a little tour in france-第38节
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g can be prettier than the crags of Provence； they are beautifully modelled； as painters say； and they have a delightful silvery color。 The road winds round the foot of the hills on the top of which Lea Baux is planted； and passes into another valley； from which the approach to the town is many degrees less pre… cipitous； and may be comfortably made in a carriage。 Of course the deeply inquiring traveller will alight as promptly as possible； for the pleasure of climbing into this queerest of cities on foot is not the least part of the entertainment of going there。 Then you appreciate its extraordinary position； its picturesque… ness； its steepness； its desolation and decay。 It hangs … that is； what remains of it … to the slanting summit of the mountain。 Nothing would be more natural than for the whole place to roll down into the valley。 A part of it has done so … for it is not unjust to suppose that in the process of decay the crumbled particles have sought the lower level； while the remainder still clings to its magnificent perch。
If I called Les Baux a city； just； above； it was not that I was stretching a point in favor of the small spot which to…day contains but a few dozen inhabi… tants。 The history of the plate is as extraordinary as its situation。 It was not only a city； but a state； not only a state； but an empire； and on the crest of its little mountain called itself sovereign of a territory； or at least of scattered towns and counties； with which its present aspect is grotesquely out of relation。 The lords of Les Baux； in a word； were great feudal pro… prietors； and there…was a time during which the island of Sardinia； to say nothing of places nearer home； such as Arles and Marseilles； paid them homage。 The chronicle of this old Provencal house has been written； in a style somewhat unctuous and flowery； by M。 Jules Canonge。 I purchased the little book … a modest pamphlet … at the establishment of the good sisters； just beside the church； in one of the highest parts of Les Baux。 The sisters have a school for the hardy little Baussenques； whom I heard piping their lessons； while I waited in the cold _parloir_ for one of the ladies to come and speak to me。 Nothing could have been more perfect than the manner of this excellent woman when she arrived； yet her small religious house seemed a very out…of…the…way corner of the world。 It was spotlessly neat； and the rooms looked as if they had lately been papered and painted： in this respect； at the mediaeval Pompeii； they were rather a discord。 They were； at any rate； the newest； freshest thing at Les Baux。 I remember going round to the church； after I had left the good sisters； and to a little quiet terrace； which stands in front of it； ornamented with a few small trees and bordered with a wall； breast… high； over which you look down steep hillsides； off into the air and all about the neighbouring country。 I remember saying to myself that this little terrace was one of those felicitous nooks which the tourist of taste keeps in his mind as a picture。 The church was small and brown and dark； with a certain rustic richness。 All this； however； is no general description of Les Baux。
I am unable to give any coherent account of the place； for the simple reason that it is a mere con… fusion of ruin。 It has not been preserved in lava like Pompeii； and its streets and houses； its ramparts and castle； have become fragmentary； not through the sudden destruction； but through the gradual with… drawal； of a population。 It is not an extinguished； but a deserted city； more deserted far than even Carcassonne and Aigues…Mortes； where I found so much entertainment in the grass…grown element。 It is of very small extent； and even in the days of its greatness； when its lords entitled themselves counts of Cephalonia and Neophantis； kings of Arles and Vienne； princes of Achaia； and emperors of Constan… tinople； … even at this flourishing period； when； as M。 Jules Canonge remarks； 〃they were able to depress the balance in which the fate of peoples and kings is weighed；〃 the plucky little city contained at the most no more than thirty…six hundred souls。 Yet its lords （who； however； as I have said； were able to present a long list of subject towns； most of them； though a few are renowned； unknown to fame） were seneschals and captains…general of Piedmont and Lombardy； grand admirals of the kingdom of Naples； and its ladies were sought in marriage by half the first princes in Europe。 A considerable part of the little narrative of M。 Canonge is taken up with the great alliances of the House of Baux； whose fortunes； ma… trimonial and other； he traces from the eleventh cen… tury down to the sixteenth。 The empty shells of a considerable number of old houses； many of which must have been superb； the lines of certain steep little streets； the foundations of a castle； and ever so many splendid views； are all that remains to…day of these great titles。 To such a list I may add a dozen very polite and sympathetic people； who emerged from the interstices of the desultory little town to gaze at the two foreigners who had driven over from Arles； and whose horses were being baited at the modest inn。 The resources of this establishment we did not venture otherwise to test； in spite of the seductive fact that the sign over the door was in the Provencal tongue。 This little group included the baker； a rather melancholy young man； in high boots and a cloak； with whom and his companions we had a good deal of conversation。 The Baussenques of to…day struck me as a very mild and agreeable race； with a good deal of the natural amenity which； on occasions like this one； the traveller； who is； waiting for his horses to be put in or his dinner to be prepared； observes in the charming people who lend themselves to con… versation in the hill…towns of Tuscany。 The spot where our entertainers at Les Baux congregated was naturally the most inhabited portion of the town； as I say； there were at least a dozen human figures within sight。 Presently we wandered away from them； scaled the higher places； seated ourselves among the ruins of the castle； and looked down from the cliff overhanging that portion of the road which I have mentioned as approaching Les Baux from behind。 I was unable to trace the configuration of the castle as plainly as the writers who have described it in the guide…books； and I am ashamed to say that I did not even perceive the three great figures of stone （the three Marys； as they are called； the two Marys of Scripture； with Martha）； which constitute one of the curiosities of the place； and of which M。 Jules Canonge speaks with almost hyperbolical admiration。 A brisk shower； lasting some ten minutes； led us to take refuge in a cavity； of mysterious origin； where the melancholy baker presently discovered us； having had the _bonne pensee_ of coming up for us with an umbrella which certainly belonged； in former ages； to one of the Ste… phanettes or Berangeres commemorated by M。 Canonge。 His oven； I am afraid； was cold so long as our visit lasted。 When the rain was over we wandered down to the little disencumbered space before the inn； through a small labyrinth of obliterated things。 They took the form of narrow； precipitous streets； bordered by empty houses； with gaping windows and absent doors； through which we had glimpses of sculptured chimney…pieces and fragments of stately arch and vault。 Some of the houses are still inhabited； but most of them are open to the air and weather。 Some of them have completely collapsed； others present to the street a front which enables one to judge of the physiognomy of Les Baux in the days of its importance。 This im… portance had pretty well passed away in the early part of the sixteenth century； when the place ceased to be an independent principality。 It became … by bequest of one of its lords； Bernardin des Baux； a great cap… tain of his time … part of the appanage of the kings of France； by whom it was placed under the protection of Arles； which had formerly occupied with regard to it a different position。 I know not whether the Arle… sians neglected their trust； but the extinction of the sturdy little stronghold is too complete not to have begun long ago。 Its memories are buried under its ponderous stones。 As we drove away from it in the gloaming； my friend and I agreed that the two or three hours we had spent there were among the happiest impressions of a pair of tourists very curious in the picturesque。 We almost forgot that we were bound to regret that the shortened day left us no time to drive five miles further； above a pass in the little mountains … it had beckoned to us in the morning； when we came in sight of it； almost irresistibly … to see the Ro… man arch and mausoleum of Saint Remy。 To compass this larger excursion （including the visit to Les Baux） you must start from Arles very early in the morning； but I can imagine no more delightful day。
XXXIII。
I had been twice at Avignon before； and yet I was not satisfied。 I probably am satisfied now； neverthe… less； I enjoyed my third visit。 I shall not soon forget the first； on which a particular emotion set indelible stamp。 I was travelling northward； in 1870； after four months sp
