the hunchback of notre dame-第25章

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are。　　This　was　neither　a　Parthenon；　nor　a　temple　of　the　Olympian　Jupiter。　　It　was　Montfau？on。

Now；　if　the　enumeration　of　so　many　edifices；　summary　as　we　have　endeavored　to　make　it；　has　not　shattered　in　the　reader's　mind　the　general　image　of　old　Paris；　as　we　have　constructed　it；　we　will　recapitulate　it　in　a　few　words。　　In　the　centre；　the　island　of　the　City；　resembling　as　to　form　an　enormous　tortoise；　and　throwing　out　its　bridges　with　tiles　for　scales；　like　legs　from　beneath　its　gray　shell　of　roofs。　　On　the　left；　the　monolithic　trapezium；　firm；　dense；　bristling；　of　the　University；　on　the　right；　the　vast　semicircle　of　the　Town；　much　more　intermixed　with　gardens　and　monuments。　　The　three　blocks；　city；　university；　and　town；　marbled　with　innumerable　streets。　　Across　all；　the　Seine；　〃foster…mother　Seine；〃　as　says　Father　Du　Breul；　blocked　with　islands；　bridges；　and　boats。　　All　about　an　immense　plain；　patched　with　a　thousand　sorts　of　cultivated　plots；　sown　with　fine　villages。　　On　the　left；　Issy；　Vanvres；　Vaugirarde；　Montrouge；　Gentilly；　with　its　round　tower　and　its　square　tower；　etc。；　on　the　right；　twenty　others；　from　Conflans　to　Ville…l'Evêque。　　On　the　horizon；　a　border　of　hills　arranged　in　a　circle　like　the　rim　of　the　basin。　　Finally；　far　away　to　the　east；　Vincennes；　and　its　seven　quadrangular　towers　to　the　south；　Bicêtre　and　its　pointed　turrets；　to　the　north；　Saint…Denis　and　its　spire；　to　the　west；　Saint　Cloud　and　its　donjon　keep。　　Such　was　the　Paris　which　the　ravens；　who　lived　in　1482；　beheld　from　the　summits　of　the　towers　of　Notre…Dame。

Nevertheless；　Voltaire　said　of　this　city；　that　〃before　Louis　XIV。；　it　possessed　but　four　fine　monuments〃：　the　dome　of　the　Sorbonne；　the　Val…de…Grace；　the　modern　Louvre；　and　I　know　not　what　the　fourth　wasthe　Luxembourg；　perhaps。　Fortunately；　Voltaire　was　the　author　of　〃Candide〃　in　spite　of　this；　and　in　spite　of　this；　he　is；　among　all　the　men　who　have　followed　each　other　in　the　long　series　of　humanity；　the　one　who　has　best　possessed　the　diabolical　laugh。　　Moreover；　this　proves　that　one　can　be　a　fine　genius；　and　yet　understand　nothing　of　an　art　to　which　one　does　not　belong。　　Did　not　Moliere　imagine　that　he　was　doing　Raphael　and　Michael…Angelo　a　very　great　honor；　by　calling　them　〃those　Mignards　of　their　age？〃

Let　us　return　to　Paris　and　to　the　fifteenth　century。

It　was　not　then　merely　a　handsome　city；　it　was　a　homogeneous　city；　an　architectural　and　historical　product　of　the　Middle　Ages；　a　chronicle　in　stone。　　It　was　a　city　formed　of　two　layers　only；　the　Romanesque　layer　and　the　Gothic　layer；　for　the　Roman　layer　had　disappeared　long　before；　with　the　exception　of　the　Hot　Baths　of　Julian；　where　it　still　pierced　through　the　thick　crust　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　As　for　the　Celtic　layer；　no　specimens　were　any　longer　to　be　found；　even　when　sinking　wells。

Fifty　years　later；　when　the　Renaissance　began　to　mingle　with　this　unity　which　was　so　severe　and　yet　so　varied；　the　dazzling　luxury　of　its　fantasies　and　systems；　its　debasements　of　Roman　round　arches；　Greek　columns；　and　Gothic　bases；　its　sculpture　which　was　so　tender　and　so　ideal；　its　peculiar　taste　for　arabesques　and　acanthus　leaves；　its　architectural　paganism；　contemporary　with　Luther；　Paris；　was　perhaps；　still　more　beautiful；　although　less　harmonious　to　the　eye；　and　to　the　thought。

But　this　splendid　moment　lasted　only　for　a　short　time；　the　Renaissance　was　not　impartial；　it　did　not　content　itself　with　building；　it　wished　to　destroy；　it　is　true　that　it　required　the　room。　　Thus　Gothic　Paris　was　complete　only　for　a　moment。　Saint…　Jacques　de　la　Boucherie　had　barely　been　completed　when　the　demolition　of　the　old　Louvre　was　begun。

