La Grande BretecheWord文档下载推荐.docx

La Grande BretecheWord文档下载推荐.docx

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"

Butitistwointhemorning,andthestoryofRosinahaspreparedus,"

saidthemistressofthehouse.

Tellus,MonsieurBianchon!

wasthecryoneveryside.

Theobligingdoctorbowed,andsilencereigned.

AtaboutahundredpacesfromVendome,onthebanksoftheLoir,"

saidhe,"

standsanoldbrownhouse,crownedwithveryhighroofs,andsocompletelyisolatedthatthereisnothingnearit,notevenafetidtanneryorasqualidtavern,suchasarecommonlyseenoutsidesmalltowns.Infrontofthishouseisagardendowntotheriver,wheretheboxshrubs,formerlyclippedclosetoedgethewalks,nowstraggleattheirownwill.Afewwillows,rootedinthestream,havegrownupquicklylikeanenclosingfence,andhalfhidethehouse.Thewildplantswecallweedshaveclothedthebankwiththeirbeautifulluxuriance.Thefruit-trees,neglectedforthesetenyearspast,nolongerbearacrop,andtheirsuckershaveformedathicket.Theespaliersarelikeacopse.Thepaths,oncegraveled,areovergrownwithpurslane;

but,tobeaccuratethereisnotraceofapath.

Lookingdownfromthehilltop,towhichclingtheruinsoftheoldcastleoftheDukesofVendome,theonlyspotwhencetheeyecanseeintothisenclosure,wethinkthatatatime,difficultnowtodetermine,thisspotofearthmusthavebeenthejoyofsomecountrygentlemandevotedtorosesandtulips,inaword,tohorticulture,butaboveallaloverofchoicefruit.Anarborisvisible,orratherthewreckofanarbor,andunderitatablestillstandsnotentirelydestroyedbytime.Attheaspectofthisgardenthatisnomore,thenegativejoysofthepeacefullifeoftheprovincesmaybedivinedaswedivinethehistoryofaworthytradesmanwhenwereadtheepitaphonhistomb.Tocompletethemournfulandtenderimpressionswhichseizethesoul,ononeofthewallsthereisasundialgracedwiththishomelyChristianmotto,'

/Ultimamcogita/.'

Theroofofthishouseisdreadfullydilapidated;

theoutsideshuttersarealwaysclosed;

thebalconiesarehungwithswallows'

nests;

thedoorsareforevershut.Stragglinggrasseshaveoutlinedtheflagstonesofthestepswithgreen;

theironworkisrusty.Moonandsun,winter,summer,andsnowhaveeatenintothewood,warpedtheboards,peeledoffthepaint.Thedrearysilenceisbrokenonlybybirdsandcats,polecats,rats,andmice,freetoscamperround,andfight,andeateachother.Aninvisiblehandhaswrittenoveritall:

'

Mystery.'

If,promptedbycuriosity,yougotolookatthishousefromthestreet,youwillseealargegate,witharound-archedtop;

thechildrenhavemademanyholesinit.Ilearnedlaterthatthisdoorhadbeenblockedfortenyears.Throughtheseirregularbreachesyouwillseethatthesidetowardsthecourtyardisinperfectharmonywiththesidetowardsthegarden.Thesameruinprevails.Tuftsofweedsoutlinethepaving-stones;

thewallsarescoredbyenormouscracks,andtheblackenedcopingislacedwithathousandfestoonsofpellitory.Thestonestepsaredisjointed;

thebell-cordisrotten;

thegutter-spoutsbroken.Whatfirefromheavencouldhavefallenthere?

Bywhatdecreehassaltbeensownonthisdwelling?

HasGodbeenmockedhere?

OrwasFrancebetrayed?

Thesearethequestionsweaskourselves.Reptilescrawloverit,butgivenoreply.Thisemptyanddesertedhouseisavastenigmaofwhichtheanswerisknowntonone.

Itwasformerlyalittledomain,heldinfief,andisknownasLaGrandeBreteche.DuringmystayatVendome,whereDespleinshadleftmeinchargeofarichpatient,thesightofthisstrangedwellingbecameoneofmykeenestpleasures.Wasitnotfarbetterthanaruin?

Certainmemoriesofindisputableauthenticityattachthemselvestoaruin;

butthishouse,stillstanding,thoughbeingslowlydestroyedbyanavenginghand,containedasecret,anunrevealedthought.Attheveryleast,ittestifiedtoacaprice.MorethanonceintheeveningIboardedthehedge,runwild,whichsurroundedtheenclosure.Ibravedscratches,Igotintothisownerlessgarden,thisplotwhichwasnolongerpublicorprivate;

Ilingeredthereforhoursgazingatthedisorder.Iwouldnot,asthepriceofthestorytowhichthisstrangescenenodoubtwasdue,haveaskedasinglequestionofanygossipingnative.OnthatspotIwovedelightfulromances,andabandonedmyselftolittledebauchesofmelancholywhichenchantedme.IfIhadknownthereason--perhapsquitecommonplace--ofthisneglect,Ishouldhavelosttheunwrittenpoetrywhichintoxicatedme.Tomethisrefugerepresentedthemostvariousphasesofhumanlife,shadowedbymisfortune;

sometimesthepeaceofthegraveyardwithoutthedead,whospeakinthelanguageofepitaphs;

onedayIsawinitthehomeoflepers;

another,thehouseoftheAtridae;

but,aboveall,Ifoundthereprovinciallife,withitscontemplativeideas,itshour-glassexistence.Ioftenweptthere,Ineverlaughed.

