a little tour in france-第19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！


。　　Here　the　river　makes　a　shining　twist；　which　a　painter　might　have　invented；　and　the　side　of　the　hill　is　terraced　into　several　ledges；　…　a　sort　of　tangle　of　small　blooming　patches　and　little　pavillions　with　peaked　roofs　and　green　shutters。　　It　is　idle　to　attempt　to　reproduce　all　this　in　words；　it　should　be　reproduced　only　in　water…colors。　　The　reader；　how…　ever；　will　already　have　remarked　that　disparity　in　these　ineffectual　pages；　which　are　pervaded　by　the　attempt　to　sketch　without　a　palette　or　brushes。　　He　will　doubtless；　also；　be　struck　with　the　grovelling　vision　which；　on　such　a　spot　as　the　ramparts　of　Poitiers；　peoples　itself　with　carrots　and　cabbages　rather　than　with　images　of　the　Black　Prince　and　the　captive　king。　I　am　not　sure　that　in　looking　out　from　the　Promenade　de　Blossac　you　command　the　old　battle…field；　it　is　enough　that　it　was　not　far　off；　and　that　the　great　rout　of　Frenchmen　poured　into　the　walls　of　Poitiers；　leav…　ing　on　the　ground　a　number　of　the　fallen　equal　to　the　little　army　（eight　thousand）　of　the　invader。　　I　did　think　of　the　battle。　　I　wondered；　rather　helplessly；　where　it　had　taken　place；　and　I　came　away　（as　the　reader　will　see　from　the　preceding　sentence）　without　finding　out。　　This　indifference；　however；　was　a　result　rather　of　a　general　dread　of　military　topography　than　of　a　want　of　admiration　of　this　particular　victory；　which　I　have　always　supposed　to　be　one　of　the　most　brilliant　on　record。　　Indeed；　I　should　be　almost　ashamed；　and　very　much　at　a　loss；　to　say　what　light　it　was　that　this　glorious　day　seemed　to　me　to　have　left　forever　on　the　horizon；　and　why　the　very　name　of　the　place　had　always　caused　my　blood　gently　to　tingle。　It　is　carrying　the　feeling　of　race　to　quite　inscrutable　lengths　when　a　vague　American　permits　himself　an　emotion　because　more　than　five　centuries　ago；　on　French　soil；　one　rapacious　Frenchman　got　the　better　of　another。　　Edward　was　a　Frenchman　as　well　as　John；　and　French　were　the　cries　that　urged　each　of　the　hosts　to　the　fight。　　French　is　the　beautiful　motto　graven　round　the　image　of　the　Black　Prince；　as　he　lies　forever　at　rest　in　the　choir　of　Canterbury：　_a　la　mort　ne　pensai…je　mye_。　　Nevertheless；　the　victory　of　Poitiers　declines　to　lose　itself　in　these　considerations；　the　sense　of　it　is　a　part　of　our　heritage；　the　joy　of　it　a　part　of　our　imagination；　and　it　filters　down　through　centuries　and　migrations　till　it　titillates　a　New　Yorker　who　forgets　in　his　elation　that　he　happens　at　that　moment　to　be　enjoying　the　hospitality　of　France。　　It　was　something　done；　I　know　not　how　justly；　for　Eng…　land；　and　what　was　done　in　the　fourteenth　century　for　England　was　done　also　for　New　York。



XVIII。

If　it　was　really　for　the　sake　of　the　Black　Prince　that　I　had　stopped　at　Poitiers　（for　my　prevision　of　Notre　Dame　la　Grande　and　of　the　little　temple　of　St。　John　was　of　the　dimmest）；　I　ought　to　have　stopped　at　Angouleme　for　the　sake　of　David　and　Eve　Sechard；　of　Lucien　de　Rubempre　and　of　Madame　de　Bargeton；　who　when　she　wore　a　_toilette　etudiee_　sported　a　Jewish　turban　ornamented　with　an　Eastern　brooch；　a　scarf　of　gauze；　a　necklace　of　cameos；　and　a　robe　of　〃painted　muslin；〃　whatever　that　may　be；　treating　herself　to　these　luxuries　out　of　an　income　of　twelve　thousand　francs。　　The　persons　I　have　mentioned　have　not　that　vagueness　of　identity　which　is　the　misfortune　of　his…　torical　characters；　they　are　real；　supremely　real；　thanks　to　their　affiliation　to　the　great　Balzac；　who　had　invented　an　artificial　reality　which　was　as　much　better　than　the　vulgar　article　as　mock…turtle　soup　is　than　the　liquid　it　emulates。　　The　first　time　I　read　〃Les　Illusions　Perdues〃　I　should　have　refused　to　believe　that　I　was　capable　of　passing　the　old　capital　of　Anjou　without　alighting　to　visit　the　Houmeau。　　