a little tour in france-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ing；　but　they　must　have　a　relative　antiquity；　for　I　confess　I　can　do　no…　thing　with　works　of　art　of　which　the　badness　is　of　receat　origin。　　The　cool；　still；　empty　chambers　in　which　indifferent　collections　are　apt　to　be　preserved；　the　red　brick　tiles；　the　diffused　light；　the　musty　odor；　the　mementos　around　you　of　dead　fashions；　the　snuffy　custodian　in　a　black　skull　cap；　who　pulls　aside　a　faded　curtain　to　show　you　the　lustreless　gem　of　the　museum；　…　these　things　have　a　mild　historical　quality；　and　the　sallow　canvases　after　all　illustrate　something。　Many　of　those　in　the　museum　of　Nantes　illustrate　the　taste　of　a　successful　warrior；　having　been　bequeathed　to　the　city　by　Napoleon's　marshal；　Clarke　（created　Duc　de　Feltre）。　　In　addition　to　these　there　is　the　usual　number　of　specimens　of　the　contemporary　French　school；　culled　from　the　annual　Salons　and　presented　to　the　museum　by　the　State。　　Wherever　the　traveller　goes；　in　France；　he　is　reminded　of　this　very　honorable　practice；　…　the　purchase　by　the　Government　of　a　cer…　tain　number　of　〃pictures　of　the　year；〃　which　are　pre…　sently　distributed　in　the　provinces。　　Governments　suc…　ceed　each　other　and　bid　for　success　by　different　devices；　but　the　〃patronage　of　art〃　is　a　plank；　as　we　should　say　here；　in　every　platform。　　The　works　of　art　are　often　ill…selected；　…　there　is　an　official　taste　which　you　immediately　recognize；　…　but　the　custom　is　essen…　tially　liberal；　and　a　government　which　should　neglect　it　would　be　felt　to　be　painfully　common。　　The　only　thing　in　this　particular　Musee　that　I　remember　is　a　fine　portrait　of　a　woman；　by　Ingres；　…　very　flat　and　Chinese；　but　with　an　interest　of　line　and　a　great　deal　of　style。

There　is　a　castle　at　Nantes　which　resembles　in　some　degree　that　of　Angers；　but　has；　without；　much　less　of　the　impressiveness　of　great　size；　and；　within；　much　more　interest　of　detail。　　The　court　contains　the　remains　of　a　very　fine　piece　of　late　Gothic；　a　tall　ele…　gant　building　of　the　sixteenth　century。　　The　chateau　is　naturally　not　wanting　in　history。　　It　was　the　residence　of　the　old　Dukes　of　Brittany；　and　was　brought；　with　the　rest　of　the　province；　by　the　Duchess　Anne；　the　last　representative　of　that　race；　as　her　dowry；　to　Charles　VIII。　　I　read　in　the　excellent　hand…book　of　M。　Joanne　that　it　has　been　visited　by　almost　every　one　of　the　kings　of　France；　from　Louis　XI。　downward；　and　also　that　it　has　served　as　a　place　of　sojourn　less　voluntary　on　the　part　of　various　other　distinguished　persons；　from　the　horrible　Merechal　de　Retz；　who　in　the　fifteenth　century　was　executed　at　Nantes　for　the　murder　of　a　couple　of　hundred　young　children；　sacrificed　in　abomin…　able　rites；　to　the　ardent　Duchess　of　Berry；　mother　of　the　Count　of　Chambord；　who　was　confined　there　for　a　few　hours　in　1832；　just　after　her　arrest　in　a　neigh…　boring　house。　　I　looked　at　the　house　in　question　…　you　may　see　it　from　the　platform　in　front　of　the　chateau　…　and　tried　to　figure　to　myself　that　embarrassing　scene。　The　duchess；　after　having　unsuccessfully　raised　the　standard　of　revolt　（for　the　exiled　Bourbons）；　in　the　legitimist　Bretagne；　and　being　〃wanted；〃　as　the　phrase　is；　by　the　police　of　Louis　Philippe；　had　hidden　herself　in　a　small　but　loyal　house　at　Nantes；　where；　at　the　end　of　five　months　of　seclusion；　she　was　betrayed；　for　gold；　to　the　austere　M。　Guizot；　by　one　of　her　servants；　an　Alsatian　Jew　named　Deutz。　　For　many　hours　before　her　capture　she　had　been　compressed　into　an　inter…　stice　behind　a　fireplace；　and　by　the　time　she　was　drawn　forth　into　the　light　she　had　been　ominously　scorched。　　The　man　who　showed　me　the　castle　in…　dicated　also　another　historic　spot；　a　house　with　little　_tourelles_；　on　the　Quai　de　la　Fosse；　in　which　Henry　IV。　is　said　to　have　signed　the　Edict　of　Nantes。　　I　am；　however；　not　in　a　position　to　answer　for　this　pedigree。

