the lily of the valley-第6章

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upon　all　youth）　the　first　employment　of　freedom；　even　though　it　be

expended　upon　nothing；　lifts　the　soul　with　irrepressible　buoyancy。

Several　reasons　combined　to　make　that　day　one　of　enchantment。　During

my　school　years　I　had　never　been　taken　to　walk　more　than　two　or　three

miles　from　a　city；　yet　there　remained　in　my　mind　among　the　earliest

recollections　of　my　childhood　that　feeling　for　the　beautiful　which　the

scenery　about　Tours　inspires。　Though　quite　untaught　as　to　the　poetry

of　such　a　landscape；　I　was；　unknown　to　myself；　critical　upon　it；　like

those　who　imagine　the　ideal　of　art　without　knowing　anything　of　its

practice。



To　reach　the　chateau　of　Frapesle；　foot…passengers；　or　those　on

horseback；　shorten　the　way　by　crossing　the　Charlemagne　moors；

uncultivated　tracts　of　land　lying　on　the　summit　of　the　plateau　which

separates　the　valley　of　the　Cher　from　that　of　the　Indre；　and　over

which　there　is　a　cross…road　leading　to　Champy。　These　moors　are　flat

and　sandy；　and　for　more　than　three　miles　are　dreary　enough　until　you

reach；　through　a　clump　of　woods；　the　road　to　Sache；　the　name　of　the

township　in　which　Frapesle　stands。　This　road；　which　joins　that　of

Chinon　beyond　Ballan；　skirts　an　undulating　plain　to　the　little　hamlet

of　Artanne。　Here　we　come　upon　a　valley；　which　begins　at　Montbazon；

ends　at　the　Loire；　and　seems　to　rise　and　fall；to　bound；　as　it　were；

beneath　the　chateaus　placed　on　its　double　hillsides；a　splendid

emerald　cup；　in　the　depths　of　which　flow　the　serpentine　lines　of　the

river　Indre。　I　gazed　at　this　scene　with　ineffable　delight；　for　which

the　gloomy　moor…land　and　the　fatigue　of　the　sandy　walk　had　prepared

me。



〃If　that　woman；　the　flower　of　her　sex；　does　indeed　inhabit　this　earth；

she　is　here；　on　this　spot。〃



Thus　musing；　I　leaned　against　a　walnut…tree；　beneath　which　I　have

rested　from　that　day　to　this　whenever　I　return　to　my　dear　valley。

Beneath　that　tree；　the　confidant　of　my　thoughts；　I　ask　myself　what

changes　there　are　in　me　since　last　I　stood　there。



My　heart　deceived　me　notshe　lived　there；　the　first　castle　that　I　saw

on　the　slope　of　a　hill　was　the　dwelling　that　held　her。　As　I　sat

beneath　my　nut…tree；　the　mid…day　sun　was　sparkling　on　the　slates　of

her　roof　and　the　panes　of　her　windows。　Her　cambric　dress　made　the

white　line　which　I　saw　among　the　vines　of　an　arbor。　She　was；　as　you

know　already　without　as　yet　knowing　anything；　the　Lily　of　this　valley；

where　she　grew　for　heaven；　filling　it　with　the　fragrance　of　her

virtues。　Love；　infinite　love；　without　other　sustenance　than　the

vision；　dimly　seen；　of　which　my　soul　was　full；　was　there；　expressed　to

me　by　that　long　ribbon　of　water　flowing　in　the　sunshine　between　the

grass…green　banks；　by　the　lines　of　the　poplars　adorning　with　their

mobile　laces　that　vale　of　love；　by　the　oak…woods　coming　down　between

the　vineyards　to　the　shore；　which　the　river　curved　and　rounded　as　it

chose；　and　by　those　dim　varying　horizons　as　they　fled　confusedly　away。



If　you　would　see　nature　beautiful　and　virgin　as　a　bride；　go　there　of　a

spring　morning。　If　you　would　still　the　bleeding　wounds　of　your　heart；

return　in　the　last　days　of　autumn。　In　the　spring；　Love　beats　his　wings

beneath　the　broad　blue　sky；　in　the　autumn；　we　think　of　those　who　are

no　more。　The　lungs　diseased　breathe　in　a　blessed　purity；　the　eyes　will

rest　on　golden　copses　which　impart　to　the　soul　their　peaceful

stillness。　At　this　moment；　when　I　stood　there　for　the　first　time；　the

mills　upon　the　brooksides　gave　a　voice　to　the　quivering　valley；　the

poplars　were　laughing　as　they　swayed；　not　a　cloud　was　in　the　sky；　the

birds　sang；　the　crickets　chirped；all　was　melody。　Do　not　ask　me　again

why　I　love　Touraine。　I　love　it；　not　as　we　love　our　cradle；　not　as　we

love　the　oasis　in　a　desert；　I　love　it　as　an　artist　loves　art；　I　love

it　less　than　I　love　you；　but　without　Touraine；　perhaps　I　might　not　now

be　living。



Without　knowing　why；　my　eyes　reverted　ever　to　that　white　spot；　to　the

