the lily of the valley-第5章

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woman　who　shone　in　that　garden　as　the　bell　of　a　convolvulus　shines

amid　the　underbrush；　and　wilts　if　touched。　Moved　to　the　soul；　I

descended　the　slope　and　soon　saw　a　village；　which　the　superabounding

poetry　that　filled　my　heart　made　me　fancy　without　an　equal。　Imagine

three　mills　placed　among　islands　of　graceful　outline　crowned　with

groves　of　trees　and　rising　from　a　field　of　water；for　what　other　name

can　I　give　to　that　aquatic　vegetation；　so　verdant；　so　finely　colored；

which　carpeted　the　river；　rose　above　its　surface　and　undulated　upon

it；　yielding　to　its　caprices　and　swaying　to　the　turmoil　of　the　water

when　the　mill…wheels　lashed　it。　Here　and　there　were　mounds　of　gravel；

against　which　the　wavelets　broke　in　fringes　that　shimmered　in　the

sunlight。　Amaryllis；　water…lilies；　reeds；　and　phloxes　decorated　the

banks　with　their　glorious　tapestry。　A　trembling　bridge　of　rotten

planks；　the　abutments　swathed　with　flowers；　and　the　hand…rails　green

with　perennials　and　velvet　mosses　drooping　to　the　river　but　not

falling　to　it；　mouldering　boats；　fishing…nets；　the　monotonous　sing…

song　of　a　shepherd；　ducks　paddling　among　the　islands　or　preening　on

the　〃jard；〃a　name　given　to　the　coarse　sand　which　the　Loire　brings

down；　the　millers；　with　their　caps　over　one　ear；　busily　loading　their

mules；all　these　details　made　the　scene　before　me　one　of　primitive

simplicity。　Imagine；　also；　beyond　the　bridge　two　or　three　farm…houses；

a　dove…cote；　turtle…doves；　thirty　or　more　dilapidated　cottages；

separated　by　gardens；　by　hedges　of　honeysuckle；　clematis；　and　jasmine；

a　dunghill　beside　each　door；　and　cocks　and　hens　about　the　road。　Such

is　the　village　of　Pont…de…Ruan；　a　picturesque　little　hamlet　leading　up

to　an　old　church　full　of　character；　a　church　of　the　days　of　the

Crusades；　such　a　one　as　painters　desire　for　their　pictures。　Surround

this　scene　with　ancient　walnut…trees　and　slim　young　poplars　with　their

pale…gold　leaves；　dot　graceful　buildings　here　and　there　along　the

grassy　slopes　where　sight　is　lost　beneath　the　vaporous；　warm　sky；　and

you　will　have　some　idea　of　one　of　the　points　of　view　of　this　most

lovely　region。



I　followed　the　road　to　Sache　along　the　left　bank　of　the　river；

noticing　carefully　the　details　of　the　hills　on　the　opposite　shore。　At

length　I　reached　a　park　embellished　with　centennial　trees；　which　I

knew　to　be　that　of　Frapesle。　I　arrived　just　as　the　bell　was　ringing

for　breakfast。　After　the　meal；　my　host；　who　little　suspected　that　I

had　walked　from　Tours；　carried　me　over　his　estate；　from　the　borders　of

which　I　saw　the　valley　on　all　sides　under　its　many　aspects；here

through　a　vista；　there　to　its　broad　extent；　often　my　eyes　were　drawn

to　the　horizon　along　the　golden　blade　of　the　Loire；　where　the　sails

made　fantastic　figures　among　the　currents　as　they　flew　before　the

wind。　As　we　mounted　a　crest　I　came　in　sight　of　the　chateau　d'Azay；

like　a　diamond　of　many　facets　in　a　setting　of　the　Indre；　standing　on

wooden　piles　concealed　by　flowers。　Farther　on；　in　a　hollow；　I　saw　the

romantic　masses　of　the　chateau　of　Sache；　a　sad　retreat　though　full　of

harmony；　too　sad　for　the　superficial；　but　dear　to　a　poet　with　a　soul

in　pain。　I；　too；　came　to　love　its　silence；　its　great　gnarled　trees；

and　the　nameless　mysterious　influence　of　its　solitary　valley。　But　now；

each　time　that　we　reached　an　opening　towards　the　neighboring　slope

which　gave　to　view　the　pretty　castle　I　had　first　noticed　in　the

morning；　I　stopped　to　look　at　it　with　pleasure。



〃Hey！〃　said　my　host；　reading　in　my　eyes　the　sparkling　desires　which

youth　so　ingenuously　betrays；　〃so　you　scent　from　afar　a　pretty　woman

