a little tour in france-第29章

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；　too；　that　it　offers　a　large　collection　of　pretty　faces；　for　even　in　the　few　hours　that　I　spent　at　Tarascon　I　discovered　symptoms　of　the　purity　of　feature　for　which　the　women　of　the　_pays　d'Arles_　are　renowned。　　The　Arlesian　head…dress；　was　visible　in　the　streets；　and　this　delightful　coiffure　is　so　associated　with　a　charming　facial　oval；　a　dark　mild　eye；　a　straight　Greek　nose；　and　a　mouth　worthy　of　all　the　rest；　that　it　conveys　a　presumption　of　beauty　which　gives　the　wearer　time　either　to　escape　or　to　please　you。　　I　have　read　somewhere；　however；　that　Tarascon　is　supposed　to　produce　handsome　men；　as　Arles　is　known　to　deal　in　handsome　women。　　It　may　be　that　I　should　have　found　the　Tarasconnais　very　fine　fellows；　if　I　had　en…　countered　enough　specimens　to　justify　an　induction。　But　there　were　very　few　males　in　the　streets；　and　the　place　presented　no　appearance　of　activity。　　Here　and　there　the　black　coif　of　an　old　woman　or　of　a　young　girl　was　framed　by　a　low　doorway；　but　for　the　rest；　as　I　have　said；　Tarascon　was　mostly　involved　in　a　siesta。　There　was　not　a　creature　in　the　little　church　of　Saint　Martha；　which　I　made　a　point　of　visiting　before　I　re…　turned　to　the　station；　and　which；　with　its　fine　Romanesque　sideportal　and　its　pointed　and　crocketed　Gothic　spire；　is　as　curious　as　it　need　be；　in　view　of　its　tradition。　　It　stands　in　a　quiet　corner　where　the　grass　grows　between　the　small　cobble…stones；　and　you　pass　beneath　a　deep　archway　to　reach　it。　　The　tradition　relates　that　Saint　Martha　tamed　with　her　own　hands；　and　attached　to　her　girdle；　a　dreadful　dragon；　who　was　known　as　the　Tarasque；　and　is　reported　to　have　given　his　name　to　the　city　on　whose　site　（amid　the　rocks　which　form　the　base　of　the　chateau）　he　had　his　cavern。　　The　dragon；　perhaps；　is　the　symbol　of　a　ravening　paganism；　dis…　pelled　by　the　eloquence　of　a　sweet　evangelist。　　The　bones　of　the　interesting　saint；　at　all　events；　were　found；　in　the　eleventh　century；　in　a　cave　beneath　the　spot　on　which　her　altar　now　stands。　　I　know　not　what　had　be…　come　of　the　bones　of　the　dragon。



