,j4,k4 ,huysmans   ,,the ,,cathedral    
,translated by ,clara ,bell             
,publishing ,history ,first published in
 ,france in #ahih ,first ,english       
edition in #ahih     ,,the ,,cathedral4 
,,chapter ,i4   ,at ,chartres1 as you   
turn out of the little market-place1    
which is swept in all weathers by the   
surly wind from the flats1 a mild air as
 of a cellar1 made heavy by a soft1     
almost smothered scent of oil1 puffs in 
your face on entering the solemn gloom  
of the sheltering forest4  ,durtal knew 
it well1 and the delightful moment when 
he could take breath1 still half-stunned
 by the sudden change from a stinging   
north wind to a velvety airy caress4 ,at
 five every morning he left his rooms1  
and to reach the covert of that strange 
forest he had to cross the square2 the  
same figures were always to be seen at  
the turnings from the same streets2 nuns
 with bowed heads1 leaning forward1 the 
borders of their caps blown back and    
flapping like wings1 the wind whirling  

in their skirts1 which they could hardly
 hold down2 and shrunken women1 in      
garments they hugged round them1        
struggling forward with bent shoulders  
lashed by the gusts4  ,never at that    
hour had he seen anybody walking boldly 
upright1 without straining her neck and 
bowing her head2 and these scattered    
women gathered by degrees into two long 
lines1 one of them turning to the left1 
to vanish under a lighted porch opening 
to a lower level than the square2 the   
other going straight on1 to be swallowed
 up in the darkness by an invisible     
wall4  ,closing the procession came a   
few belated priests1 hurrying on1 with  
one hand gathering up the gown that     
ballooned behind them1 and with the     
other clutching their hats1 or snatching
 at the breviary that was slipping from 
under one arm1 their faces hidden on    
their breast1 to plough through the wind
 with the back of their neck2 with red  
ears1 eyes blinded with tears1 clinging 
desperately1 when it rained1 to         

umbrellas that swayed above them1       
threatening to lift them from the ground
 and dragging them in every direction4  
,the passage had been more than usually 
stormy this morning2 the squalls that   
tear across the district of ,la ,beauce1
 where nothing can check them1 had been 
bellowing for hours2 there had been     
rain1 and the puddles splashed under    
foot4 ,it was difficult to see1 and     
,durtal had begun to think that he      
should never succeed in getting past the
 dim mass of the wall that shut in the  
square1 by pushing open the door behind 
which lay that weird forest1 redolent of
 the night-lamp and the tomb1 and       
protected from the gale4  ,he sighed    
with satisfaction1 and followed the wide
 path that led through the gloom4       
,though he knew his way1 he walked      
cautiously in this alley1 bordered by   
enormous trunks1 their crowns lost in   
shadow4 ,he could have fancied himself  
in a hothouse roofed with black glass1  
for there were flagstones under foot1   

and no sky could be seen1 no breeze     
could stir overhead4 ,the few stars     
whose glimmer twinkled from afar        
belonged to our firmament2 they quivered
 almost on the ground1 and were1 in     
fact1 earth-born4  ,in this obscurity   
nothing was to be heard but the fall of 
quiet feet1 nothing to be seen but      
silent shades visible against the       
twilight like shapes of deeper darkness4
  ,durtal presently turned into another 
wide walk crossing that he had left4    
,there he found a bench backed by the   
trunk of a tree1 and on this he leaned1 
waiting till the ,mother should awake1  
and the sweet interview interrupted     
yesterday by the close of the day should
 begin again4  ,he thought of the       
,virgin1 whose watchful care had so     
often preserved him from unexpected     
risk1 easy slips1 or greater falls4 ,was
 not ,she the bottomless ,well of       
goodness1 the ,bestower of the gifts of 
good ,patience1 the ,opener of dry and  
obdurate hearts8 ,was ,she not1 above   

all1 the living and thrice ,blessed     
,mother8  ,bending for ever over the    
squalid bed of the soul1 she washed the 
sores1 dressed the wounds1 strengthened 
the fainting weakness of converts4      
,through all the ages ,she was the      
eternal supplicant1 eternally entreated2
 at once merciful and thankful2 merciful
 to the woes ,she alleviated1 and       
thankful to them too4 ,she was indeed   
our debtor for our sins1 since1 but for 
the wickedness of man1 ,jesus would     
never have been born under the corrupt  
semblance of our image1 and ,she would  
not have been the immaculate ,mother of 
,god4 ,thus our woe was the first cause 
of ,her joy2 and this supremest good    
resulting from the very excess of ,evil1
 this touching though superfluous bond1 
linking us to ,her1 was indeed the most 
bewildering of mysteries2 for ,her      
gratitude would seem unneeded1 since    
,her inexhaustible mercy was enough to  
attach ,her to us for ever4             
,thenceforth1 in ,her immense humility1 

,she had at various times condescended  
to the masses2 ,she had appeared in the 
most remote spots1 sometimes seeming to 
rise from the earth1 sometimes floating 
over the abyss1 descending on solitary  
mountain peaks1 bringing multitudes to  
,her feet1 and working cures2 then1 as  
if weary of wandering to be adored1 ,she
 wished--so it had seemed--to fix the   
worship in one place1 and had deserted  
,her ancient haunts in favour of        
,lourdes4  ,that town was the second    
stage of ,her progress through ,france  
in the nineteenth century4 ,her first   
visit was to ,la ,salette4  ,this was   
years ago4 ,on the #aith of ,september1 
#ahdf1 the ,virgin had appeared to two  
children on a hill2 it was a ,saturday1 
the day dedicated to ,her1 which1 that  
year1 was a fast day by reason of the   
,ember week4 ,by another coincidence1   
this ,saturday was the eve of the       
,festival of ,our ,lady of ,seven       
,dolours1 and the first vespers were    
being chanted when ,mary appeared as    

from a shell of glory just above the    
ground4  ,and she appeared as ,our ,lady
 of ,tears in that desert landscape of  
stubborn rocks and dismal hills4        
,weeping bitterly1 ,she had uttered     
reproofs and threats2 and a spring1     
which never in the memory of man had    
flowed excepting at the melting of the  
snows1 had never since been dried up4   
,the fame of this event spread far and  
wide2 frantic thousands scrambled up    
fearful paths to a spot so high that    
trees could not grow there4 ,caravans of
 the sick and dying were conveyed1 ,god 
knows how1 across ravines to drink the  
water2 and maimed limbs recovered1 and  
tumours melted away to the chanting of  
canticles4  ,then1 by degrees1 after the
 sordid debates of a contemptible       
lawsuit1 the reputation of ,la ,salette 
dwindled to nothing2 pilgrims were few1 
miracles were less often proclaimed4    
,the ,virgin1 it would seem1 was gone2  
,she had ceased to care for this spring 
of piety and these mountains4  ,at the  

present day few persons climb to ,la    
,salette but the natives of ,dauphine1  
tourists wandering through the ,alps1 or
 invalids following the cure at the     
neighbouring mineral springs of ,la     
,mothe4 ,conversions and spiritual      
graces still abound there1 but bodily   
healing there is next to none4  ,in     
fact1 said ,durtal to himself1 the      
vision at ,la ,salette became famous    
without its ever being known exactly    
why4 ,it may be supposed to have grown  
up as follows3 the report1 confined at  
first to the village of ,corps at the   
foot of the mountain1 spread first      
throughout the department1 was taken up 
by the adjacent provinces1 filtered over
 all ,france1 overflowed the frontier1  
trickled through ,europe1 and at last   
crossed the seas to land in the ,new    
,world which1 in its turn1 felt the     
throb1 and also came to this wilderness 
to hail the ,virgin4  ,and the          
circumstances attending these           
pilgrimages were such as might have     

daunted the determination of the most   
persevering4 ,to reach the little inn1  
perched on high near the church1 the    
lazy rumbling of slow trains must be    
endured for hours1 and constant changes 
at stations2 days must be spent in the  
diligence1 and nights in breeding-places
 of fleas at country inns2 and after    
flaying your back on the carding-combs  
of impossible beds1 you must rise at    
daybreak to start on a giddy climb1 on  
foot or riding a mule1 up zig-zag       
bridle-paths above precipices2 and at   
last1 when you are there1 there are no  
fir trees1 no beeches1 no pastures1 no  
torrents2 nothing--nothing but total    
solitude1 and silence unbroken even by  
the cry of a bird1 for at that height no
 bird is to be found4  ,what a scene6   
thought ,durtal1 calling up the memories
 of a journey he had made with the ,abbe
 ,gevresin and his housekeeper1 since   
leaving ,la ,trappe4 ,he remembered the 
horrors of a spot he had passed between 
,saint ,georges de ,commiers and ,la    

,mure1 and his alarm in the carriage as 
the train slowly travelled across the   
abyss4 ,beneath was darkness increasing 
in spirals down to the vasty deeps2     
above1 as far as the eye could reach1   
piles of mountains invaded the sky4     
,the train toiled up1 snorting and      
turning round and round like a top2     
then1 going into a tunnel1 was swallowed
 by the earth2 it seemed to be pushing  
the light of day away in front1 till it 
suddenly came out into a clearing full  
of sunshine2 presently1 as if it were   
retracing its road1 it rushed into      
another burrow1 and emerged with the    
strident yell of a steam whistle and    
deafening clatter of wheels1 to fly up  
the winding ribbon of road cut in the   
living rock4  ,suddenly the peaks       
parted1 a wide opening brought the train
 out into broad daylight2 the scene lay 
clear before them1 terrible on all      
sides4  ,le ,drac6 exclaimed the ,abbe  
,gevresin1 pointing to a sort of liquid 
serpent at the bottom of the precipice1 

writhing and tossing between rocks in   
the very jaws of the pit4  ,for now and 
again the reptile flung itself up on    
points of stone that rent it as it      
passed2 the waters changed as though    
poisoned by these fangs2 they lost their
 steely hue1 and whitened with foam like
 a bran bath2 then the ,drac hurried on 
faster1 faster1 flinging itself into the
 shadowy gorge2 lingered again on       
gravelly reaches1 wallowing in the sun2 
presently it gathered up its scattered  
rivulets and went on its way1 scaly with
 scum like the iridescent dross on      
boiling lead1 till1 far away1 the       
rippling rings spread and vanished1     
skinned and leaving behind them on the  
banks a white granulated cuticle of     
pebbles1 a hide of dry sand4  ,durtal1  
as he leaned out of the carriage window1
 looked straight down into the gulf2 on 
this narrow way with only one line of   
rails1 the train on one side was close  
to the towering hewn rock1 and on the   
other was the void4 ,great ,god6 if it  

should run off the rails6 ,what a hash6 
thought he4  ,and what was not less     
overwhelming than the appalling depth of
 the abyss was1 as he looked up1 the    
sight of the furious1 frenzied assault  
of the peaks4 ,thus1 in that carriage1  
he was literally between the earth and  
sky1 and the ground over which it was   
moving was invisible1 being covered for 
its whole width by the body of the      
train4  ,on they went1 suspended in     
mid-air at a giddy height1 along        
interminable balconies without parapets2
 and below1 the cliffs dropped          
avalanche-like1 fell straight1 bare1    
without a patch of vegetation or a tree4
 ,in places they looked as if they had  
been split down by the blows of an      
axe--huge growths of petrified wood2 in 
others they seemed sawn through shaley  
layers of slate4  ,and all round lay a  
wide amphitheatre of endless mountains1 
hiding the heavens1 piled one above     
another1 barring the way to the         
travelling clouds1 stopping the onward  

march of the sky4  ,some made a good    
show with their jagged grey crests1 huge
 masses of oyster shells2 others1 with  
scorched summits1 like burnt pyramids of
 coke1 were green half-way up4 ,these   
bristled with pine woods to the very    
edge of the precipices1 and they were   
scarred too with white crosses--the high
 roads1 dotted in places with ,nuremberg
 dogs1 red-roofed hamlets1 sheepfolds   
that seemed on the verge of tumbling    
headlong1 clinging on--how1 it was      
impossible to guess1 and flung here and 
there on patches of green carpet glued  
on to the steep hill-sides2 while other 
peaks towered higher still1 like vast   
calcined hay-cocks1 with doubtfully dead
 craters still brooding internal fires1 
and trailing smoky clouds which1 as they
 blew off1 really seemed to be coming   
out of their summits4  ,the landscape   
was ominous2 the sight of it was        
strangely discomfiting2 perhaps because 
it impugned the sense of the infinite   
that lurks within us4 ,the firmament was

 no more than a detail1 cast aside like 
needless rubbish on the desert peaks of 
the hills4 ,the abyss was the           
all-important fact2 it made the sky look
 small and trivial1 substituting the    
magnificence of its depths for the      
grandeur of eternal space4  ,the eye1 in
 fact1 turned away with disappointment  
from the sky1 which had lost its        
infinitude of depth1 its immeasurable   
breadth1 for the mountains seemed to    
touch it1 pierce it1 and uphold it2 they
 cut it up1 sawing it with the jagged   
teeth of their pinnacles1 showing mere  
tattered skirts of blue and rags of     
cloud4  ,the eye was involuntarily      
attracted to the ravines1 and the head  
swam at the sight of those1 vast pits of
 blackness4 ,this immensity in the wrong
 place1 stolen from above and cast into 
the depths1 was horrible4  ,the ,abbe   
had said that the ,drac was one of the  
most formidable torrents in ,france2 at 
the moment it was dormant1 almost dry2  
but when the season of snows and storms 

comes it wakes up and flashes like a    
tide of silver1 hisses and tosses1 foams
 and leaps1 and can in an instant       
swallow up villages and dams4  ,it is   
hideous1 thought ,durtal4 ,that bilious 
flood must carry fevers with it2 it is  
accursed and rotten with its soapy      
foam-flakes1 its metallic hues1 its     
scrap of rainbow-colour stranded in the 
mud4  ,durtal now thought over all these
 details2 as he closed his eyes he could
 see the ,drac and ,la ,salette4  ,ah6  
thought he1 they may well be proud of   
the pilgrims who venture to those       
desolate regions to pray where the      
vision actually appeared1 for when once 
they are there they are packed on a     
little plot of ground no bigger than the
 ,place ,saint ,sulpice1 hemmed in on   
one side by a church of rough stone     
daubed with cement of the colour of     
,valbonnais mustard1 and on the other by
 a graveyard4 ,the horizon is a circle  
of cones1 of dry scoriae1 like pumice1  
or covered with short grass2 above them1

 the glassy slope of perpetual ice and  
snow2 to walk on1 a scanty growth of    
grass moth-eaten by sand4 ,in two words1
 to sum up the scene1 it was nature's   
scab1 the leprosy of the earth4  ,from  
the artistic point of view1 on this     
microscopic grand parade1 close to the  
spring whose waters are caught in pipes 
with taps1 three bronze statues stand in
 different spots4 ,one1 a ,virgin1 in   
the most preposterous garments1 her     
headgear a sort of pastry-mould1 a      
,mohican's bonnet1 is on her knees      
weeping1 with her face hidden in her    
hands4 ,then the same ,woman1 standing  
up1 her hands ecclesiastically shrouded 
in her sleeves1 looks at the two        
children to whom she is speaking2       
,maximin1 with hair curled like a       
poodle1 twirling a cap like a raised    
pie1 in his hand2 ,melanie buried in a  
cap with deep frills and accompanied by 
a dog like a paper-weight--all in       
bronze4 ,finally the same ,person1 once 
more alone1 standing on tip-toe1 her    

eyes raised to heaven with a            
melodramatic expression4  ,never has the
 frightful appetite for the hideous that
 disgraces the ,church in our day been  
so resolutely displayed as on this spot2
 and if the soul suffered in the        
presence of the obtrusive outrage of    
this degrading work--perpetrated by one 
,barreme of ,angers and cast in the     
steam foundries of ,le ,creusot--the    
body too had something to endure on this
 plateau under the crushing mass of     
hills that shut in the view4  ,and yet  
it was hither that thousands of sick    
creatures had had themselves hauled up  
to face the cruel climate1 where in     
summer the sun burns you to a cinder    
while1 two yards away1 in the shade of  
the church1 you are frozen4  ,the first 
and greatest miracle accomplished at ,la
 ,salette was that of bringing such an  
invasion to this precipitous spot in the
 ,alps1 for everything combines to      
forbid it4  ,but crowds came there year 
after year1 till ,lourdes took          

possession of them2 for it is since the 
apparition of the ,virgin there that ,la
 ,salette has fallen into disrepute4    
,twelve years after the vision at ,la   
,salette1 the ,virgin showed herself    
again1 not in ,dauphine this time1 but  
in the depths of ,gascony4 ,after the   
,mother of ,tears1 ,our ,lady of ,seven 
,dolours1 it was ,our ,lady of ,smiles1 
of the ,immaculate ,conception1 the     
,sovereign ,lady of ,joy in ,glory1 who 
appeared2 and here again it was to a    
shepherdess that she revealed the       
existence of a spring that healed       
diseases4  ,and here it is that         
consternation begins4 ,lourdes may be   
described as the exact opposite to ,la  
,salette2 the scenery is magnificent1   
the hills in the foreground are covered 
with verdure1 the tamed mountains permit
 access to their heights2 on all sides  
there are shady avenues1 fine trees1    
living waters1 gentle slopes1 broad     
roads devoid of danger and accessible to
 all2 instead of a wilderness1 a town1  

where every requirement of the sick is  
provided for4 ,lourdes may be reached   
without adventures in warrens of vermin1
 without enduring nights in country     
inns1 or days of jolting in wretched    
vehicles1 without creeping along the    
face of a precipice2 and the traveller  
is at his destination when he gets out  
of the train4  ,this town then was so   
admirably chosen for the resort of      
crowds1 that it did not seem necessary  
that ,providence should intervene with  
such strong measures to attract them4   
,but ,god1 who forced ,la ,salette on   
the world without availing ,himself of  
the means of fashionable notoriety1 now 
changed ,his tactics2 with ,lourdes1    
advertisement appeared on the scene4    
,this it is that confounds the mind3    
,jesus condescending to make use of the 
wretched arts of human commerce2        
adopting the repulsive tricks which we  
employ to float a manufacture or a      
business4  ,and we wonder whether this  
may not be the sternest lesson in       

humility ever given to man1 as well as  
the most vehement reproof hurled at the 
,american abominations of our day--,god 
reduced to lowering ,himself once more  
to our level1 to speaking our language1 
to using our own devices that ,he may   
make ,himself heard and obeyed2 ,god no 
longer even trying to make us understand
 ,his purpose through ,himself1 or to   
uplift us to that height4  ,in point of 
fact1 the way in which the ,lord set to 
work to promulgate the mercies peculiar 
to ,lourdes is astounding4 ,to make them
 known ,he is no longer content to      
spread the report of its miracles by    
word of mouth2 no1 and it might be      
supposed that in ,his eyes ,lourdes is  
harder to magnify than ,la ,salette--,he
 adopted strong measures from the first4
 ,he raised up a man whose book1        
translated into every language1 carried 
the news of the vision to the most      
distant lands1 and certified the truth  
of the cures effected at ,lourdes4  ,to 
the end that this work should stir up   

the masses1 it was necessary that the   
writer destined to the task should be a 
clever organizer1 and at the same time a
 man devoid of individuality of style   
and of any novel ideas4 ,in a word1 what
 was needed was a man devoid of talent2 
and that is quite intelligible1 since   
from the point of view of appreciating  
art the ,catholic public is still a     
hundred feet beneath the profane public4
 ,and our ,lord did the thing well2 he  
selected ,henri ,lasserre4              
,consequently the mine exploded as      
required1 rending souls and bringing    
crowds out on to the road to ,lourdes4  
,years went by4 ,the fame of the        
sanctuary is an established fact4       
,indisputable cures are effected by     
supernatural means and certified by     
clinical authorities1 whose good faith  
and scientific skill are above          
suspicion4 ,lourdes has its fill2 and   
yet1 little by little1 in the long run1 
though pilgrims do not cease to flow    
thither1 the commotion about the ,grotto

 is diminishing4 ,it is dying out1 if   
not in the religious world1 at any rate 
in the wider world of the careless or   
the doubting1 who must be convinced4    
,and our ,lord thinks it desirable to   
revive attention to the benefits        
dispensed by ,his ,mother4  ,lasserre   
was not such an instrument as could     
renew the half-exhausted vogue enjoyed  
by ,lourdes4 ,the public was soaked in  
his book2 it had swallowed it in every  
vehicle and in every form2 the end was  
achieved2 this budding-knife of miracles
 was a tool that might now be laid      
aside4  ,what was now wanted was a book 
entirely unlike his2 a book that would  
influence the vaster public1 whom his   
homely prosiness would never reach4     
,lourdes must make its way through      
denser and less malleable strata1 to a  
public of higher class1 and harder to   
please4 ,it was requisite1 therefore1   
that this new book should be written by 
a man of talent1 whose style            
nevertheless should not be so           

transcendental as to scare folks4 ,and  
it was an advantage that the writer     
should be very well known1 so that his  
enormous editions might counterpoise    
those of ,lasserre4  ,now in all the    
realm of literature there was but one   
man who could fulfil these imperative   
conditions3 ,emile ,zola4 ,in vain      
should we seek another4 ,he alone with  
his battering push1 his enormous sale1  
his blatant advertisement1 could launch 
,lourdes once more4  ,it mattered little
 that he would deny supernatural agency 
and endeavour to explain inexplicable   
cures by the meanest hypotheses2 it     
mattered little that he mixed mortar of 
the medical muck of a ,charcot to make  
his wretched theory hold together2 the  
great thing was that noisy debates      
should arise about the book of which    
more than a hundred and fifty thousand  
copies proclaimed the name of ,lourdes  
throughout the world4  ,and then the    
very disorder of his arguments1 the poor
 resort to a 'breath that heals the     

people1' invented in contradiction to   
all the data of positive science on     
which he prided himself1 with the       
purpose of making these extraordinary   
cures intelligible--cures which he had  
seen1 and of which he dared not deny the
 reality or the frequency--were         
admirable means of persuading           
unprejudiced and candid inquirers of the
 authenticity of the recoveries effected
 year after year at ,lourdes4  ,this    
avowed testimony to such amazing facts  
was enough to give a fresh impetus to   
the masses4 ,it must be remarked1 too1  
that the book betrays no hostility to   
the ,virgin1 of whom it speaks only in  
respectful terms on the whole2 so is it 
not very credible that the scandal to   
which this work gave rise was           
profitable8  ,to sum up3 it may be      
asserted that ,lasserre and ,zola were  
both useful instruments2 one devoid of  
talent1 and for that very reason        
penetrating to the very lowest strata of
 the ,catholic methodists2 the other1 on

 the contrary1 making himself welcome to
 a more intelligent and cultivated      
public1 by those splendid passages where
 the flaming multitude of processions   
moves on1 and amid a cyclone of anguish1
 the triumphant faith of the white ranks
 is exultant4  ,oh1 yes6 ,she is fond of
 ,her ,lourdes1 is ,our ,lady1 and pets 
it4 ,she seems to have centred all ,her 
powers there1 all ,her favours2 ,her    
other sanctuaries are perishing that    
this one may live6  ,why8  ,why1 above  
all1 have created ,la ,salette and then 
sacrificed it1 as it were8  ,that ,she  
should have appeared there is quite     
intelligible1 thought ,durtal1 answering
 himself4 ,the ,virgin is more highly   
venerated in ,dauphine than in any other
 province2 chapels dedicated to ,her    
worship swarm in those parts1 and ,she  
meant perhaps to reward their zeal by   
,her gracious presence4  ,on the other  
hand1 ,she appeared there with a special
 and very definite end in view3 to      
preach repentance to mankind1 and       

especially to priests4 ,she ratified by 
certain miracles the evidence of this   
mission which ,she confided to ,melanie1
 and then1 that being accomplished1 ,she
 could desert the spot where ,she had1  
no doubt1 never intended to remain4     
,and after all1 he went on1 after a     
moment's reflection1 may we not admit an
 even simpler solution1 namely1 this3-- 
,mary vouchsafes to appear under various
 aspects to satisfy the tastes and      
cravings of each soul4 ,at ,la ,salette1
 where ,she descended in a distressful  
spot1 all in tears1 ,she revealed       
,herself no doubt to certain persons1   
more especially to the souls in love    
with sorrow1 the mystical souls that    
delight in reviving the anguish of the  
,passion and following the ,mother in   
,her heart-breaking way to the ,cross4  
,she would thus seem less attractive to 
the vulgar who do not love woe or       
weeping2 it may be added that they still
 less love reproof and threats4 ,the    
,virgin of ,la ,salette could not become

 popular1 by reason of ,her aspect and  
address1 while ,she of ,lourdes1 who    
appeared smiling1 and prophesied no     
catastrophes1 was easy of access to the 
hopes and gladness of the crowd4  ,she  
was1 in short1 in that sanctuary1 the   
,virgin of the world at large1 not the  
,virgin of mystics and artists1 the     
,virgin of the few1 as at ,la ,salette4 
,what a mystery is this direct          
intervention of the ,christ's ,mother on
 earth6 thought ,durtal4  ,and he went  
on3 ,it is clear1 on reflection1 that   
the churches founded by ,her may be     
classed in two very distinct groups4    
,one group where ,she has revealed      
,herself to certain persons1 where      
waters spring and bodily ills are       
healed3 ,la ,salette and ,lourdes4  ,the
 other1 where ,she has never been gazed 
on by human beings1 or where ,her       
appearance occurred in immemorial times1
 in forgotten centuries1 the dead ages4 
,in those chapels prayer alone is in    
force1 and ,mary answers it without the 

help of any waters4 ,indeed1 ,she       
effects more moral than physical cures4 
,notre ,dame de ,fourvieres at ,lyon1   
,notre ,dame de ,sous-,terre at         
,chartres1 ,notre ,dame des ,victoires  
at ,paris1 to mention only three4       
,wherefore this difference8 ,none can   
understand1 and probably none will ever 
know4 ,at most may we suppose that in   
compassion for the everlasting craving  
of our hapless souls wearied with prayer
 without sight1 ,she would fain confirm 
our faith and help to gather in the     
flock by showing ,herself4  ,in all this
 obscurity1 ,durtal went on1 is it at   
least possible to discern some dim      
landmarks1 some vague law8  ,as we gaze 
into the darkness1 two spots of light   
appear1 he replied to himself4  ,in the 
first place1 this3 ,she appears to none 
but the poor and humble2 ,she addresses 
the simple souls who have in a way      
handed down the primitive occupation1   
the biblical function of the            
,patriarchs2 ,she unveils herself to the

 children of the soil1 to the shepherds1
 to girls as they watch the flock4 ,both
 at ,la ,salette and at ,lourdes ,she   
chose little pastors for ,her           
confidants1 and this is intelligible1   
since1 by acting thus1 she confirms the 
known will of ,her ,son2 the first to   
behold the infant ,jesus in the manger  
at ,bethlehem were in fact shepherds1   
and it was from among men of the lowest 
class that ,christ chose ,his apostles4 
,and is not the water that serves as a  
medium of cure prefigured in the ,sacred
 ,books--in the ,old ,testament by the  
,river ,jordan1 which cleansed ,naaman  
of his leprosy2 and in the ,new by the  
probationary pool stirred by an angel8  
,another law seems no less probable4    
,the ,virgin is1 as far as possible1    
considerate of the temperament and      
individual character of the persons ,she
 appears to4 ,she places ,herself on the
 level of their intellect1 is incarnate 
in the only material form that they can 
conceive of4 ,she assumes the simple    

aspect these poor creatures love1       
accepting the blue and white robes1 the 
crown and wreaths of roses1 the trinkets
 and garlands and frippery of a first   
,communion1 the ugliest garb4  ,there is
 not indeed a single case where the     
shepherd maids who saw ,her described   
,her otherwise than as a 'beautiful     
lady' with the features of the ,virgin  
of a village altar1 a ,madonna of the   
,saint-,sulpice shops1 a street-corner  
,queen4  ,these two rules are more or   
less universal1 said ,durtal to himself4
 ,as to the ,son1 it would seem that ,he
 never now will reveal ,himself in human
 form to the masses4 ,since ,his        
appearance to the ,blessed ,mary        
,margaret1 whom ,he employed as a       
mouthpiece to address the people1 ,he   
has been silent4 ,he keeps in the       
background1 giving precedence to ,his   
,mother4  ,he1 it is true1 reserves for 
,himself a dwelling in the secret       
places1 the hidden regions1 the         
strongholds of the soul1 as ,saint      

,theresa calls them2 but ,his presence  
is unseen and ,his words spoken within  
us1 and generally not apprehended by    
means of the senses4  ,durtal ceased    
speaking1 confessing to himself how     
inane were these reflections1 how       
powerless the human reason to           
investigate the inconceivable purposes  
of the ,almighty2 and again his thoughts
 turned to that journey to ,dauphine    
which haunted his memory4  ,ah6 but the 
chain of the ,high ,alps and the peaks  
of ,la ,salette1 said he to himself2    
that huge white hotel1 that church      
coloured with dirty yellow lime-wash1   
vaguely ,byzantine and vaguely          
,romanesque in its architecture1 and    
that little cell with the plaster       
,christ nailed to a flat black wooden   
,cross--that tiny ,sanctuary plainly    
white-washed1 and so small that one     
could step across it in any             
direction--they were pregnant with her  
presence1 all the same6  ,surely ,she   
revisited that spot1 in spite of ,her   

apparent desertion1 to comfort all      
comers2 ,she seemed so close at hand1 so
 attentive and so grieving1 in the      
evening as one sat alone by the light of
 a candle1 that the soul seemed to burst
 open like a pod shedding the fruit of  
sin1 the seeds of evil deeds2 and       
repentance1 that had been so tardily    
evolved1 and sometimes so indefinite1   
became so suddenly despotic and         
unmistakable that the penitent dropped  
on his knees by the bed1 and buried his 
head sobbing in the sheets4 ,ah1 those  
were evenings of mortal dulness and yet 
sweetly sad6 ,the soul was rent1 its    
very fibres laid bare1 but was not the  
,virgin at hand1 so pitiful1 so         
motherly1 that after1 the worst was over
 ,she took the bleeding soul in her arms
 and rocked it to sleep like a sick     
child4  ,then1 during the day1 the      
church afforded a refuge from the frenzy
 of giddiness that came over one2 the   
eye1 bewildered by the precipices on    
every side1 distracted by the sight of  

the clouds that suddenly gathered below 
and steamed off in white fleece from the
 sides of the rocks1 found rest under   
the shelter of those walls4  ,and       
finally1 to make up for the horrors of  
the scene and of the statues1 to        
mitigate the grotesqueness of the       
inn-servants1 who had beards like       
sappers and clothes like little         
boys--the caps1 and holland blouses with
 belts1 and shiny black breeches1 like  
cast iron1 of the children at the ,saint
 ,nicolas school in                     
,paris--extraordinary characters1 souls 
of divine simplicity expanded there4    
,and ,durtal recollected the admirable  
scene he had watched there one morning4 
,he was sitting on the little plateau1  
in the icy shade of the church1 gazing  
before him at the graveyard and the     
motionless swell of mountain tops4 ,far 
away1 in the very sky1 a string of beads
 moved on1 one by one1 on the ribbon of 
path that edged the precipice4 ,and by  
degrees these specks1 at first merely   

dark1 assumed the bright hues of        
dresses1 assumed the form of coloured   
bells surmounted by white knobs1 and at 
last took shape as a line of peasant    
women wearing white caps4  ,and still in
 single file they came down the square4 
,after crossing themselves as they      
passed the cemetery1 they went each to  
drink a cup of water at the spring and  
then turned round2 and ,durtal1 who was 
watching them1 saw this3  ,at their head
 walked an old woman of at least a      
hundred1 very tall and still upright1   
her head covered by a sort of hood from 
which her stiff1 wavy hair escaped in   
tangled grey locks like iron wire4 ,her 
face was shrivelled like the peel of an 
onion1 and so thin that1 looking at her 
in profile1 daylight could be seen      
through her skin4  ,she knelt down at   
the foot of the first statue1 and behind
 her1 her companions1 girls of about    
eighteen for the most part1 clasped     
their hands and shut their eyes2 and    
slowly a change came over them4  ,under 

the breath of prayer1 the soul1 buried  
under the ashes of worldly cares1 flamed
 up1 and the air that fanned it made it 
glow like an inward fire1 lighting up   
the thick cheeks1 the stolid1 heavy     
features4 ,it smoothed out the crackled 
surface of wrinkles1 softened in the    
younger women the vulgarity of chapped  
red lips1 gave colour to the dull brown 
flesh1 overflowed in the smile on lips  
half parted in silent prayer1 in timid  
kisses offered with simple good faith1  
and returned no doubt in an ineffable   
thrill by the ,holy ,child they had     
cherished from ,his birth1 who1 since   
the martyrdom of ,calvary1 had grown to 
be the ,spouse of ,sorrows4  ,they felt1
 perhaps1 something of the raptures of  
the ,blessed ,virgin who is ,mother and 
,wife and at the same time the beatified
 ,handmaid of ,god4  ,and in the silence
 a voice as from the remotest ages      
arose1 and the ancestress said1 ,pater  
,noster1 and they all repeated the      
prayer1 and then dragged themselves on  

their knees up the steps of the way of  
crosses1 where the fourteen upright     
posts1 each with its cast metal         
bas-relief1 bordered a serpentine path1 
dividing the statues from the groups4   
,thus they went forward1 stopping long  
enough to recite an ,ave on each step   
they climbed1 and then1 helping         
themselves with their hands1 they       
mounted to the next4 ,and when the      
rosary was ended the old woman rose1 and
 they solemnly followed her into the    
church1 where they all prayed a long    
time1 prostrate before the altar2 and   
the grandmother stood up1 gave each holy
 water at the door1 led her flock to the
 spring where they all drank again1 and 
then they went away1 without speaking a 
word1 one after another up the narrow   
path1 ending as black specks just as    
they had come1 and vanishing on the     
horizon4  ,those women have been two    
days and two nights crossing the        
mountains1 said a priest1 coming up to  
,durtal4 ,they started from the depths  

of ,savoy1 and have travelled almost    
without rest to spend a few minutes     
here2 they will sleep to night in a     
cow-house or a cave1 as chance may      
direct1 and to-morrow by daybreak they  
will start again on their weariful way4 
,durtal was overpowered by the radiant  
splendour of such faith4  ,it was       
possible1 then1 to find souls ever      
young1 souls ever new1 souls as of      
undying children1 watching where        
absolute solitude was not1 outside      
cloister walls1 in the waste places of  
these peaks and gorges1 and amid this   
race of stern and rugged peasants4 ,here
 were women who1 without knowing it     
even1 lived the contemplative life in   
union with ,god1 while they dug the     
barren slopes of a little plot at some  
prodigious elevation4 ,they were ,leah  
and ,rachel1 ,martha and ,mary in one2  
and these women believed guilelessly1   
entirely1 as man believed in the middle 
ages4 ,these beings1 with their         
rough-hewn feelings1 their shapeless    

