beatrix-第3部分

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！


were　placed　or　restored　in　the　reign　of　Louis　XI。　The　chimney…piece　is
enormous；　of　carved　stone；　and　within　it　are　gigantic　andirons　in
wrought…iron　of　precious　workmanship。　It　could　hold　a　cart…load　of
wood。　The　furniture　of　this　hall　is　wholly　of　oak；　each　article
bearing　upon　it　the　arms　of　the　family。　Three　English　guns　equally
suitable　for　chase　or　war；　three　sabres；　two　game…bags；　the　utensils
of　a　huntsman　and　a　fisherman　hang　from　nails　upon　the　wall。

On　one　side　is　a　dining…room；　which　connects　with　the　kitchen　by　a
door　cut　through　a　corner　tower。　This　tower　corresponds　in　the　design
of　the　facade　toward　the　court…yard　with　another　tower　at　the　opposite
corner；　in　which　is　a　spiral　staircase　leading　to　the　two　upper
stories。

The　dining…room　is　hung　with　tapestries　of　the　fourteenth　century；　the
style　and　the　orthography　of　the　inscription　on　the　banderols　beneath
each　figure　prove　their　age；　but　being；　as　they　are；　in　the　naive
language　of　the　/fabliaux/；　it　is　impossible　to　transcribe　them　here。
These　tapestries；　well　preserved　in　those　parts　where　light　has
scarcely　penetrated；　are　framed　in　bands　of　oak　now　black　as　ebony。
The　ceiling　has　projecting　rafters　enriched　with　foliage　which　is
varied　for　each　rafter；　the　space　between　them　is　filled　with　planks
painted　blue；　on　which　twine　garlands　of　golden　flowers。　Two　old
buffers　face　each　other；　on　their　shelves；　rubbed　with　Breton
persistency　by　Mariotte　the　cook；　can　be　seen；　as　in　the　days　when
kings　were　as　poor　in　1200　as　the　du　Guaisnics　are　in　1830；　four　old
goblets；　an　ancient　embossed　soup…tureen；　and　two　salt…cellars；　all　of
silver；　also　many　pewter　plates　and　many　pitchers　of　gray　and　blue
pottery；　bearing　arabesque　designs　and　the　arms　of　the　du　Guaisnics；
covered　by　hinged　pewter　lids。　The　chimney…piece　is　modernized。　Its
condition　proves　that　the　family　has　lived　in　this　room　for　the　last
century。　It　is　of　carved　stone　in　the　style　of　the　Louis　XV。　period；
and　is　ornamented　with　a　mirror；　let　in　to　the　back　with　gilt　beaded
moulding。　This　anachronism；　to　which　the　family　is　indifferent；　would
grieve　a　poet。　On　the　mantel…shelf；　covered　with　red　velvet；　is　a　tall
clock　of　tortoise…shell　inlaid　with　brass；　flanked　on　each　side　with　a
silver　candelabrum　of　singular　design。　A　large　square　table；　with
solid　legs；　fills　the　centre　of　this　room；　the　chairs　are　of　turned
wood　covered　with　tapestry。　On　a　round　table　supported　by　a　single　leg
made　in　the　shape　of　a　vine…shoot；　which　stands　before　a　window
looking　into　the　garden；　is　a　lamp　of　an　odd　kind。　This　lamp　has　a
common　glass　globe；　about　the　size　of　an　ostrich　egg；　which　is
fastened　into　a　candle…stick　by　a　glass　tube。　Through　a　hole　at　the
top　of　the　globe　issues　a　wick　which　passes　through　a　sort　of　reed　of
brass；　drawing　the　nut…oil　held　in　the　globe　through　its　own　length
coiled　like　a　tape…worm　in　a　surgeon's　phial。　The　windows　which　look
into　the　garden；　like　those　that　look　upon　the　court…yard；　are
mullioned　in　stone　with　hexagonal　leaded　panes；　and　are　draped　by
curtains；　with　heavy　valances　and　stout　cords；　of　an　ancient　stuff　of
crimson　silk　with　gold　reflections；　called　in　former　days　either
brocatelle　or　small　brocade。

