the chateau of prince polignac-第1节

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The　Chateau　of　Prince　Polignac


by　Anthony　Trollope






Few　Englishmen　or　Englishwomen　are　intimately　acquainted　with　the
little　town　of　Le　Puy。　　It　is　the　capital　of　the　old　province　of　Le
Velay；　which　also　is　now　but　little　known；　even　to　French　ears；　for
it　is　in　these　days　called　by　the　imperial　name　of　the　Department　of
the　Haute　Loire。　　It　is　to　the　south…east　of　Auvergne；　and　is　nearly
in　the　centre　of　the　southern　half　of　France。

But　few　towns；　merely　as　towns；　can　be　better　worth　visiting。　　In
the　first　place；　the　volcanic　formation　of　the　ground　on　which　it
stands　is　not　only　singular　in　the　extreme；　so　as　to　be　interesting
to　the　geologist；　but　it　is　so　picturesque　as　to　be　equally
gratifying　to　the　general　tourist。　　Within　a　narrow　valley　there
stand　several　rocks；　rising　up　from　the　ground　with　absolute
abruptness。　　Round　two　of　these　the　town　clusters；　and　a　third
stands　but　a　mile　distant；　forming　the　centre　of　a　faubourg；　or
suburb。　　These　rocks　appear　to　be；　and　I　believe　are；　the　harder
particles　of　volcanic　matter；　which　have　not　been　carried　away
through　successive　ages　by　the　joint　agency　of　water　and　air。

When　the　tide　of　lava　ran　down　between　the　hills　the　surface　left
was　no　doubt　on　a　level　with　the　heads　of　these　rocks；　but　here　and
there　the　deposit　became　harder　than　elsewhere；　and　these　harder
points　have　remained；　lifting　up　their　steep　heads　in　a　line　through
the　valley。

The　highest　of　these　is　called　the　Rocher　de　Corneille。　　Round　this
and　up　its　steep　sides　the　town　stands。　　On　its　highest　summit　there
was　an　old　castle；　and　there　now　is；　or　will　be　before　these　pages
are　printed；　a　colossal　figure　in　bronze　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　made
from　the　cannon　taken　at　Sebastopol。　　Half…way　down　the　hill　the
cathedral　is　built；　a　singularly　gloomy　edifice；Romanesque；　as　it
is　called；　in　its　style；　but　extremely　similar　in　its　mode　of
architecture　to　what　we　know　of　Byzantine　structures。　　But　there　has
been　no　surface　on　the　rock　side　large　enough　to　form　a　resting…
place　for　the　church；　which　has　therefore　been　built　out　on　huge
supporting　piles；　which　form　a　porch　below　the　west　front；　so　that
the　approach　is　by　numerous　steps　laid　along　the　side　of　the　wall
below　the　church；　forming　a　wondrous　flight　of　stairs。　　Let　all　men
who　may　find　themselves　stopping　at　Le　Puy　visit　the　top　of　these
stairs　at　the　time　of　the　setting　sun；　and　look　down　from　thence
through　the　framework　of　the　porch　on　the　town　beneath；　and　at　the
hill…side　beyond。

Behind　the　church　is　the　seminary　of　the　priests；　with　its　beautiful
walks　stretching　round　the　Rocher　de　Corneille；　and　overlooking　the
town　and　valley　below。

Next　to　this　rock；　and　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　it；　is　the
second　peak；　called　the　Rock　of　the　Needle。　　It　rises　narrow；　sharp；
and　abrupt　from　the　valley；　allowing　of　no　buildings　on　its　sides。
But　on　its　very　point　has　been　erected　a　church　sacred　to　St。
Michael；　that　lover　of　rock　summits；　accessible　by　stairs　cut　from
the　stone。　　This；　perhapsthis　rock；　I　meanis　the　most　wonderful
of　the　wonders　which　Nature　has　formed　at　La　Puy。

Above　this；　at　a　mile's　distance；　is　the　rock　of　Espailly；　formed　in
the　same　way；　and　almost　equally　precipitous。　　On　its　summit　is　a
castle；　having　its　own　legend；　and　professing　to　have　been　the
residence　of　Charles　VII。；　when　little　of　France　belonged　to　its
kings　but　the　provinces　of　Berry；　Auvergne；　and　Le　Velay。　　Some
three　miles　farther　up　there　is　another　volcanic　rock；　larger；
indeed；　but　equally　sudden　in　its　spring；equally　remarkable　as
rising　abruptly　from　the　valley；on　which　stands　the　castle　and　old
family　residence　of　the　house　of　Polignac。　　It　was　lost　by　them　at
the　Revolution；　but　was　repurchased　by　the　minister　of　Charles　X。；
and　is　still　the　property　of　the　head　of　the　race。

Le　Puy　itself　is　a　small；　moderate；　pleasant　French　town；　in　which
the　language　of　the　people　has　not　the　pure　Parisian　aroma；　nor　is
the　glory　of　the　boulevards　of　the　capital　emulated　in　its　streets。
These　are　crooked；　narrow；　steep；　and　intricate；　forming　here　and
there　excellent　sketches　for　a　lover　of　street　picturesque　beauty；
but　hurtful　to　the　feet　with　their　small；　round…topped　paving
stones；　and　not　always　as　clean　as　pedestrian　ladies　might　desire。

