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The Chateau of Prince Polignac
by Anthony Trollope
Few Englishmen or Englishwomen are intimately acquainted with the
little town of Le Puy。 It is the capital of the old province of Le
Velay； which also is now but little known； even to French ears； for
it is in these days called by the imperial name of the Department of
the Haute Loire。 It is to the south…east of Auvergne； and is nearly
in the centre of the southern half of France。
But few towns； merely as towns； can be better worth visiting。 In
the first place； the volcanic formation of the ground on which it
stands is not only singular in the extreme； so as to be interesting
to the geologist； but it is so picturesque as to be equally
gratifying to the general tourist。 Within a narrow valley there
stand several rocks； rising up from the ground with absolute
abruptness。 Round two of these the town clusters； and a third
stands but a mile distant； forming the centre of a faubourg； or
suburb。 These rocks appear to be； and I believe are； the harder
particles of volcanic matter； which have not been carried away
through successive ages by the joint agency of water and air。
When the tide of lava ran down between the hills the surface left
was no doubt on a level with the heads of these rocks； but here and
there the deposit became harder than elsewhere； and these harder
points have remained； lifting up their steep heads in a line through
the valley。
The highest of these is called the Rocher de Corneille。 Round this
and up its steep sides the town stands。 On its highest summit there
was an old castle； and there now is； or will be before these pages
are printed； a colossal figure in bronze of the Virgin Mary； made
from the cannon taken at Sebastopol。 Half…way down the hill the
cathedral is built； a singularly gloomy edifice；Romanesque； as it
is called； in its style； but extremely similar in its mode of
architecture to what we know of Byzantine structures。 But there has
been no surface on the rock side large enough to form a resting…
place for the church； which has therefore been built out on huge
supporting piles； which form a porch below the west front； so that
the approach is by numerous steps laid along the side of the wall
below the church； forming a wondrous flight of stairs。 Let all men
who may find themselves stopping at Le Puy visit the top of these
stairs at the time of the setting sun； and look down from thence
through the framework of the porch on the town beneath； and at the
hill…side beyond。
Behind the church is the seminary of the priests； with its beautiful
walks stretching round the Rocher de Corneille； and overlooking the
town and valley below。
Next to this rock； and within a quarter of a mile of it； is the
second peak； called the Rock of the Needle。 It rises narrow； sharp；
and abrupt from the valley； allowing of no buildings on its sides。
But on its very point has been erected a church sacred to St。
Michael； that lover of rock summits； accessible by stairs cut from
the stone。 This； perhapsthis rock； I meanis the most wonderful
of the wonders which Nature has formed at La Puy。
Above this； at a mile's distance； is the rock of Espailly； formed in
the same way； and almost equally precipitous。 On its summit is a
castle； having its own legend； and professing to have been the
residence of Charles VII。； when little of France belonged to its
kings but the provinces of Berry； Auvergne； and Le Velay。 Some
three miles farther up there is another volcanic rock； larger；
indeed； but equally sudden in its spring；equally remarkable as
rising abruptly from the valley；on which stands the castle and old
family residence of the house of Polignac。 It was lost by them at
the Revolution； but was repurchased by the minister of Charles X。；
and is still the property of the head of the race。
Le Puy itself is a small； moderate； pleasant French town； in which
the language of the people has not the pure Parisian aroma； nor is
the glory of the boulevards of the capital emulated in its streets。
These are crooked； narrow； steep； and intricate； forming here and
there excellent sketches for a lover of street picturesque beauty；
but hurtful to the feet with their small； round…topped paving
stones； and not always as clean as pedestrian ladies might desire。
And now I would ask my readers to join me at the morning table
d'hote at the Hotel des Ambassadeurs。 It will of course be
understood that this does not mean a breakfast in the ordinary
fashion of England； consisting of tea or coffee； bread and butter；
and perhaps a boiled egg。 It comprises all the requisites for a
composite dinner； excepting soup； and as one gets farther south in
France； this meal is called dinner。 It is； however； eaten without
any prejudice to another similar and somewhat longer meal at six or
seven o'clock； which； when the above name is taken up by the earlier
enterprise； is styled supper。
The dejeuner； or dinner； at the Hotel des Ambassadeurs； on the
morning in question； though very elaborate； was not a very gay
affair。 There were some fourteen persons present； of whom half were
residents in the town； men employed in some official capacity； who
found this to be the cheapest； the most luxurious； and to them the
most comfortable mode of living。 They clustered together at the
head of the table； and as they were customary guests at the house；
they talked their little talk togetherit was very littleand made
the most of the good things before them。 Then there were two or
three commis…voyageurs； a chance traveller or two； and an English
lady with a young daughter。 The English lady sat next to one of the
accustomed guests； but he； unlike the others； held converse with her
rather than with them。 Our story at present has reference only to
that lady and to that gentleman。
Place aux dames。 We will speak first of the lady； whose name was
Mrs。 Thompson。 She was； shall I say； a young woman of about thirty…
six。 In so saying； I am perhaps creating a prejudice against her in
the minds of some readers； as they will； not unnaturally； suppose
her； after such an announcement； to be in truth over forty。 Any
such prejudice will be unjust。 I would have it believed that
thirty…six was the outside； not the inside of her age。 She was
good…looking； lady…like； and considering that she was an
Englishwoman； fairly well dressed。 She was inclined to be rather
full in her person； but perhaps not more so than is becoming to
ladies at her time of life。 She had rings on her fingers and a
brooch on her bosom which were of some value； and on the back of her
head she wore a jaunty small lace cap； which seemed to tell； in
conjunction with her other appointments； that her circumstances were
comfortable。
The little girl who sat next to her was the youngest of her two
daughters； and might be about thirteen years of age。 Her name was
Matilda； but infantine circumstances had invested her with the
nickname of Mimmy； by which her mother always called her。 A nice；
pretty； playful little girl was Mimmy Thompson； wearing two long
tails of plaited hair hanging； behind her head； and inclined
occasionally to be rather loud in her sport。
Mrs。 Thompson had another and an elder daughter； now some fifteen
years old； who was at school in Le Puy； and it was with reference to
her tuition that Mrs。 Thompson had taken up a temporary residence at
the Hotel des Ambassadeurs in that town。 Lilian Thompson was
occasionally invited down to dine or breakfast at the inn； and was
visited daily at her school by her mother。
〃When I'm sure that she'll do； I shall leave her there； and go back
to England；〃 Mrs。 Thompson had said； not in the purest French； to
the neighbour who always sat next to her at the table d'hote； the
gentleman； namely； to whom we have above alluded。 But still she had
remained at Le Puy a month； and did not go； a circumstance which was
considered singular； but by no means unpleasant； both by the
innkeeper and by the gentleman in question。
The facts； as regarded Mrs。 Thompson； were as follows：… She was the
widow of a gentleman who had served for many years in the civil
service of the East Indies； and who； on dying； had left her a
comfortable income ofit matters not how many pounds； but
constituting quite a sufficiency to enable her to live at her ease
and educate her daughters。
Her children had been sent home to England before her husband's
death； and after that event she had followed them； but there； though
she was possessed of moderate wealth； she had no friends and few
acquaintances； and after a little while she had found life to be
rather dull。 Her customs were not those of England； nor were her
propensities English； therefore she had gone abroad； and having
received some recommendation of this school at Le Puy； had made her
way thither。 As it appeared to her that she really enjoyed more
consideration at Le Puy than had been accorded to her either at
Torquay or Leamington； there she remained from day to day。 The
total payment required at the Hotel des Ambassadeurs was but six
francs daily for herself and three and a half for her little girl；
and where else could s