The Country Doctor Author:Honoré de Balzac General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1895 Original Publisher: Dent Subjects: Fiction / Classics Fiction / Literary History / Europe / France Literary Criticism / European / French Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. ... more »When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: 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 78 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 th...« less