There　is　another　point　in　the　history　of　the　fine　old　houses　which　command　the　Loire；　of　which；　I　sup…　pose；　one　may　be　tolerably　sure；　that　is；　their　having；　placid　as　they　stand　there　to…day；　looked　down　on　the　horrors　of　the　Terror　of　1793；　the　bloody　reign　of　the　monster　Carrier　and　his　infamous　_noyades_。　　The　most　hideous　episode　of　the　Revolution　was　enacted　at　Nantes；　where　hundreds　of　men　and　women；　tied　to…　gether　in　couples；　were　set　afloat　upon　rafts　and　sunk　to　the　bottom　of　the　Loire。　　The　tall　eighteenth…century　house；　full　of　the　_air　noble_；　in　France　always　reminds　me　of　those　dreadful　years；　…　of　the　street…scenes　of　the　Revolution。　　Superficially；　the　association　is　incongru…　ous；　for　nothing　could　be　more　formal　and　decorous　than　the　patent　expression　of　these　eligible　residences。　But　whenever　I　have　a　vision　of　prisoners　bound　on　tumbrels　that　jolt　slowly　to　the　scaffold；　of　heads　car…　ried　on　pikes；　of　groups　of　heated　_citoyennes_　shaking　their　fists　at　closed　coach…windows；　I　see　in　the　back…　ground　the　well…ordered　features　of　the　architecture　of　the　period；　…　the　clear　gray　stone；　the　high　pilasters；　the　arching　lines　of　the　_entresol_；　the　classic　pediment；　the　slate…covered　attic。　　There　is　not　much　architecture　at　Nantes　except　the　domestic。　　The　cathedral；　with　a　rough　west　front　and　stunted　towers；　makes　no　im…　pression　as　you　approach　it。　　It　is　true　that　it　does　its　best　to　recover　its　reputation　as　soon　as　you　have　passed　the　threshold。　　Begun　in　1434　and　finished　about　the　end　of　the　fifteenth　century；　as　I　discover　in　Murray；　it　has　a　magnificent　nave；　not　of　great　length；　but　of　extraordinary　height　and　lightness。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　has　no　choir　whatever。　　There　is　much　entertainment　in　France　in　seeing　what　a　cathedral　will　take　upon　itself　to　possess　or　to　lack；　for　it　is　only　the　smaller　number　that　have　the　full　complement　of　features。　　Some　have　a　very　fine　nave　and　no　choir；　others　a　very　fine　choir　and　no　nave。　　Some　have　a　rich　outside　and　nothing　within；　others　a　very　blank　face　and　a　very　glowing　heart。　　There　are　a　hundred　possibilities　of　poverty　and　wealth；　and　they　make　the　most　unexpected　combinations。

The　great　treasure　of　Nantes　is　the　two　noble　se…　pulchral　monuments　which　occupy　either　transept；　and　one　of　which　has　（in　its　nobleness）　the　rare　distinction　of　being　a　production　of　our　own　time。　　On　the　south　side　stands　the　tomb　of　Francis　II。；　the　last　of　the　Dukes　of　Brittany；　and　of　his　second　wife；　Margaret　of　Foix；　erected　in　1507　by　their　daughter　Anne；　whom　we　have　encountered　already　at　the　Chateau　de　Nantes；　where　she　was　born；　at　Langeais；　where　she　married　her　first　husband；　at　Amboise；　where　she　lost　him；　at　Blois；　where　she　married　her　second；　the　〃good〃　Louis　XII。；　who　divorced　an　impeccable　spouse　to　make　room　for　her；　and　where　she　herself　died。　　Trans…　ferred　to　the　cathedral　from　a　demolished　convent；　this　monument；　the　masterpiece　of　Michel　Colomb；　author　of　the　charming　tomb　of　the　children　of　Charles　VIII。　and　the　aforesaid　Anne；　which　we　admired　at　Saint　Gatien　of　Tours；　is　one　of　the　most　brilliant　works　of　the　French　Renaissance。　　It　has　a　splendid　effect；　and　is　in　perfect　preservation。　　A　great　table　of　black　marble　supports　the　reclining　figures　of　the　duke　and　duchess；　who　lie　there　peacefully　and　majestically；　in　their　robes　and　crowns；　with　their　heads　each　on　a　cushion；　the　pair　of　which　are　supported；　from　behind；　by　three；　charming　little　kneeling　angels；　at　the　foot　of　the　quiet　couple　are　a　lion　and　a　greyhound；　with　heraldic　devices。　　At　each　of　the　angles　of　the　table　is　a　large　figure　in　white　marble　of　a　woman　elaborately　dressed；　with　a　symbolic　meaning；　and　these　figures；　with　their　contemporary　faces　and　clothes；　which　give　them　the　air　of　realistic　portraits；　are　truthful　and　liv…　ing；　if　not　remarkably　beautiful。　　Round　the　sides　of　the　tomb　are　small　images　of　the　apostles。　　There　is　a　kind　of　masculine　completeness　in　the　work；　and　a　certain　robustness　of　taste。

