the ways of men(人们的手段)-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
original。
There is； perhaps； in all Paris no more exquisite corner than the
Garden of the Luxembourg。 At every season it is beautiful。 The winter
sunlight seems to linger on its stately Italian terraces after it has ceased to
shine elsewhere。 The first lilacs bloom here in the spring； and when
midsummer has turned all the rest of Paris into a blazing； white wilderness；
these gardens remain cool and tranquil in the heart of turbulent
〃Bohemia；〃 a bit of fragrant nature filled with the song of birds and the
voices of children。 Surely it was a gracious inspiration that selected this
shady park as the 〃Poets' Corner〃 of great； new Paris。 Henri Murger；
Leconte de Lisle； Theodore de Banville； Paul Verlaine； are here； and now
Sainte…Beuve has come back to his favorite haunt。 Like Francois Coppee
23
… Page 24…
THE WAYS OF MEN
and Victor Hugo； he loved these historic ALLEES； and knew the stone in
them as he knew the 〃Latin Quater；〃 for his life was passed between the
bookstalls of the quays and the outlying street where he lived。
As we sat resting in the shade； my companion； who had been one of
Sainte…Beuve's pupils； fell to talking of his master； his memory refreshed
by the familiar surroundings。 〃Can anything be sadder；〃 he said； 〃than
finding a face one has loved turned into stone； or names that were the
watch…words of one's youth serving as signs at street corners … la rue
Flaubert or Theodore de Banville？ How far away they make the past seem！
Poor Sainte…Beuve； that bust yonder is but a poor reward for a life of toil；
a modest tribute to his encyclopaedic brain！ His works； however； are his
best monument； he would be the last to repine or cavil。
〃The literary world of my day had two poles； between which it
vibrated。 The little house in the rue Montparnasse was one； the rock of
Guernsey the other。 We spoke with awe of ‘Father Hugo' and mentioned
‘Uncle Beuve' with tenderness。 The Goncourt brothers accepted Sainte…
Beuve's judgment on their work as the verdict of a ‘Supreme Court。' Not a
poet or author of that day but climbed with a beating heart the narrow
staircase that led to the great writer's library。 Paul Verlaine regarded as his
literary diploma a letter from this ‘Balzac de la critique。' 〃
〃At the entrance of the quaint Passage du Commerce； under the arch
that leads into the rue Saint…Andre…des…Arts； stands a hotel； where for
years Sainte…Beuve came daily to work （away from the importunate who
besieged his dwelling） in a room hired under the assumed name of
Delorme。 It was there that we sent him a basket of fruit one morning
addressed to Mr。 Delorme； NE Sainte…Beuve。 It was there that most of his
enormous labor was accomplished。
〃A curious corner of old Paris that Cour du Commerce！ Just opposite
his window was the apartment where Danton lived。 If one chose to seek
for them it would not be hard to discover on the pavement of this same
passage the marks made by a young doctor in decapitating sheep with his
newly invented machine。 The doctor's name was Guillotin。
〃The great critic loved these old quarters filled with history。 He was
fond of explaining that Montparnasse had been a hill where the students of
24
… Page 25…
THE WAYS OF MEN
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries came to amuse themselves。 In
1761 the slope was levelled and the boulevard laid out； but the name was
predestined； he would declare； for the habitation of the ‘Parnassiens。'
〃His enemies pretended that you had but to mention Michelet； Balzac；
and Victor Hugo to see Sainte…Beuve in three degrees of rage。 He had； it is
true； distinct expressions on hearing those authors discussed。 The phrase
then much used in speaking of an original personality； ‘He is like a
character out of Balzac；' always threw my master into a temper。 I cannot
remember； however； having seen him in one of those famous rages which
made Barbey d'Aurevilly say that ‘Sainte… Beuve was a clever man with
the temper of a turkey！' The former was much nearer the truth when he
called the author of LES LUNDIS a French Wordsworth； or compared him
to a lay BENEDICTIN。 He had a way of reading a newly acquired volume
as he walked through the streets that was typical of his life。 My master
was always studying and always advancing。
〃He never entirely recovered from his mortification at being hissed by
the students on the occasion of his first lecture at the College de France。
Returning home he loaded two pistols； one for the first student who should
again insult him； and the other to blow out his own brains。 It was no idle
