a little tour in france-第37部分

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　With　their　thirty…seven　towers　and　seven　gates　they　lose　themselves　too　much　to　make　a　picture　that　will　compare　with　the　ad…　mirable　little　vignette　of　Carcassonne。　　I　may　mention；　now　that　I　am　speaking　of　the　general　mass　of　Avignon；　that　nothing　is　more　curious　than　the　way　in　which；　viewed　from　a　distance；　it　is　all　reduced　to　nought　by　the　vast　bulk　of　the　palace　of　the　Popes。　　From　across　the　Rhone；　or　from　the　train；　as　you　leave　the　place；　this　great　gray　block　is　all　Avignon；　it　seems　to　occupy　the　whole　city；　extensive；　with　its　shrunken　population；　as　the　city　is。



XXXV。

It　was　the　morning　after　this；　I　think　（a　certain　Saturday）；　that　when　I　came　out　of　the　Hotel　de　l'Europe；　which　lies　in　a　shallow　concavity　just　within　the　city　gate　that　opens　on　the　Rhone；　…　came　out　to　look　at　the　sky　from　the　little　_place_　before　the　inn；　and　see　how　the　weather　promised　for　the　obligatory　excursion　to　Vaucluse；　…　I　found　the　whole　town　in　a　terrible　taking。　　I　say　the　whole　town　advisedly；　for　every　inhabitant　appeared　to　have　taken　up　a　position　on　the　bank　of　the　river；　or　on　the　uppermost　parts　of　the　promenade　of　the　Doms；　where　a　view　of　its　course　was　to　be　obtained。　　It　had　risen　surprisingly　in　the　night；　and　the　good　people　of　Avignon　had　reason　to　know　what　a　rise　of　the　Rhone　might　signify。　The　town；　in　its　lower　portions；　is　quite　at　the　mercy　of　the　swollen　waters；　and　it　was　mentioned　to　me　that　in　1856　the　Hotel　de　l'Europe；　in　its　convenient　hollow；　was　flooded　up　to　within　a　few　feet　of　the　ceiling　of　the　dining…room；　where　the　long　board　which　had　served　for　so　many　a　table　d'hote　floated　dis…　reputably；　with　its　legs　in　the　air。　　On　the　present　occasion　the　mountains　of　the　Ardeche；　where　it　had　been　raining　for　a　month；　had　sent　down　torrents　which；　all　that　fine　Friday　night；　by　the　light　of　the　innocent…looking　moon；　poured　themselves　into　the　Rhone　and　its　tributary；　the　Durance。　　The　river　was　enormous；　and　continued　to　rise；　and　the　sight　was　beautiful　and　horrible。　　The　water　in　many　places　was　already　at　the　base　of　the　city　walls；　the　quay；　with　its　parapet　just　emerging；　being　already　covered。　The　country；　seen　from　the　Plateau　des　Doms；　re…　sembled　a　vast　lake；　with　protrusions　of　trees；　houses；　bridges；　gates。　　The　people　looked　at　it　in　silence；　as　I　had　seen　people　before　…　on　the　occasion　of　a　rise　of　the　Arno；　at　Pisa　…　appear　to　consider　the　prospects　of　an　inundation。　　〃Il　monte；　il　monte　toujours；〃　…　there　was　not　much　said　but　that。　　It　was　a　general　holiday；　and　there　was　an　air　of　wishing　to　profit；　for　sociability's　sake；　by　any　interruption　of　the　common…　place　（the　popular　mind　likes　〃a　change；〃　and　the　element　of　change　mitigates　the　sense　of　disaster）；　but　the　affair　was　not　otherwise　a　holiday。　　Suspense　and　anxiety　were　in　the　air；　and　it　never　is　pleasant　to　be　reminded　of　the　helplessness　of　man。　　