XXX。

There　are　two　shabby　old　inns　at　Arles；　which　compete　closely　for　your　custom。　　I　mean　by　this　that　if　you　elect　to　go　to　the　Hotel　du　Forum；　the　Hotel　du　Nord；　which　is　placed　exactly　beside　it　（at　a　right　angle）　watches　your　arrival　with　ill…concealed　dis…　approval；　and　if　you　take　the　chances　of　its　neighbor；　the　Hotel　du　Forum　seems　to　glare　at　you　invidiously　from　all　its　windows　and　doors。　　I　forget　which　of　these　establishments　I　selected；　whichever　it　was；　I　wished　very　much　that；　it　had　been　the　other。　　The　two　stand　together　on　the　Place　des　Hommes；　a　little　public　square　of　Arles；　which　somehow　quite　misses　its　effect。　　As　a　city；　indeed；　Arles　quite　misses　its　effect　in　every　way；　and　if　it　is　a　charming　place；　as　I　think　it　is；　I　can　hardly　tell　the　reason　why。　　The　straight…nosed　Arlesiennes　account　for　it　in　some　degree；　and　the　remainder　may　be　charged　to　the　ruins　of　the　arena　and　the　theatre。　　Beyond　this；　I　remember　with　affection　the　ill…proportioned　little　Place　des　Hommes；　not　at　all　monumental；　and　given　over　to　puddles　and　to　shabby　cafes。　　I　recall　with　tenderness　the　tortuous　and　featureless　streets；　which　looked　like　the　streets　of　a　village；　and　were　paved　with　villanous　little　sharp　stones；　making　all　exercise　penitential。　　Consecrated　by　association　is　even　a　tiresome　walk　that　I　took　the　evening　I　arrived；　with　the　purpose　of　obtaining　a　view　of　the　Rhone。　　I　had　been　to　Arles　before；　years　ago；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　remembered　finding　on　the　banks　of　the　stream　some　sort　of　picture。　　I　think　that　on　the　evening　of　which　I　speak　there　was　a　watery　moon；　which　it　seemed　to　me　would　light　up　the　past　as　well　as　the　present。　　But　I　found　no　pic…　ture；　and　I　scarcely　found　the　Rhone　at　all。　　I　lost　my　way；　and　there　was　not　a　creature　in　the　streets　to　whom　I　could　appeal。　　Nothing　could　be　more　pro…　vincial　than　the　situation　of　Arles　at　ten　o'clock　at　night。　　At　last　I　arrived　at　a　kind　of　embankment；　where　I　could　see　the　great　mud…colored　stream　slip…　ping　along　in　the　soundless　darkness。　　It　had　come　on　to　rain；　I　know　not　what　had　happened　to　the　moon；　and　the　whole　place　was　anything　but　gay。　　It　was　not　what　I　had　looked　for；　what　I　had　looked　for　was　in　the　irrecoverable　past。　　I　groped　my　way　back　to　the　inn　over　the　infernal　_cailloux_；　feeling　like　a　dis…　comfited　Dogberry。　　I　remember　now　that　this　hotel　was　the　one　（whichever　that　may　be）　which　has　the　fragment　of　a　Gallo…Roman　portico　inserted　into　one　of　its　angles。　　I　had　chosen　it　for　the　sake　of　this　ex…　ceptional　ornament。　　It　was　damp　and　dark；　and　the　floors　felt　gritty　to　the　feet；　it　was　an　establishment　at　which　the　dreadful　_gras…double_　might　have　appeared　at　the　table　d'hote；　as　it　had　done　at　Narbonne。　　Never…　theless；　I　was　glad　to　get　back　to　it；　and　nevertheless；　too；　…　and　this　is　the　moral　of　my　simple　anecdote；　…　my　pointless　little　walk　（I　don't　speak　of　the　pave…　ment）　suffuses　itself；　as　I　look　back　upon　it；　with　a　romantic　tone。　　And　in　relation　to　the　inn；　I　suppose　I　had　better　mention　that　I　am　well　aware　of　the　in…　consistency　of　a　person　who　dislikes　the　modern　cara…　vansary；　and　yet　grumbles　when　he　finds　a　hotel　of　the　superannuated　sort。　　One　ought　to　choose；　it　would　seem；　and　make　the　best　of　either　alternative。　　The　two　old　taverns　at　Arles　are　quite　unimproved；　such　as　they　must　have　been　in　the　infancy　of　the　modern　world；　when　Stendhal　passed　that　way；　and　the　lum…　bering　diligence　deposited　him　in　the　Place　des　Hommes；　such　in　every　detail　they　are　to…day。　　_Vieilles　auberges　de　France_；　one　ought　to　enjoy　their　gritty　floors　and　greasy　window…panes。　　Let　it　be　put　on　re…　cord；　therefore；　that　I　have　been；　I　won't　say　less　com…　fortable；　but　at　least　less　happy；　at　better　inns。

To　be　really　historic；　I　should　have　mentioned　that　before　going　to　look　for　the　Rhone　I　had　spent　part　of　the　evening　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　little　place；　and　that　I　indulged　in　this　recreation　for　two　definite　reasons。　　One　of　these　was　that　I　had　an　opportunity　of　conversing　at　a　cafe　with　an　attractive　young　Eng…　lishman；　whom　I　had　met　in　the　afternoon　at　Tarascon；　and　more　remotely；　in　other　years；　in　London；　the　other　was　that　there　sat　enthroned　behind　the　counter　a　splendid　mature　Arlesienne；　whom　my　companion　and　I　agreed　that　it　was　a　rare　privilege　to　contem…　plate。　　There　is　no　rule　of　good　manners　or　morals　which　makes　it　improper；　at　a　cafe；　to　fix　one's　eyes　upon　the　_dame　de　comptoir_；　the　lady　is；　in　the　nature　of　things；　a　part　of　your　_consommation_。　　We　were　there…　fore　feee　to　admire　without　restriction　the　handsomest　person　I　had　ever　seen　give　change　for　a　five…franc　piece。　　She　was　a　large　quiet　woman；　who　would　never　see　forty　again；　of　an　intensely　feminine　type；　yet　wonderfully　rich　and　robust；　and　full　of　a　certain　phy…　sical　nobleness。　　Though　she　was　not　really　old；　she　was　antique；　and　she　was　very　grave；　even　a　little　sad。　She　had　the　dignity　of　a　Roman　empress；　and　she　handled　coppers　as　if　they　had　been　stamped　with　the　head　of　Caesar。　　I　have　seen　washerwomen　in　the　Trastevere　who　were　perhaps　as　handsome　as　she；　but　even　the　head…dress　of　the　Roman　contadina　con…　tributes　less　to　the　dignity　of　the　person　born　to　wear　it　than　the　sweet　and　stately　Arlesian　cap；　which　sits　at　once　aloft　and　on　the　back　of　the　head；　which　is　accompanied　with　a　wide　black　bow　covering　a　con…　siderable　part　of　the　crown；　and　which；　finally；　accom…　modates　itself　indescribably　well　to　the　manner　in　which　the　tresses　of　the　front　are　pushed　behind　the　cars。