threat。 The man Guizot had nicknamed ‘Werther' was capable of executing
his plan； for this causeless unpopularity was anguish to him。 After his
death； I found those two pistols loaded in his bedroom； but justice had
been done another way。 All opposition had vanished。 Every student in the
‘Quarter' followed the modest funeral of their Senator； who had become
the champion of literary liberty in an epoch when poetry was held in
chains。
〃The Empire which made him Senator gained； however； but an
indocile recruit。 On his one visit to Compiegne in 1863； the Emperor；
wishing to be particularly gracious； said to him； ‘I always read the
MONITEUR on Monday； when your article appears。' Unfortunately for
this compliment； it was the CONSTITUTIONNEL that had been
publishing the NOUVEAUX LUNDIS for more than four years。 In spite
of the united efforts of his friends； Sainte…Beuve could not be brought to
the point of complimenting Napoleon III。 on his LIFE OF CAESAR。
25
… Page 26…
THE WAYS OF MEN
The author of LES CONSOLATIONS remained through life the
proudest and most independent of men； a bourgeois； enemy of all tyranny；
asking protection of no one。 And what a worker！ Reading； sifting； studying；
analyzing his subject before composing one of his famous LUNDIS； a
literary portrait which he aimed at making complete and final。 One of
these articles cost him as much labor as other authors give to the
composition of a volume。
〃By way of amusement on Sunday evenings； when work was
temporarily laid aside； he loved the theatre； delighting in every kind of
play； from the broad farces of the Palais Royal to the tragedies of Racine；
and entertaining comedians in order； as he said； ‘to keep young'！ One
evening Theophile Gautier brought a pretty actress to dinner。 Sainte…Beuve；
who was past…master in the difficult art of conversation； and on whom a
fair woman acted as an inspiration； surpassed himself on this occasion；
surprising even the Goncourts with his knowledge of the Eighteenth
century and the women of that time； Mme。 de Boufflers； Mlle。 de
Lespinasse； la Marechale de Luxembourg。 The hours flew by unheeded by
all of his guests but one。 The DEBUTANTE was overheard confiding；
later in the evening； to a friend at the Gymnase； where she performed in
the last act； ‘Ouf！ I'm glad to get here。 I‘ve been dining with a stupid old
Senator。 They told me he would be amusing； but I've been bored to death。'
Which reminded me of my one visit to England； when I heard a young
nobleman declare that he had been to ‘such a dull dinner to meet a duffer
called 〃Renan！〃 '
〃Sainte…Beuve's LARMES DE RACINE was given at the Theatre
Francais during its author's last illness。 His disappointment at not seeing
the performance was so keen that M。 Thierry； then ADMINISTRATEUR
of La Comedie； took Mlle。 Favart to the rue Montparnasse； that she might
recite his verses to the dying writer。 When the actress； then in the zenith of
her fame and beauty； came to the lines…
Jean Racine； le grand poete； Le poete aimant et pieux； Apres que sa
lyre muette Se fut voilee a tous les yeux； Renoncant a la gloire humaine；
S'il sentait en son ame pleine Le flot contenu murmurer； Ne savait que
fondre en priere； Pencher l'urne dans la poussiere Aux pieds du Seigneur；
26
… Page 27…
THE WAYS OF MEN
et pleurer！
the tears of Sainte…Beuve accompanied those of Racine！〃
There were tears also in the eyes my companion turned toward me as
he concluded。 The sun had set while he had been speaking。 The marble of
the statues gleamed white against the shadows of the sombre old garden。
The guardians were closing the gates and warning the lingering visitors as
we strolled toward the entrance。 It seemed as if we had been for an hour in
the presence of the portly critic； and the circle of brilliant men and witty
women who surrounded him … Flaubert； Tourgueneff； Theophile Gautier；
Renan； George Sand … were realities at that moment； not abstractions with
great names。 It was like returning from another age； to step out again into
the glare and bustle of the Boulevard St。 Michel。
27
… Page 28…
THE WAYS OF MEN
CHAPTER 6 … Modern
Architecture
IF a foreign tourist； ignorant of his whereabouts； were to sail about
sunset up our spacious bay and view for the first time the eccentric sky…
line of lower New York； he would rub his eyes and wonder if they were
not playing him a trick； for distance and twilight lend the chaotic masses
around the Battery a certain wild grace suggestive of Titan strongholds or
prehistoric abodes of Wotan； rather than the business part of a practical
modern city。
〃But；〃 as John Drew used to say in THE MASKED BALL； 〃what