ideas1 hardly able to express           
themselves1 hardly knowing how to read1 
wept with love in the presence of the   
,inaccessible1 whom they compelled by   
their humility and single-heartedness to
 appear1 to become actual to their mind4
  ,yes1 it was but just that the ,virgin
 should cherish them and choose them    
above all others to be ,her vessels of  
election4  ,yes4 ,for they are          
unburdened with the dreadful weight of  
doubt1 they are endowed with almost     
total ignorance of evil4  ,and yet are  
there not some souls too experienced1   
alas6 in the culture of wrong-doing1 who
 nevertheless find mercy at ,her feet8  
,has not the ,virgin other sanctuaries  
less frequented1 less well known1 which 
yet have outlived the wear of time1 the 
various caprice of the ages2 very       
ancient churches where ,she welcomes you
 if you love ,her in solitude and       
silence8  ,and ,durtal1 coming back to  
,chartres once more1 looked about him at
 the persons who were waiting in the    

warm shade of the indefinite forest till
 the ,virgin should awake1 to worship   
,her4  ,with dawn1 now beginning to     
break1 this forest of the church under  
whose shade he was sitting became       
absolutely unintelligible4 ,the shapes1 
faintly sketched1 were transformed in   
the gloom which blurred every outline as
 it slowly faded4 ,below1 in the        
vanishing mist1 rose the immemorial     
trunks of fabulous white trees1 planted 
as it seemed in wells that held them    
tightly in the rigid circle of their    
margin2 and the night1 now almost       
diaphanous on the level of the ground1  
was thicker as it rose1 cutting them off
 at the spring of the branches1 which   
were still invisible4  ,durtal1 as he   
raised his head1 gazed into deep        
obscurity unlighted by moon or star4    
,looking up still1 but straight before  
him1 he saw in the air1 through the hazy
 twilight1 sword-blades already bright1 
gigantic blades without hilts or        
handles1 thinner towards the point2 and 

these blades1 standing on end at an     
immense height1 appeared in the gloom   
they cut1 to be patterned with vague    
intaglios or in ill-defined relief4  ,as
 he peered into space to the right and  
left1 he was aware of a gigantic panoply
 on each side at a vast height1 resting 
on blocks of darkness1 and consisting of
 a colossal shield riddled with holes1  
hanging above five broader swords1      
without hilts1 but damascened on their  
flat blades with indefinite designs of  
bewildering niello4  ,little by little  
the tentative sun of a doubtful winter's
 day pierced the fog1 which vanished in 
blueness2 the shield that hung to the   
left of ,durtal1 the north1 was the     
first to come to life2 rosy fires and   
the lurid flames of punch gleamed in its
 hollows1 while below1 in the middle    
blade1 there started forth in the       
steel-grey arch1 the gigantic image of a
 negress robed in green with a brown    
mantle4 ,her head1 wrapped in a blue    
kerchief1 was set in a golden glory1 and

 she stared out1 hieratic and           
wild-looking1 with white1 wide-open     
eyes4  ,and this engimatical ,ethiop had
 on her knees a black infant whose eyes1
 in the same way1 stood out like        
snowballs from the dusky face4  ,all    
about her1 very gradually1 the other    
swords1 still so dim1 began to glow1    
blood rippling from their crimsoned     
points as if from recent slaughter2 and 
this trickling red formed a setting for 
the shapes of beings come1 no doubt1    
from the distant shores of ,ganges3 on  
one side a king playing on a golden     
harp2 on the other a monarch wielding a 
sceptre ending in the turquoise-blue    
petals of a fabulous lily4  ,then1 to   
the left of the royal musician there was
 another man1 bearded1 with a           
walnut-stained face1 the eye-sockets    
vacant and covered by round spectacles2 
on his head were a diadem and a tiara1  
in his hands a chalice and a paten1 a   
censer and a loaf2 while to the right of
 the other sovereign who held the       

sceptre1 a still more harassing shape   
came forth against the blue background  
of the sword--a sort of oriental        
brigand1 escaped perhaps from the prison
 cells of ,persepolis or ,susa1 a bandit
 as it seemed1 wearing a little scarlet 
cap edged with yellow1 in shape like an 
inverted jam-pot1 and a tan-coloured    
gown with white stripes on the skirt2   
and this clumsy and ferocious personage 
bore a green palm and a book4  ,durtal  
turned away to sound the depths of      
darkness1 and before him1 at a giddy    
height on the horizon1 more sword-blades
 gleamed4 ,the scrawls which might have 
been mistaken in the darkness for       
patterns embossed or incised on the     
surface of the steel1 developed into    
figures draped in long1 straight1       
pleated robes2 and at the highest point 
of the firmament there hovered amid a   
sparkle of rubies and sapphires a woman 
crowned1 pale of face1 dressed like the 
,moorish mother of the northern side in 
,carmelite-brown and green2 and she too 

held an infant1 a child1 like herself1  
of the white race1 clasping a globe in  
one hand1 and extending the other in    
benediction4  ,last of all1 the still   
dark side1 the late side1 to ,durtal's  
right hand and further south1 till now  
wrapped in the half-dispelled morning   
haze1 was lighted up2 the shield        
opposite to that on the north caught the
 blaze1 and below it1 against the       
polished metal of the broad blade facing
 that which presented the negress queen1
 appeared a woman of somewhat olive hue1
 in raiment like the others1 of         
myrtle-green and brown1 holding a       
sceptre1 and with her1 too1 there was a 
child4 ,and round her again emerged     
images of men piled up one above the    
other1 shouldering each other in the    
narrow field they filled4  ,for a       
quarter of an hour nothing was clearly  
defined2 then the real things asserted  
themselves4 ,in the middle of the       
swords1 which were in fact mosaic of    
glass1 the figures stood out in broad   

daylight4 ,in the field of each window  
with its pointed arch bearded faces took
 form1 motionless in the midst of fire2 
and on all sides1 in the thicket of     
flames1 as it were the burning bush of  
,horeb where ,god showed ,his glory to  
,moses1 the ,virgin was seen in an      
unchangeable attitude of imperious      
sweetness and pensive grace1 mute and   
still1 and crowned with gold4  ,she was1
 indeed1 many2 ,she came down from the  
empyrean to lower levels1 to be closer  
to ,her flock1 and at last found a place
 where they might almost kiss ,her feet1
 at the corner of an aisle that was     
always in gloom2 but there ,she wore a  
different aspect4  ,she stood forth in  
the middle of a window1 like a tall1    
blue plant1 and the garnet-red foliage  
was supported by black iron rods4  ,her 
colour was slightly coppery1 almost     
,chinese1 with a long nose and rather   
narrow eyes2 on the head there was a    
black coif1 and ,she looked steadily    
before ,her1 while the lower part of the

 face with its short chin1 the mouth    
rather drawn by two grave lines1 gave it
 an expression of suffering that was    
even a little morose4 ,and here again1  
under the immemorial name of ,notre     
,dame de la belle ,verriere1 she held an
 infant in a dress of raisin-purple1 a  
child barely visible in the mixture of  
dark hues all about it4  ,in short1 ,she
 to whom all appealed was there2        
everywhere under the forest roof of this
 cathedral the ,virgin was present4 ,she
 seemed to have come from all the ends  
of the earth1 under the semblance of    
every race known in the ,middle ,ages3  
black as an ,african1 tawny as a        
,mongolian1 pale coffee colour as a     
half-caste1 and white as an ,european1  
thus declaring that1 as mediator for the
 whole human race1 ,she was everything  
to each1 everything to all2 and         
promising by the presence of ,her ,son1 
whose features bore the character of    
each race1 that the ,messiah had come to
 redeem all men without distinction4    

,and it seemed as though the sun1 as it 
mounted higher1 followed the growth of  
the ,virgin1 taking its birth in the    
window where ,she was still a babe in   
that northern transept where ,saint     
,anne1 her mother1 of the black face1   
sat between ,david1 the king of the     
golden harp1 and ,solomon1 the bearer of
 the blue-lilied sceptre1 each against a
 background of purple1 to prefigure the 
royal birth of the ,son2 between        
,melchizedec1 the mitred patriarch1     
holding the censer1 and ,aaron1 in the  
curious red cap bordered with lemon     
yellow1 representing prophetically the  
,priesthood of ,christ4  ,and at the end
 of the apse1 quite high up1 there was  
another ,mary--triumphant1 looking down 
the sacred grove1 supported by figures  
from the ,old ,testament and by ,saint  
,peter4 ,it was ,she again who in the   
south transept faced ,saint ,anne1 ,she1
 now a woman and herself a mother1 amid 
four enormous men bearing pick-a-back on
 their shoulders four smaller figures2  

these were the four ,greater ,prophets  
who had foretold the coming of the      
,messiah--,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,daniel1  
and ,ezekiel1 bearing the four          
,evangelists1 and thus artlessly        
expressing the parallelism of the ,old  
and ,new ,testaments1 and the support   
given by the ,old ,covenant to the ,new4
  ,and then1 as though ,her presence    
were not fully ubiquitous1 as though    
,she desired that1 turn where they      
might1 ,her worshippers should ever see 
,her1 the ,virgin was to be found on a  
smaller scale in less important         
positions2 enthroned in the centre of   
the shields1 in the heart of the great  
rose-windows1 and finally1 ceasing to   
appear as a mere picture1 took shape1   
materialized as a statue of black wood  
standing on a pedestal in a full hooped 
skirt like a silver bell4  ,the         
sheltering forest had vanished with the 
darkness2 the tree-trunks remained1 but 
rose with giddy flight from the ground1 
unbroken pillars to the sky1 meeting at 

a vast height under the groined vault2  
the forest was seen as an immense church
 blossoming with roses of fire1 pierced 
with glowing glass1 crowded with        
,virgins and apostles1 patriarchs and   
saints4  ,the genius of the middle ages 
had devised the skilful and pious       
lighting of this edifice1 and harmonized
 the ascending march of day to some     
extent with its windows4 ,the walls and 
the aisles were very dark1 the daylight 
creeping1 mysteriously subdued1 along   
the body of the church4 ,it was lost in 
the stained glass1 checked by dark      
bishops1 and opaque saints completely   
filling the dusky-bordered windows with 
the dead hues of a ,persian rug2 the    
panes absorbed the sun's rays1          
refracting none1 arrested the powdered  
gold of the sunbeams in the dull violet 
of purple egg-fruit1 the tawny browns of
 tinder or tan1 the too-blue greens1 and
 the wine-coloured red stained with     
soot1 like the thick juice of           
mulberries4  ,as it reached the chancel1

 the light came in through brighter and 
clearer colours1 through the blue of    
translucent sapphires1 through pale     
rubies1 brilliant yellow1 and           
crystalline white4 ,the gloom was       
relieved beyond the transepts near the  
altar4 ,even in the centre of the cross 
the sun pierced clearer glass1 less     
storied with figures1 and bordered with 
almost colourless panes that admitted it
 freely4  ,at last1 in the apse1 forming
 the top of the cross1 it poured in1    
symbolical of the light that flooded the
 world from the top of the ,tree2 and   
the pictures were diaphanous1 just      
lightly covered with flowing lines and  
aerial tints1 to frame in a sheaf of    
coloured sparks the image of a ,madonna1
 less hieratic and barbaric than the    
others1 and a fairer ,infant1 blessing  
the earth with uplifted hand4  ,by this 
time the ,cathedral of ,chartres was    
alive with the clatter of wooden shoes1 
the rustle of petticoats1 and the tinkle
 of mass-bells4  ,durtal left the corner

 of the transept where he had been      
sitting with his back to a pillar1 and  
turned to the left1 towards a bay where 
there was a framework ablaze with       
lighted tapers before the statue of the 
,virgin4  ,and schools of little girls  
under the guidance of ,sisters1 troops  
of peasant women and countrymen1 poured 
out of every aisle1 knelt in front of   
the image1 and then came up to kiss the 
pedestal4  ,the appearance of these     
folks suggested to ,durtal that their   
prayers were not like those that are    
sobbed out at evening twilight1 the     
supplications of women worn and dismayed
 by the weary hours of day4 ,these      
peasant souls prayed less as complaining
 than as loving2 these people1 kneeling 
on the flags1 had come for ,her sake    
rather than for their own4 ,there was   
here and now a pause from grieving1 a   
sort of reprieve from tears2 and this   
attitude was in harmony with the special
 aspect adopted by ,mary in this        
cathedral2 ,she was seen there1 in fact1

 under the form of a child and of a     
young mother2 ,she was the ,virgin of   
the ,nativity1 rather than our ,lady of 
,dolour4 ,the old artists of the ,middle
 ,ages seemed to have feared to sadden  
,her by reminding ,her of memories too  
painful1 to have striven to prove by    
this delicate reserve1 their gratitude  
to ,her who in this sanctuary had ever  
shown ,herself to be the ,dispenser of  
,mercies1 the ,lady ,bountiful of       
,grace4  ,durtal felt in himself an     
answering thrill1 the echo of the       
prayers chanted all round him by these  
loving souls2 and he let himself melt   
away in the soothing sweetness of the   
hymns1 asking for nothing1 silencing his
 ungratified desires1 smothering his    
secret repining1 thinking only of       
bidding an affectionate good-morning to 
the ,mother to whom he had returned     
after such distant wanderings in the    
land of sin1 after such a long absence4 
,and now that he had seen ,her1 that he 
had spoken to ,her1 he withdrew1 making 

room for others who came in greater     
numbers as the day grew4 ,he went home  
to get some food2 and as he cast a last 
sweeping glance at the beautiful church1
 remembering the warlike imagery of its 
details1 the buckler-shape of the       
rose-windows1 the sword-blades of the   
lower lights1 the casque and helmet     
forms of the ogee1 the resemblance of   
some grisaille glass with its network of
 lead to a warrior's shirt of mascled   
mail2 as1 outside1 he gazed at one of   
the two belfries carved into scales like
 a pine cone--like scale-armour--he said
 to himself that the ,builders for ,god 
must have borrowed their ideas from the 
military panoply of the knights2 that   
thus they had endeavoured to perpetuate 
the memory of their exploits by         
representing the magnified image of the 
armour with which the ,crusaders girt   
themselves when they sailed to win back 
the ,holy ,sepulchre4  ,and the interior
 of the church seemed1 as a whole1 to   
impress the same idea and complete the  

symbolical images of the details by its 
vaulted nave1 of which the groined roof 
was so like the reversed hull of a      
vessel1 suggesting the graceful form of 
the ships that made sail for ,palestine4
  ,only1 in the present day1 such       
memories of heroic times were vain4 ,in 
this city of ,chartres1 where ,saint    
,bernard preached the second crusade1   
the vessel was stranded for ever1 her   
hull overset1 her anchor out4  ,and     
looking down on the unthinking city1 the
 ,cathedral kept watch alone1 beseeching
 pardon for the inappetency for         
suffering1 for the inertia of faith that
 her sons displayed1 uplifting her      
towers to the sky like two arms1 while  
the spires mimicked the shape of joined 
hands1 the ten fingers all meeting and  
upright one against another1 in the     
position which the image-makers of old  
gave to the dead saints and warriors    
they carved upon tombs4     ,,chapter   
,,ii4   ,durtal had already been living 
at ,chartres for three months4  ,on his 

return to ,paris from ,la ,trappe he had
 fallen into a fearful state of         
spiritual anemia4 ,his soul kept its    
room1 rarely rose1 lounged on a couch1  
was torpid with the tepid langour still 
lulled by the sleepy mutter of mere     
lip-service1 and prayers reeled off as  
by a worn-out machine of which the      
spring releases itself1 so that it works
 all alone with no result1 and without a
 touch to start it4  ,sometimes1        
however1 in a rebellious mood he managed
 to check himself1 to stop the          
ill-regulated clockwork of his prayers1 
and then he would try to examine        
himself1 to get above himself1 and to   
see in a comprehensive glance the       
puzzling perspective of his nature4     
,and facing these chambers of the soul1 
dim with mist1 he was struck by a       
strange association of the ,revelations 
of ,saint ,theresa and a tale by ,edgar 
,poe4  ,those chambers of the inner man 
were empty and cold1 and like the halls 
of the ,house of ,usher1 surrounded by a

 moat whence the fog rose1 forcing its  
way in at last and cracking the worn    
shell of wall4 ,alone and uneasy1 he    
prowled about the ruined cells1 with    
closed doors that refused ever to open  
again2 thus his walks about his own mind
 were very limited1 and the panorama he 
could see was strangely narrowed1 shrunk
 close and near to him1 almost nothing4 
,and he knew full well that the ruins   
surrounding the central cell1 the       
,master's ,room1 were bolted and        
fastened with rivets that could not be  
unscrewed1 and triple                   
bars--inaccessible4 ,so he restricted   
himself to wandering in the halls and   
passages4  ,at ,notre ,dame de l',atre  
he had ventured further2 he had gone    
into the enclosure round about the abode
 of ,christ2 he had seen in the distance
 the frontiers of ,mysticism1 and1 too  
weak to go on his road1 he had fallen2  
and now this was to be lamented1 for1 as
 ,saint ,theresa truly remarks1 in the  
spiritual life1 if we do not go forward1

 we go back4 ,he had1 in fact1 retraced 
his steps1 and lay half paralyzed1 no   
longer even in the vestibule of his     
mansion1 but in the outer court4  ,till 
this time the phenomena described by the
 matchless ,abbess had been exactly     
repeated4 ,in ,durtal1 the ,chambers of 
the ,soul were deserted as after a long 
mourning2 but in the rooms that had     
remained open1 phantoms of sins         
confessed1 of buried evil-doing1        
wandered like the sister of the         
tormented ,usher4  ,durtal1 like ,edgar 
,poe's unhappy sufferer1 listened with  
horror to the rustle of steps on the    
stairs1 the piteous weeping behind the  
doors4  ,and yet these ghosts of        
departed crimes were no more than       
indefinite shapes2 they never           
consolidated nor took a definite form4  
,the most persistent miscreant of them  
all1 which had tormented him so long1   
the sin of the flesh1 at last was       
silenced1 and left him in peace4 ,la    
,trappe had rooted up the stock of those

 debaucheries4 ,the memory of them1     
indeed1 haunted him still1 on his most  
distressing1 most ignoble side2 but he  
could see them pass1 his heart in his   
mouth1 wondering that he could so long  
have been the dupe of such foul         
delusions1 no longer understanding the  
power of those mirages1 the illusions of
 those carnal oases as he met them in   
the desert of a life shut up in         
seclusion1 in solitude1 and in books4   
,his imagination could still put him on 
the rack2 still1 without merit1 without 
a struggle1 by the help of divine grace1
 he had escaped a fall ever since his   
return from the monastery4  ,on the     
other hand1 though he had1 to some      
extent1 emasculated himself1 though he  
was exempt from his chief torment1 he   
discerned1 flourishing within him1      
another crop of tares1 of which the     
spread had till now been hidden behind  
the sturdier growth of other vices4 ,in 
the first instance1 he had believed     
himself to be less enslaved by sin1 less

 utterly vile2 and he was nevertheless  
as closely bound to evil as ever1 only  
the nature and character of the bonds   
were different1 and no longer the same4 
,besides that dryness of the heart which
 made him feel as soon as he entered a  
church or knelt down in his room1 that a
 cold grip froze his prayers and chilled
 his soul1 he detected the covert       
attacks1 the mute assaults of ridiculous
 pride4  ,in vain did he keep watch2 he 
was constantly taken by surprise without
 having time even to look round him4    
,it began under the most temperate      
guise1 the most benign reflections4     
,supposing1 for instance1 that he had   
done his neighbour a service at some    
inconvenience to himself1 or that he had
 refrained from retaliating on anybody  
against whom he believed he had a       
grievance1 or for whom he had no liking1
 a certain self-satisfaction stole1     
sneaked into his mind1 a certain        
vain-glory1 ending in the senseless     
conclusion that he was superior to many 

another man2 and then1 on this feeling  
of petty vanity1 pride was              
engrafted--the pride of a virtue he had 
not even struggled to acquire1 the      
arrogance of chastity1 so insidious that
 most of those who indulge it do not    
even suspect themselves4  ,and he was   
never aware of the end of these assaults
 till too late1 when they had become    
definite1 and he had forgotten himself  
and succumbed2 and he was in despair at 
finding that he constantly fell into the
 same snare1 telling himself that the   
little good he could do must be wiped   
out of the balance of his life by the   
outrageous extravagance of this vice4   
,he was frenzied1 he reasoned with the  
old mad arguments1 and cried out at his 
wits' end1--  ,la ,trappe crushed me6   
,it cured me of sensuality1 but only to 
load me with disorders of which ,i knew 
nothing before ,i submitted to that     
treatment6 ,it is humble itself1 but it 
puffed up my vanity and increased my    
pride tenfold--then it set me free1 but 

so weak1 so wearied1 that ,i have never 
since been able to conquer that         
inanition1 never have been fit to enjoy 
the ,mystical ,nourishment which ,i     
nevertheless must have if ,i am not to  
die to ,god6  ,and for the hundredth    
time he asked himself1--  ,am ,i happier
 than ,i was before ,i was converted8   
,and to be truthful to himself he was   
bound to answer ,yes4 ,he lived on the  
whole a ,christian life1 prayed but     
badly1 but at any rate prayed without   
ceasing2 only--only--,alas6 ,how        
worm-eaten1 how arid were the poor      
recesses of his soul6 ,he wondered1 with
 anguish1 whether they would not end    
like the ,manor in ,edgar ,poe's tale1  
by crumbling suddenly1 one fatal day1   
into the dark waters of the pool of sin 
which was undermining the walls4        
,having reached this stage of his round 
of meditations1 he was compelled to     
throw himself on the ,abbe ,gevresin1   
who required him1 in spite of his       
coldness1 to take the ,communion4 ,since

 his return from ,notre ,dame de l',atre
 his friendship with the ,abbe had      
become much closer1 altogether intimate4
  ,he knew now the inner man of this    
priest1 who1 in the midst of modern     
surroundings1 led a purely mediaeval    
life4 ,formerly1 when he rang at his    
bell1 he had paid no heed to the        
housekeeper1 an old woman1 who curtsied 
to him without a word when she opened   
the door4  ,now he was quite friendly   
with this singular and loving creature4 
,their first conversation had arisen one
 day when he called to see the ,abbe1   
who was ill4 ,seated by the bedside1    
with spectacles on the alert at the tip 
of her nose1 she was kissing1 one by    
one1 the pious prints that illustrated a
 book wrapped in black cloth4 ,she      
begged him to be seated1 and then1      
closing the volume1 and replacing her   
spectacles1 she had joined in the       
conversation2 and he had left the room  
quite amazed by this woman1 who         
addressed the ,abbe as ,father1 and     

spoke quite simply of her intercourse   
with ,jesus and the ,saints as if it    
were a natural thing4 ,she seemed to    
live in perfect friendship with them1   
and spoke of them as of companions with 
whom she chatted without any            
embarrassment4  ,then the countenance of
 this woman1 whom the priest introduced 
to him as ,madame ,celeste ,bavoil1 was1
 strange to say1 the least of it4 ,she  
was thin and upright1 but short4 ,in    
profile1 with her strong ,roman nose and
 set lips1 she had the fleshless mask of
 a dead ,caesar2 but1 seen in front1 the
 sternness of the features was softened 
into a familiar peasant's face1 and     
melted into the kindliness of an old    
nun1 quite out of keeping with the      
solemn strength of her features4  ,it   
seemed as though with that clean-cut1   
imperious nose1 small white teeth1 and  
black eyes sparkling with light1 busy   
and inquisitive as those of a mouse1    
under fine long lashes1 the woman ought1
 notwithstanding her age1 to have been  

handsome2 it seemed at least as though  
the combination of these details would  
have given the face a stamp of          
distinction4 ,not so2 the conclusion was
 false to the premises2 the whole       
betrayed the combined effect of the     
details4  ,this contradiction1 thought  
he1 evidently is the result of other    
peculiarities which nullify the harmony 
of the more important features2 in the  
first place the thinness of the cheeks  
and their hue of old wood dotted here   
and there with freckles1 calm stains of 
the colour of stale bran2 then the flat 
braids of white hair drawn smooth under 
a frilled cap1 and finally the modest   
dress1 a black dress clumsily made1     
dragging across the bosom1 and showing  
the lines of her stays stamped in relief
 on the back4  ,and perhaps1 in her1 it 
is not so much incongruity of features1 
as a crying contrast between the dress  
and the face1 the head and the body1    
thought he4  ,altogether1 as he summed  
her up1 she was equally suggestive of   

the chapel and the fields4 ,thus she had
 something of the ,sister and something 
of the peasant4  ,yes1 he went on to    
himself1 that is very near the mark2 but
 that is not all1 for she is both less  
dignified and less common1 inferior and 
yet more worthy4 ,seen from behind she  
is more like a woman who hires out the  
chairs in church than like a nun2 seen  
in front she is conspicuously superior  
to the natives of the soil4 ,also it may
 be noted that when she speaks of the   
saints she is loftier1 quite different2 
she soars up in a flame of the spirit4  
,but all these hypotheses are in vain1  
he concluded1 for ,i cannot judge of her
 from one brief impression1 one rapid   
view4 ,what is quite certain is that1   
though she is not in the least like the 
,abbe1 she too is in two halves--two    
persons in one4 ,he1 with the innocent  
gaze1 the pure eyes of a girl at her    
first ,communion1 has the sometimes     
bitter mouth of an old man2 she is proud
 of feature and humble of heart2 they   

both1 though by different outward signs 
and acts1 achieve the same result1 an   
identical semblance of paternal         
indulgence and mature goodness4  ,and   
,durtal had gone again and again to see 
them4 ,his reception was always the     
same2 ,madame ,bavoil greeted him with  
the invariable formula3 ,here is our    
friend1 while the priest's eyes smiled  
as he grasped his hand4 ,whenever he saw
 ,madame ,bavoil she was praying3 over  
her stove1 when she sat mending1 while  
she was dusting the furniture1 as she   
opened the door1 she was always telling 
her rosary1 without pause4  ,the chief  
delight of this rather silent woman     
consisted in talking of the ,virgin to  
whom she had vowed worship2 on the other
 hand she could quote by memory long    
passages from a mystic and somewhat     
eccentric writer of the end of the      
sixteenth century3 ,jeanne ,chezard de  
,matel1 the foundress of the ,order of  
the ,incarnate ,word1 an ,institution of
 which the ,sisters display a           

conspicuous costume--a white dress held 
round the waist by a belt of scarlet    
leather1 a red cloak and a              
blood-coloured scapulary on which the   
name of ,jesus is embroidered in blue   
silk1 with a crown of thorns1 a heart   
pierced with three nails1 and the words 
,amor ,meus4  ,at first ,durtal thought 
,madame ,bavoil slightly crazy1 and     
while she poured out a passage by       
,jeanne de ,matel on ,saint ,joseph1 he 
looked at the priest--who gave no sign4 
,then ,madame ,bavoil is a saint8 he    
asked one morning when they were alone4 
,my dear ,madame ,bavoil is a pillar of 
prayer1 replied the ,abbe gravely4  ,and
 one afternoon1 when ,gevresin was away 
in his turn1 ,durtal questioned the     
woman4  ,she gave him an account of her 
long pilgrimages across ,europe1        
pilgrimages that she had spent years in 
making on foot1 begging her way by the  
roadside4  ,wherever the ,virgin had a  
sanctuary1 thither she went1 a bundle of
 clothing in one hand1 an umbrella in   

the other1 an iron ,crucifix on her     
breast1 a rosary at her waist4 ,by a    
reckoning which she had kept from day to
 day she had thus travelled ten thousand
 five hundred leagues on foot4  ,then   
old age had come on1 and she had lost   
her old powers1 as she said2 ,heaven had
 formerly guided her by inward voices1  
fixing the dates of these expeditions2  
but journeying was no longer required of
 her4 ,she had been sent to live with   
the ,abbe that she might rest2 but her  
manner of life had been laid down for   
her once for all3 her bed a straw       
mattress on wooden planks2 her food such
 rustic and monastic fare as beseemed   
her1 milk1 honey and bread1 and at      
seasons of penance she was to substitute
 water for milk4  ,and you never take   
any other nourishment8  ,never4 ,and    
then she would add1--  ,aha6 our friend1
 you see ,i am in disgrace up there6 and
 she would laugh cheerfully at herself  
and her appearance ,if you had but seen 
me when ,i came back from ,spain1 where 

,i went to visit ,our ,lady of the      
,pillar at ,saragoza6 ,i was a negress4 
,with my large ,crucifix on my breast1  
my gown looking like a nun's--every one 
asked3 ',what can that woman be8' ,i    
looked like a charcoal-burner out for a 
holiday2 no white to be seen but my cap1
 collar and cuffs2 all the rest--face1  
hands and petticoats--quite black4  ,but
 you must have been very dull travelling
 about alone8  ,not at all1 our friend1 
the ,saints kept me company on the way2 
they told me at which house ,i should   
find a lodging for the night1 and ,i was
 sure of being well received4  ,and you 
never were refused hospitality8  ,never4
 ,to be sure ,i did not ask for much2   
when ,i was wandering ,i only begged for
 a piece of bread and a glass of water1 
and to rest on a truss of straw in the  
cow-house4  ,and ,father ,gevresin--how 
did you first know him8  ,that is quite 
a long story4 ,fancy6 ,heaven1 as a     
punishment1 deprived me of the          
,communion for a year and three months  

to a day4 ,when ,i confessed to a       
priest1 ,i owned to my intercourse with 
,our ,saviour1 and the ,virgin and the  
,angels2 then he at once treated me as a
 mad woman1 unless he accused me of     
being possessed by the devil2 to        
conclude1 he refused me absolution1 and 
,i thought myself happy if he did not   
slam the little wicket of the           
confessional roughly in my face at my   
very first words4  ,i believe ,i should 
have died of grief if the ,lord had not 
at last had pity on me4 ,one ,saturday1 
when ,i was in ,paris1 ,he sent me to   
,notre ,dame des ,victoires1 where the  
,father was in the confessional4 ,he    
listened to me1 he put me through long  
and severe tests1 and then he granted me
 ,communion4 ,i often went to him again 
as a penitent1 and then the niece who   
kept house for him retired into a       
convent1 and ,i took her place2 and ,i  
have been his housekeeper near on ten   
years now--  ,she told her story with   
many breaks4 ,since she had ceased to   

wander about the country1 she followed  
the pilgrimages in ,paris in honour of  
the ,blessed ,virgin1 and she had a list
 of the most popular sanctuaries3       
,notre-,dame des ,victoires1            
,notre-,dame de ,paris2 ,our ,lady of   
,good ,hope at ,saint-,severin1 of      
,ever-present ,help at ,l',abbaye au    
,bois1 of ,peace at the convent in the  
,rue ,picpus1 of the ,sick at the church
 of ,saint-,laurent1 of ,happy          
,deliverance--a black ,virgin from the  
church of ,saint-,etienne des ,gres--in 
the care of the ,sisters of             
,saint-,thomas de ,villeneuve1 ,rue de  
,sevres2 and outside ,paris the shrines 
in the suburbs3 ,our ,lady of ,miracles 
at ,saint-,maur1 of the ,angels at      
,bondy1 of the ,virtues at              
,aubervilliers1 of ,good ,keeping at    
,long ,pont1 and those of ,notre-,dame  
at ,spire1 at ,pontoise1 c4  ,on another
 occasion1 as he seemed suspicious of   
the severity of the rule imposed on her 
by ,christ1 she replied1--  ,remember1  

our friend1 what happened to an         
illustrious handmaid of the ,lord1      
,maria d',agreda2 being very ill1 she   
yielded to the wishes of her daughters  
in the faith and sucked a mouthful of   
chicken1 but she was forthwith reproved 
by ,jesus1 who said to her3 ',i will not
 have my ,spouses dainty4'  ,well1 and  
,i should run the risk of a similar     
reproof1 if ,i attempted to touch a     
morsel of meat or to drink a drop of    
coffee or wine4  ,and yet1 said ,durtal 
to himself as he came away1 it is quite 
evident that the woman is not mad4 ,she 
has nothing the matter with her1 either 
hysterical or mental3 she is fragile and
 very thin1 but she is scarcely nervous1
 and in spite of the laconic character  
of her meals she is in very good health1
 indeed is never ailing2 nay more1 she  
is a woman of good sense and an         
admirable manager4 ,up by daybreak1     
after ,communion she soaps and washes   
all the linen herself1 makes the sheets 
and shirts1 mends the ,abbe's gowns1 and

 lives with amazing economy1 while      
taking care that her master wants for   
nothing4 ,such a sagacious apprehension 
of the conduct of life has no connection
 with lunacy or delirium4  ,he knew too 
that she would never take any wages4 ,it
 is true that in the sight of a world   
which gives its whole mind to legalized 
larceny this woman's disinterestedness  
might be enough to prove her insanity2  
but ,durtal1 in contradiction to        
received ideas1 did not think that a    
contempt for money was necessarily      
allied with madness1 and the more he    
thought of it the more was he convinced 
that she was a saint1 and not a         
strait-laced saint1 but indulgent and   
cheerful4  ,what he could positively    
assert was that she was very good to    
him2 ever since his return from ,la     
,trappe she had helped him in every way1
 encouraging his spirits when she saw   
him depressed1 and going1 in spite of   
his protesting1 to look over his        
wardrobe when she suspected that there  

might be sutures to operate upon1 and   
buttons to replace4  ,this intimacy had 
become even closer since their life in  
common1 all three together1 on the      
occasion of ,durtal's accompanying them1
 at their entreaty1 to ,la ,salette4    
,and then suddenly their affectionate   
familiarity was endangered1 for the     
,abbe ,gevresin left ,paris4  ,the      
,bishop of ,chartres died1 and his      
successor was one of ,gevresin's oldest 
friends4 ,on the very day when the ,abbe
 ,le ,tilloy des ,mofflaines was        
promoted to the episcopal throne1 he    
begged ,gevresin to accompany him to    
,chartres4 ,there was an anxious        
struggle in the old priest's mind4 ,he  
was ailing1 weary1 good for nothing1 and
 at the bottom of his heart longed only 
never to move2 but on the other hand he 
had not the courage to refuse his poor  
support to ,monseigneur des ,mofflaines4
 ,he tried to mollify the prelate by his
 advanced age1 but the ,bishop would not
 listen2 all he would concede was that1 

instead of being appointed              
,vicar-general1 the ,abbe should be no  
more than a ,canon4 ,still ,gevresin    
mildly shook his head4 ,finally the     
prelate had his way1 appealing to his   
friend's charity1 and declaring that he 
ought to accept the post1 in the last   
resort as a mortification and penance4  
,and when his departure was decided on1 
it became the ,abbe's turn to circumvent
 ,durtal and persuade him to leave      
,paris and come to settle near him at   
,chartres4  ,although he was deeply     
grieved at this move1 which he had done 
his utmost to hinder1 ,durtal was       
refractory1 and refused to bury himself 
in a country town4  ,but why1 our       
friend1 said ,madame ,bavoil1 ,i wonder 
why you are so obstinately bent on      
remaining here2 you live in perfect     
solitude at home with your books4 ,you  
can do the same if you come with us4    
,and when1 his arguments exhausted1     
after a vehement diatribe against       
provincial life1 ,durtal ended by       

