a little tour in france-第26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！


e　it；　the　ravine　it　spans　suddenly　opens　and　exhibits　the　picture。　　The　scene　at　this　point　grows　extremely　beautiful。　　The　ravine　is　the　valley　of　the　Gardon；　which　the　road　from　Nimes　has　followed　some　time　without　taking　account　of　it；　but　which；　exactly　at　the　right　distance　from　the　aqueduct；　deepens　and　ex…　pands；　and　puts　on　those　characteristics　which　are　best　suited　to　give　it　effect。　　The　gorge　becomes　romantic；　still；　and　solitary；　and；　with　its　white　rocks　and　wild　shrubbery；　hangs　over　the　clear；　colored　river；　in　whose　slow　course　there　is　here　and　there　a　deeper　pool。　Over　the　valley；　from　side　to　side；　and　ever　so　high　in　the　air；　stretch　the　three　tiers　of　the　tremendous　bridge。　　They　are　unspeakably　imposing；　and　nothing　could　well　be　more　Roman。　　The　hugeness；　the　soli…　dity；　the　unexpectedness；　the　monumental　rectitude　of　the　whole　thing　leave　you　nothing　to　say　…　at　the　time　…　and　make　you　stand　gazing。　　You　simply　feel　that　it　is　noble　and　perfect；　that　it　has　the　quality　of　greatness。　　A　road；　branching　from　the　highway；　de…　scends　to　the　level　of　the　river　and　passes　under　one　of　the　arches。　　This　road　has　a　wide　margin　of　grass　and　loose　stones；　which　slopes　upward　into　the　bank　of　the　ravine。　　You　may　sit　here　as　long　as　you　please；　staring　up　at　the　light；　strong　piers；　the　spot　is　ex…　tremely　natural；　though　two　or　three　stone　benches　have　been　erected　on　it。　　I　remained　there　an　hour　and　got　a　cornplete　impression；　the　place　was　per…　fectly　soundless；　and　for　the　time；　at　least；　lonely；　the　splendid　afternoon　had　begun　to　fade；　and　there　was　a　fascination　in　the　object　I　had　come　to　see。　　It　came　to　pass　that　at　the　same　time　I　discovered　in　it　a　certain　stupidity；　a　vague　brutality。　　That　element　is　rarely　absent　from　great　Roman　work；　which　is　wanting　in　the　nice　adaptation　of　the　means　to　the　end。　　The　means　are　always　exaggerated；　the　end　is　so　much　more　than　attained。　　The　Roman　rigidity　was　apt　to　overshoot　the　mark；　and　I　suppose　a　race　which　could　do　nothing　small　is　as　defective　as　a　race　that　can　do　nothing　great。　　Of　this　Roman　rigidity　the　Pont　du　Gard　is　an　admirable　example。　　It　would　be　a　great　injustice；　however；　not　to　insist　upon　its　beauty；　…　a　kind　of　manly　beauty；　that　of　an　object　constructed　not　to　please　but　to　serve；　and　impressive　simply　from　the　scale　on　which　it　carries　out　this　intention。　　The　number　of　arches　in　each　tier　is　dif…　ferent；　they　are　smaller　and　more　numerous　as　they　ascend。　　The　preservation　of　the　thing　is　extra…　ordinary；　nothing　has　crumbled　or　collapsed；　every　feature　remains；　and　the　huge　blocks　of　stone；　of　a　brownish…yellow；　（as　if　they　had　been　baked　by　the　Provencal　sun　for　eighteen　centuries）；　pile　themselves；　without　mortar　or　cement；　as　evenly　as　the　day　they　were　laid　together。　　All　this　to　carry　the　water　of　a　couple　of　springs　to　a　little　provincial　city！　　The　con…　duit　on　the　top　has　retained　its　shape　and　traces　of　the　cement　with　which　it　was　lined。　　When　the　vague　twilight　began　to　gather；　the　lonely　valley　seemed　to　fill　itself　with　the　shadow　of　the　Roman　name；　as　if　the　mighty　empire　were　still　as　erect　as　the　supports　of　the　aqueduct；　and　it　was　open　to　a　solitary　tourist；　sitting　there　sentimental；　to　believe　that　no　people　has　ever　been；　or　will　ever　be；　as　great　as　that；　measured；　as　we　measure　the　greatness　of　an　individual；　by　the　push　they　gave　to　what　they　undertook。　　The　Pont　du　Gard　is　one　of　the　three　or　four　deepest　impressions　they　have　left；　it　speaks　of　them　in　a　manner　with　which　they　might　have　been　satisfied。