On　each　of　the　two　upper　stories　of　the　house　there　are　but　two　rooms。
The　first　is　the　bedroom　of　the　head　of　the　family；　the　second　is　that
of　the　children。　Guests　were　lodged　in　chambers　beneath　the　roof。　The
servants　slept　above　the　kitchens　and　stables。　The　pointed　roof；
protected　with　lead　at　its　angles　and　edges；　has　a　noble　pointed
window　on　each　side；　one　looking　down　upon　the　court…yard；　the　other
on　the　garden。　These　windows；　rising　almost　to　the　level　of　the　roof；
have　slender；　delicate　casings；　the　carvings　of　which　have　crumbled
under　the　salty　vapors　of　the　atmosphere。　Above　the　arch　of　each
window　with　its　crossbars　of　stone；　still　grinds；　as　it　turns；　the
vane　of　a　noble。

Let　us　not　forget　a　precious　detail；　full　of　naivete；　which　will　be　of
value　in　the　eyes　of　an　archaeologist。　The　tower　in　which　the　spiral
staircase　goes　up　is　placed　at　the　corner　of　a　great　gable　wall　in
which　there　is　no　window。　The　staircase　comes　down　to　a　little　arched
door；　opening　upon　a　gravelled　yard　which　separates　the　house　from　the
stables。　This　tower　is　repeated　on　the　garden　side　by　another　of　five
sides；　ending　in　a　cupola　in　which　is　a　bell…turret；　instead　of　being
roofed；　like　the　sister…tower；　with　a　pepper…pot。　This　is　how　those
charming　architects　varied　the　symmetry　of　their　sky…lines。　These
towers　are　connected　on　the　level　of　the　first　floor　by　a　stone
gallery；　supported　by　what　we　must　call　brackets；　each　ending　in　a
grotesque　human　head。　This　gallery　has　a　balustrade　of　exquisite
workmanship。　From　the　gable　above　depends　a　stone　dais　like　those　that
crown　the　statues　of　saints　at　the　portal　of　churches。　Can　you　not　see
a　woman　walking　in　the　morning　along　this　balcony　and　gazing　over
Guerande　at　the　sunshine；　where　it　gilds　the　sands　and　shimmers　on　the
breast　of　Ocean？　Do　you　not　admire　that　gable　wall　flanked　at　its
angles　with　those　varied　towers？　The　opposite　gable　of　the　Guaisnic
mansion　adjoins　the　next　house。　The　harmony　so　carefully　sought　by　the
architects　of　those　days　is　maintained　in　the　facade　looking　on　the
court…yard　by　the　tower　which　communicates　between　the　dining…room　and
the　kitchen；　and　is　the　same　as　the　staircase　tower；　except　that　it
stops　at　the　first　upper　story　and　its　summit　is　a　small　open　dome；
beneath　which　stands　a　now　blackened　statue　of　Saint　Calyste。

The　garden　is　magnificent　for　so　old　a　place。　It　covers　half　an　acre
of　ground；　its　walls　are　all　espaliered；　and　the　space　within　is
divided　into　squares　for　vegetables；　bordered　with　cordons　of　fruit…
trees；　which　the　man…of…all…work；　named　Gasselin；　takes　care　of　in　the
intervals　of　grooming　the　horses。　At　the　farther　end　of　the　garden　is
a　grotto　with　a　seat　in　it；　in　the　middle；　a　sun…dial；　the　paths　are
gravelled。　The　facade　on　the　garden　side　has　no　towers　corresponding
to　those　on　the　court…yard；　but　a　slender　spiral　column　rises　from　the
ground　to　the　roof；　which　must　in　former　days　have　borne　the　banner　of
the　family；　for　at　its　summit　may　still　be　seen　an　iron　socket；　from
which　a　few　weak　plants　are　straggling。　This　detail；　in　harmony　with
the　vestiges　of　sculpture；　proves　to　a　practised　eye　that　the　mansion
was　built　by　a　Venetian　architect。　The　graceful　staff　is　like　a
signature　revealing　Venice；　chivalry；　and　the　exquisite　delicacy　of
the　thirteenth　century。　If　any　doubts　remained　on　this　point；　a
feature　of　the　ornamentation　would　dissipate　them。　The　trefoils　of　the
hotel　du　Guaisnic　have　four　leaves　instead　of　three。　This　difference
plainly　indicates　the　Venetian　school　depraved　by　its　commerce　with
the　East；　where　the　semi…Saracenic　architects；　careless　of　the　great
Catholic　thought；　give　four　leaves　to　clover；　while　Christian　art　is
faithful　to　the　Trinity。　In　this　respect　Venetian　art　becomes
heretical。