saying1--  ,then at ,paris there are the
 quays1 ,saint ,severin1 ,notre ,dame2  
there are delightful convents--  ,you   
would find equally good things at       
,chartres1 answered the ,abbe4 ,you will
 have one of the finest cathedrals in   
the world1 monasteries such as you love1
 and as for books1 your library is so   
well furnished that ,i can hardly think 
that you can add to it by wandering     
along the quays4 ,besides1 as you know  
even better than ,i1 no work of the     
class you seek is ever to be disinterred
 from the boxes of second-hand books4   
,their titles figure only in the        
catalogues of sales1 and there is       
nothing to hinder their being sent to   
you at ,chartres4  ,i do not deny       
it--but there are other things on the   
quays besides old books2 there are      
curiosities to be seen1 and the         
,seine--a landscape--  ,well1 if you are
 homesick for that particular walk1 you 
have only to take a train1 and spend a  
whole afternoon lounging by the parapet 

over the river2 it is easy to get from  
,chartres to ,paris2 there are express  
trains morning and evening which make   
the journey in less than two hours4     
,and besides1 cried ,madame ,bavoil1    
what does all that matter8 ,the great   
thing is that you leave a town just like
 any other town1 to inhabit the very    
home of the ,virgin4 ,just think6 ,notre
 ,dame de ,sous-,terre is the most      
ancient chapel to ,mary in all ,france2 
think6 you will live near ,her1 with    
,her1 and ,she will load you with       
mercies6  ,and after all1 the ,abbe went
 on1 this exile cannot interfere with   
any of your schemes in art4 ,you talk of
 writing the ,lives of ,saints2 will you
 not work at them far better in the     
silence of the country than in the      
uproar of ,paris8  ,the country--the    
provinces6 ,the mere idea overpowers me1
 exclaimed ,durtal4 ,if you could but   
imagine the impression it suggests to   
me1 the sort of atmosphere1 the kind of 
smell it presents to my brain4 ,you know

 the huge cupboards you find in old     
houses1 with double doors1 and lined    
within with blue paper that is always   
damp4 ,well1 at the mere name of the    
provinces ,i feel as if one of these    
were opened in my face1 and ,i got a    
full blast of the stuffiness that comes 
out of it6--,and to put the finishing   
touch to the vision by combining taste  
and smell1 ,i have only to bite one of  
the biscuits they make nowadays of ,lord
 knows what1 reeking the moment you     
taste them1 of fish glue and plaster    
that has been rained upon1 ,i have only 
to eat that cold1 insipid paste and     
sniff at a musty closet1 and at once the
 lugubrious picture rises before me of  
some ,godforsaken place6--,your         
,chartres will no doubt smell like      
that--,pah6  ,oh1 oh6 cried ,madame     
,bavoil4 ,but you cannot know much about
 it1 since you have never been to the   
place4  ,let him be6 said the ,abbe1    
laughing4 ,he will get over his         
prejudices4 ,and he went on1--  ,just   

explain this inconsistency3 here is a   
,parisian who likes his city so little  
that he seeks out the most deserted nook
 to live in1 the quietest1 the least    
frequented1 the spot that is most like a
 provincial retreat4 ,he has a horror of
 the ,boulevards1 of public promenades1 
and of theatres2 he buries himself in a 
hole1 and stops his ears that he may not
 hear the noises around him2 but1 when  
he has a chance of improving on this    
scheme of existence1 of ripening in real
 silence far from the crowd1 when he can
 invert the conditions of life1 and1    
instead of being a provincial ,parisian1
 can become a ,parisian of the          
provinces1 he shies and kicks6  ,it is a
 fact1 ,durtal admitted when he was     
alone1 a positive fact that the capital 
is unprofitable to me4 ,i never see     
anybody now1 and shall be reduced to    
still more utter solitude when these    
friends are gone4 ,i shall1 for all     
purposes1 be quite as well off at       
,chartres2 ,i can study at my ease amid 

peaceful surroundings1 within reach of a
 cathedral of far greater interest than 
,notre ,dame de ,paris4 ,and            
besides--besides--there is another      
question of which the ,abbe ,gevresin   
says nothing1 but which disturbs me     
greatly4 ,if ,i remain here1 alone1 ,i  
shall have to find a new confessor1 to  
wander through the churches1 just as ,i 
wander through work-a-day life in search
 of dining-places and tables d'hote4    
,no1 no2 ,i have had enough at last of  
this day-by-day diet1 spiritual and     
material6 ,i have found a boarding-house
 for my soul where it is content1 and it
 may stay there6  ,and there is yet     
another argument4 ,i can live more      
inexpensively at ,chartres1 and1 without
 spending more than ,i spend here1 ,i   
can settle myself once for all1 dine    
with my feet on my own fender1 and be   
waited on6  ,so he had ended by deciding
 to follow his two friends1 and had     
secured fairly spacious rooms facing the
 ,cathedral2 and then he1 who had always

 lived cramped in tiny apartments1 at   
last understood the provincial comfort  
of vast spaces and books ranged against 
the walls1 with ample elbow-room4       
,madame ,bavoil had found him a servant1
 familiar and voluble indeed1 but a good
 and pious woman4 ,and he had begun his 
new existence lost in constant amazement
 at that wonderful ,cathedral1 the only 
one he had never before seen1 probably  
because it was so near ,paris1 and1 like
 all ,parisians1 he never took the      
trouble to set out on any but longer    
journeys4 ,the town itself seemed to him
 devoid of interest1 having but one     
secluded walk1 a little embankment      
where1 below the suburbs and near the   
old ,guillaume ,gate1 washerwomen sang  
while they soaped the linen in a stream 
that blossomed1 as they rubbed1 with    
flecks of iridescent bubbles4  ,hence he
 determined to walk out only very early 
in the morning or in the evening2 then  
he could dream alone in the town1 which 
by the afternoon was already half dead4 

,the ,abbe and his housekeeper were     
lodged in the episcopal palace1 under   
the shadow of the ,cathedral apse4 ,they
 occupied a first floor1 with nothing   
over it1 above some empty stables2 a row
 of cold1 tiled rooms which the ,bishop 
had had redecorated4  ,some time after  
their arrival at ,chartres the ,abbe had
 replied to ,durtal1 who had remarked   
that he was anxious1--  ,yes1 ,i am     
certainly going through a difficult     
time2 ,i have had to live down certain  
prejudices--but indeed ,i was prepared  
for them4 ,and that was another reason  
why ,i did not wish to leave ,paris4    
,but the ,blessed ,virgin is good6      
,everything is coming right--  ,and when
 ,durtal persisted1--  ,as you may      
suppose1 said the priest1 the           
appointment of a ,canon from another    
diocese was not looked upon with        
indifferent eyes by the clergy of       
,chartres4 ,such suspicions with regard 
to an unknown priest brought by a new   
,bishop are not after all unnatural2 it 

is inevitably feared that he may play   
the part of a ruler without a robe2 each
 one is on his guard1 and they sift his 
least word and pick over his least      
action4  ,and then1 said ,durtal1 is it 
not another mouth to feed out of the    
wretched pittance allowed by the ,state8
  ,so far as that goes1 no4 ,i draw no  
stipend1 and damage no man's interest2  
in fact ,i would not accept it4 ,the    
only pecuniary advantage ,i derive from 
being about the ,bishop's person is that
 ,i have no rent to pay1 since ,i am    
lodged for nothing in the episcopal     
building4  ,i could not in any case have
 drawn a stipend1 for the allowance     
granted to ,canons by the ,government   
has ceased to be given1 since a measure 
was passed1 on ,march #bbnd1 #ahhe1     
decreeing the suppression of such       
emoluments as the incumbents died off4  
,hence only those who held such         
benefices before the passing of the law 
now draw on the funds devoted to the    
maintenance of the ,church2 and they are

 dying off one by one1 so that the time 
is fast approaching when there will not 
be a single ,canon left who is salaried 
by the ,state4 ,in some dioceses these  
lapsed benefices are compensated for by 
the revenues from some religious        
foundation1 or1 as you may call it1 a   
prebend4 ,but there are none at         
,chartres4 ,the ,chapter has at the     
utmost the use of a varying income which
 it divides among those who have no     
benefice1 giving them1 good years with  
bad1 a sum of about three hundred francs
 each1 and that is all4  ,and the       
,canons have no perquisites8  ,none     
whatever4  ,then ,i wonder how they     
live4  ,if they have no private fortune 
they live more penuriously than the     
poorest labourers in ,chartres4 ,most of
 them simply vegetate2 some perform     
,mass for ,sisterhoods1 or are convent  
chaplains1 but that brings in very      
little1 two hundred or two hundred and  
fifty francs perhaps4 ,another holds the
 post of secretary to the diocese1 by   

which he gets rooms and as much1        
perhaps1 as six hundred francs4 ,yet    
another conducts the services of the    
holy week known as the ,voice of ,our   
,lady of ,chartres1 and acts as         
precentor2 and some find employment as  
the ,bishop's officials4 ,each one1 in  
short1 has a struggle to earn his food  
and lodging4  ,what exactly is a ,canon2
 what are his functions1 and the origin 
of his office8  ,the origin8 ,it is lost
 in the night of ages4 ,it is supposed  
that ,colleges of ,canons existed in the
 time of ,pepin le ,bref2 it is at any  
rate certain that during his reign      
,saint ,chrodegang1 ,bishop of ,metz1   
assembled the clerks of his cathedral   
and obliged them to live together1 in a 
house in common1 as though it were a    
convent1 under a rule of which          
,charlemagne makes mention in his       
,capitularies4--,a ,canon's functions8  
,they consist in the solemn celebration 
of the ,canonical services1 and the     
direction of all processions4 ,as a     

matter of conscience every ,canon is    
required in the first place to reside in
 the town where the church is situated  
to whose service he is attached2 then to
 be present at the ,canonical hours when
 ,mass is said2 finally to sit on the   
meetings of the ,chapter on certain     
fixed days4 ,but to tell the truth1     
their part has almost fallen into       
desuetude4 ,the ,council of ,trent      
speaks of them as the ',senatus         
,ecclesiae1' the ,senate of the ,church1
 and they then formed the necessary     
,council of the ,bishop4 ,in these days 
the prelates do not even consult them4  
,they only exercise a small part of     
their lost prerogatives when the ,see is
 vacant4 ,at that time the ,chapter acts
 in the place of the ,bishop1 and even  
then its rights are greatly restricted4 
,as it has not ,episcopal ,orders1 it   
can exercise none of the powers inherent
 in them4 ,it cannot consequently ordain
 or confirm4  ,and if the ,see remains  
long vacant8  ,then the ,chapter        

requests the ,bishop of a neighbouring  
diocese to ordain its seminarists1 and  
confirm the children it presents to him4
 ,in short1 as you see1 a ,canon is not 
a very important gentleman4  ,i am not  
speaking1 of course1 of ,honorary       
,canons1 or ,titular ,canons4 ,they have
 no duties to fulfil2 they merely enjoy 
an honorary title which allows them to  
wear the ,canon's hood1 by permission of
 their own ,bishop when1 as frequently  
happens1 they belong to another diocese4
  ,the ,chapter of this ,cathedral of   
,chartres is said to have been founded  
in the sixth century by ,saint ,lubin4  
,it then consisted of seventy-two       
,canons1 and the number was added to1   
for when the ,revolution broke out it   
amounted to seventy-six1 and included   
seventeen dignitaries3 the ,dean1 the   
sub-,dean1 the ,precentor1 the          
sub-,precentor1 the chief ,archdeacon of
 ,chartres1 the ,archdeacons of         
,beauce-en-,dunois1 of ,dreux1 of ,le   
,pincerais1 of ,vendome1 and of ,blois2 

the gatekeeper1 the ,chancellor1 the    
,provosts of ,normandy1 of ,mezangey1 of
 ,ingre1 and of ,auvers2 and the        
,chancel ,warden4 ,these priests1 most  
of them men of family and wealth1 were a
 nursery ground of ,bishops2 they owned 
all the houses round the ,cathedral and 
lived independently in their cloister1  
devoting themselves to history1         
theology1 and the ,canon law--they are  
now indeed fallen6  ,the ,abbe was      
silent1 shaking his head4 ,then he went 
on1--  ,to return to my subject--,i was 
naturally somewhat hurt by the coldness 
,i met with on my arrival at ,chartres4 
,as ,i told you1 ,i had to allay many   
apprehensions4 ,but ,i think ,i have    
succeeded4 ,and ,i thank ,god1 too1 for 
having given me a valuable supporter in 
the person of a subordinate priest of   
the ,cathedral1 who has done me         
invaluable service with my              
colleagues--the ,abbe ,plomb2 do you    
know him8  ,no4  ,he is a highly        
intelligent priest1 very learned1 a     

passionate mystic1 thoroughly acquainted
 with the ,cathedral1 of which he has   
examined every corner4  ,ah ha6 ,i am   
interested in that priest6 ,perhaps he  
is one of those ,i have already noticed4
 ,what is he like8  ,short1 young1 pale1
 slightly marked with the small-pox1    
with spectacles that you may recognize  
by this peculiarity3 the arch which     
rests on the nose is shaped like a loop1
 or1 if you choose to say so1 like a    
horseman's legs astride in the saddle4  
,that man6--and ,durtal1 left to        
himself1 thought about the priest whom  
he had repeatedly seen in the church or 
the square4  ,certainly1 said he to     
himself1 there is always the risk of a  
mistake when we judge of people by      
appearances2 but how startling is the   
truth of that commonplace remark when   
applied to the clergy6 ,this ,abbe      
,plomb looks like a scared sacristan2 he
 goes about gaping at invisible crows1  
and he seems so ill at ease1 so loutish1
 so awkward--and this is our learned man

 and devoted mystic1 in love with his   
,cathedral6 ,certainly it is not safe to
 judge of an ,abbe from appearances4    
,now that it is to be my fate to live in
 this clerical world1 ,i must begin by  
throwing prejudice overboard1 and wait  
till ,i know all the priests of the     
diocese1 before allowing myself to form 
an opinion of them4     ,,chapter ,,iii4
   ,in point of fact1 said ,durtal to   
himself as he stood dreaming on the     
market-place1 no one exactly knows what 
was the origin of the ,gothic forms of a
 cathedral4 ,archaeologists and         
architects have exhausted hypotheses and
 systems in vain2 they seem to agree in 
attributing the ,romanesque to ,oriental
 parentage1 and that in fact maybe      
proven4 ,that the ,romanesque should be 
an offshoot of the ,latin and ,byzantine
 styles1 and be1 as ,quicherat defines  
it1 'the style which has ceased to be   
,roman and is not yet ,gothic1 though it
 already has something of the ,gothic1' 
,i am ready to admit2 and indeed1 on    

examining the capitals1 and studying    
their outline and drawing1 we perceive  
that they are ,assyrian or ,persian     
rather than ,roman or ,byzantine and    
,gothic2 but as to discovering the      
paternity even of the pointed and       
flamboyant styles1 that is quite another
 thing4 ,some writers assert that the   
pointed arch based on an equilateral    
triangle existed in ,egypt1 ,syria1 and 
,persia2 others regard it as descended  
from ,saracen and ,arab art2 nothing    
certainly is provable4  ,again1 it must 
be clearly stated that the pointed      
equilateral arch1 which some persons    
still suppose to be the distinctive     
characteristic of an era in             
architecture1 is not so in fact1 as     
,quicherat has very clearly             
demonstrated1 and1 since him1 ,lecoy de 
la ,marche4 ,the study of archives has1 
on this point1 completely overset the   
hobbies of architects1 and demolished   
the twaddle of the ,bonzes4 ,besides1   
there is abundant evidence of the       

employment of the pointed arch side by  
side with the round arch in a perfectly 
systematic design1 in the construction  
of many ,romanesque churches2 in the    
,cathedrals of ,avignon and ,frejus1 in 
,notre ,dame at ,aries1 in ,saint ,front
 at ,perigueux1 at ,saint ,martin       
d',ainay1 at ,lyon1 in ,saint ,martin   
des ,champs in ,paris1 in ,saint        
,etienne at ,beauvais1 in the ,cathedral
 of ,le ,mans2 and in ,burgundy1 at     
,vezelay1 at ,beaune1 in ,saint         
,philibert at ,dijon1 at ,la            
,charite-sur-,loire1 in ,saint ,ladre at
 ,autun1 and in most of the basilicas   
erected by the monastic school of       
,cluny4  ,still1 all this throws no     
light on the lineage of the ,gothic1    
which remains obscure--possibly because 
it is perfectly clear2 setting aside the
 theory which restricts itself to       
discerning in this question a merely    
material and technical problem of       
stability and resistance1 solved by     
monks who discovered one fine day that  

the strength of their roofs would be    
increased by the adoption of the        
mitre-shaped vaulting of the pointed    
arch instead of the semicircular arch1  
would it not seem that the romantic     
hypothesis--,chateaubriand's            
explanation--which was so much laughed  
at1 and which is nevertheless the       
simplest and the most natural1 may      
really be the most obvious and the true 
one8  ,to me1 thought ,durtal1 it is    
almost certain that it was in the forest
 that man found the prototype of the    
nave and the pointed arch4 ,the most    
amazing cathedral constructed by ,nature
 herself1 with lavish outlay of the     
pointed aisle of branches1 is at        
,jumieges4 ,there1 close to the splendid
 ruins of the ,abbey1 where the two     
towers are still intact1 while the      
roofless nave1 carpeted with flowers1   
ends in a chancel of foliage shut in by 
an apse of trees1 three vast aisles of  
centenary boles extend in parallel      
lines2 one in the middle1 very wide1 the

 two others1 one on each side1 somewhat 
narrower2 they exactly represent a      
church nave with its two side aisles1   
upheld by black columns and roofed with 
verdure4 ,the ribs of the arches are    
accurately represented by the branches  
which meet above1 as the columns which  
support them are simulated by the great 
shafts4 ,it must be seen in winter1 with
 the groining outlined and powdered with
 snow1 and the pillars as white as the  
trunks of birch-trees1 to understand the
 primitive idea1 the seed of art which  
could give rise in the mind of an       
architect to the conception of similar  
arcades1 and lead to the gradual        
refining of the ,romanesque till the    
pointed arch had entirely superseded the
 round4  ,and there is not a park1      
whether older or more recent than the   
groves of ,jumieges1 which does not     
exhibit the same forms with equal       
exactitude2 but what ,nature could not  
give was the prodigious art1 the deep   
symbolical knowledge1 the over-strung   

but tranquil mysticism of the believers 
who erected cathedrals4 ,but for them   
the church in its rough-hewn state1 as  
,nature had formed it1 was but a        
soulless thing1 a sketch1 rudimentary2  
the embryo only of a basilica1 varying  
with the seasons and the days1 at once  
living and inert1 awaking only to the   
roaring organ of the wind1 the swaying  
roof of boughs wrung with the slightest 
breath2 it was lax and often sullen2 the
 yielding victim of the breeze1 the     
resigned slave of the rain2 it was      
lighted only by the sunshine that       
filtered between the diamond and        
heart-shaped leaves1 as if through the  
meshes of a green network4 ,man's genius
 collected the scattered gleams1        
condensed them in roses and broad       
blades1 to pour it into his avenues of  
white shafts2 and even in the darkest   
weather the glass was splendid1 catching
 the very last rays of sunset1 dressing 
,christ and the ,virgin in the most     
fabulous magnificence1 and almost       

realizing on earth the only attire that 
beseems the glorified ,body1 a robe of  
mingled flame4  ,really1 when you come  
to think of it1 a cathedral is a        
superhuman thing6  ,starting in our     
lands from the old ,roman crypt1 from   
the vault1 crushed like the soul by     
humility and fear1 and bowed before the 
infinite ,majesty whose praise they     
hardly dared to sing1 the churches      
gradually waxed bolder2 they gave an    
upward spring to the semicircular arch1 
lengthening it to an almond shape1      
leaping from the earth1 uplifting roofs1
 heightening naves1 breaking out into a 
thousand sculptured forms all round the 
choir1 and flinging heavenward1 like    
prayers1 their rapturous piles of       
stones6 ,they symbolized the loving     
tenderness of orisons2 they became more 
trusting1 more playful1 more daring in  
the sight of ,god4  ,each and all seemed
 to smile1 as soon as they gave up their
 dismal skeleton and strove upwards4    
,the ,romanesque1 ,i fancy1 must have   

been born old1 ,durtal went on after a  
pause4 ,at any rate it has always       
remained gloomy and timid4  ,although at
 ,jumieges1 for instance1 it has        
attained grandiose dimensions with its  
enormous span opening like a vast portal
 to the sky1 it still is depressing4    
,the semicircular arch1 in fact1 bends  
to the earth1 for it has not the point1 
soaring upwards1 of the lancet arch4    
,oh6 to think of the tears1 the dolorous
 murmurs of those thick partitions1     
those smoky vaults1 those arches resting
 on squat pillars1 those almost         
speechless blocks of stone1 those sober 
ornaments expressing their symbolism so 
curtly6 ,the ,romanesque is the ,la     
,trappe of architecture2 we find it     
sheltering the austerest ,orders1 the   
sternest ,brotherhoods1 kneeling in     
ashes1 and chanting in an undertone with
 bowed heads none but penitential       
,psalms4 ,these massive cellars speak of
 the fear of sin1 but also of the dread 
of a ,god whose wrath could only be     

appeased by the ,advent of the ,son4    
,the ,romanesque seems to have preserved
 from its ,oriental origin an element   
antedating the ,birth of ,christ2 prayer
 seems to rise there to the implacable  
,adonai rather than to the pitying      
,infant1 the gentle ,mother4 ,the       
,gothic1 on the contrary1 is less timid1
 more captivated by the two other       
,persons and the ,virgin2 it is the home
 of less rigorous and more artistic     
,orders4 ,bowed shoulders are           
straightened1 downcast eyes are raised1 
sepulchral voices become seraphic4 ,it  
is1 in fact1 the expansion of the       
spirit1 while the ,romanesque symbolizes
 its repression4 ,at least1 to me1 that 
is the interpretation of these styles1  
,durtal repeated to himself4  ,nor is   
that all1 he went on4 ,yet another      
distinction may be deduced from these   
observations4  ,the ,romanesque is      
allegorical of the ,old ,testament1 as  
the ,gothic is of the ,new4  ,the       
parallel1 when you consider it1 is      

exact4 ,is not the ,bible--the          
inflexible ,book of ,jehovah1 the awful 
,code of the ,father1 well expressed by 
the stern and penitential ,romanesque2  
and the consoling1 tender ,gospel by the
 ,gothic1 full of effusiveness and      
invitation1 full of humble hope8  ,if   
the symbols are these1 it would seem    
that time very often plays the part of  
man's purpose in evolving the completed 
idea and uniting the two styles1 as1 in 
,holy ,scripture1 the two ,books are    
united2 thus certain cathedrals present 
a very curious result4 ,some1 austere at
 their birth1 are cheerful and even     
smiling as they are completed4 ,all that
 is left of the old ,abbey church of    
,cluny is from this point of view a     
typical instance4 ,this1 next to that of
 ,paray-le-,monial1 which remains       
entire1 is undoubtedly one of the most  
magnificent examples of the ,burgundian 
,romanesque1 which1 with its fluted     
pilasters1 unfortunately betrays the    
distressing tradition of ,greek art     

imported into ,france by the ,romans4   
,still1 allowing that these             
basilicas--which may have been built    
between the eleventh and thirteenth     
centuries--are purely ,romanesque1 as   
,quicherat opines1 mentioning them as   
examples1 their structure is already of 
a mingled type1 and the joyousness of   
the vaulted arch is already to be seen  
there4  ,nor have we here1 as at ,notre 
,dame la ,grande at ,poitiers1 a        
,romanesque facade1 minutely elaborate1 
flanked at each wing by a low tower     
supporting a heavy stone spire cut into 
facets1 like a pine-apple4 ,at ,paray   
there is none of the puerile ornament   
and heavy richness that we see at       
,poitiers4 ,the barbaric dress of the   
little toy church of ,notre ,dame la    
,grande gives way to the winding-sheet  
of a flat wall1 but the exterior is none
 the less remarkably impressive with its
 solemn simplicity of outline4 ,and     
those two square towers1 pierced with   
narrow windows and overlooked by a round

 tower resting so calmly1 so firmly on  
an open arcade of columns joined by     
round arches1 are a belfry at once      
dignified and rustic1 spirited and      
strong4  ,and the august simplicity of  
the exterior is repeated in the interior
 of the church4  ,here1 however1 the    
,romanesque has already lost its        
crushed1 crypt-like character1 its      
obscure aspect as of a ,persian cellar4 
,the strong structural lines are the    
same2 the capitals still display the    
inflorescence of ,mussulman involutions1
 the fabulous entanglements of ,assyrian
 patterns1 reminiscences of ,asiatic art
 transplanted to our soil2 but we       
already see the union of dissimilar     
bays2 columns struggle upwards1 pillars 
are taller1 the wide arches are less    
rigid1 and have a lighter and longer    
trajectory2 and the plain walls1        
enormous but already light1 are pierced 
at prodigious heights with holes        
admitting the day4  ,at ,paray the round
 arch is to be seen in harmony with the 

pointed arch which appears in the higher
 summits of the structure1 announcing   
the advent of a less plaintive phase of 
the soul1 a tenderer and less harsh idea
 of ,christ1 who is preparing1 and      
already revealing1 the ,mother's        
indulgent smile4  ,but then1 said       
,durtal1 suddenly1 to himself1 if my    
theories are correct1 the architecture  
which could1 by itself alone1 symbolize 
,catholicism as a whole1 and represent  
the complete ,bible in both ,testaments1
 must be either ,romanesque with the    
pointed arch1 or a transition style1    
half ,romanesque and half ,gothic4  ,the
 deuce6 thought he1 thus led to an      
unforeseen conclusion4 ,to be sure1 it  
is not necessary perhaps that the church
 itself should offer so complete a      
parallel1 or that the ,old and ,new     
,testaments should be bound up in one   
volume2 here1 indeed1 at ,chartres the  
work1 though integral1 is in two        
separate volumes1 since the crypt on    
which the ,gothic church rests is       

,romanesque4 ,nay1 it is thus even more 
symbolical1 and it emphasizes the idea  
of the windows in which the prophets    
bear on their shoulders the four        
,evangelists2 once more the ,old        
,testament appears as the base1 the     
foundation of the ,new4  ,what a fulcrum
 for dreams is this ,romanesque6 ,durtal
 went on4 ,is it not also the           
smoke-stained shrine1 the gloomy        
retreat1 constructed for black ,virgins8
 ,this seems all the less doubtful      
because all the ,mauresque ,virgins are 
thick-set and heavy2 they are not       
sylphs1 like the fair ,virgins of       
,gothic art4 ,the ,byzantine ,school    
conceived of ,mary as swarthy1 'of the  
hue of polished brown ebony1' as the old
 historians say2 only1 in opposition to 
the text in ,canticles1 it painted or   
carved ,her as black1 indeed1 but not   
comely4 ,thus figured1 ,she is truly a  
gloomy ,virgin1 eternally sorrowing1 in 
harmony with the ,romanesque catacombs4 
,her presence naturally beseems the     

crypt of ,chartres2 but in the          
,cathedral itself1 on the pillar where  
,she stands to this day1 does ,she not  
appear strange8 ,for ,she is not in ,her
 true home under the soaring white      
vault4  ,well1 our friend1 you are      
dreaming6  ,durtal started like a man   
roused from sleep4  ,ah6 ,it is you1    
,madame ,bavoil8  ,to be sure4 ,i am    
going home from market1 and from your   
lodgings4  ,from my lodgings8  ,yes1 to 
invite you to breakfast4 ,the ,abbe     
,plomb's housekeeper is to be out this  
afternoon1 so he is coming to take his  
morning meal with us2 and the ,father   
thought it would be a good opportunity  
to make you acquainted4  ,i am much     
obliged to him2 but ,i must go home and 
tell ,mother ,mesurat1 that she may not 
cook my cutlet4  ,you need not do that1 
as ,i have just come from her2 not      
finding you1 ,i left word and told      
,madame ,mesurat4 ,are you still        
satisfied with her8  ,once upon a time1 
said he1 laughing1 ,i had1 to manage my 

house in ,paris1 one ,sieur ,rateau1 a  
drunkard of the first class1 who turned 
everything upside down1 and led the     
furniture a life6 ,now ,i have this     
worthy woman1 who sets to work on a     
different system1 but the results are   
identically the same4 ,she works by     
persuasion and gentle means2 she does   
not overthrow the furniture1 or bellow  
as she turns the mattress1 or rush at   
the wall with a broom as if she were    
charging with fixed bayonet2 no1 she    
quietly collects the dust and stirs it  
round and ends by piling it in little   
heaps that she hides in the corners of  
the rooms2 she does not rummage the bed1
 but restricts herself to patting it    
with the tip of her fingers1 stroking   
the creases out of the sheets1 puffing  
up the pillows and coaxing them out of  
their hollows4 ,the man turned          
everything topsy-turvy2 she moves       
nothing4  ,well1 well2 but she is a good
 woman6  ,yes1 and in spite of it all1  
,i am glad to have her4  ,as they talked

 they had reached the entrance to the   
,bishop's residence4 ,they went through 
a little gate by the lodge into a large 
forecourt strewn with small river       
pebbles1 in front of a vast building of 
the seventeenth century4 ,there were no 
flowers of stone-work1 no sculpture1 no 
decorative doorways--nothing but a      
frontage of shabby brick and stone1 a   
bare1 uninviting structure evidently    
neglected1 with tall windows1 behind    
which the shutters could be seen1       
painted grey4 ,the entrance was on the  
level of the first floor2 double outside
 steps led up to the door1 and under the
 landing1 in the arch below1 there was a
 glass door1 through which1 framed in   
the square1 could be seen the trunks of 
trees beyond4  ,this courtyard was      
bordered with tall poplars1 which the   
late ,bishop1 who had frequented the    
,tuileries1 used to speak of with a     
smile as his hundred guards4  ,madame   
,bavoil and ,durtal crossed this        
forecourt1 sloping to the left towards a

 wing of the building1 roofed with      
slate4  ,there1 on the first floor1 with
 only a loft above lighted by round     
dormers1 lived the ,abbe ,gevresin4     
,they went up a narrow staircase with a 
rusty iron balustrade4 ,the walls were  
trickling with damp1 they secreted      
drops1 distilled spots like black       
coffee2 the steps were worn hollow1 and 
thin at the ends like spoons2 they led  
up to a door smeared yellow1 with a     
cast-iron knob as black as ink4 ,a      
copper ring swung in the wind at the end
 of a bell-rope1 knocking the chipped   
plaster of the wall4 ,an indescribable  
smell of stale apples and stagnant water
 came up the middle of the staircase    
from the little outer hall below1 which 
was paved with rows of bricks set on    
edge1 eaten into patterns like          
madrepores1 while the ceiling looked    
like a map1 furrowed with seas that were
 traced in yellow by the soaking through
 of the rain4  ,and the ,abbe's little  
apartment1 lately done up with a vile   

red-checked paper1 reeked of the tomb4  
,it was evident that under the shadow of
 the ,cathedral that overhung this wing 
no sunshine ever dried the walls1 of    
which the skirting boards were rotting  
into powder like brown sugar1 crumbling 
slowly1 on the icy cold polish of the   
floor4  ,how sad to see an old man1 a   
victim to rheumatism1 housed here6      
thought ,durtal4  ,when he went into the
 ,abbe's room1 he found the chill       
somewhat taken off by a large coke fire2
 the priest was reading his breviary1   
wrapped in a wadded gown1 close to the  
window1 of which he had drawn back the  
blind to see a little better4  ,this    
room was furnished with a small iron    
bedstead hung with white cotton curtains
 looped back by bands of red cretonne2  
opposite the bed were a table covered   
with a cloth1 and on it a desk1 and a   
prie-dieu below a ,crucifix nailed to   
the wall2 the remainder of the room was 
fitted with bookshelves up to the       
ceiling4 ,three arm-chairs1 such as are 

nowhere to be seen nowadays but in      
religious houses or seminaries1 made of 
walnut wood with straw bottoms like     
church chairs1 were set round the table1
 and two more1 with round rush mats for 
the feet1 stood one on each side of the 
fireplace4 ,on the chimney-shelf was an 
,empire clock between two vases1 and    
from these rose the faded stems of some 
dried grasses stuck upright into sand4  
,come to the fire1 said the ,abbe1 for  
in spite of the brazier it is fearfully 
cold4  ,and in answer to ,durtal1 who   
spoke of his rheumatism1 he resignedly  
shrugged his shoulders4  ,all the       
residence is the same1 said he4         
,monseigneur1 who is almost a cripple1  
could not find a single dry room in the 
whole palace4 ,heaven forgive me1 but ,i
 believe his rooms are even damper than 
mine4 ,in point of fact there ought to  
be hot-air pipes all over the place1 and
 it will never be done for lack of      
money4  ,but at any rate ,monseigneur   
might have stoves put into the rooms1   

here and there4  ,he6 cried the ,abbe1  
laughing1 but he has no private means   
whatever4 ,he draws a stipend of ten    
thousand francs a year and not another  
penny2 for there is no endowment at     
,chartres1 and the revenue from the fees
 on the ecclesiastical ,acts is nothing4
 ,in this rich1 but irreligious town he 
can hope for no assistance2 the gardener
 and porter are paid by him2 he is      
obliged for economy's sake to employ    
,sisters from a convent as cook and     
linen-keeper4 ,add to that his inability
 to keep a carriage1 so that he has to  
hire a conveyance for his pastoral      
rounds4 ,and how much then do you       
suppose he has left to live on1 if you  
deduct his charities8 ,why1 he is poorer
 than you or ,i6  ,but then ,chartres is
 the fag end of ,church preferment1 a   
mere raft for the shipwrecked and       
starving4  ,thou hast said6 ,bishop1    
canons1 priests1 everybody here is      
poverty-stricken4  ,the bell rang1 and  
,madame ,bavoil showed in the ,abbe     

