a little tour in france-第25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！


s　Edward　Stuart；　the　second　pretender　to　the　British　crown。　　Surely　no　woman　ever　was　associated　senti…　mentally　with　three　figures　more　diverse；　…　a　disqualified　sovereign；　an　Italian　dramatist；　and　a　bad　French　painter。　　The　productions　of　M。　Fabre；　who　followed　in　the　steps　of　David；　bear　the　stamp　of　a　cold　me…　diocrity；　there　is　not　much　to　be　said　even　for　the　portrait　of　the　genial　countess　（her　life　has　been　written　by　M。　Saint…Rene…Taillandier；　who　depicts　her　as　de…　lightful）；　which　hangs　in　Florence；　in　the　gallery　of　the　Uffizzi；　and　makes　a　pendant　to　a　likeness　of　Alfieri　by　the　same　author。　　Stendhal；　in　his　〃Me…　moires　d'un　Touriste；〃　says　that　this　work　of　art　represents　her　as　a　cook　who　has　pretty　hands。　　I　am　delighted　to　have　an　opportunity　of　quoting　Stendhal；　whose　two　volumes　of　the　〃Memoires　d'un　Touriste〃　every　traveller　in　France　should　carry　in　his　port…　manteau。　　I　have　had　this　opportunity　more　than　once；　for　I　have　met　him　at　Tours；　at　Nantes；　at　Bourges；　and　everywhere　he　is　suggestive。　　But　he　has　the　de…　fect　that　he　is　never　pictorial；　that　he　never　by　any　chance　makes　an　image；　and　that　his　style　is　per…　versely　colorless；　for　a　man　so　fond　of　contemplation。　His　taste　is　often　singularly　false；　it　is　the　taste　of　the　early　years　of　the　present　century；　the　period　that　produced　clocks　surmounted　with　sentimental　〃sub…　jects。〃　　Stendhal　does　not　admire　these　clocks；　but　he　almost　does。　　He　admires　Domenichino　and　Guer…　cino；　and　prizes　the　Bolognese　school　of　painters　be…　cause　they　〃spoke　to　the　soul。〃　　He　is　a　votary　of　the　new　classic；　is　fond　of　tall；　squire；　regular　buildings；　and　thinks　Nantes；　for　instance；　full　of　the　〃air　noble。〃　It　was　a　pleasure　to　me　to　reflect　that　five…and…forty　years　ago　he　had　alighted　in　that　city；　at　the　very　inn　in　which　I　spent　a　night；　and　which　looks　down　on　the　Place　Graslin　and　the　theatre。　　The　hotel　that　was　the　best　in　1837　appears　to　be　the　best　to…day。　　On　the　subject　of　Touraine；　Stendhal　is　extremely　refresh…　ing；　he　finds　the　scenery　meagre　and　much　overrated；　and　proclaims　his　opinion　with　perfect　frankness。　　He　does；　however；　scant　justice　to　the　banks　of　the　Loire；　his　want　of　appreciation　of　the　picturesque　…　want　of　the　sketcher's　sense　…　causes　him　to　miss　half　the　charm　of　a　landscape　which　is　nothing　if　not　〃quiet；〃　as　a　painter　would　say；　and　of　which　the　felicities　reveal　themselves　only　to　waiting　eyes。　　He　even　despises　the　Indre；　the　river　of　Madame　Sand。　　The　〃Memoires　d'un　Touriste〃　are　written　in　the　character　of　a　commercial　traveller；　and　the　author　has　nothing　to　say　about　Chenonceaux　or　Chambord；　or　indeed　about　any　of　the　chateaux　of　that　part　of　France；　his　system　being　to　talk　only　of　the　large　towns；　where　he　may　be　supposed　to　find　a　market　for　his　goods。　　It　was　his　ambition　to　pass　for　an　ironmonger。　　But　in　the　large　towns　he　is　usually　excellent　company；　though　as　discursive　as　Sterne；　and　strangely　indifferent；　for　a　man　of　imagination；　to　those　superficial　aspects　of　things　which　the　poor　pages　now　before　the　reader　are　mainly　an　attempt　to　render。　　It　is　his　conviction　that　Alfieri；　at　Florence；　bored　the　Countess　of　Albany　ter…　ribly；　and　he　adds　that　the　famous　Gallophobe　died　of　jealousy　of　the　little　painter　from　Montpellier。　　The　Countess　of　Albany　left　her　property　to　Fabre；　and　I　suppose　some　of　the　pieces　in　the　museum　of　his　native　town　used　to　hang　in　the　sunny　saloons　of　that　fine　old　palace　on　the　Arno　which　is　still　pointed　out　to　the　stranger　in　Florence　as　the　residence　of　Alfieri。

