　in　which　one　man　suffered　for　the　good　of　many；　so　you　have　nothing　to　reproach　yourself　with；〃　said　Benassis。
  〃The　rest　of　them　thought　that　it　had　only　been　my　fancy；　but　fancy　or　no；　a　good　many　of　them　are　living　comfortably　in　fine　houses　to…day；　without　feeling　their　hearts　oppressed　by　gratitude。〃
  〃Then　would　you　only　do　people　a　good　turn　in　order　to　receive　that　exorbitant　interest　called　gratitude？〃　said　Benassis；　laughing。　〃That　would　be　asking　a　great　deal　for　your　outlay。〃
  〃Oh；　I　know　quite　well　that　all　the　merit　of　a　good　deed　evaporates　at　once　if　it　benefits　the　doer　in　the　slightest　degree；〃　said　Genestas。　〃If　he　tells　the　story　of　it；　the　toll　brought　in　to　his　vanity　is　a　sufficient　substitute　for　gratitude。　But　if　every　doer　of　kindly　actions　always　held　his　tongue　about　them；　those　who　reaped　the　benefits　would　hardly　say　very　much　either。　Now　the　people；　according　to　your　system；　stand　in　need　of　examples；　and　how　are　they　to　hear　of　them　amid　this　general　reticence？　Again；　there　is　this　poor　pontooner　of　ours；　who　saved　the　whole　French　army；　and　who　was　never　able　to　tell　his　tale　to　any　purpose；　suppose　that　he　had　lost　the　use　of　his　limbs；　would　the　consciousness　of　what　he　had　done　have　found　him　in　bread？　Answer　me　that；　philosopher！〃
  〃Perhaps　the　rules　of　morality　cannot　be　absolute；〃　Benassis　answered；　〃though　this　is　a　dangerous　idea；　for　it　leaves　the　egoist　free　to　settle　cases　of　conscience　in　his　own　favor。　Listen；　captain；　is　not　the　man　who　never　swerves　from　the　principles　of　morality　greater　than　he　who　transgresses　them；　even　through　necessity？　Would　not　our　veteran；　dying　of　hunger；　and　unable　to　help　himself；　be　worthy　of　rank　with　Homer？　Human　life　is　doubtless　a　final　trial　of　virtue　as　of　genius；　for　both　of　which　a　better　world　is　waiting。　Virtue　and　genius　seem　to　me　to　be　the　fairest　forms　of　that　complete　and　constant　surrender　of　self　that　Jesus　Christ　came　among　men　to　teach。　Genius　sheds　its　light　in　the　world　and　lives　in　poverty　all　its　days；　and　virtue　sacrifices　itself　in　silence　for　the　general　good。〃
  〃I　quite　agree　with　you；　sir；〃　said　Genestas；　〃but　those　who　dwell　on　earth　are　men　after　all；　and　not　angels；　we　are　not　perfect。〃
  〃That　is　quite　true；〃　Benassis　answered。　〃And　as　for　errors；　I　myself　have　abused　the　indulgence。　But　ought　we　not　to　aim；　at　any　rate；　at　perfection？　Is　not　virtue　a　fair　ideal　which　the　soul　must　always　keep　before　it；　a　standard　set　up　by　Heaven？〃
  〃Amen；〃　said　the　soldier。　〃An　upright　man　is　a　magnificent　thing；　I　grant　you；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　you　must　admit　that　virtue　is　a　divinity　who　may　indulge　in　a　scrap　of　gossip　now　and　then　in　the　strictest　propriety。〃
  The　doctor　smiled；　but　there　was　a　melancholy　bitterness　in　his　tone　as　he　said；　〃Ah！　sir；　you　regard　things　with　the　lenience　natural　to　those　who　live　at　peace　with　themselves；　and　I　with　all　the　severity　of　one　who　sees　much　that　he　would　fain　obliterate　in　the　story　of　his　life。〃
  The　two　horsemen　reached　a　cottage　beside　the　bed　of　the　torrent；　the　doctor　dismounted　and　went　into　the　house。　Genestas；　on　the　threshold；　looked　over　the　bright　spring　landscape　that　lay　without；　and　then　at　the　dark　interior　of　the　cottage；　where　a　man　was　lying　in　bed。　Benassis　examined　his　patient；　and　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃My　good　woman；　it　is　no　use　my　coming　here　unless　you　carry　out　my　instructions！　You　have　been　giving　him　bread；　you　want　to　kill　your　husband；　I　suppose？　Botheration！　If　after　this　you　give　him　anything　besides　the　tisane　of　couch…grass；　I　will　never　set　foot　in　here　again；　and　you　can　look　where　you　like　for　another　doctor。〃
