The　Country　Doctor
  by　Honore　de　Balzac
  Translated　by　Ellen　Marriage　and　Clara　Bell
  〃For　a　wounded　heartshadow　and　silence。〃
  To　my　Mother。
  CHAPTER　I
  THE　COUNTRYSIDE　AND　THE　MAN
  On　a　lovely　spring　morning　in　the　year　1829；　a　man　of　fifty　or　thereabouts　was　wending　his　way　on　horseback　along　the　mountain　road　that　leads　to　a　large　village　near　the　Grande　Chartreuse。　This　village　is　the　market　town　of　a　populous　canton　that　lies　within　the　limits　of　a　valley　of　some　considerable　length。　The　melting　of　the　snows　had　filled　the　boulder…strewn　bed　of　the　torrent　（often　dry）　that　flows　through　this　valley；　which　is　closely　shut　in　between　two　parallel　mountain　barriers；　above　which　the　peaks　of　Savoy　and　of　Dauphine　tower　on　every　side。
  All　the　scenery　of　the　country　that　lies　between　the　chain　of　the　two　Mauriennes　is　very　much　alike；　yet　here　in　the　district　through　which　the　stranger　was　traveling　there　are　soft　undulations　of　the　land；　and　varying　effects　of　light　which　might　be　sought　for　elsewhere　in　vain。　Sometimes　the　valley；　suddenly　widening；　spreads　out　a　soft　irregularly…shaped　carpet　of　grass　before　the　eyes；　a　meadow　constantly　watered　by　the　mountain　streams　that　keep　it　fresh　and　green　at　all　seasons　of　the　year。　Sometimes　a　roughly…built　sawmill　appears　in　a　picturesque　position；　with　its　stacks　of　long　pine　trunks　with　the　bark　peeled　off；　and　its　mill　stream；　brought　from　the　bed　of　the　torrent　in　great　square　wooden　pipes；　with　masses　of　dripping　filament　issuing　from　every　crack。　Little　cottages；　scattered　here　and　there；　with　their　gardens　full　of　blossoming　fruit　trees；　call　up　the　ideas　that　are　aroused　by　the　sight　of　industrious　poverty；　while　the　thought　of　ease；　secured　after　long　years　of　toil；　is　suggested　by　some　larger　houses　farther　on；　with　their　red　roofs　of　flat　round　tiles；　shaped　like　the　scales　of　a　fish。　There　is　no　door；　moreover；　that　does　not　duly　exhibit　a　basket　in　which　the　cheeses　are　hung　up　to　dry。　Every　roadside　and　every　croft　is　adorned　with　vines；　which　here；　as　in　Italy；　they　train　to　grow　about　dwarf　elm　trees；　whose　leaves　are　stripped　off　to　feed　the　cattle。
  Nature；　in　her　caprice；　has　brought　the　sloping　hills　on　either　side　so　near　together　in　some　places；　that　there　is　no　room　for　fields；　or　buildings；　or　peasants'　huts。　Nothing　lies　between　them　but　the　torrent；　roaring　over　its　waterfalls　between　two　lofty　walls　of　granite　that　rise　above　it；　their　sides　covered　with　the　leafage　of　tall　beeches　and　dark　fir　trees　to　the　height　of　a　hundred　feet。　The　trees；　with　their　different　kinds　of　foliage；　rise　up　straight　and　tall；　fantastically　colored　by　patches　of　lichen；　forming　magnificent　colonnades；　with　a　line　of　straggling　hedgerow　of　guelder　rose；　briar　rose；　box　and　arbutus　above　and　below　the　roadway　at　their　feet。　The　subtle　perfume　of　this　undergrowth　was　mingled　just　then　with　scents　from　the　wild　mountain　region　and　with　the　aromatic　fragrance　of　young　larch　shoots；　budding　poplars；　and　resinous　pines。
  Here　and　there　a　wreath　of　mist　about　the　heights　sometimes　hid　and　sometimes　gave　glimpses　of　the　gray　crags；　that　seemed　as　dim　and　vague　as　the　soft　flecks　of　cloud　dispersed　among　them。　The　whole　face　of　the　country　changed　every　moment　with　the　changing　light　in　the　sky；　the　hues　of　the　mountains；　the　soft　shades　of　their　lower　slopes；　the　very　shape　of　the　valleys　seemed　to　vary　continually。　A　ray　of　sunlight　through　the　tree…stems；　a　clear　space　made　by　nature　in　the　woods；　or　a　landslip　here　and　there；　coming　as　a　surprise　to　make　a　contrast　in　the　foreground；　made　up　an　endless　series　of　pictures　delightful　to　see　amid　the　silence；　at　the　time　of　year　when　all　things　grow　young；　and　when　the　sun　fills　a　cloudless　heaven　with　a　blaze　of　light。　In　short；　it　was　a　fair　landit　was　the　land　of　France！
  The　traveler　was　a　tall　man；　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　a　suit　of　blue　cloth；　which　must　have　been　brushed　just　as　carefully　every　morning　as　the　glossy　coat　of　his　horse。　He　held　himself　firm　and　erect　in　the　saddle　like　an　old　cavalry　officer。　Even　if　his　black　cravat　and　doeskin　gloves；　the　pistols　that　filled　his　holsters；　and　the　valise　securely　fastened　to　the　crupper　behind　him　had　not　combined　to　mark　him　out　as　a　soldier；　the　air　of　unconcern　that　sat　on　his　face；　his　regular　features　（scarred　though　they　were　with　the　smallpox）；　his　determined　manner；　self…reliant　expression；　and　the　way　he　held　his　head；　all　revealed　the　habits　acquired　through　military　discipline；　of　which　a　soldier　can　never　quite　divest　himself；　even　after　he　has　retired　from　service　into　private　life。
