And all this suddenly found vent7 in an immense shout that rose to the skies. Before us, on the screen which had but now been empty and bare as a stretch of sand, there had come into being, spontaneously, in a flash, hundreds and thousands of men, swarming8 in unspeakable confusion.
It was obviously the suddenness and complexity9 of the sight which so profoundly stirred the crowd. The sudden emergence10 of life innumerable out of nothingness convulsed it like an electric shock. In front of it, where there had been nothing, there now swarmed11 another crowd, dense12 as itself, a crowd whose excitement mingled13 with its own and whose uproar14, which it was able to divine, was added to its own! For a few seconds I had the impression that it was losing its mental balance and swaying to and fro in an access of delirium15.
However, the crowd once more regained16 its self-control. The need, not of understanding—it seemed not to care about that at first—but of seeing and grasping the entire manifestation17 of the phenomena18 mastered the force let loose in its midst. It became silent again. It gazed. And it listened.
Yonder—I dare not say on the screen, for, in truth, so abnormal were its dimensions that the picture overflowed19 the frame and was propelled into the space outside—yonder, that which had impressed us as being disorder20 and chaos21 became organized in accordance with a certain rhythm which at length grew perceptible to us. The movement to and fro was that of artisans performing a well-regulated task; and the task was accomplished22 about an immense fabric23 in the course of erection.
How all these artisans were clad in a fashion absolutely different from our own; and, on the other hand, the tools which they employed, the appearance of their ladders, the shape of their scaffoldings, their manner of carrying loads and of hoisting24 the necessary materials in wicker baskets to the upper floors, all these things, together with a multitude of further details, brought us into the heart of a period which must have been the thirteenth or fourteenth century.
There were numbers of monks25 supervising the works, calling out orders from one end of the vast site to the other, setting out measurements and not disdaining26 themselves to mix the mortar27, to push a wheel-barrow or to saw a stone. Women of the people, uttering their cries at the top of their voices, walked about bearing jars of wine with which they filled cups that were at once emptied by the thirsty labourers. A beggar went by. Two tattered28 singers began to roar a ditty, accompanying themselves on a sort of guitar. And a troop of acrobats29, all lacking an arm, or a leg, or both legs, were preparing to give their show, when the scene changed without any transition, like a stage setting which is altered by the mere30 pressure of a button.
What we now saw was the same picture of a building in process of construction. But this time we clearly distinguished31 the plan of the edifice32, the whole base of a Gothic cathedral displaying its huge proportions. And on these courses of masonry33, which had reached the lower level of the towers, and along the fronts and before the niches34 and on the steps of the porch, everywhere, in fact, swarmed stone-hewers, masons, sculptors36, carpenters, apprentices37 and monks.
And the costumes were no longer the same. A century or two had passed.
Next came a series of pictures which succeeded one another without our being able to separate the one from the other or to ascribe a beginning or an end to any one of them. By a method no doubt similar to that which, on the cinematograph, shows us the growth of a plant, we saw the cathedral rising imperceptibly, blossoming like a flower whose exquisitely-moulded petals38 open one by one and, lastly, being completed before our eyes, all of itself, without any human intervention39. Thus came a moment when it stood out against the sky in all its glory and harmonious40 strength. It was Rheims Cathedral, with its three recessed41 doorways42, its host of statues, its magnificent rose-windows, its wonderful towers flanked by airy turrets43, its flying buttresses44 and the lacework of its carvings45 and balconies, Rheims Cathedral such as the centuries had beheld46 it, before its mutilation by the Huns.
A long shudder47 passed through the crowd. It understood what those who were not present cannot easily be made to understand now, by means of insignificant48 words: it understood that in front of it there stood something other than the photographic presentment of a building; and, as it possessed49 the profound and accurate intuition that it was not the victim of an unthinkable hoax50, it became imbued51 and overwhelmed by an utterly52 disturbing sense of witnessing a most prodigious53 spectacle: the actual erection of a church in the Middle Ages, the actual work of a thirteenth-century building-yard, the actual life of the monks and artists who built Rheims Cathedral. Enlightened by its subtle instinct, not for a second did it doubt the evidence of its eyes. What I had denied, or at least what I had admitted only as an illusion, with reservations and flashes of incredulity, the crowd accepted with a certainty against which it would have been madness to rebel. It had faith. It believed with religious fervour. What it saw was not an artificial evocation54 of the past but that past itself, revived in all its living reality.
