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Her remark was disingenuous； but this was only noticed by the doctor； who said in her ear； 〃You have been crying！〃
〃Why do you say things like that to me before some one else？〃 she asked in reply。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 said Genestas； 〃it is a great pity that you live here all by yourself； you ought to have a mate in such a charming cage as this。〃
〃That is true；〃 she said； 〃but what would you have？ I am poor； and I am hard to please。 I feel that it would not suit me at all to carry the soup out into the fields； nor to push a hand…cart； to feel the misery of those whom I should love； and have no power to put an end to it； to carry my children in my arms all day； and patch and re…patch a man's rags。 The cure tells me that such thoughts as these are not very Christian； I know that myself； but how can I help it？ There are days when I would rather eat a morsel of dry bread than cook anything for my dinner。 Why would you have me worry some man's life out with my failings？ He would perhaps work himself to death to satisfy my whims； and that would not be right。 Pshaw！ an unlucky lot has fallen to me； and I ought to bear it by myself。〃
〃And besides； she is a born do…nothing；〃 said Benassis。 〃We must take my poor Fosseuse as we find her。 But all that she has been saying to you simply means that she has never loved as yet；〃 he added； smiling。 Then he rose and went out on to the lawn for a moment。
〃You must be very fond of M。 Benassis？〃 asked Genestas。
〃Oh！ yes； sir； and there are plenty of people hereabouts who feel as I dothat they would be glad to do anything in the world for him。 And yet he who cures other people has some trouble of his own that nothing can cure。 You are his friend； perhaps you know what it is？ Who could have given pain to such a man； who is the very image of God on earth？ I know a great many who think that the corn grows faster if he has passed by their field in the morning。〃
〃And what do you think yourself？〃
〃I； sir？ When I have seen him；〃 she seemed to hesitate； then she went on； 〃I am happy all the rest of the day。〃
She bent her head over her work； and plied her needle with unwonted swiftness。
〃Well； has the captain been telling you something about Napoleon？〃 said the doctor； as he came in again。
〃Have you seen the Emperor； sir？〃 cried La Fosseuse； gazing at the officer's face with eager curiosity。
〃PARBLEU！〃 said Genestas； 〃hundreds of times！〃
〃Oh！ how I should like to know something about the army！〃
〃Perhaps we will come to take a cup of coffee with you to…morrow； and you shall hear 'something about the army；' dear child；〃 said Benassis； who laid his hand on her shoulder and kissed her brow。 〃She is my daughter； you see！〃 he added； turning to the commandant； 〃there is something wanting in the day； somehow； when I have not kissed her forehead。〃
La Fosseuse held Benassis' hand in a tight clasp as she murmured； 〃Oh！ you are very kind！〃
They left the house； but she came after them to see them mount。 She waited till Genestas was in the saddle； and then whispered in Benassis' ear； 〃Tell me who that gentleman is？〃
〃Aha！〃 said the doctor； putting a foot in the stirrup； 〃a husband for you； perhaps。〃
She stood on the spot where they left her； absorbed in watching their progress down the steep path； and when they came past the end of the garden； they saw her already perched on a little heap of stones； so that she might still keep them in view and give them a last nod of farewell。
〃There is something very unusual about that girl； sir；〃 Genestas said to the doctor when they had left the house far behind。
〃There is； is there not？〃 he answered。 〃Many a time I have said to myself that she will make a charming wife； but I can only love her as a sister or a daughter； and in no other way； my heart is dead。〃
〃Has she any relations？〃 asked Genestas。 〃What did her father and mother do？〃
〃Oh； it is quite a long story；〃 answered Benassis。 〃Neither her father nor mother nor any of her relations are living。 Everything about her down to her name interested me。 La Fosseuse was born here in the town。 Her father； a laborer from Saint Laurent du Pont； was nicknamed Le Fosseur； which is no doubt a contraction of fossoyeur； for the office of sexton had been in his family time out of mind。 All the sad associations of the graveyard hang about the name。 Here as in some other parts of France； there is an old custom； dating from the times of the Latin civilization； in virtue of which a woman takes her husband's name； with the addition of a feminine termination； and this girl has been called La Fosseuse； after her father。