  Any　other　traveler　would　have　been　filled　with　wonder　at　the　loveliness　of　this　Alpine　region；　which　grows　so　bright　and　smiling　as　it　becomes　merged　in　the　great　valley　systems　of　southern　France；　but　the　officer；　who　no　doubt　had　previously　traversed　a　country　across　which　the　French　armies　had　been　drafted　in　the　course　of　Napoleon's　wars；　enjoyed　the　view　before　him　without　appearing　to　be　surprised　by　the　many　changes　that　swept　across　it。　It　would　seem　that　Napoleon　has　extinguished　in　his　soldiers　the　sensation　of　wonder；　for　an　impassive　face　is　a　sure　token　by　which　you　may　know　the　men　who　served　erewhile　under　the　short…lived　yet　deathless　Eagles　of　the　great　Emperor。　The　traveler　was；　in　fact；　one　of　those　soldiers　（seldom　met　with　nowadays）　whom　shot　and　shell　have　respected；　although　they　have　borne　their　part　on　every　battlefield　where　Napoleon　commanded。
  There　had　been　nothing　unusual　in　his　life。　He　had　fought　valiantly　in　the　ranks　as　a　simple　and　loyal　soldier；　doing　his　duty　as　faithfully　by　night　as　by　day；　and　whether　in　or　out　of　his　officer's　sight。　He　had　never　dealt　a　sabre　stroke　in　vain；　and　was　incapable　of　giving　one　too　many。　If　he　wore　at　his　buttonhole　the　rosette　of　an　officer　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　it　was　because　the　unanimous　voice　of　his　regiment　had　singled　him　out　as　the　man　who　best　deserved　to　receive　it　after　the　battle　of　Borodino。
  He　belonged　to　that　small　minority　of　undemonstrative　retiring　natures；　who　are　always　at　peace　with　themselves；　and　who　are　conscious　of　a　feeling　of　humiliation　at　the　mere　thought　of　making　a　request；　no　matter　what　its　nature　may　be。　So　promotion　had　come　to　him　tardily；　and　by　virtue　of　the　slowly…working　laws　of　seniority。　He　had　been　made　a　sub…lieutenant　in　1802；　but　it　was　not　until　1829　that　he　became　a　major；　in　spite　of　the　grayness　of　his　moustaches。　His　life　had　been　so　blameless　that　no　man　in　the　army；　not　even　the　general　himself；　could　approach　him　without　an　involuntary　feeling　of　respect。　It　is　possible　that　he　was　not　forgiven　for　this　indisputable　superiority　by　those　who　ranked　above　him；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　there　was　not　one　of　his　men　that　did　not　feel　for　him　something　of　the　affection　of　children　for　a　good　mother。　For　them　he　knew　how　to　be　at　once　indulgent　and　severe。　He　himself　had　also　once　served　in　the　ranks；　and　knew　the　sorry　joys　and　gaily…endured　hardships　of　the　soldier's　lot。　He　knew　the　errors　that　may　be　passed　over　and　the　faults　that　must　be　punished　in　his　men〃his　children；〃　as　he　always　called　themand　when　on　campaign　he　readily　gave　them　leave　to　forage　for　provision　for　man　and　horse　among　the　wealthier　classes。
  His　own　personal　history　lay　buried　beneath　the　deepest　reserve。　Like　almost　every　military　man　in　Europe；　he　had　only　seen　the　world　through　cannon　smoke；　or　in　the　brief　intervals　of　peace　that　occurred　so　seldom　during　the　Emperor's　continual　wars　with　the　rest　of　Europe。　Had　he　or　had　he　not　thought　of　marriage？　The　question　remained　unsettled。　Although　no　one　doubted　that　Commandant　Genestas　had　made　conquests　during　his　sojourn　in　town　after　town　and　country　after　country　where　he　had　taken　part　in　the　festivities　given　and　received　by　the　officers；　yet　no　one　knew　this　for　a　certainty。　There　was　no　prudery　about　him；　he　would　not　decline　to　join　a　pleasure　party；　he　in　no　way　offended　against　military　standards；　but　when　questioned　as　to　his　affairs　of　the　heart；　he　either　kept　silence　or　answered　with　a　jest。　To　the　words；　〃How　are　you；　commandant？〃　addressed　to　him　by　an　officer　over　the　wine；　his　reply　was；　〃Pass　the　bottle；　gentlemen。〃
  M。　Pierre　Joseph　Genestas　was　an　unostentatious　kind　of　Bayard。　There　was　nothing　romantic　nor　picturesque　about　himhe　was　too　thoroughly　commonplace。　His　ways　of　living　were　those　of　a　well…to…do　man。　Although　he　had　nothing　beside　his　pay；　and　his　pension　was　all　that　he　had　to　look　to　in　the　future；　the　major　always　kept　two　years'　pay　untouched；　and　never　spent　his　allowances；　like　some　shrewd　old　men　of　business　with　whom　cautious　prudence　has　almost　become　a　mania。　He　was　so　little　of　a　gambler　that　if；　when　in　company；　some　one　was　wanted　to　cut　in　or　to　take　a　bet　at　ecarte；　he　usually　fixed　his　eyes　on　his　boots；　but　though　he　did　not　allow　himself　any　extravagances；　he　conformed　in　every　way　to　custom。
  His　uniforms　lasted　longer　than　those　of　any　other　officer　in　his　regiment；　as　a　consequence　of　the　sedulously　careful　habits　that　somewhat　straitened　means　had　so　instilled　into　him；　that　they　had　come　to　be　like　a　second　nature。　Perhaps　he　might　have　b