Equally real was the gradual transformation55 which continued to take place, no longer in the actual lines of the building, but as one might say in its substance and which was revealed by progressive changes that could not be attributed to any other cause than that of time. The great white mass grew darker. The grain of the stones became worn and weathered and they assumed that appearance of rugged56 bark which the patient gnawing57 of the years is apt to give them. It is true, the cathedral did not grow old, yet lived, for age is the beauty and the youth of the stones by means of which man gives shape to his dreams.
It lived and breathed through the centuries, seeming all the fresher as it faded and the more ornate as its legions of saints and angels became mutilated. It chanted its solemn hymn58 into the open sky over the houses which had gradually concealed59 its doorways and aisles60, over the town above whose crowded roofs it towered, over the plains and hills which formed the dim horizon.
At different times people came and leant against the balustrade of some lofty balcony or appeared in the frame of the tall windows; and the costume of these people enabled us to note their successive periods. Thus we saw pre-Revolutionary citizens, followed by soldiers of the Empire, who in turn were followed by other nineteenth-century civilians61 and by labourers building scaffoldings and by yet more labourers engaged in the work of restoration.
Then a final vision appeared before our eyes: a group of French officers in service uniform. They hurriedly reached the top of the tower, looked through their field-glasses and went down again. Here and there, over the town and the country, hovered62 those small, woolly clouds which mark the bursting of a shell.
The silence of the crowd became anguished63. Their eyes stared apprehensively64. We all felt what was coming and we were all judging as a whole a spectacle which had shown us the gradual birth and marvellous growth of the cathedral only by way of leading up to the dramatic climax65. We expected this climax. It followed from the dominant66 idea which gave the film its unity67 and its raison d'être. It was as logical as the last act of a Greek tragedy. But how could we forsee all the savage68 grandeur69 and all the horror contained in that climax? How could we forsee that the bombardment of Rheims Cathedral itself formed part of the climax only as a preparation and that, beyond the violent and sensational70 scene which was about to rack our nerves and shock our minds, there would follow yet another scene of the most terrible nature, a scene which was strictly71 accurate in every detail?
The first shell fell on the north-east part of the cathedral at a spot which we could not see, because the building, though we were looking down upon it from a slight elevation72, presented only its west front to our eyes. But a flame shot up, like a flash of lightning, and a pillar of smoke whirled into the cloudless sky.
And, almost simultaneously73, three more shells followed, three more explosives, mingling74 their puffs76 of smoke. A fifth fell a little more forward, in the middle of the roof. A mighty77 flame arose. Rheims Cathedral was on fire.
Then followed phenomena which are really inexplicable78 in the present state of our cinematographic resources. I say cinematographic, although the term is not perhaps strictly accurate; but I do not know how else to describe the miraculous79 visions of the Yard. Nor do I know of any comparison to employ when speaking of the visible parabola of the sixth shell, which we followed with our eyes through space and which even stopped for a moment, to resume its leisurely80 course and to stop again at a few inches from the statue which it was about to strike. This was a charming and ingenuous81 statue of a saint lifting her arms to God, with the sweetest, happiest and most trusting expression on her face; a masterpiece of grace and beauty; a divine creature who had stood for centuries, cloistered82 in her shelter, among the nests of the swallows, living her humble83 life of prayer and adoration84, and who now smiled at the death that threatened her. A flash, a puff75 of smoke . . . and, in the place of the little saint and her daintily-carved niche35, a yawning gap!
It was at this moment that I felt that anger and hatred85 were awakening86 all around me. The murder of the little saint had roused the indignation of the crowd; and it so happened that this indignation found an occasion to express itself. Before us, the cathedral grew smaller, while at the same time it approached us. It seemed to be leaving its frame, while the distant landscape came nearer and nearer. A hill, bristling87 with barbed wire, dug with trenches88 and strewn with corpses89, rose and fell away; and we saw its top, which was fortified90 with bastions and cupolas of reinforced concrete.
Enormous guns displayed their long barrels. A multitude of German soldiers were moving swiftly to and fro. It was the battery which was shelling Rheims Cathedral.
In the centre stood a group of general officers, field-glasses in hand, with sword-belts unbuckled. At each shot, they watched the effect through their glasses and then nodded their heads with an air of satisfaction.
