sons of the soil-第2章

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fishing…nets；　and　the　tank　where　the　fish　are　kept；not　to　speak　of

the　miller's　boy；　who　was　already　watching　me。　No　matter　where　you　are

in　the　country；　however　solitary　you　may　think　yourself；　you　are

certain　to　be　the　focus　of　the　two　eyes　of　a　country　bumpkin；　a

laborer　rests　on　his　hoe；　a　vine…dresser　straightens　his　bent　back；　a

little　goat…girl；　or　shepherdess；　or　milkmaid　climbs　a　willow　to　stare

at　you。



Presently　the　avenue　merges　into　an　alley　of　acacias；　which　leads　to

an　iron　railing　made　in　the　days　when　iron…workers　fashioned　those

slender　filagrees　which　are　not　unlike　the　copies　set　us　by　a　writing…

master。　On　either　side　of　the　railing　is　a　ha…ha；　the　edges　of　which

bristle　with　angry　spikes；regular　porcupines　in　metal。　The　railing

is　closed　at　both　ends　by　two　porter's…lodges；　like　those　of　the

palace　at　Versailles；　and　the　gateway　is　surmounted　by　colossal　vases。

The　gold　of　the　arabesques　is　ruddy；　for　rust　has　added　its　tints；　but

this　entrance；　called　〃the　gate　of　the　Avenue；〃　which　plainly　shows

the　hand　of　the　Great　Dauphin　（to　whom；　indeed；　Les　Aigues　owes　it）；

seems　to　me　none　the　less　beautiful　for　that。　At　the　end　of　each　ha…ha

the　walls　of　the　park；　built　of　rough…hewn　stone；　begin。　These　stones；

set　in　a　mortar　made　of　reddish　earth；　display　their　variegated

colors；　the　warm　yellows　of　the　silex；　the　white　of　the　lime

carbonates；　the　russet　browns　of　the　sandstone；　in　many　a　fantastic

shape。　As　you　first　enter　it；　the　park　is　gloomy；　the　walls　are　hidden

by　creeping　plants　and　by　trees　that　for　fifty　years　have　heard　no

sound　of　axe。　One　might　think　it　a　virgin　forest；　made　primeval　again

through　some　phenomenon　granted　exclusively　to　forests。　The　trunks　of

the　trees　are　swathed　with　lichen　which　hangs　from　one　to　another。

Mistletoe；　with　its　viscid　leaves；　droops　from　every　fork　of　the

branches　where　moisture　settles。　I　have　found　gigantic　ivies；　wild

arabesques　which　flourish　only　at　fifty　leagues　from　Paris；　here　where

land　does　not　cost　enough　to　make　one　sparing　of　it。　The　landscape　on

such　free　lines　covers　a　great　deal　of　ground。　Nothing　is　smoothed

off；　rakes　are　unknown；　ruts　and　ditches　are　full　of　water；　frogs　are

tranquilly　delivered　of　their　tadpoles；　the　woodland　flowers　bloom；

and　the　heather　is　as　beautiful　as　that　I　have　seen　on　your　mantle…

shelf　in　January　in　the　elegant　beau…pot　sent　by　Florine。　This　mystery

is　intoxicating；　it　inspires　vague　desires。　The　forest　odors；　beloved

of　souls　that　are　epicures　of　poesy；　who　delight　in　the　tiny　mosses；

the　noxious　fungi；　the　moist　mould；　the　willows；　the　balsams；　the　wild

thyme；　the　green　waters　of　a　pond；　the　golden　star　of　the　yellow

water…lily；the　breath　of　all　such　vigorous　propagations　came　to　my

nostrils　and　filled　me　with　a　single　thought；　was　it　their　soul？　I

seemed　to　see　a　rose…tinted　gown　floating　along　the　winding　alley。



The　path　ended　abruptly　in　another　copse；　where　birches　and　poplars

and　all　the　quivering　trees　palpitated；an　intelligent　family　with

graceful　branches　and　elegant　bearing；　the　trees　of　a　love　as　free！　It

was　from　this　point；　my　dear　fellow；　that　I　saw　a　pond　covered　with

the　white　water…lily　and　other　plants　with　broad　flat　leaves　and

narrow　slender　ones；　on　which　lay　a　boat　painted　white　and　black；　as

light　as　a　nut…shell　and　dainty　as　the　wherry　of　a　Seine　boatman。

Beyond　rose　the　chateau；　built　in　1560；　of　fine　red　brick；　with　stone

courses　and　copings；　and　window…frames　in　which　the　sashes　were　of

small　leaded　panes　（O　Versailles！）。　The　stone　is　hewn　in　diamond

points；　but　hollowed；　as　in　the　Ducal　Palace　at　Venice　on　the　facade

toward　the　Bridge　of　Sighs。　There　are　no　regular　lines　about　the

castle　except　in　the　centre　building；　from　which　projects　a　stately

portico　with　double　flights　of　curving　steps；　and　round　balusters

slender　at　their　base　and　broadening　at　the　middle。　The　main　building