The　institution　has　had　other　benefactors；　notably　a　certain　M。　Bruyas；　who　has　enriched　it　with　an　extra…　ordinary　number　of　portraits　of　himself。　　As　these；　however；　are　by　different　hands；　some　of　them　dis…　tinguished；　we　may　suppose　that　it　was　less　the　model　than　the　artists　to　whom　M。　Bruyas　wished　to　give　publicity。　Easily　first　are　two　large　specimens　of　David　Teniers；　which　are　incomparable　for　brilliancy　and　a　glowing　perfection　of　execution。　　I　have　a　weak…　ness　for　this　singular　genius；　who　combined　the　delicate　with　the　grovelling；　and　I　have　rarely　seen　richer　examples。　　Scarcely　less　valuable　is　a　Gerard　Dow　which　hangs　near　them；　though　it　must　rank　lower　as　having　kept　less　of　its　freshness。　　This　Gerard　Dow　did　me　good；　for　a　master　is　a　master；　whatever　he　may　paint。　　It　represents　a　woman　paring　carrots；　while　a　boy　before　her　exhibits　a　mouse…trap　in　which　he　has　caught　a　frightened　victim。　　The　good…wife　has　spread　a　cloth　on　the　top　of　a　big　barrel　which　serves　her　as　a　table；　and　on　this　brown；　greasy　napkin；　of　which　the　texture　is　wonderfully　rendered；　lie　the　raw　vegetables　she　is　preparing　for　domestic　consumption。　Beside　the　barrel　is　a　large　caldron　lined　with　copper；　with　a　rim　of　brass。　　The　way　these　things　are　painted　brings　tears　to　the　eyes；　but　they　give　the　measure　of　the　Musee　Fabre；　where　two　specimens　of　Teniers　and　a　Gerard　Dow　are　the　jewels。　　The　Italian　pictures　are　of　small　value；　but　there　is　a　work　by　Sir　Joshua　Rey…　nolds；　said　to　be　the　only　one　in　France；　…　an　infant　Samuel　in　prayer；　apparently　a　repetition　of　the　pic…　ture　in　England　which　inspired　the　little　plaster　im…　age；　disseminated　in　Protestant　lands；　that　we　used　to　admire　in　our　childhood。　　Sir　Joshua；　somehow；　was　an　eminently　Protestant　painter；　no　one　can　forget　that；　who　in　the　National　Gallery　in　London　has　looked　at　the　picture　in　which　he　represents　several　young　ladies　as　nymphs；　voluminously　draped；　hanging　gar…　lands　over　a　statue；　…　a　picture　suffused　indefinably　with　the　Anglican　spirit；　and　exasperating　to　a　mem…　ber　of　one　of　the　Latin　races。　　It　is　an　odd　chance；　therefore；　that　has　led　him　into　that　part　of　France　where　Protestants　have　been　least　_bien　vus_。　　This　is　the　country　of　the　dragonnades　of　Louis　XIV。　　and　of　the　pastors　of　the　desert。　　From　the　garden　of　the　Peyrou；　at　Montpellier；　you　may　see　the　hills　of　the　Cevennes；　to　which　they　of　the　religion　fled　for　safety；　and　out　of　which　they　were　hunted　and　harried。

I　have　only　to　add；　in　regard　to　the　Musee　Fabre；　that　it　contains　the　portrait　of　its　founder；　…　a　little；　pursy；　fat…faced；　elderly　man；　whose　countenance　con…　tains　few　indications　of　the　power　that　makes　distin…　guished　victims。　　He　is；　however；　just　such　a　personage　as　the　mind's　eye　sees　walking　on　the　terrace　of　the　Peyrou　of　an　October　afternoon　in　the　early　years　of　the　century；　a　plump　figure　in　a　chocolate…colored　coat　and　a　_culotte_　that　exhibits　a　good　leg；　…　a　culotte　pro…　vided　with　a　watch…fob　from　which　a　heavy　seal　is　suspended。　　This　Peyrou　（to　come　to　it　at　last）　is　a　wonderful　place；　especially　to　be　found　in　a　little　pro…　vincial　city。　　France　is　certainly　the　country　of　towns　that　aim　at　completeness；　more　than　in　other　lands；　they　contain　stately　features　as　a　matter　of　course。　　We　should　never　have　ceased　to　hear　about　the　Peyrou；　if　fortune　had　placed　it　at　a　Shrewsbury　or　a　Buffalo。　　It　is　true　that　the　place　enjoys　a　certain　celebrity　at　home；　which　it　amply　deserves；　moreover；　for　nothing　could　be　more　impressive　and　monumental。　　It　consists　of　an　〃elevated　platform；〃　as　Murray　says；　…　an　im…　mense　terrace；　laid　out；　in　the　highest　part　of　the　town；　as　a　garden；　and　commanding　in　all　directions　a　view　which　in　clear　weather　must　be　of　the　finest。　　I　strolled　there　in　the　intervals　of　showers；　and　saw　only　the　nearer　beauties；　…　a　great　pompous　arch　of　triumph　in　honor　of　Louis　XIV。　（which　is　not；　properly　speaking；　in　the　garden；　but　faces　it；　straddling　across　the　_place_　by　which　you　approach　it　from　the　town）；　an　equestrian　statue　of　that　monarch　set　aloft　in　the　middle　of　the　terrace；　and　a　very　exalted　and　complicated　fountain；　which　forms　a　background　to　the　picture。　　This　foun…　tain　gushes　from　a　kind　of　hydraulic　temple；　or　_cha…　teau　d'eau_；　to　which　you　ascend　by　broad　flights　of　steps；　and　which　is　fed　by　a　splendid　aqueduct；　stretched　in　the　most　ornamental　and　unexpected　manner　across　the　neighboring　valley。　　All　this　work　dates　from　the　middle　of　the　last　century。　　The　com…　bination　of　features　…　the　triumphal　arch；　or　gate；　the　wide；　fair　terrace；　with　its　beautiful　view；　the　statue　of　the　grand　monarch；　the　big　architectural　fountain；　which　would　not　surprise　one　at　Rome；　but　goes　sur…　prise　one　at　Montpellier；　and　to　complete　the　effect；　the　extraordinary　aqueduct；　charmingly　fore…shortened；　…　all　this　is　worthy　of　a　capital；　of　a　little　court…city。　The　whole　place；　with　its　repeated　steps；　its　balus…　trades；　its　massive　and　plentiful　stone…work；　is　full　of　the　air　of　the　last　century；　…　_sent　bien　son　dix…huitieme　siecle_；　none　the　less　so；　I　am　afraid；　that；　as　I　read　in　my　faithful　Murray；　after　the　revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes；　the　block；　the　stake；　the　wheel；　had　been　erected　here　for　the　benefit　of　the　desperate　Camisards。