But a great commotion91 now took place among them. They drew up in single rank, assuming a stiff and automatic attitude, while the soldiers continued to serve the guns. And suddenly, from behind the fortress92, a motor-car appeared, accompanied by an escort of cavalry93. It stopped on the emplacement and from it there alighted a man wearing a helmet and a long fur-cloak, which was lifted at the side by the scabbard of a sword of which he held the hilt. He stepped briskly to the foreground. We recognised the Kaiser.
He shook hands with one of the generals. The others saluted94 more stiffly than ever and then, at a sign from their master, extended and formed a semicircle around him and the general whose hand he had shaken.
A conversation ensued. The general, after an explanation accompanied by gestures that pointed95 towards the town, called for a telescope and had it correctly pointed. The Kaiser put his eye to it.
One of the guns was ready. The order to fire was given.
Two pictures followed each other on the screen in quick succession: that of a carved stone balustrade smashed to pieces by the shell and that of the emperor drawing himself up immediately afterwards. He had seen! He had seen; and his face, which appeared to us suddenly enlarged and alone upon the screen, beamed with intense delight!
He began to talk volubly. His sensual lips, his upturned moustache, his wrinkled and fleshy cheeks were all moving at the same time. But, when another gun was obviously on the point of firing, he held his peace and looked in the direction of the town. Just then he raised his hand to a level just below his eyes, so that we saw them by themselves, between the hand and the peak of the helmet. They were hard, evil, proud, implacable. They wore the expression of the miraculous Three Eyes that had throbbed96 before us on the screen.
They lit up, glittering with an evil smile. They saw what we saw at the same time, a whole block of capitals and cornices falling to the ground and more flames rising in angry pillars of fire. Then the emperor burst out laughing. One picture showed him doubled up in two and holding his sides amid the group of generals all seized with the same uncontrollable laughter. He was laughing! He was laughing! It was so amusing! Rheims Cathedral was ablaze97! The venerable fabric to which the kings of France used to come for their coronation was falling into ruins! The might of Germany was striking the enemy in his very heart! The German heavy guns were things that were noble and beautiful! And it was he who had ordained98 it, he, the emperor, the King of Prussia, master of the world, William of Hohenzollern! . . . . Oh, the joy of laughing his fill, laughing to his heart's content, laughing the frank, honest laughter of a jolly German!
A storm of hoots99 and hisses100 broke loose in the amphitheatre. The crowd had risen in a body, shaking their fists and bellowing101 forth102 insults. The attendants had to struggle with a troop of angry men who had invaded the orchestra.
Théodore Massignac, behind the bars of his cage, stooped and pressed the button.
The iron curtain rose.
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1
cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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perspicacity
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| n. 敏锐, 聪明, 洞察力 | |
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impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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complexity
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| n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物 | |
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emergence
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| n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体 | |
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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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overflowed
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| 溢出的 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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disdaining
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| 鄙视( disdain的现在分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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mortar
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| n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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acrobats
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| n.杂技演员( acrobat的名词复数 )；立场观点善变的人，主张、政见等变化无常的人 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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masonry
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| n.砖土建筑；砖石 | |
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niches
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| 壁龛( niche的名词复数 )； 合适的位置[工作等]； （产品的）商机； 生态位（一个生物所占据的生境的最小单位） | |
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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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sculptors
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| 雕刻家，雕塑家( sculptor的名词复数 )； [天]玉夫座 | |
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apprentices
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 ) | |
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petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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intervention
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| n.介入，干涉，干预 | |
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harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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recessed
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| v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的过去式和过去分词 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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doorways
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| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
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turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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buttresses
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| n.扶壁，扶垛( buttress的名词复数 )v.用扶壁支撑，加固( buttress的第三人称单数 ) | |
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carvings
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| n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物 | |
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46
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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hoax
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| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
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51
imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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52
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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evocation
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| n. 引起，唤起 n. <古> 召唤，招魂 | |
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transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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aisles
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| n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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61
civilians
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| 平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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anguished
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| adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式) | |
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apprehensively
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| adv.担心地 | |
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climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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dominant
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| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
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unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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72
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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cloistered
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| adj.隐居的，躲开尘世纷争的v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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83
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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86
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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87
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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hoots
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| 咄，啐 | |
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hisses
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| 嘶嘶声( hiss的名词复数 ) | |
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101
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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