a little tour in france-第29章
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gs； at least； which looked as if they had been transmitted from the early church； were venerable。 There was； however； a kind of wholesale sanctity about the place which overshot the mark； it pretends to be one of the holiest spots in the world。 The effect is spoiled by the way the sacristans hang about and offer to take you into it for ten sous； … I was accosted by two and escaped from another； … and by the familiar manner in which you pop in and out。 This episode rather broke the charm of Saint…Sernin； so that I took my departure and went in search of the cathedral。 It was scarcely worth find… ing； and struck me as an odd； dislocated fragment。 The front consists only of a portal； beside which a tall brick tower； of a later period； has been erected。 The nave was wrapped in dimness； with a few scattered lamps。 I could only distinguish an immense vault； like a high cavern； without aisles。 Here and there in the gloom was a kneeling figure； the whole place was mysterious and lop…sided。 The choir was curtained off； it appeared not to correspond with the nave； … that is； not to have the same axis。 The only other ec… clesiastical impression I gathered at Toulouse came to me in the church of La Daurade； of which the front； on the quay by the Garonne； was closed with scaffold… ings； so that one entered it from behind； where it is completely masked by houses； through a door which has at first no traceable connection with it。 It is a vast； high； modernised； heavily decorated church； dimly lighted at all times； I should suppose； and enriched by the shades of evening at the time I looked into it。 I perceived that it consisted mainly of a large square； beneath a dome； in the centre of which a single person … a lady … was praying with the utmost absorption。 The manner of access to the church interposed such an obstacle to the outer profanities that I had a sense of intruding； and presently withdrew； carrying with me a picture of the； vast； still interior； the gilded roof gleaming in the twilight； and the solitary worshipper。 What was she praying for； and was she not almost afraid to remain there alone？
For the rest； the picturesque at Toulouse consists principally of the walk beside the Garonne； which is spanned； to the faubourg of Saint…Cyprien； by a stout brick bridge。 This hapless suburb； the baseness of whose site is noticeable； lay for days under the water at the time of the last inundations。 The Garonne had almost mounted to the roofs of the houses； and the place continues to present a blighted； frightened look。 Two or three persons； with whom I had some conversation； spoke of that time as a memory of horror。 I have not done with my Italian comparisons； I shall never have done with them。 I am therefore free to say that in the way in which Toulouse looks out on the Garonne there was something that reminded me vaguely of the way in which Pisa looks out on the Arno。 The red…faced houses … all of brick … along the quay have a mixture of brightness and shabbiness； as well as the fashion of the open _loggia_ in the top… story。 The river； with another bridge or two； might be the Arno； and the buildings on the other side of it … a hospital； a suppressed convent … dip their feet into it with real southern cynicism。 I have spoken of the old Hotel d'Assezat as the best house at Toulouse； with the exception of the cloister of the museum； it is the only 〃bit〃 I remember。 It has fallen from the state of a noble residence of the sixteenth century to that of a warehouse and a set of offices； but a certain dignity lingers in its melancholy court； which is divided from the street by a gateway that is still imposing； and in which a clambering vine and a red Virginia… creeper were suspended to the rusty walls of brick stone。
The most interesting house at Toulouse is far from being the most striking。 At the door of No。 50 Rue des Filatiers； a featureless； solid structure； was found hanging； one autumn evening； the body of the young Marc…Antoine Calas； whose ill…inspired suicide was to be the first act of a tragedy so horrible。 The fana… ticism aroused in the townsfolk by this incident； the execution by torture of Jean Calas； accused as a Protestant of having hanged his son； who had gone over to the Church of Rome； the ruin of the family； the claustration of the daughters； the flight of the widow to Switzerland； her introduction to Voltaire； the excited zeal of that incomparable partisan； and the passionate persistence with which； from year to year； he pursued a reversal of judgment； till at last he obtained it； and devoted the tribunal of Toulouse to execration and the name of the victims to lasting wonder and pity； … these things form part of one of the most interesting and touching episodes of the social history of the eighteenth century。 The story has the fatal progression； the dark rigidity； of one of the tragic dramas of the Greeks。 Jean Calas； advanced in life； blameless； bewildered； protesting。 his innocence； had been broken on the wheel； and the sight of his decent dwelling； which brought home to me all that had been suflered there； spoiled for me； for half an hour； the impression of Toulouse。
XXII。
I spent but a few hours at Carcassonne； but those hours had a rounded felicity； and I cannot do better than transcribe from my note…book the little record made at the moment。 Vitiated as it may be by crudity and incoherency； it has at any rate the fresh… ness of a great emotion。 This is the best quality that a reader may hope to extract from a narrative in which 〃useful information〃 and technical lore even of the most general sort are completely absent。 For Carcassonne is moving； beyond a doubt； and the traveller who； in the course of a little tour in France； may have felt himself urged； in melancholy moments； to say that on the whole the disappointments are as numerous as the satisfactions； must admit that there can be nothing better than this。
The country； after you leave Toulouse； continues to be charming； the more so that it merges its flatness in the distant Cevennes on one side； and on the other； far away on your right； in the richer range of the Pyrenees。 Olives and cypresses； pergolas and vines； terraces on the roofs of houses； soft； iridescent moun… tains； a warm yellow light； … what more could the dif… ficult tourist want？ He left his luggage at the station； warily determined to look at the inn before committing himself to it。 It was so evident （even to a cursory glance） that it might easily have been much better that he simply took his way to the town； with the whole of a superb afternoon before him。 When I say the town； I mean the towns； there being two at Car… cassonne； perfectly distinct； and each with excellent claims to the title。 They have settled the matter be… tween them； however； and the elder； the shrine of pilgrimage； to which the other is but a stepping…stone； or even； as I may say； a humble door…mat； takes the name of the Cite。 You see nothing of the Cite from the station； it is masked by the agglomeration of the _ville…basse_； which is relatively （but only relatively） new。 A wonderful avenue of acacias leads to it from the station； … leads past； rather； and conducts you to a little high…backed bridge over the Aude； beyond which； detached and erect； a distinct mediaeval silhouette； the Cite presents itself。 Like a rival shop； on the in… vidious side of a street； it has 〃no connection〃 with the establishment across the way； although the two places are united （if old Carcassonne may be said to be united to anything） by a vague little rustic fau… bourg。 Perched on its solid pedestal； the perfect de… tachment of the Cite is what first strikes you。 To take leave； without delay； of the _ville…basse_； I may say that the splendid acacias I have mentioned flung a sum… merish dusk over the place； in which a few scattered remains of stout walls and big bastions looked vener… able and picturesque。 A little boulevard winds round the town； planted with trees and garnished with more benches than I ever saw provided by a soft…hearted municipality。 This precinct had a warm； lazy； dusty； southern look； as if the people sat out…of…doors a great deal； and wandered about in the stillness of summer nights