After　that；　the　great　city　became　more　disfigured　every　day。　Gothic　Paris；　beneath　which　Roman　Paris　was　effaced；　was　effaced　in　its　turn；　but　can　any　one　say　what　Paris　has　replaced　it？

There　is　the　Paris　of　Catherine　de　Medicis　at　the　Tuileries；*the　Paris　of　Henri　II。；　at　the　H？tel　de　Ville；　two　edifices　still　in　fine　taste；the　Paris　of　Henri　IV。；　at　the　Place　Royale：　fa？ades　of　brick　with　stone　corners；　and　slated　roofs；　tri…colored　houses；the　Paris　of　Louis　XIII。；　at　the　Val…de…　Grace：　a　crushed　and　squat　architecture；　with　vaults　like　basket…handles；　and　something　indescribably　pot…bellied　in　the　column；　and　thickset　in　the　dome；the　Paris　of　Louis　XIV。；　in　the　Invalides：　grand；　rich；　gilded；　cold；the　Paris　of　Louis　XV。；　in　Saint…Sulpice：　volutes；　knots　of　ribbon；　clouds；　vermicelli　and　chiccory　leaves；　all　in　stone；the　Paris　of　Louis　XVI。；　in　the　Pantheon：　Saint　Peter　of　Rome；　badly　copied　（the　edifice　is　awkwardly　heaped　together；　which　has　not　amended　its　lines）；the　Paris　of　the　Republic；　in　the　School　of　Medicine：　a　poor　Greek　and　Roman　taste；　which　resembles　the　Coliseum　or　the　Parthenon　as　the　constitution　of　the　year　III。；　resembles　the　laws　of　Minos；it　is　called　in　architecture；　〃the　Messidor〃**　taste；the　Paris　of　Napoleon　in　the　Place　Vendome：　this　one　is　sublime；　a　column　of　bronze　made　of　cannons；the　Paris　of　the　Restoration；　at　the　Bourse：　a　very　white　colonnade　supporting　a　very　smooth　frieze；　the　whole　is　square　and　cost　twenty　millions。


*　　We　have　seen　with　sorrow　mingled　with　indignation；　that　it　is　the　intention　to　increase；　to　recast；　to　make　over；　that　is　to　say；　to　destroy　this　admirable　palace。　　The　architects　of　our　day　have　too　heavy　a　hand　to　touch　these　delicate　works　of　the　Renaissance。　　We　still　cherish　a　hope　that　they　will　not　dare。　Moreover；　this　demolition　of　the　Tuileries　now；　would　be　not　only　a　brutal　deed　of　violence；　which　would　make　a　drunken　vandal　blushit　would　be　an　act　of　treason。　　The　Tuileries　is　not　simply　a　masterpiece　of　the　art　of　the　sixteenth　century；　it　is　a　page　of　the　history　of　the　nineteenth。　　This　palace　no　longer　belongs　to　the　king；　but　to　the　people。　　Let　us　leave　it　as　it　is。　　Our　revolution　has　twice　set　its　seal　upon　its　front。　　On　one　of　its　two　fa？ades；　there　are　the　cannon…balls　of　the　10th　of　August；　on　the　other；　the　balls　of　the　29th　of　July。　　It　is　sacred。　Paris；　April　1；　1831。　　（Note　to　the　fifth　edition。）

**　　The　tenth　month　of　the　French　republican　calendar；　from　the　19th　of　June　to　the　18th　of　July。


To　each　of　these　characteristic　monuments　there　is　attached　by　a　similarity　of　taste；　fashion；　and　attitude；　a　certain　number　of　houses　scattered　about　in　different　quarters　and　which　the　eyes　of　the　connoisseur　easily　distinguishes　and　furnishes　with　a　date。　　When　one　knows　how　to　look；　one　finds　the　spirit　of　a　century；　and　the　physiognomy　of　a　king；　even　in　the　knocker　on　a　door。

The　Paris　of　the　present　day　has　then；　no　general　physiognomy。　　It　is　a　collection　of　specimens　of　many　centuries；　and　the　finest　have　disappeared。　　The　capital　grows　only　in　houses；　and　what　houses！　At　the　rate　at　which　Paris　is　now　proceeding；　it　will　renew　itself　every　fifty　years。

Thus　the　historical　significance　of　its　architecture　is　being　effaced　every　day。　　Monuments　are　becoming　rarer　and　rarer；　and　one　seems　to　see　them　gradually　engulfed；　by　the　flood　of　houses。　　Our　fathers　had　a　Paris　of　stone；　our　sons　will　have　one　of　plaster。