I　feel　as　if　it　were　scarcely　discreet　to　indicate　the　whereabouts　of　the　chateau　of　the　obliging　young　man　I　had　met　on　the　way　from　Nimes；　I　must　con…　tent　myself　with　saying　that　it　nestled　in　an　en…　chanting　valley；　…　_dans　le　fond_；　as　they　say　in　France；　…　and　that　I　took　my　course　thither　on　foot；　after　leaving　the　Pont　du　Gard。　　I　find　it　noted　in　my　journal　as　〃an　adorable　little　corner。〃　　The　principal　feature　of　the　place　is　a　couple　of　very　ancient　towers；　brownish…yellow　in　hue；　and　mantled　in　scarlet　Vir…　ginia…creeper。　　One　of　these　towers；　reputed　to　be　of　Saracenic　origin；　is　isolated；　and　is　only　the　more　effective；　the　other　is　incorporated　in　the　house；　which　is　delightfully　fragmentary　and　irregular。　　It　had　got　to　be　late　by　this　time；　and　the　lonely　_castel_　looked　crepuscular　and　mysterious。　　An　old　house…　keeper　was　sent　for；　who　showed　me　the　rambling　interior；　and　then　the　young　man　took　me　into　a　dim　old　drawing…room；　which　had　no　less　than　four　chimney…pieces；　all　unlighted；　and　gave　me　a　refec…　tion　of　fruit　and　sweet　wine。　　When　I　praised　the　wine　and　asked　him　what　it　was；　he　said　simply；　〃C'est　du　vin　de　ma　mere！〃　　Throughout　my　little　joumey　I　had　never　yet　felt　myself　so　far　from　Paris；　and　this　was　a　sensation　I　enjoyed　more　than　my　host；　who　was　an　involuntary　exile；　consoling　him…　self　with　laying　out　a　_manege_；　which　he　showed　me　as　I　walked　away。　　His　civility　was　great；　and　I　was　greatly　touched　by　it。　　On　my　way　back　to　the　little　inn　where　I　had　left　my　vehicle；　I　passed　the　Pont　du　Gard；　and　took　another　look　at　it。　　Its　great　arches　made　windows　for　the　evening　sky；　and　the　rocky　ravine；　with　its　dusky　cedars　and　shining　river；　was　lonelier　than　before。　　At　the　inn　I　swallowed；　or　tried　to　swallow；a　glass　of　horrible　wine　with　my　coach…　man；　after　which；　with　my　reconstructed　team；　I　drove　back　to　Nimes　in　the　moonlight。　　It　only　added　a　more　solitary　whiteness　to　the　constant　sheen　of　the　Provencal　landscape。



XXVII。

The　weather　the　next　day　was　equally　fair；　so　that　it　seemed　an　imprudence　not　to　make　sure　of　Aigues…　Mortes。　　Nimes　itself　could　wait；　at　a　pinch；　I　could　attend　to　Nimes　in　the　rain。　　It　was　my　belief　that　Aigues…Mortes　was　a　little　gem；　and　it　is　natural　to　desire　that　gems　should　have　an　opportunity　to　sparkle。　This　is　an　excursion　of　but　a　few　hours；　and　there　is　a　little　friendly；　familiar；　dawdling　train　that　will　con…　vey　you；　in　time　for　a　noonday　breakfast；　to　the　small　dead　town　where　the　blessed　Saint…Louis　twice　em…　barked　for　the　crusades。　　You　may　get　back　to　Nimes　for　dinner；　the　run　…　or　rather　the　walk；　for　the　train　doesn't　run　…　is　of　about　an　hour。　　I　found　the　little　journey　charming；　and　looked　out　of　the　carriage　win…　dow；　on　my　right；　at　the　distant　Cevennes；　covered　with　tones　of　amber　and　blue；　and；　all　around；　at　vineyards　red　with　the　touch　of　October。　　The　grapes　were　gone；　but　the　plants　had　a　color　of　their　own。　Within　a　certain　distance　of　Aigues…Mortes　they　give　place　to　wide　salt…marshes；　traversed　by　two　canals；　and　over　this　expanse　the　train　rumbles　slowly　upon　a　narrow　causeway；　failing　for　some　time；　though　you　know　you　are　near　the　object　of　your　curiosity；　to　bring　you　to　sight　of　anything　but　the　horizon。　　Sud…　denly　it　appears；　the　towered　and　embattled　mass；　lying　so　low　that　the　crest　of　its　defences　seems　to　rise　straight　out　of　the　ground；　and　it　is　not　till　the　train　stops；　close　before　them；　that　you　are　able　to　take　the　full　measure　of　its　walls。