,plomb4 ,durtal recognized him4 ,he     
looked even more scared than usual2 he  
bowed1 backing away1 and did not know   
what to do with his hands1 which he     
buried in his sleeves4  ,by the end of  
half an hour1 when he was more at his   
ease1 he expanded into smiles1 and at   
last he talked2 ,durtal1 much surprised1
 saw that the ,abbe ,gevresin was right4
 ,this priest was highly intelligent and
 well-informed1 and what made the man   
even more attractive was his perfect    
freedom from the want of breeding1 the  
narrow ideas1 the goody nonsense which  
make intercourse so difficult with the  
ecclesiastics in literary circles4      
,they had settled themselves in the     
dining-room1 as dismal a room as the    
rest1 but warmer1 for an earthenware    
stove was roaring and puffing hot gusts 
from its open ventilators4  ,when they  
had eaten their boiled eggs1 the        
conversation1 hitherto discursive as to 
subject1 turned on the ,cathedral4  ,it 
is the fifth erection over a ,druidical 

cave1 said the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,it has a  
strange history4  ,the first1 built at  
the time of the ,apostles by ,bishop    
,aventinus1 was razed to the ground4    
,rebuilt by another ,bishop named       
,castor1 it was partly burnt down by    
,hunaldus ,duke of ,aquitaine1 then     
restored by ,godessaldus2 again injured 
by fire1 by ,hastings1 the ,norman      
chief2 repaired once more by ,gislebert1
 and finally destroyed utterly by       
,richard ,duke of ,normandy when he     
sacked the city after the siege4  ,we   
have no very authentic records of these 
two basilicas2 at most are we certain   
that the ,roman ,governor of the land of
 ,chartres completely destroyed the     
first and at the same time slaughtered a
 great number of ,christians1 among them
 his own daughter ,modesta1 throwing the
 corpses into a well dug near the cave1 
and thence known as le ,puits des       
,saints ,forts4  ,a third fabric1 built 
by ,bishop ,vulphardus1 was burnt down  
in #ajbj1 when ,fulbert was ,bishop1 and

 he founded the fourth ,cathedral4 ,this
 was blasted by lightning in #aaid2     
nothing remained but the two belfries   
and the crypt4  ,the fifth structure1   
finally1 built in the reign of ,philippe
 ,auguste1 when ,regnault de ,moucon was
 ,bishop of ,chartres1 is that we still 
see2 it was consecrated on the #agth of 
,october1 #abfj1 in the presence of     
,saint ,louis4 ,this again has passed   
through the fire4 ,in #aejf the northern
 spire was struck by lightning2 the     
structure was of wood covered with lead2
 a terrific storm raged from six in the 
evening till four in the morning1       
fanning the fire to such violence that  
the six bells were melted like cakes of 
wax4 ,the flames were1 however kept     
within limits1 and the church was       
refitted4 ,but the scourge returned many
 times2 in #aeci1 in #aegc1 and in #aehi
 lightning fell on the new belfry4 ,then
 a century elapsed before the visitation
 was repeated2 in #agja the same spire  
was struck again4  ,it then stood       

uninjured till #ahbe1 when a            
thunder-bolt fell and shook it severely 
on ,whit ,monday while the ,magnificat  
was being chanted at ,vespers4          
,finally1 on the #dth of ,june1 #ahcf1 a
 tremendous fire broke out1 caused by   
the carelessness of two plumbers working
 under the roof4 ,it lasted eleven      
hours1 and destroyed all the timbers1   
the whole forest that supported the     
roof2 it was by a miracle that the      
church was not entirely consumed in this
 fury of fire4  ,you must allow1        
,monsieur1 that there is something      
strange in this disaster without        
respite4  ,yes1 and what is still more  
strange1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin1 ,is  
the persistency of fire from heaven1    
bent on destroying it4  ,how do you     
account for that8 asked ,durtal4        
,sebastien ,rouillard1 the author of    
,parthenie1 believes that these         
visitations were permitted as a         
punishment for certain sins1 and he     
insinuates that the conflagration of the

 third ,cathedral was justified by the  
misconduct of some pilgrims who at that 
time slept in the nave1 men and women   
together4 ,others believe that the      
,devil1 who can command the lightning1  
was bent on suppressing this sanctuary  
at any cost4  ,but why1 then1 did not   
the ,virgin protect ,her particular     
church more effectually8  ,you may      
observe that ,she has several times     
preserved it from being utterly reduced 
to cinders2 however1 it is1 all the     
same1 very strange when we remember that
 ,chartres is the first place where the 
,virgin was worshipped in ,france4 ,it  
goes back to ,messianic times1 for1 long
 before ,joachim's daughter was born1   
the ,druids had erected1 in the cave    
which has become our crypt1 an altar to 
the ,virgin who should bear a           
child--,virgini ,pariturae4 ,they1 by a 
sort of grace1 had intuitive            
foreknowledge of a ,saviour whose       
,mother should be spotless2 thus it     
would seem that at ,chartres1 above all 

places1 there are very ancient bonds of 
affection with ,mary4 ,this makes it    
very natural that ,satan should be bent 
on breaking them4  ,do you know1 said   
,durtal1 that this grotto is prefigured 
in the ,old ,testament by a human       
structure of almost official character8 
,in her ,life of ,our ,lord1 that       
exquisite visionary1 ,catherine         
,emmerich1 tells us that there was1 hard
 by ,mount ,carmel1 a grotto with a     
well1 near which ,elias saw a ,virgin2  
and it was to this spot1 she says1 that 
the ,jews who expected the ,advent of   
the ,redeemer made pilgrimages many     
times a year4  ,is not this the         
prototype of the cave of ,chartres and  
the well of the ,strong ,saints8        
,observe1 too1 on the other hand1 the   
tendency of the thunder to fall1 not on 
the old belfry1 but on the new one4 ,no 
meteorological reason1 ,i suppose1 can  
account for this preference2 but on     
carefully considering the two spires1 ,i
 am struck by the delicate foliage1 the 

slender lacework of the new spire1 the  
elegant and coquettish grace of the     
whole of that side4 ,the other1 on the  
contrary1 has no ornament1 no carved    
tracery2 it is simply carved in scallops
 like scale armour2 it is sober1 stern1 
stalwart and strong4 ,it might really   
almost be thought that one is female and
 the other of the male sex4 ,and then   
might we not conclude that the first is 
symbolical of the ,virgin and the second
 of ,her ,son8 ,in that case my         
inference would be akin to that offered 
to us by ,monsieur l',abbe3 the fires   
are to be ascribed to ,satan1 who would 
wreak himself on the image of ,her who  
has the power to crush his head4  ,pray 
have a slice of beef1 our friend1 said  
,madame ,bavoil1 coming in with a bottle
 in her hands4  ,no1 thank you4  ,and   
you1 ,monsieur l',abbe8  ,the ,abbe     
,plomb bowed1 but declined4  ,why1 you  
eat nothing6  ,what6 ,i8 ,i may even    
confess that ,i am rather ashamed of    
having eaten so heartily1 after reading 

this morning the life of ,saint         
,laurence of ,dublin1 who1 by way of    
food1 was content to dip his bread in   
the water clothes had been washed in4   
,why8  ,well1 in order to be able to say
 with the ,prophet-,king that he fed on 
ashes--since ashes are used for lye2    
that is a penitential banquet which is  
very unlike that we have just consumed1 
he added1 laughing4  ,well1 my dear     
,madame ,bavoil1 that puts even you to  
shame1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin4 ,you   
are not yet covetous of so meagre a     
feast2 you are really quite dainty6 ,you
 must have milk or water to dip your sop
 in6  ,dear me1 said ,durtal1 by way of 
high feeding ,i can improve on that4 ,i 
remember reading in an old book the     
story of the ,blessed ,catherine of     
,cardona1 who1 without using her hands1 
cropped the grass1 on her knees1 among  
the asses4  ,it had not struck ,madame  
,bavoil that the friends were speaking  
in fun1 and she replied quite humbly1-- 
,god ,almighty has never yet required me

 to strew my bread with ashes or to     
graze the field--if ,he should give me  
the order1 ,i should certainly obey     
it4--,but it does not matter4  ,and she 
was so far from enthusiastic that they  
all laughed4  ,then the ,cathedral as a 
whole1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin after a 
short silence1 dates from the twelfth   
and thirteenth centuries1 excepting1 of 
course1 the new spire and numerous      
details4  ,yes4  ,and the names of the  
architects are unknown8  ,as are those  
of almost all the builders of great     
churches1 replied the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,it 
may1 however1 be safely assumed that    
during the twelfth and thirteenth       
centuries the ,benedictines of the      
,abbey of ,tiron directed the building  
of our church1 for that monastery had   
established a ,house at ,chartres in    
#aaag2 we also know that this convent   
contained more than five hundred        
,brothers practising all the arts1 and  
that sculptors1 image-makers1           
stone-cutters1 or workers in pierced    

stone1 were numerous4 ,it would         
therefore seem very natural that these  
monks sent to live at ,chartres were the
 men who drew the plans of ,notre ,dame1
 and employed the horde of artists whom 
we see represented in one of the old    
windows of the apse--men in furred caps 
shaped like a jelly bag1 who are busily 
carving and polishing the statues of    
kings4  ,their work was finished at the 
beginning of the sixteenth century by   
,jehan ,le ,texier1 known as ,jehan de  
,beauce1 who erected the northern       
belfry1 called the ,new ,belfry1 and the
 decorative work inside the church1     
forming the niches for the groups on the
 walls of the choir-aisles or           
ambulatory4  ,and has no one ever been  
able to discover the name of any one of 
the original architects1 sculptors1 or  
glass-makers of this ,cathedral8  ,it   
has been the subject of much research1  
and ,i1 personally1 may say that ,i have
 grudged neither time nor trouble1 but  
all in vain4  ,this much we know3 ,at   

the top of the southern belfry1 the ,old
 ,belfry as it is called1 near the      
window-bay looking towards the ,new     
,belfry1 this name was deciphered3      
',harman1 #aafd4' ,is it that of an     
architect1 of a workman1 or of a night  
watchman on the look-out at that time in
 the tower8 ,we can but wonder4 ,didron1
 again1 discovered on the pilaster of   
the eastern porch1 above the head of a  
butcher slaughtering an ox1 the word    
',rogerus' in twelfth century           
characters4 ,was he the architect1 the  
sculptor1 the donor of this porch--or   
the butcher8 ,another signature1        
',robir1' is to be seen on the pedestal 
of a statue in the north porch4 ,who was
 ,robir8 ,none can say4  ,langlois1 too1
 mentions a glass-worker of the         
thirteenth century1 ,clement of         
,chartres1 whose signature he found on a
 window of the ,cathedral at            
,rouen--,clement ,vitrearius            
,carnutensis2 but it is a wide leap to  
infer1 as some would do1 that merely    

because this ,clement was a native of   
,chartres1 he must have painted one or  
more of the glass pictures in ,notre    
,dame here4 ,and at any rate we have no 
information as to his life or his works 
in this city4 ,it may also be remarked  
that on a pane in our church we read    
,petrus ,bal 4442 is this the name1     
complete or defaced1 of a donor or of a 
painter8 ,once more we must confess     
ourselves ignorant4  ,if ,i add to this 
that two of ,jehan de ,beauce's         
colleagues have been traced3 ,thomas ,le
 ,vasseur1 who assisted him in the      
building of the new spire1 and one      
,sieur ,bernier1 whose name occurs in   
ancient accounts2 that from some old    
contracts1 discovered by ,monsieur      
,lecoq1 we know that ,jehan ,soulas1    
image-maker1 of ,paris1 carved the      
finest of the groups that are the glory 
of the choir-aisles1 and can verify the 
names of other sculptors who succeeded  
this admirable artist1 but who are less 
interesting1 since with them pagan art  

reappears and mediocrity is evident3    
,francois ,marchant1 image-maker1 of    
,orleans1 and ,nicolas ,guybert1 of     
,chartres--we have mentioned almost all 
the records worthy of preservation as to
 the great artists who laboured at      
,chartres from the twelfth till the     
close of the first half of the fifteenth
 century4  ,and after that period the   
names that have been handed down to us  
deserve nothing but execration4 ,thomas 
,boudin1 ,legros1 ,jean de ,dieu1       
,berruer1 ,tuby1 ,simon ,mazieres--these
 were the men that dared to carry on the
 work begun by ,soulas6 ,louis1 the ,duc
 d',orleans' architect1 who debased and 
ravaged the choir1 and the infamous     
,bridan1 who1 to the contemptible       
delight of some of the ,canons1 erected 
his blatant and wretched presentment of 
the ,assumption6  ,alas6 said the ,abbe 
,gevresin1 and they were ,canons who    
thought fit to break two ancient windows
 in the choir and fill them with white  
panes1 the better to light that group of

 ,bridan's6  ,will you eat nothing more8
 asked ,madame ,bavoil1 who1 at a       
negative from the guests1 cleared away  
the cheese and preserves1 and brought in
 coffee4  ,since you are so much charmed
 by our ,cathedral1 ,i shall be most    
happy to take you over it and explain   
its details1 said the ,abbe ,plomb to   
,durtal4  ,i shall accept with pleasure1
 ,monsieur l',abbe1 for it fairly haunts
 me1 it possesses me--your ,notre ,dame6
 ,you know1 no doubt1 ,quicherat's      
theories of ,gothic art8  ,yes1 and ,i  
believe them to be correct4 ,like him1  
,i am convinced that if the essential   
character of the ,romanesque is the     
substitution of the vaulted roof for the
 truss1 the distinctive element and     
principle of the ,gothic is the         
buttress1 and not the pointed arch4  ,i 
reserve my opinion1 indeed1 as to the   
accuracy of ,quicherat's declaration    
that 'the history of architecture in the
 middle ages is no more than the history
 of the struggle of architects against  

the thrust and weight of vaulting1' for 
there is something in this art beyond   
material industry and a problem of      
practice2 at the same time he is        
certainly right on almost every point4  
,it may be added as a general principle1
 that in our use of the terms ,ogee and 
,gothic1 we are misapplying words which 
have lost their original meaning2 since 
the ,goths have nothing to do with the  
style of architecture which has taken   
their name1 and the word ogee or ogyve1 
which strictly means the semicircular   
form1 is inaccurate as applied to the   
arch with a double curve1 which has for 
so long been regarded as the basis1 nay1
 as the characteristic stamp of a       
style4#a  ,after all1 the ,abbe went on1
 after a short silence1 how can we judge
 of the works of a past age1 but by such
 help as we may obtain from the arcades 
pierced in shoring walls or from        
vaulting on round or pointed arches8 for
 they are all debased by centuries of   
repair1 or left unfinished4 ,look at    

,chartres2 ,notre ,dame was to have had 
nine spires1 and it has but two6 ,the   
cathedrals of ,reims1 of ,paris1 of     
,laon1 and many more1 were to have had  
spires rising from their towers2 and    
where are they8 ,we can form no exact   
idea of the effect their architects     
intended to produce4 ,and then1 again1  
these churches were meant to be seen in 
a setting which has been destroyed1 an  
environment that has ceased to exist2   
they were surrounded by houses of a     
character resembling their own2 they are
 now in the midst of barracks five      
stories high1 gloomy1 ignoble           
penitentiaries6--and we constantly see  
the ground about them cleared1 when they
 were never intended to stand isolated  
on a square4 ,look where you will1 there
 is a total misapprehension of the      
conditions in which they were placed1 of
 the atmosphere in which they lived4    
,certain details1 which seem to us      
inexplicable in some of these buildings1
 were1 no doubt1 imperatively required  

by the position and needs of the        
surroundings4 ,in fact1 we stumble1 we  
feel our way--but we know               
nothing--nothing6  ,and at best1 said   
,durtal1 archaeology and architecture   
have only done a secondary work2 they   
have simply set before us the material  
organism1 the body of the cathedrals2   
who shall show us the soul8  ,what do   
you mean by the word8 said the ,abbe    
,gevresin4  ,i am not speaking of the   
soul of the building at the moment when 
man by ,divine help had created it2 we  
know nothing of that soul--not indeed as
 regards ,chartres1 for some invaluable 
documents still reveal it2 but of the   
soul of other churches1 the soul they   
still have1 and which we help to keep   
alive by our more or less regular       
presence1 our more or less frequent     
communion1 our more or less fervent     
prayers4  ,for instance1 take ,notre    
,dame at ,paris2 ,i know that it has    
been restored and patched from end to   
end1 that its sculpture is mended where 

it is not quite new2 in spite of ,hugo's
 rhetoric it is second-rate1 but it has 
its nave and its wondrous transept2 it  
is even endowed with an ancient statue  
of the ,virgin before which ,monsieur   
,olier had knelt1 and very often4 ,well1
 an attempt was made to revive there the
 worship of ,our ,lady1 to incite a     
spirit of pilgrimage thither2 but all is
 dead6 ,that ,cathedral no longer has a 
soul2 it is an inert corpse of stone2   
try attending ,mass there1 try to       
approach the ,holy ,table--you will feel
 an icy cloak fall on you and crush you4
 ,is it the result of its emptiness1 of 
its torpid services1 of the froth of    
runs and trills they send up there1 of  
its being closed in a hurry in the      
evening and never open till so late in  
the morning1 long after daybreak8 ,or   
has it something to do with the         
permitted rush of tourists1 of ,london  
gapers that ,i have seen there talking  
at the top of their voice1 sitting      
staring at the altar when the ,holy     

,elements were being consecrated just in
 front of them8 ,i know not--but of one 
thing ,i am certain1 the ,virgin does   
not inhabit there day and night and     
always1 as she does ,chartres4  ,look at
 ,amiens1 again1 with its colourless    
windows and crude daylight1 its chapels 
enclosed behind tall railings1 its      
silence rarely broken by prayer1 its    
solitude4 ,there too is emptiness2 and  
why ,i know not1 but to me the place    
exhales a stale odour of ,jansenism4 ,i 
am not at large there1 and prayer is    
difficult2 and yet the nave is          
magnificent1 and the sculptures in the  
ambulatory1 finer even than those of    
,chartres1 may be pronounced unique4    
,but here1 too1 the soul is absent4  ,it
 is the same with the ,cathedral of     
,laon--bare1 ice-bound1 dead past hope2 
while some are in an intermediate state1
 dying1 but not yet cold3 ,reims1       
,rouen1 ,dijon1 ,tours1 and ,le ,mans   
for instance2 even in these there is    
some refreshment2 and ,bourges1 with its

 five porches opening on a long         
perspective of aisles1 and its vast     
deserted spaces2 or ,beauvais1 a        
melancholy fragment1 having no more than
 a head and arms flung out in despair   
like an appeal for ever ignored by      
,heaven1 have still preserved some of   
the aroma of olden days4 ,meditation is 
possible there2 but nowhere1 nowhere is 
there such comfort as there is here1    
nowhere is prayer so fervent as at      
,chartres6  ,those are heaven-sent      
words6 cried ,madame ,bavoil4 ,and you  
shall have a glass of old black currant 
liqueur for your pains6 ,yes1 indeed1 he
 is quite right--our friend is right1   
she went on1 addressing the priests1 who
 laughed4 ,everywhere else1 excepting at
 ,notre ,dame des ,victoires in ,paris  
and1 more especially1 ,notre ,dame de   
,fourviere at ,lyon1 when you go to meet
 ,her1 you wait and wait2 and often     
enough ,she does not come4 ,whereas in  
our ,cathedral ,she receives you at     
once1 just as ,she is4 ,and ,i have told

 him1 told our friend1 that he should   
attend the first morning ,mass in the   
crypt1 and he will see what a welcome   
our ,mother gives her visitors4         
,chartres is a marvellous place1 said   
the ,abbe ,gevresin1 with its two black 
,madonnas--,notre ,dame of the ,pillar1 
above in the body of the church1 and    
,notre ,dame de ,sous-,terre below1 in  
the vault over which the basilica is    
built4 ,no other sanctuary1 ,i believe1 
possesses the miraculous images of      
,mary1 to say nothing of the antique    
relic known as the ,shift or ,tunic of  
the ,virgin4  ,and what in your opinion 
constitutes the soul of ,chartres8 asked
 the ,abbe ,plomb4  ,certainly not the  
souls of the citizens' wives and the    
church servants that are poured out     
there1 replied ,durtal4 ,no1 its        
vitality comes from the ,sisterhoods1   
the peasant women1 the pious schools1   
the pupils of the ,seminary1 and perhaps
 more especially from the children of   
the choir1 who crowd to kiss the ,pillar

 and kneel before the ,black ,virgin4   
,as for the devotion of the respectable 
classes6 ,it would scare away the       
angels6  ,with a few rare exceptions the
 fine flower of female ,pharisaism is no
 doubt the outcome of that class1 said  
the ,abbe ,plomb1 and he added in a half
 jesting1 half sorrowful tone1--  ,and  
,i1 here at ,chartres1 am the           
distressful gardener of these souls6    
,to return to our starting point1 said  
the ,abbe ,gevresin3 what was the       
birthplace of the ,gothic8  ,france3 so 
,lecoy de la ,marche emphatically       
asserts4 ',the buttress made its        
appearance as the essential basis of a  
style in the early years of ,louis le   
,gros1 in the district lying between the
 ,seine and the ,aisne4' ,in his opinion
 the first practice of this form was in 
the ,cathedral of ,laon2 other          
authorities regard it as merely         
supplementary to earlier basilicas1     
instancing ,saint-,front at ,perigueux1 
,vezelay1 ,saint-,denis1 ,noyon1 and the

 ancient college chapel at ,poissy2 but 
no two agree4 ,one thing is certain1    
,gothic art is the art of the ,north2 it
 made its way into ,normandy1 and from  
thence into ,england4 ,then it spread to
 the ,rhine in the twelfth century1 and 
to ,spain by the beginning of the       
thirteenth4 ,gothic churches in the     
,south are but an importation1 evidently
 ill-assorted with the men and women who
 frequent them1 and the merciless blue  
sky which spoils them4  ,and observe1   
said ,durtal1 that in our country that  
aspect of mysticism is discordant with  
the rest4  ,how is that8  ,well1 you    
see1 in the distribution of the sacred  
arts ,france received architecture only4
 ,consider the pre-,raphaelite painters4
 ,all the early painters were ,italians1
 ,spaniards1 ,flemings1 or ,germans4    
,those whom some writers try to         
represent as our fellow-countrymen are  
,flemings transplanted to ,burgundy1 or 
docile ,frenchmen whose imitative work  
bears an unmistakable ,flemish stamp4   

,look in the ,louvre at our primitive   
artists2 look at ,dijon1 especially at  
what remains from the time when northern
 art was introduced by ,philippe le     
,hardi into his own province4 ,it is    
impossible to feel a doubt4 ,everything 
came from ,flanders--,jean ,perreal1    
,bourdichon1 even ,fouquet are whatever 
you please1 only not the inventors of an
 original ,gallic art4  ,it is the same 
with the mystic writers4 ,of what use   
would it be to mention the nationalities
 to which they belong8 ,they too are    
,spanish1 ,italian1 ,german1            
,flemish--not one is ,french4  ,i beg   
your pardon1 our friend6 cried ,madame  
,bavoil1 there was the ,venerable       
,jeanne de ,matel1 who was born at      
,roanne4  ,yes1 but she was the daughter
 of an ,italian father who was born at  
,florence1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin1    
who1 hearing the bell ring for ,nones1  
now folded up his table napkin4 ,they   
all stood up and said grace1 and ,durtal
 made an appointment with the ,abbe     

,plomb to visit the ,cathedral4 ,then he
 went home1 meditating1 as he walked1 on
 this strange division of art in the    
middle ages1 and the supremacy given to 
,france in architecture1 when as yet she
 was so inferior in every other art4    
,and it must be owned1 he concluded1    
that she has now lost this superiority2 
for it is long indeed since she produced
 an architect4 ,the men who assume the  
name are mere thieving bunglers1        
builders devoid of all individuality and
 learning4 ,they are not even able to   
pilfer skilfully from their precursors4 
,what are they nowadays8 ,patchers up of
 chapels1 church cobblers1 botchers and 
blunderers6     #a ,the ,english use of 
the word ,ogee is thus defined3 ,an arch
   or moulding which displays           
sectionally contrasted curves similar   
to that of the cyma reversa4 ,,fairholt1
 ,dict4 of ,terms used in   ,art2 and   
,,parker1 ,a ,concise ,glossary of      
,terms used in                          
,architecture4--,translator4            

,,chapter ,,iv4   ,madame ,bavoil was   
right2 to understand the welcome the    
,virgin could bestow on ,her visitors1  
the early ,mass in the crypt must be    
attended2 above all1 the ,communion     
should be received4  ,durtal made the   
experiment2 one day when the ,abbe      
,gevresin enjoined on him to approach   
the ,table1 he followed the             
housekeeper's advice and went to the    
crypt at early dawn4  ,the way down was 
by a cellar-stair lighted by a small    
lamp with a sputtering wick darkening   
the chimney with smoke2 having safely   
reached the bottom1 he turned to the    
left in the darkness2 here and there1 at
 an angle1 a floating wick threw a ruddy
 light on the circuit which he made in  
alternate light and shade1 till at last 
he had some notion of the general       
outline of the crypt4 ,its plan would be
 fairly represented by the nave of a    
wheel whence the spokes radiated in     
every direction1 joining the outer      
circle or tyre4 ,from the circular path 

in which he found himself passages      
diverged like the sticks of a fan1 and  
at the end little fogged glass windows  
were visible1 looking almost bright in  
the opaque blackness of the walls4  ,and
 by following the curve of the corridor1
 ,durtal came to a green baize door     
which he pushed open4 ,he found himself 
in the side aisle of a nave ending in a 
semicircle1 where there was a high      
altar4 ,to the right and left two little
 recesses formed the arms or transept of
 a small cross4 ,the centre aisle1      
forming a low nave1 had chairs on either
 side1 leaving a narrow space to give   
access to the altar4  ,it was scarcely  
possible to see2 the sanctuary was      
lighted only by tiny lamps from the roof
 in little saucers of lurid orange or   
dull gold4 ,an extraordinarily mild     
atmosphere prevailed in this underground
 structure1 which was also full of a    
singular perfume in which a musty odour 
of hot wax mingled with a suggestion of 
damp earth4 ,but this was only the      

background1 the canvas1 so to speak1 of 
the perfume1 and was lost under the     
embroidery of fragrance which covered   
it1 the faded gold1 as it were1 of oil  
in which long kept aromatic herbs had   
been steeped1 and old1 old incense      
powder dissolved4 ,it was a weird and   
mysterious vapour1 as strange as the    
crypt itself1 which1 with its furtive   
lights and breadths of shadow1 was at   
once penitential and soothing4  ,durtal 
went up the broader aisle to the left   
arm of the cross and sat down2 the tiny 
transept had its little altar1 with a   
,greek cross in relief against a purple 
disk4 ,overhead the enormous curve of   
the vaulting hung heavy1 and so low that
 a man could touch it by stretching an  
arm2 it was as black as the mouth of a  
chimney1 and scorched by the fires that 
had consumed the cathedrals built above 
it4  ,presently the clap-clap of sabots 
became audible1 and then the smothered  
footfall of nuns2 there was silence but 
for sneezing and nose-blowing stifled by

 pocket-handkerchiefs1 and then all was 
still4  ,a sacristan came in through a  
little door opening into the other      
transept1 and lighted the tapers on the 
high altar2 then strings of silver-gilt 
hearts became visible in the semicircle 
all along the walls1 reflecting the     
blaze of flames1 and forming a glory for
 a statue of the ,virgin sitting1 stiff 
and dark1 with a ,child on ,her knees4  
,this was the famous ,virgin of the     
,cavern1 or rather a copy of it1 for the
 original was burnt in #agic in front of
 the great porch of the ,cathedral1 amid
 the delirious raving of sans-culottes4 
,a choir-boy came in1 followed by an old
 priest2 and then1 for the first time1  
,durtal saw the ,mass really as a       
service1 and understood the wonderful   
beauty that lies inherent in a devout   
commemoration of the ,sacrifice4  ,the  
boy on his knees1 his soul aspiring and 
his hands clasped1 spoke aloud and      
slowly1 rehearsing the responses of the 
,psalm with such deep attention and     

respect1 that the meaning of this noble 
liturgy1 which has ceased to amaze us1  
because we are so used to hearing it    
stammered out in hot haste1 was suddenly
 revealed to ,durtal4  ,and the priest  
himself1 unconsciously1 whether he would
 or no1 took up the child's tone1       
imitating him1 speaking slowly1 not     
merely tripping the verses off the tip  
of his tongue1 but absorbed in the words
 he had to repeat2 and he seemed        
overwhelmed1 as though it were his first
 ,mass1 by the grandeur of the rite of  
which he was to be the instrument4  ,in 
fact1 ,durtal heard the celebrant's     
voice tremble when standing before the  
altar in the presence of the ,father1   
like the ,son ,himself whom he          
represented1 and imploring forgiveness  
for all the sins of the world which ,he 
bore on ,his shoulders1 supported in his
 grief and hope by the innocence of the 
child whose loving care was less mature 
and less lively than the man's4  ,and as
 he spoke the despairing words1 ,my     

,god1 my ,god1 wherefore is my spirit   
heavy1 and why dost ,thou afflict me8   
the priest was indeed the image of      
,jesus suffering on the hill of         
,calvary1 but the man remained in the   
celebrant--the man1 conscious of        
himself1 and himself experiencing1 in   
behoof of his personal sins and his own 
shortcomings1 the impressions of sorrow 
contained in the inspired text4         
,meanwhile his little acolyte had words 
of comfort1 bid him hope2 and after     
repeating the ,confiteor in the face of 
the congregation1 who on their part     
purified their souls by the same        
ablution of confession1 the priest with 
revived assurance went up the altar     
steps and began the ,mass4  ,positively1
 in this atmosphere of prayers crushed  
in by the heavy roof1 ,durtal1 in the   
midst of kneeling ,sisters and women1   
was struck with a sense as of some early
 ,christian rite buried in the          
catacombs4 ,here were the same ecstatic 
tenderness1 the same faith2 and it was  

possible even to imagine some           
apprehension of surprise1 and some      
eagerness to profess the faith in the   
face of danger4 ,and thus1 as in a vague
 image1 this sacred cellar held the dim 
picture of the neophytes assembled so   
long since in the underground caverns of
 ,rome4  ,the service proceeded before  
,durtal's eyes1 and he was amazed to    
watch the boy1 who1 with half closed    
eyes and the reserve of timid emotion1  
kissed the flagons of wine and of water 
before presenting them to the priest4   
,durtal would look no more2 he tried to 
concentrate his mind while the priest   
was wiping his hands1 for the only      
prayers he could honestly offer up to   
,god were verses and texts repeated in  
an undertone4  ,this only had he in his 
favour1 but this he had3 that he        
passionately loved mysticism and the    
liturgy1 plain-song and cathedrals4     
,without falsehood or self-delusion1 he 
could in all truth exclaim1 ,lord1 ,i   
have loved the habitation of ,thy house1

 and the place where ,thine honour      
dwelleth4 ,this was all he had to offer 
to the ,father in expiation of his      
contumely and refractoriness1 his errors
 and his falls4  ,oh6 thought he1 how   
could ,i dare to pour out the ready-made
 collects of which the prayer-books are 
full1 how say to ,god1 while addressing 
,him as ',lovely ,jesus1' that ,he is   
the beloved of my heart1 that ,i        
solemnly vow never to love anything but 
,him1 that ,i would die rather than ever
 displease ,him8  ,love none but        
,him6--,if ,i were a monk and alone1    
possibly2 but living in the world6--,and
 then who but the ,saints would prefer  
death to the smallest sin8 ,why then    
humbug ,him with these feints and       
grimaces8  ,no1 said ,durtal1 apart from
 the personal outpourings1 the secret   
intimacy in which we are bold to tell   
,him everything that comes into our     
head1 the prayers of the liturgy alone  
can be uttered with impunity by any man1
 for it is the peculiarity of these     

inspirations that they adapt themselves 
in all ages to every state of the mind  
and every phase of life4 ,and with the  
exception of the time-honoured prayers  
of certain ,saints1 which are as a rule 
either supplications for pity or for    
help1 appeals to ,god's mercy or        
laments1 all other prayers sent forth   
from the cold insipid sacristies of the 
seventeenth century1 or1 worse still1   
composed in our own day by the          
piety-mongers who insert in our books of
 prayer the pious cant of the ,rue      
,bonaparte--all these inflated and      
pretentious petitions should be avoided 
by sinners who1 in default of every     
other virtue1 at least wish to be       
sincere4  ,only that wonderful child    
could thus address the ,lord without    
hypocrisy1 he went on1 looking at the   
little acolyte1 and understanding truly 
for the first time what innocent        
childhood meant--the little sinless     
soul1 purely white4  ,the ,church1 which
 tries to find beings absolutely        

ingenuous and immaculate to wait upon   
the altar1 had succeeded at ,chartres in
 moulding souls and transforming        
ordinary boys on their admission to the 
sanctuary into exquisite angels4 ,there 
must certainly be1 above and besides    
their special training1 some blessing   
and goodwill from ,our ,lady1 to mould  
these little rogues to the service1 to  
make them so unlike others1 and endow   
them in the middle of the nineteenth    
century with the fire of chastity and   
primitive fervour of the middle age4    
,the service proceeded slowly1 soaking  
into the abject silence of the          
worshippers1 and the child1 more        
reverent and attentive than ever1 rang  
the bell2 it was like a shower of sparks
 tinkling under the smoky vault1 and the
 silence seemed deeper than ever behind 
the kneeling boy1 upholding with one    
hand the chasuble of the celebrant1 who 
bowed over the altar4 ,the ,host was    
elevated amid the shower of silver      
sound2 and then1 above the prostrate    

heads1 in the clear sparkle of bells1   
the golden tulip of a chalice flashed   
out till1 to a final hurried peal1 the  
gilded flower was lowered1 and the      
prostrate worshippers looked up4  ,and  
,durtal was thinking1--  ,if only ,he to
 whom we refused shelter when the       
,mother who bore ,him was in travail1   
could find a loving refuge in our souls 
to-day6 ,but alas6 apart from these     
nuns1 these children1 these priests1 and
 these peasant women who cherish ,him so
 truly1 how many here present are1 like 
me1 embarrassed by ,his presence1 and at
 all times incapable of making ready the
 chamber ,he requires1 of receiving ,him
 in a room swept and garnished8  ,alas6 
to think that things are always the     
same1 always going back to the          
beginning6 ,our souls are still the     
crafty synagogues who betrayed ,him1 and
 the vile ,caiaphas that lurks within us
 rises up at the very moment when we    
fain would be humble and love ,him while
 we pray6 ,my ,god6 ,my ,god6 ,would it 

not be better to depart than to drag    
myself thus1 with such a bad grace1 into
 ,thy presence8 ,for1 after all1 it is  
all very well for the ,abbe ,gevresin to
 insist that ,i should communicate1 he  
is not ,i--he is not in me2 he does not 
know the wild doings in my hidden lairs1
 or the turmoil in my ruins4 ,he        
believes it to be mere nervelessness1   
indolence4 ,alas6 ,that is not all4     
,there is a dryness1 a coldness1 which  
are not altogether free from a certain  
amount of irritation and rebelliousness 
against the rules he insists on4  ,the  
moment of ,communion was at hand4 ,the  
little boy had gently thrown the white  
napkin back on the table2 the nuns and  
poor women and peasants went forward1   
all with clasped hands and bowed heads1 
and the child took a taper and passed in
 front of the priest1 his eyes almost   
shut for fear of seeing the ,host4      
,there was in this little creature such 
a glow of love and reverence that       
,durtal gazed with admiration and       

trembled with awe4 ,without in the least
 knowing why1 in the midst of the       
darkness that fell on his soul1 of the  
impotent and wavering feeling that      
thrilled it without there being any word
 to describe them1 he felt a tide       
bearing him to the ,saviour1 and then a 
recoil4  ,the comparison was inevitably 
forced upon him between that child's    
soul and his own4 ,why1 it is he1 not   
,i1 who should take the ,sacrament6     
cried he to himself2 and he crouched    
there inert1 his hands folded1 not      
knowing how to decide1 in a frame at    
once beseeching and terrified1 when he  
felt himself gently drawn to the table  
and received the ,sacrament4 ,and       
meanwhile he was trying to collect      
himself1 and to pray1 and at the same   
time1 at the same instant1 was in the   
discomfort of the shuddering fears that 
surge up within us1 and that find       
expression physically in a craving for  
air1 and in that peculiar condition when
 the head feels as if it were empty1 as 