as　a　dog　scents　game！〃



I　did　not　like　the　speech；　but　I　asked　the　name　of　the　castle　and　of

its　owner。



〃It　is　Clochegourde；〃　he　replied；　〃a　pretty　house　belonging　to　the

Comte　de　Mortsauf；　the　head　of　an　historic　family　in　Touraine；　whose

fortune　dates　from　the　days　of　Louis　XI。；　and　whose　name　tells　the

story　to　which　they　owe　their　arms　and　their　distinction。　Monsieur　de

Mortsauf　is　descended　from　a　man　who　survived　the　gallows。　The　family

bear：　Or；　a　cross　potent　and　counter…potent　sable；　charged　with　a

fleur…de…lis　or；　and　'Dieu　saulve　le　Roi　notre　Sire；'　for　motto。　The

count　settled　here　after　the　return　of　the　emigration。　The　estate

belongs　to　his　wife；　a　demoiselle　de　Lenoncourt；　of　the　house　of

Lenoncourt…Givry　which　is　now　dying　out。　Madame　de　Mortsauf　is　an　only

daughter。　The　limited　fortune　of　the　family　contrasts　strangely　with

the　distinction　of　their　names；　either　from　pride；　or；　possibly；　from

necessity；　they　never　leave　Clochegourde　and　see　no　company。　Until　now

their　attachment　to　the　Bourbons　explained　this　retirement；　but　the

return　of　the　king　has　not　changed　their　way　of　living。　When　I　came　to

reside　here　last　year　I　paid　them　a　visit　of　courtesy；　they　returned

it　and　invited　us　to　dinner；　the　winter　separated　us　for　some　months；

and　political　events　kept　me　away　from　Frapesle　until　recently。　Madame

de　Mortsauf　is　a　woman　who　would　hold　the　highest　position　wherever

she　might　be。〃



〃Does　she　often　come　to　Tours？〃



〃She　never　goes　there。　However；〃　he　added；　correcting　himself；　〃she

did　go　there　lately　to　the　ball　given　to　the　Duc　d'Angouleme；　who　was

very　gracious　to　her　husband。〃



〃It　was　she！〃　I　exclaimed。



〃She！　who？〃



〃A　woman　with　beautiful　shoulders。〃



〃You　will　meet　a　great　many　women　with　beautiful　shoulders　in

Touraine；〃　he　said；　laughing。　〃But　if　you　are　not　tired　we　can　cross

the　river　and　call　at　Clochegourde　and　you　shall　renew　acquaintance

with　those　particular　shoulders。〃



I　agreed；　not　without　a　blush　of　shame　and　pleasure。　About　four

o'clock　we　reached　the　little　chateau　on　which　my　eyes　had　fastened

from　the　first。　The　building；　which　is　finely　effective　in　the

landscape；　is　in　reality　very　modest。　It　has　five　windows　on　the

front；　those　at　each　end　of　the　facade；　looking　south；　project　about

twelve　feet；an　architectural　device　which　gives　the　idea　of　two

towers　and　adds　grace　to　the　structure。　The　middle　window　serves　as　a

door　from　which　you　descend　through　a　double　portico　into　a　terraced

garden　which　joins　the　narrow　strip　of　grass…land　that　skirts　the

Indre　along　its　whole　course。　Though　this　meadow　is　separated　from　the

lower　terrace；　which　is　shaded　by　a　double　line　of　acacias　and

Japanese　ailanthus；　by　the　country　road；　it　nevertheless　appears　from

the　house　to　be　a　part　of　the　garden；　for　the　road　is　sunken　and

hemmed　in　on　one　side　by　the　terrace；　on　the　other　side　by　a　Norman

hedge。　The　terraces　being　very　well　managed　put　enough　distance

between　the　house　and　the　river　to　avoid　the　inconvenience　of　too

great　proximity　to　water；　without　losing　the　charms　of　it。　Below　the

house　are　the　stables；　coach…house；　green…houses；　and　kitchen；　the

various　openings　to　which　form　an　arcade。　The　roof　is　charmingly

rounded　at　the　angles；　and　bears　mansarde　windows　with　carved　mullions

and　leaden　finials　on　their　gables。　This　roof；　no　doubt　much　neglected

during　the　Revolution；　is　stained　by　a　sort　of　mildew　produced　by

lichens　and　the　reddish　moss　which　grows　on　houses　exposed　to　the　sun。

The　glass　door　of　the　portico　is　surmounted　by　a　little　tower　which

holds　the　bell；　and　on　which　is　carved　the　escutcheon　of　the　Blamont…

