a little tour in france-第10章
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！
ngaged upon a tattered Tauchnitz in the little _salon de lecture_ of the hotel at Tours。 The description is not inaccurate； but it should be said that if part of the dirtiness of Amboise is the result of its having served for years as a barrack and as a prison； part of it comes from the presence of restoring stone…masons； who have woven over a considerable portion of it a mask of scaffolding。 There is a good deal of neatness as well； and the restoration of some of the parts seems finished。 This process； at Amboise； consists for the most part of simply removing the vulgar excrescences of the last two centuries。
The interior is virtually a blank； the old apart… ments having been chopped up into small modern rooms； it will have to be completely reconstructed。 A worthy woman； with a military profile and that sharp； positive manner which the goodwives who show you through the chateaux of Touraine are rather apt to have； and in whose high respectability； to say nothing of the frill of her cap and the cut of her thick brown dress； my companions and I thought we discovered the particular note； or _nuance_； of Orleanism； … a com… petent； appreciative； peremptory person； I say； … at… tended us through the particularly delightful hour we spent upon the ramparts of Amboise。 Denuded and disfeatured within； and bristling without with brick… layers' ladders； the place was yet extraordinarily im… pressive and interesting。 I should confess that we spent a great deal of time in looking at the view。 Sweet was the view； and magnificent； we preferred it so much to certain portions of the interior； and to oc… casional effusions of historical information； that the old lady with the prove sometimes lost patience with us。 We laid ourselves open to the charge of pre… ferring it even to the little chapel of Saint Hubert； which stands on the edge of the great terrace； and has； over the portal； a wonderful sculpture of the mi… raculous hunt of that holy man。 In the way of plastic art this elaborate scene is the gem of Amboise。 It seemed to us that we had never been in a place where there are so many points of vantage to look down from。 In the matter of position Amboise is certainly supreme among the old houses of the Loire； and I say this with a due recollection of the claims of Chau… mont and of Loches； … which latter； by the way （ex… cuse the afterthought）； is not on the Loire。 The plat… forms； the bastions； the terraces； the high…perched windows and balconies； the hanging gardens and dizzy crenellations； of this complicated structure； keep you in perpetual intercourse with an immense horizon。 The great feature of the…place is the obligatory round tower which occupies the northern end of it； and which has now been； completely restored。 It is of astounding size； a fortress in itself； and contains； instead of a staircase； a wonderful inclined plane； so wide and gradual that a coach and four may be driven to the top。 This colossal cylinder has to…day no visible use； but it corresponds； happily enough； with the great circle of the prospect。 The gardens of Am… boise； perched in the air； covering the irregular rem… nants of the platform on which the castle stands； and making up in picturesqueness what they lack in ex… tent； constitute of come but a scanty domain。 But bathed； as we found them； in the autumn sunshine； and doubly private from their aerial site； they offered irresistible opportunities for a stroll； interrupted； as one leaned against their low parapets； by long； con… templative pauses。 I remember； in particular； a certain terrace； planted with clipped limes； upon which we looked down from the summit of the big tower。 It seemed from that point to be absolutely necessary to one's happiness to go down and spend the rest of the morning there； it was an ideal place to walk to and fro and talk。 Our venerable conductress； to whom our relation had gradually become more filial； per… mitted us to gratify this innocent wish； … to the extent； that is； of taking a turn or two under the mossy _tilleuls。_ At the end of this terrace is the low door； in a wall； against the top of which； in 1498； Charles VIII。； ac… cording to an accepted tradition； knocked his head to such good purpose that he died。 It was within the walls of Amboise that his widow； Anne of Brittany； already in mourning for three children； two of whom we have seen commemorated in sepulchral marble at Tours； spent the first violence of that grief which was presently dispelled by a union with her husband's cousin and successor； Louis XII。 Amboise was a fre… quent resort of the French Court during the sixteenth century； it was here that the young Mary Stuart spent sundry hours of her first marriage。 The wars of re… ligion have left here the ineffaceable stain which they left wherever they passed。 An imaginative visitor at Amboise to…day may fancy that the traces of blood are mixed with the red rust on the crossed iron bars of the grim…looking balcony； to which the heads of the Huguenots executed on the discovery of the con… spiracy of La Renaudie are rumored to have been suspended。 There was room on the stout balustrade … an admirable piece of work … for a ghastly array。 The same rumor represents Catherine de' Medici and the young queen as watching from this balcony the _noyades_ of the captured Huguenots in the Loire。 The facts of history are bad enough； the fictions are； if possible； worse； but there is little doubt that the future Queen of Scots learnt the first lessons of life at a horrible school。 If in subsequent years she was a prodigy of innocence and virtue； it was not the fault of her whilom ？？？ mother…in…law； of her uncles of the house of Guise； or of the examples presented to her either at the windows of the castle of Amboise or in its more pri… vate recesses。
It was difficult to believe in these dark deeds； how… ever； as we looked through the golden morning at the placidity of the far…shining Loire。 The ultimate con… sequence of this spectacle was a desire to follow the river as far as the castle of Chaumont。 It is true that the cruelties practised of old at Amboise might have seemed less phantasmal to persons destined to suffer from a modern form of inhumanity。 The mis… tress of the little inn at the base of the castle…rock … it stands very pleasantly beside the river； and we had breakfasted there … declared to us that the Chateau de Chaumont； which is often during the autumn closed to visitors； was at that particular moment standing so wide open to receive us that it was our duty to hire one of her carriages and drive thither with speed。 This assurance was so satisfactory that we presently found ourselves seated in this wily woman's most com… modious vehicle； and rolling； neither too fast nor too slow； along the margin of the Loire。 The drive of about an hour； beneath constant clumps of chestnuts； was charming enough to have been taken for itself； and indeed； when we reached Chaumont； we saw that our reward was to be simply the usual reward of virtue； … the consciousness of having attempted the right。 The Chateau de Chaumont was inexorably closed； so we learned from a talkative lodge…keeper； who gave what grace she could to her refusal。 This good woman's dilemma was almost touching； she wished to reconcile two impossibles。 The castle was not to be visited； for the family of its master was staying there； and yet she was loath to turn away a party of which she was good enough to say that it had a _grand genre；_ for； as she also remarked； she had her living to earn。 She tried to arrange a compromise； one of the elements of which was that we should descend from our carriage and trudge up a hill which would bring us to a designated point； where； over the paling of the garden； we might obtain an oblique and surreptitious view of a small portion of the castle walls。 This suggestion led us to inquire （of each other） to what degree of baseness it is allowed to an enlightened lover of the picturesque to resort； in order to catch a glimpse of a feudal chateau。 One of our trio decided； characteristically； against any form of derogation； so she sat in the carriage and sketched some object that was public property； while her two companions； who were not so proud； trud
