a little tour in france-第33章
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was in complete possession。 〃This intricate； curious； but lifeless town；〃 Murray calls it； yet to me it appeared overflowing with life。 Its streets are mere crooked； dirty lanes； bordered with perfectly insignifi… cant houses； but they were filled with the same clatter and chatter that I had found at the hotel。 The market was held partly in the little square of the hotel de ville； a structure which a flattering wood…cut in the Guide…Joanne had given me a desire to behold。 The reality was not impressive； the old color of the front having been completely restored away。 Such interest as it superficially possesses it derives from a fine mediaeval tower which rises beside it； with turrets at the angles； … always a picturesque thing。 The rest of the market was held in another _place_； still shabbier than the first； which lies beyond the canal。 The Canal du Midi flows through the town； and； spanned at this point by a small suspension…bridge； presented a cer… tain sketchability。 On the further side were the venders and chafferers； … old women under awnings and big um… brellas； rickety tables piled high with fruit； white caps and brown faces； blouses； sabots； donkeys。 Beneath this picture was another； … a long row of washerwomen； on their knees on the edge of the canal； pounding and wringing the dirty linen of Narbonne； … no great quantity； to judge by the costume of the people。 In… numerable rusty men； scattered all over the place； were buying and selling wine； straddling about in pairs； in groups； with their hands in their pockets； and packed together at the doors of the cafes。 They were mostly fat and brown and unshaven； they ground their teeth as they talked； they were very _meridionaux_。
The only two lions at Narbonne are the cathedral and the museum； the latter of which is quartered in the hotel de ville。 The cathedral； closely shut in by houses； and with the west front undergoing repairs； is singular in two respects。 It consists exclusively of a choir； which is of the end of the thirteenth century and the beginning of the next； and of great magnifi… cence。 There is absolutely nothing else。 This choir； of extraordinary elevation； forms the whole church。 I sat there a good while； there was no other visitor。 I had taken a great dislike to poor little Narbonne； which struck me as sordid and overheated； and this place seemed to extend to me； as in the Middle Ages； the privilege of sanctuary。 It is a very solemn corner。 The other peculiarity of the cathedral is that； exter… nally； it bristles with battlements； having anciently formed part of the defences of the _archeveche_； which is beside it and which connects it with the hotel de ville。 This combination of the church and the for… tress is very curious； and during the Middle Ages was not without its value。 The palace of the former arch… bishops of Narbonne （the hotel de ville of to…day forms part of it） was both an asylum and an arsenal during the hideous wars by which the Languedoc was ravaged in the thirteenth century。 The whole mass of buildings is jammed together in a manner that from certain points of view makes it far from apparent which feature is which。 The museum occupies several chambers at the top of the hotel de ville； and is not an imposing collection。 It was closed； but I induced the portress to let me in； … a silent； cadaverous person； in a black coif； like a _beguine_； who sat knitting in one of the windows while I went the rounds。 The number of Roman fragments is small； and their quality is not the finest； I must add that this impression was hastily gathered。 There is indeed a work of art in one of the rooms which creates a presumption in favor of the place； … the portrait （rather a good one） of a citizen of Narbonne； whose name I forget； who is described as having devoted all his time and his intelligence to collecting the objects by which the。 visitor is sur… rounded。 This excellent man was a connoisseur； and the visitor is doubtless often an ignoramus。
XXV。
〃Cette； with its glistening houses white； Curves with the curving beach away To where the lighthouse beacons bright； Far in the bay。〃
That stanza of Matthew Arnold's； which I hap… pened to remember； gave a certain importance to the half…hour I spent in the buffet of the station at Cette while I waited for the train to Montpellier。 I had left Narbonne in the afternoon； and by the time I reached Cette the darkness had descended。 I therefore missed the sight of the glistening houses； and had to console myself with that of the beacon in the bay； as well as with a _bouillon_ of which I partook at the buffet afore… said； for； since the morning； I had not ventured to return to the table d'hote at Narbonne。 The Hotel Nevet； at Montpellier； which I reached an hour later； has an ancient renown all over the south of France； … advertises itself； I believe； as _le plus vaste du midi_。 It seemed to me the model of a good provincial inn； a big rambling； creaking establishment； with brown； labyrinthine corridors； a queer old open…air vestibule； into which the diligence； in the _bon temps_； used to penetrate； and an hospitality more expressive than that of the new caravansaries。 It dates from the days when Montpellier was still accounted a fine winter re… sidence for people with weak lungs； and this rather melancholy tradition； together with the former celebrity of the school of medicine still existing there； but from which the glory has departed； helps to account for its combination of high antiquity and vast proportions。 The old hotels were usually more concentrated； but the school of medicine passed for one of the attrac… tions of Montpellier。 Long before Mentone was dis… covered or Colorado invented； British invalids travelled down through France in the post…chaise or the public coach to spend their winters in the wonderful place which boasted both a climate and a faculty。 The air is mild； no doubt； but there are refinements of mild… ness which were not then suspected； and which in a more analytic age have carried the annual wave far beyond Montpellier。 The place is charming； all the same； and it served the purpose of John Locke； who made a long stay there； between 1675 and 1679； and became acquainted with a noble fellow…visitor； Lord Pembroke； to whom he dedicated the famous Essay。 There are places that please； without your being able to say wherefore； and Montpellier is one of the num… ber。 It has some charming views； from the great pro… menade of the Peyrou； but its position is not strikingly fair。 Beyond this it contains a good museum and the long facades of its school； but these are its only de… finite treasures。 Its cathedral struck me as quite the weakest I had seen； and I remember no other monu… ment that made up for it。 The place has neither the gayety of a modern nor the solemnity of an ancient town； and it is agreeable as certain women are agree… able who are neither beautiful nor clever。 An Italian would remark that it is sympathetic； a German would admit that it is _gemuthlich_。 I spent two days there； mostly in the rain； and even under these circum… stances I carried away a kindly impression。 I think the Hotel Nevet had something to do with it； and the sentiment of relief with which； in a quiet； even a luxurious； room that looked out on a garden； I reflected that I had washed my hands of Narbonne。 The phyl… loxera has destroyed the vines in the country that sur… rounds Montpellier； and at that moment I was capable of rejoicing in the thought that I should not breakfast with vintners。
The gem of the place is the Musee Fabre； one of the best collections of paintings in a provincial city。 Francois Fabre； a native of Montpellier； died there in 1837； after having spent a considerable part of his life in Italy； where he had collected a good many valuable pictures and some very poor ones； the latter class including several from his own hand。 He was the hero of a remarkable episode； having succeeded no less a person than Vittorio Alfieri in the affections of no less a person than Louise de Stolberg； Countess of Albany； widow of no less a person than Charles Edward Stuart； the second pretender to the British crown。 Surely no woman ever was associated sen
