a little tour in france-第37章

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enry　VII。　of　Eng…　land。　　She　was　one　of　the　signers　of　the　League　of　Cambray；　against　the　Venetian　republic；　and　was　a　most　politic；　accomplished；　and　judicious　princess。　She　undertook　to　build　the　church　of　Brou　as　a　mau…　soleum；　for　her　second　husband　and　herself；　in　fulfil…　ment　of　a　vow　made　by　Margaret　of　Bourbon；　mother　of　Philibert；　who　died　before　she　could　redeem　her　pledge；　and　who　bequeathed　the　duty　to　her　son。　　He　died　shortly　afterwards；　and　his　widow　assumed　the　pious　task。　　According　to　Murray；　she　intrusted　the　erection　of　the　church　to　〃Maistre　Loys　von　Berghem；〃　and　the　sculpture　to　〃Maistre　Conrad。〃　　The　author　of　a　superstitious　but　carefully　prepared　little　Notice；　which　I　bought　at　Bourg；　calls　the　architect　and　sculptor　（at　once）　Jehan　de　Paris；　author　（sic）　of　the　tomb　of　Francis　II。　of　Brittany；　to　which　we　gave　some　attention　at　Nantes；　and　which　the　writer　of　my　pamphlet　ascribes　only　subordinately　to　Michel　Colomb。　The　church；　which　is　not　of　great　size；　is　in　the　last　and　most　flamboyant　phase　of　Gothic；　and　in　admirable　preservation；　the　west　front；　before　which　a　quaint　old　sun…dial　is　laid　out　on　the　ground；　…　a　circle　of　num…　bers　marked　in　stone；　like　those　on　a　clock　face；　let　into　the　earth；　…　is　covered　with　delicate　ornament。　The　great　feature；　however　（the　nave　is　perfectly　bare　and　wonderfully　new…looking；　though　the　warden；　a　stolid　yet　sharp　old　peasant；　in　a　blouse；　who　looked　more　as　if　his　line　were　chaffering　over　turnips　than　showing　off　works　of　art；　told　me　that　it　has　never　been　touched；　and　that　its　freshness　is　simply　the　quality　of　the　stone）；　…　the　great　feature　is　the　ad…　mirable　choir；　in　the　midst　of　which　the　three　monu…　ments　have　bloomed　under　the　chisel；　like　exotic　plants　in　a　conservatory。　　I　saw　the　place　to　small　advantage；　for　the　stained　glass　of　the　windows；　which　are　fine；　was　under　repair；　and　much　of　it　was　masked　with　planks。

