a little tour in france-第34节
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spite of having been put to all sorts of incongruous uses； marvellously preserved。 Its slender columns； its delicate proportions； its charming com… pactness； seemed to bring one nearer to the century that built it than the great superpositions of arenas and bridges； and give it the interest that vibrates from one age to another when the note of taste is struck。 If anything were needed to make this little toy…temple a happy production； the service would be rendered by the second…rate boulevard that conducts to it； adorned with inferior cafes and tobacco…shops。 Here； in a respectable recess； surrounded by vulgar habitations； and with the theatre； of a classic pretension； opposite； stands the small 〃square house；〃 so called because it is much longer than it is broad。 I saw it first in the evening； in the vague moonlight； which made it look as if it were cast in bronze。 Stendhal says； justly； that it has the shape of a playing…card； and he ex… presses his admiration for it by the singular wish that an 〃exact copy〃 of it should be erected in Paris。 He even goes so far as to say that in the year 1880 this tribute will have been rendered to its charms； nothing would be more simple； to his mind； than to 〃have〃 in that city 〃le Pantheon de Rome； quelques temples de Grece。〃 Stendhal found it amusing to write in the character of a _commis…voyageur_； and some… times it occurs to his reader that he really was one。
XXIX。
On my way from Nimes to Arles； I spent three hours at Tarascon； chiefly for the love of Alphonse Daudet； who has written nothing more genial than 〃Les Aventures Prodigieuses de Taitarin；〃 and the story of the 〃siege〃 of the bright； dead little town （a mythic siege by the Prussians） in the 〃Conies du Lundi。〃 In the introduction which； for the new edition of his works； he has lately supplied to 〃Tar… tarin；〃 the author of this extravagant but kindly satire gives some account of the displeasure with which he has been visited by the ticklish Tarascon… nais。 Daudet relates that in his attempt to shed a humorous light upon some of the more erratic phases of the Provencal character； he selected Tarascon at a venture； not because the temperament of its natives is more vainglorious than that of their neighbors； or their rebellion against the 〃despotism of fact〃 more marked； but simply because he had to name a par… ticular Provencal city。 Tartarin is a hunter of lions and charmer of women； a true 〃_produit du midi_；〃 as Daudet says； who has the most fantastic and fabulous adventures。 He is a minimized Don Quixote； with much less dignity； but with equal good faith； and the story of his exploits is a little masterpiece of the light comical。 The Tarasconnais； however； declined to take the joke； and opened the vials of their wrath upon the mocking child of Nimes； who would have been better employed； they doubtless thought； in show… ing up the infirmities of his own family。 I am bound to add that when I passed through Tarascon they did not appear to be in the least out of humor。 Nothing could have been brighter； softer； more suggestive of amiable indifference； than the picture it presented to my mind。 It lies quietly beside the Rhone； looking across at Beaucaire； which seems very distant and in… dependent； and tacitly consenting to let the castle of the good King Rene of Anjou； which projects very boldly into the river； pass for its most interesting feature。 The other features are； primarily； a sort of vivid sleepi… ness in the aspect of the place； as if the September noon （it had lingered on into October） lasted longer there than elsewhere； certain low arcades； which make the streets look gray and exhibit empty vistas； and a very curious and beautiful walk beside the Rhone； denominated the Chaussee； … a long and narrow cause… way； densely shaded by two rows of magnificent old trees； planted in its embankment； and rendered doubly effective； at the moment I passed over it； by a little train of collegians； who had been taken out for mild exercise by a pair of young priests。 Lastly； one may say that a striking element of Tarascon； as of any town that lies on the Rhone； is simply the Rhone itself： the big brown flood； of uncertain temper； which has never taken time to forget that it is a child of the mountain and the glacier； and that such an origin carries with it great privileges。 Later； at Avignon； I observed it in the exercise of these privileges； chief among which was that of frightening the good people of the old papal city half out of their wits。
