At the end of the valley a great monastic building appears, with the figure of the Virgin3 raised aloft on its summit. It is an unexpected thing to come upon in this solitude4; it is so immense, so aggressive looking, so modern, so like a great barrack. Its walls are of fawn-coloured plaster, its roof of rounded tiles of every gracious tint5 of brown. Its windows would appear to have been inserted as occasion required, without regard to any definite design. Some are in arched recesses6; many are no more than the simple square windows of a cottage, while a few are like the lattice of a prison cell. It has a fine bell tower, with a clock, surmounted7 by a dome8 on the crest9 of which is the figure of Our Lady of Laghet. The building stands on a projecting rock and is approached by a bridge over a puny10 torrent11.
Wedged uncomfortably in the gorge12 above the bridge is a dun hamlet that seems to be trying to efface13 itself. It is an apologetic little place, standing14 in apparent awe15 of the great monastery16 which it scarcely dares to approach. The huddled17 houses, hiding one behind the other, are like a cluster of shy children before a schoolmaster’s door.
Various bolder and immodest objects, however, have thrust themselves between the timid village and the monastery. These are certain self-confident restaurants, a stable of almost offensive size, together with many booths and stalls, all deserted19 it is true, but still very assertive20 and unseemly. In the little square before the convent door are a bazaar21 where postcards and souvenirs are sold, a café, and an old fountain in a niche22 of the wall. Looking down upon the water in the basin of stone is a graceful23 figure of the Virgin. The fountain, recently restored, is said to have been erected24 in 1706. Mr. Hare[46] gives the following translation of an inscription25 it bears:—
“Pilgrim, you find here two streams; one descends26 from heaven, the other from the top of the mountains. The first is a treasure which the Virgin distributes to the piety27 of the faithful, the second has been brought here by the people of Nice; drink of both, if you thirst for both.”
LAGHET.
No living creatures are in sight, except two children who are playing on the bridge. In answer to a question they state that the booths and other unclerical objects are for the pilgrims of whom they speak with pride. The pilgrims, it appears, do not come regularly. They do not come in ones and twos in the guise28 of weary men limping on staffs. They come on occasions and in thousands, arriving in char-à-bancs, in motors, in omnibuses, in gigs, in farm carts, on horses, on donkeys, on bicycles and on foot, a crowd of cheerful men and women dressed in their best. A photograph of one such pilgrimage day—exhibited as a postcard—shows the single highway of Laghet as packed with people as any part of the race-course at Epsom, with people too somewhat of the type that is found at such a gathering29. Incongruous as the crowd may be it is moved by a fine and estimable spirit much to be respected. People journey to Laghet from far and near to return thanks to Our Lady for preservation30 from accident, for recovery from disease, for escape from trouble; while yet a greater number come to place themselves under the protection of the revered31 image which has made this quiet glen so famous.
It is said that the church of the monastery stands upon the site of a little ancient chapel32; that the new church was inaugurated in 1656 and that the barefooted Carmelites were established here in 1674. Miracles in the matter of recovery from sickness or of escape from dire33 mishap34 commenced in 1652, when the little old ruined chapel was still standing. From that moment the sanctuary35 in this remote and desolate36 valley was much sought after. Eminent37 personages made their way to Laghet and among those who came to offer homage38 were Charles Emmanuel II, Victor Amédée and his wife, Anne of Orleans. Since then the crowd of pilgrims has increased year by year so that on the great festa of Laghet, on Trinity Sunday, the little place is submerged by an overwhelming throng39.
The monastery is entered through a portal of three arches which leads at once into a cloister40 whose walls are covered by ex-voto pictures. These pictures are small, being, as a rule, from one to two feet square. They date from various periods; one of the oldest being ascribed to the year 1793. The majority belong, however, to the nineteenth century. Not a few are so faded as to be scarcely discernible. Beneath each picture is a brief account of the incident portrayed41, a large proportion of the descriptions being in Italian. Two or three out of the vast collection—which includes many hundreds—possess some artistic42 merit; but the mass are crude productions as simple as the drawings of a child and as regardless of perspective and as lavish43 in colour as the signboard of a village inn, while a few show but a little advance upon the more earnest sketches44 in a prehistoric45 cave.
They deal with accidents and misfortunes from which the subject of the picture has escaped through the intervention46 of the sweet-faced Madonna of Laghet. The impression left by the gallery is that the dwellers47 in this corner of Europe are peculiarly liable to fall from the roofs or windows of houses, to slip over precipices48, to drop into wells, to catch on fire or to find themselves under the wheels of carriages and wagons50. Indeed it is a matter for marvel51 that they have not become extinct. It is a gallery that might suitably deck the walls of a coroner’s court, the corridors of a hospital or the offices of an accident insurance company.
LAGHET: THE ENTRANCE.
Here is depicted52 a man lying under a cart laden53 with immense blocks of stone. A wheel of the cart rests poised54 upon his leg which would normally be reduced to pulp55. For his escape he has undoubted reasons to be grateful and for the recording56 of the fact no little justification57. Here is a man under a train: the station clock shows with precision the exact moment of the accident, while, as a writing on the wall, is the sinister58 and suggestive word “sortie.” Here is a youth hurled59 from a bicycle over a bridge and in process of falling down a terrific height. In this, as, indeed, in all the pictures, the details of the victim’s dress and the colour of his hair and even of his necktie are rendered with great care. In a picture of 1903, showing a girl being knocked down by a motor the details of the archaic60 machine of that period are so exactly portrayed as to be of historical interest.