But　we　never　know　what　we　are　capable　of　till　we　are　tested；　as　I　reflected　when　I　found　myself　looking　back　at　Angouleme　from　the　window　of　the　train；　just　after　we　had　emerged　from　the　long　tunnel　that　passes　under　the　town。　　This　tunnel　perforates　the　hill　on　which；　like　Poitiers；　Angouleme　rears　itself；　and　which　gives　it　an　eleva…　tion　still　greater　than　that　of　Poitiers。　　You　may　have　a　tolerable　look　at　the　cathedral　without　leaving　the　railway…carriage；　for　it　stands　just　above　the　tunnel；　and　is　exposed；　much　foreshortened；　to　the　spectator　below。　　There　is　evidently　a　charming　walk　round　the　plateau　of　the　town；　commanding　those　pretty　views　of　which　Balzac　gives　an　account。　　But　the　train　whirled　me　away；　and　these　are　my　only　impressions。　The　truth　is　that　I　had　no　need；　just　at　that　moment；　of　putting　myself　into　communication　with　Balzac；　for　opposite　to　me　in　the　compartment　were　a　couple　of　figures　almost　as　vivid　as　the　actors　in　the　〃Comedie　Humaine。〃　　One　of　these　was　a　very　genial　and　dirty　old　priest；　and　the　other　was　a　reserved　and　concen…　trated　young　monk；　…　the　latter　（by　which　I　mean　a　monk　of　any　kind）　being　a　rare　sight　to…day　in　France。　This　young　man；　indeed；　was　mitigatedly　monastic。　He　had　a　big　brown　frock　and　cowl；　but　he　had　also　a　shirt　and　a　pair　of　shoes；　he　had；　instead　of　a　hempen　scourge　round　his　waist；　a　stout　leather　thong；　and　he　carried　with　him　a　very　profane　little　valise。　He　also　read；　from　beginning　to　end；　the　〃Figaro〃　which　the　old　priest；　who　had　done　the　same；　presented　to　him；　and　he　looked　altogether　as　if；　had　he　not　been　a　monk；　he　would　have　made　a　distinguished　officer　of　engineers。　　When　he　was　not　reading　the　〃Figaro〃　he　was　conning　his　breviary　or　answering；　with　rapid　precision　and　with　a　deferential　but　dis…　couraging　dryness；　the　frequent　questions　of　his　com…　panion；　who　was　of　quite　another　type。　　This　worthy　had　a　bored；　good…natured；　unbuttoned；　expansive　look；　was　talkative；　restless；　almost　disreputably　human。　He　was　surrounded　by　a　great　deal　of　small　luggage；　and　had　scattered　over　the　carriage　his　books；　his　papers；　the　fragments　of　his　lunch；　and　the　contents　of　an　extraordinary　bag；　which　he　kept　beside　him　…　a　kind　of　secular　reliquary　…　and　which　appeared　to　contain　the　odds　and　ends　of　a　lifetime；　as　he　took　from　it　successively　a　pair　of　slippers；　an　old　padlock　（which　evidently　didn't　belong　to　it）；　an　opera…glass；　a　collection　of　almanacs；　and　a　large　sea…shell；　which　he　very　carefully　examined。　　I　think　that　if　he　had　not　been　afraid　of　the　young　monk；　who　was　so　much　more　serious　than　he；　he　would　have　held　the　shell　to　his　ear；　like　a　child。　　Indeed；　he　was　a　very　childish　and　delightful　old　priest；　and　his　companion　evidently　thought　him　most　frivolous。　　But　I　liked　him　the　better　of　the　two。　　He　was　not　a　country　cure；　but　an　eccle…　siastic　of　some　rank；　who　had　seen　a　good　deal　both　of　the　church　and　of　the　world；　and　if　I　too　had　not　been　afraid　of　his　colleague；　who　read　the　〃Figaro〃　as　seriously　as　if　it　had　been　an　encyclical；　I　should　have　entered　into　conversation　with　him。

All　this　while　I　was　getting　on　to　Bordeaux；　where　I　permitted　myself　to　spend　three　days。　　I　am　afraid　I　have　next　to　nothing　to　show　for　them；　and　that　there　would　be　little　profit　in　lingering　on　this　episode；　which　is　the　less　to　be　justified　as　I　had　in　former　years　examined　Bordeaux　attentively　enough。　　It　con…　tains　a　very　good　hotel；　…　an　hotel　not　good　enough；　however；　to　keep　you　there　for　its　own　sake。　　For　the　rest；　Bordeaux　is　a　big；　rich；　handsome；　imposing　com…　mercial　town；　with　long　rows　of　fine　old　eighteenth…　century　houses；　which　overlook　the　yellow　Garonne。　　