if the brain had ceased to act1 and all 
vitality was driven back on the heart1  
which swells to choking2 when it seems1 
in the spiritual sense1 that as energy  
returns so far as to allow of           
self-command once more1 of              
introspection1 we peer down in appalling
 silence into a black void4  ,he        
painfully rose and returned to his      
place1 not without stumbling4 ,never1   
not even at ,chartres1 had he been able 
to hinder the torpor that overpowered   
him at the moment of receiving the      
,sacrament4 ,his powers were benumbed1  
his faculties arrested4  ,in ,paris1 at 
the core of his soul1 which seemed      
rolled up in itself like a chrysalis1   
there had always been a sort of         
restraint1 an awkwardness in waiting1   
and in approaching ,christ1 and then an 
apathy which nothing could shake off4   
,and this state was prolonged in a sort 
of cold1 enveloping mist1 or rather in a
 vacuum all round the soul1 deserted and
 swooning on its couch4  ,at ,chartres  

this state of collapse was still        
present1 but some indulgent tenderness  
presently enwrapped and warmed the      
spirit4 ,the soul as it recovered was no
 longer alone2 it was encouraged and    
perceptibly helped by the ,virgin1 who  
revived it4 ,and this impression1       
peculiar to this crypt1 permeated the   
body too2 it was no longer a feeling of 
suffocation for lack of air2 on the     
contrary1 it was the oppression of      
inflation1 of over-fulness1 which would 
be mitigated by degrees1 allowing of    
easy breathing at last4  ,durtal1       
comforted and relieved1 rose to go4 ,by 
this time the crypt had become a little 
lighter from the growing dawn2 the      
passages1 ending in altars backing      
against the windows1 were still dark1 as
 a result of the ground plan1 but in the
 perspective of each a moving gold cross
 was to be seen almost distinctly1      
rising and falling with a priest's back1
 between two pale stars twinkling one on
 each side above the tabernacle2 while a

 third1 lower and with redder flame1    
lighted up the book and the white       
napery4  ,durtal wandered away to       
meditate in the ,bishop's garden1 where 
he had permission to walk whenever he   
pleased4  ,the garden was perfectly     
still1 with tomb-like avenues1 pollard  
poplars1 and trampled lawns--half dead4 
,there was not a flower1 for the        
,cathedral killed everything under its  
shadow4 ,its vast deserted apse1 without
 a statue1 rose amid a flight of        
buttresses flung out like huge ribs1    
inflated as it were by the breath of    
incessant prayer within2 shade and damp 
always clung round the spot2 in this    
funereal ,close1 where the trees were   
green only in proportion as they were   
distant from the church1 lay two        
microscopic ponds like the mouths of two
 wells2 one covered to the brim with    
yellow-green duck-weed1 the other full  
of brackish water of inky blackness1 in 
which three goldfish lay as in pickle4  
,durtal was fond of this neglected spot1

 with its reek of the grave and the salt
 marsh1 and the mouldy smell1 that      
earthy scent that comes up from a       
rotting soil of wet leaves4  ,he paced  
the alleys1 where the ,bishop never     
came1 and where the children of the     
household1 rushing about at play1       
destroyed the fragments of grass-plots  
spared by the ,cathedral4 ,slates       
cracked underfoot1 flung down from the  
roofs by the wind1 and the jackdaws     
croaked in answer to each other across  
the silent park4  ,durtal came out on a 
terrace overlooking the city1 and he    
rested his elbows on a parapet of grey  
time-eaten stone1 as dry as pumice and  
patterned with orange and               
sulphur-coloured lichens4  ,beneath him 
spread a valley crowded with smoking    
chimneys and roofs1 veiling this upper  
part of the town in a tangle of blue4   
,further down all was still and         
lifeless2 the houses were asleep1 not so
 far awake even as to show the transient
 flash of glass when a window is thrown 

open1 nor was there such a spot of red  
as is often seen in a country street    
when an eider-down quilt hangs out to   
air across the bar of a balcony2        
everything was closed and dull and      
soundless2 there was not even the       
hive-like hum that hangs over inhabited 
places4 ,but for the distant rumble of a
 cart1 the crack of a whip1 the bark of 
a dog1 all was still3 it was a town     
asleep1 a land of the dead4  ,and beyond
 the valley1 on the further bank1 the   
scene was still more sullen and silent2 
the plains of ,la ,beauce stretched away
 as far as the eye could reach1 mute and
 melancholy1 without a smile1 under a   
heartless sky divided by an ignoble     
barrack facing the ,cathedral4  ,the    
dreariness of these plains1 an endless  
level without a mound1 without a tree6  
,and you felt that even beyond the      
horizon they still stretched away as    
flat as ever2 only the monotony of the  
landscape was emphasized by the raging  
fury of the tempestuous winds1 sweeping 

the hillside1 levelling the tree-tops1  
and wreaking themselves on this         
basilica1 which1 perched on high1 had   
for centuries defied their efforts4 ,to 
uproot it the lightning had been needed 
to help1 firing its towers1 and even the
 combined attacks of the hurricane and  
the flames had been unable to destroy   
the original stock1 which1 replanted    
after each disaster1 had always sprouted
 in fresh verdure with reinvigorated    
growth4  ,that morning1 in the dawn of a
 rainy autumn day1 lashed by a bitter   
north wind1 ,durtal1 shivering and ill  
at ease1 left the terrace and took      
refuge in the more sheltered walks1     
going down presently into a garden-slope
 where the brushwood afforded some      
little protection from the wind2 these  
shrubberies wandered at random down the 
hill1 and an inextricable tangle of     
blackberries clung with the cat's-claws 
of their long shoots to the saplings    
that were scattered about4  ,it was     
evident that since some immemorial time 

the ,bishops1 for lack of funds1 had    
neglected these grounds4 ,of all the old
 kitchen garden1 overgrown by brambles1 
only one plot was more or less weeded1  
and rows of spinach and carrots         
alternated with the frosted balls of    
cabbages4  ,durtal sat down on a stump  
that had once supported a bench1 and    
tried to look into his own soul2 but he 
found within1 look where he might1 only 
a spiritual ,beauce2 it seemed to him to
 mirror the cold and monotonous         
landscape2 only it was not a mighty wind
 that blew through his being2 but a     
sharp1 drying little blast4 ,he knew    
that he was cross-grained and could not 
make his observations calmly2 his       
conscience harassed him and insisted on 
vexatious argument4  ,pride6 ,ah1 how is
 it to be kept under till the day shall 
come when it shall be quelled8 ,it      
insinuates itself so stealthily1 so     
noiselessly1 that it has ensnared and   
bound me before ,i can suspect its      
presence2 and my case too is somewhat   

peculiar1 and hard to cure by the       
religious treatment commonly prescribed 
in such cases4 ,for in fact1 said he to 
himself1 my pride is not of the artless 
and overweening kind1 elated1 audacious1
 boldly displaying1 and proclaiming     
itself to the world2 no1 mine is in a   
latent state1 what was called vain-glory
 in the simplicity of the ,middle ,ages1
 an essence of pride diluted with vanity
 and evaporating within me in transient 
thoughts and unexpressed conceit4 ,i    
have not even the opportunity afforded  
by swaggering pride for being on my     
guard and compelling myself to keep     
silence4 ,yes1 that is very true2 talk  
leads to specious boasting and invites  
subtle praise2 one is presently aware of
 it1 and then1 with patience and        
determination1 it is in one's power to  
check and muzzle oneself4 ,but my vice  
of pride is wordless and underground2 it
 does not come forth4 ,i neither see nor
 hear it4 ,it wriggles and creeps in    
without a sound1 and clutches me without

 my having heard its approach6  ,and the
 good ,abbe answers3 ',be watchful and  
pray2' well1 ,i am more than willing1   
but the remedy is ineffectual1 for      
aridity and outside influences deprive  
it of its efficacy6  ,as for outside    
suggestions--they never seem to come to 
me but in prayer4 ,it is enough that ,i 
kneel down and try to collect my        
thoughts1 they are at once dissipated4  
,the mere purpose of prayer is like a   
stone flung into a pool2 everything is  
stirred up and comes to the top6  ,and  
people who have not habits of religious 
practice fancy that there is nothing    
easier than prayer4 ,i should like to   
see them try4 ,they could then bear     
witness that profane imaginings1 which  
leave them in peace at all other times1 
always surge up unexpectedly1 during    
prayer4  ,besides1 what use is therein  
disputing the fact8 ,merely looking at a
 sleeping vice is enough to wake it4    
,and his thoughts went back to that warm
 crypt4 ,yes1 no doubt1 like all the    

buildings of the ,romanesque period1 it 
is symbolical of the ,old ,testament2   
but it is not simply gloomy and sad1 for
 it is enveloping and comforting1 warm  
and tender6 ,admitting even that it is  
the figure in stone of the older        
,dispensation1 would it not seem that it
 symbolizes it less as a whole1 than as 
embodying more especially a select group
 of the ,holy ,women who prefigured the 
,virgin in the earlier ,scriptures8 ,is 
it not the expression in stone of those 
passages in which the illustrious women 
of the ,bible are most conspicuous1 who 
were1 in a way1 prophetic incarnations  
of the ,new ,eve8  ,hence this crypt    
would reproduce the most consoling and  
the most heroic passages of the ,sacred 
,book1 for the ,virgin is supreme in    
this underground sanctuary2 it is ,hers 
rather than the terrible ,adonai's1 if  
one may dare say so4  ,and again1 ,she  
is a very singular ,virgin1 who has     
inevitably remained in harmony with ,her
 surroundings3 a ,virgin black and      

rugged1 and stunted1 like the rough-hewn
 shrine ,she inhabits4  ,she is         
therefore1 no doubt1 the outcome of the 
same idea that conceived of ,christ as  
black and ugly because ,he had assumed  
the burthen of all the sins of the      
world1 the ,christ of the first ages of 
the ,church1 who in ,his humility put on
 the vilest aspect4 ,in that case ,mary 
would have conceived ,her ,son in ,her  
own image2 ,she too had chosen to be    
ugly and obscure1 out of humility and   
loving-kindness1 that ,she might the    
better console the disfigured and       
despised creatures whose image ,she had 
borrowed4  ,and ,durtal went on3--      
,what a crypt is this where1 in the     
course of so many centuries1 kings and  
queens have come to worship6  ,philip   
,augustus and ,isabella of ,hainault1   
,blanche of ,castille and ,saint ,louis1
 ,philippe de ,valois1 ,jean le ,bon1   
,charles ,v41 ,charles ,,vi41 ,charles  
,,vii41 ,charles ,,viii4 and ,anne de   
,bretagne2 then ,francois ,i41 ,henri   

,,iii4 and ,louise de ,vaudemont1       
,catherine de' ,medici2 ,henri ,,iv41   
who was crowned in this ,cathedral1     
,anne of ,austria1 ,louis ,,xiv41 ,maria
 ,leczinska1 and so many others--all the
 nobility of ,france2 and ,ferdinand of 
,spain1 and ,leon de ,lusignan1 the last
 ,king of ,armenia1 and ,pierre de      
,courtenay1 ,emperor of                 
,constantinople--all kneeling like the  
poor folks of to-day1 and like them     
beseeching ,notre ,dame de ,sous-,terre4
  ,and what was more interesting still  
was that the ,virgin had wrought many   
miracles on this spot4 ,she had saved   
children who had fallen into the well of
 the ,strong ,saints1 had preserved the 
guardians who had charge of the relic of
 ,her garment when the edifice was      
blazing above them1 and had cured       
crowds1 half maddened by the ,burning   
plague in the ,middle ,ages1 shedding   
,her benefits with a lavish hand4       
,times were changed indeed1 but fervent 
worshippers had knelt before the ,image1

 had relinked the bonds broken in the   
course of years1 had1 so to speak1      
recaptured the ,virgin in a net of      
prayer2 and so1 instead of departing1 as
 ,she had done elsewhere1 ,she had      
remained at ,chartres4  ,by some        
incredible effect of clemency ,she had  
endured the insult of the tenth-day     
festivals and the outrage of seeing the 
,goddess of ,reason installed in her    
place on the altar1 had suffered the    
infamous liturgy of obscene canticles   
rising with the thundering incense of   
gunpowder4 ,and ,she had forgiven it    
all1 no doubt for the sake of the love  
shown ,her by preceding generations1 and
 the awed1 but real affection of the    
humble believers who had come back to   
,her when the storm was over4  ,this    
cavern was crowded with memories4 ,the  
coating of those walls had been formed  
of the vapours of the soul1 of the      
exhalations of accumulated desires and  
regrets1 even more than of the smoke of 
tapers2 how foolish it was then to have 

painted this crypt in squalid imitation 
of the catacombs1 to have defaced the   
glorious darkness of these stones with  
colours which were indeed fast          
vanishing1 leaving only traces as of    
palette scrapings in the consecrated    
soot on the roof6  ,durtal was          
expatiating on these reflections as he  
went out of the garden1 when he met the 
,abbe ,gevresin walking along and       
reading his breviary4 ,he asked whether 
,durtal had taken the ,sacrament4 ,and  
perceiving that his penitent always came
 back to his shame of the inert and     
torpid grief that came over him in      
contemplation of the ,holy ,sacrament1  
the old priest said to him1--  ,that is 
no concern of yours2 all you have to do 
is to pray to the best of your power4   
,the rest is my concern--if the far from
 triumphant state of your soul only     
makes you a little humble1 that is all  
,i ask of you4  ,humble6 ,i am like a   
water cooler2 my vanity sweats out at   
every pore as the water oozes from the  

clay4  ,it is some consolation to me    
that you perceive it1 said the ,abbe1   
smiling4 ,it would be far worse if you  
did not know yourself1 if you were so   
proud as to believe that you had no     
pride4  ,but how then am ,i to set to   
work8 ,you advise me to pray2 but teach 
me at least how not to dissipate myself 
in every direction1 for as soon as ,i   
try to collect myself ,i go to pieces2  
,i live in a perpetual state of         
dissolution4 ,it is like a thing        
arranged on purpose2 as soon as ,i try  
to shut the cage all my thoughts fly    
off--they deafen me with their chirping4
  ,the ,abbe was thinking4  ,i know1    
said he2 nothing is more difficult than 
to free the spirit from the images that 
take possession of it4 ,still1 and in   
spite of all1 you may achieve           
concentration of mind if you observe    
these three rules3  ,in the first place 
you must humble yourself1 by owning the 
frailty of your mind1 unable to preserve
 itself from wandering in the presence  

of ,god2 next you must not be impatient 
or restless1 for that would only stir up
 the dregs and bring other objects of   
frivolity to the surface2 finally1 it is
 well not to investigate the nature of  
the distractions that trouble your      
prayers till they are over4 ,this only  
prolongs the disturbance1 and in a way  
recognizes its existence4 ,you thus run 
the risk1 in virtue of the law of       
association of ideas1 of inviting new   
diversions1 and there would be no way of
 escape4  ,after prayer you may examine 
yourself with benefit2 follow my advice1
 and you will find the advantage of it4 
,that is all very fine1 thought ,durtal1
 but when it comes to putting the advice
 into practice it is quite another      
thing4 ,are not these mere old women's  
remedies1 precious ointments1 quack     
medicines1 for which the pious and      
virtuous have a weakness8  ,they walked 
on in silence across the forecourt of   
the palace to the priest's rooms4 ,as   
they went in1 they found ,madame ,bavoil

 at the foot of the stairs1 her arms in 
a tub full of soap-suds4 ,as she rubbed 
the clothes1 she turned to look at      
,durtal1 and1 as if she could read his  
thoughts1 she mildly asked1--  ,why1 our
 friend1 wear such a graveyard face when
 you took the ,sacrament this morning8  
,so you heard ,i had been to ,communion8
  ,yes1 ,i went into the crypt while    
,mass was going forward1 and saw you go 
up to the ,holy ,table4 ,well1 shall ,i 
tell you the truth8 ,you do not know how
 to address our ,holy ,mother4  ,indeed6
  ,no4 ,you are shy when ,she is doing  
her best to put you at your ease2 you   
creep close to the wall when you ought  
to walk boldly up the middle aisle to   
face ,her4 ,that is not the way to      
approach ,her6  ,but if ,i have nothing 
to say to ,her8  ,then you simply       
chatter to ,her like a child2 some      
pretty speech1 and ,she is satisfied4   
,oh1 these men6 ,how little they know   
how to pay their court1 how greatly they
 lack little coaxing ways1 and even     

honest artfulness6 ,if you can invent   
nothing on your own part1 borrow from   
another4 ,repeat after the ,venerable   
,jeanne de ,matel3  ',holy ,virgin1 this
 abyss of iniquity and vileness invokes 
the abyss of strength and splendour to  
praise ,thy preeminent ,glory4' ,well1  
is that pretty well expressed1 our      
friend8 ,try2 recite that to ,our ,lady 
and ,she will unbind you2 then prayer   
will come of itself4 ,such little ways  
are permitted by ,her1 and we must be   
humble enough not to presume to do      
without them4  ,durtal could not help   
laughing4  ,you want me to become a     
trickster1 a sneak in spiritual life6   
said he4  ,well1 where would be the     
harm8 ,does not the ,lord know when we  
mean well8 ,does not ,he take note of   
our intentions8 ,would you1 yourself1   
repulse anyone who paid you a           
compliment1 however clumsily1 if you    
thought he meant to please you by it8   
,no1 of course not4  ,here is another   
thing1 said the ,abbe1 laughing4 ,madame

 ,bavoil1 ,i saw ,monseigneur this      
morning2 he grants your petition and    
authorizes you to dig in as many parts  
of the garden as you choose4  ,aha6 and 
amused by ,durtal's surprise she went   
on3 ,you must have seen for yourself    
that excepting a little plot of ground  
where the gardener plants a few carrots 
and cabbages for the ,bishop's table1   
the whole of the garden is left to run  
wild2 it is sheer waste and of no use to
 anybody4 ,now instead of buying        
vegetables1 ,i mean to grow some1 since 
,monseigneur gives me leave to turn over
 his ground1 and by the same token ,i   
will give some to your housekeeper4     
,thank you4 ,then do you understand     
gardening8  ,i8 ,why1 am ,i not a       
peasant8 ,i have lived in the country   
all my life1 and a kitchen garden is    
just my business6 ,besides1 if ,i were  
in difficulties1 would not my ,friends  
,above come to advise me8  ,you are a   
wonderful woman1 ,madame ,bavoil1 said  
,durtal1 somewhat disconcerted in spite 

of himself by the answers of a cook who 
so calmly asserted that she was on      
intimate terms with the divine ,beyond4 
,,chapter ,v4   ,it rained without      
ceasing4 ,durtal breakfasted under the  
assiduous watchfulness of his servant1  
,madame ,mesurat4 ,she was one of those 
women whose stalwart build and masculine
 presence would allow of their dressing 
in men's clothes without attracting     
attention4 ,she had a pear-shaped head1 
cheeks that hung flabby as if they had  
been emptied of air1 a pompous nose that
 drooped till it very nearly touched a  
projecting underlip like a bracket1     
giving her an expression of determined  
contempt which she very certainly had   
never felt4 ,in short1 she suggested the
 absurd idea of a solemn1 gawky         
,marlborough disguised as a cook4  ,she 
served unvarying meats with inglorious  
sauces2 and as soon as the dish was on  
the table she stood at attention1       
waiting to know whether it was good4    
,she was imposing and devoted--quite    

insufferable4 ,durtal1 on edge with     
irritation1 found it all he could do not
 to dismiss her to the kitchen1 and     
finally buried his nose in a book that  
he might not have to answer her1 might  
not see her4  ,this day1 provoked by his
 silence1 ,madame ,mesurat lifted the   
window curtain1 and for the sake of     
saying something1 exclaimed1--  ,good   
heavens6 ,what weather6 ,impossible6    
,and in fact the sky offered no hope of 
consolation4 ,it was all in tears4 ,the 
rain fell in uninterrupted streams1     
unwinding endless skeins of water4 ,the 
,cathedral was standing in a pool of mud
 lashed into leaping drops by the       
falling torrent1 and the two spires     
looked drawn together1 almost close1    
linked by loose threads of water4 ,this 
indeed was the prevailing impression--a 
briny atmosphere full of strings holding
 the sky and earth together as if tacked
 with long stitches1 but they would not 
hold2 a gust of wind snapped all these  
endless threads1 which were whirled in  

every direction4  ,my arrangement to    
meet the ,abbe ,plomb to go over the    
,cathedral is evidently at an end1 said 
,durtal to himself4 ,the ,abbe will     
certainly not turn out in such weather4 
,he went into his study2 this was his   
usual place of refuge4 ,he had his divan
 there1 his pictures1 the old furniture 
he had brought from ,paris2 and against 
the walls1 shelves1 painted black1 held 
thousands of books4 ,there he lived1    
looking out on the towers1 hearing      
nothing but the cawing of the rooks and 
the strokes of the hours as they fell   
one by one on the silence of the        
deserted square4 ,he had placed his     
table in front of a window1 and there he
 sat dreaming1 praying1 meditating1     
making notes4  ,the balance of his      
personal account was struck by internal 
damage and mental disputations2 if the  
soul was bruised and ice-bound1 the mind
 was no less afflicted1 no less fagged4 
,it seemed to have grown dull since his 
residence at ,chartres4 ,the biographies

 of ,saints which ,durtal had intended  
to write1 remained in the stage of      
charcoal sketches2 they blew off before 
he could fix them4 ,in reality he had   
ceased to care for anything but the     
,cathedral2 it had taken possession of  
him4  ,and besides1 the lives of the    
,saints as they were written by the     
inferior ,bollandists were enough to    
disgust anybody with saintliness4       
,offered to publisher after publisher1  
carted from the ,paris libraries to the 
provincial workshops1 this barrow of    
books had at first been hauled by a     
single nag1 ,father ,giry2 then a second
 horse had been added1 the ,abbe        
,guerin1 and1 harnessed to the same     
shafts1 these two men pulled their heavy
 truck over the broken road of souls4   
,he had only to open a bale of this     
prosy dulness1 taking down a volume at  
random1 to light on sentences of this   
quality3  ,such an one was born of      
parents not less remarkable for their   
rank than for their piety2 or1 on the   

other hand1 ,his parents were not of    
illustrious birth1 but in them might be 
seen the distinction of all the virtues 
which are so far above rank4  ,and then 
the dreadful style of the ,pont ,neuf3  
,his historian does not hesitate to say 
he would have been mistaken for an angel
 if the maladies with which ,god        
afflicted him had not shown that he was 
a man4--,the ,devil1 not enduring to see
 him advancing by rapid leaps on the way
 of perfection1 adopted various means of
 hindering him in the happy progress of 
his career4  ,and on turning over to a  
fresh page he came upon a passage in the
 life of one of the ,elect who was      
mourning for his mother1 excusing him in
 this solemn rigmarole3 ,after granting 
to the feelings of nature such relief as
 grace cannot forbid on these           
occasions--  ,or again1 here and there  
were such pompous and ridiculous        
definitions as this1 which occurs in the
 life of ,cesar de ,bus3 ,after a visit 
to ,paris1 which is not less the throne 

of vice than the capital of the         
kingdom-- ,and this went on in meagre   
language through twelve to fifteen      
volumes1 ending by the erection of a row
 of uniform virtue1 a barrack of pious  
idiotcy4 ,now and again the two poor    
nags seemed to wake up and trot for a   
little space1 though gasping for breath1
 when they had some detail to record    
which no doubt moved them to rapture2   
they expatiated complacently on the     
virtues of ,catherine of ,sweden or     
,robert de la ,chaise-,dieu1 who as soon
 as they were born cried for sinless    
wet-nurses1 and would suck none but     
pious breasts2 or they spoke with       
ravishment of the chastity of ,jean the 
,taciturn1 who never took a bath1 that  
he might not shock his modest eyes1 as  
the text says1 by seeing himself2 and   
the bashful purity of ,san ,luis de     
,gonzagua1 who had such a terror of     
women that he dared not look at his     
mother for fear of evil thoughts6  ,in  
consternation at the poverty of these   

distressing non-sequiturs1 ,durtal      
turned to the less familiar biographies 
of the ,blessed ,women2 but here again1 
what a farrago of the commonplace1 what 
glutinous unction1 what a hash by way of
 style6 ,there was certainly some curse 
from ,heaven on the old women of the    
,sacristy who dared take up a pen4      
,their ink at once turned to stickiness1
 to bird-lime1 to pitch1 which smeared  
all it touched4 ,oh1 the poor ,saints6  
the hapless ,blessed ,women6  ,his      
meditations were interrupted by a ring  
at the bell3  ,why1 has the ,abbe ,plomb
 really come out in spite of the gale8  
,it was indeed the priest that ,madame  
,mesurat showed in4  ,oh1 said he to    
,durtal1 who lamented over the rain1 the
 weather will clear up all in good time2
 at any rate1 as you had not put me off 
,i was determined not to keep you       
waiting4  ,they sat chatting by the     
fire2 and the room took the ,abbe's     
fancy1 no doubt1 for he settled himself 
at his ease4 ,he threw himself back in  

an arm-chair1 tucking his hands into his
 cincture4 ,and when1 in answer to his  
question as to whether ,durtal were not 
too dull at ,chartres1 the ,parisian    
replied1 ,it seems to me that ,i live   
more slowly1 and yet am not such a      
burthen to myself1 the ,abbe went on1-- 
,what you must feel painfully is the    
lack of intellectual society2 you1 who  
in ,paris lived in the world of         
letters--how can you endure the         
atmosphere of this provincial town8     
,durtal laughed4  ,the world of letters6
 ,no1 ,monsieur l',abbe1 ,i should not  
be likely to regret that1 for ,i had    
given it up many years before ,i came to
 live here2 and besides1 ,i assure you  
it is impossible to be intimate with    
those train-bands of literature and     
remain decent4 ,a man must choose--them 
or honest folks2 slander or silence2 for
 their speciality is to eliminate every 
charitable idea1 and above all to cure a
 man of friendship in the winking of an 
eye4  ,really8  ,yes1 by adopting a     

homoeopathic pharmacopoeia which still  
makes use of the foulest matter--the    
extract of wood-lice1 the venom of      
snakes1 the poison of the cockchafer1   
the secretions of the skunk and the     
matter from pustules1 all disguised in  
sugar of milk to conceal their taste and
 appearance2 the world of letters1 in   
the same way1 triturates the most       
disgusting things to get them swallowed 
without raising your gorge4 ,there is an
 incessant manipulation of neighbours'  
gossip and play-box tittle-tattle1 all  
wrapped up in perfidious good taste to  
mask their flavour and smell4  ,these   
pills of foulness1 exhibited in the     
required doses1 act like detergents on  
the soul1 which they almost immediately 
purge of all trustfulness4 ,i had enough
 of this regimen1 which acted on me only
 too successfully1 and ,i thought it    
well to escape from it4  ,but the pious 
world1 too1 is not absolutely free from 
gossip1 said the ,abbe1 smiling4  ,no   
doubt1 and ,i am well aware that        

devotion does not always sweeten the    
mind1 but--  ,the truth is1 said he     
after reflection1 that the assiduous    
practice of religion generally results  
in some intense effects on the soul4    
,only they may be of two kinds4 ,either 
it develops the soul's taint and evolves
 in it the final ferments which putrefy 
it once for all1 or it purifies the     
spirit and makes it clean and clear and 
exquisite4 ,it may produce hypocrites or
 good and saintly people2 there is      
really no medium4  ,but when such divine
 husbandry has completely cleansed      
souls1 how guileless and how pure they  
may be6 ,nor am ,i speaking of the      
,elect1 such as ,i saw at ,la           
,trappe--merely of young novices1 little
 priestlings whom ,i have known4 ,they  
had eyes like clear glass1 undimmed by  
the haze of a single sin2 and1 looking  
into them1 behind those eyes you would  
have seen their open soul burning like a
 soaring crown of fire framing the      
smiling face in a halo of white name4   

,in fact1 ,jesus simply fills up all the
 room in their soul4 ,do not you think1 
,monsieur l',abbe1 that these youths    
occupy their bodies just enough for     
suffering and to expiate the sins of    
others8 ,without knowing it1 they have  
been sent into the world to be safe     
tenements of the ,lord1 the             
resting-place where ,jesus finds a home 
after wandering over the frozen steppes 
of other souls4  ,yes1 said the ,abbe1  
taking off his spectacles to wipe them  
on his bandana1 but to acquire so fine a
 strain of being1 how much              
mortification1 penance1 and prayer have 
been needed in the generations that have
 ended by giving them birth6 ,the       
spirits of whom you speak are the flower
 of a stem long nourished in a pious    
soil4 ,the ,spirit1 of course1 bloweth  
where it listeth1 and may find a saint  
in the heart of a listless family2 but  
this mode of operation must always be an
 exception4 ,the novices you have known 
must certainly have had grandmothers and

 mothers who frequently incited them to 
kneel and pray by their side4  ,i do not
 know--,i knew nothing of the origin of 
these lads--but ,i feel that you are    
right4 ,it is obvious1 indeed1 that     
children1 slowly brought up from their  
earliest years1 and sheltered from the  
world under the shadow of such a        
sanctuary as this at ,chartres1 must end
 in the blossoming of an unique flower4 
,and when ,durtal told him of the       
impression made on him by the angelic   
service of the ,mass1 the ,abbe smiled4 
,though our boys are not unique1 they   
are no doubt rare4 ,here1 the ,virgin   
,herself trains them1 and note1 the     
little lad you saw is neither more      
diligent nor more conscientious than his
 fellows2 they are all alike4 ,dedicated
 to the priesthood from the time when   
they can first understand1 they learn   
quite naturally to lead a spiritual life
 from their constant intimacy with the  
services4  ,what then is the system of  
this ,institution8  ,the ,foundation of 

the ,clerks of ,our ,lady dates from    
#ahec1 or rather it was reconstituted in
 that year--for it existed in the       
,middle ,ages--by the ,abbe ,ychard4    
,its purpose is to increase the number  
of priests by admitting poor boys to    
begin their studies4 ,it receives       
intelligent and pious children of every 
nationality1 if they are supposed to    
show any vocation for ,holy ,orders4    
,they remain in the choir school till   
they are in the third class1 and are    
then transferred to the ,seminary4  ,its
 funds8--are1 humanly speaking1 nothing1
 based on trust in ,providence1 for it  
has altogether1 for the maintenance of  
eighty pupils1 nothing but the pay      
earned by these children for various    
duties in the ,cathedral1 and the       
profits from a little monthly magazine  
called ',the ,voice of the ,virgin1' and
 finally and chiefly the charity of the 
faithful4 ,all this does not amount to a
 very substantial income2 and yet1 to   
this day1 money has never been lacking4 

