t　do　I　want　with　superfluities　of　wealth？　You　do　not　know；　moreover；　how　little　I　care　for　anything　in　this　world。〃
  They　wished　each　other　a　friendly　good…night　with　a　warm　shake　of　the　hand；　and　went　to　bed。　But　before　the　commandant　slept；　he　came　to　more　than　one　conclusion　as　to　the　man　who　hour　by　hour　grew　greater　in　his　eyes。
  CHAPTER　II
  A　DOCTOR'S　ROUND
  The　first　thing　next　morning　Genestas　went　to　the　stable；　drawn　thither　by　the　affection　that　every　man　feels　for　the　horse　that　he　rides。　Nicolle's　method　of　rubbing　down　the　animal　was　quite　satisfactory。
  〃Up　already；　Commandant　Bluteau？〃　cried　Benassis；　as　he　came　upon　his　guest。　〃You　hear　the　drum　beat　in　the　morning　wherever　you　go；　even　in　the　country！　You　are　a　regular　soldier！〃
  〃Are　you　all　right？〃　replied　Genestas；　holding　out　his　hand　with　a　friendly　gesture。
  〃I　am　never　really　all　right；〃　answered　Benassis；　half　merrily；　half　sadly。
  〃Did　you　sleep　well；　sir？〃　inquired　Jacquotte。
  〃Faith；　yes；　my　beauty；　the　bed　as　you　made　it　was　fit　for　a　queen。〃
  Jacquotte's　face　beamed　as　she　followed　her　master　and　his　guest；　and　when　she　had　seen　them　seat　themselves　at　table；　she　remarked　to　Nicolle：
  〃He　is　not　a　bad　sort；　after　all；　that　officer　gentleman。〃
  〃I　am　sure　he　is　not；　he　has　given　me　two　francs　already。〃
  〃We　will　begin　to…day　by　calling　at　two　places　where　there　have　been　deaths；〃　Benassis　said　to　his　visitor　as　they　left　the　dining…room。　〃Although　doctors　seldom　deign　to　confront　their　supposed　victims；　I　will　take　you　round　to　the　two　houses；　where　you　will　be　able　to　make　some　interesting　observations　of　human　nature；　and　the　scenes　to　which　you　will　be　a　witness　will　show　you　that　in　the　expression　of　their　feelings　our　folk　among　the　hills　differ　greatly　from　the　dwellers　in　the　lowlands。　Up　among　the　mountain　peaks　in　our　canton　they　cling　to　customs　that　bear　the　impress　of　an　older　time；　and　that　vaguely　recall　scenes　in　the　Bible。　Nature　has　traced　out　a　line　over　our　mountain　ranges；　the　whole　appearance　of　the　country　is　different　on　either　side　of　it。　You　will　find　strength　of　character　up　above；　flexibility　and　quickness　below；　they　have　larger　ways　of　regarding　things　among　the　hills；　while　the　bent　of　the　lowlands　is　always　towards　the　material　interests　of　existence。　I　have　never　seen　a　difference　so　strongly　marked；　unless　it　has　been　in　the　Val　d'Ajou；　where　the　northern　side　is　peopled　by　a　tribe　of　idiots；　and　the　southern　by　an　intelligent　race。　There　is　nothing　but　a　stream　in　the　valley　bottom　to　separate　these　two　populations；　which　are　utterly　dissimilar　in　every　respect；　as　different　in　face　and　stature　as　in　manners；　customs；　and　occupation。　A　fact　of　this　kind　should　compel　those　who　govern　a　country　to　make　very　extensive　studies　of　local　differences　before　passing　laws　that　are　to　affect　the　great　mass　of　the　people。　But　the　horses　are　ready；　let　us　start！〃