In　the　centre　lies　Philibert…le…Bel；　a　figure　of　white　marble　on　a　great　slab　of　black；　in　his　robes　and　his　armor；　with　two　boy…angels　holding　a　tablet　at　his　head；　and　two　more　at　his　feet。　　On　either　side　of　him　is　another　cherub：　one　guarding　his　helmet；　the　other　his　stiff　gauntlets。　　The　attitudes　of　these　charm…　ing　children；　whose　faces　are　all　bent　upon　him　in　pity；　have　the　prettiest　tenderness　and　respect。　　The　table　on　which　he　lies　is　supported　by　elaborate　columns；　adorned　with　niches　containing　little　images；　and　with　every　other　imaginable　elegance；　and　be…　neath　it　he　is　represented　in　that　other　form；　so　com…　mon　in　the　tombs　of　the　Renaissance；　…　a　man　naked　and　dying；　with　none　of　the　state　and　splendor　of　the　image　above。　　One　of　these　figures　embodies　the　duke　the　other　simply　the　mortal；　and　there　is　something　very　strange　and　striking　in　the　effect　of　the　latter；　seen　dimly　and　with　difficulty　through　the　intervals　of　the　rich　supports　of　the　upper　slab。　　The　monu…　ment　of　Margaret　herself　is　on　the　left；　all　in　white　merble；　tormented　into　a　multitude　of　exquisite　pat…　terns；　the　last　extravagance　of　a　Gothic　which　had　gone　so　far　that　nothing　was　left　it　but　to　return　upon　itself。　　Unlike　her　husband；　who　has　only　the　high　roof　of　the　church　above　him；　she　lies　under　a　canopy　supported　and　covered　by　a　wilderness　of　embroidery；　…　flowers；　devices；　initials；　arabesques；　statuettes。　Watched　over　by　cherubs；　she　is　also　in　her　robes　and　ermine；　with　a　greyhound　sleeping　at　her　feet　（her　husband；　at　his；　has　a　waking　lion）；　and　the　artist　has　not；　it　is　to　be　presumed；　represented　her　as　more　beautiful　than　she　was。　　She　looks；　indeed；　like　the　regent　of　a　turbulent　realm。　　Beneath　her　couch　is　stretched　another　figure；　…　a　less　brilliant　Margaret；　wrapped　in　her　shroud；　with　her　long　hair　over　her　shoulders。　　Round　the　tomb　is　the　battered　iron　railing　placed　there　originally；　with　the　myste…　rious　motto　of　the　duchess　worked　into　the　top；　…　_fortune　infortune　fort　une_。　　The　other　two　monuments　are　protected　by　barriers　of　the　same　pattern。　　That　of　Margaret　of　Bourbon；　Philibert's　mother；　stands　on　the　right　of　the　choir；　and　I　suppose　its　greatest　dis…　tinction　is　that　it　should　have　been　erected　to　a　mother…in…law。　　It　is　but　little　less　florid　and　sump…　tuous　than　the　others；　it　has；　however；　no　second　re…　cumbent　figure。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　statuettes　that　surround　the　base　of　the　tomb　are　of　even　more　exquisite　workmanship：　they　represent　weeping　wo…　men；　in　long　mantles　and　hoods；　which　latter　hang　forward　over　the　small　face　of　the　figure；　giving　the　artist　a　chance　to　carve　the　features　within　this　hollow　of　drapery；　…　an　extraordinary　play　of　skill。　　There　is　a　high；　white　marble　shrine　of　the　Virgin；　as　extra…　ordinary　as　all　the　rest　（a　series　of　compartments；　re…　presenting　the　various　scenes　of　her　life；　with　the　Assumption　in　the　middle）；　and　there　is　a　magnifi…　cent　series　of　stalls；　which　are　simply　the　intricate　embroidery　of　the　tombs　translated　into　polished　oak。　All　these　things　are　splendid；　ingenious；　elaborate；　precious；　it　is　goldsmith's　work　on　a　monumental　scale；　and　the　general　effect　is　none　the　less　beautiful　and　solemn　because　it　is　so　rich。　　But　the　monuments　of　the　church　of　Brou　are　not　the　noblest　that　one　may　see；　the　great　tombs　of　Verona　are　finer；　and　various　other　early　Italian　work。　　These　things　are　not　insincere；　as　Ruskin　would　say；　but　they　are　pre…　tentious；　and　they　are　not　positively　_naifs_。　　I　should　mention　that　the　walls　of　the　choir　are　embroidered　in　places　with　Margaret's　tantalizing　device；　which　…　partly；　perhaps；　because　it　is　tantalizing　…　is　so　very　decorative；　as　they　say　in　London。　　I　know　not　whether　she　was　acquainted　with　this　epithet；　but　she　had　anticipated　one　of　the　fashions　most　characteristic　of　our　age。

One　asks　one's　self　how　all　this　decoration；　this　luxury　of　fair　and　chiselled　marble；　survived　the　French　Revolution。　　An　hour　of　liberty　in　the　choir　of　Brou　would　have　been　a　carnival　for　the　image…　breakers。　　The　well…fed　Bressois　are　surely　a　good…　natured　people。　　I　call　them　well…fed　both　on　general　and　on　particular　grounds。　　Their　province　has　the　most　savory　aroma；　and　I　found　an　opportunity　to　test　its　reputation。　　I　walked　back　into　the　town　from　the　church　（there　was　really　nothing　to　be　seen　by　the　way）；　and　as　the　hour　of　the　midday　breakfast　had　struck；　directed　my　steps　to　the　inn。　　The　table　d'hote　was　going　on；　and　a　gracious；　bustling；　talkative　landlady　welcomed　me。　　I　had　an　excellent　repast　…　the　best　repast　possible　…　which　consisted　simply　of　boiled　eggs　and　bread　and　butter。　　It　was　the　quality　of　these　simple　ingredients　that　made　the　occasion　memorable。　　The　eggs　were　so　good　that　I　am　ashamed　to　say　how　many　of　them　I　consumed。　　〃La　plus　belle　fille　du　monde；〃　as　the　French　proverb　says；　〃ne　peut　donner　que　ce　qu'elle　a；〃　and　it　might　seem　that　an　egg　which　has　succeeded　in　being　fresh　has　done　all　that　can　reasonably　be　expected　of　it。　But　there　was　a　bloom　of　punctuality；　so　to　speak；　about　these　eggs　of　Bourg；　as　if　it　had　been　the　in…　tention　of　the　very　hens　themselves　that　they　should　be　promptly　served。　　〃Nous　sommes　en　Bresse；　et　le　beurre　n'est　pas　mauvais；〃　the　landlady　said；　with　a　sort　of　dry　coquetry；　as　she　placed　this　article　before　me。　　It　was　the　poetry　of　butter；　and　I　ate　a　pound　or　two　of　it；　after　which　I　came　away　with　a　strange　mixture　of　impressions　of　late　Gothic　sculpture　and　thick　_tartines_。　　I　came　away　through　the　town；　where；　on　a　little　green　promenade；　facing　the　hotel；　is　a　bronze　statue　of　Bichat；　the　physiologist；　who　was　a　Bressois。　　I　mention　it；　not　on　account　of　its　merit　（though；　as　statues　go；　I　don't　remember　that　it　is　bad）；　but　because　I　learned　from　it　…　my　ignorance；　doubtless；　did　me　little　honor　…　that　Bichat　had　died　at　thirty　years　of　age；　and　this　revelation　was　almost　agitating。　　To　have　done　so　much　in　so　short　a　life　was　to　be　truly　great。　　This　reflection；　which　looks　deplorably　trite　as　I　write　it　here；　had　the　effect　of　eloquence　as　I　uttered　it；　for　my　own　benefit；　on　the　bare　little　mall　at　Bourg。