,the ,abbe rose and went to the window4 
,oh1 the rain will not cease1 said      
,durtal4 ,i am very much afraid1        
,monsieur l',abbe1 that we cannot       
examine the ,cathedral porches to-day4  
,there is no hurry4 ,before going into  
the details of ,notre ,dame1 would it   
not be well to contemplate it as a      
whole1 and let its general purpose soak 
into the mind before studying each page 
of its parts8  ,everything lies         
contained in that building1 he went on1 
waving his hand to designate the church2
 the scriptures1 theology1 the history  
of the human race1 set forth in broad   
outline4 ,thanks to the science of      
symbolism a pile of stones may be a     
macrocosm4  ,i repeat it1 everything    
exists within this structure1 even our  
material and moral life1 our virtues and
 our vices4 ,the architect takes us up  
at the creation of ,adam to carry us on 
to the end of time4 ,notre ,dame of     
,chartres is the most colossal          
depository existing of heaven and earth1

 of ,god and man4 ,each of its images is
 a word2 all those groups are           
phrases--the difficulty is to read them4
  ,but it can be done8  ,undoubtedly4   
,that there may be some contradictions  
in our interpretations ,i admit1 but    
still the palimpsest can be deciphered4 
,the key needed is a knowledge of       
symbolism4  ,and seeing that ,durtal was
 listening to him with interest1 the    
,abbe came back to his seat1 and said1--
  ,what is a symbol8 ,according to      
,littre it is a 'figure or image used as
 a sign of something else2' and we      
,catholics narrow the definition by     
saying with ,hugues de ,saint ,victor   
that a symbol is an allegorical         
representation of a ,christian principle
 under a tangible image4  ,now symbolism
 has existed ever since the beginning of
 the world4 ,every religion adopted it1 
and in ours it came into being with the 
,tree of the ,knowledge of ,good and    
,evil in the first chapter of ,genesis1 
while it still is in full splendour in  

the last chapter of the ,apocalypse4    
,the ,old ,testament is an anticipatory 
figure of all the ,new ,testament tells 
us4 ,the ,mosaic dispensation contains1 
as in an allegory1 what the ,christian  
religion shows us in reality2 the       
history of the ,people of ,god1 its     
principal personages1 its sayings and   
doings1 the very accessories round about
 it1 are a series of images2 everything 
came to the ,hebrews under a figure1    
,saint ,paul tells us4 ,our ,lord took  
the trouble to remind ,his disciples of 
this on various occasions1 and ,he      
,himself1 when addressing the multitude1
 almost always spoke in parables as a   
means of conveying one thing by an      
illustration from another4  ,symbols1   
then1 have a divine origin2 it may be   
added that from the human point of view 
this form of teaching answers to one of 
the least disputable cravings of the    
human mind4 ,man feels a certain        
enjoyment in giving proof of his        
intelligence1 in guessing the riddle    

thus presented to him1 and likewise in  
preserving the hidden truth summed up in
 a visible formula1 a perdurable form4  
,saint ,augustine expressly says3       
',anything that is set forth in an      
allegory is certainly more emphatic1    
more pleasing1 more impressive1 than    
when it is formulated in technical      
words4'  ,that is ,mallarme's idea too1 
thought ,durtal1 and this coincidence in
 the views of the saint and the poet1 on
 grounds at once analogous and          
different1 is whimsical1 to say the     
least4  ,thus in all ages1 the ,abbe    
went on1 men have taken inanimate       
objects1 or animals and plants1 to      
typify the soul and its attributes1 its 
joys and sorrows1 its virtues and its   
vices2 thought has been materialized to 
fix it more securely in the memory1 to  
make it less fugitive1 more near to us1 
more real1 almost tangible4  ,hence the 
emblems of cruelty and craft1 of        
courtesy and charity1 embodied by       
certain creatures1 personified by       

certain plants2 hence the spiritual     
meanings attributed to precious stones1 
and to colours4 ,and it may be added    
that in times of persecution1 in the    
early ,christian times1 this hidden     
language enabled the initiated to hold  
communication1 to give each other some  
token of kinship1 some password which   
the enemy could not interpret4 ,thus1 in
 the paintings discovered in catacombs1 
the ,lamb1 the ,pelican1 the ,lion1 the 
,shepherd1 all meant the ,son2 the ,fish
 ,ichthys1 of which the characters      
express the ,greek formula3 ',jesus1    
,son of ,god1 ,saviour1' figures1 in a  
secondary sense1 the believer1 the      
rescued soul1 fished out from the sea of
 ,paganism2 the ,redeemer having told   
two of ,his ,apostles that they should  
be fishers of men4  ,and of course the  
period when human beings lived in       
closest intercourse with ,god--the      
,middle ,ages--was certain to follow the
 revealed tradition of ,christ1 and     
express itself in symbolical language1  

especially in speaking of that ,spirit1 
that essence1 that incomprehensible and 
nameless ,being who to us is ,god4 ,at  
the same time it had at its command a   
practical means of making itself        
understood4 ,it wrote a book1 as it     
were1 intelligible to the humblest1     
superseding the text by images1 and so  
instructing the ignorant4 ,this indeed  
was the idea put into words by the      
,synod of ,arras in #ajbe3 ',that which 
the illiterate cannot apprehend from    
writing shall be shown to them in       
pictures4'  ,the ,middle ,ages1 in      
short1 translated the ,bible and        
,theology1 the lives of the ,saints1 the
 apocryphal and legendary ,gospels into 
carved or painted images1 bringing them 
within reach of all1 and epitomizing    
them in figures which remained as the   
permanent marrow1 the concentrated      
extract of all its teaching4  ,it taught
 the grown-up children the catechism by 
means of the stone sentences of the     
porches1 exclaimed ,durtal4  ,yes1 it   

did that too4 ,but now1 the ,abbe went  
on1 after a pause1 before entering on   
the subject of architectural symbolism1 
we must first establish a distinct      
notion of what ,our ,lord ,himself did  
in creating it1 when1 in the second     
chapter of the ,gospel according to     
,saint ,john1 ,he speaks of the ,temple 
at ,jerusalem1 and says that if the     
,jews destroy it ,he will rebuild it in 
three days1 expressly prefiguring by    
that parable ,his own ,body4 ,this set  
forth to all generations the form which 
the new temples were thenceforth to take
 after ,his death on the ,cross4  ,this 
sufficiently accounts for the cruciform 
plan of our churches4 ,but we will study
 the inside of the church later2 for the
 present we must consider the meanings  
of the external parts of a cathedral4   
,the towers and belfries1 according to  
the theory of ,durand1 ,archbishop of   
,mende in the thirteenth century1 are to
 be regarded as preachers and prelates1 
and the lofty spire is symbolical of the

 perfection to which their souls strive 
to rise4 ,according to other            
interpreters of the same period1 such as
 ,saint ,melito1 ,bishop of ,sardis1 and
 ,cardinal ,pietro of ,capua1 the towers
 represent the ,virgin ,mary1 or the    
,church watching over the salvation of  
the ,flock4  ,it is a certain fact1 the 
,abbe went on1 that the position of the 
towers was never rigidly laid down once 
for all in mediaeval times2 thus        
different interpretations are admissible
 according to their position in the     
structure4 ,still1 perhaps the most     
ingeniously refined1 the most exquisite 
idea is that which occurred to the      
architects of ,saint ,maclou at ,rouen1 
of ,notre ,dame at ,dijon1 and of the   
,cathedral at ,laon1 for example1 who   
built rising from the centre of the     
transepts--that is above the very spot  
where1 on the ,cross1 the breast of     
,christ would lie1 a lantern higher than
 the rest of the roof1 often finishing  
outside in a tall and slender spire1    

starting as it were from the ,heart of  
,christ to leap with one spring to the  
,father1 to soar as if shot up from the 
bow of the vaulting in a sharp dart to  
reach the sky4  ,the towers1 like the   
buildings they overshadow1 are almost   
always placed on a height that commands 
the town1 and they shed around them like
 seed into the soil of the soul1 the    
swarming notes of their bells1 reminding
 all ,christians by this aerial         
proclamation1 this bead-telling of      
sound1 of the prayers they are commanded
 to use and the duties they must fulfil2
 nay1 at need1 they may atone before    
,god for man's apathy by testifying that
 at least they have not forgotten ,him1 
beseeching ,him with uplifted arms and  
brazen tongues1 taking the place as best
 they may of so many human prayers1 more
 vocal perhaps than they4  ,with its    
ship-like character1 said ,durtal1 who  
had thoughtfully approached the window1 
this ,cathedral strikes me as amazingly 
like a motionless vessel with spires for

 masts and the clouds for sails1 spread 
or furled by the wind as the weather    
changes2 it remains the eternal image of
 ,peter's boat which ,jesus guided      
through the storm4  ,and likewise of    
,noah's ,ark--the ,ark outside which    
there is no safety1 added the ,abbe4    
,now consider the church in all its     
parts4 ,its roof is the symbol of       
,charity1 which covereth a multitude of 
sins2 its slates or tiles are the       
soldiers and knights who defend the     
sanctuary against the heathen1          
represented by the storm1 its stones1   
all joined1 are1 according to ,saint    
,nilus1 emblematic of the union of      
souls1 or1 as the ,rationale of ,durand 
of ,mende has it1 of the multitude of   
the faithful2 the stronger stones       
figuring the souls that are most        
advanced in the way of perfection and   
hinder the weaker brethren1 represented 
by the smaller stones1 from slipping and
 falling4 ,however1 to ,hugues de ,saint
 ,victor1 a monk of the abbey of that   

name in the twelfth century1 this       
collection of stones is merely the      
mingled assembly of the clerks and the  
laity4  ,again1 these blocks of stone of
 various shapes are bound and held      
together by mortar1 of which ,durand of 
,mende will tell you the meaning4       
',mortar1' saith he1 'is compounded of  
lime and sand and water2 lime is the    
burning quality of charity1 and it      
combines by the aid of water1 which is  
the ,spirit1 with the sand1 of the earth
 earthy4'  ,thus these united stones    
form the four walls of the church1 which
 ,prudentius of ,troyes tells us are the
 four evangelists2 or1 according to     
other interpreters1 they represent in   
stone the cardinal virtues of religion3 
,justice1 ,fortitude1 ,prudence1 and    
,temperance1 already prefigured by the  
walls of the ,city of ,god in the       
,apocalypse4  ,thus you see each part   
may be regarded as having more than one 
meaning1 but all included in one general
 idea common to all4  ,and the windows8 

asked ,durtal4  ,i am coming to them2   
they are emblematic of our senses1 which
 are to be closed to the vanities of the
 world and open to the gifts of ,heaven2
 they are also provided with glass1     
giving passage to the beams of the true 
,sun1 which is ,god4 ,but ,dom ,villette
 has most clearly set forth their       
symbolical meaning3 ',they are1' says   
he1 'the ,scriptures1 which receive the 
glory of the sun and keep out the wind1 
the hail and the snow1 the images of    
false doctrine and heresies4'  ,as to   
the buttresses1 they symbolize the moral
 force that sustains us against         
temptation2 they are likewise the hope  
which upholds the soul and strengthens  
it2 others see in them the image of the 
temporal powers who are called upon to  
defend the power of the ,church2 and    
others again1 regarding more especially 
the flying buttresses which resist the  
thrust of the span1 say that they are   
imploring arms clinging to the          
safe-keeping of the ,ark in time of     

danger4  ,the principal entrance1 the   
great portal of so many churches1 such  
as those of ,vezelay1 ,paray-le-,monial 
and ,saint ,german l',auxerrois1 in     
,paris1 was approached through a covered
 vestibule1 often very deep and         
intentionally dark1 called the ,narthex4
 ,the baptismal pool was in this porch4 
,it was a place for probation and       
forgiveness1 emblematical of ,purgatory1
 an ante-room to ,heaven1 where1 before 
being permitted access to the sanctuary1
 penitents and neophytes had their      
place4  ,such1 briefly1 is the          
allegorical meaning of the parts4 ,if we
 now regard it again as a whole1 we may 
observe that the cathedral1 built over a
 crypt symbolical of the contemplative  
life1 and also of the tomb in which     
,christ was laid1 was naturally obliged 
to have its apse towards that point of  
the heavens where the sun rises at the  
equinox1 so as to convey1 says the      
,bishop of ,mende1 that it is the       
,church's mission to show moderation in 

its triumphs as in its reverses4 ,all   
the liturgical commentators are agreed  
that the high altar must be placed at   
the eastern end1 so that the            
worshippers1 as they pray1 may turn     
their eyes towards the cradle of the    
,faith2 and this rule was held absolute1
 and so well approved by ,god that ,he  
confirmed it by a miracle4 ,the         
,bollandists in fact have a legend that 
,dunstan1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1   
seeing a church that had been built on  
another axis1 made it turn to the ,east 
by a push with his shoulder1 thus       
placing it in its right position4  ,the 
church has generally three doors1 in    
honour of the ,holy ,trinity2 and the   
portal in the middle1 called the ,royal 
,porch1 is divided by a pier and a      
pillar surmounted by a statue of ,our   
,lord1 who says of ,himself in the      
,gospel1 ',i am the door1' or of the    
,virgin1 if the ,church is consecrated  
to ,her1 or even of the patron ,saint in
 whose name it is dedicated4 ,the door1 

thus divided1 typifies the two roads    
which man is free to follow4 ,indeed1 in
 most cathedrals this symbol is         
emphasized by a representation of the   
,last ,judgment placed above the        
entrance4  ,this is the case in ,paris1 
at ,amiens1 and at ,bourges4 ,at        
,chartres1 on the contrary1 the         
,judgment of ,souls is relegated1 as at 
,reims1 to the tympanum of the northern 
porch2 but here it is to be seen in the 
rose-window over the western portal1 in 
contradiction to the system usual in the
 ,middle ,ages of treating in the       
windows above the doors the subject     
carved in the porch2 thus presenting on 
the same side a repetition of the same  
symbols1 in glass as seen from within1  
and in stone without4  ,good2 but how   
then can you account1 by the ternary    
rule so universally adopted1 for that   
marvellous cathedral at ,bourges1 where1
 instead of three porches and three     
aisles1 we find five8  ,nothing can be  
simpler--we cannot account for it4 ,at  

most can we suppose that the architect  
of ,bourges intended by those five doors
 to figure the five wounds of ,christ4  
,even then we should be left to wonder  
why he placed all the wounds in a single
 line2 for that church has no transept1 
no arms at the end of which the holes in
 the hands may be symbolized by doors1  
which is the usual course4  ,and the    
cathedral at ,antwerp1 which has two    
more aisles8  ,they no doubt typify the 
seven avenues1 the seven gifts of the   
,paraclete4 ,this question of number    
leads me to speak of theological        
enumeration1 a peculiar element which   
plays a part in the varied subject of   
symbolism1 the ,abbe went on4 ,the      
allegorical science of numbers is a very
 old one4 ,saint ,isidor of ,seville1   
and ,saint ,augustine studied it4       
,michelet1 who talks nonsense as soon as
 he has to do with a cathedral1 is hard 
on the mediaeval architects for their   
belief in the meaning of figures4 ,he   
accuses them of having observed mystic  

rules in the arrangement of certain     
parts of the buildings2 of having1 for  
instance1 restricted the number of      
windows1 or arranged pillars and bays in
 accordance with some arithmetical      
combination4 ,not understanding that    
each detail of a church had a meaning   
and was a symbol1 he could not          
understand that it was important to     
calculate each1 since its meaning might 
be modified or even completely altered4 
,thus a pillar by itself may not        
necessarily typify an ,apostle1 but if  
there should be twelve1 they evidently  
show the meaning attributed to them by  
the builder1 since they recall the exact
 number of ,christ's disciples4         
,sometimes1 indeed1 to prevent any      
mistake1 the answer is supplied with the
 problem2 as in an old church at        
,etampes1 where ,i read1 inscribed on   
the twelve ,romanesque shafts1 the names
 of the ,apostles in relief1 in the     
traditional setting of a ,greek cross4  
,at ,chartres they had adopted a still  

better plan3 statues of the twelve      
,apostles were placed in front of the   
pillars of the nave3 but the ,revolution
 took offence at these figures1         
overthrew and destroyed them4  ,in      
considering the system of symbolism it  
is necessary to study the significance  
of numbers4 ,the secrets of church      
building can only be discerned by       
recognizing the mysterious idea of the  
unity of the figure ,i41 which is the   
image of ,god ,himself4 ,the suggestion 
of ,,ii41 which figures the two natures 
of the ,son1 the two dispensations1 and1
 according to ,saint ,gregory the       
,great1 the two-fold law of love of ,god
 and man4 ,three is the number of the   
,persons of the ,trinity1 and of the    
theological virtues4 ,four typifies the 
cardinal virtues1 the four ,greater     
,prophets1 the ,gospels and the         
elements4 ,five is the number of        
,christ's wounds1 and of our senses1    
whose sins ,he expiated by a            
corresponding number of wounds4 ,six    

records the days devoted by ,god to the 
creation1 determines the number of the  
,commandments promulgated by the        
,church1 and1 according to ,saint       
,melito1 symbolizes the perfection of   
the active life4 ,seven is the sacred   
number of the ,mosaic law2 it is the    
number of the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost1
 of the ,sacraments1 of the words of    
,jesus on the ,cross1 of the canonical  
hours1 and of the successive orders of  
priesthood4 ,eight1 says ,saint         
,ambrose1 is the symbol of regeneration1
 ,saint ,augustine says of the          
,resurrection1 and it recalls the idea  
of the eight ,beatitudes4 ,nine is the  
number of the angelic hierarchy1 of the 
special gifts of the ,spirit as         
enumerated by ,saint ,paul2 and it was  
at the ninth hour that ,christ died4    
,ten is the number of laws given by     
,jehovah1 the law of fear2 but ,saint   
,augustine explains it otherwise1 saying
 that it includes the knowledge of ,god1
 since it may be decomposed into three1 

the symbol of a triune ,god1 and seven1 
figuring the day of rest after the      
,creation4 ,eleven1 the same saint      
explains as an image of transgressing   
the law and an emblem of sin2 and       
,twelve is the great mystic number1 the 
tale of the patriarchs and the          
,apostles1 of the tribes1 the minor     
prophets1 the virtues1 the fruits of the
 ,holy ,ghost1 and the articles of faith
 embodied in the ,credo4 ,and this might
 be repeated to infinity4 ,hence it is  
quite evident that the artists of the   
,middle ,ages added to the meaning they 
assigned to certain creatures and       
certain things1 that of quantity1       
supporting one by the other1 emphasizing
 or moderating a suggestion by this     
added-means1 working back sometimes on a
 former idea1 and expressing this       
duplication in a different form or      
concentrating it in the energetic       
conciseness of a cipher4 ,they thus     
produced a whole at once speaking to the
 eye and1 at the same time1 giving      

synthetical expression to the complete  
text of a dogma in a compact allegory4  
,but what hermetic concentration6       
exclaimed ,durtal4  ,very true2 these   
various meanings of persons and objects1
 resulting from numerical differences1  
are at first very puzzling4  ,and do you
 suppose that1 on the whole1 the height1
 breadth1 and length of a cathedral     
reveal a specialized idea1 a particular 
purpose on the part of the architect8   
,yes2 but ,i must at once confess that  
the key to these religious calculations 
is lost4 ,those archaeologists who have 
racked their brains to find it have     
vainly added together the measurements  
of naves and clerestories2 they have not
 yet succeeded in formulating the idea  
they expected to see emerge from the    
sums total4  ,in this matter we must    
confess ourselves ignorant4 ,besides1   
have not the standards of measurement   
been different at different times8 ,as  
with the value of coins in the ,middle  
,ages1 we know nothing about them4 ,so1 

in spite of some very interesting       
investigations carried out from this    
point of view by the ,abbe ,crosnier at 
the ,priory of ,saint ,gilles1 and the  
,abbe ,devoucoux at the ,cathedral of   
,autun1 ,i remain sceptical as to their 
conclusions1 which ,i regard as very    
ingenious1 but far from trustworthy4    
,the method of numbers is to be seen in 
perfection only in the details1 such as 
the pillars of which ,i spoke just now2 
it is no less evident when we find the  
same number prevailing throughout the   
edifice1 as for instance at             
,paray-le-,monial1 where all things are 
in threes4 ,there the designer has not  
been content to reproduce the sacred    
number in the general scheme of the     
structure2 he has applied it in every   
part4 ,the church has1 in fact1 three   
aisles2 each aisle has three            
compartments2 each compartment is formed
 by three arches surmounted by three    
windows4 ,in short1 it is the principle 
of the ,trinity1 the primary ,three1    

applied to every part4  ,well1 but do   
you not think1 ,monsieur l',abbe1 that1 
apart from such instances of            
indisputable meaning1 there are in such 
symbolism some very fine-drawn and      
obscure similitudes8  ,the ,abbe smiled4
  ,do you know1 said he1 the theories of
 ,honorius of ,autun as to the symbolism
 of the censer8  ,no4  ,well1 then1     
after having pointed out the natural and
 very proper interpretation that may be 
applied to this vessel1 as representing 
the ,body of ,our ,lord1 while the      
incense signifies ,his ,divinity1 and   
the fire is the ,holy ,spirit within    
,him2 and after having defined the      
various interpretations of the metal of 
which it is made--if of gold1 it answers
 to the perfection of ,his ,divinity2 if
 of silver1 to the matchless excellence 
of ,his ,humility2 if of copper1 to the 
frailty of the flesh ,he assumed for our
 salvation2 if of iron1 to the          
,resurrection of that ,body which       
conquered death--the scholiast comes to 

the chains4  ,and then1 indeed1 his     
elucidation becomes somewhat thin and   
fine-drawn4  ,if there are four chains1 
he says1 they represent the four        
cardinal virtues of the ,lord1 and the  
chain by which the cover is lifted from 
the vessel answers to the ,soul of      
,christ quitting ,his ,body4 ,if1 on the
 other hand1 there are but three chains1
 it is because the ,person of the       
,saviour includes three elements3 a     
human organism1 a soul1 and the ,godhead
 of the ,word4 ,and ,honorius adds3 'the
 ring through which the chains run      
represents the ,infinite in which all   
these things are included4'  ,that is   
subtle1 with a vengeance6  ,less so than
 ,durand de ,mende when he speaks of the
 snuffers1 replied the ,abbe2 after     
that1 we will kick away that ladder4    
,the snuffers for trimming the lamps    
are1 he asserts1 'the divine words off  
which we cut the letter of the law1 and 
by so doing reveal the ,spirit which    
giveth light4' ,and he adds1 'the pots  

in which the snuff is extinguished are  
the hearts of the faithful who observe  
the law literally4'  ,it is the very    
madness of ,symbolism6 cried ,durtal4   
,at least1 it is a too curious excess of
 it2 but if this interpretation of the  
snuffers is certainly grotesque1 if even
 the theory of the censer seems beaten  
somewhat thin on the whole1 you must    
admit that it is fascinating and exact  
so far as it is applied to the chain    
which lifts the upper part of the vessel
 in a cloud of fragrance1 and thus      
symbolizes the ascent of ,our ,lord into
 ,heaven4  ,that certain exaggerations  
should creep in through this use of     
parables was difficult to prevent2 but1 
on the other hand1 what marvels of      
analogy1 and what purely mystical       
notions are revealed through the        
meanings given by the liturgy to certain
 objects used in the services4  ,to the 
tapers1 for instance1 when ,pierre      
d',esquilin explains the purport of the 
three component parts3 the wax1 which is

 the spotless ,body of the ,saviour born
 of a ,virgin2 the wick1 which1 enclosed
 in the wax1 is ,his most ,holy ,soul   
hidden in the veil of the flesh2 and the
 light1 which is emblematic of ,his     
,godhead4  ,or1 again1 take the         
substances used by the ,church in       
certain ceremonies3 water1 wine1 ashes1 
salt1 oil1 balsam1 incense4 ,incense1   
besides representing the divinity of the
 ,son1 is likewise the symbol of prayer1
 'thus devotio orationis' as it is      
described by ,raban ,maur1 ,archbishop  
of ,mayence in the ninth century4 ,i    
happen to remember also1 a propos of    
this resin and the censer in which it is
 burnt1 a verse ,i read long since in   
the ',monastic ,distinctions' of the    
anonymous ,english writer of the        
thirteenth century1 which sums up their 
signification more neatly than ,i can3  
'vas notatur1     ,mens pia2 thure      
preces2 igne supernus amor4'  ,the vase 
is the spirit of piety2 the incense1    
prayer2 the fire1 divine love4  ,as to  

water1 wine1 ashes1 and salt1 they are  
used in compounding a precious ointment 
used by the bishop when consecrating a  
church4 ,they are mingled to sign the   
altar with the cross1 and to sprinkle   
the aisles3 the water and wine symbolize
 the two natures united in ,our ,lord2  
the salt is divine wisdom2 the ashes are
 in memory of ,his ,passion4  ,balsam1  
as you know1 is emblematical of virtue  
and good repute1 and is combined with   
oil1 signifying peace and wisdom1 to    
compose the sacramental ointment4       
,think1 too1 the priest went on1 of the 
pyx1 in which the transubstantiated     
elements are preserved1 the consecrated 
oblations1 and note that in the ,middle 
,ages these little cases were formed in 
the figure of a dove and contained the  
,host in the very image of the          
,paraclete and the ,virgin2 this was    
well done1 but here is something better4
 ,the jewellers of the time carved ivory
 and gave these little shrines the form 
of a tower4 ,is not the sentiment       

exquisite of our ,lord dwelling in the  
heart of the ,virgin1 the ,ivory ,tower 
of the ,canticles8 ,is not ivory indeed 
the most admirable material to serve as 
a sanctum for the most pure white flesh 
of the ,sacrament8  ,it is certainly    
mystical1 and far more appropriate than 
the vessels of every form1 the ciboria  
of silver-gilt1 of aluminum1 of silver  
of these days4  ,and need ,i remind you 
that the liturgy assigns a meaning to   
each vestment1 each ornament of the     
,church1 according to its use and form8 
,thus1 for instance1 the surplice and   
alb signify innocence2 the cord that    
serves as a girdle is an emblem of      
chastity and modesty2 the amice1 of     
purity of heart and body--the helmet of 
salvation mentioned by ,saint ,paul4    
,the maniple1 of good works1 vigilance1 
and the tears and sweat poured out by   
the priest to win and save souls2 the   
stole1 of obedience1 the clothing on of 
immortality given to us in baptism2 the 
dalmatic1 of justice1 of which we must  

give proof in our ministrations2 the    
chasuble1 of the unity of the faith1 and
 also of the yoke of ,christ4  ,but the 
rain has not ceased1 and ,i must        
nevertheless be gone1 for ,i have a     
penitent waiting for me1 exclaimed the  
,abbe1 looking at his watch4 ,will you  
come the day after to-morrow at about   
two o'clock8 ,we will hope it may be    
fine enough to examine the outside of   
the ,cathedral4  ,and if it still rains8
  ,come all the same4 ,but ,i must fly4 
,he pressed ,durtal's hand and was gone4
     ,,chapter ,,vi4   ,yes1 ,i know    
when ,i confessed in her presence that  
,i did not yet know of which ,saint ,i  
might write the history1 ,madame        
,bavoil--dear ,madame ,bavoil1 as the   
,abbe ,gevresin calls her--exclaimed3   
',the life of ,jeanne de ,matel6 ,why   
not8'  ,but it is a biography that is   
not easy to deal with or that can be    
lightly handled1 said ,durtal to        
himself1 as he arranged the notes he had
 collected by degrees as bearing on this

 ,venerable woman4  ,and he sat         
meditating4  ,what is quite             
unintelligible1 said he to himself1 is  
the disproportion between the promises  
made to her by ,jesus and the results   
achieved4 ,never1 ,i really believe1    
have so many tribulations and           
hindrances1 or so much ill-fortune      
attended the founding of a new ,order4  
,jeanne spent her days on the high      
roads1 running from one monastery to    
another1 and toil as she would to dig up
 the conventual soil1 nothing would     
grow4 ,she could not even assume the    
habit of her ,institution1 or at any    
rate only a few minutes before her      
death1 for1 in order to travel with     
greater ease all over ,france1 she wore 
the livery of a world she abominated1   
and to which she appealed in vain in the
 name of the ,lord to take an interest  
in the formation of her cloister4       
,unhappy woman6 ,she went to ,court--as 
her confessor ,father de ,gibalin bears 
witness1 while he testifies that he had 

never known a humbler soul--as others go
 to the stake4  ,and yet the ,lord      
certainly commanded her to found this   
,order of the ,incarnate ,word4 ,he     
sketched the scheme1 laid down the rule1
 and prescribed the costume1 explaining 
its symbolism1 declaring that the white 
robe of its maidens would do honour to  
that with which ,he was mockingly       
invested in ,herod's palace2 that their 
red cloak would keep in memory that     
which was cast over ,him in the house of
 ,pilate2 that their crimson scapulary  
and girdle would preserve the           
remembrance of the stake and the cords  
dyed in ,his blood4 ,and ,he seems to   
have mocked her4  ,he solemnly assured  
her that after sorrowful trials the seed
 she had sown should bring forth an     
abundant harvest of nuns4 ,he expressly 
told her that she would rank as the     
sister of ,saint ,theresa and ,saint    
,clare2 those holy women appeared to    
ratify these promises by their presence1
 and when nothing would come of it1     

nothing would work1 when1 quite worn    
out1 she burst into tears1 the ,lord    
calmly bade her be still and take       
patience4  ,meanwhile1 she was living   
amid a howling storm of recrimination   
and threats4 ,the clergy persecute her1 
the ,archbishop of ,lyon1 the ,cardinal 
de ,richelieu1 aims only at hindering   
the completion of her abbeys on his     
lands2 she cannot even manage her       
,sisterhood1 since we find her wandering
 in search of a protector or an         
assistant2 they are torn by divisions1  
and their insubordination is such that  
at length she is compelled to return in 
hot haste1 and1 with many tears1 expel  
the contumacious sisters from the       
cloister4  ,it really seems as though no
 sooner had she built up a monastic wall
 than it split and fell2 nothing would  
hold4 ,in short1 the ,order of the      
,incarnate ,word was born rickety and   
died a dwarf4 ,it lingered in the midst 
of universal apathy1 and survived till  
#agij1 when it was buried4 ,in #ahaa one

 ,abbe ,denis revived it at ,azerables  
in la ,creuse1 and since then it has    
struggled on for better for worse1      
scattered through about fifteen houses1 
one of these at ,texas in the ,new      
,world4  ,there is no doubt of it1      
,durtal concluded2 we are far enough    
from the strong sap which ,saint        
,theresa and ,saint ,clare could infuse 
into the centennial growth of their     
mighty trees6  ,to say nothing of the   
fact that ,jeanne de ,matel1 who has    
never been canonized like her two       
sisters1 and whose name remains unknown 
to most ,catholics1 intended to found an
 order of men as well as women2 she did 
not succeed1 and the attempts since made
 in our day by the ,abbe ,combalot to   
carry her plan into effect have been    
equally vain6  ,now1 what is the reason8
 ,is it because there are too many and  
various communities in the ,church8     
,why1 new foundations are set on foot   
and flourish every day6 ,is it by reason
 of the poverty of the monasteries8     

,nay1 for indigence is the great test of
 success1 and experience shows that ,god
 only blesses the most destitute        
convents and abandons the others6 ,is   
it1 then1 the austerity of the rule8    
,but this was very mild2 it was that of 
,saint ,augustine1 which yields to every
 compromise1 and at need accepts every  
shade of practice4 ,the sisters rose at 
five in the morning2 the diet was not   
restricted to ,lenten fare excepting at 
the ,paschal season1 but one fast day   
was enjoined in the week1 and even that 
was compulsory only to the ,sisters who 
were strong enough to bear it4 ,thus    
there is nothing to account for such    
persistent failure4  ,and ,jeanne de    
,matel was a saint endowed with         
remarkable energy and really moulded by 
the ,saviour6 ,in her writings she is an
 eloquent and subtle theologian1 an     
ardent and rapturous mystic1 dealing in 
metaphors and hyperbole1 in tangible    
parallels1 passionate questionings1 and 
apostrophes2 she resembles both ,saint  

,denys the ,areopagite and ,saint       
,maddalena dei ,pazzi2 ,saint ,denys in 
matter1 ,saint ,maddalena in manner4 ,as
 a writer1 no doubt she is not supreme1 
and the poverty of her borrowed style is
 sometimes painful2 still1 considering  
that she lived in the seventeenth       
century1 she was at any rate not a mere 
scribbler of vapid aspirations1 like    
most of the prosy pietists of the time4 
,and her works have met with the same   
fate as her foundations4 ,they remain   
for the most part unpublished4 ,hello1  
who was familiar with them1 only        
extracted a very mediocre cento2 some   
others1 as ,prince ,galitzin and the    
,abbe ,penaud1 have explored her        
writings with better results and printed
 some loftier and more impassioned      
passages4  ,and this ,abbess wrote some 
of genuine inspiration4  ,yes1 but all  
this does not alter the fact that ,i do 
not see the book ,i could write about   
her1 muttered ,durtal4 ,in spite of my  
wish to be agreeable to dear ,madame    

,bavoil1 no--,i have no inclination to  
undertake the task4  ,all things        
considered1 if ,i did not so heartily   
hate a move1 if ,i had energy enough to 
go back to ,holland1 ,i would try to do 
honour in loving and respectful terms to
 the worshipful ,lidwina1 who is of all 
the female saints one whose life ,i     
should best love to write2 but merely to
 attempt to reconstruct the surroundings
 amid which she lived1 ,i should have to
 settle in the town where she dwelt1    
,schiedam4  ,if ,god grants me life1 no 
doubt ,i shall one day do this2 but the 
plan is not yet ripe4 ,put that aside1  
then1 and since on the other hand       
,jeanne de ,matel does not captivate me1
 perhaps ,i had better think of another 
abbess even less known1 and whose career
 was one of more tranquil endurance1    
less wandering and more concentrated1   
and at any rate more attractive4        
,besides1 her life can now only be found
 in an octavo volume by an anonymous    
writer1 whose incoherent chapters1 in   

language as clogging as a linseed       
poultice1 will for ever hinder the world
 from knowing her4 ,so it will be       
interesting to work it up and make it   
readable4  ,as he turned over his papers
 he was thinking of one ,mother ,van    
,valckenissen1 in religion ,mary        
,margaret of the ,angels1 foundress of  
the ,priory of ,carmelite ,sisters at   
,oirschot in ,dutch ,brabant4  ,this    
pious lady was the daughter of a noble  
house1 born on the #bfth of ,may1 #afje1
 at ,antwerp1 during the wars which     
devastated ,flanders1 and at the very   
time when ,prince ,maurice of ,nassau   
was besieging the town4 ,as soon as she 
could read1 her parents sent her to     
school in a convent of ,dominican nuns  
near ,brussels4 ,her father dying1 her  
mother removed her from that convent and
 placed her with the ,white ,ursulines  
of ,louvain2 then she too died1 and at  
fifteen the girl was an orphan4  ,her   
guardian again removed her to the ,house
 of the ,carmelite ,sisters at ,mechlin2

 but the struggle between the ,spaniards
 and the ,flemings came close to the    
district watered by the ,dyle1 and      
,marie ,marguerite was once more taken  
from her convent to find refuge with the
 canonesses of ,nivelles4 ,thus her     
whole childhood was spent in rushing    
from one convent to another4  ,she was  
happy in these retreats1 especially with
 the ,carmelites1 adopting the hair     
shirt and submitting to the severest    
discipline2 but now1 on coming forth    
from the most rigid cloistered life1 she
 found herself in the midst of a gay    
world4 ,this ,chapter of ,canonesses1   
which ought to have inculcated the      
mystic life1 was one of those hybrid    
institutions not altogether white nor   
quite black1 a cross between profane    
piety and pious laity4 ,this ,chapter1  
filled up exclusively from the ranks of 
rich and high-born women1 while the     
,abbess1 nominated by the ,sovereign1   
assumed the title of ,princess of       
,nivelles1 led a devout and frivolous   

life1 passing strange4 ,not only might  
these semi-nuns go out walking whenever 
they thought fit1 they had a right to   
live at home for a certain part of their
 time1 and might even marry after       
obtaining the consent of the ,abbess4   
,in the morning those who chose to      
reside in the ,abbey put on a monastic  
habit during the services2 then their   
religious duties ended2 they doffed the 
convent livery1 dressed in splendid     
attire1 the hoops and bows and          
farthingales and ruffs that were then   
the fashion1 and sat in the parlour     
where visitors poured in4  ,the unhappy 
,marie loathed the dissipation of a life
 which hindered her from ever being     
alone with her ,god4 ,bewildered by the 
gossip and ashamed of wearing clothes   
that were offensive to her1 compelled to
 steal away before daylight1 disguised  
as a waiting-woman1 to pray in a        
deserted church far from all this       
turmoil1 she at last pined away with    
sorrow1 and was dying of grief at       

,nivelles4  ,at this juncture a certain 
,father ,bernard de ,montgaillard1      
,abbot of ,orval1 of the ,cistercian    
,order1 came to the town4 ,she flew to  
him1 and besought him to rescue her2 and
 this monk1 enlightened by a truly      
divine spirit1 understood that she was  
born to be a victim of expiation1 to    
atone for the insults offered to the    
,holy ,eucharist in churches4 ,he gave  
her comfort1 and announced to her her   
vocation as a ,carmelite4 ,she set out  
for ,antwerp to visit the ,mother ,anne 
de ,saint ,barthelemy1 a saintly woman1 
who1 warned of her coming by a vision of
 ,saint ,theresa1 consented to receive  
her into the ,carmel of which she was   
the ,superior4  ,then obstacles arose1  
the work of the ,devil4 ,having returned
 to her guardian1 pending her reception 
at the convent1 she suddenly fell       
paralyzed1 losing all at once her       
hearing1 speech1 and sight4 ,she        
nevertheless succeeded in making it     
understood that they were to carry her1 

as she was1 to the convent1 where she   
was left half dead4 ,there she fell at  
the feet of ,mother ,anne1 who blessed  
her1 and raised her up cured4  ,then her
 novitiate began4  ,in spite of her     
delicate frame1 she endured the most    
terrible fasts1 the most violent        
scourging2 she bound her body in chains 
with points on the links1 fed on the    
parings thrown out on plates1 drank     
dirty water to quench her thirst1 and   
was so cold one winter that her legs    
froze4  ,her body was one wound1 but her
 soul was glorious2 she lived in ,god1  
who loaded her with mercies and communed
 with her sweetly2 her probation was    
near its end1 and again1 just when she  
became a postulant1 she fell dangerously
 sick4 ,there were doubts as to her     
being admitted to the ,order1 and again 
,saint ,theresa intervened and commanded
 the ,abbess to receive her4  ,she took 
the habit1 and then fell a prey to the  
temptation of despair1 which has        
assailed some ,saints2 after this came a

 sense of dryness and desertion1 which  
lasted for three years4 ,she held out2  
she endured all the tortures of the     
,mystical ,substitution1 bearing the    
most painful and repulsive diseases to  
save souls4 ,the ,lord vouchsafed at    
last to intermit the penitential task of
 suffering4 ,he allowed her to breathe1 
and the ,devil took advantage of this   
lull to come upon the scene4  ,he       
appeared to her under the most hostile  
and monstrous form1 breaking everything1
 and vanishing in a trail of            
pestilential vapours4 ,meanwhile a good 
man1 one ,sylvester ,lindermans1 had    
determined to found a ,carmel on an     
estate he possessed at ,oirschot1 in    
,holland4 ,as is ever the case when a   
convent is to be established1           
tribulations abounded4 ,it seemed1 in   
fact1 that the time was ill-chosen for  
transferring the ,sisters to a town in  
arms against the ,catholics1 across a   
country infested by bands of armed      
,protestants4 ,when the ,mother         