If　this　ancient　dwelling　attracts　your　imagination；　you　may　perhaps
ask　yourself　why　such　miracles　of　art　are　not　renewed　in　the　present
day。　Because　to…day　mansions　are　sold；　pulled　down；　and　the　ground
they　stood　on　turned　into　streets。　No　one　can　be　sure　that　the　next
generation　will　possess　the　paternal　dwelling；　homes　are　no　more　than
inns；　whereas　in　former　times　when　a　dwelling　was　built　men　worked；　or
thought　they　worked；　for　a　family　in　perpetuity。　Hence　the　grandeur　of
these　houses。　Faith　in　self；　as　well　as　faith　in　God；　did　prodigies。

As　for　the　arrangement　of　the　upper　rooms　they　may　be　imagined　after
this　description　of　the　ground…floor；　and　after　reading　an　account　of
the　manners；　customs；　and　physiognomy　of　the　family。　For　the　last
fifty　years　the　du　Guaisnics　have　received　their　friends　in　the　two
rooms　just　described；　in　which；　as　in　the　court…yard　and　the　external
accessories　of　the　building；　the　spirit；　grace；　and　candor　of　the　old
and　noble　Brittany　still　survives。　Without　the　topography　and
description　of　the　town；　and　without　this　minute　depicting　of　the
house；　the　surprising　figures　of　the　family　might　be　less　understood。
Therefore　the　frames　have　preceded　the　portraits。　Every　one　is　aware
that　things　influence　beings。　There　are　public　buildings　whose　effect
is　visible　upon　the　persons　living　in　their　neighborhood。　It　would　be
difficult　indeed　to　be　irreligious　in　the　shadow　of　a　cathedral　like
that　of　Bourges。　When　the　soul　is　everywhere　reminded　of　its　destiny
by　surrounding　images；　it　is　less　easy　to　fail　of　it。　Such　was　the
thought　of　our　immediate　grandfathers；　abandoned　by　a　generation　which
was　soon　to　have　no　signs　and　no　distinctions；　and　whose　manners　and
morals　were　to　change　every　decade。　If　you　do　not　now　expect　to　find
the　Baron　du　Guaisnic　sword　in　hand；　all　here　written　would　be
falsehood。



II

THE　BARON；　HIS　WIFE；　AND　SISTER

Early　in　the　month　of　May；　in　the　year　1836；　the　period　when　this
scene　opens；　the　family　of　Guenic　（we　follow　henceforth　the　modern
spelling）　consisted　of　Monsieur　and　Madame　du　Guenic；　Mademoiselle　du
Guenic　the　baron's　elder　sister；　and　an　only　son；　aged　twenty…one；
named；　after　an　ancient　family　usage；　Gaudebert…Calyste…Louis。　The
father's　name　was　Gaudebert…Calyste…Charles。　Only　the　last　name　was
ever　varied。　Saint　Gaudebert　and　Saint　Calyste　were　forever　bound　to
protect　the　Guenics。

The　Baron　du　Guenic　had　started　from　Guerande　the　moment　that　La
Vendee　and　Brittany　took　arms；　he　fought　through　the　war　with
Charette；　with　Cathelineau；　La　Rochejaquelein；　d'Elbee；　Bonchamps；　and
the　Prince　de　Loudon。　Before　starting　he　had；　with　a　prudence　unique
in　revolutionary　annals；　sold　his　whole　property　of　every　kind　to　his
elder　and　only　sister；　Mademoiselle　Zephirine　du　Guenic。　After　the
death　of　all　those　heroes　of　the　West；　the　baron；　preserved　by　a
miracle　from　ending　as　they　did；　refused　to　submit　to　Napoleon。　He
fought　on　till　1802；　when　being　at　last　defeated　and　almost　captured；
he　returned　to　Guerande；　and　from　Guerande　went　to　Croisic；　whence　he
crossed　to　Ireland；　faithful　to　the　ancient　Breton　hatred　for　England。

The　people　of　Guerand