The steeples appeared so distant, and we ourselves seemed to come so
little nearer them, that I was astonished when, a few minutes later, we
drew up outside the church of Martinville. I did not know the reason for
the pleasure which I had found in seeing them upon the horizon, and the
business of trying to find out what that reason was seemed to me irksome;
I wished only to keep in reserve in my brain those converging lines,
moving in the sunshine, and, for the time being, to think of them no more.
And it is probable that, had I done so, those two steeples would have
vanished for ever, in a great medley of trees and roofs and scents and
sounds which I had noticed and set apart on account of the obscure sense
of pleasure which they gave me, but without ever exploring them more
fully. I got down from the box to talk to my parents while we were waiting
for the Doctor to reappear. Then it was time to start; I climbed up again
to my place, turning my head to look back, once more, at my steeples, of
which, a little later, I caught a farewell glimpse at a turn in the road.
The coachman, who seemed little inclined for conversation, having barely
acknowledged my remarks, I was obliged, in default of other society, to
fall back on my own, and to attempt to recapture the vision of my
steeples.
Pages:
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350