  In　a　short　time　the　two　horsemen　reached　a　house　in　a　part　of　the　township　that　was　overlooked　by　the　mountains　of　the　Grande　Chartreuse。　Before　the　door　of　the　dwelling；　which　was　fairly　clean　and　tidy；　they　saw　a　coffin　set　upon　two　chairs；　and　covered　with　a　black　pall。　Four　tall　candles　stood　about　it；　and　on　a　stool　near　by　there　was　a　shallow　brass　dish　full　of　holy　water；　in　which　a　branch　of　green　box…wood　was　steeping。　Every　passer…by　went　into　the　yard；　knelt　by　the　side　of　the　dead；　said　a　Pater　noster；　and　sprinkled　a　few　drops　of　holy　water　on　the　bier。　Above　the　black　cloth　that　covered　the　coffin　rose　the　green　sprays　of　a　jessamine　that　grew　beside　the　doorway；　and　a　twisted　vine　shoot；　already　in　leaf；　overran　the　lintel。　Even　the　saddest　ceremonies　demand　that　things　shall　appear　to　the　best　advantage；　and　in　obedience　to　this　vaguely…felt　requirement　a　young　girl　had　been　sweeping　the　front　of　the　house。　The　dead　man's　eldest　son；　a　young　peasant　about　twenty…two　years　of　age；　stood　motionless；　leaning　against　the　door…post。　The　tears　in　his　eyes　came　and　went　without　falling；　or　perhaps　he　furtively　brushed　them　away。　Benassis　and　Genestas　saw　all　the　details　of　this　scene　as　they　stood　beyond　the　low　wall；　they　fastened　their　horses　to　one　of　the　row　of　poplar　trees　that　grew　along　it；　and　entered　the　yard　just　as　the　widow　came　out　of　the　byre。　A　woman　carrying　a　jug　of　milk　was　with　her；　and　spoke。
  〃Try　to　bear　up　bravely；　my　poor　Pelletier；〃　she　said。
  〃Ah！　my　dear；　after　twenty…five　years　of　life　together；　it　is　very　hard　to　lose　your　man；〃　and　her　eyes　brimmed　over　with　tears。　〃Will　you　pay　the　two　sous？〃　she　added；　after　a　moment；　as　she　held　out　her　hand　to　her　neighbor。
  〃There；　now！　I　had　forgotten　about　it；〃　said　the　other　woman；　giving　her　the　coin。　〃Come；　neighbor；　don't　take　on　so。　Ah！　there　is　M。　Benassis！〃
  〃Well；　poor　mother；　how　are　you　going　on？　A　little　better？〃　asked　the　doctor。
  〃DAME！〃　she　said；　as　the　tears　fell　fast；　〃we　must　go　on；　all　the　same；　that　is　certain。　I　tell　myself　that　my　man　is　out　of　pain　now。　He　suffered　so　terribly！　But　come　inside；　sir。　Jacques；　set　some　chairs　for　these　gentlemen。　Come；　stir　yourself　a　bit。　Lord　bless　you！　if　you　were　to　stop　there　for　a　century；　it　would　not　bring　your　poor　father　back　again。　And　now；　you　will　have　to　do　the　work　of　two。〃
  〃No；　no　good　woman；　leave　your　son　alone；　we　will　not　sit　down。　You　have　a　boy　there　who　will　take　care　of　you；　and　who　is　quite　fit　to　take　his　father's　place。〃
  〃Go　and　change　your　clothes；　Jacques；〃　cried　the　widow；　〃you　will　be　wanted　directly。〃
  〃Well；　good…bye；　mother；〃　said　Benassis。
  〃Your　servant；　gentlemen。〃
  〃Here；　you　see；　death　is　looked　upon　as　an　event　for　which　every　one　is　prepared；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃it　brings　no　interruption　to　the　course　of　family　life；　and　they　will　not　even　wear　mourning　of　any　kind。　No　one　cares　to　be　at　the　expense　of　it；　they　are　all　either　too　poor　or　too　parsimonious　in　the　villages　hereabouts；　so　that　mourning　is　unknown　in　country　districts。　Yet　the　custom　of　wearing　mourning　is　something　better　than　a　law　or　a　usage；　it　is　an　institution　somewhat　akin　to　all　moral　obligations。　But　in　spite　of　our　endeavors　neither　M。　