Aigues…Mortes　stands　on　the　edge　of　a　wide　_etang_；　or　shallow　inlet　of　the　sea；　the　further　side　of　which　is　divided　by　a　narrow　band　of　coast　from　the　Gulf　of　Lyons。　　Next　after　Carcassonne；　to　which　it　forms　an　admirable　_pendant_；　it　is　the　most　perfect　thing　of　the　kind　in　France。　　It　has　a　rival　in　the　person　of　Avignon；　but　the　ramparts　of　Avignon　are　much　less　effective。　　Like　Carcassonne；　it　is　completely　sur…　rounded　with　its　old　fortifications；　and　if　they　are　far　simpler　in　character　（there　is　but　one　circle）；　they　are　quite　as　well　preserved。　　The　moat　has　been　filled　up；　and　the　site　of　　the　town　might　be　figured　by　a　billiard…table　without　pockets。　　On　this　absolute　level；　covered　with　coarse　grass；　Aigues…Mortes　presents　quite　the　appearance　of　the　walled　town　that　a　school…boy　draws　upon　his　slate；　or　that　we　see　in　the　background　of　early　Flemish　pictures；　…　a　simple　parallelogram；　of　a　contour　almost　absurdly　bare；　broken　at　intervals　by　angular　towers　and　square　holes。　　Such；　literally　speak…　ing；　is　this　delightful　little　city；　which　needs　to　be　seen　to　tell　its　full　story。　　It　is　extraordinarily　pictorial；　and　if　it　is　a　very　small　sister　of　Carcassonne；　it　has　at　least　the　essential　features　of　the　family。　　Indeed；　it　is　even　more　like　an　image　and　less　like　a　reality　than　Carcassonne；　for　by　position　and　prospect　it　seems　even　more　detached　from　the　life　of　the　present　day。　　It　is　true　that　Aigues…Mortes　does　a　little　busi…　ness；　it　sees　certain　bags　of　salt　piled　into　barges　which　stand　in　a　canal　beside　it；　and　which　carry　their　cargo　into　actual　places。　　But　nothing　could　well　be　more　drowsy　and　desultory　than　this　industry　as　I　saw　it　practised；　with　the　aid　of　two　or　three　brown　peasants　and　under　the　eye　of　a　solitary　douanier；　who　strolled　on　the　little　quay　beneath　the　western　wall。　　〃C'est　bien　plaisant；　c'est　bien　paisible；〃　said　this　worthy　man；　with　whom　I　had　some　conversa…　tion；　and　pleasant　and　peaceful　is　the　place　indeed；　though　the　former　of　these　epithets　may　suggest　an　element　of　gayety　in　which　Aigues…Mortes　is　deficient。　The　sand；　the　salt；　the　dull　sea…view；　surround　it　with　a　bright；　quiet　melancholy。　　There　are　fifteen　towers　and　nine　gates；　five　of　which　are　on　the　southern　side；　overlooking　the　water。　　I　walked　all　round　the　place　three　times　（it　doesn't　take　long）；　but　lingered　most　under　the　southern　wall；　where　the　afternoon　light　slept　in　the　dreamiest；　sweetest　way。　　I　sat　down　on　an　old　stone；　and　looked　away　to　the　desolate　salt…　marshes　and　the　still；　shining　surface　of　the　_etang_；　and；　as　I　did　so；　reflected　that　this　was　a　queer　little　out…of…the…world　corner　to　have　been　chosen；　in　the　great　dominions　of　either　monarch；　for　that　pompous　interview　which　took　place；　in　1538；　between　Francis　I。　and　Charles　V。　　It　was　also　not　easy　to　perceive　how　Louis　IX。；　when　in　1248　and　1270　he　started　for　the　Holy　Land；　set　his　army　afloat　in　such　very　undeveloped　channels。　　An　hour　later　I　purchased　in　the　town　a　little　pamphlet　by　M。　Marius　Topin；　who　undertakes　to　explain　this　latter　anomaly；　and　to　show　that　there　is　water　enough　in　the　port；　as　we　may　call　it　by　courtesy；　to　have　sustained　a　fleet　of　crusaders。　　I　was　unable　to　trace　the　channel　that　he　points　out；　but　was　glad　to　believe　that；　as　he　contends；　the　sea　has　not　retreated　from　the　town　since　the　thirteenth　century。　It　was　comfortable　to　think　that　things　are　not　so　changed　as　that。　　M。　Topin　indicates　that　the　other　French　ports　of　the　Mediterranean　were　not　then　_dis…　ponsibles_；　and　that　Aigues…Mortes　was　the　most　eligible　spot　for　an　embarkation。

Behind　the　straight　walls　and　the　quiet　gates　the　little　town　has　not　crumbled；　like　the　Cite　of　Carcas…　sonne。　　It　can　hardly　be　said　to　be　alive；　but　if　it　is　dead　it　has　been　very　neatly　embalmed。　　The　hand　of　the　restorer　rests　on　it　constantly；　but　this　artist　has　not；　as　at　Carcassonne；　had　miracles　to　accomplish。　The　interior　is　very　still　and　empty；　with　small　stony；　whitewashed　streets；　tenanted　by　a　stray　dog；　a　stray　cat；　a　stray　old　woman。　　In　the　middle　is　a　little　_place_；　with　two　or　three　cafes　decorated　by　wide　awnings；　…　a　little　_place_　of　which　the　principal　feature　is　a　very　bad