XXXIX。

On　my　return　to　Macon　I　found　myself　fairly　face　to　face　with　the　fact　that　my　little　tour　was　near　its　end。　　Dijon　had　been　marked　by　fate　as　its　farthest　limit；　and　Dijon　was　close　at　hand。　　After　that　I　was　to　drop　the　tourist；　and　re…enter　Paris　as　much　as　pos…　sible　like　a　Parisian。　　Out　of　Paris　the　Parisian　never　loiters；　and　therefore　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　to　stop　between　Dijon　and　the　capital。　　But　I　might　be　a　tourist　a　few　hours　longer　by　stopping　somewhere　between　Macon　and　Dijon。　　The　question　was　where　I　should　spend　these　hours。　　Where　better；　I　asked　myself　（for　reasons　not　now　entirely　clear　to　me）　than　at　Beaune？　　On　my　way　to　this　town　I　passed　the　stretch　of　the　Cote　d'Or；　which；　covered　with　a　mel…　low　autumn　haze；　with　the　sunshine　shimmering　through；　looked　indeed　like　a　golden　slope。　　One　regards　with　a　kind　of　awe　the　region　in　which　the　famous　_crus_　of　Burgundy　（Yougeot；　Chambertin；　Nuits；　Beaune）　are；　I　was　going　to　say；　manufactured。　　Adieu；　paniers；　vendanges　sont　faites！　　The　vintage　was　over；　the　shrunken　russet　fibres　alone　clung　to　their　ugly　stick。　　The　horizon　on　the　left　of　the　road　had　a　charm；　however；　there　is　something　picturesque　in　the　big；　comfortable　shoulders　of　the　Cote。　　That　delicate　critic；　M。　Emile　Montegut；　in　a　charming　record　of　travel　through　this　region；　published　some　years　ago；　praises　Shakspeare　for　having　talked　（in　〃Lear〃）　of　〃waterish　Burgundy。〃　　Vinous　Burgundy　would　surely　be　more　to　the　point。　　I　stopped　at　Beaune　in　pursuit　of　the　picturesque；　but　I　might　almost　have　seen　the　little　I　discovered　without　stop…　ping。　　It　is　a　drowsy　little　Burgundian　town；　very　old　and　ripe；　with　crooked　streets；　vistas　always　ob…　lique；　and　steep；　moss…covered　roofs。　　The　principal　lion　is　the　Hopital…Saint…Esprit；　or　the　Hotel…Dieu；　simply；　as　they　call　it　there；　founded　in　1443　by　Nicholas　Rollin；　Chancellor　of　Burgundy。　　It　is　ad…　ministered　by　the　sisterhood　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　is　one　of　the　most　venerable　and　stately　of　hospitals。　The　face　it　presents　to　the　street　is　simple；　but　strik…　ing；　…　a　plain；　windowless　wall；　surmounted　by　a　vast　slate　roof；　of　almost　mountainous　steepness。　　Astride　this　roof　sits　a　tall；　slate…covered　spire；　from　which；　as　I　arrived；　the　prettiest　chimes　I　ever　heard　（worse　luck　to　them；　as　I　will　presently　explain）　were　ring…　ing。　　Over　the　door　is　a　high；　quaint　canopy；　without　supports；　with　its　vault　painted　blue　and　covered　with　gilded　stars。　　（This；　and　indeed　the　whole　build…　ing；　have　lately　been　restored；　and　its　antiquity　is　quite　of　the　spick…and…span　order。　　But　it　is　very　delightful。）　　The　treasure　of　the　place　is　a　precious　picture；　…　a　Last　Judgment；　attributed　equally　to　John　van　Eyck　and　Roger　van　der　Weyden；　…　given　to　the　hospital　in　the　fifteenth　century　by　Nicholas　Rollin　aforesaid。

I　learned；　however；　to　my　dismay；　from　a　sympa…　thizing　but　inexorable　concierge；　that　what　remained　to　me　of　the　time　I　had　to　spend　at　Beaune；　between　trains；　…　I　had　rashly　wasted　half　an　hour　of　it　in　breakfasting　at　the　station；　…　was　the　one　hour　of　the　day　（that　of　the　dinner　of　the　nuns；　the　picture　is　in　their　refectory）　during　which　the　treasure　could