XXVI。

It　was　a　pleasure　to　feel　one's　self　in　Provence　again；　…　the　land　where　the　silver…gray　earth　is　im…　pregnated　with　the　light　of　the　sky。　　To　celebrate　the　event；　as　soon　as　I　arrived　at　Nimes　I　engaged　a　caleche　to　convey　me　to　the　Pont　du　Gard。　　The　day　was　yet　young；　and　it　was　perfectly　fair；　it　ap…　peared　well；　for　a　longish　drive；　to　take　advantage；　without　delay；　of　such　security。　　After　I　had　left　the　town　I　became　more　intimate　with　that　Provencal　charm　which　I　had　already　enjoyed　from　the　window　of　the　train；　and　which　glowed　in　the　sweet　sunshine　and　the　white　rocks；　and　lurked　in　the　smoke…puffs　of　the　little　olives。　　The　olive…trees　in　Provence　are　half　the　landscape。　　They　are　neither　so　tall；　so　stout；　nor　so　richly　contorted　as　I　have　seen　them　beyond　the　Alps；　but　this　mild　colorless　bloom　seems　the　very　texture　of　the　country。　　The　road　from　Nimes；　for　a　distance　of　fifteen　miles；　is　superb；　broad　enough　for　an　army；　and　as　white　and　firm　as　a　dinner…table。　It　stretches　away　over　undulations　which　suggest　a　kind　of　harmony；　and　in　the　curves　it　makes　through　the　wide；　free　country；　where　there　is　never　a　hedge　or　a　wall；　and　the　detail　is　always　exquisite；　there　is　something　majestic；　almost　processional。　　Some　twenty　minutes　before　I　reached　the　little　inn　that　marks　the　termination　of　the　drive；　my　vehicle　met　with　an　ac…　cident　which　just　missed　being　serious；　and　which　engaged　the　attention　of　a　gentleman；　who；　followed　by　his　groom　and　mounted　on　a　strikingly　handsome　horse　happened　to　ride　up　at　the　moment。　　This　young　man；　who；　with　his　good　looks　and　charming　manner；　might　have　stepped　out　of　a　novel　of　Octave　Feuillet；　gave　me　some　very　intelligent　advice　in　reference　to　one　of　my　horses　that　had　been　injured；　and　was　so　good　as　to　accompany　me　to　the　inn；　with　the　re…　sources　of　which　he　was　acquainted；　to　see　that　his　recommendations　were　carried　out。　　The　result　of　our　interview　was　that　he　invited　me　to　come　and　look　at　a　small　but　ancient　chateau　in　the　neighborhood；　which　he　had　the　happiness　…　not　the　greatest　in　the　world；　he　intimated　…　to　inhabit；　and　at　which　I　en…　gaged　to　present　myself　after　I　should　have　spent　an　hour　at　the　Pont　du　Gard。　　For　the　moment；　when　we　separated；　I　gave　all　my　attention　to　that　great　structure。　　You　are　very　near　it　before　you　see　it；　the　ravine　it　spans　suddenly　opens　and　exhibits　the　picture。　　The　scene　at　this　point　grows　ex