Janvier　nor　I　have　succeeded　in　making　our　peasants　understand　the　great　importance　of　public　demonstrations　of　feeling　for　the　maintenance　of　social　order。　These　good　folk；　who　have　only　just　begun　to　think　and　act　for　themselves；　are　slow　as　yet　to　grasp　the　changed　conditions　which　should　attach　them　to　these　theories。　They　have　only　reached　those　ideas　which　conduce　to　economy　and　to　physical　welfare；　in　the　future；　if　some　one　else　carries　on　this　work　of　mine；　they　will　come　to　understand　the　principles　that　serve　to　uphold　and　preserve　public　order　and　justice。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　is　not　sufficient　to　be　an　honest　man；　you　must　appear　to　be　honest　in　the　eyes　of　others。　Society　does　not　live　by　moral　ideas　alone；　its　existence　depends　upon　actions　in　harmony　with　those　ideas。
  〃In　most　country　communes；　out　of　a　hundred　families　deprived　by　death　of　their　head；　there　are　only　a　few　individuals　capable　of　feeling　more　keenly　than　the　others；　who　will　remember　the　deaths　for　very　long；　in　a　year's　time　the　rest　will　have　forgotten　all　about　it。　Is　not　this　forgetfulness　a　sore　evil？　A　religion　is　the　very　heart　of　a　nation；　it　expresses　their　feelings　and　their　thoughts；　and　exalts　them　by　giving　them　an　object；　but　unless　outward　and　visible　honor　is　paid　to　a　God；　religion　cannot　exist；　and；　as　a　consequence；　human　ordinances　lose　all　their　force。　If　the　conscience　belongs　to　God　and　to　Him　only；　the　body　is　amenable　to　social　law。　Is　it　not　therefore；　a　first　step　towards　atheism　to　efface　every　sign　of　pious　sorrow　in　this　way；　to　neglect　to　impress　on　children　who　are　not　yet　old　enough　to　reflect；　and　on　all　other　people　who　stand　in　need　of　example；　the　necessity　of　obedience　to　human　law；　by　openly　manifested　resignation　to　the　will　of　Providence；　who　chastens　and　consoles；　who　bestows　and　takes　away　worldly　wealth？　I　confess　that；　after　passing　through　a　period　of　sneering　incredulity；　I　have　come　during　my　life　here　to　recognize　the　value　of　the　rites　of　religion　and　of　religious　observances　in　the　family；　and　to　discern　the　importance　of　household　customs　and　domestic　festivals。　The　family　will　always　be　the　basis　of　human　society。　Law　and　authority　are　first　felt　there；　there；　at　any　rate；　the　habit　of　obedience　should　be　learned。　Viewed　in　the　light　of　all　their　consequences；　the　spirit　of　the　family　and　paternal　authority　are　two　elements　but　little　developed　as　yet　in　our　new　legislative　system。　Yet　in　the　family；　the　commune；　the　department；　lies　the　whole　of　our　country。　The　laws　ought　therefore　to　be　based　on　these　three　great　divisions。
  〃In　my　opinion；　marriages；　the　birth　of　infants；　and　the　deaths　of　heads　of　households　cannot　be　surrounded　with　too　much　circumstance。　The　secret　of　the　strength　of　Catholicism；　and　of　the　deep　root　that　it　has　taken　in　the　ordinary　life　of　man；　lies　precisely　in　thisthat　it　steps　in　to　invest　every　important　event　in　his　existence　with　a　pomp　that　is　so　naively　touching；　and　so　grand；　whenever　the　priest　rises　to　the　height　of　his　mission　and　brings　his　office　into　harmony　with　t