So　far　as　the　modern　monuments　of　new　Paris　are　concerned；　we　would　gladly　be　excused　from　mentioning　them。　　It　is　not　that　we　do　not　admire　them　as　they　deserve。　　The　Sainte…Geneviève　of　M。　Soufflot　is　certainly　the　finest　Savoy　cake　that　has　ever　been　made　in　stone。　　The　Palace　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　is　also　a　very　distinguished　bit　of　pastry。　The　dome　of　the　wheat　market　is　an　English　jockey　cap；　on　a　grand　scale。　　The　towers　of　Saint…Sulpice　are　two　huge　clarinets；　and　the　form　is　as　good　as　any　other；　the　telegraph；　contorted　and　grimacing；　forms　an　admirable　accident　upon　their　roofs。　Saint…Roch　has　a　door　which；　for　magnificence；　is　comparable　only　to　that　of　Saint…Thomas　d'Aquin。　　It　has；　also；　a　crucifixion　in　high　relief；　in　a　cellar；　with　a　sun　of　gilded　wood。　　These　things　are　fairly　marvellous。　　The　lantern　of　the　labyrinth　of　the　Jardin　des　Plantes　is　also　very　ingenious。

As　for　the　Palace　of　the　Bourse；　which　is　Greek　as　to　its　colonnade；　Roman　in　the　round　arches　of　its　doors　and　windows；　of　the　Renaissance　by　virtue　of　its　flattened　vault；　it　is　indubitably　a　very　correct　and　very　pure　monument；　the　proof　is　that　it　is　crowned　with　an　attic；　such　as　was　never　seen　in　Athens；　a　beautiful；　straight　line；　gracefully　broken　here　and　there　by　stovepipes。　　Let　us　add　that　if　it　is　according　to　rule　that　the　architecture　of　a　building　should　be　adapted　to　its　purpose　in　such　a　manner　that　this　purpose　shall　be　immediately　apparent　from　the　mere　aspect　of　the　building；　one　cannot　be　too　much　amazed　at　a　structure　which　might　be　indifferentlythe　palace　of　a　king；　a　chamber　of　communes；　a　town…hall；　a　college；　a　riding…school；　an　academy；　a　warehouse；　a　court…house；　a　museum；　a　barracks；　a　sepulchre；　a　temple；　or　a　theatre。　　However；　it　is　an　Exchange。　　An　edifice　ought　to　be；　moreover；　suitable　to　the　climate。　　This　one　is　evidently　constructed　expressly　for　our　cold　and　rainy　skies。　It　has　a　roof　almost　as　flat　as　roofs　in　the　East；　which　involves　sweeping　the　roof　in　winter；　when　it　snows；　and　of　course　roofs　are　made　to　be　swept。　　As　for　its　purpose；　of　which　we　just　spoke；　it　fulfils　it　to　a　marvel；　it　is　a　bourse　in　France　as　it　would　have　been　a　temple　in　Greece。　　It　is　true　that　the　architect　was　at　a　good　deal　of　trouble　to　conceal　the　clock　face；　which　would　have　destroyed　the　purity　of　the　fine　lines　of　the　fa？ade；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　we　have　that　colonnade　which　circles　round　the　edifice　and　under　which；　on　days　of　high　religious　ceremony；　the　theories　of　the　stock…brokers　and　the　courtiers　of　commerce　can　be　developed　so　majestically。

These　are　very　superb　structures。　　Let　us　add　a　quantity　of　fine；　amusing；　and　varied　streets；　like　the　Rue　de　Rivoli；　and　I　do　not　despair　of　Paris　presenting　to　the　eye；　when　viewed　from　a　balloon；　that　richness　of　line；　that　opulence　of　detail；　that　diversity　of　aspect；　that　grandiose　something　in　the　simple；　and　unexpected　in　the　beautiful；　which　characterizes　a　checker…board。

However；　admirable　as　the　Paris　of　to…day　may　seem　to　you；　reconstruct　the　Paris　of　the　fifteenth　century；　call　it　up　before　you　in　thought；　look　at　the　sky　athwart　that　surprising　forest　of　spires；　towers；　and　belfries；　spread　out　in　the　centre　of　the　city；　tear　away　at　the　point　of　the　islands；　fold　at　the　arches　of　the　bridges；　the　Seine；　with　its　broad　green　and　yellow　expanses；　more　variable　than　the　skin　of　a　serpent；　project　clearly　against　an　azure　horizon　the　Gothic　profile　of　this　ancient　Paris。　　Make　its　contour　float　in　a　winter's　mist　which　clings　to　its　numerous　chimneys；　drown　it　in　profound　night　and　watch　the　odd　play　of　lights　and　shadows　in　that　sombre　labyrinth　of　edifices；　cast　upon　it　a　ray　of　light　which　shall　vaguely　outline　it　and　cause　to　emerge　from　the　fog　the　great　heads　of　the　towers；　or　take　that　black　silhouette　again；　enliven　with　shadow　the　thousand　acute　angles　of　the　spires　and　gables；　and　make　it　start　out　more　toothed　than　a　shark's　jaw　against　a　copper…colored　western　sky；and　then　compare。

And　if　you　wish　to　receive　of　the　ancient　city　an　impression　with　which　the　modern　one　can　no　longer　furnish　you；　climbon　the　morning　of　some　grand　festival；　benea