a little tour in france-第45节
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enry VII。 of Eng… land。 She was one of the signers of the League of Cambray； against the Venetian republic； and was a most politic； accomplished； and judicious princess。 She undertook to build the church of Brou as a mau… soleum； for her second husband and herself； in fulfil… ment of a vow made by Margaret of Bourbon； mother of Philibert； who died before she could redeem her pledge； and who bequeathed the duty to her son。 He died shortly afterwards； and his widow assumed the pious task。 According to Murray； she intrusted the erection of the church to 〃Maistre Loys von Berghem；〃 and the sculpture to 〃Maistre Conrad。〃 The author of a superstitious but carefully prepared little Notice； which I bought at Bourg； calls the architect and sculptor （at once） Jehan de Paris； author （sic） of the tomb of Francis II。 of Brittany； to which we gave some attention at Nantes； and which the writer of my pamphlet ascribes only subordinately to Michel Colomb。 The church； which is not of great size； is in the last and most flamboyant phase of Gothic； and in admirable preservation； the west front； before which a quaint old sun…dial is laid out on the ground； … a circle of num… bers marked in stone； like those on a clock face； let into the earth； … is covered with delicate ornament。 The great feature； however （the nave is perfectly bare and wonderfully new…looking； though the warden； a stolid yet sharp old peasant； in a blouse； who looked more as if his line were chaffering over turnips than showing off works of art； told me that it has never been touched； and that its freshness is simply the quality of the stone）； … the great feature is the ad… mirable choir； in the midst of which the three monu… ments have bloomed under the chisel； like exotic plants in a conservatory。 I saw the place to small advantage； for the stained glass of the windows； which are fine； was under repair； and much of it was masked with planks。
In the centre lies Philibert…le…Bel； a figure of white marble on a great slab of black； in his robes and his armor； with two boy…angels holding a tablet at his head； and two more at his feet。 On either side of him is another cherub： one guarding his helmet； the other his stiff gauntlets。 The attitudes of these charm… ing children； whose faces are all bent upon him in pity； have the prettiest tenderness and respect。 The table on which he lies is supported by elaborate columns； adorned with niches containing little images； and with every other imaginable elegance； and be… neath it he is represented in that other form； so com… mon in the tombs of the Renaissance； … a man naked and dying； with none of the state and splendor of the image above。 One of these figures embodies the duke the other simply the mortal； and there is something very strange and striking in the effect of the latter； seen dimly and with difficulty through the intervals of the rich supports of the upper slab。 The monu… ment of Margaret herself is on the left； all in white merble； tormented into a multitude of exquisite pat… terns； the last extravagance of a Gothic which had gone so far that nothing was left it but to return upon itself。 Unlike her husband； who has only the high roof of the church above him； she lies under a canopy supported and covered by a wilderness of embroidery； … flowers； devices； initials； arabesques； statuettes。 Watched over by cherubs； she is also in her robes and ermine； with a greyhound sleeping at her feet （her husband； at his； has a waking lion）； and the artist has not； it is to be presumed； represented her as more beautiful than she was。 She looks； indeed； like the regent of a turbulent realm。 Beneath her couch is stretched another figure； … a less brilliant Margaret； wrapped in her shroud； with her long hair over her shoulders。 Round the tomb is the battered iron railing placed there originally； with the myste… rious motto of the duchess worked into the top； … _fortune infortune fort une_。 The other two monuments are protected by barriers of the same pattern。 That of Margaret of Bourbon； Philibert's mother； stands on the right of the choir； and I suppose its greatest dis… tinction is that it should have been erected to a mother…in…law。 It is but little less florid and sump… tuous than the others； it has； however； no second re… cumbent figure。 On the other hand； the statuettes that surround the base of the tomb are of even more exquisite workmanship： they represent weeping wo… men； in long mantles and hoods； which latter hang forward over the small face of the figure； giving the artist a chance to carve the features within this hollow of drapery； … an extraordinary play of skill。 