The Collaborators 



nition of " his knowledge concerning plants 

 and little creatures. " 



A late frost came during the night, withering 

 the leaf-buds of the mulberry-trees just as the first 

 leaves were unfolding. 



On the following day there was a great commo- 

 tion in the neighbouring farm-houses; the silk- 

 worms were hatched, and suddenly there was no 

 food for them. They must wait until the sun re- 

 paired the disaster. But what were they to do to 

 keep the famished newly-born caterpillars alive for 

 a few days? They knew me as an expert in the 

 matter of plants; my cross-country harvesting ex- 

 peditions had won me the reputation of a medical 

 herbalist. With the flower of the poppy I pre- 

 pared an elixir which strengthened the sight; with 

 borage I made a syrup sovereign against whoop- 

 ing-cough; I distilled camomile, I extracted the 

 essence of wintergreen. In short, my botany had 

 given me the reputation of a quack-salver. That 

 was something, after all. . . . 



The housewives came seeking me from all direc- 

 tions; with tears in their eyes they explained how 

 matters stood. What could they give their grubs 

 while they were waiting for the mulberry to leaf 

 again? A serious affair this, well deserving of 

 commiseration. One was counting on her litter 

 to buy a roll of linen for her daughter who was 

 about to get married ; another confided to me her 

 plan of buying a pig, which she would fatten for 

 the following winter; all deplored the handful of 



271 