,superior selected ,marie ,marguerite to
 go forth and found this new ,house1 she
 entreated to be left to pray in peace  
in her little nook2 but ,jesus          
interposed2 commanding her to depart4   
,she obeyed2 exhausted1 sick1 and worn  
out1 she dragged herself along the      
roads1 and at last arrived1 with the    
,sisters accompanying her1 at ,oirschot1
 where she organized the ,convent as    
best she might in a house which had     
never been intended to serve as a       
nunnery4  ,she was made                 
,vicar-,prioress1 and at once revealed a
 marvellous power of influencing souls4 
,living the austere life of a           
,carmelite1 which she aggravated for    
herself by fearful mortifications1 she  
was always tolerant to others1 and      
although she was known to murmur1 so    
great were her bodily sufferings1 ,till 
the ,day of ,judgment1 none can ever    
know what ,i endure6 she was always gay1
 and preached cheerfulness to her       
daughters in these words3 ,it is all    

very well for those who sin to be sad2  
but we ought to have twice as much joy  
as the angels1 since we1 like them1     
fulfil the will of ,god1 and we1 in     
addition1 can suffer for ,his glory1    
which they can never do4  ,she was the  
most indulgent and considerate of       
,abbesses4 ,for fear of giving offence  
to her flock by exerting her authority1 
she never gave an order in an imperative
 form2 never said1 ,do this or that1 but
 only1 ,let us do it4 ,and if at any    
time she found herself obliged to punish
 a nun in the refectory1 she would      
forthwith kiss the feet of the others1  
and entreat them to buffet her to humble
 her4  ,but it would have been too      
perfect if she and the angelic flock    
over which she ruled could have lived   
the inward life in peace1 and sunk their
 soul in ,god4 ,the ,cure of ,oirschot  
hated her1 and1 why no one knew1 he     
defamed her throughout the town4 ,the   
,devil too1 on his part1 returned to the
 charge2 he appeared1 in the midst of an

 uproar that shook the walls and made   
the roof tremble1 in the form of an     
,ethiopian giant1 blew out all the      
lights1 and tried to strangle the nuns4 
,most of them almost died of fear2 but  
in compensation for their sufferings    
,heaven granted them the comfort of     
incessant miracles4  ,the ,mother       
enabled them to prove in her person the 
authenticity of the incredible tales    
they had read during meals1 of the      
,lives of the ,saints4 ,she had the gift
 of bilocation1 appearing in several    
places at the same time1 shedding a     
trail of delicious fragrance wherever   
she passed1 curing the sick by the ,sign
 of the ,cross1 scenting out and        
discerning hidden sins as a hunting dog 
puts up game1 and reading souls4  ,and  
her daughters adored her1 wept to see   
her lead a life which now was one long  
torment4 ,as a result of the intense    
cold1 she became a victim to acute      
rheumatism2 for the ,rule of ,saint     
,theresa1 which prohibits the lighting  

of a fire anywhere but in the kitchens1 
if it is endurable in ,spain1 is simply 
murderous in the frozen climate of      
,flanders4  ,after all1 said ,durtal to 
himself1 this life so far is not very   
unlike that experienced by many another 
cloistered nun2 but towards the approach
 of death the amazing beauty of this    
spirit was revealed in so special a     
manner1 and in wishes so remarkable1    
that it remains unique in the records of
 the ,monastic ,houses4  ,her health    
grew worse and worse4 ,added to the     
rheumatism1 which crippled her1 she had 
pains in the stomach1 which nothing     
could relieve4 ,sciatica was presently  
engrafted on this flourishing stock of  
torments1 and dropsy1 a common disease  
in cloisters of austere rule1           
supervened4  ,her legs swelled and      
refused to carry her2 she lay helpless  
on her bed4 ,the ,sisters who nursed her
 now discovered a secret which she had  
always kept1 out of humility2 they      
perceived that her hands were pierced   

with red holes surrounded by a blue     
halo1 and that her feet1 also pierced1  
lay of their own accord1 unless they    
were held down1 one above the other1 in 
the position of ,christ's feet on the   
cross4 ,at last she confessed that many 
years before ,jesus had marked her with 
the stigmata of the ,passion1 and that  
the wounds burnt night and day like red 
hot iron4  ,her sufferings constantly   
increased4 ,feeling that this time she  
was dying1 she grieved over the pitiless
 macerations she had used1 and with     
touching artlessness begged forgiveness 
of her poor body for having exhausted   
its strength1 and so having perhaps     
hindered it from living to suffer       
longer4  ,and she then put up the most  
strangely fragrant1 the most wildly     
extravagant prayer that ever a ,saint   
can have addressed to ,god4  ,she had so
 loved the ,holy ,eucharist1 she had so 
longed to kneel at ,his feet and atone  
for the outrages inflicted on ,him by   
the sins of mankind1 that she waxed     

faint at the thought that after her     
death what would remain of her could no 
longer worship ,him4  ,the idea that her
 body would rot in uselessness1 that the
 last handfuls of her miserable flesh   
would decay without having served to    
honour the ,saviour1 broke her heart2   
and then it was that she besought ,him  
to suffer her to melt away1 to liquefy  
into an oil which might be burnt before 
the tabernacle in the lamp of the       
sanctuary4  ,and ,jesus vouchsafed to   
her this excessive privilege1 such as   
the like is unknown in the history of   
the ,saints2 and at the moment when she 
died she enjoined her daughters to leave
 her body exposed in the chapel1 and    
unburied for some weeks4  ,on this point
 there is abundant authentic evidence4  
,more or less minute inquiries were     
made1 and the reports of medical experts
 are so precise that we can follow from 
day to day the state of the corpse until
 it had turned to oil and could be      
preserved in phials1 from which1 by her 

desire1 a spoonful was poured every     
morning to feed the wick of a lamp      
hanging near the altar4  ,when she      
died--then aged fifty-two1 having lived 
as a nun for thirty-three years1 and    
fourteen as ,superior of ,oirschot--her 
face was transfigured1 and in spite of  
the cold of a winter when the ,scheldt  
could be crossed in a carriage1 her body
 remained soft and pliable2 but it      
swelled4 ,surgeons examined it and      
opened it in the presence of witnesses4 
,they expected to find the stomach      
filled with water1 but scarcely half a  
pint was removed1 and the body did not  
collapse4  ,this autopsy led to the     
incomprehensible discovery in the       
gall-bladder of three nails with black  
heads1 angular and polished1 of an      
unknown metal2 two weighed as much as   
half a ,french gold crown1 within seven 
grains2 the third1 which was as large as
 a nutmeg1 weighed five grains more4    
,the operators then filled up the       
intestines with tow soaked in wormwood1 

and sewed the body up again with a      
needle and thread4 ,and during and after
 these proceedings not only did the dead
 nun give out no smell of putrefaction1 
but1 as in her lifetime1 she diffused an
 ineffable and exquisite perfume4       
,nearly three weeks elapsed2 boils      
formed and broke1 giving out blood and  
water for more than a month2 then the   
skin showed patches of yellow2 exudation
 ceased and oil came out1 at first      
white1 limpid1 and fragrant1 afterwards 
darker and of about the colour of amber4
 ,it filled more than a hundred phials1 
each containing two ounces1 several of  
them being still preserved in the       
,carmels of ,belgium2 and her remains   
when buried were not decomposed1 but had
 assumed the golden brown colour of a   
date4  ,a book might really be written  
on the life of this admirable woman1    
thought ,durtal4 ,and then what a group 
of wonderful nuns were those about her6 
,the convents of ,antwerp1 ,mechlin1 and
 ,oirschot swarmed with saintly nuns4   

,in the time of ,charles ,v4 the ,order 
of ,carmelites renewed in ,flanders the 
mystical prodigies which1 four centuries
 before1 in the ,middle ,ages1 the      
,dominicans had accomplished in the     
,monastery of ,unterlinden at ,colmar4  
,how such women as these carry one away 
and throw one1 as it were6 ,what        
strength of soul we see in this ,marie  
,marguerite6 ,what grace must have      
sustained her1 that she could thus shed 
all the natural frenzy of the senses1   
and endure so cheerfully and bravely the
 most overwhelming sufferings6  ,well1  
now1 shall ,i harness myself to a       
history of this venerable ,abbess8 ,but 
then ,i must procure the volume by      
,joseph de ,loignac1 her first          
biographer1 the notice by the ,recluse  
of ,marlaigne1 the pamphlet by          
,monseigneur de ,ram1 the narrative by  
,papebroech2 above all ,i must have at  
hand the translation1 made by the       
,carmelites of ,louvain1 of the ,flemish
 manuscript written while the ,mother   

was still alive1 by her daughters4      
,where can ,i unearth that8 ,in any case
 the search must be a long one4 ,no1 ,i 
must set aside that scheme1 which for   
the present is impracticable4  ,what ,i 
ought to do ,i know very well2 ,i ought 
to put the article into shape on        
,angelico's picture in the ,louvre4 ,i  
promised the paper at least four months 
ago to the magazine which clamours for  
it every morning by letter4 ,it is      
disgraceful6 ,since ,i left ,paris ,i   
have ceased to work2 and ,i have no     
excuse1 for the subject interests me1   
since it affords me an opportunity for  
studying the complete system of the     
symbolism of colour in the ,middle      
,ages4 ',the ,early ,painters1 and      
,prayer in ,colour as seen in their     
,works4' ,what a subject for thought6   
,however1 that is not the immediate     
matter4 ,i must not sit dreaming1 but go
 to join the ,abbe ,plomb2 and the      
weather is clouding over again6 ,i      
certainly have no luck4  ,as he crossed 

the square he was lost again in         
meditations1 captivated once more by the
 haunting thought of the ,cathedral1 and
 saying to himself as he looked up at   
the spires1--  ,how many varieties there
 are in the immense family of the       
,gothic2 and what dissimilarities4 ,no  
two churches are alike4  ,the towers and
 belfries of those he knew rose before  
him as in those diagrams on which1      
irrespective of distance1 the buildings 
are placed all close together at the    
same point of view to show their        
relative height4  ,it is quite true1    
thought he1 the towers vary like the    
basilicas4 ,those of ,notre ,dame de    
,paris are thick-set and gloomy1 almost 
elephantine2 cleft almost from top to   
bottom by deep bays1 they seem to mount 
slowly and with difficulty1 and stop    
short1 crushed as it were by the burden 
of sins1 dragged down to earth by the   
wickedness of the city2 we feel the     
effort with which they rise1 and we are 
saddened as we contemplate those captive

 masses1 all the more depressing by     
reason of the dismal hue of the         
louvre-boards4 ,at ,reims1 on the       
contrary1 they are open from top to     
bottom1 pierced as with needles' eyes1  
long narrow windows of which the opening
 seems filled with a herring-bone of    
enormous size1 or a gigantic comb with  
teeth on each side4 ,they spring into   
the air1 as light as filigree2 and the  
sky gets into the mouldings1 plays      
between the mullions1 peeps through the 
tracery and the innumerable lancets1 in 
strips of blue1 is focussed and         
reflected in the little carved trefoils 
above4 ,these towers are mighty1        
expansive1 immense1 and yet light4 ,they
 are as speaking1 as much alive1 as     
those in ,paris are stern and mute4  ,at
 ,laon they are more especially strange4
 ,with their light columns1 here thrust 
forward and there standing back1 they   
suggest a series of shelves piled up in 
a hurry1 crowned merely by a platform1  
over which lowing oxen look down4  ,the 

two towers at ,amiens1 built1 like those
 of the ,cathedrals at ,rouen and at    
,bourges1 at different periods1 do not  
match4 ,they are of different heights1  
lame against the sky2 another that is   
really magnificent in its solitude1 and 
putting to shame the mediocrity of the  
two belfries lately erected on each side
 of the west front1 is the ,norman tower
 of ,saint ,ouen1 its summit encircled  
by a crown4 ,this is the patrician tower
 among so many that preserve a peasant  
air1 with bare heads1 or coifs made     
narrow and square at the top1 sloped    
somewhat like the mouthpiece of a       
whistle1 such as that of ,saint ,romain 
at ,rouen1 or rustic1 pointed caps like 
that worn by the church of ,saint       
,benigne at ,dijon1 or the queer sort of
 awning which shades the ,cathedral of  
,saint ,jean at ,lyon4  ,and in any case
 a tower without a tapering spire never 
soars to heaven4 ,it always rises       
heavily1 pants on the way1 and falls    
asleep exhausted4 ,it is1 as it were1 an

 arm without a hand1 a wrist without    
palm and fingers1 a stump2 or1 again1 a 
pencil uncut1 having no point wherewith 
to write up beyond the clouds the       
prayers from below2 in short1 it is for 
ever inert4  ,we must turn to the       
steeple1 to the stone spire1 to find the
 true symbol of prayers shot up to      
pierce the sky and reach the ,heart of  
the ,father1 which is their target4     
,and in this family of arrows what a    
variety we see2 no two darts are alike6 
,some are set in a collar of turrets at 
their base1 held in a circle of         
pinnacles1 like the points of a ,magian 
king's diadem2 this we see in the       
bell-tower of ,senlis4  ,others seem to 
have about them the children born in    
their image1 little spires1 all round   
them2 some are covered with bosses1     
knobs1 and blisters2 others pierced like
 colanders and strainers1 in patterns of
 trefoils and quaterfoils that seem to  
have been punched out2 here we find some
 that are covered with ornament1 with   

teeth like a rasp1 ridges of notches1 or
 bristling with spines2 others are      
imbricated with scales like a fish1 as  
we see in the older spire at ,chartres2 
and others again1 like that at          
,caudebec1 display the emblem of the    
,roman ,church1 the triple crown of the 
,pope4  ,out of this general outline1   
which was almost forced upon them1 and  
which they hardly ever tried to avoid1  
this pyramid or pepper-caster1 jelly-bag
 or extinguisher1 the architects of the 
,middle ,ages evolved the most ingenious
 combinations and varied their designs  
to infinity4  ,how mysterious for the   
most part is the origin of our          
cathedrals6 ,most of the artists who    
built them are unknown2 nay1 the age of 
the stones is rarely a matter of        
certainty1 for the greater part of them 
have been wrought upon by the alluvium  
of ages4  ,they almost all cover        
intervals of two1 three1 or four        
centuries each2 they extend from the    
beginning1 of the thirteenth century    

till the first years of the sixteenth4  
,and on reflection that is very         
intelligible4  ,it has been accurately  
remarked that the thirteenth century was
 the great period of cathedral-building4
 ,it gave birth to almost every one of  
them2 and then1 being created1 their    
growth was checked for nearly two       
hundred years4  ,the fourteenth century 
was torn by frightful disasters4 ,it    
began with the ignoble quarrels between 
,philippe le ,bel and the ,pope2 it saw 
the stake lighted for the ,templars1    
made bonfires in ,languedoc of the      
,begards and the ,fraticelli1 the lepers
 and the ,jews2 wallowed in blood under 
the defeats of ,crecy and ,poitiers1 the
 furious excesses of the ,jacquerie and 
of the ,maillotins1 and the ravages of  
the brigands known as the ,tard-venus2  
and finally1 having run so wild1 its    
madness was reflected in the incurable  
insanity of the king4  ,thus it ended1  
as it had begun1 writhing in the most   
horrible religious convulsions4 ,the    

,tiaras of ,rome and ,avignon clashed1  
and the ,church1 standing unsupported on
 these ruins1 tottered on its base1 for 
the ,great ,western ,schism now shook   
it4  ,the fifteenth century seemed to be
 born mad4 ,charles ,,vi4's insanity    
seemed to be infectious2 the ,english   
invasion was followed by the pillage of 
,france1 the frenzied contest of the    
,bourguignons and the ,armagnacs1 by    
plagues and famines1 and the overthrow  
at ,agincourt2 then came ,charles       
,,vii41 ,joan of ,arc1 the deliverance  
and the healing of the land by the      
energetic treatment of ,king ,louis     
,,xi4  ,all these events hindered the   
progress of the works in cathedrals4    
,the fourteenth century on the whole    
restricted itself to carrying on the    
structures begun during the previous    
century4 ,we must wait till the end of  
the fifteenth1 when ,france drew breath1
 to see architecture start into life    
once more4  ,it must be added that      
frequent conflagrations at various times

 destroyed a whole church1 and that it  
had to be rebuilt from the foundations2 
others1 like ,beauvais1 fell down1 and  
had to be reconstructed1 or1 if money   
was lacking1 simply strengthened and the
 gaps repaired4  ,with the exception of 
a very few--,saint ,ouen at ,rouen for  
one1 a rare example of a church almost  
entirely built during the fourteenth    
century 7excepting the western towers   
and front1 which are quite modern71 and 
the ,cathedral at ,reims for another1   
which appears to have been constructed  
without much interruption1 on the       
original plans of ,hugues ,libergier or 
,robert de ,coucy--not one of our       
cathedrals was erected throughout in    
accordance with the designs of the      
architect who began it1 nor has one     
remained untouched4  ,most of them1     
consequently1 represent the combined    
efforts of successive pious generations2
 still1 this apparently improbable fact 
is true3 until the dawn of the          
,renaissance the genius of successive   

builders was singularly well matched4   
,if they made any alterations in their  
predecessors' plans1 they were able to  
introduce some touch of individuality1  
inventions of exquisite beauty that did 
not clash with the whole4 ,they         
engrafted their genius on that of their 
first masters2 there was the perpetuated
 tradition of an admirable conception1 a
 perennial breath of the ,holy ,spirit4 
,it was the interloper1 the period of   
false and farcical ,pagan art1 that     
extinguished that pure flame1 and       
annihilated the luminous truthfulness of
 the ,mediaeval past1 when ,god had     
dwelt intimately1 at home1 in souls2 it 
substituted a merely earthly form of art
 for one that was divine4  ,as soon as  
the sensuality of the ,renaissance      
revealed itself1 the ,paraclete fled2   
the mortal sin of stone could display   
itself at will4 ,it contaminated the    
buildings that were finished1 defiled   
the churches1 debasing their purity of  
form2 this1 with the gross license of   

sculpture and painting1 was the great   
stupration of the cathedrals4  ,and this
 time the ,spirit of ,prayer was quite  
dead2 everything went to pieces4 ,the   
,renaissance1 so lauded afterwards by   
,michelet and the historians1 was the   
death of the ,mystical soul of          
monumental theology1 of religious       
art--all the great art of ,france4      
,bless me6 where am ,i8 ,durtal suddenly
 asked himself1 finding himself in the  
ill-paved alleys which lead from the    
,cathedral square to the lower town4 ,he
 saw that1 dreaming as he walked1 he had
 passed the ,abbe's lodgings4  ,he      
turned up the street again1 stopped in  
front of an old house and rang4 ,a brass
 wicket was opened and closed1 and a    
housekeeper1 shuffling up in old shoes1 
half opened the door4 ,durtal was met by
 the ,abbe ,plomb1 who was watching for 
him1 and who led him into a room full of
 statues2 there were carved images in   
every spot--on the chimney-shelf1 on a  
chest of drawers1 on a side table1 and  

in the middle of the room4  ,do not look
 at them1 said the ,abbe1 do not heed   
them2 ,i have no part in the selection  
of this horrible bazaar4 ,i have to     
endure it in spite of myself2 these are 
offerings from my penitents4  ,durtal   
laughed1 though somewhat scared by the  
extraordinary specimens of religious art
 that crowded the room4  ,there was     
every kind of work3 black frames with   
brass flats1 and in them engravings of  
,virgins by ,bouguereau and ,signol1    
,guido's ,ecce ,homo1 ,pietas1 ,saint   
,philomenas--and then the assembly of   
polychrome statues3 ,mary painted with  
the crude green of angelica and the     
acrid pinks of ,english pear-drops2     
,madonnas gazing in rapture at their own
 feet1 with extended hands whence       
proceeded fans of yellow rays2 ,joan of 
,arc squatting like a hen on her eggs1  
with eyes raised to heaven like white   
marbles1 and pressing a standard to her 
bosom in its plaster cuirass2 ,saint    
,anthonys of ,padua1 clean and snug1 as 

neat as two pins2 ,saint ,josephs1 not  
enough the carpenter and too little the 
,saint2 ,magdalens weeping silver pills2
 a whole mob of semi-divinities1 best   
quality1 of the class known as ,the     
,munich ,article in the ,rue ,madame4   
,oh1 ,monsieur l',abbe1 the donors are  
certainly terrible people--but could you
 not1 quite by accident1 drop one of    
these objects every day--  ,the priest  
gave a shrug of despair4  ,they would   
only bring me more1 cried he4 ,but if   
you are willing1 we will be off at once1
 for ,i am afraid of being caught here  
if ,i linger4  ,and as they walked1     
talking of the ,cathedral1 ,durtal      
exclaimed1--  ,is it not a monstrous    
thing that in the splendour of this     
,cathedral of ,chartres it is impossible
 to hear any genuine plain-song8 ,i am  
reduced to frequenting the sanctuary    
only at hours when there is no high     
service going on4 ,above all ,i avoid   
being present at ,high ,mass on         
,sundays2 the music that is tolerated   

infuriates me6 ,is there no way of      
having the organist dismissed1 and a    
clean sweep made of the precentor and   
the teachers in the choir-school1 of    
packing off the basses with their vinous
 voices to the taverns8 ,ugh6 ,and the  
gassy effervescence that rises from the 
thin pipes of the little boys6 and the  
street tunes eructed in a hiccough1 like
 the run of a lamp-chain when you pull  
it up1 mingling with the noisy bellow of
 the basses6 ,what a disgrace1 what a   
shame6 ,how is it that the ,bishop1 the 
priests1 the ,canons do not prohibit    
such treason8  ,monseigneur1 ,i know1 is
 old and ill2 but those ,canons6--,they 
look so weary1 to be sure6 ,as ,i see   
them droning out the ,psalms in their   
stalls1 ,i wonder whether they know     
where they are and what they are doing2 
they always seem to me in a half        
unconscious state--  ,the high winds of 
la ,beauce induce lethargy1 said the    
,abbe1 laughing4 ,but allow me to assure
 you that though the ,cathedral scorns  

,gregorian chants1 here1 at ,chartres1  
at the little ,seminary1 at the church  
of ,notre ,dame de la ,breche1 and at   
the convent of the ,sisters of ,saint   
,paul1 they are sung after the ,use of  
,solesmes1 so that you can alternately  
attend that church and those chapels and
 the ,cathedral1 since perfection is to 
be found in neither4  ,of course4       
,still1 is it not horrible to think that
 the ,hottentot taste of a few bawling  
old men can pursue the ,virgin even in  
,her sanctuary with such musical        
insults8 ,ah1 there is the rain again1  
said ,durtal with vexation1 after a     
short silence4  ,well1 here we are4 ,we 
can take shelter in the church1 and     
study the interior at our leisure4      
,they knelt before the ,black ,virgin of
 the ,pillar2 then they sat down in the 
deserted nave1 and the ,abbe said in an 
undertone1--  ,i explained to you the   
other day the symbolism of the outside  
of the building4 ,would you like me now 
to inform you in a few words as to the  

allegories set forth in the aisles8     
,and on seeing ,durtal agree by a nod1  
the priest went on1--  ,you are1 of     
course1 aware that almost all our       
cathedrals are cruciform4 ,in the       
primitive ,church1 it is true1 you will 
find that some were constructed of a    
circular form and surmounted by a dome4 
,but most of these were not built by our
 forefathers2 they are ancient temples  
of the heathen adapted by the           
,catholics1 with more or less           
alteration1 to their own use1 or        
imitated from such temples before the   
,romanesque style was recognized4  ,we  
need then seek in these no liturgical   
meaning1 since that form was not a      
,christian invention4 ,at the same time 
,durand of ,mende1 in his ,rationale1   
asserts that a building of rounded form 
symbolizes the extension of the ,church 
over the whole circle of the universe4  
,others explain the dome as being the   
crown of the ,crucified ,king1 and the  
smaller cupolas which occasionally      

support it as the huge heads of the     
,nails4 ,but we may set aside these     
explanations1 which are but based on    
existing facts1 and study the cruciform 
plan shown here1 as in other cathedrals1
 in the arrangement of the nave and     
transepts4  ,it may be noted that in a  
few churches1 as1 for instance1 the     
abbey church of ,cluny1 the interior1   
instead of showing a ,latin ,cross1 was 
planned on the lines of the ,cross of   
,lorraine1 two crosslets being added to 
the arms4--,now1 behold the whole       
scheme6 the priest said1 with a gesture 
that comprehended the whole of the      
interior of the basilica of ,chartres4  
,jesus is dead2 ,his head is at the     
altar2 ,his outstretched arms are the   
two transepts2 ,his pierced hands are   
the doors2 ,his legs are the nave where 
we are standing2 ,his pierced feet are  
the door by which we have come in4 ,now 
consider the systematic deviation of the
 axis of the building2 it imitates the  
attitude of a body bent over from the   

upright tree of sacrifice1 and in some  
cathedrals--for instance1 at ,reims--the
 narrowness1 the strangulation1 so to   
speak1 of the choir in proportion to the
 nave represents all the more closely   
the head and neck of a man1 drooping    
over his shoulder when he has given up  
the ghost4  ,this twist in the church is
 to be seen almost everywhere--in ,saint
 ,ouen and in the ,cathedral at ,rouen1 
in ,saint ,jean at ,poitiers1 at ,tours 
and at ,reims4 ,sometimes1 indeed--but  
this statement needs verification--the  
architect had substituted for the body  
of the ,saviour that of the ,saint in   
whose name the church was dedicated1 and
 the curved axis of ,saint ,savin1 for  
instance1 has been supposed to represent
 the bend of the wheel which was the    
instrument of that ,saint's martyrdom4  
,but all this is evidently familiar to  
you4  ,this is less well known3 ,so far 
we have studied the image of ,christ    
motionless1 and dead1 in our churches4  
,i will now tell you of a singular      

instance of a church which1 instead of  
reproducing the attitude of the ,divine 
,corpse1 represents that of ,his still  
living ,body1 a church which seems to   
have a suggestion of movement as if     
bending like ,christ on the ,cross4  ,in
 fact it seems to be certain that some  
architects strove to represent in the   
plan of their building the motion of the
 human frame1 to imitate the action of a
 drooping figure2 in short1 to give life
 to stones4  ,such an attempt was made  
in the abbey church of                  
,preuilly-sur-,claise in ,touraine4 ,the
 plan and photographs of this basilica  
are to be found in an interesting volume
 that ,i can lend you2 the author1 the  
,abbe ,picardat1 is the ,cure of the    
church4 ,you will from them readily     
perceive that the curve of the plan is  
that of a body leaning on one side1     
drawn out and bending over4  ,and the   
movement of the body is represented by  
the curve of the axis1 beginning at the 
very first bay and continued along the  

nave1 the choir1 and the apse to the    
end1 which bends aside to imitate the   
droop of the head4  ,thus1 even better  
than at ,chartres1 at ,reims1 and at    
,rouen1 this humble sanctuary1 built by 
,benedictine monks whose names are      
unknown1 represents in its serpentine   
line1 in the perspective of its aisles  
and the obliquity of its vaulting1 the  
allegorical presentment of our ,lord on 
the ,cross4 ,in all other churches the  
architects have to some extent imitated 
the cadaverous rigidity of the head     
fallen in death2 at ,preuilly the monks 
have perpetuated the                    
never-to-be-forgotten instant that      
elapsed between the ',sitio' 7,i thirst7
 and the ',consummatum est' 7,it is     
finished71 as recorded in the ,gospel of
 ,saint ,john4 ,thus the old ,touraine  
church is in the image of ,christ       
,crucified1 but still living4  ,now1 to 
look at home once more1 we will consider
 the inward parts of our sanctuaries4   
,it may be noted incidentally that the  

length of the cathedral figures the     
long-suffering of the ,church in        
adversity2 its breadth symbolizes       
charity1 which expands the souls of men2
 its height1 the hope of future reward2 
and we can then proceed to details4     
,the choir and sanctuary symbolize      
,heaven2 the nave is the emblem of the  
earth2 as the gulf that divides the two 
worlds can only be passed by the help of
 the ,cross1 it was formerly the custom1
 now1 alas1 fallen into desuetude1 to   
erect an enormous ,crucifix over the    
grand arch between the nave and the     
choir4 ,hence the name of triumphal arch
 was given to the vast space in front of
 the ,high altar4 ,it may also be       
remarked that a railing or screen marks 
the limits of these two parts of the    
cathedral4 ,saint ,gregory ,nazianzen   
regards this as the border line traced  
between the two parts--that of ,god1 and
 that of man4  ,there is1 however1 a    
different explanation given by ,richard 
de ,saint ,victor1 as to the sanctuary1 

the choir1 and the nave4 ,according to  
him1 the first symbolizes the ,virgins1 
the second the chaste souls1 and the    
third the married hearts4 ,as to the    
altar1 or1 as old liturgical writers    
call it1 the ,cancel 7chancel71 it is   
,christ ,himself1 the spot whereon ,his 
,head rests1 the ,table of the ,last    
,supper1 the ,stake whereon ,he shed    
,his blood1 the ,sepulchre that held    
,his body2 and again1 it is the         
,spiritual ,church1 and its four angles 
the four corners of the earth over which
 it shall reign4  ,now behind this altar
 we find the apse1 assuming in most     
cathedrals the form of a semicircle4    
,there are exceptions2 to mention three3
 at ,poitiers1 at ,laon1 and in ,notre  
,dame du ,fort at ,etampes the wall is  
square1 as in the ancient civic         
basilicas1 and does not describe the    
sort of half-moon1 of which the         
significance is one of the most         
beautiful inventions of symbolism4      
,this semicircular end1 this apsidal    

shell1 with the chapels that surround   
the choir1 simulates the ,crown of      
,thorns on the ,head of ,christ4        
,excepting in ,sanctuaries which are    
wholly dedicated to ,our ,lady--this    
one1 ,notre ,dame de ,paris1 and some   
others--one of these chapels1 that in   
the centre and the largest1 is dedicated
 to the ,virgin1 to show by the place   
that it occupies at the end of the      
church that ,mary is the last refuge of 
sinners4  ,she1 in person1 is again     
symbolized by the ,sacristy1 whence the 
priest comes forth as ,christ's         
representative after putting on his     
sacerdotal vestments1 as ,jesus came    
forth from ,his ,mother's womb after    
clothing ,himself in flesh4  ,it must   
constantly be repeated2 every part of a 
church and every material object used in
 divine worship is representative of    
some theological truth4 ,in the script  
of architecture everything is a         
reminiscence1 an echo1 a reflection1 and
 every part is connected to form a      

whole4  ,for instance1 the altar1 which 
is the ,image of ,our ,lord1 must be    
draped with white linen in memory of the
 winding-sheet in which ,joseph of      
,arimathea wrapped ,his body--and that  
linen must be woven of pure thread1 of  
hemp or flax4 ,the chalice1 which       
according to the texts adduced by the   
,spicilegium of ,solesmes1 is to be     
taken now as a symbol of glory1 and now 
as a sign of opprobrium1 may be         
regarded1 by the most generally received
 theory1 as the figure of the sacred    
,tomb2 then the paten appears as the    
stone which served to close it1 while   
the corporal is the shroud itself4      
,when ,i tell you further1 added the    
,abbe1 that according to ,saint ,nilus1 
the columns signify the divine dogmas1  
or1 according to ,durand of ,mende1 the 
,bishops and the ,doctors of the        
,church1 that the capitals are the words
 of ,scripture1 that the pavement of the
 church is the foundation of faith and  
humility1 that the ambos and rood-loft1 

almost everywhere destroyed1 figure the 
pulpit of the gospel1 the mountain on   
which ,christ preached2 again1 that the 
seven lamps burning before the altar are
 the seven gifts of the ,spirit1 that   
the steps to the altar are the steps to 
perfection2 that the alternating choirs 
represent on the one side the angels1   
and on the other the righteous1         
combining to do homage with their voices
 to the glory of the ,most ,high1 ,i    
have pretty well explained to you the   
general meaning and detailed symbolism  
of the interior of the cathedral1 and   
more particularly that of ,chartres4    
,now you must observe a peculiarity     
which is also to be seen in the         
,cathedral at ,le ,mans2 the side aisles
 of the nave in which we are sitting are
 single1 but they are double round the  
choir--  ,but ,durtal was not listening2
 far away from this architectural       
exegesis1 he was admiring the amazing   
structure without even trying to analyze
 it4  ,wrapped in the mystery of its own

 shadow thick with the haze of rain1 it 
soared up lighter and lighter as it rose
 in the skyey whiteness of its arcades1 
aspiring like a soul purifying itself   
with increasing light as it toils up the
 ways of the mystic life4  ,the         
clustered columns sprang in slender     
sheaves1 their groups so light that they
 looked as if they might bend at a      
breath2 yet it was not till they had    
reached a giddy height that these stems 
curved over1 flying from one side of the
 ,cathedral to the other to meet above  
the void1 mingling their sap and        
blossoming at last1 like a basket of    
flowers1 in the once gilt pendants from 
the roof4  ,this church appeared as a   
supreme effort of matter striving for   
lightness1 rejecting1 as though it were 
a burden1 the diminished weight of its  
walls and substituting a less ponderous 
and more lucent matter1 replacing the   
opacity of stone by the diaphanous      
texture of glass4  ,it grew more        
spiritual--wholly spiritual1 purely     

prayer1 as it sprang towards the ,lord  
to meet ,him2 light and slender1 as it  
were imponderable1 it remained the most 
glorious expression of ,beauty escaping 
from its earthly dross1 ,beauty become  
seraphic4  ,it was as slender and       
colourless as ,roger ,van der ,weyden's 
,virgins1 who are so fragile1 so        
ethereal1 that they might blow away were
 they not held down to earth by the     
weight of their brocades and trains4    
,here was the same mystical conception  
of a long-drawn body and an ardent soul1
 which1 unable to free itself completely
 from that body1 strove to purify it by 
reducing it1 refining it1 almost        
distilling it to a fluid4  ,the building
 bewildered him with the giddy flight of
 its vault1 the dazzling splendour of   
its windows4 ,the weather was gloomy1   
and yet a furnace of gems flamed in the 
lancets of the windows and the blazing  
wheels of the roses4  ,up there1 high in
 air1 as they might be salamanders1     
human beings with faces ablaze and robes

 on fire dwelt in a firmament of glory2 
but these conflagrations were enclosed  
and limited by an incombustible frame of
 darker glass which set off the youthful
 and radiant joy of the flames by the   
contrast of melancholy1 the suggestion  
of the more serious and aged aspect     
presented by gloomy colouring4 ,the     
bugle cry of red1 the limpid confidence 
of white1 the repeated ,hallelujahs of  
yellow1 the virginal glory of blue1 all 
the quivering crucible of glass was     
dimmed as it got nearer to this border  
dyed with rusty red1 the tawny hues of  
sauces1 the harsh purples of sandstone1 
bottle-green1 tinder-brown1 fuliginous  
blacks1 and ashy greys4  ,as at         
,bourges1 where the glass is of the same
 period1 ,oriental influence was visible
 in these windows at ,chartres4 ,not    
only had the figures the hieratic       
appearance1 the sumptuous and barbarous 
dignity of ,asiatic personages1 but the 
borders1 in their design and the        
arrangement of their colours1 were an   

evident reminiscence of the ,persian    
carpets which undoubtedly served as     
models to the painters2 since it is     
known from the ,livre des ,metiers that 
in the thirteenth century hangings      
copied from those which the ,crusaders  
brought from the ,levant were           
manufactured in ,france1 and in ,paris  
itself4  ,but1 apart from the question  
of subjects or borders1 the various     
colours of these pictures were1 so to   
speak1 but an accessory crowd1          
handmaidens whose part it was to set off
 another colour1 namely blue--a         
glorious1 indescribable blue1 a vivid   
sapphire hue of excessive transparency1 
pale but piercing and sparkling         
throughout1 glittering like the broken  
glass of a kaleidoscope--in the         
top-lights1 in the roses of the         
transepts1 and in the great west window1
 where it burned like the blue flame of 
sulphur1 among the lead-lines and black 
iron bars4  ,taken for all in all1 with 
the tones of its stone-work and its     

windows1 ,notre ,dame de ,chartres was  
fair with blue eyes4 ,he personified    
,her as a sort of white fairy1 a tall   
and slender virgin1 with large blue eyes
 under lids of translucent rose4 ,this  
was the ,mother of a ,christ of the     
,north1 the ,christ of a                
,pre-,raphaelite ,flemish painter4 ,she 
sat enthroned in a ,heaven of           
ultramarine1 surrounded by these        
,oriental hangings of glass--a pathetic 
reminder of the ,crusades4  ,and these  
transparent hangings were like flowers1 
redolent of sandal and pepper1 fragrant 
with the subtle spices of the ,magian   
kings2 a perfumed flower-bed of hues    
culled at the cost of so much blood in  
the fields of ,palestine2 and here      
offered by the ,west1 under the cold sky
 of ,chartres1 to the ,virgin ,mother in
 remembrance of the sunny lands where   
,she dwelt and where ,her ,son chose to 
be born4  ,where could you find a       
grander shrine or a more sublime        
dwelling for ,our ,mother8 said the     

