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on the 1st of October 1812。 But I am not the Minister of War； my friend；〃 the commandant added as he dismounted； and with a sudden rush of feeling he grasped the laborer's hand。
The old pontooner drew himself up at the words； he knocked the ashes from his pipe； and put it in his pocket。
〃I only did my duty； sir；〃 he said； with his head bent down； 〃but others have not done their duty by me。 They asked for my papers！ Why； the Twenty…ninth Bulletin； I told them； must do instead of my papers！〃
〃But you must make another application； comrade。 You are bound to have justice done you in these days； if influence is brought to bear in the right quarter。〃
〃Justice！〃 cried the veteran。 The doctor and the commandant shuddered at the tone in which he spoke。
In the brief pause that followed； both the horsemen looked at the man before them； who seemed like a fragment of the wreck of great armies which Napoleon had filled with men of bronze sought out from among three generations。 Gondrin was certainly a splendid specimen of that seemingly indestructible mass of men which might be cut to pieces but never gave way。 The old man was scarcely five feet high； wide across the shoulders； and broad…chested； his face was sunburned； furrowed with deep wrinkles； but the outlines were still firm in spite of the hollows in it； and one could see even now that it was the face of a soldier。 It was a rough…hewn countenance； his forehead seemed like a block of granite； but there was a weary expression about his face； and the gray hairs hung scantily about his head； as if life were waning there already。 Everything about him indicated unusual strength； his arms were covered thickly with hair； and so was the chest； which was visible through the opening of his coarse shirt。 In spite of his almost crooked legs； he held himself firm and erect； as if nothing could shake him。
〃Justice；〃 he said once more； 〃there will never be justice for the like of us。 We cannot send bailiffs to the Government to demand our dues for us； and as the wallet must be filled somehow；〃 he said； striking his stomach； 〃we cannot afford to wait。 Moreover； these gentry who lead snug lives in government offices may talk and talk； but their words are not good to eat； so I have come back here again to draw my pay out of the commonalty；〃 he said； striking the mud with his spade。
〃Things must not be left in that way； old comrade；〃 said Genestas。 〃I owe my life to you； and it would be ungrateful of me if I did not lend you a hand。 I have not forgotten the passage over the bridges in the Beresina； and it is fresh in the memories of some brave fellows of my acquaintance； they will back me up； and the nation shall give you the recognition you deserve。〃
〃You will be called a Bonapartist！ Please do not meddle in the matter； sir。 I have gone to the rear now； and I have dropped into my hole here like a spent bullet。 But after riding on camels through the desert； and drinking my glass by the fireside in Moscow； I never thought that I should come back to die here beneath the trees that my father planted；〃 and he began to work again。
〃Poor old man！〃 said Genestas； as they turned to go。 〃I should do the same if I were in his place； we have lost our father。 Everything seems dark to me now that I have seen that man's hopelessness；〃 he went on； addressing Benassis； 〃he does not know how much I am interested in him； and he will think that I am one of those gilded rascals who cannot feel for a soldier's sufferings。〃
He turned quickly and went back； grasped the veteran's hand； and spoke loudly in his ear：
〃I swear by the Cross I wearthe Cross of Honor it used to bethat I will do all that man can do to obtain your pension for you； even if I have to swallow a dozen refusals from the minister； and to petition the king and the dauphin and the whole shop！〃
Old Gondrin quivered as he heard the words。 He looked hard at Genestas and said； 〃Haven't you served in the ranks？〃 The commandant nodded。 The pontooner wiped his hand and took that of Genestas； which he grasped warmly and said：
〃I made the army a present of my life； general； when I waded out into the river yonder； and if I am still alive； it is all so much to the good。 One moment！ Do you care to see to the bottom of it？ Well； then； ever since SOMEBODY was pulled down from his place； I have ceased to care about anything。 And； after all；〃 he went on cheerfully； as he pointed to the land； 〃they have made over twenty thousand francs to me here； and I am taking it out in detail； as HE used to say！〃
〃Well； then； comrade；〃 said Genestas； touched by the grandeur of this forgiveness； 〃at least you shall have the only thing that you cannot prevent me from giving to you； here below。〃 The commandant tapped his heart； looked once more at the old pontooner； mounted his horse again； and went his way side by side with Benassis。
〃Such cruelty as this on the part of the government foments the strife between rich and poor；〃 said the doctor。 〃People who exercise a little brief authority have never given a serious thought to the consequences that must follow an act of injustice done to a man of the people。 It is true that a poor man who needs must work for his daily bread cannot long keep up the struggle； but he can talk； and his words find an echo in every sufferer's heart； so that one bad case of this kind is multiplied； for every one who hears of it feels it as a personal wrong； and the leaven works。 Even this is not so serious； but something far worse comes of it。 Among the people； these causes of injustice bring about a chronic state of smothered hatred for their social superiors。 The middle class becomes the poor man's enemy； they lie without the bounds of his moral code； he tells lies to them and robs them without scruple； indeed； theft ceases to be a crime or a misdemeanor； and is looked upon as an act of vengeance。
〃When an official； who ought to see that the poor have justice done them； uses them ill and cheats them of their due； how can we expect the poor starving wretches to bear their troubles meekly and to respect the rights of property？ It makes me shudder to think that some understrapper whose business it is to dust papers in a government office； has pocketed Gondrin's promised thousand francs of pension。 And yet there are folk who； never having measured the excess of the people's sufferings； accuse the people of excess in the day of their vengeance！ When a government has done more harm than good to individuals； its further existence depends on the merest accident； the masses square the account after their fashion by upsetting it。 A statesman ought always to imagine Justice with the poor at her feet； for justice was only invented for the poor。〃
When they had come within the compass of the township； Benassis saw two people walking along the road in front of them； and turned to his companion； who had been absorbed for some time in thought。
〃You have seen a veteran soldier resigned to his life of wretchedness； and now you are about to see an old agricultural laborer who is submitting to the same lot。 The man there ahead of us has dug and sown and toiled for others all his life。〃
Genestas looked and saw an old laborer making his way along the road； in company with an aged woman。 He seemed to be afflicted with some form of sciatica； and limped painfully along。 His feet were encased in a wretched pair of sabots； and a sort of wallet hung over his shoulder。 Several tools lay in the bottom of the bag； their handles； blackened with long use and the sweat of toil； rattled audibly together； while the other end of the wallet behind his shoulder held bread； some walnuts； and a few fresh onions。 His legs seemed to be warped； as it were； his back was bent by continual toil； he stooped so much as he walked that he leaned on a long stick to steady himself。 His snow…white hair escaped from under a battered hat； grown rusty by exposure to all sorts of weather； and mended here and there with visible stitches of white thread。 His clothes； made of a kind of rough canvas； were a mass of patches of contrasting colors。 This piece of humanity in ruins lacked none of the characteristics that appeal to our hearts when we see ruins of other kinds。
His wife held herself somewhat more erect。 Her clothing was likewise a mass of rags； and the cap that she wore was of the coarsest materials。 On her back she carried a rough earthen jar by means of a thong passed through the handles of the great pitcher； which was round in shape and flattened at the sides。 They both looked up when they heard the horses approaching； saw that it was Benassis； and stopped。
The man had worked till he was almost past work； and his faithful helpmate was no less broken with toil。 It was painful to see how the summer sun and the winter's cold had blackened their faces； and covered them with such deep wrinkles that their features were hardly discernible。 It was not their life history that had been engraven on their faces； but it might be gathered from their attitude and bearing。 Incessant toil had been the lot of both； they had worked and suffered together； they had had many troubles and few joys to share； and now； like captives grown accustomed to their prison； they seemed to be too f