a little tour in france-第42章
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unshine； for all southern countries look a little false under the ground glass of incipient bad weather。 This was the case on the day of my pil… grimage to Les Baux。 Nevertheless； I was as glad to keep going as I was to arrive； and as I went it seemed to me that true happiness would consist in wandering through such a land on foot； on September afternoons； when one might stretch one's self on the warm ground in some shady hollow； and listen to the hum of bees and the whistle of melancholy shepherds； for in Provence the shepherds whistle to their flocks。 I saw two or three of them； in the course of this drive to Les Baux； meandering about； looking behind； and calling upon the sheep in this way to follow； which the sheep always did； very promptly； with ovine unanimity。 Nothing is more picturesque than to see a slow shepherd threading his way down one of the winding paths on a hillside； with his flock close be… hind him； necessarily expanded； yet keeping just at his heels； bending and twisting as it goes； and looking rather like the tail of a dingy comet。
About four miles from Arles； as you drive north… ward toward the Alpilles； of which Alphonse Daudet has spoken so often； and； as he might say； so in… timately； stand on a hill that overlooks the road the very considerable ruins of the abbey of Mont… majour； one of the innumerable remnants of a feudal and ecclesiastical （as well as an architectural） past that one encounters in the South of France； remnants which； it must be confessed； tend to introduce a cer… tain confusion and satiety into the passive mind of the tourist。 Montmajour； however； is very impressive and interesting； the only trouble with it is that； unless you have stopped and retumed to Arles； you see it in memory over the head of Les Baux； which is a much more absorbing picture。 A part of the mass of buildings （the monastery） dates only from the last century； and the stiff architecture of that period does not lend itself very gracefully to desolation： it looks too much as if it had been burnt down the year before。 The monastery was demolished during the Revolution； and it injures a little the effect of the very much more ancient fragments that are connected with it。 The whole place is on a great scale； it was a rich and splendid abbey。 The church； a vast basilica of the eleventh century； and of the noblest proportions； is virtually intact； I mean as regards its essentials； for the details have completely vanished。 The huge solid shell is full of expression； it looks as if it had been hollowed out by the sincerity of early faith； and it opens into a cloister as impressive as itself。 Wherever one goes； in France； one meets； looking backward a little； the spectre of the great Revolution； and one meets it always in the shape of the destruction of something beautiful and precious。 To make us forgive it at all； how much it must also have destroyed that was more hateful than itself！ Beneath the church of Montmajour is a most extra… ordinary crypt； almost as big as the edifice above it； and making a complete subterranean temple； sur… rounded with a circular gallery； or deambulatory； which expands it intervals into five square chapels。 There are other things； of which I have but a con… fused memory： a great fortified keep； a queer little primitive chapel； hollowed out of the rock； beneath these later structures； and recommended to the visitor's attention as the confessional of Saint Tro… phimus； who shares with so many worthies the glory of being the first apostle of the Gauls。 Then there is a strange； small church； of the dimmest antiquity； standing at a distance from the other buildings。 I remember that after we had let ourselves down a good many steepish places to visit crypts and con… fessionals； we walked across a field to this archaic cruciform edifice； and went thence to a point further down the road； where our carriage was awaiting us。 The chapel of the Holy Cross； as it is called； is classed among the historic monuments of France； and I read in a queer； rambling； ill…written book which I picked up at Avignon； and in which the author； M。 Louis de Lainbel； has buried a great deal of curious information on the subject of Provence； under a style inspiring little confidence； that the 〃delicieuse chapelle de Sainte…Croix〃 is a 〃veritable bijou artistique。〃 He speaks of 〃a piece of lace in stone；〃 which runs from one end of the building to the other； but of which I am obliged to confess that I have no recollection。 I retain； however； a suf… ficiently clear impression of the little superannuated temple； with its four apses and its perceptible odor of antiquity； … the odor of the eleventh century。
The ruins of Les Baux remain quite indistinguish… able； even when you are directly beneath them； at the foot of the charming little Alpilles； which mass themselves with a kind of delicate ruggedness。 Rock and ruin have been so welded together by the con… fusions of time； that as you approach it from behind … that is； from the direction of Arles … the place presents simply a general air of cragginess。 Nothing can be prettier than the crags of Provence； they are beautifully modelled； as painters say； and they have a delightful silvery color。 The road winds round the foot of the hills on the top of which Lea Baux is planted； and passes into another valley； from which the approach to the town is many degrees less pre… cipitous； and may be comfortably made in a carriage。 Of course the deeply inquiring traveller will alight as promptly as possible； for the pleasure of climbing into this queerest of cities on foot is not the least part of the entertainment of going there。 Then you appreciate its extraordinary position； its picturesque… ness； its steepness； its desolation and decay。 It hangs … that is； what remains of it … to the slanting summit of the mountain。 Nothing would be more natural than for the whole place to roll down into the valley。 A part of it has done so … for it is not unjust to suppose that in the process of decay the crumbled particles have sought the lower level； while the remainder still clings to its magnificent perch。
If I called Les Baux a city； just； above； it was not that I was stretching a point in favor of the small spot which to…day contains but a few dozen inhabi… tants。 The history of the plate is as extraordinary as its situation。 It was not only a city； but a state； not only a state； but an empire； and on the crest of its little mountain called itself sovereign of a territory； or at least of scattered towns and counties； with which its present aspect is grotesquely out of relation。 The lords of Les Baux； in a word； were great feudal pro… prietors； and there…was a time during which the island of Sardinia； to say nothing of places nearer home； such as Arles and Marseilles； paid them homage。 The chronicle of this old Provencal house has been written； in a style somewhat unctuous and flowery； by M。 Jules Canonge。 I purchased the little book … a modest pamphlet … at the establishment of the good sisters； just beside the church； in one of the highest parts of Les Baux。 The sisters have a school for the hardy little Baussenques； whom I heard piping their lessons； while I waited in the cold _parloir_ for one of the ladies to come and speak to me。 Nothing could have been more perfect than the manner of this excellent woman when she arrived； yet her small religious house seemed a very out…of…the…way corner of the world。 It was spotlessly neat； and the rooms looked as if they had lately been papered and painted： in this respect； at the mediaeval Pompeii； they were rather a discord。 They were； at any rate； the newest； freshest thing at Les Baux。 I remember going round to the church； after I had left the good sisters； and to a little quiet terrace； which stands in front of it； ornamented with a few small trees and bordered with a wall； breast… high； over which you look down steep hillsides； off into the air and all about the neighbouring country。 I remember saying to myself that this little terrace was one of those felicitous nooks which the tourist of taste keeps in his mind as a picture。 The church was small and brown and dark； with a certain rustic richness。 All this； however； is no