MorethanonceIfeltinvoluntaryterrorsasIheardoverheadthedullhumofthewingsofsomehurryingwood-pigeon.Theearthisdank;

youmustbeonthewatchforlizards,vipers,andfrogs,wanderingaboutwiththewildfreedomofnature;

aboveall,youmusthavenofearofcold,forinafewmomentsyoufeelanicycloaksettleonyourshoulders,liketheCommendatore'

shandonDonGiovanni'

sneck.

OneeveningIfeltashudder;

thewindhadturnedanoldrustyweathercock,andthecreakingsoundedlikeacryfromthehouse,attheverymomentwhenIwasfinishingagloomydramatoaccountforthismonumentalembodimentofwoe.Ireturnedtomyinn,lostingloomythoughts.WhenIhadsupped,thehostesscameintomyroomwithanairofmystery,andsaid,'

Monsieur,hereisMonsieurRegnault.'

WhoisMonsieurRegnault?

What,sir,doyounotknowMonsieurRegnault?

--Well,that'

sodd,'

saidshe,leavingtheroom.

OnasuddenIsawamanappear,tall,slim,dressedinblack,hatinhand,whocameinlikearamreadytobutthisopponent,showingarecedingforehead,asmallpointedhead,andacolorlessfaceofthehueofaglassofdirtywater.Youwouldhavetakenhimforanusher.

Thestrangerworeanoldcoat,muchwornattheseams;

buthehadadiamondinhisshirtfrill,andgoldringsinhisears.

Monsieur,'

saidI,'

whomhaveIthehonorofaddressing?

--Hetookachair,placedhimselfinfrontofmyfire,puthishatonmytable,andansweredwhileherubbedhishands:

Dearme,itisverycold.--Monsieur,IamMonsieurRegnault.'

Iwasencouragingmyselfbysayingtomyself,'

/Ilbondocani!

/Seek!

Iam,'

hewenton,'

notaryatVendome.'

Iamdelightedtohearit,monsieur,'

Iexclaimed.'

ButIamnotinapositiontomakeawillforreasonsbestknowntomyself.'

Onemoment!

saidhe,holdinguphishandasthoughtogainsilence.'

Allowme,monsieur,allowme!

IaminformedthatyousometimesgotowalkinthegardenoflaGrandeBreteche.'

Yes,monsieur.'

saidhe,repeatinghisgesture.'

Thatconstitutesamisdemeanor.Monsieur,asexecutorunderthewillofthelateComtessedeMerret,Icomeinhernametobegyoutodiscontinuethepractice.

IamnotaTurk,anddonotwishtomakeacrimeofit.

Andbesides,youarefreetobeignorantofthecircumstanceswhichcompelmetoleavethefinestmansioninVendometofallintoruin.

Nevertheless,monsieur,youmustbeamanofeducation,andyoushouldknowthatthelawsforbid,underheavypenalties,anytrespassonenclosedproperty.Ahedgeisthesameasawall.But,thestateinwhichtheplaceisleftmaybeanexcuseforyourcuriosity.Formypart,Ishouldbequitecontenttomakeyoufreetocomeandgointhehouse;

butbeingboundtorespectthewillofthetestatrix,Ihavethehonor,monsieur,tobegthatyouwillgointothegardennomore.

Imyself,monsieur,sincethewillwasread,haveneversetfootinthehouse,which,asIhadthehonorofinformingyou,ispartoftheestateofthelateMadamedeMerret.WehavedonenothingtherebutverifythenumberofdoorsandwindowstoassessthetaxesIhavetopayannuallyoutofthefundsleftforthatpurposebythelateMadamedeMerret.Ah!

mydearsir,herwillmadeagreatcommotioninthetown.'

Thegoodmanpausedtoblowhisnose.Irespectedhisvolubility,perfectlyunderstandingthattheadministrationofMadamedeMerret'

sestatehadbeenthemostimportanteventofhislife,hisreputation,hisglory,hisRestoration.AsIwasforcedtobidfarewelltomybeautifulreveriesandromances,Iwastorejectlearningthetruthonofficialauthority.

woulditbeindiscreetifIweretoaskyouthereasonsforsucheccentricity?

Atthesewordsanexpression,whichrevealedallthepleasurewhichmenfeelwhoareaccustomedtorideahobby,overspreadthelawyer'

scountenance.Hepulledupthecollarofhisshirtwithanair,tookouthissnuffbox,openedit,andofferedmeapinch;

onmyrefusing,hetookalargeone.Hewashappy!

Amanwhohasnohobbydoesnotknowallthegoodtobegotoutoflife.Ahobbyisthehappymediumbetweenapassionandamonomania.AtthismomentIunderstoodthewholebearingofSterne'

scharmingpassion,andhadaperfectideaofthedelightwithwhichmyuncleToby,encouragedbyTrim,bestrodehishobby-horse.

saidMonsieurRegnault,'

Iwashead-clerkinMonsieurRoguin'

soffice,inParis.Afirst-ratehouse