〃Then　how　did　it　come　to　be　in　this　state？〃　inquired　Genestas。
  〃Ah！　how？〃　the　miller　answered；　as　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　went　indoors；　〃M。　Benassis　will　tell　you　that。〃
  The　officer　went　over　a　rough　sort　of　bridge　built　up　of　boulders　taken　from　the　torrent　bed；　and　soon　reached　the　house　that　had　been　pointed　out　to　him。　The　thatched　roof　of　the　dwelling　was　still　entire；　it　was　covered　with　moss　indeed；　but　there　were　no　holes　in　it；　and　the　door　and　its　fastenings　seemed　to　be　in　good　repair。　Genestas　saw　a　fire　on　the　hearth　as　he　entered；　an　old　woman　kneeling　in　the　chimney…corner　before　a　sick　man　seated　in　a　chair；　and　another　man；　who　was　standing　with　his　face　turned　toward　the　fireplace。　The　house　consisted　of　a　single　room；　which　was　lighted　by　a　wretched　window　covered　with　linen　cloth。　The　floor　was　of　beaten　earth；　the　chair；　a　table；　and　a　truckle…bed　comprised　the　whole　of　the　furniture。　The　commandant　had　never　seen　anything　so　poor　and　bare；　not　even　in　Russia；　where　the　moujik's　huts　are　like　the　dens　of　wild　beasts。　Nothing　within　it　spoke　of　ordinary　life；　there　were　not　even　the　simplest　appliances　for　cooking　food　of　the　commonest　description。　It　might　have　been　a　dog…kennel　without　a　drinking…pan。　But　for　the　truckle…bed；　a　smock…frock　hanging　from　a　nail；　and　some　sabots　filled　with　straw；　which　composed　the　invalid's　entire　wardrobe；　this　cottage　would　have　looked　as　empty　as　the　others。　The　aged　peasant　woman　upon　her　knees　was　devoting　all　her　attention　to　keeping　the　sufferer's　feet　in　a　tub　filled　with　a　brown　liquid。　Hearing　a　footstep　and　the　clank　of　spurs；　which　sounded　strangely　in　ears　accustomed　to　the　plodding　pace　of　country　folk；　the　man　turned　to　Genestas。　A　sort　of　surprise；　in　which　the　old　woman　shared　was　visible　in　his　face。
  〃There　is　no　need　to　ask　if　you　are　M。　Benassis；〃　said　the　soldier。　〃You　will　pardon　me；　sir；　if；　as　a　stranger　impatient　to　see　you；　I　have　come　to　seek　you　on　your　field　of　battle；　instead　of　awaiting　you　at　your　house。　Pray　do　not　disturb　yourself；　go　on　with　what　you　are　doing。　When　it　is　over；　I　will　tell　you　the　purpose　of　my　visit。〃
  Genestas　half　seated　himself　upon　the　edge　of　the　table；　and　remained　silent。　The　firelight　shone　more　brightly　in　the　room　than　the　faint　rays　of　the　sun；　for　the　mountain　crests　intercepted　them；　so　that　they　seldom　reached　this　corner　of　the　valley。　A　few　branches　of　resinous　pinewood　made　a　bright　blaze；　and　it　was　by　the　light　of　this　fire　that　the　soldier　saw　the　face　of　the　man　towards　whom　he　was　drawn　by　a　secret　motive；　by　a　wish　to　seek　him　out；　to　study　and　to　know　him　thoroughly　well。　M。　Benassis；　the　local　doctor；　heard　Genestas　with　indifference；　and　with　folded　arms　he　returned　his　bow；　and　went　back　to　his　patient；　quite　unaware　that　he　was　being　subjected　to　a　scrutiny　as　earnest　as　that　which　the　soldier　turned　upon　him。
  Benassis　was　a　man　of　ordinary　height；　broad…shouldered　and　deep…　chested。　A　capacious　green　overcoat；　buttoned　up　to　the　chin；　prevented　the　officer　from　observing　any　characteristic　details　of　his　personal　appearance；　but　his　dark　and　motionless　figure　served　as　a　strong　relief　to　his　face；　which　caught　the　bright　light　of　the　blazing　fire。　The　face　was　not　unlike　that　of　a　satyr；　there　was　the　same　slightly　protruding　forehead；　full；　in　this　case；　of　prominences；　all　more　or　less　denoting　character；　the　same　turned…up　nose；　with　a　sprightly　cleavage　at　the　tip；　the　same　high　cheek…bones。　The　lines　of　the　mouth　were　crooked；　the　lips；　thick　and　red。　The　chin　turned　sharply　upwards。　There　was　an　alert；　animated　look　in　the　brown　eyes；　to　which　their　pearly　whites　gave　great　brightness；　and　which　expressed　passions　now　subdued。　His　iron…gray　hair；　the　deep　wrinkles　in　his　face；　the　bushy　eyebrows　that　had　grown　white　already；　the　veins　on　his　protuberant　nose；　the　tanned　face　covered　with　red　blotches；　everything　about　him；　in　short；　indicated　a　man　of　fifty　and　the　hard　work　of　his　profession。　The　officer　could　come　to　no　conclusion　as　to　the　capacity　of　the　head；　which　was　covered　by　a　close　cap；　but　hidden　though　it　was；　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　one　of　the　square…shaped　kind　that　gave　rise　to　the　expression　〃square…headed。〃　Genestas　was　accustomed　to　read　the　indications　that　mark　the　features　of　men　destined　to　do　great　things；　since　he　had　been　brought　into　close　relations　with　the　energetic　natures　sought　out　by　Napoleon；　so　he　suspected　that　there　must　be　some　mystery　in　this　life　of　obscurity；　and　said　to　himself　as　he　looked　at　the　remarkable　face　before　him：
  〃How　comes　it　that　he　is　still　a　country　doctor？〃
