a little tour in france-第17章
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s； a kind of infinitude； about such an edifice： it soothes and purifies the spirit； it illuminates the mind。 There are two aisles； on either side； in addi… tion to the nave； … five in all； … and； as I have said； there are no transepts； an omission which lengthens the vista； so that from my place near the door the central jewelled window in the depths of the perpen… dicular choir seemed a mile or two away。 The second； or outward； of each pair of aisles is too low； and the first too high； without this inequality the nave would appear to take an even more prodigious flight。 The double aisles pass all the way round the choir； the windows of which are inordinately rich in magnificent old glass。 I have seen glass as fine in other churches； but I think I have never seen so much of it at once。
Beside the cathedral； on the north； is a curious structure of the fourteenth or fifteenth century； which looks like an enormous flying buttress； with its sup… port； sustaining the north tower。 It makes a massive arch； high in the air； and produces a romantic effect as people pass under it to the open gardens of the Archeveche； which extend to a considerable distance in the rear of the church。 The structure supporting the arch has the girth of a largeish house； and con… tains chambers with whose uses I am unacquainted； but to which the deep pulsations of the cathedral； the vibration of its mighty bells； and the roll of its organ… tones must be transmitted even through the great arm of stone。
The archiepiscopal palace； not walled in as at Tours； is visible as a stately habitation of the last century； now in course of reparation in consequence of a fire。 From this side； and from the gardens of the palace； the nave of the cathedral is visible in all its great length and height； with its extraordinary multitude of supports。 The gardens aforesaid； accessible through tall iron gates； are the promenade … the Tuileries … of the town； and； very pretty in themselves； are immensely set off by the overhanging church。 It was warm and sunny； the benches were empty； I sat there a long time； in that pleasant state of mind which visits the traveller in foreign towns； when he is not too hurried； while he wonders where he had better go next。 The straight； unbroken line of the roof of the cathedral was very noble； but I could see from this point how much finer the effect would have been if the towers； which had dropped almost out of sight； might have been carried still higher。 The archiepiscopal gardens look down at one end over a sort of esplanade or suburban avenue lying on a lower level； on which they open； and where several detachments of soldiers （Bourges is full of soldiers） had just been drawn up。 The civil population was also collecting； and I saw that something was going to happen。 I learned that a private of the Chasseurs was to be 〃broken〃 for stealing； and every one was eager to behold the cere… mony。 Sundry other detachments arrived on the ground； besides many of the military who had come as a matter of taste。 One of them described to me the process of degradation from the ranks； and I felt for a moment a hideous curiosity to see it； under the influence of which I lingered a little。 But only a little； the hateful nature of the spectacle hurried me away； at the same time that others were hurrying for… ward。 As I turned my back upon it I reflected that human beings are cruel brutes； though I could not flatter myself that the ferocity of the thing was ex… clusively French。 In another country the concourse would have been equally great； and the moral of it all seemed to be that military penalties are as terrible as military honors are gratifying。
XII。
The cathedral is not the only lion of Bourges； the house of Jacques Coeur is an object of interest scarcely less positive。 This remarkable man had a very strange history； and he too was 〃broken；〃 like the wretched soldier whom I did not stay to see。 He has been re… habilitated； however； by an age which does not fear the imputation of paradox； and a marble statue of him ornaments the street in front of his house。 To interpret him according to this image … a womanish figure in a long robe and a turban； with big bare arms and a dramatic pose … would be to think of him as a kind of truculent sultana。 He wore the dress of his period； but his spirit was very modern； he was a Van… derbilt or a Rothschild of the fifteenth century。 He supplied the ungrateful Charles VII。 with money to pay the troops who； under the heroic Maid； drove the English from French soil。 His house； which to…day is used as a Palais de Justice； appears to have been re… garded at the time it was built very much as the resi… dence of Mr。 Vanderbilt is regarded in New York to…day。 It stands on the edge of the hill on which most of the town is planted； so that； behind； it plunges down to a lower level； and； if you approach it on that side； as I did； to come round to the front of it； you have to ascend a longish flight of steps。 The back； of old； must have formed a portion of the city wall； at any rate； it offers to view two big towers； which Joanne says were formerly part of the defence of Bourges。 From the lower level of which I speak … the square in front of the post…office … the palace of Jacques Coeur looks very big and strong and feudal； from the upper street； in front of it； it looks very handsome and deli… cate。 To this street it presents two stories and a con… siderable length of facade； and it has； both within and without； a great deal of curious and beautiful detail。 Above the portal； in the stonework； are two false win… dows； in which two figures； a man and a woman； ap… parently household servants； are represented； in sculp… ture； as looking down into the street。 The effect is homely； yet grotesque； and the figures are sufficiently living to make one commiserate them for having been condemned； in so dull a town； to spend several cen… turies at the window。 They appear to be watching for the return of their master； who left his beautiful house one morning and never came back。
The history of Jacques Coeur； which has been written by M。 Pierre Clement； in a volume crowned by the French Academy； is very wonderful and in… teresting； but I have no space to go into it here。 There is no more curious example； and few more tragical； of a great fortune crumbling from one day to the other； or of the antique superstition that the gods grow jealous of human success。 Merchant； million… naire； banker； ship…owner； royal favorite； and minister of finance； explorer of the East and monopolist of the glittering trade between that quarter of the globe and his own； great capitalist who had anticipated the brilliant operations of the present time； he expiated his prosperity by poverty； imprisonment； and torture。 The obscure points in his career have been elucidated by M。 Clement； who has drawn； moreover； a very vivid picture of the corrupt and exhausted state of France during the middle of the fifteenth century。 He has shown that the spoliation of the great merchant was a deliberately calculated act； and that the king sacrificed him without scruple or shame to the avidity of a sin… gularly villanous set of courtiers。 The whole story is an extraordinary picture of high…handed rapacity； … the crudest possible assertion of the right of the stronger。 The victim was stripped of his property； but escaped with his life； made his way out of France； and； betak… ing himself to Italy； offered his services to the Pope。 It is proof of the consideration that he enjoyed in Europe； and of the variety of his accomplishments； that Calixtus III。 should have appointed him to take command of a fleet which his Holiness was fitting out against the Turks。 Jacques Coeur； however； was not destined to lead it to victory。 He died shortly after the expedition had started； in the island of Chios； in 1456。 The house of Bourges； his native place； testifies in some degree to his wealth and splendor； though it has in parts that want of space which is striking in many of the buildings of the Middle Ages。 The court； indeed； is on a large scale； ornamented with turrets and arcades； with several beautiful windows； and with sculptures inserted in the walls； re
