People with simple folk customs are working repeatedly day after day, and everyone has a trace of fatigue caused by life.
The small village is mainly based on animal husbandry, especially cattle and pigs. There are many simple small workshops in this small village.
The workshop is not very clean, and many of the countertops used to process animal carcasses have blood stains that cannot be cleaned off over the years.
At this time, a middle-aged man with a full beard was hanging the last piece of processed beef on an iron hook and began to invite people to buy and sell.
"Father Potter!" the butcher greeted a young and handsome priest with a smile.
Father Porter is holding a Bible and wearing a cross. He looks polite and has a smile on his face with a trace of the unique temperament and compassion of a preacher.
"May the Lord bless you!" Father Potter nodded slightly, but had no intention of taking care of the butcher's business.
He is a devout priest.
Although, there is no stipulation in the doctrine that priests cannot eat meat.
However, the priest still believed that it was a bit cruel to kill a living being just to satisfy his own appetite.
Looking around, the ground was a little muddy and not very clean, perhaps because it had rained the day before.
"Zhizhizhi..."
The sudden cry alerted Father Potter.
When I looked down, I saw it was a mouse.
The priest was stunned for a moment, but didn't pay attention.
It is quite normal to have rats in rural fields.
It's just...there seems to be something wrong with these mice?
Father Porter didn't think much because his daily work was about to begin.
He needs to pray before the Lord now.
Then, he will start a free clinic.
In today's era, doctors are a scarce resource for any city in Italy.
Because there are so many doctors, they only use bloodletting.
Father Porter did not think this method was useful.
He prefers to use herbal medicine to treat everyone.
…
The church in the village was built by the villagers who raised money voluntarily.
Therefore, the church is a bit crude.
But even so, believers will come every day, devoutly give their gifts, and then listen to God's teachings.
Father Porter will not refuse, but will give the gifts sent by the villagers to some people in the village who really need help.
For example, a widow who has a difficult life with her children, or an elderly person who has no fireworks at home.
"Good morning, Father Potter!"
Father Porter had just finished his prayer when he welcomed the first guest of the day.
"Oh, little Pansy, you sneaked out again."
"Your mother is probably looking for you with a stick!"
Father Porter looked helpless:
"You are already ten years old, you should also help the family and do some farm work."
Little Pansy curled her lips:
"Father Potter, I just don't like the same life."
“I want to be like a priest, a kind person who can help others!”
Little Pansy's innocent smile made Father Potter feel that the somewhat boring life seemed to have a different feeling.
Father Potter smiled and shook his head slightly:
"Little Pansy, the Lord doesn't want everyone to be in the church."
"As long as you believe in the Lord and chant His name, you will naturally be noticed by the Lord."
As he spoke, Father Porter tapped little Pansy's eyebrows gently and blessed her with a customary "Amen".
suddenly:
"Ahem! Ahem!"
A violent cough attracted Father Potter's attention.
In fact, the patient was still a little far away from the church.
But the sound and frequency of the coughing already made Father Potter a little uneasy.
Father Potter gently pushed little Pansy: "Okay, little Pansy, it's time for you to leave."
"There's going to be a patient here."
"You are still a child, your body can't resist, so leave quickly."
Father Potter had a slightly commanding tone, which little Pansy did not dare to refuse.
He hurriedly left through the back door, making a face at Father Porter before leaving.
Soon, the owner of the cough came in.
The unfamiliar face made Father Potter slightly startled:
"Sir, I don't seem to have seen you in the village?"
This stranger was wearing a hood and a messy and dirty cloak. He seemed to be a...tramp?
"Ahem..." the other party asked in a hoarse voice: "I heard...I heard that in this village, there is a Father Porter who has good medical skills and treats poor people...is that right? Ahem...
"
Father Porter nodded, sat in front of the consultation table, took out his medicine box, and put on gloves as usual.
"Sir, I am Father Potter. Please come and sit here."
"You need to take off your hood so I can see clearly what disease you have."
The other party nodded slightly, and the hands exposed from under the cloak were covered with red rashes and blisters.
There was an indescribable fishy smell that made people feel nauseous.
Although Father Porter was used to seeing all kinds of wounds and illnesses, this was the first time he saw blisters all over his body and strange bruises on his skin.
"Sir, you..."
