a little tour in france-第51章
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he right of the choir； and I suppose its greatest dis… tinction is that it should have been erected to a mother…in…law。 It is but little less florid and sump… tuous than the others； it has； however； no second re… cumbent figure。 On the other hand； the statuettes that surround the base of the tomb are of even more exquisite workmanship： they represent weeping wo… men； in long mantles and hoods； which latter hang forward over the small face of the figure； giving the artist a chance to carve the features within this hollow of drapery； … an extraordinary play of skill。 There is a high； white marble shrine of the Virgin； as extra… ordinary as all the rest （a series of compartments； re… presenting the various scenes of her life； with the Assumption in the middle）； and there is a magnifi… cent series of stalls； which are simply the intricate embroidery of the tombs translated into polished oak。 All these things are splendid； ingenious； elaborate； precious； it is goldsmith's work on a monumental scale； and the general effect is none the less beautiful and solemn because it is so rich。 But the monuments of the church of Brou are not the noblest that one may see； the great tombs of Verona are finer； and various other early Italian work。 These things are not insincere； as Ruskin would say； but they are pre… tentious； and they are not positively _naifs_。 I should mention that the walls of the choir are embroidered in places with Margaret's tantalizing device； which … partly； perhaps； because it is tantalizing … is so very decorative； as they say in London。 I know not whether she was acquainted with this epithet； but she had anticipated one of the fashions most characteristic of our age。
One asks one's self how all this decoration； this luxury of fair and chiselled marble； survived the French Revolution。 An hour of liberty in the choir of Brou would have been a carnival for the image… breakers。 The well…fed Bressois are surely a good… natured people。 I call them well…fed both on general and on particular grounds。 Their province has the most savory aroma； and I found an opportunity to test its reputation。 I walked back into the town from the church （there was really nothing to be seen by the way）； and as the hour of the midday breakfast had struck； directed my steps to the inn。 The table d'hote was going on； and a gracious； bustling； talkative landlady welcomed me。 I had an excellent repast … the best repast possible … which consisted simply of boiled eggs and bread and butter。 It was the quality of these simple ingredients that made the occasion memorable。 The eggs were so good that I am ashamed to say how many of them I consumed。 〃La plus belle fille du monde；〃 as the French proverb says； 〃ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a；〃 and it might seem that an egg which has succeeded in being fresh has done all that can reasonably be expected of it。 But there was a bloom of punctuality； so to speak； about these eggs of Bourg； as if it had been the in… tention of the very hens themselves that they should be promptly served。 〃Nous sommes en Bresse； et le beurre n'est pas mauvais；〃 the landlady said； with a sort of dry coquetry； as she placed this article before me。 It was the poetry of butter； and I ate a pound or two of it； after which I came away with a strange mixture of impressions of late Gothic sculpture and thick _tartines_。 I came away through the town； where； on a little green promenade； facing the hotel； is a bronze statue of Bichat； the physiologist； who was a Bressois。 I mention it； not on account of its merit （though； as statues go； I don't remember that it is bad）； but because I learned from it … my ignorance； doubtless； did me little honor … that Bichat had died at thirty years of age； and this revelation was almost agitating。 To have done so much in so short a life was to be truly great。 This reflection； which looks deplorably trite as I write it here； had the effect of eloquence as I uttered it； for my own benefit； on the bare little mall at Bourg。
XXXIX。
On my return to Macon I found myself fairly face to face with the fact that my little tour was near its end。 Dijon had been marked by fate as its farthest limit； and Dijon was close at hand。 After that I was to drop the tourist； and re…enter Paris as much as pos… sible like a Parisian。 Out of Paris the Parisian never loiters； and therefore it would be impossible for me to stop between Dijon and the capital。 But I might be a tourist a few hours longer by stopping somewhere between Macon and Dijon。 The question was where I should spend these hours。 Where better； I asked myself （for reasons not now entirely clear to me） than at Beaune？ On my way to this town I passed the stretch of the Cote d'Or； which； covered with a mel… low autumn haze； with the sunshine shimmering through； looked indeed like a golden slope。 One regards with a kind of awe the region in which the famous _crus_ of Burgundy （Yougeot； Chambertin； Nuits； Beaune） are； I was going to say； manufactured。 Adieu； paniers； vendanges sont faites！ The vintage was over； the shrunken russet fibres alone clung to their ugly stick。 The horizon on the left of the road had a charm； however； there is something picturesque in the big； comfortable shoulders of the Cote。 That delicate critic； M。 Emile Montegut； in a charming record of travel through this region； published some years ago； praises Shakspeare for having talked （in 〃Lear〃） of 〃waterish Burgundy。〃 Vinous Burgundy would surely be more to the point。 I stopped at Beaune in pursuit of the picturesque； but I might almost have seen the little I discovered without stop… ping。 It is a drowsy little Burgundian town； very old and ripe； with crooked streets； vistas always ob… lique； and steep； moss…covered roofs。 The principal lion is the Hopital…Saint…Esprit； or the Hotel…Dieu； simply； as they call it there； founded in 1443 by Nicholas Rollin； Chancellor of Burgundy。 It is ad… ministered by the sisterhood of the Holy Ghost； and is one of the most venerable and stately of hospitals。 The face it presents to the street is simple； but strik… ing； … a plain； windowless wall； surmounted by a vast slate roof； of almost mountainous steepness。 Astride this roof sits a tall； slate…covered spire； from which； as I arrived； the prettiest chimes I ever heard （worse luck to them； as I will presently explain） were ring… ing。 Over the door is a high； quaint canopy； without supports； with its vault painted blue and covered with gilded stars。 （This； and indeed the whole build… ing； have lately been restored； and its antiquity is quite of the spick…and…span order。 But it is very delightful。） The treasure of the place is a precious picture； … a Last Judgment； attributed equally to John van Eyck and Roger van der Weyden； … given to the hospital in the fifteenth century by Nicholas Rollin aforesaid。
I learned； however； to my dismay； from a sympa… thizing but inexorable concierge； that what remained to me of the time I had to spend at Beaune； between trains； … I had rashly wasted half an hour of it in breakfasting at the station； … was the one hour of the day （that of the dinner of the nuns； the picture is in their refectory） during which the treasure could not be shown。 The purpose of the musical chimes to which I had so artlessly listened was to usher in this fruitless interval。 The regulation was absolute； and my disappointment relative； as I have been happy to reflect since I 〃looked up〃 the picture。 Crowe and Cavalcaselle assign it without hesitation to Roger van der Weyden； and give a weak little drawing of it in their 〃Flemish Painters。〃 I learn from them also … what I was ignorant of … that Nicholas Ronin； Chan… cellor of Burgundy and founder of the establishment at Beaune； was the original of the worthy kneeling before the Virgin； in the magnificent John van Eyck of the Salon Carre。 All I could see was the court of the hospital and two or three rooms。 The court； with its tall roofs； its pointed gables and spires； its wooden galleries； its ancient well； with an elaborate superstruc… ture of wrought iron； is one of those places into which a sketcher ought to be let loose。 It looked Flemish or English rather than French； and a splendid tidiness per
