a little tour in france-第17章

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he　enlightenment　of　taste；　re…　vealed　by　such　work。　　After　that；　I　only　hope　that　Giuseppe　Garibaldi　may　have　a　monument　as　fair。



XVI。

To　go　from　Nantes　to　La　Rochelle　you　travel　straight　southward；　across　the　historic　_bocage_　of　La　Vendee；　the　home　of　royalist　bush…fighting。　　The　country；　which　is　exceedingly　pretty；　bristles　with　copses；　orchards；　hedges；　and　with　trees　more　spread…　ing　and　sturdy　than　the　traveller　is　apt　to　deem　the　feathery　foliage　of　France。　　It　is　true　that　as　I　pro…　ceeded　it　flattened　out　a　good　deal；　so　that　for　an　hour　there　was　a　vast　featureless　plain；　which　offered　me　little　entertainment　beyond　the　general　impression　that　I　was　approaching　the　Bay　of　Biscay　（from　which；　in　reality；　I　was　yet　far　distant）。　　As　we　drew　near　La　Rochelle；　however；　the　prospect　brightened　con…　siderably；　and　the　railway　kept　its　course　beside　a　charming　little　canal；　or　canalized　river；　bordered　with　trees；　and　with　small；　neat；　bright…colored；　and　yet　old…fashioned　cottages　and　villas；　which　stood　back　on　the　further　side；　behind　small　gardens；　hedges；　painted　palings；　patches　of　turf。　　The　whole　effect　was　Dutch　and　delightful；　and　in　being　delightful；　though　not　in　being　Dutch；　it　prepared　me　for　the　charms　of　La　Rochelle；　which　from　the　moment　I　entered　it　I　perceived　to　be　a　fascinating　little　town；　a　most　original　mixture　of　brightness　and　dulness。　Part　of　its　brightness　comes　from　its　being　extra…　ordinarily　clean；　…　in　which；　after　all；　it　_is_　Dutch；　a　virtue　not　particularly　noticeable　at　Bourges；　Le　Mans；　and　Angers。　　Whenever　I　go　southward；　if　it　be　only　twenty　miles；　I　begin　to　look　out　for　the　south；　pre…　pared　as　I　am　to　find　the　careless　grace　of　those　lati…　tudes　even　in　things　of　which　it　may；　be　said　that　they　may　be　south　of　something；　but　are　not　southern。　To　go　from　Boston　to　New　York　（in　this　state　of　mind）　is　almost　as　soft　a　sensation　as　descending　the　Italian　side；　of　the　Alps；　and　to　go　from　New　York　to　Philadelphia　is　to　enter　a　zone　of　tropical　luxuriance　and　warmth。　　Given　this　absurd　disposition；　I　could　not　fail　to　flatter　myself；　on　reaching　La　Rochelle；　that　I　was　already　in　the　Midi；　and　to　perceive　in　everything；　in　the　language　of　the　country；　the　_ca…　ractere　meridional。_　　Really；　a　great　many　things　had　a　hint　of　it。　　For　that　matter；　it　seems　to　me　that　to　arrive　in　the　south　at　a　bound　…　to　wake　up　there；　as　it　were　…　would　be　a　very　imperfect　pleasure。　　The　full　pleasure　is　to　approach　by　stages　and　gradations；　to　observe　the　successive　shades　of　difference　by　which　it　ceases　to　be　the　north。　　These　shades　are　exceedingly　fine；　but　your　true　south…lover　has　an　eye　for　them　all。　　If　he　perceive　them　at　New　York　and　Philadelphia；　…　we　imagine　him　boldly　as　liberated　from　Boston；　…　how　could　he　fail　to　perceive　them　at　La　Rochelle？　　The　streets　of　　this　dear　little　city　are　lined　with　arcades；　…　good；　big；　straddling　arcades　of　stone；　such　as　befit　a　land　of　hot　summers；　and　which　recalled　to　me；　not　to　go　further；　the　dusky　portions　of　Bayonne。　　It　contains；　moreover；　a　great　wide　_place　d'armes_；　which　looked　for　all　the　world　like　the　piazza　of　some　dead　Italian　town；　empty；　sunny；　grass…grown；　with　a　row　of　yellow　houses　overhanging　it；　an　unfrequented　cafe；　with　a　striped　awning；　a　tall；　cold；　florid；　uninteresting　cathedral　of　the　eighteenth　century　on　one　side；　and　on　the　other　a　shady　walk；　which　forms　part　of　an　old　rampart。　　I　followed　this　walk　for　some　time；　under　the　stunted　trees；　beside　the　grass…covered　bastions；　it　is　very　charming；　wind…　ing　and　wandering；　always　with　trees。　　Beneath　the　rampart　is　a　tidal　river；　and　on　the　other　side；　for　a　long　distance；　the　mossy　walls　of　the　immense　garden　of　a　seminary。　　Three　hundred　years　ago；　La　Rochelle　was　the　great　French　stronghold　of　Protestantism；　but　to…day　it　appears　to　be　a'nursery　of　Papists。

