a little tour in france-第15章
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tury； … the most cliff…like tower I remember； whose immeasurable thick… ness I did not penetrate； or the subterranean mysteries of two other less striking but not less historic dungeons； into which a terribly imperative little cicerone intro… duced us； with the aid of downward ladders； ropes； torches； warnings； extended hands； and； many； fearful anecdotes； … all in impervious darkness。 These horrible prisons of Loches； at an incredible distance below the daylight； were a favorite resource of Louis XI。； and were for the most part； I believe； constructed by him。 One of the towers of the castle is garnished with the hooks or supports of the celebrated iron cage in which he confined the Cardinal La Balue； who survived so much longer than might have been expected this extra… ordinary mixture of seclusion and exposure。 All these things form part of the castle of Loches； whose enorm… ous _enceinte_ covers the whole of the top of the hill； and abounds in dismantled gateways； in crooked passages； in winding lanes that lead to postern doors； in long facades that look upon terraces interdicted to the visitor； who perceives with irritation that they com… mand magnificent views。 These views are the property of the sub…prefect of the department； who resides at the Chateau de Loches； and who has also the enjoy… ment of a garden … a garden compressed and curtailed； as those of old castles that perch on hill…tops are apt to be … containing a horse…chestnut tree of fabulous size； a tree of a circumference so vast and so perfect that the whole population of Loches might sit in con… centric rows beneath its boughs。 The gem of the place； however； is neither the big _marronier_； nor the collegial church； nor the mighty dungeon； nor the hideous prisons of Louis XI。； it is simply the tomb of Agnes Sorel； _la belle des belles_； so many years the mistress of Charles VII。 She was buried； in 1450； in the collegial church； whence； in the beginning of the present century； her remains； with the monument that marks them； were transferred to one of the towers of the castle。 She has always； I know not with what justice； enjoyed a fairer fame than most ladies who have occupied her position； and this fairness is expressed in the delicate statue that surmounts her tomb。 It represents her lying there in lovely demureness； her hands folded with the best modesty； a little kneeling angel at either side of her head； and her feet； hidden in the folds of her decent robe； resting upon a pair of couchant lambs； innocent reminders of her name。 Agnes； however； was not lamb…like； inasmuch as； according to popular tradition at least； she exerted herself sharply in favor of the ex… pulsion of the English from France。 It is one of the suggestions of Loches that the young Charles VII。； hard put to it as he was for a treasury and a capital； … 〃le roi de Bourges；〃 he was called at Paris； … was yet a rather privileged mortal； to stand up as he does before posterity between the noble Joan and the _gentille Agnes_； deriving； however much more honor from one of these companions than from the other。 Almost as delicate a relic of antiquity as this fascinating tomb is the exquisite oratory of Anne of Brittany； among the apartments of the castle the only chamber worthy of note。 This small room； hardly larger than a closet； and forming part of the addition made to the edifice by Charles VIII。； is embroidered over with the curious and remarkably decorative device of the ermine and festooned cord。 The objects in themselves are not especially graceful； but the constant repetition of the figure on the walls and ceiling produces an effect of richness； in spite of the modern whitewash with which； if I remember rightly； they have been endued。 The little streets of Loches wander crookedly down the hill； and are full of charming pictorial 〃bits：〃 an old town… gate； passing under a mediaeval tower； which is orna… mented by Gothic windows and the empty niches of statues； a meagre but delicate _hotel de ville_； of the Renaissance； nestling close beside it； a curious _chancel… lerie_ of the middle of the sixteenth century； with mythological figures and a Latin inscription on the front； … both of these latter buildings being rather un… expected features of the huddled and precipitous little town。 Loches has a suburb on the other side of the Indre； which we had contented ourselves with looking down at from the heights； while we wondered whether； even if it had not been getting late and our train were more accommodating； we should care to take our way across the bridge and look up that bust； in terra…cotta； of Francis I。； which is the principal ornament of the Chateau de Sansac and the faubourg of Beaulieu。 I think we decided that we should not； that we were already quite well enough acquainted with the nasal profile of that monarch。
XI。
I know not whether the exact limits of an excur… sion； as distinguished from a journey； have ever been fixed； at any rate； it seemed none of my business； at Tours； to settle the question。 Therefore； though the making of excursions had been the purpose of my stay； I thought it vain； while I started for Bourges； to determine to which category that little expedition might belong。 It was not till the third day that I re… turned to Tours； and the distance； traversed for the most part after dark； was even greater than I had sup… posed。 That； however； was partly the fault of a tire… some wait at Vierzon； where I had more than enough time to dine； very badly； at the _buffet_； and to observe the proceedings of a family who had entered my rail… way carriage at Tours and had conversed unreservedly； for my benefit； all the way from that station； … a family whom it entertained me to assign to the class of _petite noblesse de province_。 Their noble origin was confirmed by the way they all made _maigre_ in the refreshment oom （it happened to be a Friday）； as if it had been possible to do anything else。 They ate two or three omelets apiece； and ever so many little cakes； while the positive； talkative mother watched her children as the waiter handed about the roast fowl。 I was destined to share the secrets of this family to the end； for when I had taken place in the empty train that was in waiting to convey us to Bourges； the same vigilant woman pushed them all on top of me into my com… partment； though the carriages on either side con… tained no travellers at all。 It was better； I found； to have dined （even on omelets and little cakes） at the station at Vierzon than at the hotel at Bourges； which； when I reached it at nine o'clock at night； did not strike me as the prince of hotels。 The inns in the smaller provincial towns in France are all； as the term is； commercial； and the _commis…voyageur_ is in triumphant possession。 I saw a great deal of him for several weeks after this； for he was apparently the only traveller in the southern provinces； and it was my daily fate to sit opposite to him at tables d'hote and in railway trains。 He may be known by two infallible signs； … his hands are fat； and he tucks his napkin into his shirt…collar。 In spite of these idiosyncrasies； he seemed to me a reserved and inoffensive person； with singularly little of the demonstrative good…humor that he has been described as possessing。 I saw no one who re… minded me of Balzac's 〃illustre Gaudissart；〃 and in… deed； in the course of a month's journey through a large part of France； I heard so little desultory con… versation that I wondered whether a change had not come over the spirit of the people。 They seemed to me as silent as Americans when Americans have not been 〃introduced；〃 and infinitely less addicted to ex… changing remarks in railway trains and at tables d'hote the colloquial and cursory English； a fact per… haps not worth mentioning were it not at variance with that reputation which the French have long en… joyed of being a pre…eminently sociable nation。 The common report of the character of a people is； how… ever； an indefinable product； and it is； apt to strike the traveller who observes for himself as very wide of the mark。 The English； who have for ages been de… scribed （mainly by the French） as the dumb； stiff； unapproachable race； present to…day a remarkable a
