a little tour in france-第25章
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； one of the earliest in France； originally； it would seem； … that is； in the sixth or seventh century； … a bap… tistery； but converted into a church while the Christian era was still comparatively young。 The Temple de Saint…Jean is therefore a monument even more vener… able than Notre Dame la Grande； and that numbness of age which I imputed to Notre Dame ought to reside in still larger measure in its crude and colorless little walls。 I call them crude； in spite of their having been baked through by the centuries； only because； although certain rude arches and carvings are let into them； and they are surmounted at either end with a small gable； they have （so far as I can remember） little fascination of surface。 Notre Dame is still ex… pressive； still pretends to be alive； but the Temple has delivered its message； and is completely at rest。 It retains a kind of atrium； on the level of the street； from which you descend to the original floor； now un… covered； but buried for years under a false bottom。 A semicircular apse was； apparently at the time of its conversion into a church； thrown out from the east wall。 In the middle is the cavity of the old baptismal font。 The walls and vaults are covered with traces of extremely archaic frescos； attributed； I believe； to the twelfth century。 These vague； gaunt； staring fragments of figures are； to a certain extent； a reminder of some of the early Christian churches in Rome； they even faintly recalled to me the great mosaics of Ravenna。 The Temple de Saint…Jean has neither the antiquity nor the completeness of those extraordinary monuments； nearly the most impressive in Europe； but； as one may say； it is very well for Poitiers。
Not far from it； in a lonely corner which was ani… mated for the moment by the vociferations of several old； women who were selling tapers； presumably for the occasion of a particular devotion； is the graceful romanesque church erected in the twelfth century to Saint Radegonde； … a lady who found means to be a saint even in the capacity of a Merovingian queen。 It bears a general resemblance to Notre Dame la Grande； and； as I remember it； is corrugated in some… what the same manner with porous…looking carvings； but I confess that what I chiefly recollect is the row of old women sitting in front of it； each with a tray of waxen tapers in her lap； and upbraiding me for my neglect of the opportunity to offer such a tribute to the saint。 I know not whether this privilege is oc… casional or constant； within the church there was no appearance of a festival； and I see that the name… day of Saint Radegonde occurs in August； so that the importunate old women sit there always； perhaps； and deprive of its propriety the epithet I just applied to this provincial corner。 In spite of the old women； however； I suspect that the place is lonely； and in… deed it is perhaps the old women that have made the desolation。
The lion of Poitiers； in the eyes of the natives； is doubtless the Palais de Justice； in the shadow of which the statue…guarded hotel； just mentioned； erects itself； and the gem of the court…house； which has a prosy modern front； with pillars and a high flight of steps； is the curious _salle des pas perdus_； or central hall； out of which the different tribunals open。 This is a feature of every French court…house； and seems the result of a conviction that a palace of justice … the French deal in much finer names than we … should be in some degree palatial。 The great hall at Poitiers has a long pedigree； as its walls date back to the twelfth century； and its open wooden roof； as well as the remarkable trio of chimney…pieces at the right end of the room as you enter； to the fifteenth。 The three tall fireplaces； side by side； with a delicate gallery running along the top of them； constitute the originality of this ancient chamber； and make one think of the groups that must formerly have gathered there； … of all the wet boot…soles； the trickling doublets； the stiffened fingers； the rheumatic shanks； that must have been presented to such an incomparable focus of heat。 To…day； I am afraid； these mighty hearts are forever cold； justice it probably administered with the aid of a modern _calorifere_； and the walls of the palace are perforated with regurgitating tubes。 Behind and above the gallery that surmounts the three fireplaces are high Gothic windows； the tracery of which masks； in some sort； the chimneys； and in each angle of this and of the room to the right and left of the trio of chimneys； is all open…work spiral staircase； ascending to … I forget where； perhaps to the roof of the edifice。 This whole side of the _salle_ is very lordly； and seems to express an unstinted hospitality； to extend the friendliest of all invitations； to bid the whole world come and get warm。 It was the invention of John； Duke of Berry and Count of Poitou； about 1395。 I give this information on the authority of the Guide… Joanne； from which source I gather much other curious learning； for instance； that it was in this building； when it had surely a very different front； that Charles VII。 was proclaimed king； in 1422； and that here Jeanne Darc was subjected； in 1429； to the inquisition of certain doctors and matrons。
The most charming thing at Poitiers is simply the Promenade de Blossac； … a small public garden at one end of the flat top of the hill。 It has a happy look of the last century （having been arranged at that period）； and a beautiful sweep of view over the sur… rounding country； and especially of the course of the little river Clain； which winds about a part of the base of the big mound of Poitiers。 The limit of this dear little garden is formed； on the side that turns away from the town； by the rampart erected in the fourteenth century； and by its big semicircular bastions。 This rampart； of great length； has a low parapet； you look over it at the charming little vegetable…gardens with which the base of the hill appears exclusively to be garnished。 The whole prospect is delightful； especially the details of the part just under the walls； at the end of the walk。 Here the river makes a shining twist； which a painter might have invented； and the side of the hill is terraced into several ledges； … a sort of tangle of small blooming patches and little pavillions with peaked roofs and green shutters。 It is idle to attempt to reproduce all this in words； it should be reproduced only in water…colors。 The reader； how… ever； will already have remarked that disparity in these ineffectual pages； which are pervaded by the attempt to sketch without a palette or brushes。 He will doubtless； also； be struck with the grovelling vision which； on such a spot as the ramparts of Poitiers； peoples itself with carrots and cabbages rather than with images of the Black Prince and the captive king。 I am not sure that in looking out from the Promenade de Blossac you command the old battle…field； it is enough that it was not far off； and that the great rout of Frenchmen poured into the walls of Poitiers； leav… ing on the ground a number of the fallen equal to the little army （eight thousand） of the invader。 I did think of the battle。 I wondered； rather helplessly； where it had taken place； and I came away （as the reader will see from the preceding sentence） without finding out。 This indifference； however； was a result rather of a general dread of military topography than of a want of admiration of this particular victory； which I have always supposed to be one of the most brilliant on record。 Indeed； I should be almost ashamed； and very much at a loss； to say what light it was that this glorious day seemed to me to have left forever on the horizon； and why the very name of the place had always caused my blood gently to tingle。 It is carrying the feeling of race to quite inscrutable lengths when a vague American permits himself an emotion because more than five centuries ago； on French soil； one rapacious Frenchman got the better of another。 Edward was a Frenchman as well as John； and French were the cries that urged each of the hosts to the fight。 French is the beautiful motto graven round the image of the Black Prince； as he lies forever at rest in the choir of Canterbury： _a la mort