The　walk　upon　the　rampart　led　me　round　to　one　of　the　gatesi　of　the　town；　where　I　found　some　small　modern；　fortifications　and　sundry　red…legged　soldiers；　and；　beyond　the　fortifications；　another　shady　walk；　…　a　_mail_；　as　the　French　say；　as　well　as　a　_champ　de　manoeuvre_；　…　on　which　latter　expanse　the　poor　little　red…legs　were　doing　their　exercise。　　It　was　all　very　quiet　and　very　picturesque；　rather　in　miniature；　and　at　once　very　tidy　and　a　little　out　of　repair。　　This；　however；　was　but　a　meagre　back…view　of　La　Rochelle；　or　poor　side…view　at　best。　　There　are　other　gates　than　the　small　fortified　aperture　just　mentioned；　one　of　them；　an　old　gray　arch　beneath　a　fine　clock…tower；　I　had　passed　through　on　my　way　from　the　station。　This　picturesque　Tour　de　l'Horloge　separates　the　town　proper　from　the　port；　for　beyond　the　old　gray　arch；　the　place　presents　its　bright；　expressive　little　face　to　the　sea。　　I　had　a　charming　walk　about　the　harbor；　and　along　the　stone　piers　and　sea…walls　that　shut　it　in。　　This　indeed；　to　take　things　in　their　order；　was　after　I　had　had　my　breakfast　（which　I　took　on　arriv…　ing）　and　after　I　had　been　to　the　_hotel　de　ville_。　　The　inn　had　a　long　narrow　garden　behind　it；　with　some　very　tall　trees；　and　passing　through　this　garden　to　a　dim　and　secluded　_salle　a　manger_；　buried　in　the　heavy　shade；　I　had；　while　I　sat　at　my　repast；　a　feeling　of　seclusion　which　amounted　almost　to　a　sense　of　in…　carceration。　　I　lost　this　sense；　however；　after　I　had　paid　my　bill；　and　went　out　to　look　for　traces　of　the　famous　siege；　which　is　the　principal　title　of　La　Rochelle　to　renown。　　I　had　come　thither　partly　because　I　thought　it　would　be　interesting　to　stand　for　a　few　moments　in　so　gallant　a　spot；　and　partly　because；　I　confess；　I　had　a　curiosity　to　see　what　had　been　the　starting…point　of　the　Huguenot　emigrants　who　founded　the　town　of　New　Rochelle　in　the　State　of　New　York；　a　place　in　which　I　had　passed　certain　memorable　hours。　　It　was　strange　to　think；　as　I　strolled　through　the　peaceful　little　port；　that　these　quiet　waters；　during　the　wars　of　religion；　had　swelled　with　a　formidable　naval　power。　　The　Rochelais　had　fleets　and　admirals；　and　their　stout　little　Protestant　bottoms　carried　de…　fiance　up　and　down。