is　surrounded　by　clock…towers　and　sundry　modern　turrets；　with

galleries　and　vases　more　or　less　Greek。　No　harmony　there；　my　dear

Nathan！　These　heterogeneous　erections　are　wrapped；　so　to　speak；　by

various　evergreen　trees　whose　branches　shed　their　brown　needles　upon

the　roofs；　nourishing　the　lichen　and　giving　tone　to　the　cracks　and

crevices　where　the　eye　delights　to　wander。　Here　you　see　the　Italian

pine；　the　stone　pine；　with　its　red　bark　and　its　majestic　parasol；　here

a　cedar　two　hundred　years　old；　weeping　willows；　a　Norway　spruce；　and　a

beech　which　overtops　them　all；　and　there；　in　front　of　the　main　tower；

some　very　singular　shrubs；a　yew　trimmed　in　a　way　that　recalls　some

long…decayed　garden　of　old　France；　and　magnolias　with　hortensias　at

their　feet。　In　short；　the　place　is　the　Invalides　of　the　heroes　of

horticulture；　once　the　fashion　and　now　forgotten；　like　all　other

heroes。



A　chimney；　with　curious　copings；　which　was　sending　forth　great　volumes

of　smoke；　assured　me　that　this　delightful　scene　was　not　an　opera

setting。　A　kitchen　reveals　human　beings。　Now　imagine　ME；　Blondet；　who

shiver　as　if　in　the　polar　regions　at　Saint…Cloud；　in　the　midst　of　this

glowing　Burgundian　climate。　The　sun　sends　down　its　warmest　rays；　the

king…fisher　watches　on　the　shores　of　the　pond；　the　cricket　chirps；　the

grain…pods　burst；　the　poppy　drops　its　morphia　in　glutinous　tears；　and

all　are　clearly　defined　on　the　dark…blue　ether。　Above　the　ruddy　soil

of　the　terraces　flames　that　joyous　natural　punch　which　intoxicates　the

insects　and　the　flowers　and　dazzles　our　eyes　and　browns　our　faces。　The

grape　is　beading；　its　tendrils　fall　in　a　veil　of　threads　whose

delicacy　puts　to　shame　the　lace…makers。　Beside　the　house　blue

larkspur；　nasturtium；　and　sweet…peas　are　blooming。　From　a　distance

orange…trees　and　tuberoses　scent　the　air。　After　the　poetic　exhalations

of　the　woods　（a　gradual　preparation）　came　the　delectable　pastilles　of

this　botanic　seraglio。



Standing　on　the　portico；　like　the　queen　of　flowers；　behold　a　woman

robed　in　white；　with　hair　unpowdered；　holding　a　parasol　lined　with

white　silk；　but　herself　whiter　than　the　silk；　whiter　than　the　lilies

at　her　feet；　whiter　than　the　starry　jasmine　that　climbed　the

balustrade；a　woman；　a　Frenchwoman　born　in　Russia；　who　said　as　I

approached　her；　〃I　had　almost　given　you　up。〃　She　had　seen　me　as　I　left

the　copse。　With　what　perfection　do　all　women；　even　the　most　guileless；

understand　the　arrangement　of　a　scenic　effect？　The　movements　of　the

servants；　who　were　preparing　to　serve　breakfast；　showed　me　that　the

meal　had　been　delayed　until　after　the　arrival　of　the　diligence。　She

had　not　ventured　to　come　to　meet　me。



Is　this　not　our　dream；the　dream　of　all　lovers　of　the　beautiful；

under　whatsoever　form　it　comes；　the　seraphic　beauty　that　Luini　put

into　his　Marriage　of　the　Virgin；　that　noble　fresco　at　Sarono；　the

beauty　that　Rubens　grasped　in　the　tumult　of　his　〃Battle　of　the

Thermodon〃；　the　beauty　that　five　centuries　have　elaborated　in　the

cathedrals　of　Seville　and　Milan；　the　beauty　of　the　Saracens　at

Granada；　the　beauty　of　Louis　XIV。　at　Versailles；　the　beauty　of　the

Alps；　and　that　of　this　Limagne　in　which　I　stand？



Belonging　to　the　estate；　about　which　there　is　nothing　too　princely；

nor　yet　too　financial；　where　prince　and　farmer…general　have　both　lived

（which　fact　serves　to　explain　it）；　are　four　thousand　acres　of

woodland；　a　park　of　some　nine　hundred　acres；　the　mill；　three　leased

farms；　another　immense　farm　at　Conches；　and　vineyards；the　whole

producing　a　revenue　of　about　seventy　thousand　francs　a　year。　Now　you

know　Les　Aigues；　my　dear　fellow；　where　I　have　been　expected　for　the

last　two　weeks；　and　where　I　am　at　this　moment；　in　the　chintz…lined

chamber　assigned　to　dearest　friends。



Above　the　park；　towards　Conches；　a　dozen　little　brooks；　clear；　limpid

streams　coming　from　the　Morvan；　fall　into　the　pond；　after　adorning

with　their　silvery　ribbons　the　valleys　of　the　park　and　the　magnificent

gardens　around　the　chateau。　The　name　of　the　place；　Les　Aigues；　comes

from　th