Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-15
CHAPTER II.

smoke arose, before the first cart ratified over
the bridge to the days labor in the fields he
was to be found wandering in his garden
Now he would pick lunch of grapes; now
he would eat a big pear under the trcllis;
now he would draw all sorts of fancies on
the path with the end of his cane; now he
would go down and watch the river running
endessly past the timber landing place at
which he moored his boat. There was no
time, he used to say, for making theories
like the early morning. 81 rise earlier than
any one else in the village" he once boosted
/ alt is fair consequence that know more
! and wish to do less with my lnowledgen
The doctor was a connoiSScur of sunrises,
| and loved good theatrical effect to usher in
! the dag. ile had theory of dew, by which
/ he could predict the weather. Indeed, most
things served him to that end: the sound of
the bells from all the ncighboring villages,
the smell of the forest, the visits and the he
havior of both birds and fishes, the look Of
the plants in his garden, the DISPOSITION of
cloud the color of the light and last though
not least, the arsenal of meteorological in
| struncntS in louvre boarded hutch upon
/ the lawn. Eve+ since he had settled at Grctz
| he had been growing more and more into the
/ local meteorological, the unpaid champion of
! the local climate He thought at first there
was no place so hcalthful in the arrondsse-
ment. by the end of the second year, he
| protested there was none SO wholesome in the
whole department. And for some time be-
! fore he met Jean-Marie he had been prepared
to challenge all France and the better part of
! Europe for Il rival to his chosen spot.
"Doctor," he would say-"doctor is a foul
word. 1t should not be used to ladies. 1t
| implies disease. | remark it, as flaw in our
| civilization, that we have not the proper hor-
ror of disease. Now |, for my part have
washed my hands of it; have renowned my
| laureatiun; | am no doctor; [ am only
wOrShipcr of the true goddess Hygeia. All,
| believe me- it is she who has the cestus! And
here, in this eXisuous hamlet, has she placed
her shrine; here she dwells and lavishes her
| gifts; here | walk with her in the early
morning, and she shows me how strong she
has made the peasants, how fruitful she has
made the fields, how the trees grow up tall
and comedy under her eyes, and the fishes in
the river become clean and agile in her pres
ence. Rheumatism!' he would cry, on some
malapert interruption. "Oh, yes believe
we do have little rheumatism That could
hardly be avoided you know on a river.
And of course the place stands a little low;
and the meadows are marshy, there's no
doubt. But, my dear sir, look at BOurronl
Bourron stands high. Bourron is close to
the forest plenty of ozone there, you would
say. Well, compared with Gretz, Bourron is
perfect SHAMELESS"
The morning after he had been summoned
t. the dying mountebank the doctor visited
the wharf at the tail of his garden and had
long look at the running water. This he
called prayer; but whether his alterations
were addressed to the goddess Hygeia or
5 me more orthodox deity never plainly APP
Feared For he had uttered doubtful oracles,
sometimes declaring that river was the
type of bodily health, sometimes eXtOlling ii
as the great moral preacher. continually
preaching peace. continuity and diligence to
mans tormented spirits After he had
watched a mile so of the clear water run
ming by before his eyes, seen fish or two
come to the surface with CLEAN of silver
and sufficiently admired the long shadows Of
the trees falling half across the river from
the opposite bank with patches of moving
sunlight in between, he strolled once more
up the garden and through his house into the
Street. feeling cool and renovated.
The sound of his feet upon the causeway
began the business of the day; for the vii
lage was still sound asleep. The church
tower looked very airy in the sunlight; few
birds that turned about it seemed to swim in
all atmosphere of more that usual rarity
and the doctor, walking in long, transparent
shadows, filled his lungs amply, and pro
claimed himself we'll contented with the
} morning.
On one of the posts before Tentaillon's car
riage entry he espied little dark figure
perched in "A meditative attitude, and imme-
diately recognized Jean-Marie
| "Aha" he said, stopping before him hui
, morously, with hand on either knee. 80
| al, IL, in ba rpnrnip,r do II nm
: pears to me that we have all the vices of a
philosopher
The boy got to his feet and made a grave
salutation.
"And how is our patientp asked Desprez
. 1t appeared the patient was about the
same.
'And why do you rise early in the morn
l ing he pursued.
jean Marie, after long silence, professed
o that he hardly knew
' "You hardly know" repeated DeSprez
l eve hardly know anything, my man, until
s we try to learn. Interrogate your conscious
o ness. Come, push me this inquiry home
t Do you like itF
r eyes, said the boy slowly; Eyes, like it y
o "And why do you like itf' continued the
a doctor. "(We are now pursuing the SocratiC
o mcthodl Why do you like it,
1 at is quiet" answered Jean-Marie; "and
o have nothing to do; and then feel as if
@ were good"
r Dr. Desprez took seat on the post at the
a opposite side He was beginning to take al
interest in the talk, for the boy plainly
y thought before he spoke, and tried to answer
truly. ut appears you have a taste for feel
t ing good said the doctor "Now, there you
puzzle me extremely, for thought you sale
2. you were thief and the two are incom
o patible,'
u SIS it very bad to steal" asked Jean-Marie
"Such is the general opinion, little boy,
% replied the doctor
, "Nol but | mean as | stolen exclaimed tn,
other. "For had no choice. | think it Il
surely right to have bread; it must b.
right to have bread, 'lere comes 81
y plain want of it. And then they beat M
- cruelty if returned with nothing" he added