To　say　that　I　found　any　traces　of　the　siege　would　be　to　misrepresent　the　taste　for　vivid　whitewash　by　which　La　Rochelle　is　distinguished　to…day。　　The　only　trace　is　the　dent　in　the　marble　top　of　the　table　on　which；　in　the　_hotel　de　ville_；　Jean　Guiton；　the　mayor　of　the　city；　brought　down　his　dagger　with　an　oath；　when　in　1628　the　vessels　and　regiments　of　Richelieu　closed　about　it　on　sea　and　land。　　This　terrible　functionary　was　the　soul　of　the　resistance；　he　held　out　from　February　to　October；　in　the　midst　of　pestilence　and　famine。　　The　whole　episode　has　a　brilliant　place　among　the　sieges　of　history；　it　has　been　related　a　hundred　times；　and　I　may　only　glance　at　it　and　pass。　I　limit　my　ambition；　in　these　light　pages；　to　speaking　of　those　things　of　which　I　have　personally　received　an　impression；　and　I　have　no　such　impression　of　the　defence　of　La　Rochelle。　　The　hotel　de　ville　is　a　pretty　little　building；　in　the　style　of　the　Renaissance　of　Francis　I。；　but　it　has　left　much　of　its　interest　in　the　hands　of　the　restorers。　　It　has　been　〃done　up〃　without　mercy；　its　natural　place　would　be　at　Rochelle　the　New。　　A　sort　of　battlemented　curtain；　flanked　with　turrets；　divides　it　from　the　street　and　contains　a　low　door　（a　low　door　in　a　high　wall　is　always　felicitous）；　which　admits　you　to　an　inner　court；　where　you　discover　the　face　of　the　building。　　It　has　statues　set　into　it；　and　is　raised　upon　a　very　low　and　very　deep　arcade。　　The　principal　function　of　the　deferential　old　portress　who　conducts　you　over　the　place　is　to　call　your　attention　to　the　indented　table　of　Jean　Guiton；　but　she　shows　you　other　objects　of　interest　besides。　The　interior　is　absolutely　new　and　extremely　sump…　tuous；　abounding　in　tapestries；　upholstery；　morocco；　velvet；　satin。　　This　is　especially　the　case　with　a　really　beautiful　_grande　salle_；　where；　surrdunded　with　the　most　expensive　upholstery；　the　mayor　holds　his　official　receptions。　　（So　at　least；　said　my　worthy　portress。）　The　mayors　of　La　Rochelle　appear　to　have　changed　a　good　deal　since　the　days　of　the　grim　Guiton；　but　these　evidences　of　municipal　splendor　are　interesting　for　the　light　they　throw　on　French　manners。　　Imagine　the　mayor　of　an　English　or　an　American　town　of　twenty　thousand　inhabitants　holding　magisterial　soirees　in　the　town…hall！　　The　said　_grande　salle_；　which　is　un…　changed　in　form　and　its　larger　features；　is；　I　believe；　the　room　in　which　the　Rochelais　debated　as　to　whether　they　should　shut　themselves　up；　and　decided　in　the　affirmative。　　The　table　and　chair　of　Jean　Guiton　have　been　restored；　Iike　everything　else；　and　are　very　elegant　and　coquettish　pieces　of　furniture；　…　incongruous　relics　of　a　season　of　starvation　and　blood。　　I　believe　that　Protestantism　is　somewhat　shrunken　to…day　at　La　Rochelle；　and　has　taken　refuge　mainly　in。　the　_haute　societe_　and　in　a　single　place　of　worship。　　There　was　nothing　particular　to　remind　me　of　its　supposed　austerity　as；　after　leaving　the　hotel　de　ville；　I　walked　along　the　empty　portions　and　cut　out　of　the　Tour　de　l'Horloge；　which　I　have　already　mentioned。　　If　I　stopped　and　looked　up　at　this　venerable　monument；　it　was　not　to　ascertain　the　hour；　for　I　foresaw　that　I　should　have　more　time　at　La　Rochelle　than　I　knew　what　to　do　with；　but　because　its　high；　gray；　weather…beaten　face　was　an　obvious　subject　for　a　sketch。　The　little　port；　which　has　two　basins；　and　is　ac…　cessible　only　to　vessels　of　light　tonnage；　had　a　certain　gayety　and　as　much　local　color　as　you　please。　　Fisher　folk　of　pictuesque　type　were　strolling　about；　most　of　them　Bretons；　several　of　the　men　with　handsome；　simple　faces；　not　at　all　brutal；　and　with　a　splendid　brownness；　…　the　golden…brown　color；　on　cheek　and　beard；　that　you　see　on　an　old　Venetian　sail。　　It　was　a　squally；　showery　day；　with　sudden　drizzles　of　sun…　shine；　rows　of　rich…toned　fishing…smacks　were　drawn　up　along　the　quays。　　The　harbor　is　effective　to　the　eye　by　reason　of　three　battered　old　towers　which；　at　different　points；　overhang　it　and　look　infinitely　weather…　washed　and　sea…silvered。　　The　most　striking　of　these；　the　Tour　de　la　Lanterne；　is　a　big　gray　mass；　of　the　fifteenth　century；　flanked　with　turrets　and　crowned　with　a　Gothic　steeple。　　I　found　it　was　called　by　the　people　of　the　place　the　Tour　des　Quatre　Sergents；　though　I　know　not　what　connection　it　has　with　the　touching　history　of　the　four　young　sergeants　of　the　garrison　of　La　Rochelle；　who　were　arrested　in　1821　as　conspirators　against　the　Government　of　the　Bour…　bons；　and　executed；　amid　general　indignation；　in　Paris　in　the　following　year。　　The　quaint　little　walk；　with　its　label　of　Rue　sur　les　Murs；　to　which　one　ascends　from　beside　the　Grosse　Horloge；　leads　to　this　curious　Tour　de　la　Lanterne　and　passes　under　it。　　This　walk　has　the　top　of　the　old　town…wall；　toward　the　sea；　for　a　parapet　on　one　side；　and　is　bordered　on　the　other　with　decent　but　irregular　little　tenements　of　fishermen；　where　brown　old　women；　whose　caps　are　as　white　as　if　they　were　painted；　seem　chiefly　in　possession。　　In　this　direction　there　is　a　very　pretty　stretch　of　shore；　out　of　the　town；　through　the　fortifications　（which　are　Vauban's；　by　the　way）；　through；　also；　a　diminutive　public　garden　or　straggling　shrubbery；　which　edges　the　wa