the ways of men-第37章
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There seems a certain poetical justice in the fact that Alexandre Dumas FILS and Victorien Sardou； the two giants of modern drama； should have divided between them the inheritance of Louis XIV。； its greatest patron。 One of the gates is closed and moss…grown。 Its owner lies in Pere…la…Chaise。 At the other I ring； and am soon walking up the famous avenue bordered by colossal sphinxes presented to Sardou by the late Khedive。 The big stone brutes； connected in one's mind with heat and sandy wastes； look oddly out of place here in this green wilderness … a bite； as it were； out of the forest which； under different names； lies like a mantle over the country…side。
Five minutes later I am being shown through a suite of antique salons； in the last of which sits the great playwright。 How striking the likeness is to Voltaire； … the same delicate face； lit by a half cordial； half mocking smile； the same fragile body and indomitable spirit。 The illusion is enhanced by our surroundings； for the mellow splendor of the room where we stand might have served as a background for the Sage of Ferney。
Wherever one looks； works of eighteenth…century art meet the eye。 The walls are hung with Gobelin tapestries that fairly take one's breath away； so exquisite is their design and their preservation。 They represent a marble colonnade； each column of which is wreathed with flowers and connected to its neighbor with garlands。
Between them are bits of delicate landscape； with here and there a group of figures dancing or picnicking in the shadow of tall trees or under fantastical porticos。 The furniture of the room is no less marvellous than its hangings。 One turns from a harpsichord of vernis…martin to the clock； a relic from Louis XIV。's bedroom in Versailles； on to the bric…a…brac of old Saxe or Sevres in admiring wonder。 My host drifts into his showman manner； irresistibly comic in this writer。
The pleasures of the collector are apparently divided into three phases； without counting the rapture of the hunt。 First； the delight a true amateur takes in living among rare and beautiful things。 Second； the satisfaction of showing one's treasures to less fortunate mortals； and last； but perhaps keenest of all； the pride which comes from the fact that one has been clever enough to acquire objects which other people want； at prices below their market value。 Sardou evidently enjoys these three sensations vividly。 That he lives with and loves his possessions is evident； and the smile with which he calls your attention to one piece after another； and mentions what they cost him； attests that the two other joys are not unknown to him。 He is old enough to remember the golden age when really good things were to be picked up for modest sums； before every parvenu considered it necessary to turn his house into a museum； and factories existed for the production of 〃antiques〃 to be sold to innocent amateurs。
In calling attention to a set of carved and gilded furniture； covered in Beauvais tapestry； such as sold recently in Paris at the Valencay sale … Talleyrand collection … for sixty thousand dollars； Sardou mentions with a laugh that he got his fifteen pieces for fifteen hundred dollars； the year after the war； from an old chateau back of Cannes！ One unique piece of tapestry had cost him less than one…tenth of that sum。 He discovered it in a peasant's stable under a two…foot layer of straw and earth； where it had probably been hidden a hundred years before by its owner； and then all record of it lost by his descendants。
The mention of Cannes sets Sardou off on another train of thought。 His family for three generations have lived there。 Before that they were Sardinian fishermen。 His great… grandfather； he imagines； was driven by some tempest to the shore near Cannes and settled where he found himself。 Hence the name！ For in the patois of Provencal France an inhabitant of Sardinia is still called UN SARDOU。
The sun is off the front of the house by this time； so we migrate to a shady corner of the lawn for our APERITIF； the inevitable vermouth or 〃bitters〃 which Frenchmen take at five o'clock。 Here another surprise awaits the visitor； who has not realized； perhaps； to what high ground the crawling local train has brought him。 At our feet； far below the lawn and shade trees that encircle the chateau； lies the Seine； twisting away toward Saint Germain； whose terrace and dismantled palace stand outlined against the sky。 To our right is the plain of Saint Denis； the cathedral in its midst looking like an opera…glass on a green table。 Further still to the right； as one turns the corner of the terrace； lies Paris； a white line on the horizon； broken by the mass of the Arc de Triomphe； the roof of the Opera； and the Eiffel Tower； resplendent in a fresh coat of yellow lacquer！
The ground where we stand was occupied by the feudal castle of Les Sires de Marly； although all traces of that stronghold disappeared centuries ago； the present owner of the land points out with pride that the extraordinary beauty of the trees around his house is owing to the fact that their roots reach deep down to the rich loam collected during centuries in the castle's moat。
The little chateau itself； built during the reign of Louis XIV。 for the GRAND…VENEUR of the forest of Marly； is intensely French in type； … a long； low building on a stone terrace； with no trace of ornament about its white facade or on its slanting roof。 Inside； all the rooms are 〃front；〃 communicating with each other EN SUITE； and open into a corridor running the length of the building at the back； which； in turn； opens on a stone court。 Two lateral wings at right angles to the main building form the sides of this courtyard； and contain LES COMMUNS； the kitchen； laundry； servants' rooms； and the other annexes of a large establishment。 This arrangement for a summer house is for some reason neglected by our American architects。 I can recall only one home in America built on this plan。 It is Giraud Foster's beautiful villa at Lenox。 You may visit five hundred French chateaux and not find one that differs materially from this plan。 The American idea seems on the contrary to be a square house with a room in each corner； and all the servants' quarters stowed away in a basement。 Cottage and palace go on reproducing that foolish and inconvenient arrangement indefinitely。
After an hour's chat over our drinks； during host has rippled on from one subject to another with the lightness of touch of a born talker； we get on to the subject of the grounds； and his plans for their improvement。
Good luck has placed in Sardou's hands an old map of the gardens as they existed in the time of Louis XV。； and several prints of the chateau dating from about the same epoch have found their way into his portfolios。 The grounds are； under his care； slowly resuming the appearance of former days。 Old avenues reopen； statues reappear on the disused pedestals； fountains play again； and clipped hedges once more line out
the terraced walks。
In order to explain how complete this work will be in time； Sardou hurries me off to inspect another part of his collection。 Down past the stables； in an unused corner of the grounds； long sheds have been erected； under which is stored the debris of a dozen palaces； an assortment of eighteenth… century art that could not be duplicated even in France。
One shed shelters an entire semicircle of TREILLAGE； pure Louis XV。； an exquisite example of a lost art。 Columns； domes； panels； are packed away in straw awaiting resurrection in some corner hereafter to be chosen。 A dozen seats in rose… colored marble from Fontainebleau are huddled together near by in company with a row of gigantic marble masques brought originally from Italy to decorate Fouquet's fountains at his chateau of Vaux in the short day of its glory。 Just how this latter find is to be utilized their owner has not yet decided。 The problem； however； to judge from his manner； is as important to the great playwright as the plot of his next drama。
That the blood of an antiquaria