In　the　presence　of　a　loosened　river；　with　its　ravaging；　unconquerable　volume；　this　impression　is　as　strong　as　possible；　and　as　I　looked　at　the　deluge　which　threatened　to　make　an　island　of　the　Papal　palace；　I　perceived　that　the　scourge　of　water　is　greater　than　the　scourge　of　fire。　A　blaze　may　be　quenched；　but　where　could　the　flame　be　kindled　that　would　arrest　the　quadrupled　Rhone？　For　the　population　of　Avignon　a　good　deal　was　at　stake；　and　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　confess　that　in　the　midst　of　the　public　alarm　I　considered　the　situation　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　little　projects　of　a　senti…　mental　tourist。　　Would　the　prospective　inundation　inter…　fere　with　my　visit　to　Vaucluse；　or　make　it　imprudent　to　linger　twenty…four　hours　longer　at　Avignon？　　I　must　add　that　the　tourist　was　not　perhaps；　after　all；　so　sentimental。　　I　have　spoken　of　the　pilgrimage　to　the　shrine　of　Petrarch　as　obligatory；　and　that　was；　in　fact；　the　light　in　which　it　presented　itself　to　me；　all　the　more　that　I　had　been　twice　at　Avignon　without　under…　taking　it。　　This　why　I　was　vexed　at　the　Rhone　…　if　vexed　I　was　…　for　representing　as　impracticable　an　ex…　cursion　which　I　cared　nothing　about。　　How　little　I　cared　was　manifest　from　my　inaction　on　former　oc…　casions。　　I　had　a　prejudice　against　Vancluse；　against　Petrarch；　even　against　the　incomparable　Laura。　　I　was　sure　that　the　place　was　cockneyfied　and　threadbare；　and　I　had　never　been　able　to　take　an　interest　in　the　poet　and　the　lady。　　I　was　sure　that　I　had　known　many　women　as　charming　and　as　handsome　as　she；　about　whom　much　less　noise　had　been　made；　and　I　was　convinced　that　her　singer　was　factitious　and　literary；　and　that　there　are　half　a　dozen　stanzas　in　Wordsworth　that　speak　more　to　the　soul　than　the　whole　collection　of　his　_fioriture_。　　This　was　the　crude　state　of　mind　in　which　I　determined　to　go；　at　any　risk；　to　Vaucluse。　Now　that　I　think　it　over；　I　seem　to　remember　that　I　had　hoped；　after　all；　that　the　submersion　of　the　roads　would　forbid　it。　　Since　morning　the　clouds　had　gathered　again；　and　by　noon　they　were　so　heavy　that　there　was　every　prospect　of　a　torrent。　　It　appeared　absurd　to　choose　such　a　time　as　this　to　visit　a　fountain　…　a　fountain　which；　would　be　indistinguishable　in　the　general　cataract。　　Nevertheless　I　took　a　vow　that　if　at　noon　the　rain　should　not　have　begun　to　descend　upon　Avignon　I　would　repair　to　the　head…spring　of　the　Sorgues。　　When　the　critical　moment　arrived；　the　clouds　were　hanging　over　Avignon　like　distended　water…bags；　which　only　needed　a　prick　to　empty　themselves。　　The　prick　was　not　given；　however；　all　nature　was　too　much　occupied　in　following　the　aberration　of　the　Rhone　to　think　of　playing　tricks　elsewhere。　　Accordingly；　I　started　for　the　station　in　a　spirit　which；　for　a　tourist　who　sometimes　had　prided　himself　on　his　unfailing　supply　of　sentiment；　was　shockingly　perfunctory。