Chauvry　family；　to　which　Madame　de　Mortsauf　belonged；　as　follows：

Gules；　a　pale　vair；　flanked　quarterly　by　two　hands　clasped　or；　and　two

lances　in　chevron　sable。　The　motto；　〃Voyez　tous；　nul　ne　touche！〃

struck　me　greatly。　The　supporters；　a　griffin　and　dragon　gules；

enchained　or；　made　a　pretty　effect　in　the　carving。　The　Revolution　has

damaged　the　ducal　crown　and　the　crest；　which　was　a　palm…tree　vert　with

fruit　or。　Senart；　the　secretary　of　the　committee　of　public　safety　was

bailiff　of　Sache　before　1781；　which　explains　this　destruction。



These　arrangements　give　an　elegant　air　to　the　little　castle；　dainty　as

a　flower；　which　seems　to　scarcely　rest　upon　the　earth。　Seen　from　the

valley　the　ground…floor　appears　to　be　the　first　story；　but　on　the

other　side　it　is　on　a　level　with　a　broad　gravelled　path　leading　to　a

grass…plot；　on　which　are　several　flower…beds。　To　right　and　left　are

vineyards；　orchards；　and　a　few　acres　of　tilled　land　planted　with

chestnut…trees　which　surround　the　house；　the　ground　falling　rapidly　to

the　Indre；　where　other　groups　of　trees　of　variegated　shades　of　green；

chosen　by　Nature　herself；　are　spread　along　the　shore。　I　admired　these

groups；　so　charmingly　disposed；　as　we　mounted　the　hilly　road　which

borders　Clochegourde；　I　breathed　an　atmosphere　of　happiness。　Has　the

moral　nature；　like　the　physical　nature；　its　own　electrical

communications　and　its　rapid　changes　of　temperature？　My　heart　was

beating　at　the　approach　of　events　then　unrevealed　which　were　to　change

it　forever；　just　as　animals　grow　livelier　when　foreseeing　fine

weather。



This　day；　so　marked　in　my　life；　lacked　no　circumstance　that　was　needed

to　solemnize　it。　Nature　was　adorned　like　a　woman　to　meet　her　lover。　My

soul　heard　her　voice　for　the　first　time；　my　eyes　worshipped　her；　as

fruitful；　as　varied　as　my　imagination　had　pictured　her　in　those

school…dreams　the　influence　of　which　I　have　tried　in　a　few　unskilful

words　to　explain　to　you；　for　they　were　to　me　an　Apocalypse　in　which　my

life　was　figuratively　foretold；　each　event；　fortunate　or　unfortunate；

being　mated　to　some　one　of　these　strange　visions　by　ties　known　only　to

the　soul。



We　crossed　a　court…yard　surrounded　by　buildings　necessary　for　the　farm

work；a　barn；　a　wine…press；　cow…sheds；　and　stables。　Warned　by　the

barking　of　the　watch…dog；　a　servant　came　to　meet　us；　saying　that

Monsieur　le　comte　had　gone　to　Azay　in　the　morning　but　would　soon

return；　and　that　Madame　la　comtesse　was　at　home。　My　companion　looked

at　me。　I　fairly　trembled　lest　he　should　decline　to　see　Madame　de

Mortsauf　in　her　husband's　absence；　but　he　told　the　man　to　announce　us。

With　the　eagerness　of　a　child　I　rushed　into　the　long　antechamber　which

crosses　the　whole　house。



〃Come　in；　gentlemen；〃　said　a　golden　voice。



Though　Madame　de　Mortsauf　had　spoken　only　one　word　at　the　ball；　I

recognized　her　voice；　which　entered　my　soul　and　filled　it　as　a　ray　of

sunshine　fills　and　gilds　a　prisoner's　dungeon。　Thinking；　suddenly；

that　she　might　remember　my　face；　my　first　impulse　was　to　fly；　but　it

was　too　late；she　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　our　eyes　met。　I　know

not　which　of　us　blushed　deepest。　Too　much　confused　for　immediate

speech　she　returned　to　her　seat　at　an　embroidery　frame　while　the

servant　placed　two　chairs；　then　she　drew　out　her　needle　and　counted

some　stitches；　as　if　to　explain　her　silence；　after　which　she　raised

her　head；　gently　yet　proudly；　in　the　direction　of　Monsieur　de　Chessel

as　she　asked　to　what　fortunate　circumstance　she　owed　his　visit。　Though

curious　to　know　the　secret　of　my　unexpected　appearance；　she　looked　at

neither　of　us；her　eyes　were　fixed