There is a high； white marble shrine of the Virgin； as extra… ordinary as all the rest （a series of compartments； re… presenting the various scenes of her life； with the Assumption in the middle）； and there is a magnifi… cent series of stalls； which are simply the intricate embroidery of the tombs translated into polished oak。 All these things are splendid； ingenious； elaborate； precious； it is goldsmith's work on a monumental scale； and the general effect is none the less beautiful and solemn because it is so rich。 But the monuments of the church of Brou are not the noblest that one may see； the great tombs of Verona are finer； and various other early Italian work。 These things are not insincere； as Ruskin would say； but they are pre… tentious； and they are not positively _naifs_。 I should mention that the walls of the choir are embroidered in places with Margaret's tantalizing device； which … partly； perhaps； because it is tantalizing … is so very decorative； as they say in London。 I know not whether she was acquainted with this epithet； but she had anticipated one of the fashions most characteristic of our age。
One asks one's self how all this decoration； this luxury of fair and chiselled marble； survived the French Revolution。 An hour of liberty in the choir of Brou would have been a carnival for the image… breakers。 The well…fed Bressois are surely a good… natured people。 I call them well…fed both on general and on particular grounds。 Their province has the most savory aroma； and I found an opportunity to test its reputation。 I walked back into the town from the church （there was really nothing to be seen by the way）； and as the hour of the midday breakfast had struck； directed my steps to the inn。 The table d'hote was going on； and a gracious； bustling； talkative landlady welcomed me。 I had an excellent repast … the best repast possible … which consisted simply of boiled eggs and bread and butter。 It was the quality of these simple ingredients that made the occasion memorable。 The eggs were so good that I am ashamed to say how many of them I consumed。 〃La plus belle fille du monde；〃 as the French proverb says； 〃ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a；〃 and it might seem that an egg which has succeeded in being fresh has done all that can reasonably be expected of it。 But there was a bloom of punctuality； so to speak； about these eggs of Bourg； as if it had been the in… tention of the very hens themselves that they should be promptly served。 〃Nous sommes en Bresse； et le beurre n'est pas mauvais；〃 the landlady said； with a sort of dry coquetry； as she placed this article before me。 It was the poetry of butter； and I ate a pound or two of it； after which I came away with a strange mixture of impressions of late Gothic sculpture and thick _tartines_。 I came away through the town； where； on a little green promenade； facing the hotel； is a bronze statue of Bichat； the physiologist； who was a Bressois。 I mention it； not on account of its merit （though； as statues go； I don't remember that it is bad）； but because I learned from it … my ignorance； doubtless； did me little honor … that Bichat had died at thirty years of age； and this revelation was almost agitating。 To have done so much in so short a life was to be truly great。 This reflection； which looks deplorably trite as I write it here； had the effect of eloquence as I uttered it； for my own benefit； on the bare little mall at Bourg。
XXXIX。
On my return to Macon I found myself fairly face to face with the fact that my little tour was near its end。 Dijon had been marked by fate as its farthest limit； and Dijon was close at hand。 After that I was to drop the tourist； and re…enter Paris as much as pos… sible like a Parisian。 Out of Paris the Parisian never loiters； and therefore it would be impossible for me to stop between Dijon and the capital。 But I might be a tourist a few hours longer by stopping somewhere between Macon and Dijon。 The question was where I should spend these hours。 Where better； I asked myself （for reasons not now entirely clear to me） than at Beaune？ On my way to this town I passed the stretch of the Cote d'Or； which； covered with a mel… low autumn haze； with the sunshine shimmering through； looked indeed like a golden slope。 One regards with a kind of awe the region in which the famous _crus_ of Burgundy （Yougeot； Chambertin； Nuits； Beaune） are； I was going to say； manufactured。 Adieu； paniers； vendanges sont faites！ The vintage was over； the shrunken russet fibres alone clung to their ugly stick。 The horizon on the left of the road had a charm； howev