In　nothing　were　the　sculptors　of　the　Renaissance　more　fortunate　than　in　being　in　advance　of　us　with　their　tombs：　they　have　left　us　noting　to　say　in　regard　to　the　great　final　contrast；　…　the　contrast　between　the　immobility　of　death　and　the　trappings　and　honors　that　survive。　　They　expressed　in　every　way　in　which　it　was　possible　to　express　it　the　solemnity；　of　their　conviction　that　the　Marble　image　was　a　part　of　the　personal　greatness　of　the　defunct；　and　the　protection；　the　re…　demption；　of　his　memory。　　A　modern　tomb；　in　com…　parison；　is　a　sceptical　affair；　it　insists　too　little　on　the　honors。　　I　say　this　in　the　face　of　the　fact　that　one　has　only　to　step　across　the　cathedral　of　Nantes　to　stand　in　the　presence　of　one　of　the　purest　and　most　touching　of　modern　tombs。　　Catholic　Brittany　has　erected　in　the　opposite　transept　a　monument　to　one　of　the　most　devoted　of　her　sons；　General　de　Lamoriciere；　the　de…　fender　of　the　Pope；　the　vanquished　of　Castelfidardo。　This　noble　work；　from　the　hand　of　Paul　Dubois；　one　of　the　most　interesting　of　that　new　generation　of　sculp…　tors　who　have　revived　in　France　an　art　of　which　our　overdressed　century　had　begun　to　despair；　has　every　merit　but　the　absence　of　a　certain　prime　feeling。　　It　is　the　echo　of　an　earlier　tune；　…　an　echo　with　a　beauti…　ful　cadence。　　Under　a　Renaissance　canopy　of　white　marble；　elaborately　worked　with　arabesques　and　che…　rubs；　in　a　relief　so　low　that　it　gives　the　work　a　cer…　tain　look　of　being　softened　and　worn　by　time；　lies　the　body　of　the　Breton　soldier；　with；　a　crucifix　clasped　to　his　breast　and　a　shroud　thrown　over　his　body。　　At　each　of　the　angles　sits　a　figure　in　bronze；　the　two　best　of　which；　representing　Charity　and　Military　Courage；　had　given　me　extraordinary　pleasure　when　they　were　exhibited　（in　the　clay）　in　the　Salon　of　1876。　　They　are　admirably　cast；　and　they　have　a　certain　greatness：　the　one；　a　serene；　robust　young　mother；　beautiful　in　line　and　attitude；　the　other；　a　lean　and　vigilant　young　man；　in　a　helmet　that　overshadows　his　serious　eyes；　resting　an　outstretched　arm；　an　admirable　military　member；　upon　the　hilt　of　a　sword。　　These　figures　con…　tain　abundant　assurance　that　M。　Paul　Dubois　has　been　attentive　to　Michael　Angelo；　whom　we　have　all　heard　called　a　splendid　example　but　a　bad　model。　　The　visor…shadowed　face　of　his　warrior　is　more　or　less　a　reminiscence　of　the　figure　on　the　tomb　of　Lorenzo　de'　Medici　at　Florence；　but　it　is　doubtless　none　the　worse　for　that。　　The　interest　of　the　work　of　Paul　Dubois　is　its　peculiar　seriousness；　a　kind　of　moral　good　faith　which　is　not　the　commonest　feature　of　French　art；　and　which；　united　as　it　is　in　this　case　with　exceeding　knowledge　and　a　remarkable　sense　of　form；　produces　an　impression；　of　deep　refinement。　　The　whole　monu…　ment　is　a　proof　of　exquisitely　careful　study；　but　I　am　not　sure　that　this　impression　on　the　part　of　the　spec…　tator　is　altogether　a　happy　one。　　It　explains　much　of　its　great　beauty；　and　it　also　explains；　perhaps；　a　little　of　a　certain　weakness。　　That　word；　however；　is　scarcely　in　place；　I　only　mean　that　M。　Dubois　has　made　a　vi…　sible　effort；　which　has　been　most　fruitful。　　Simplicity　is　not　always　strength；　and　our　complicated　modern　genius　contains　treasures　of　intention。　　This　fathomless　modern　element　is　an　immense　charm　on　the　part　of　M。　Paul　Dubois。　　I　am　lost　in　admiration　of　the　deep　aesthetic　experience；　the　enlightenment　of　taste；　re…　vealed　by　such　work。　　After　that；　I　only　hope　that　Giuseppe　Garibaldi