|
|
|
|
|
|
IX. THE COL DE LA FAUCILLE 163
these great springs in literally rising at the base of cliffs, instead of falling, as one would have imagined likely, out of clefts in the front of them. In our own English antitype of the source of Orbe, Malham Cove, the flow of water is, in like manner, wholly at the base of the rock, and seems to rise to the ledge of its outlet from a deeper interior pool.
189. The old Hotel de la Poste at Champagnole stood just above the bridge of Ain, opposite the town, where the road got level again as it darted away towards Geneva. I think the year 1842 was the first in which we lengthened the day from Dijon by the two stages beyond Poligny; but afterwards, the Hotel de la Poste at Champagnole became a kind of home to us:1 going out, we had so much delight there, and coming home, so many thoughts, that a great space of life seemed to be passed in its peace. No one was ever in the house but ourselves; if a family stopped every third day or so, it was enough to maintain the inn, which, besides, had its own farm; and those who did stop, rushed away for Geneva early in the morning. We, who were to sleep again at Morez, were in no hurry; and in returning always left Geneva on Friday, to get the Sunday at Champagnole.
190. But my own great joy was in the early June evening, when we had arrived from Dijon, and I got out after the quickly dressed trout and cutlet for the first walk on rock and under pine.
With all my Tory prejudice (I mean, principle), I have to confess that one great joy of Swiss-above all, Jurassic Swiss-ground to me, is in its effectual, not merely theoretic, liberty. Among the greater hills, one can’t always go just where one chooses,-all around is the too far, or too steep,-one wants to get to this, and climb that, and can’t do either;-but in Jura one can go every way, and
1 [See Ruskin’s mentions of it in this sense in Vol. IV. p. xxvii. (1845), and Vol. XXXIII. p. xxi. (1882). The description of Champagnole in Seven Lamps may also be recalled: see Vol. VIII. p. 221.]
|
|
|
[Version 0.04: March 2008]
