a little tour in france-第28节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ore had the curiosity to come up to the Cite。 There was something brilliant； certainly； in that。 The _gardien_ was an extra… ordinarily typical little Frenchman； who struck me even more forcibly than the wonders of the inner enceinte； and as I am bound to assume； at whatever cost to my literary vanity； that there is not the slightest danger of his reading these remarks； I may treat him as public property。 With his diminutive stature and his per… pendicular spirit； his flushed face； expressive protuber… ant eyes； high peremptory voice； extreme volubility； lucidity； and neatness of utterance； he reminded me of the gentry who figure in the revolutions of his native land。 If he was not a fierce little Jacobin； he ought to have been； for I am sure there were many men of his pattern on the Committee of Public Safety。 He knew absolutely what he was about； understood the place thoroughly； and constantly reminded his audience of what he himself had done in the way of excavations and reparations。 He described himself as the brother of the architect of the work actually going forward （that which has been done since the death of M。 Viol… let…le…Duc； I suppose he meant）； and this fact was more illustrative than all the others。 It reminded me； as one is reminded at every turn； of the democratic con… ditions of French life： a man of the people； with a wife _en bonnet_； extremely intelligent； full of special knowledge； and yet remaining essentially of the people； and showing his intelligence with a kind of ferocity； of defiance。 Such a personage helps one to under… stand the red radicalism of France； the revolutions； the barricades； the sinister passion for theories。 （I do not； of course； take upon myself to say that the indi… vidual I describe … who can know nothing of the liberties I am taking with him … is actually devoted to these ideals； I only mean that many such devotees must have his qualities。） In just the _nuance_ that I have tried to indicate here； it is a terrible pattern of man。 Permeated in a high degree by civilization； it is yet untouched by the desire which one finds in the Englishman； in proportion as he rises in the world； to approximate to the figure of the gentleman。 On the other hand； a _nettete_； a faculty of exposition； such as the English gentleman is rarely either blessed or cursed with。
This brilliant； this suggestive warden of Carcas… sonne marched us about for an hour； haranguing； ex… plaining； illustrating； as he went； it was a complete little lecture； such as might have been delivered at the Lowell Institute； on the manger in which a first… rate _place forte_ used to be attacked and defended Our peregrinations made it very clear that Carcassone was impregnable； it is impossible to imagine； without having seen them； such refinements of immurement； such ingenuities of resistance。 We passed along the battlements and _chemins de ronde_； ascended and de… scended towers； crawled under arches； peered out of loop…holes； lowered ourselves into dungeons； halted in all sorts of tight places； while the purpose of some… thing or other was described to us。 It was very curious； very interesting； above all； it was very pic… torial； and involved perpetual peeps into the little crooked； crumbling； sunny； grassy； empty Cite。 In places； as you stand upon it； the great towered and embattled enceinte produces an illusion； it looks as if it were still equipped and defended。 One vivid challenge； at any rate； it flings down before you； it calls upon you to make up your mind on the matter of restoration。 For myself； I have no hesitation； I prefer in every case the ruined； however ruined； to the reconstructed； however splendid。 What is left is more precious than what is added： the one is history； the other is fiction； and I like the former the better of the two； … it is so much more romantic。 One is posi… tive； so far as it goes； the other fills up the void with things more dead than the void itself； inasmuch as they have never had life。 After that I am free to say that the restoration of Carcassonne is a splendid achievement。 The little custodian dismissed us at last； after having； as usual； inducted us into the inevi… table repository of photographs。 These photographs are a great nuisance； all over the Midi。 They are exceedingly bad； for the most part； and the worst … those in the form of the hideous little _album…pano… rama_ … are thrust upon you at every turn。 They are a kind of tax that you must pay； the best way is to pay to be let off。 It was not to be denied that there was a relief in separating from our accomplished guide； whose manner of imparting information re… minded me of the energetic process by which I have seen mineral waters bottled。 All this while the after… noon had grown more lovely； the sunset had deepened； the horizon of hills grown purple； the mass of the Canigou became more delicate； yet more distinct。 The day had so far faded that the interior of the little cathedral was wrapped in twilight； into which the glowing windows projected something of their color。 This church has high beauty and value； but I will spare the reader a presentation of details which I my… self had no opportunity to master。 It consists of a romanesque nave； of the end of the eleventh century； and a Gothic choir and transepts of the beginning of the fourteenth； and； shut up in its citadel like a precious casket in a cabinet； it seems … or seemed at that hour … to have a sort of double sanctity。 After leaving it and passing out of the two circles of walls； I treated myself； in the most infatuated manner； to another walk round the Cite。 It is certainly this general impression that is most striking； … the impression from outside； where the whole place detaches itself at once from the landscape。 In the warm southern dusk it looked more than ever like a city in a fairy…tale。 To make the thing perfect； a white young moon； in its first quarter； came out and hung just over the dark sil… houette。 It was hard to come away； … to incommode one's self for anything so vulgar as a railway…train； I would gladly have spent the evening in revolving round the walls of Carcassonne。 But I had in a measure engaged to proceed to Narborme； and there was a certain magic that name which gave me strength； … Narbonne； the richest city in Roman Gaul。
XXIV。
At Narbonne I took up my abode at the house of a _serrurier mecanicien_； and was very thankful for the accommodation。 It was my misfortune to arrive at this ancient city late at night； on the eve of market… day； and market…day at Narbonne is a very serious affair。 The inns； on this occasion； are stuffed with wine…dealers； for the country roundabout； dedicated almost exclusively to Bacchus； has hitherto escaped the phylloxera。 This deadly enemy of the grape is encamped over the Midi in a hundred places； blighted vineyards and ruined proprietors being quite the order of the day。 The signs of distress are more frequent as you advance into Provence； many of the vines being laid under water； in the hope of washing the plague away。 There are healthy regions still； however； and the vintners find plenty to do at Narbonne。 The traffic in wine appeared to be the sole thought of the Narbonnais； every one I spoke to had something to say about the harvest of gold that bloomed under its influence。 〃C'est inoui； monsieur； l'argent qu'il y a dans ce pays。 Des gens a qui la vente de leur vin rapporte jusqu'a 500；000 francs par an。〃 That little speech； addressed to me by a gentleman at the inn； gives the note of these revelations。 It must be said that there was little in the appearance either of the town or of its population to suggest the possession of such treasures。 Narbonne is a _sale petite ville_ in all the force of the term； and my first impression on ar… riving there was an extreme regret that I had not remained for the night at the lovely Carcassonne。 My journey from that delectable spot lasted a couple of hours； and was performed in darkness； … a darkness not so dense； however； but that I was able to make out； as we passed it； the great figure of Beziers； whose ancient roofs and towers； clustered on a goodly hill… top； looked as fantastic as you please。 I know not what appearance Beziers may present by day； but by night it has quite the grand air。 On issuing from the station at Narbonne； I found that the only vehicle in waiting was a kind of bastard tramcar； a thing shaped as if it had been meant to go upon rails； that is； equipped with small wheels； placed beneath it； and with a platform at either end； but destined to rattle over the stones like the most vulgar of omnibuses。 To complete the oddity of this conveyance； it was under the supervision； not of a conductor； but of a conductress。 A fair young woman； with a pouch sus… pended from her girdle； had command of the platform； and as soon as the car was full she jolted us into the town through clouds of the thickest dust I ever have swallowed。 I have had occasion to speak of the activity of women in France； … of the way they are always in the ascendant； and here was a signal example of their general utility。 The young lady I have mentioned conveyed her whole company to the wretched little Hotel de France； where it is to be ho