  〃But；　dear　M。　Benassis；　my　old　man　was　starving；　and　when　he　had　eaten　nothing　for　a　whole　fortnight〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　yes。　Now　will　you　listen　to　me。　If　you　let　your　husband　eat　a　single　mouthful　of　bread　before　I　give　him　leave　to　take　solid　food；　you　will　kill　him；　do　you　hear？〃
  〃He　shall　not　have　anything；　sir。　Is　he　any　better？〃　she　asked；　following　the　doctor　to　the　door。
  〃Why；　no。　You　have　made　him　worse　by　feeding　him。　Shall　I　never　get　it　into　your　stupid　heads　that　you　must　not　stuff　people　who　are　being　dieted？〃
  〃The　peasants　are　incorrigible；〃　Benassis　went　on；　speaking　to　Genestas。　〃If　a　patient　has　eaten　nothing　for　two　or　three　days；　they　think　he　is　at　death's　door；　and　they　cram　him　with　soup　or　wine　or　something。　Here　is　a　wretched　woman　for　you　that　has　all　but　killed　her　husband。〃
  〃Kill　my　husband　with　a　little　mite　of　a　sop　in　wine！〃
  〃Certainly；　my　good　woman。　It　amazes　me　that　he　is　still　alive　after　the　mess　you　cooked　for　him。　Mind　that　you　do　exactly　as　I　have　told　you。〃
  〃Yes；　dear　sir；　I　would　far　rather　die　myself　than　lose　him。〃
  〃Oh！　as　to　that　I　shall　soon　see。　I　shall　come　again　to…morrow　evening　to　bleed　him。〃
  〃Let　us　walk　along　the　side　of　the　stream；〃　Benassis　said　to　Genestas；　〃there　is　only　a　footpath　between　this　cottage　and　the　next　house　where　I　must　pay　a　call。　That　man's　little　boy　will　hold　our　horses。〃
  〃You　must　admire　this　lovely　valley　of　ours　a　little；〃　he　went　on；　〃it　is　like　an　English　garden；　is　it　not？　The　laborer　who　lives　in　the　cottage　which　we　are　going　to　visit　has　never　got　over　the　death　of　one　of　his　children。　The　eldest　boy；　he　was　only　a　lad；　would　try　to　do　a　man's　work　last　harvest…tide；　it　was　beyond　his　strength；　and　before　the　autumn　was　out　he　died　of　a　decline。　This　is　the　first　case　of　really　strong　fatherly　love　that　has　come　under　my　notice。　As　a　rule；　when　their　children　die；　the　peasant's　regret　is　for　the　loss　of　a　useful　chattel；　and　a　part　of　their　stock…in…trade；　and　the　older　the　child；　the　heavier　their　sense　of　loss。　A　grown…up　son　or　daughter　is　so　much　capital　to　the　parents。　But　this　poor　fellow　really　loved　that　boy　of　his。　'Nothing　cam　comfort　me　for　my　loss；'　he　said　one　day　when　I　came　across　him　out　in　the　fields。　He　had　forgotten　all　about　his　work；　and　was　standing　there　motionless；　leaning　on　his　scythe；　he　had　picked　up　his　hone；　it　lay　in　his　hand；　and　he　had　forgotten　to　use　it。　He　has　never　spoken　since　of　his　grief　to　me；　but　he　has　grown　sad　and　silent。　Just　now　it　is　one　of　his　little　girls　who　is　ill。〃
  Benassis　and　his　guest　reached　the　little　house　as　they　talked。　It　stood　beside　a　pathway　that　led　to　a　bark…mill。　They　saw　a　man　about　forty　years　of　age；　standing　under　a　willow　tree；　eating　bread　that　had　been　rubbed　with　a　clove　of　garlic。
  〃Well；　Gasnier；　is　the　little　one　doing　better？〃
  〃I　do　not　know；　sir；〃　he　said　dejectedly；　〃you　will　see；　my　wife　is　sitting　with　her。　In　spite　of　all　your　care；　I　am　very　much　afraid　that　death　will　come　to　empty　my　home　for　me。〃
  〃Do　not　lose　heart；　Gasnier。　Death　is　too　busy　to　take　up　his　abode　in　any　dwelling。〃
  Benassis　went　into　the　house；　followed　by　the　father。　Half　an　hour　later　he　came　out　again。　The　mother　was　with　him　this　time；　and　he　spoke　to　her；　〃You　need　have　no　anxiety　about　her　now；　follow　out　my　instructions；　she　is　out　of　danger。〃
  〃If　you　are　growing　tired　of　this　sort　of　thing；〃　the　doctor　said　to　the　officer；　as　he　mounted　his　horse；　〃I　can　put　you　on　the　way　to　the　town；　and　you　can　return。〃
  〃No；　I　am　not　tired　of　it；　I　give　you　my　word。〃
  〃But　you　will　only　see　cottages　everywhere；　and　they　are　all　alike；　nothing；　to　outward　seeming；　is　more　monotonous　than　the　country。〃
  〃Let　us　go　on；〃　said　the　officer。
  They　rode　on　in　this　way　for　several　hours；　and　after　going　from　one　side　of　the　canton　to　the　other；　they　returned　towards