〃The laborer had married the waiting…woman of some countess or other who owns an estate at a distance of a few leagues。 It was a love… match。 Here； as in all country districts； love is a very small element in a marriage。 The peasant； as a rule； wants a wife who will bear him children； a housewife who will make good soup and take it out to him in the fields； who will spin and make his shirts and mend his clothes。 Such a thing had not happened for a long while in a district where a young man not unfrequently leaves his betrothed for another girl who is richer by three or four acres of land。 The fate of Le Fosseur and his wife was scarcely happy enough to induce our Dauphinois to forsake their calculating habits and practical way of regarding things。 La Fosseuse； who was a very pretty woman； died when her daughter was born； and her husband's grief for his loss was so great that he followed her within the year； leaving nothing in the world to this little one except an existence whose continuance was very doubtfula mere feeble flicker of a life。 A charitable neighbor took the care of the baby upon herself； and brought her up till she was nine years old。 Then the burden of supporting La Fosseuse became too heavy for the good woman； so at the time of year when travelers are passing along the roads； she sent her charge to beg for her living upon the highways。
〃One day the little orphan asked for bread at the countess' chateau； and they kept the child for her mother's sake。 She was to be waiting…maid some day to the daughter of the house； and was brought up to this end。 Her young mistress was married five years later； but meanwhile the poor little thing was the victim of all the caprices of wealthy people； whose beneficence for the most part is not to be depended upon even while it lasts。 They are generous by fits and startssometimes patrons； sometimes friends； sometimes masters； in this way they falsify the already false position of the poor children in whom they interest themselves； and trifle with the hearts； the lives； and futures of their protegees； whom they regard very lightly。 From the first La Fosseuse became almost a companion to the young heiress； she was taught to read and write； and her future mistress sometimes amused herself by giving her music lessons。 She was treated sometimes as a lady's companion； sometimes as a waiting…maid； and in this way they made an incomplete being of her。 She acquired a taste for luxury and for dress； together with manners ill…suited to her real position。 She has been roughly schooled by misfortune since then； but the vague feeling that she is destined for a higher lot has not been effaced in her。
〃A day came at last； however； a fateful day for the poor girl； when the young countess （who was married by this time） discovered La Fosseuse arrayed in one of her ball dresses； and dancing before a mirror。 La Fosseuse was no longer anything but a waiting…maid； and the orphan girl； then sixteen years of age； was dismissed without pity。 Her idle ways plunged her once more into poverty； she wandered about begging by the roadside； and working at times as I have told you。 Sometimes she thought of drowning herself； sometimes also of giving herself to the first comer； she spent most of her time thinking dark thoughts； lying by the side of a wall in the sun； with her face buried in the grass； and passers…by would sometimes throw a few halfpence to her； simply because she asked them for nothing。 One whole year she spent in a hospital at Annecy after heavy toil in the harvest field； she had only undertaken the work in the hope that it would kill her； and that so she might die。 You should hear her herself when she speaks of her feelings and ideas during this time of her life； her simple confidences are often very curious。
〃She came back to the little town at last； just about the time when I decided to take up my abode in it。 I wanted to understand the minds of the people beneath my rule； her character struck me； and I made a study of it； then when I became aware of her physical infirmities； I determined to watch over her。 Perhaps in time she may grow accustomed to work with her needle； but； whatever happens； I have secured her future。〃
〃She is quite alone up there！〃 said Genestas。
〃No。 One of my herdswomen sleeps in the house；〃 the doctor answered。 〃You did not see my farm buildings which lie behind the house。 They are hidden by the pine…trees。 Oh！ she is quite safe。 Moreover； there are no mauvais sujets here in the valley； if any come among us by any chance； I send them into the army； where they make excellent solders。〃
〃Poor girl！〃 said Genestas。