La Grande BretecheWord文档下载推荐.docx
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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
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