a little tour in france-第21节
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alk； … a _mail_； as the French say； as well as a _champ de manoeuvre_； … on which latter expanse the poor little red…legs were doing their exercise。 It was all very quiet and very picturesque； rather in miniature； and at once very tidy and a little out of repair。 This； however； was but a meagre back…view of La Rochelle； or poor side…view at best。 There are other gates than the small fortified aperture just mentioned； one of them； an old gray arch beneath a fine clock…tower； I had passed through on my way from the station。 This picturesque Tour de l'Horloge separates the town proper from the port； for beyond the old gray arch； the place presents its bright； expressive little face to the sea。 I had a charming walk about the harbor； and along the stone piers and sea…walls that shut it in。 This indeed； to take things in their order； was after I had had my breakfast （which I took on arriv… ing） and after I had been to the _hotel de ville_。 The inn had a long narrow garden behind it； with some very tall trees； and passing through this garden to a dim and secluded _salle a manger_； buried in the heavy shade； I had； while I sat at my repast； a feeling of seclusion which amounted almost to a sense of in… carceration。 I lost this sense； however； after I had paid my bill； and went out to look for traces of the famous siege； which is the principal title of La Rochelle to renown。 I had come thither partly because I thought it would be interesting to stand for a few moments in so gallant a spot； and partly because； I confess； I had a curiosity to see what had been the starting…point of the Huguenot emigrants who founded the town of New Rochelle in the State of New York； a place in which I had passed certain memorable hours。 It was strange to think； as I strolled through the peaceful little port； that these quiet waters； during the wars of religion； had swelled with a formidable naval power。 The Rochelais had fleets and admirals； and their stout little Protestant bottoms carried de… fiance up and down。
To say that I found any traces of the siege would be to misrepresent the taste for vivid whitewash by which La Rochelle is distinguished to…day。 The only trace is the dent in the marble top of the table on which； in the _hotel de ville_； Jean Guiton； the mayor of the city； brought down his dagger with an oath； when in 1628 the vessels and regiments of Richelieu closed about it on sea and land。 This terrible functionary was the soul of the resistance； he held out from February to October； in the midst of pestilence and famine。 The whole episode has a brilliant place among the sieges of history； it has been related a hundred times； and I may only glance at it and pass。 I limit my ambition； in these light pages； to speaking of those things of which I have personally received an impression； and I have no such impression of the defence of La Rochelle。 The hotel de ville is a pretty little building； in the style of the Renaissance of Francis I。； but it has left much of its interest in the hands of the restorers。 It has been 〃done up〃 without mercy； its natural place would be at Rochelle the New。 A sort of battlemented curtain； flanked with turrets； divides it from the street and contains a low door （a low door in a high wall is always felicitous）； which admits you to an inner court； where you discover the face of the building。 It has statues set into it； and is raised upon a very low and very deep arcade。 The principal function of the deferential old portress who conducts you over the place is to call your attention to the indented table of Jean Guiton； but she shows you other objects of interest besides。 The interior is absolutely new and extremely sump… tuous； abounding in tapestries； upholstery； morocco； velvet； satin。 This is especially the case with a really beautiful _grande salle_； where； surrdunded with the most expensive upholstery； the mayor holds his official receptions。 （So at least； said my worthy portress。） The mayors of La Rochelle appear to have changed a good deal since the days of the grim Guiton； but these evidences of municipal splendor are interesting for the light they throw on French manners。 Imagine the mayor of an English or an American town of twenty thousand inhabitants holding magisterial soirees in the town…hall！ The said _grande salle_； which is un… changed in form and its larger features； is； I believe； the room in which the Rochelais debated as to whether they should shut themselves up； and decided in the affirmative。 The table and chair of Jean Guiton have been restored； Iike everything else； and are very elegant and coquettish pieces of furniture； … incongruous relics of a season of starvation and blood。 I believe that Protestantism is somewhat shrunken to…day at La Rochelle； and has taken refuge mainly in。 the _haute societe_ and in a single place of worship。 There was nothing particular to remind me of its supposed austerity as； after leaving the hotel de ville； I walked along the empty portions and cut out of the Tour de l'Horloge； which I have already mentioned。 If I stopped and looked up at this venerable monument； it was not to ascertain the hour； for I foresaw that I should have more time at La Rochelle than I knew what to do with； but because its high； gray； weather…beaten face was an obvious subject for a sketch。 The little port； which has two basins； and is ac… cessible only to vessels of light tonnage； had a certain gayety and as much local color as you please。 Fisher folk of pictuesque type were strolling about； most of them Bretons； several of the men with handsome； simple faces； not at all brutal； and with a splendid brownness； … the golden…brown color； on cheek and beard； that you see on an old Venetian sail。 It was a squally； showery day； with sudden drizzles of sun… shine； rows of rich…toned fishing…smacks were drawn up along the quays。 The harbor is effective to the eye by reason of three battered old towers which； at different points； overhang it and look infinitely weather… washed and sea…silvered。 The most striking of these； the Tour de la Lanterne； is a big gray mass； of the fifteenth century； flanked with turrets and crowned with a Gothic steeple。 I found it was called by the people of the place the Tour des Quatre Sergents； though I know not what connection it has with the touching history of the four young sergeants of the garrison of La Rochelle； who were arrested in 1821 as conspirators against the Government of the Bour… bons； and executed； amid general indignation； in Paris in the following year。 The quaint little walk； with its label of Rue sur les Murs； to which one ascends from beside the Grosse Horloge； leads to this curious Tour de la Lanterne and passes under it。 This walk has the top of the old town…wall； toward the sea； for a parapet on one side； and is bordered on the other with decent but irregular little tenements of fishermen； where brown old women； whose caps are as white as if they were painted； seem chiefly in possession。 In this direction there is a very pretty stretch of shore； out of the town； through the fortifications （which are Vauban's； by the way）； through； also； a diminutive public garden or straggling shrubbery； which edges the water and carries its stunted verdure as far as a big Etablissernent des Bains。 It was too late in the year to bathe； and the Etablissement had the bank… rupt aspect which belongs to such places out of the season； so I turned my back upon it； and gained； by a circuit in the course of which there were sundry water…side items to observe； the other side of the cheery little port； where there is a long breakwater and a still longer sea…wall； on which I walked awhile； to inhale the strong； salt breath of the Bay of Biscay。 La Rochelle serves； in the months of July and August； as a _station de bains_ for a modest provincial society； and； putting aside the question of inns； it must be charming on summer afternoons。
XVII。
It is an injustice to Poitiers to approach her by night； as I did some three hours after leaving La Rochelle； for what Poitiers has of best； as they would say at Poitiers； is the appearance she presents to the arriving stranger who puts his head out of the window of the train。 I gazed into the gloom from such an aperture before we got into the station； for I re… membered the impression received on another occa… sion； but I saw nothing save the universal night； spotted here and there with an ugly railway lamp。 It was only as I departed； the following day； that I assured myself that Poitiers still makes something of the figure she ought on the summit of her consider… able bill。 I have a kindness for any little group of towers； any cluster of roofs and chimneys； that lift themselves from an eminence over which a long road ascends in zigzags； such a picture creates for the mo… ment a presumption that you are in Italy； and even leads you to believe that if you mount the winding road you will come to an old town…wall； an expanse of creviced brownness； and pass under a gateway sur… mounted by the arms of a mediaeval despot。 Why I should find it a pleasure； in France； to imagine my… self in Italy； is more than I can say； the illusion has never lasted long enough to be analyzed。 From the bottom of i