  When　he　had　made　a　careful　study　of　this　countenance；　that；　in　spite　of　its　resemblance　to　other　human　faces；　revealed　an　inner　life　nowise　in　harmony　with　a　commonplace　exterior；　he　could　not　help　sharing　the　doctor's　interest　in　his　patient；　and　the　sight　of　that　patient　completely　changed　the　current　of　his　thoughts。
  Much　as　the　old　cavalry　officer　had　seen　in　the　course　of　his　soldier's　career；　he　felt　a　thrill　of　surprise　and　horror　at　the　sight　of　a　human　face　which　could　never　have　been　lighted　up　with　thoughta　livid　face　in　which　a　look　of　dumb　suffering　showed　so　plainlythe　same　look　that　is　sometimes　worn　by　a　child　too　young　to　speak；　and　too　weak　to　cry　any　longer；　in　short；　it　was　the　wholly　animal　face　of　an　old　dying　cretin。　The　cretin　was　the　one　variety　of　the　human　species　with　which　the　commandant　had　not　yet　come　in　contact。　At　the　sight　of　the　deep；　circular　folds　of　skin　on　the　forehead；　the　sodden；　fish…like　eyes；　and　the　head；　with　its　short；　coarse；　scantily…growing　haira　head　utterly　divested　of　all　the　faculties　of　the　senseswho　would　not　have　experienced；　as　Genestas　did；　an　instinctive　feeling　of　repulsion　for　a　being　that　had　neither　the　physical　beauty　of　an　animal　nor　the　mental　endowments　of　man；　who　was　possessed　of　neither　instinct　nor　reason；　and　who　had　never　heard　nor　spoken　any　kind　of　articulate　speech？　It　seemed　difficult　to　expend　any　regrets　over　the　poor　wretch　now　visibly　drawing　towards　the　very　end　of　an　existence　which　had　not　been　life　in　any　sense　of　the　word；　yet　the　old　woman　watched　him　with　touching　anxiety；　and　was　rubbing　his　legs　where　the　hot　water　did　not　reach　them　with　as　much　tenderness　as　if　he　had　been　her　husband。　Benassis　himself；　after　a　close　scrutiny　of　the　dull　eyes　and　corpse…like　face；　gently　took　the　cretin's　hand　and　felt　his　pulse。
  〃The　bath　is　doing　no　good；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head；　〃let　us　put　him　to　bed　again。〃
  He　lifted　the　inert　mass　himself；　and　carried　him　across　to　the　truckle…bed；　from　whence；　no　doubt；　he　had　just　taken　him。　Carefully　he　laid　him　at　full　length；　and　straightened　the　limbs　that　were　growing　cold　already；　putting　the　head　and　hand　in　position；　with　all　the　heed　that　a　mother　could　bestow　upon　her　child。
  〃It　is　all　over；　death　is　very　near；〃　added　Benassis；　who　remained　standing　by　the　bedside。
  The　old　woman　gazed　at　the　dying　form；　with　her　hands　on　her　hips。　A　few　tears　stole　down　her　cheeks。　Genestas　remained　silent。　He　was　unable　to　explain　to　himself　how　it　was　that　the　death　of　a　being　that　concerned　him　so　little　should　affect　him　so　much。　Unconsciously　he　shared　the　feeling　of　boundless　pity　that　these　hapless　creatures　excite　among　the　dwellers　in　the　sunless　valleys　wherein　Nature　has　placed　them。　This　sentiment　has　degenerated　into　a　kind　of　religious　superstition　in　families　to　which　cretins　belong；　but　does　it　not　spring　from　the　most　beautiful　of　Christian　virtuesfrom　charity；　and　from　a　belief　in　a　reward　hereafter；　that　most　effectual　support　of　our　social　system；　and　the　one　thought　that　enables　us　to　endure　our　miseries？　The　hope　of　inheriting　eternal　bliss　helps　the　relations　of　these　unhappy　creatures　and　all　others　round　about　them　to　exert　on　a　large　scale；　and　with　sublime　devotion；　a　mother's　ceaseless　protecting　care　over　an　apathetic　creature　who　does　not　understand　it　in　the　first　instance；　and　who　in　a　little　while　forgets　it　all。　Wonderful　power　of　religion！　that　has　brought　a　blind　beneficence　to　the　aid　of　an　equally　blind　misery。　Wherever　cretins　exist；　there　is　a　popular　belief　that　the　presence　of　one　of　these　creatures　brings　luck　to　a　familya　superstition　that　serves　to　sweeten　lives　which；　in　the　midst　of　a　town　population；　would　be　condemned　by　a　mistaken　philanthropy　to　submit　to　the　harsh　discipline　of　an　asylum。　In　the　higher　end　of　the　valley　of　Isere；　where　cretins　are　very　numerous；　they　lead　an　out…of…door　life　with　the　cattle　which　they　are　taught　to　herd。　There；　at　any　rate；　they　are　at　large；　and　receive　the　reverence　due　to　misfortune。
  A　moment　later　the　village　bell　clinked　at　slow　regular　intervals；　to　acquaint　the　flock　with　the　death　of　one　of　their　number。　In　the　sound　that　reached　the　cottage　but　faintly　across　the　intervening　space；　there　was　a　thought　of　religion　which　seemed　to　fill　it　with　a　melancholy　peace。　The　tread　of　many　feet　echoed　up　the　road；　giving　notice　of　an　approaching　crowd　of　peoplea　crowd　that　uttered　not　a　word。　Then　suddenly　the　chanting　of　the　Church　broke　the　stillness；　calling　up　the　confused　thoughts　that　take　possession　of　the　most　sceptical　minds；　and　compel　th