Before he finished speaking, the person in front of him took off his hood.
What a face is in front of me!
It was twisted, ulcerated, and even had some disgusting maggots in the wounds.
His eyes were full of despair and horror:
"Father Potter, please...ahem...help me..."
"I...I am a businessman from the next village..."
"A few days ago, I just went to the port to exchange goods. When I came back...ahem...I started to have a high fever!"
"My body...ahem...it started to fester within two days..."
"There is no doctor in our village...ahem...I can only...I can only come here to find you!"
Listening to the man's narration, Father Porter was very shocked.
He had no idea that the man in front of him was actually a businessman.
The living conditions of businessmen are still good.
But a disease actually made him feel like a homeless man?
His medical experience told Father Porter that this man's disease might be very unusual, and might even... lead to death!
Father Porter carefully examined the businessman's many symptoms.
He found that the businessman had symptoms of high fever, chills, skin ulceration and necrosis, and even his whole body exuded a stink.
And according to the businessman's account, when he felt uncomfortable, it didn't last long, only three days.
It only took three days for the condition to deteriorate to this extent. Father Porter looked solemn and took out some tempered herbal juice from his medicine box.
"Take this herb juice back and divide it into two parts."
"Take some of one part every day, and put the other part on the wound with a clean cloth. It may hurt a little, but you need to be patient."
"You can come back after this bottle of herbal juice is used up."
The businessman thanked him profusely, paid the money, and left with the medicine.
Father Potter stood at the door, frowning slightly.
"What on earth...is this disease?"
"General fever doesn't seem to have such an impact..."
Father Potter was very uneasy.
He looked at the glove he had just thrown away and was silent for a moment. After all, an inexplicable instinct drove him to burn the glove directly.
Then, Father Porter immediately opened the medicine box and drank some of the potion he prepared.
And used high-concentration alcohol to smear some areas inside and outside the church.
"I hope...it doesn't matter..."
Father Potter shook his head.
…
Soon, the day's work was over.
Father Porter closed the church door and walked toward his home with a hint of uneasiness.
The villagers remained unchanged, just repeating the habits of surviving every day.
Just...looking around, why do there seem to be more rats?
Father Potter shook his head.
…
The next day, the rapid crying woke up Father Porter who was still sleeping.
At this time, the alarm clock showed that it was five o'clock in the morning, and the sky was still a little gloomy.
"Father Potter!"
"Father Potter!"
Outside the door, little Pansy's cry made Father Potter startled.
He quickly got dressed and opened the door.
"Little Pansy, what's wrong?"
Little Pansy's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he grabbed the priest's hands:
"Father Potter!"
"My parents are both sick, please come over and take a look!"
"They are very sick!"
Father Potter nodded, quickly picked up his medicine box, and followed little Pansy to his home in a hurry.
Before I even entered the door, I heard a violent cough.
Father Potter trembled subconsciously.
A trace of fear that he didn't even understand arose in his heart.
When the door was pushed open and the same ulcers appeared on the skin of little Pansy's parents, Father Potter's expression changed.
This seems to be very similar to the symptoms of the businessman who came for treatment yesterday.
Suddenly, little Pansy's mother clutched her chest in pain and coughed out a mouthful of blood on the ground.
Father Porter quickly walked over and asked the two how they felt.
Little Pansy's parents' condition seems to be more serious. The father has fallen into a coma, and the mother can barely speak.
According to the statement of little Pansy’s mother, the symptoms are indeed similar to those of a businessman, and can even be said to be... a little more serious!
Father Potter poured the herbal juice into their mouths.
Immediately afterwards, little Pansy was asked to fetch cold water and use towels to apply ice to them.
Father Potter pulled little Pansy aside and said seriously:
"Little Pansy!"
"Drink this medicine quickly!"
Little Pansy was stunned: "Father Potter, but... I'm not sick!"
Father Potter shook his head.
He did not tell him about the merchant.
Because this will cause panic.
Moreover, there is no way to confirm now that this must be an infectious disease.
Father Potter simply fooled little Pansy into drinking the medicine obediently.
Afterwards, Father Porter also followed yesterday's operation and wiped the room with some high-concentration wine.
When leaving, Father Potter couldn't help but look at little Pansy, and he felt more and more uneasy!