a little tour in france-第30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！
to the period that gave them birth； … the period that has left its stamp on that pompous Peyrou which we ad… mired at Montpellier。 Here are the same terraces and steps and balustrades； and a system of water…works less impressive； perhaps； but very ingenious and charm… ing。 The whole place is a mixture of old Rome and of the French eighteenth century； for the remains of the antique baths are in a measure incorporated in the modern fountains。 In a corner of this umbrageous precinct stands a small Roman ruin； which is known as a temple of Diana； but was more apparently a _nymphaeum_； and appears to have had a graceful con… nection with the adjacent baths。 I learn from Murray that this little temple； of the period of Augustus； 〃was reduced to its present state of ruin in 1577；〃 the moment at which the townspeople； threatened with a siege by the troops of the crown； partly demolished it； lest it should serve as a cover to the enemy。 The remains are very fragmentary； but they serve to show that the place was lovely。 I spent half an hour in it on a perfect Sunday morning （it is en… closed by a high _grille_； carefully tended； and has a warden of its own）； and with the help of my imagina… tion tried to reconstruct a little the aspect of things in the Gallo…Roman days。 I do wrong； perhaps； to say that 1 _tried_； from a flight so deliberate I should have shrunk。 But there was a certain contagion of antiquity in the air； and among the ruins of baths and temples； in the very spot where the aqueduct that crosses the Gardon in the wondrous manner I had seen discharged itself； the picture of a splendid paganism seemed vaguely to glow。 Roman baths； … Roman baths； those words alone were a scene。 Every… thing was changed： I was strolling in a _jardin francais_； the bosky slope of the Mont Cavalier （a very modest mountain）； hanging over the place； is crowned with a shapeless tower； which is as likely to be of mediaeval as of antique origin； and yet； as I leaned on the parapet of one of the fountains； where a flight of curved steps （a hemicycle； as the French say） descended into a basin full of dark； cool recesses； where the slabs of the Roman foundations gleam through the clear green water； … as in this attitude I surrendered myself to contemplation and reverie； it seemed to me that I touched for a moment the ancient world。 Such mo… ments are illuminating； and the light of this one mingles； in my memory； with the dusky greenness of the Jardin de la Fontaine。
The fountain proper … the source of all these dis… tributed waters … is the prettiest thing in the world； a reduced copy of Vaucluse。 It gushes up at the foot of the Mont Cavalier； at a point where that eminence rises with a certain cliff…like effect； and； like other springs in the same circumstances； appears to issue from the rock with a sort of quivering stillness。 I trudged up the Mont Cavalier； … it is a matter of five minutes； … and having committed this cockneyism en… hanced it presently by another。 I ascended the stupid Tour Magne； the mysterious structure I mentioned a moment ago。 The only feature of this dateless tube； except the inevitable collection of photographs to which you are introduced by the door…keeper； is the view you enjoy from its summit。 This view is； of course； remarkably fine； but I am ashamed to say I have not the smallest recollection of it； for while I looked into the brilliant spaces of the air I seemed still to see only what I saw in the depths of the Roman baths； … the image； disastrously confused and vague； of a vanished world。 This world； however； has left at Nimes a far more considerable memento than a few old stones covered with water…moss。 The Roman arena is the rival of those of Verona and of Arles； at a respectful distance it emulates the Colosseum。 It is a small Colosseum； if I may be allowed the expression； and is in a much better preservation than the great circus at Rome。 This is especially true of the external walls； with their arches； pillars； cornices。 I must add that one should not speak of preservation； in regard to the arena at Nimes； without speaking also of repair。 After the great ruin ceased to be despoiled； it began to be protected； and most of its wounds have been dressed with new material。 These matters concern the archaeologist； and I felt here； as I felt afterwards at Arles； that one of the profane； in the presence of such a monument； can only admire and hold his tongue。 The great impression； on the whole； is an impression of wonder that so much should have sur… vived。 What remains at Nimes； after all dilapidation is estimated； is astounding。 I spent an hour in the Arenes on that same sweet Sunday morning； as I came back from the Roman baths； and saw that the corridors； the vaults； the staircases； the external casing； are still virtually there。 Many of these parts are wanting in the Colosseum； whose sublimity of size； however； can afford to dispense with detail。 The seats at Nimes； like those at Verona； have been largely renewed； not that this mattered much； as I lounged on the cool surface of one of them； and admired the mighty concavity of the place and the elliptical sky… line； broken by uneven blocks and forming the rim of the monstrous cup； … a cup that had been filled with horrors。 And yet I made my reflections； I said to myself that though a Roman arena is one of the most impressive of the works of man； it has a touch of that same stupidity which I ventured to discover in the Pont du Gard。 It is brutal； it is monotonous； it is not at all exquisite。 The Arenes at Nimes were ar… ranged for a bull…fight； … a form of recreation that； as I was informed； is much _dans les habitudes Nimoises_； and very common throughout Provence； where （still according to my information） it is the usual pastime of a Sunday afternoon。 At Arles and Nimes it has a characteristic setting； but in the villages the patrons of the game make a circle of carts and barrels； on which the spectators perch themselves。 I was sur… prised at the prevalence； in mild Provence； of the Iberian vice； and hardly know whether it makes the custom more respectable that at Nimes and Arles the thing is shabbily and imperfectly done。 The bulls are rarely killed； and indeed often are bulls only in the Irish sense of the term； … being domestic and motherly cows。 Such an entertainment of course does not supply to the arena that element of the exquisite which I spoke of as wanting。 The exquisite at Nimes is mainly represented by the famous Maison Carree。 The first impression you receive from this delicate little building； as you stand before it； is that you have already seen it many times。 Photographs； engravings； models； medals； have placed it definitely in your eye； so that from the sentiment with which you regard it curiosity and surprise are almost completely； and per… haps deplorably； absent。 Admiration remains； how… ever； … admiration of a familiar and even slightly patronizing kind。 The Maison Carree does not over… whelm you； you can conceive it。 It is not one of the great sensations of the antique art； but it is perfectly felicitous； and； in 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。 I