〃For　tasks　in　hours　of　insight　willed　 May　be　in　hours　of　gloom　fulfilled。〃

I　remembered　these　lines　of　Matthew　Arnold　（written；　apparently；　in　an　hour　of　gloom）；　and　carried　out　the　idea；　as　I　went；　by　hoping　that　with　the　return　of　in…　sight　I　should　be　glad　to　have　seen　Vaucluse。　　Light　has　descended　upon　me　since　then；　and　I　declare　that　the　excursion　is　in　every　way　to　be　recommended。　The　place　makes　a　great　impression；　quite　apart　from　Petrarch　and　Laura。

There　was　no　rain；　there　was　only；　all　the　after…　noon；　a　mild；　moist　wind；　and　a　sky　magnificently　black；　which　made　a　_repoussoir_　for　the　paler　cliffs　of　the　fountain。　　The　road；　by　train；　crosses　a　flat；　ex…　pressionless　country；　toward　the　range　of　arid　hills　which　lie　to　the　east　of　Avignon；　and　which　spring　（says　Murray）　from　the　mass　of　the　Mont…Ventoux。　　At　Isle…sur…Sorgues；　at　the　end　of　about　an　hour；　the　fore…　ground　becomes　much　more　animated　and　the　distance　much　more　（or　perhaps　I　should　say　much　less）　actual。　I　descended　from　the　train；　and　ascended　to　the　top　of　an　omnibus　which　was　to　convey　me　into　the　re…　cesses　of　the　hills。　　It　had　not　been　among　my　pre…　visions　that　I　should　be　indebted　to　a　vehicle　of　that　kind　for　an　opportunity　to　commune　with　the　spirit　of　Petrarch；　and　I　had　to　borrow　what　consolation　I　could　from　the　fact　that　at　least　I　had　the　omnibus　to　myself。　　I　was　the　only　passenger；　every　one　else　was　at　Avignon；　watching　the　Rhone。　　I　lost　no　time　in　perceiving　that　I　could　not　have　come　to　Vaucluse　at　a　better　moment。　　The　Sorgues　was　almost　as　full　as　the　Rhone；　and　of　a　color　much　more　romantic。　　Rush…　ing　along　its　narrowed　channel　under　an　avenue　of　fine　_platanes_　（it　is　confined　between　solid　little　embank…　ments　of　stone）；　with　the　good…wives　of　the　village；　on　the　brink；　washing　their　linen　in　its　contemptuous　flood；　it　gave　promise　of　high　entertainment　further　on。

The　drive　to　Vaucluse　is　of　about　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　and　though　the　river；　as　I　say；　was　promis…　ing；　the　big　pale　hills；　as　the　road　winds　into　them；　did　not　look　as　if　their　slopes　of　stone　and　shrub　were　a　nestling…place　for　superior　scenery。　　It　is　a　part　of　the　merit　of　Vaucluse；　indeed；　that　it　is　as　much　as　possible　a　surprise。　　The　place　has　a　right　to　its　name；　for　the　valley　appears　impenetrable　until　you　get　fairly　into　it。　　One　perverse　twist　follows　another；　until　the　omnibus　suddenly　deposits　you　in　front　of　the　〃cabinet〃　of　Petrarch。　　After　that　you　have　only　to　walk　along　the　left　bank　of　the　river。　　The　cabinet　of　Petrarch　is　to…day　a　hideous　little　_cafe_；　bedizened；　like　a　sign…　board；　with　extracts　from　the　ingenious　〃Rime。〃　　The　poet　and　his　lady　are；　of　course；　the　stock　in　trade　of　the　little　village；　which　has　had　for　several　generations　the　privilege　of　attracting　young　couples　engaged　in　their　wedding…tour；　and　other　votaries　of　the　tender　passion。　　The　place　has　long　been　familiar；　on　festal　Sundays；　to　the　swains　of　Avignon　and　their　attendant　nymphs。　　The　little　fish　of　the　Sorgues　are　much　esteemed；　and；　eaten　on　the　spot；　they　constitute；　for　the　children　of　the　once　Papal　city；　the　classic　sub…　urban　dinner。　　Vaucluse　has　been　turned　to　account；　however；　not　only　by　sentiment；　but　by　industry；　the　banks　of　the　stream　being　disfigured　by　a　pair　of　hideous　mills　for　the　manufacture　of　paper　and　of　wool。　　In　an　enterprising　and　economical　age　the　water…power　of　the　Sorgues　was　too　obvious　a　motive；　and　I　must　say　that；　as　the　torrent　rushed　past　them；　the　wheels　of　the　dirty　little　factories　appeared　to　turn　merrily　enough。　　The　footpath　on　the　left　bank；　of　which　I　just　spoke；　carries　one；　fortunately；　quite　out　of　sight　of　them；　and　out　of　sound　as　well；　inasmuch　as　on　the　day　of　my　visit　the　stream　itself；　which　was　in　tremendous　force；　tended　more　and　more；　as　one　approached　the　fountain；　to　fill　the　valley　with　its　own　echoes。　　Its　color　was　magnificent；　and　the　whole　spectacle　more　like　a　corner　of　Switzerland　than　a　nook　in　Provence。　　The　protrusions　of　the　mountain　shut　it　in；　and　you　penetrate　to　the　bottom　of　the　re…　cess　which　they　form。　　The　Sorgues　rushes　and　rushes；　it　is　almost　like　Niagara　after　the　jump　of　the　cataract。　There　are　dreadful　little　booths　beside　the　path；　for　the　sale　of　photographs　and　_immortelles_；　…　I　don't　know　what　one　is　to　do　with　the　immortelles；　…　where　you　are　offered　a　brush　dipped　in　tar　to　write　your　name　withal　on　the　rocks。　　Thousands　of　vulgar　persons；　of　both　sexes；　and　exclusively；　it　appeared；　of　the　French　na