The number of people who are dropping from scaffolds and ladders is very great. Complex horse accidents are rendered with a precision which is usually lacking in the mere61 narrative62 of these confusing events. Thus a lady and gentleman are represented as lying beneath an overturned carriage. A grotesque63 horse, of the type seen in pantomimes, with a vicious grin on its face, has kicked the driver from the box. This outraged64 man is standing on his head in the road, his body and legs being sustained, by some unknown force, in the vertical66 position. Here is a motor accident: the motor has plunged67 into a swamp. The three dislodged occupants are kneeling together, in the middle of the highway, praying; while the more practical chauffeur68 is holding his hands aloft and is apparently69 crying for help.
There are many shipwrecks70 in which the waves, fashioned apparently of plaster of Paris, are very terrifying. Gun accidents are numerous and troubles arising from fireworks not uncommon71. Tramcar accidents, including the collisions of the same, are frequent. There are incidents also of a simpler type. In one, for instance, a gentleman is represented as slipping—probably on a banana skin—on the Rampe at Monaco. He is falling heavily. Another shows a lady of eighty-three, nicely dressed and with a fan in her hand, walking indiscreetly at 7 P.M. on a plank72 projecting over a precipice49. There is a mansion73 in the background from which a man—of the same size as the houses—is running to the scene of this imprudent act.
There are also in the collection misadventures of an unusual character. Thus on a mountain road huge rocks are falling, in some profusion74, on an omnibus. In a painting dated 1863 a child, aged65 fifteen months, is being eaten by a pig. The pig seems to have dragged the infant out of a cradle by its ear in order to consume it with greater ease.
Some accidents may be classified as vicarious. For example a man is shown beating a mule75. He does this without inconvenience to himself; but the resentful mule, who is evidently no discerner of persons, is kicking another (and probably quite innocent) man very cruelly in the stomach with its fore18 hoof76.
Then too there are complex happenings which must have involved a great strain upon the invention and resource of any artist who wished to be accurate. For instance here is a house being struck by lightning. The house, for the sake of clearness, is shown in section, like a doll’s house with the front open. In an upper chamber78 are members of the family engaged in cooking. The lightning passes ostentatiously through the room, leaving the occupants unharmed; but it escapes by the front door and there kills a donkey which is lying dead on the doorstep. Then again the average artist if asked how he would proceed to paint a picture to illustrate79 “recovery from inflammation of the right jaw” might find himself perplexed80 since the subject is so lacking in tangible81 incident. The ingenious limner of Laghet is, however, at no loss and proceeds to carry out the commission, with a light heart and in the following fashion. We see a bedroom with a bed in it and a chair. There are pictures on the wall. There is a table on which are a candle, a cup and a species of pot. On a cane82 sofa sits a solitary83 gentleman dressed in a frock coat and light trousers. His face is tied up in a handkerchief. The right side of the face is swollen84. He appears to be about to leap from the sofa, his eyes being directed to a vision of the Madonna in a cloud on the wall. The picture clearly suggests that the sufferer has been laid up in bed; the candle hints at restless nights; the cup and pot at medical treatment. The fact that the patient is clothed in a frock coat shows improvement, while his apparent intention to spring from the sofa conveys the idea that the final cure has been sudden.
There are very many sick-room scenes, complete with puzzled doctors and weeping relations around the bedside. In certain of these illustrations individual and unpleasant symptoms are depicted with so conscientious85 a determination and so complete a disregard for the feelings of the onlooker86 as fully87 to support the dictum that “Art is Truth.”
One picture may have puzzled the hanging committee of Laghet. It depicts88 a smiling man being released from prison. The occasion is one that no doubt evoked89 thankfulness on the part of the captive, but the inference that his incarceration90 was an “accident” opens up a legal point of some delicacy91. Curious presents have been bestowed92 upon Laghet. Among them is the gift of the Princess Maria Josephina Baptista. It consisted of a silver leg of the same size and weight as her own leg which was happily cured at the convent.
In certain places on the walls of this strange Cloister of Calamity93 hang crutches95 and sticks, discarded surgical96 appliances, boots for deformed97 feet, spinal98 supports and splints. They speak for themselves. The little crutches and the little splints speak with especial eloquence99; while, as a most pathetic object amid the grosser implements100 of suffering, is a small steeled shoe which must have belonged to a very tiny pilgrim indeed.
On the cross-piece of one crutch94 a swallow has built a nest. The crutch and the swallow may almost be taken as symbolic101 of Laghet—the crutch the emblem102 of the halting cripple, the swallow of the joyous103 heart winging its way through the blue of heaven.
[46]
“The Rivieras,” by Augustus J. Hare, London, 1897, p. 80.
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1
ascetic
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| adj.禁欲的；严肃的 | |
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cypresses
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| n.柏属植物，柏树( cypress的名词复数 ) | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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efface
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| v.擦掉，抹去 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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assertive
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| adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的 | |
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bazaar
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| n.集市，商店集中区 | |
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niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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descends
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| v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜 | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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revered
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| v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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40
cloister
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| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
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portrayed
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| v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画 | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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prehistoric
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| adj.（有记载的）历史以前的，史前的，古老的 | |
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intervention
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| n.介入，干涉，干预 | |
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dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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49
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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50
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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51
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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52
depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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53
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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55
pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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56
recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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57
justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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58
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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59
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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archaic
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| adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的，已不通用的 | |
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61
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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62
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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63
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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69
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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70
shipwrecks
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| 海难，船只失事( shipwreck的名词复数 )； 沉船 | |
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71
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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72
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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73
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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75
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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76
hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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77
cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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79
illustrate
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| v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图 | |
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80
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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81
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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82
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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onlooker
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| n.旁观者，观众 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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depicts
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| 描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述 | |
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89
evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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90
incarceration
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| n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭 | |
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91
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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crutch
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| n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱 | |
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crutches
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| n.拐杖, 支柱 v.支撑 | |
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surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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spinal
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| adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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100
implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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101
symbolic
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| adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的 | |
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102
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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103
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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