I　have　spoken　of　the　quays　of　Nantes　as　fine；　but　those　of　Bordeaux　have　a　wider　sweep　and　a　still　more　architectural　air。　　The　appearance　of　such　a　port　as　this　makes　the　Anglo…Saxon　tourist　blush　for　the　sor…　did　water…fronts　of　Liverpool　and　New　York；　which；　with　their　larger　activity；　have　so　much　more　reason　to　be　stately。　　Bordeaux　gives　a　great　impression　of　prosperous　industries；　and　suggests　delightful　ideas；　images　of　prune…boxes　and　bottled　claret。　　As　the　focus　of　distribution　of　the　best　wine　in　the　world；　it　is　in…　deed　a　sacred　city；　…　dedicated　to　the　worship　of　Bacchus　in　the　most　discreet　form。　　The　country　all　about　it　is　covered　with　precious　vineyards；　sources　of　fortune　to　their　owners　and　of　satisfaction　to　distant　consumers；　and　as　you　look　over　to　the　hills　beyond　the　Garonne　you　see　them　in　the　autumn　sunshine；　fretted　with　the　rusty　richness　of　this　or　that　immortal　_clos_。　　But　the　principal　picture；　within　the　town；　is　that　of　the　vast　curving　quays；　bordered　with　houses　that　look　like　the　_hotels_　of　farmers…general　of　the　last　cen…　tury；　and　of　the　wide；　tawny　river；　crowded　with　ship…　ping　and　spanned　by　the　largest　of　bridges。　　Some　of　the　types　on　the　water…side　are　of　the　sort　that　arrest　a　sketcher；　…　figures　of　stalwart；　brown…faced　Basques；　such　as　I　had　seen　of　old　in　great　numbers　at　Biarritz；　with　their　loose　circular　caps；　their　white　sandals；　their　air　of　walking　for　a　wager。　　Never　was　a　tougher；　a　harder　race。　　They　are　not　mariners；　nor　watermen；　but；　putting　questions　of　temper　aside；　they　are　the　best　possible　dock…porters。　　〃Il　s'y　fait　un　commerce　terrible；〃　a　_douanier_　said　to　me；　as　he　looked　up　and　down　the　interminable　docks；　and　such　a　place　has　indeed　much　to　say　of　the　wealth；　the　capacity　for　production；　of　France；　…　the　bright；　cheerful；　smokeless　industry　of　the　wonderful　country　which　produces；　above　all；　the　agreeable　things　of　life；　and　turns　even　its　defeats　and　revolutions　into　gold。　　The　whole　town　has　an　air　of　almost　depressing　opulence；　an　appear…　ance　which　culminates　in　the　great　_place_　which　sur…　rounds　the　Grand…Theatre；　…　an　establishment　in　the　highest　style；　encircled　with　columns；　arcades；　lamps；　gilded　cafes。　　One　feels　it　to　be　a　monument　to　the　virtue　of　the　well…selected　bottle。　　If　I　had　not　for…　bidden　myself　to　linger；　I　should　venture　to　insist　on　this；　and；　at　the　risk　of　being　considered　fantastic；　trace　an　analogy　between　good　claret　and　the　best　qualities　of　the　French　mind；　pretend　that　there　is　a　taste　of　sound　Bordeaux　in　all　the　happiest　manifes…　tations　of　that　fine　organ；　and　that；　correspondingly；　there　is　a　touch　of　French　reason；　French　complete…　ness；　in　a　glass　of　Pontet…Canet。　　The　danger　of　such　an　excursion　would　lie　mainly　in　its　being　so　open　to　the　reader　to　take　the　ground　from　under　my　feet　by　saying　that　good　claret　doesn't　exist。　　To　this　I　should　have　no　reply　whatever。　　I　should　be　unable　to　tell　him　where　to　find　it。　　I　certainly　didn't　find　it　at　Bordeaux；　where　I　drank　a　most　vulgar　fluid；　and　it　is　of　course　notorious　that　a　large　part　of　mankind　is　occupied　in　vainly　looking　for　it。　　There　was　a　great　pretence　of　putting　it　forward　at　the　Exhibition　which　was　going　on　at　Bordeaux　at　the　time　of　my　visit；　an　〃exposition　philomathique；〃　lodged　in　a　collection　of　big　temporary　buildings　in　the　Allees　d'Or1eans；　and　regarded　by　the　Bordelais　for　the　moment　as　the　most　brilliant　feature　of　their　city。　　Here　were　pyramids　of　bottles；　mountains　of　bottles；　to　say　nothing　of　cases　and　cabinets　of　bottles。　　The　contemplation　of　these　glittering　tiers　was　of　course　not　very　convincing；　and　indeed　the　whole　arrangement　struck　me　as　a　high　impertinence。　　Good　wine　is　not　an　optical　pleasure；　it　is　an　inward　emotion；　and　if　there　was　a　chamber　of　degustation　on　the　premises；　I　failed　to　discover