a little tour in france-第47章
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mnibus suddenly deposits you in front of the 〃cabinet〃 of Petrarch。 After that you have only to walk along the left bank of the river。 The cabinet of Petrarch is to…day a hideous little _cafe_； bedizened； like a sign… board； with extracts from the ingenious 〃Rime。〃 The poet and his lady are； of course； the stock in trade of the little village； which has had for several generations the privilege of attracting young couples engaged in their wedding…tour； and other votaries of the tender passion。 The place has long been familiar； on festal Sundays； to the swains of Avignon and their attendant nymphs。 The little fish of the Sorgues are much esteemed； and； eaten on the spot； they constitute； for the children of the once Papal city； the classic sub… urban dinner。 Vaucluse has been turned to account； however； not only by sentiment； but by industry； the banks of the stream being disfigured by a pair of hideous mills for the manufacture of paper and of wool。 In an enterprising and economical age the water…power of the Sorgues was too obvious a motive； and I must say that； as the torrent rushed past them； the wheels of the dirty little factories appeared to turn merrily enough。 The footpath on the left bank； of which I just spoke； carries one； fortunately； quite out of sight of them； and out of sound as well； inasmuch as on the day of my visit the stream itself； which was in tremendous force； tended more and more； as one approached the fountain； to fill the valley with its own echoes。 Its color was magnificent； and the whole spectacle more like a corner of Switzerland than a nook in Provence。 The protrusions of the mountain shut it in； and you penetrate to the bottom of the re… cess which they form。 The Sorgues rushes and rushes； it is almost like Niagara after the jump of the cataract。 There are dreadful little booths beside the path； for the sale of photographs and _immortelles_； … I don't know what one is to do with the immortelles； … where you are offered a brush dipped in tar to write your name withal on the rocks。 Thousands of vulgar persons； of both sexes； and exclusively； it appeared； of the French nationality； had availed themselves of this implement； for every square inch of accessible stone was scored over with some human appellation。 It is not only we in America； therefore； who besmirch our scenery； the practice exists； in a more organized form （like every… thing else in France）； in the country of good taste。 You leave the little booths and stalls behind； but the bescribbled crag； bristling with human vanity； keeps you company even when you stand face to face with the fountain。 This happens when you find yourself at the foot of the enormous straight cliff out of which the river gushes。 It rears itself to an extraordinary height； … a huge forehead of bare stone； … looking as if it were the half of a tremendous mound； split open by volcanic action。 The little valley； seeing it there； at a bend； stops suddenly； and receives in its arms the magical spring。 I call it magical on account of the mysterious manner in which it comes into the world； with the huge shoulder of the mountain rising over it； as if to protect the secret。 From under the mountain it silently rises； without visible movement； filling a small natural basin with the stillest blue water。 The contrast between the stillness of this basin and the agitation of the water directly after it has overflowed； constitutes half the charm of Vaucluse。 The violence of the stream when once it has been set loose on the rocks is as fascinating and indescribable as that of other cataracts； and the rocks in the bed of the Sorgues have been arranged by a master…hand。 The setting of the phenomenon struck me as so simple and so fine … the vast sad cliff； covered with the after… noon light； still and solid forever； while the liquid ele… ment rages and roars at its base … that I had no diffi… culty in understanding the celebrity of Vaucluse。 I understood it； but I will not say that I understood Petrarch。 He must have been very self…supporting； and Madonna Laura must indeed have been much to him。
The aridity of the hills that shut in the valley is complete； and the whole impression is best conveyed by that very expressive French epithet _morne_。 There are the very fragmentary ruins of a castle （of one of the bishops of Cavaillon） on a high spur of the moun… tain； above the river； and there is another remnant of a feudal habitation on one of the more accessible ledges。 Having half an hour to spare before my omnibus was to leave （I must beg the reader's pardon for this atrociously false note； call the vehicle a _dili… gence_； and for some undiscoverable reason the offence is minimized）； I clambered up to this latter spot； and sat among the rocks in the company of a few stunted olives。 The Sorgues； beneath me； reaching the plain； flung itself crookedly across the meadows； like an un… rolled blue ribbon。 I tried to think of the _amant de Laure_； for literature's sake； but I had no great success； and the most I could； do was to say to myself that I must try again。 Several months have elapsed since then； and I am ashamed to confess that the trial has not yet come off。 The only very definite conviction I arrived at was that Vaucluse is indeed cockneyfied； but that I should have been a fool； all the same； not to come。
XXXVI。
I mounted into my diligence at the door of the Hotel de Petrarque et de Laure； and we made our way back to Isle…sur…Sorgues in the fading light。 This village； where at six o'clock every one appeared to have gone to bed； was fairly darkened by its high； dense plane…trees； under which the rushing river； on a level with its parapets； looked unnaturally； almost wickedly blue。 It was a glimpse which has left a picture in my mind： the little closed houses； the place empty and soundless in the autumn dusk but for the noise of waters； and in the middle； amid the blackness of the shade； the gleam of the swift； strange tide。 At the station every one was talking of the inundation being in many places an accomplished fact； and； in particular； of the condition of the Durance at some point that I have forgotten。 At Avignon； an hour later； I found the water in some of the streets。 The sky cleared in the evening； the moon lighted up the submerged suburbs； and the population again collected in the high places to enjoy the spectacle。 It exhibited a certain sameness； however； and by nine o'clock there was considerable animation in the Place Crillon； where there is nothing to be seen but the front of the theatre and of several cafes … in addition； indeed； to a statue of this celebrated brave； whose valor redeemed some of the numerous military disasters of the reign of Louis XV。 The next morning the lower quarters of the town were in a pitiful state； the situation seemed to me odious。 To express my disapproval of it； I lost no time in taking the train for Orange； which； with its other attractions； had the merit of not being seated on the Rhone。 It was my destiny to move northward； but even if I had been at liberty to follow a less un… natural course I should not then have undertaken it； inasmuch； as the railway between Avignon and Mar… seilles was credibly reported to be （in places） under water。 This was the case with almost everything but the line itself； on the way to Orange。 The day proved splendid； and its brilliancy only lighted up the desola… tion。 Farmhouses and cottages were up to their middle in the yellow liquidity； haystacks looked like dull little islands； windows and doors gaped open； without faces； and interruption and flight were represented in the scene。 It was brought home to me that the _popula… tions rurales_ have many different ways of suffering； and my heart glowed with a grateful sense of cockney… ism。 It was under the influence of this emotion that I alighted at Orange； to visit a collection of eminently civil monuments。
The collection consists of but two objects； but these objects are so fine that I will let the word pass。 One of them is a triumphal arch； supposedly of the period of Marcus Aurelius； the other is a fragment； magnifi… cent in its ruin； of a Roman theatre。 But for these fine Roman remains and for its name； Ora