The chateau of King Rene serves to…day as the prison of a district； and the traveller who wishes to look into it must obtain his permission at the _Mairie of Tarascon_。 If he have had a certain experience of French manners； his application will be accompanied with the forms of a considerable obsequiosity； and in this case his request will be granted as civilly as it has been made。 The castle has more of the air of a severely feudal fortress than I should suppose the period of its construction （the first half of the fifteenth century） would have warranted； being tremendously bare and perpendicular； and constructed for comfort only in the sense that it was arranged for defence。 It is a square and simple mass； composed of small yellow stones； and perched on a pedestal of rock which easily commands the river。 The building has the usual cir… cular towers at the corners； and a heavy cornice at the top； and immense stretches of sun…scorched wall； relieved at wide intervals by small windows； heavily cross…barred。 It has； above all； an extreme steepness of aspect； I cannot express it otherwise。 The walls are as sheer and inhospitable as precipices。 The castle has kept its large moat； which is now a hollow filled with wild plants。 To this tall fortress the good Rene retired in the middle of the fifteenth century； finding it apparently the most substantial thing left him in a dominion which had included Naples and Sicily； Lorraine and Anjou。 He had been a much…tried monarch and the sport of a various fortune； fighting half his life for thrones he didn't care for； and exalted only to be quickly cast down。 Provence was the country of his affection； and the memory of his troubles did not prevent him from holding a joyous court at Tarascon and at Aix。 He finished the castle at Tarascon； which had been begun earlier in the century； … finished it； I suppose； for consistency's sake； in the manner in which it had originally been designed rather than in accordance with the artistic tastes that formed the consolation of his old age。 He was a painter； a writer； a dramatist； a modern dilettante； addicted to private theatricals。 There is something very attractive in the image that he has imprinted on the page of history。 He was both clever and kind； and many reverses and much suffering had not imbittered him nor quenched his faculty of enjoyment。 He was fond of his sweet Provence； and his sweet Provence has been grateful； it has woven a light tissue of legend around the memory of the good King Rene。
I strolled over his dusky habitation … it must have taken all his good…humor to light it up … at the heels of the custodian； who showed me the usual number of castle…properties： a deep； well…like court； a collection of winding staircases and vaulted chambers； the embra… sures of whose windows and the recesses of whose doorways reveal a tremendous thickness of wall。 These things constitute the general identity of old castles； and when one has wandered through a good many； with due discretion of step and protrusion of head； one ceases very much to distinguish and remember； and contents one's self with consigning them to the honorable limbo of the romantic。 I must add that this reflection did not the least deter me from crossing the bridge which connects Tarascon with Beaucaire； in order to examine the old fortress whose ruins adorn the latter city。 It stands on a foundation of rock much higher than that of Tarascon； and looks over with a melancholy expression at its better…conditioned brother。 Its position is magnificent； and its outline very gallant。 I was well rewarded for my pilgrimage； for if the castle of Beaucaire is only a fragment； the whole place； with its position and its views； is an ineffaceable picture。 It was the stronghold of the Montmorencys； and its last tenant was that rash Duke Francois； whom Richelieu； seizing every occasion to trample on a great noble； caused to be beheaded at Toulouse； where we saw； in the Capitol； the butcher's knife with which the cardinal pruned the crown of France of its thorns。 The castle； after the death of this victim； was virtually demolished。 Its site； which Nature to…day has taken again to herself； has an extraordinary charm。 The mass of rock that it formerly covered rises high above the town； and is as precipitous as the side of the Rhone。 A tall rusty iron gate admits you from a quiet corner of Beaucaire to a wild tangled garden； covering the side of the hill； … for the whole place forms the public promenade of the townsfolk； … a garden without flowers； with little steep； rough paths that wind under a plantation of small； scrubby stone…pines。 Above this is the grassy platform of the castle； enclosed on one side only （toward the riv