And　now　I　would　ask　my　readers　to　join　me　at　the　morning　table
d'hote　at　the　Hotel　des　Ambassadeurs。　　It　will　of　course　be
understood　that　this　does　not　mean　a　breakfast　in　the　ordinary
fashion　of　England；　consisting　of　tea　or　coffee；　bread　and　butter；
and　perhaps　a　boiled　egg。　　It　comprises　all　the　requisites　for　a
composite　dinner；　excepting　soup；　and　as　one　gets　farther　south　in
France；　this　meal　is　called　dinner。　　It　is；　however；　eaten　without
any　prejudice　to　another　similar　and　somewhat　longer　meal　at　six　or
seven　o'clock；　which；　when　the　above　name　is　taken　up　by　the　earlier
enterprise；　is　styled　supper。

The　dejeuner；　or　dinner；　at　the　Hotel　des　Ambassadeurs；　on　the
morning　in　question；　though　very　elaborate；　was　not　a　very　gay
affair。　　There　were　some　fourteen　persons　present；　of　whom　half　were
residents　in　the　town；　men　employed　in　some　official　capacity；　who
found　this　to　be　the　cheapest；　the　most　luxurious；　and　to　them　the
most　comfortable　mode　of　living。　　They　clustered　together　at　the
head　of　the　table；　and　as　they　were　customary　guests　at　the　house；
they　talked　their　little　talk　togetherit　was　very　littleand　made
the　most　of　the　good　things　before　them。　　Then　there　were　two　or
three　commis…voyageurs；　a　chance　traveller　or　two；　and　an　English
lady　with　a　young　daughter。　　The　English　lady　sat　next　to　one　of　the
accustomed　guests；　but　he；　unlike　the　others；　held　converse　with　her
rather　than　with　them。　　Our　story　at　present　has　reference　only　to
that　lady　and　to　that　gentleman。

Place　aux　dames。　　We　will　speak　first　of　the　lady；　whose　name　was
Mrs。　Thompson。　　She　was；　shall　I　say；　a　young　woman　of　about　thirty…
six。　　In　so　saying；　I　am　perhaps　creating　a　prejudice　against　her　in
the　minds　of　some　readers；　as　they　will；　not　unnaturally；　suppose
her；　after　such　an　announcement；　to　be　in　truth　over　forty。　　Any
such　prejudice　will　be　unjust。　　I　would　have　it　believed　that
thirty…six　was　the　outside；　not　the　inside　of　her　age。　　She　was
good…looking；　lady…like；　and　considering　that　she　was　an
Englishwoman；　fairly　well　dressed。　　She　was　inclined　to　be　rather
full　in　her　person；　but　perhaps　not　more　so　than　is　becoming　to
ladies　at　her　time　of　life。　　She　had　rings　on　her　fingers　and　a
brooch　on　her　bosom　which　were　of　some　value；　and　on　the　back　of　her
head　she　wore　a　jaunty　small　lace　cap；　which　seemed　to　tell；　in
conjunction　with　her　other　appointments；　that　her　circumstances　were
comfortable。

The　little　girl　who　sat　next　to　her　was　the　youngest　of　her　two
daughters；　and　might　be　about　thirteen　years　of　age。　　Her　name　was
Matilda；　but　infantine　circumstances　had　invested　her　with　the
nickname　of　Mimmy；　by　which　her　mother　always　called　her。　　A　nice；
pretty；　playful　little　girl　was　Mimmy　Thompson；　wearing　two　long
tails　of　plaited　hair　hanging；　behind　her　head；　and　inclined
occasionally　to　be　rather　loud　in　her　sport。

Mrs。　Thompson　had　another　and　an　elder　daughter；　now　some　fifteen
years　old；　who　was　at　school　in　Le　Puy；　and　it　was　with　reference　to
her　tuition　that　Mrs。　Thompson　had　taken　up　a　temporary　residence　at
the　Hotel　des　Ambassadeurs　in　that　town。　　Lilian　Thompson　was
occasionally　invited　down　to　dine　or　breakfast　at　the　inn；　and　was
visited　daily　at　her　school　by　her　mother。

〃When　I'm　sure　that　she'll　do；　I　shall　leave　her　there；　and　go　back
to　England；〃　Mrs。　Thompson　had　said；　not　in　the　purest　French；　to
the　neighbour　who　always　sat　next　to　her　at　the　table　d'hote；　the
gentleman；　namely；　to　whom　we　have　above　alluded。　　But　still　she　had
remained　at　Le　Puy　a　month；　and　did　not　go；　a　circumstance　which　was
considered　singular；　but　by　no　means　unpleasant；　both　by　the
innkeeper　and　by　the　gentleman　in　question。

The　facts；　as　regarded　Mrs。　Thompson；　were　as　follows：…　She　was　the
widow　of　a　gentleman　who　had　served　for　many　years　in　the　civil
service　of　the　East　Indies；　and　who；　on　dying；　had　left　her　a
comfortable　income　ofit　matters　not　how　many　pounds；　but
constituting　quite　a　sufficiency　to　enable　her　to　live　at　her　ease
and　educate　her　daughters。

Her　children　had　been　sent　home　to　England　before　her　husband's
death；　and　after　that　event　she　had　followed　them；　but　there；　though
she　was　possessed　of　moderate　wealth；　she　had　no　friends　and　few
acquaintances；　and　after　a　little　while　she　had　found　life　to　be
rather　dull。　　Her　customs　were　not　those　of　England；　nor　were　her
propensities　English；　therefore　she　had　gone　abroad；　and　having
received　some　recommendation　of　this　school　at　Le　Puy；　had　made　her
way　thither。　　As　it　appeared　to　her　that　she　really　enjoyed　more
consideration　at　Le　Puy　than　had　been　accorded　to　her　either　at
Torquay　or　Leamington；　there　she　remained　from　day　to　day。　　The
total　payment　required　at　the　Hotel　des　Ambassadeurs　was　but　six
francs　daily　for　herself　and　three　and　a　half　for　her　little　girl；
and　where　else　could　s