This　admirable　dispenser　of　lumps　of　sugar　has　distracted　me　a　little；　for　I　am　still　not　sufficiently　historical。　　Before　going　to　the　cafe　I　had　dined；　and　before　dining　I　had　found　time　to　go　and　look　at　the　arena。　　Then　it　was　that　I　discovered　that　Arles　has　no　general　physiognomy；　and；　except　the　delightful　little　church　of　Saint　Trophimus；　no　architecture；　and　that　the　rugosities　of　its　dirty　lanes　affect　the　feet　like　knife…blades。　　It　was　not　then；　on　the　other　hand；　that　I　saw　the　arena　best。　　The　second　day　of　my　stay　at　Arles　I　devoted　to　a　pilgrimage　to　the　strange　old　hill　town　of　Les　Baux；　the　mediaeval　Pompeii；　of　which　I　shall　give　myself　the　pleasure　of　speaking。　　The　even…　ing　of　that　day；　however　（my　friend　and　I　returned　in　time　for　a　late　dinner）；　I　wandered　among　the　Roman　remains　of　the　place　by　the　light　of　a　magnificent　moon；　and　gathered　an　impression　which　has　lost　little　of　its　silvery　glow。　　The　moon　of　the　evening　before　had　been　aqueous　and　erratic；　but　if　on　the　present　occasion　it　was　guilty　of　any　irregularity；　the　worst　it　did　was　only　to　linger　beyond　its　time　in　the　heavens；　in　order　to　let　us　look　at　things　comfortably。　　The　effect　was　admirable；　it　brought　back　the　impression　of　the　way；　in　Rome　itself；　on　evenings　like　that；　the　moonshine　rests　upon　broken　shafts　and　slabs　of　an…　tique　pavement。　　As　we　sat　in　the　theatre；　looking　at　the　two　lone　columns　that　survive　…　part　of　the　decora…　tion　of　the　back　of　the　stage　…　and　at　the　fragments　of　ruin　around　them；　we　might　have　been　in　the　Roman　forum。　　The　arena　at　Arles；　with　its　great　magnitude；　is　less　complete　than　that　of　Nimes；　it　has　suffered　even　more　the　assaults　of　time　and　of　the　children　of　time；　and　it　has　been　less　repaired。　　The　seats　are　almost　wholly　wanting；　but　the　external　walls　minus　the　topmost　tier　of　arches；　are　massively；　rug…　gedly；　complete；　and　the　vaulted　corridors　seem　as　solid　as　the　day　they　were　built。　　The　whole　thing　is　superbly　vast；　and　as　monumental；　for　place　of　light　amusement　…　what　is　called　in　America　a　〃variety…　show〃　…　as　it　entered　only　into　the　Roman　mind　to　make　such　establishments。　　The　_podium_　is　much　higher　than　at　Nimes；　and　many　of　the　great　white　slabs　that　faced　it　have　been　recovered　and　put　into　their　places。　The　proconsular　box　has　been　more　or　less　recon…　structed；　and　the　great　converging　passages　of　approach　to　it　are　still　majestically　distinct：　so　that；　as　I　sat　there　in　the　moon…charmed　stillness；　leaning　my　elbows　on　the　battered　parapet　of　the　ring；　it　was　not　im…　possible　…　to　listen　to　the　murmurs　and　shudders；　the　thick　voice　of　the　circus；　that　died　away　fifteen　hun…　dred　years　ago。

The　theatre　has　a　voice　as　well；　but　it　lingers　on　the　ear　of　time　with　a　different　music。　　The　Roman　theatre　at　Arles　seemed　to　me　one　of　the　most　charm…　ing　and　touching　ruins　I　had　ever　beheld；　I　took　a　particular　fancy　to　it。　　It　is　less　than　a　skeleton；　…　the　arena　may　be　called　a　skeleton；　for　it　consists　only　of　half　a　dozen　bones。　　The　traces　of　the　row　of　columns　which　formed　the　scene　…　the　permanent　back…scene　…　remain；　two　marble　pillars　…　I　just　mentioned　them　…　are　upright；　with　a　fragment　of　their　entablature。　　Be　fore　them　is　the　vacant　space　which　was　filled　by　the　stage；　with　the　line　of　the　prosoenium　distinct；　marked　by　a　deep　groove；　impressed　upon　slabs　of　stone；　which　looks　as　if　the　bottom　of　a　high　screen　had　been　in…　tended　to　fit　into　it。　　The　semicircle　formed　by　the　seats　…　half　a　cup　…　rises　opposite；　some　of　the　rows　are　distinctly　marked。　　The　floor；　from　the　bottom　of　the　stage；　in　the　shape　of　an　arc　of　which　the　chord　is　formed　by　the　line　of　the　orch