a little tour in france-第31节
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I have only to add； in regard to the Musee Fabre； that it contains the portrait of its founder； … a little； pursy； fat…faced； elderly man； whose countenance con… tains few indications of the power that makes distin… guished victims。 He is； however； just such a personage as the mind's eye sees walking on the terrace of the Peyrou of an October afternoon in the early years of the century； a plump figure in a chocolate…colored coat and a _culotte_ that exhibits a good leg； … a culotte pro… vided with a watch…fob from which a heavy seal is suspended。 This Peyrou （to come to it at last） is a wonderful place； especially to be found in a little pro… vincial city。 France is certainly the country of towns that aim at completeness； more than in other lands； they contain stately features as a matter of course。 We should never have ceased to hear about the Peyrou； if fortune had placed it at a Shrewsbury or a Buffalo。 It is true that the place enjoys a certain celebrity at home； which it amply deserves； moreover； for nothing could be more impressive and monumental。 It consists of an 〃elevated platform；〃 as Murray says； … an im… mense terrace； laid out； in the highest part of the town； as a garden； and commanding in all directions a view which in clear weather must be of the finest。 I strolled there in the intervals of showers； and saw only the nearer beauties； … a great pompous arch of triumph in honor of Louis XIV。 （which is not； properly speaking； in the garden； but faces it； straddling across the _place_ by which you approach it from the town）； an equestrian statue of that monarch set aloft in the middle of the terrace； and a very exalted and complicated fountain； which forms a background to the picture。 This foun… tain gushes from a kind of hydraulic temple； or _cha… teau d'eau_； to which you ascend by broad flights of steps； and which is fed by a splendid aqueduct； stretched in the most ornamental and unexpected manner across the neighboring valley。 All this work dates from the middle of the last century。 The com… bination of features … the triumphal arch； or gate； the wide； fair terrace； with its beautiful view； the statue of the grand monarch； the big architectural fountain； which would not surprise one at Rome； but goes sur… prise one at Montpellier； and to complete the effect； the extraordinary aqueduct； charmingly fore…shortened； … all this is worthy of a capital； of a little court…city。 The whole place； with its repeated steps； its balus… trades； its massive and plentiful stone…work； is full of the air of the last century； … _sent bien son dix…huitieme siecle_； none the less so； I am afraid； that； as I read in my faithful Murray； after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes； the block； the stake； the wheel； had been erected here for the benefit of the desperate Camisards。
XXVI。
It was a pleasure to feel one's self in Provence again； … the land where the silver…gray earth is im… pregnated with the light of the sky。 To celebrate the event； as soon as I arrived at Nimes I engaged a caleche to convey me to the Pont du Gard。 The day was yet young； and it was perfectly fair； it ap… peared well； for a longish drive； to take advantage； without delay； of such security。 After I had left the town I became more intimate with that Provencal charm which I had already enjoyed from the window of the train； and which glowed in the sweet sunshine and the white rocks； and lurked in the smoke…puffs of the little olives。 The olive…trees in Provence are half the landscape。 They are neither so tall； so stout； nor so richly contorted as I have seen them beyond the Alps； but this mild colorless bloom seems the very texture of the country。 The road from Nimes； for a distance of fifteen miles； is superb； broad enough for an army； and as white and firm as a dinner…table。 It stretches away over undulations which suggest a kind of harmony； and in the curves it makes through the wide； free country； where there is never a hedge or a wall； and the detail is always exquisite； there is something majestic； almost processional。 Some twenty minutes before I reached the little inn that marks the termination of the drive； my vehicle met with an ac… cident which just missed being serious； and which engaged the attention of a gentleman； who； followed by his groom and mounted on a strikingly handsome horse happened to ride up at the moment。 This young man； who； with his good looks and charming manner； might have stepped out of a novel of Octave Feuillet； gave me some very intelligent advice in reference to one of my horses that had been injured； and was so good as to accompany me to the inn； with the re… sources of which he was acquainted； to see that his recommendations were carried out。 The result of our interview was that he invited me to come and look at a small but ancient chateau in the neighborhood； which he had the happiness … not the greatest in the world； he intimated … to inhabit； and at which I en… gaged to present myself after I should have spent an hour at the Pont du Gard。 For the moment； when we separated； I gave all my attention to that great structure。 You are very near it before you see it； the ravine it spans suddenly opens and exhibits the picture。 The scene at this point grows extremely beautiful。 The ravine is the valley of the Gardon； which the road from Nimes has followed some time without taking account of it； but which； exactly at the right distance from the aqueduct； deepens and ex… pands； and puts on those characteristics which are best suited to give it effect。 The gorge becomes romantic； still； and solitary； and； with its white rocks and wild shrubbery； hangs over the clear； colored river； in whose slow course there is here and there a deeper pool。 Over the valley； from side to side； and ever so high in the air； stretch the three tiers of the tremendous bridge。 They are unspeakably imposing； and nothing could well be more Roman。 The hugeness； the soli… dity； the unexpectedness； the monumental rectitude of the whole thing leave you nothing to say … at the time … and make you stand gazing。 You simply feel that it is noble and perfect； that it has the quality of greatness。 A road； branching from the highway； de… scends to the level of the river and passes under one of the arches。 This road has a wide margin of grass and loose stones； which slopes upward into the bank of the ravine。 You may sit here as long as you please； staring up at the light； strong piers； the spot is ex… tremely natural； though two or three stone benches have been erected on it。 I remained there an hour and got a cornplete impression； the place was per… fectly soundless； and for the time； at least； lonely； the splendid afternoon had begun to fade； and there was a fascination in the object I had come to see。 It came to pass that at the same time I discovered in it a certain stupidity； a vague brutality。 That element is rarely absent from great Roman work； which is wanting in the nice adaptation of the means to the end。 The means are always exaggerated； the end is so much more than attained。 The Roman rigidity was apt to overshoot the mark； and I suppose a race which could do nothing small is as defective as a race that can do nothing great。 Of this Roman rigidity the Pont du Gard is an admirable example。 It would be a great injustice； however； not to insist upon its beauty； … a kind of manly beauty； that of an object constructed not to please but to serve； and impressive simply from the scale on which it carries out this intention。 The number of arches in each tier is dif… ferent； they are smaller and more numerous as they ascend。 The preservation of the thing is extra… ordinary； nothing has crumbled or collapsed； every feature remains； and the huge blocks of stone； of a brownish…yellow； （as if they had been baked by the Provencal sun for eighteen centuries）； pile themselves； without mortar or cement； as evenly as the day they were laid together。 All this to carry the water of a couple of springs to a little provincial city！ The con… duit on the top has retained its shape and traces of the cement with which it was lined。 When the vague twilight began to gather； the lonely valley seemed to fill itself with the shadow of the Roman name； as if the mighty empire were still as erect as the supports of the aqueduct； and it was open to a solitary tourist； sitting there sentimental； to believe that no people has ever been； or will ever be； as great as that； measured； as we measure the greatness of an individual； by the push they gave to what they undertook。 The Pont du Gard is one of the three or four deepest impressions they have left； it speaks of them in a manner with which they might have been satisfied。
I feel as if it were scarcely discreet to indicate the whereabouts of the chateau of the obliging young man I had met on the way from Nimes； I must con… tent myself with saying that it nestled in an en… chanting valley； … _dans le fond_； as they say in France； … and that I took my course thither on foot； after leaving the Pont du Gard。 I find it noted in my journal as 〃an adorable little corner。〃 The principal feature of the place is a couple of very ancient towers； brownish…yellow in hue； and mantled in scarlet Vir… ginia…creeper