woman　who　shone　in　that　garden　as　the　bell　of　a　convolvulus　shines

amid　the　underbrush；　and　wilts　if　touched。　Moved　to　the　soul；　I

descended　the　slope　and　soon　saw　a　village；　which　the　superabounding

poetry　that　filled　my　heart　made　me　fancy　without　an　equal。　Imagine

three　mills　placed　among　islands　of　graceful　outline　crowned　with

groves　of　trees　and　rising　from　a　field　of　water；for　what　other　name

can　I　give　to　that　aquatic　vegetation；　so　verdant；　so　finely　colored；

which　carpeted　the　river；　rose　above　its　surface　and　undulated　upon

it；　yielding　to　its　caprices　and　swaying　to　the　turmoil　of　the　water

when　the　mill…wheels　lashed　it。　Here　and　there　were　mounds　of　gravel；

against　which　the　wavelets　broke　in　fringes　that　shimmered　in　the

sunlight。　Amaryllis；　water…lilies；　reeds；　and　phloxes　decorated　the

banks　with　their　glorious　tapestry。　A　trembling　bridge　of　rotten

planks；　the　abutments　swathed　with　flowers；　and　the　hand…rails　green

with　perennials　and　velvet　mosses　drooping　to　the　river　but　not

falling　to　it；　mouldering　boats；　fishing…nets；　the　monotonous　sing…

song　of　a　shepherd；　ducks　paddling　among　the　islands　or　preening　on

the　〃jard；〃a　name　given　to　the　coarse　sand　which　the　Loire　brings

down；　the　millers；　with　their　caps　over　one　ear；　busily　loading　their

mules；all　these　details　made　the　scene　before　me　one　of　primitive

simplicity。　Imagine；　also；　beyond　the　bridge　two　or　three　farm…houses；

a　dove…cote；　turtle…doves；　thirty　or　more　dilapidated　cottages；

separated　by　gardens；　by　hedges　of　honeysuckle；　clematis；　and　jasmine；

a　dunghill　beside　each　door；　and　cocks　and　hens　about　the　road。　Such

is　the　village　of　Pont…de…Ruan；　a　picturesque　little　hamlet　leading　up

to　an　old　church　full　of　character；　a　church　of　the　days　of　the

Crusades；　such　a　one　as　painters　desire　for　their　pictures。　Surround

this　scene　with　ancient　walnut…trees　and　slim　young　poplars　with　their

pale…gold　leaves；　dot　graceful　buildings　here　and　there　along　the

grassy　slopes　where　sight　is　lost　beneath　the　vaporous；　warm　sky；　and

you　will　have　some　idea　of　one　of　the　points　of　view　of　this　most

lovely　region。



I　followed　the　road　to　Sache　along　the　left　bank　of　the　river；

noticing　carefully　the　details　of　the　hills　on　the　opposite　shore。　At

length　I　reached　a　park　embellished　with　centennial　trees；　which　I

knew　to　be　that　of　Frapesle。　I　arrived　just　as　the　bell　was　ringing

for　breakfast。　After　the　meal；　my　host；　who　little　suspected　that　I

had　walked　from　Tours；　carried　me　over　his　estate；　from　the　borders　of

which　I　saw　the　valley　on　all　sides　under　its　many　aspects；here

through　a　vista；　there　to　its　broad　extent；　often　my　eyes　were　drawn

to　the　horizon　along　the　golden　blade　of　the　Loire；　where　the　sails

made　fantastic　figures　among　the　currents　as　they　flew　before　the

wind。　As　we　mounted　a　crest　I　came　in　sight　of　the　chateau　d'Azay；

like　a　diamond　of　many　facets　in　a　setting　of　the　Indre；　standing　on

wooden　piles　concealed　by　flowers。　Farther　on；　in　a　hollow；　I　saw　the

romantic　masses　of　the　chateau　of　Sache；　a　sad　retreat　though　full　of

harmony；　too　sad　for　the　superficial；　but　dear　to　a　poet　with　a　soul

in　pain。　I；　too；　came　to　love　its　silence；　its　great　gnarled　trees；

and　the　nameless　mysterious　influence　of　its　solitary　valley。　But　now；

each　time　that　we　reached　an　opening　towards　the　neighboring　slope

which　gave　to　view　the　pretty　castle　I　had　first　noticed　in　the

morning；　I　stopped　to　look　at　it　with　pleasure。



〃Hey！〃　said　my　host；　reading　in　my　eyes　the　sparkling　desires　which

youth　so　ingenuously　betrays；　〃so　you　scent　from　afar　a　pretty　woman

as　a　dog　scents　game！〃



I　did　not　like　the　speech；　but　I　asked　the　name　of　the　castle　and　of

its　owner。



〃It　is　Clochegourde；〃　he　replied；　〃a　pretty　house　belonging　to　the

Comte　de　Mortsauf；　the　head　of　an　historic　family　in　Touraine；　whose

fortune　dates　from　the　days　of　Louis　XI。；　and　whose　name　tells　the

story　to　which　they　owe　their　arms　and　their　distinction。　Monsieur　de

Mo