,abbe as he pointed to the nave4  ,this 
exclamation roused ,durtal from his     
reflections1 and he listened as the     
priest went on1--  ,though this         
cathedral is unique as regards its      
width1 in spite of its enormous height  
it cannot compare with the extravagant  
elevation of ,bourges1 ,amiens1 and more
 especially of ,beauvais1 where the     
vault of the roof rises to forty-eight  
metres from the ground4 ,that cathedral1
 it is true1 was bent on outstripping   
its sisters4  ,springing into the air at
 one flight1 when it reached the upper  
spaces it tottered and fell4 ,you know  
the portions which survived the wreck of
 that mad attempt8  ,yes1 ,monsieur     
l',abbe2 and that sanctuary and that    
apse1 so narrow and restricted1 with    
columns so close together1 and the      
iridescent light1 like filmy soap       
bubbles1 from walls which seem made of  
glass1 disturb and bewilder you2 on     
first entering it gives the impression  
of indescribable uneasiness1 a sort of  

anxious and distressed anticipation4    
,and in truth it is neither quite       
healthy nor sound2 it seems only to live
 by dint of aids and expedients2 it     
struggles to be free and is not2 it is  
long drawn and not ethereal2 it has--how
 shall ,i express it8--large bones4 ,you
 remember the pillars8 ,they are like   
the smooth muscular trunks of beech     
trees1 which have also the angular edges
 of reeds4 ,how different from the      
harp-strings which form the aerial      
skeleton of ,chartres6 ,no1 in spite of 
all1 ,beauvais1 like ,reims1 and like   
,paris1 is a fleshy cathedral2 it has   
not the elegant leanness1 the perennial 
youthfulness of form1 the ,patrician    
stamp of ,amiens1 and more especially of
 ,chartres6  ,and have you not been     
struck1 ,monsieur l',abbe1 by the way in
 which the genius of man has constantly 
borrowed from ,nature in the            
construction of his basilicas8 ,it is   
almost certain that the arcades of the  
forest were the starting-point for the  

mystic avenues of our aisles4 ,and      
again1 look at the pillars4 ,i was      
speaking of those at ,beauvais as       
suggesting the beech and the reed2 if   
you think of the columns at ,laon1 they 
have nodes all up their stems1          
resembling the regular swelling of      
bamboos1 to the point of imitation4     
,note also the stone flora of the       
capitals and the pendants of the vault1 
terminating the long ribs of the arches4
 ,here the animal kingdom seems to have 
inspired the architect4 ,might we not   
conceive of a fabulous spider1 of which 
the key-stone is the body and the ribs  
stretching under the vaults are the     
legs8 ,the image is so accurate as to be
 irresistible4 ,and then what a marvel  
is the gigantic ,arachne1 wrought like a
 jewel and heightened with gold1 which  
might have spun the web of those three  
flaming rose windows6  ,by the way1 said
 the ,abbe1 when they had left the      
church and were walking down the street1
 ,i forgot to point out to you the      

,number which is everywhere stamped on  
,chartres2 it is identical with         
,paray-le-,monial4 ,here1 again1        
everything is in threes4 ,thus there are
 three aisles1 and three entrances each 
with three doors2 if you count the      
pillars of the nave1 you will count     
twice three on each side4 ,the transept 
aisles again have each three bays and   
three pillars1 the windows are in threes
 under the three great roses4 ,so1 you  
see1 ,notre ,dame is full of the        
,trinity4  ,and it is also the great    
store-house of ,mediaeval painting and  
sculpture4  ,yes1 and like other ,gothic
 cathedrals1 it is the completest and   
most trustworthy collection of          
symbolism2 for the allegories we fancy  
we can interpret in ,romanesque churches
 are on the whole but artificial and    
doubtful--and that is quite conceivable4
 ,the ,romanesque is a convert1 a pagan 
turned monk4 ,it was not born ,catholic 
as the pointed arch was2 it only became 
so by baptism conferred by the ,church4 

,christianity discovered it in the      
,roman basilica1 and utilized while     
modifying it2 thus its origin is pagan1 
and it was only as it grew up that it   
could learn the language and use the    
forms of our emblems4  ,and yet1 to me1 
as a whole1 it seems to be a symbol1 for
 it is the image in stone of the ,old   
,testament1 a figure of contrition and  
fear4  ,and yet more of the soul's      
peace1 replied the ,abbe4 ,believe me1  
really to understand that style we must 
go back to the fountain-head1 to the    
earliest times of ,monasticism1 of which
 it is a perfect expression2 back1 in   
fact1 to the ,fathers of the ,church1   
the monks of the ,desert4  ,now1 what is
 the very special character of the      
mysticism of the ,east8 ,it is the      
calmness of faith1 love feeding on      
itself1 ecstasy without display1 ardent 
but reserved1 internal4  ,in the books  
of the ,egyptian ,recluses you will     
never find the vehemence of a ,maddalena
 de' ,pazzi or a ,catherine of ,siena1  

the passionate ejaculations of a ,saint 
,angela4 ,nothing of the kind1 no       
amorous addresses1 no trepidations1 no  
laments4 ,they look upon the ,redeemer  
less as the ,victim to be wept over than
 as the ,mediator1 the ,friend1 the     
,elder ,brother4 ,to them ,he was1 to   
quote ,origen's words1 ',the ,bridge    
between us and the ,father4'  ,these    
tendencies1 transplanted from ,africa to
 ,europe1 were preserved by the first   
monks of the ,west1 who followed the    
example of their predecessors1 and      
modified and built their churches on the
 same pattern4  ,that repentance1       
contrition1 and awe dwell under these   
dark vaults1 among these heavy pillars1 
in this fortress1 as it were1 where the 
elect shut themselves in to resist the  
assaults of the world1 is quite         
certain--but this mystical ,romanseque  
also suggests the notion of a sturdy    
faith1 of manly patience1 and stalwart  
piety--like its walls4  ,it has not the 
flaming raptures of the mystical        

,gothic1 which finds utterance in all   
these soaring shafts of stone2 the      
,romanesque lives self-centred1 in      
reserved fervour1 brooding in the depths
 of the soul4 ,it may be summed up in   
this saying of ,saint ,isaac's3 ,in     
mansuetudine et in tranquillitate1      
simplifica animam tuam4'  ,you will     
confess1 ,monsieur l',abbe1 that you    
have a weakness for the style4  ,perhaps
 ,i have1 in so far as that it is less  
petted1 more humble1 less feminine1 and 
more claustral than the ,gothic4  ,on   
the whole1 the priest concluded1 as he  
shook hands with ,durtal at his own     
door1 it is the symbol of the inner     
life1 the image of the monastic life2 in
 a word1 the true architecture of the   
cloister4  ,on condition1 nevertheless1 
said ,durtal to himself1 that it is not 
like that of ,notre ,dame de ,poitiers1 
where the interior is gaudy with        
childish colouring and raw tones2 for   
there1 instead of expressing regret and 
tranquillity1 it rouses a suggestion of 

the childish glee of an old savage in   
his second childhood1 who laughs when   
his tattoo marks are renewed1 and his   
skin rough-cast with crude ochres4      
,,chapter ,,vii4   ,how many worshippers
 can the ,cathedral contain8 ,well1     
nearly #ah1jjj1 said the ,abbe ,plomb4  
,but ,i need hardly tell you1 ,i        
suppose1 that it is never full2 that    
even during the season for pilgrimages  
the vast crowds of ,mediaeval times     
never assemble here4 ,ah1 no6 ,chartres 
is not exactly what you would call a    
pious town6  ,it strikes me as          
indifferent to religion1 to say the     
least1 if not actually hostile1 said the
 ,abbe ,gevresin4  ,the citizen of      
,chartres is money-getting1 apathetic1  
and salacious1 replied the ,abbe ,plomb4
 ,above all1 greedy of money1 for the   
passion for lucre is fierce here1 under 
an inert surface4 ,really1 from my own  
experience1 ,i pity the young priest who
 is sent as a beginner to evangelize la 
,beauce4  ,he arrives full of illusions1

 dreaming of ,apostolic triumphs1       
burning to devote himself--and he drops 
into silence and the void4 ,if he were  
but persecuted he would feel himself    
alive2 but he is met1 not with abuse1   
but with a smile1 which is far worse2   
and at once he becomes aware of the     
futility of all he can do1 of the       
aimlessness of his efforts1 and he is   
discouraged4  ,the clergy here are1 it  
may be said1 admirable1 composed of good
 and saintly priests2 but they vegetate1
 torpid with inaction2 they neither read
 nor work2 their joints become ankylose2
 they die of weariness in this          
provincial spot4  ,you do not6 exclaimed
 ,durtal1 laughing2 for you make work4  
,did you not tell me that you especially
 devote yourself to ladies who can still
 condescend to take an interest in ,our 
,lord in this town8  ,your satire is    
scathing1 replied the ,abbe4 ,i can     
assure you that if ,i had serving-women 
and the peasant girls to deal with1 ,i  
should not complain2 for in simple souls

 there are qualities and virtues and a  
responsive spring1 but not in the       
commercial or the richer classes6 ,you  
cannot imagine what those women are4 ,if
 only they attend ,mass on ,sunday and  
perform their ,easter duties they think 
they may do anything and everything2 and
 thenceforth their one idea is not so   
much to avoid offending the ,saviour as 
to disarm ,him by mean subterfuges4     
,they speak ill of their neighbour1     
injuring him cruelly1 refusing him all  
help and pity1 and they make excuses for
 themselves as though these were mere   
venial faults2 but as to eating meat on 
a ,friday6 ,that is quite another thing2
 they are persuaded that this is the    
unpardonable sin4 ,to them their stomach
 is the ,holy ,ghost2 consequently1 the 
great point is to tack and veer round   
that particular sin1 never to commit it1
 while only just avoiding it1 and not   
depriving themselves in the least4 ,what
 eloquence they will pour out on me to  
convince me of the penitential quality  

of water-fowl4  ,during ,lent they are  
possessed with the idea of giving       
dinners1 and rack their brains to       
provide a lenten meal in which there is 
no meat1 though it would be supposed    
that there was2 and then come           
interminable discussions as to teal1    
wild duck1 and cold-blooded birds4 ,they
 should consult a naturalist and not a  
priest on such cases of conscience4  ,as
 to ,holy ,week1 that is another affair2
 the mania for water-birds gives way to 
a hankering for the ,charlotte ,russe4  
,may they1 without offence to ,god1     
enjoy a ,charlotte8 ,there are eggs in  
it1 to be sure1 but so whipped and      
scourged that the dish is almost        
ascetic2 culinary explanations are      
poured into my ear1 the confessional    
becomes a kitchen1 and the priest might 
be a master-cook4  ,but as to the       
general sin of greediness1 they hardly  
admit that they are guilty of it4 ,is it
 not so1 my dear colleague8  ,the ,abbe 
,gevresin nodded assent4 ,they are      

indeed hollow souls1 said he1 and what  
is more1 impenetrable4 ,they are sealed 
against every generous idea1 regarding  
the intercourse they hold with the      
,redeemer as beseeming their rank and in
 good style2 but they never seek to know
 ,him more nearly1 and restrict         
themselves1 of deliberate purpose1 to   
calls of politeness4  ,such visits as we
 pay to an aged parent on ,new ,year's  
,day1 said ,durtal4  ,no1 at ,easter1   
corrected ,madame ,bavoil4  ,and among  
these ,fair ,penitents1 the ,abbe ,plomb
 went on1 we have that terrible variety1
 the wife of the ,depute who votes on   
the wrong side1 and to his wife's       
objurgations retorts3 ',why1 ,i am at   
heart a better ,christian than you are6'
  ,invariably and every time1 she       
repeats the list of her husband's       
private virtues1 and deplores his       
conduct as a public man2 and this       
history1 which is never ending1 always  
leads up to the praises she awards      
herself1 almost to requiring us to      

apologize for all the annoyance the     
,church occasions her4  ,the ,abbe      
,gevresin smiled1 and said1--  ,when ,i 
was in ,paris1 attached to one of the   
parishes on the left bank of the ,seine1
 in which there is a huge draper's and  
fancy shop1 ,i had to deal with a very  
curious class of women4 ,especially on  
days when there was a great show of     
cotton and linen goods1 or a sale of    
bankrupt stock1 there was a perfect rush
 of well-dressed women to the           
confessional4 ,these people lived on the
 other side of the water2 they had come 
to that part of the town to buy         
bargains1 and finding the departments of
 the shop too full1 no doubt1 they meant
 to wait till the crowd should be       
thinner1 to make their selection in     
comfort2 so then1 not knowing what to be
 doing1 they took refuge in the church1 
and1 tortured by the need for speech1   
they asked for the priest whose turn it 
was to attend1 and to justify           
themselves1 chattered in the            

confessional as if it had been a        
drawing-room1 merely to kill time4  ,not
 being able to go to a cafe like a man1 
they go to church1 said ,durtal4        
,unless it is1 said ,madame ,bavoil1    
that they would rather confide to an    
unknown priest the sins it would pain   
them to confess to their own director4  
,at any rate1 this is a new light on    
things3 the influence of big shops on   
the tribunal of penance6 exclaimed      
,durtal4  ,and of railway stations1     
added the ,abbe ,gevresin4  ,how of     
railway stations8  ,yes1 ,i assure you  
that churches situated near railway     
stations have a special following of    
women on their journeys4 ,there it is   
that our dear ,madame ,bavoil's shrewd  
remark finds justification4 ,many a     
country-woman who has the ,cure of her  
own parish to dinner dares not tell him 
the tale of her adultery1 because he    
could too easily guess the name of her  
lover1 and because the propinquity of a 
priest living on intimate terms in her  

house would be inconvenient2 so she     
takes advantage of an excursion to      
,paris to open her heart to another     
confessor who does not know her4 ,as a  
general rule1 when a woman speaks ill of
 her ,cure1 and begins the tale of her  
confession by explaining that he is     
dull1 uneducated1 unsympathetic in      
understanding and guiding souls1 you may
 be certain that a confession is coming 
of sin against the sixth 7seventh7      
,commandment4  ,well1 well2 the people  
who flutter around the ,lord are cool   
hands6 exclaimed ,madame ,bavoil4  ,they
 are unhappy creatures1 who try to      
strike a balance between their duties   
and their vices4  ,but enough of this2  
let us turn to something more immediate4
 ,have you brought us the article on the
 ,angelico1 as you promised8 ,read it to
 us4  ,durtal brought out of his pocket 
the manuscript he had finished1 which   
was to be posted that evening to ,paris4
  ,he seated himself in one of the      
straw-bottomed arm-chairs in the middle 

of the room where they were sitting with
 the ,abbe ,gevresin1 and began3--      
,,the ,,coronation ,,of ,,the ,,virgin4 
,by ,fra ,angelico4 ,in the ,louvre4    
,the general arrangement of this picture
 reminds the spectator of the tree of   
,jesse1 of which the branches1          
supporting a human figure on every twig1
 spread fan-like as they rise on each   
side of a throne1 while at the top1 on a
 single stem1 the radiant beauty of a   
,virgin is the crowning blossom4  ,in   
,fra ,angelico's ',coronation of the    
,virgin1' to the right and left of the  
isolated knoll on which ,christ sits    
under a carved stone canopy1 placing the
 crown ,he holds with both hands on ,his
 ,mother's bowed head1 we see a perfect 
espalier of ,apostles1 ,saints1 and     
,patriarchs1 rising in close and crowded
 ramification at the lower part of the  
panel1 to burst into a luxuriant        
blossoming of angels relieved against   
the blue sky1 their heads in a sunshine 
of glories4  ,the arrangement of the    

persons represented is as follows3--    
,at the foot of the throne1 under the   
gothic canopy--to the left1 ,saint      
,nicholas of ,myra kneels in prayer1    
wearing his mitre and clasping his      
crozier1 from which the maniple hangs   
like a folded banner2 ,saint ,louis the 
,king with a crown of fleurs de lys2 the
 monastic saints2 ,st4 ,antony1 ,st4    
,benedict1 ,st4 ,francis1 ,st4 ,thomas1 
who holds an open book in which we read 
the first lines of the ,te ,deum1 ,st4  
,dominic holding a lily1 ,st4 ,augustine
 with a pen4 ,then1 going upwards1 ,st4 
,mark and ,st4 ,john carrying their     
gospels1 ,st4 ,bartholomew showing the  
knife with which he was flayed2 and     
higher still the lawgiver ,moses1 ending
 in the serried ranks of angels against 
the azure firmament1 each head circled  
with a golden nimbus4  ,on the right1   
below1 by the side of a monk whose back 
only is seen--possibly ,st4             
,bernard--,mary ,magdalene is on her    
knees with a vase of spices by her side1

 robed in vermilion2 behind her come    
,st4 ,cecilia1 crowned with roses1 ,st4 
,clara or ,st4 ,catherine of ,sienna1 in
 a blue hood1 patterned with stars1 ,st4
 ,catherine of ,alexandria1 leaning on  
her wheel of martyrdom1 ,st4 ,agnes1    
cherishing a lamb in her arms1 ,st4     
,ursula flinging an arrow1 and others   
whose names are unknown2 all female     
saints1 facing the ,bishop1 the ,king1  
the ,recluses1 and the founders of      
,orders4 ,by the steps of the throne are
 ,st4 ,stephen1 with the green palm of  
martyrdom1 ,st4 ,lawrence1 with his     
gridiron1 ,st4 ,george1 wearing a       
breastplate1 and on his head a helmet1  
,st4 ,peter the ,dominican recognizable 
by his split skull2 and yet further up  
,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,philip1 ,st4 ,james
 the ,greater1 ,st4 ,jude1 ,st4 ,paul1  
,st4 ,matthias1 and ,king ,david4       
,finally1 opposite the angels on the    
left a group of angels1 whose faces1 set
 in gold discs1 are relieved against the
 pure ultramarine background4  ,in spite

 of injury from the restorations it has 
endured1 this panel1 with its stamped   
and diapered gold1 is splendid in the   
freshness of its colours1 laid on with  
white of egg4  ,as a whole1 it          
represented1 so to speak1 a stairway for
 the eye1 a circular stair of two       
flights1 in steps of glorious blue hung 
with gold4  ,the lowest to the left is  
seen in the blue mantle of ,saint       
,louis1 and others lead up through a    
glimpse of blue drapery1 the robe of    
,st4 ,john1 and then1 higher still      
before reaching the blue expanse of the 
sky1 the robe of the first angel4  ,the 
first on the right is the mantle of ,st4
 ,cecilia2 others are the bodice of ,st4
 ,agnes1 ,st4 ,stephen's robe1 a        
prophet's tunic2 and above these1 before
 reaching the lapis-lazuli border of    
sky1 the robe of the first angel4  ,thus
 blue1 which is the predominating colour
 in the whole1 is regularly piled up in 
steps and spaced almost identically on  
the opposite sides of the throne4 ,this 

azure hue of the draperies1 their folds 
faintly indicated with white1 is        
extraordinarily serene1 indescribably   
innocent4 ,this it is which gives the   
work its soul of colour--this blue1     
helped out by the gold which gleams     
round the heads1 runs or twines on the  
black robes of the monks2 in ,y's on    
those of ,st4 ,thomas2 in suns1 or      
rather in radiating chrysanthemums1 on  
those of ,st4 ,antony and ,st4          
,benedict2 in stars on ,st4 ,clara's    
hood2 in filagree embroidery in the     
letters of their names1 in brooches and 
medallions on the bodices of the other  
female saints4  ,at the very bottom of  
the picture a splash of gorgeous        
red--the ,magdalen's robe--that finds an
 echo in the flame-colour of one of the 
steps of the throne1 and reappears here 
and there1 but softened in fragmentary  
glimpses of drapery1 or smothered under 
a running pattern of gold 7as in ,st4   
,augustine's cope7 serves as a          
spring-board1 as it were1 to start the  

whole stupendous harmony4  ,the other   
colours seem to fill no part1 but that  
of necessary stop-gaps1 indispensable   
supports4 ,they are too1 for the most   
part1 common and ugly to a degree that  
is most puzzling4 ,look at the greens3  
they range from boiled endive to olive1 
ending in the absolute hideousness of   
two steps of the throne which lie across
 the picture--two bars1 two streaks of  
spinach dipped in tawny mud4 ,the only  
tolerable green of them all is that of  
,st4 ,agnes' mantle1 a ,parmigiano      
green1 rich in yellow1 and made still   
richer by the lining which affords the  
pleasing adjunct of orange4  ,on the    
other hand1 consider this blue which    
,angelico uses so sumptuously in his    
celestial tones2 when he makes it darker
 it loses its fulness1 and looks almost 
dull2 we see this in ,st4 ,clara's hood4
  ,but what is yet more amazing is that 
this painter1 so eloquent in blue1 is   
but a stammerer when he makes use of the
 other angelic hue--rose-pink4 ,in his  

hands it is neither subtle nor          
ingenuous2 it is opaque1 of the colour  
of blood thinned with water1 or of pink 
sticking-plaister1 excepting when it    
trends on the hue of wine-lees1 like    
that of the ,saviour's sleeves4  ,and it
 is heaviest of all in the saints'      
cheeks4 ,it looks glazed1 like the      
surface of pie-crust2 it has the quality
 of raspberry syrup drowned in white of 
egg4  ,these are in the main the only   
colours used by ,angelico4 ,a           
magnificent blue for the sky and another
 vile blue1 white1 brilliant red1       
melancholy pinks1 a light green1 dark   
greens1 and gold4 ,no bright yellow like
 everlastings1 no luminous straw-colour2
 at most a heavy opaque yellow for the  
hair of his female saints2 no truly bold
 orange1 no violet1 either tender or    
strong1 unless in the half-hidden lining
 of a cloak or in the scarcely visible  
robe of a saint1 cut off by the frame2  
no brown that does not lurk in the      
background4 ,his palette1 as may be     

seen1 is very limited4  ,and it is      
symbolical1 if we consider it4 ,he has  
undoubtedly done in his hues what he has
 done in the arrangement of the work4   
,his picture is a hymn to ,chastity1 and
 round the central group of ,christ and 
,his ,mother he has placed in ranks the 
,saints who best concentrated this      
virtue on earth4 ,st4 ,john the         
,baptist1 beheaded for the bounding     
impurity of an ,herodias2 ,st4 ,george1 
who saved a virgin from the emblematic  
,dragon2 such saints as ,st4 ,agnes1    
,st4 ,clara1 and ,st4 ,ursula2 the heads
 of the ,orders--,st4 ,benedict and ,st4
 ,francis2 a king like ,st4 ,louis1 and 
a bishop like ,st4 ,nicholas of ,myra1  
who hindered the prostitution of three  
young girls whom a starving father was  
fain to sell4 ,everything1 down to the  
smallest details1 from the attributes of
 the persons represented to the steps of
 the throne1 of which the number is     
nine--that of the choirs of             
angels--everything in this picture is   

symbolical4  ,it is permissible         
therefore to assume that he selected his
 colours for their allegorical          
signification4  ,white3 the symbol of   
the ,supreme ,being1 and of absolute    
,truth1 and employed by the ,church in  
its adornments for the festival of our  
,lord and the ,virgin because it        
signifies ,goodness1 ,virginity1        
,charity1 and is the splendour1 the     
emblem of ,divine ,wisdom when it is    
enhanced to the pure radiance of silver4
  ,blue3 because it symbolizes          
,chastity1 ,innocence1 and              
,guilelessness4  ,red3 which is the     
colour adopted for the offices of the   
,holy ,ghost and of the ,passion2 the   
garb of ,charity1 ,suffering and ,love4 
,rose-pink2 the ,love of ,eternal       
,wisdom1 and1 as ,saint ,mechtildis     
teaches1 the anguish and torments of    
,christ4  ,green3 used liturgically at  
,seasons of ,pilgrimage1 and which seems
 to be the colour preferred by the      
,benedictine ,sisterhood1 interpreting  

it as meaning freshness of soul and     
perennial sap2 the green which1 in the  
hermeneutics of colour1 expresses the   
hopes of the regenerated creature1 the  
yearning for final repose1 and which is 
likewise the mark of humility1 according
 to the ,anonymous ,english writer of   
the thirteenth century1 and of          
contemplation1 according to ,durand of  
,mende4  ,on the other hand1 ,angelico  
has intentionally refrained from        
introducing the hues which are          
emblematic of vices1 excepting of course
 those adopted for the garb of the      
,monastic ,orders1 which altogether     
changes their meaning4  ,black3 the     
colour of error and the void1 the seal  
of death1 and1 according to ,sister     
,emmerich1 the image of profaned and    
wasted gifts4  ,brown3 which1 as the    
same ,sister tells us1 is synonymous    
with agitation1 barrenness and dryness  
of the spirit1 and neglect of duty2     
brown2 which being composed of black and
 red--smoke darkening the sacred        

fire--is ,satanic4  ,grey3 the ashes of 
penance1 the symbol of tribulation1     
according to the ,bishop of ,mende1 the 
sign of half-mourning formerly used in  
the ,paris ritual instead of violet in  
,lent4 ,the mingling of white and black1
 of virtue and vice1 of joy and grief1  
the mirror of the soul that is neither  
good nor evil1 the medium being1 the    
lukewarm creature that ,god spueth out1 
grey can only rise by the infusion of a 
little purity1 a little blue2 but can1  
when thus converted to pearl grey1      
become a pious hue1 and attempt a step  
towards ,heaven1 an advance in the lower
 paths of ,mysticism4  ,yellow3         
considered by ,sister ,emmerich as the  
colour of idleness1 of a horror of      
suffering1 and often given to ,judas in 
mediaeval times1 is significant of      
treason and envy4 ,orange3 of which     
,frederic ,portal speaks as the         
revelation of ,divine ,love1 the        
communion of ,god with man1 mingling the
 blood of ,love to the sinful hue of    

yellow1 may be taken to bear a worse    
meaning with the idea of falsehood and  
torment2 and1 especially when it verges 
on red1 expresses the defeat of a soul  
over-ridden by its sins1 hatred of      
,love1 contempt of ,grace1 the end of   
all things4  ,dead leaf colour3 speaking
 of moral degradation1 spiritual death1 
the hopefulness of green for ever       
extinct4  ,finally1 violet3 adopted by  
the ,church for the ,sundays in ,advent 
and in ,lent1 and for penitential       
services4 ,it was the colour of the     
mortuary-shroud of the kings of ,france2
 during the ,middle ,ages it was the    
attribute of mourning1 and it is at all 
times the melancholy garb of the        
exorcist4  ,what is certainly far less  
easy to explain is the limited variety  
of countenance the painter has chosen to
 adopt4 ,here symbolism is of no use4   
,look1 for instance1 at the men4 ,the   
,patriarchs with their bearded faces do 
not show us the almost translucent      
texture1 as of the sacramental wafer1 in

 which the bones show through the dry   
and diaphanous parchment-like skin1 or  
like the seeds of the cruciferous flower
 called ,monnaie du ,pape 7honesty72    
they have all regular and pleasant      
faces1 are all healthy1 full-blooded    
personages1 attentive and devout4 ,his  
monks too have round faces and rosy     
cheeks2 not one of his ,saints looks    
like a ,recluse of the ,desert overcome 
by fasting1 or has the exhausted        
emaciation of an ascetic2 they are all  
vaguely alike1 with the same solidity   
and the same complexion4 ,in fact1 as we
 see them in this picture1 they are a   
contented colony of excellent people4   
,at least1 so they appear at a first    
glance4  ,the women1 too1 are all of one
 family2 sisters more or less exactly   
alike2 all fair and rosy1 with light    
snuff-coloured eyes1 heavy eyelids1 and 
round faces2 they form a train of rather
 an insipid type round the ,virgin with 
her long nose and bird-like head        
kneeling at the feet of ,christ4        

,altogether1 among all these figures we 
find scarcely four distinct types1 if we
 take into consideration their more or  
less advanced years and the             
modifications resulting from the        
arrangement of their hair1 their being  
bearded or shaven1 and the pose of the  
head1 front face or profile1 which      
distinguishes them4  ,the only groups   
which are not of an almost uniform stamp
 are the angels1 sexless youths for ever
 charming4 ,they are of matchless       
purity1 of a more than human innocence  
in their blue and rose-pink and green   
robes sprigged with gold1 with their    
yellow or red hair1 at once aerial and  
heavy1 their chastely downcast eyes1 and
 flesh as white as pith4 ,grave1 but in 
ecstasy1 they play on the harp or the   
theorbo1 on the ,viol d',amore or the   
rebeck1 singing the eternal glory of the
 most ,holy ,mother4  ,thus1 on the     
whole1 the types used by ,angelico are  
not less restricted than his colours4   
,but then1 in spite of the exquisite    

array of angels1 is this picture        
monotonous and dull8 ,is this           
much-talked-of work over-praised8  ,no1 
for this ,coronation of the ,virgin is a
 masterpiece1 and superior to all that  
enthusiasm can say about it2 indeed1 it 
outstrips painting and soars through    
realms which the mystics of the brush   
had never penetrated4  ,here we have not
 a mere manual effort1 however          
admirable2 this is not merely a         
spiritual and truly religious picture   
such as ,roger van der ,weyden and      
,quentin ,matsys could create2 it is    
quite another thing4 ,with ,angelico an 
unknown being appears on the scene1 the 
soul of a mystic that has entered on the
 contemplative life1 and breathes it on 
the canvas as on a perfect mirror4 ,it  
is the soul of a marvellous monk that we
 see1 of a saint1 embodied on this      
coloured mirror1 exhaled in a painted   
creation4 ,and we can measure how far   
that soul had advanced on the path of   
perfection from the work that reflects  

it4  ,he carries his angels and his     
saints up to the ,unifying ,life1 the   
supreme height of ,mysticism4 ,there the
 weariness of their dolorous ascent is  
no more2 there is the plenitude of      
tranquil joy1 the peace of man made one 
with ,god4 ,angelico is the painter of  
the soul immersed in ,god1 the painter  
of his own spirit4  ,none but a monk    
could attempt such paintings4 ,matsys1  
,memling1 ,dierck ,bouts1 ,roger van der
 ,weyden were no doubt sincere and pious
 worthies4 ,they gave their work a      
reflection of ,heaven2 they too         
reflected their own soul in the faces   
they depicted2 but though they gave them
 a wonderful stamp of art1 they could   
only infuse into them the semblance of  
the soul beginning the practice of      
,christian asceticism2 they could only  
represent men still detained1 like      
themselves1 in the outer chambers of    
those ,castles of the ,soul of which    
,saint ,theresa speaks1 and not in the  
,hall where1 in the centre1 ,christ sits

 and sheds ,his glory4  ,they were1 in  
my opinion1 greater and keener          
observers1 more learned and more        
skilful1 even better painters than      
,angelico2 but their heart was in their 
craft1 they lived in the world1 they    
often could not resist giving their     
,virgins fine-lady airs1 they were      
hampered by earthly reminiscences1 they 
could not rise in their work above the  
trammels of daily life2 in short1 they  
were and remained men4 ,they were       
admirable2 they gave utterance to the   
promptings of ardent faith2 but they had
 not had the specific culture which is  
practised only in the silence and peace 
of the cloister4 ,hence they could not  
cross the threshold of the seraphic     
realm where roamed the guileless being  
who never opened his eyes1 closed in    
prayer1 excepting to paint--the monk who
 had never looked out on the world1 who 
had seen only within himself4  ,and what
 we know of his life is worthy of this  
work4 ,he was a humble and tender       

recluse1 who always prayed or ever he   
took up his brush1 and could not draw   
the ,crucifixion without melting into   
tears4  ,through the veil of his tears  
his angelic vision poured itself out in 
the light of ecstasy1 and he created    
beings that had but the semblance of    
human creatures1 the earthly husk of our
 existence1 beings whose souls soared   
already far from their prison of flesh4 
,study his picture attentively1 and see 
how the incomprehensible miracle works  
of such a sublimated state of mind4     
,the types chosen for the ,apostles and 
,saints are1 as we have said1 quite     
ordinary4 ,but gaze firmly at the       
countenances of these men1 and you will 
see how little they really take in of   
the scene before them4 ,whatever        
attitude the painter may have given     
them1 they are all absorbed into        
themselves2 they behold the scene1 not  
with the eyes of the body1 but with the 
eyes of the soul4 ,each is looking into 
himself4 ,jesus dwells in them1 and they

 can gaze on ,him better in their inmost
 heart than on ,his throne4  ,it is the 
same with his female ,saints4 ,i have   
said that they are insignificant        
looking1 and it is true2 but how their  
features1 too1 are transfigured and     
effaced under the ,divine touch6 ,they  
are drowned in adoration1 and spring    
buoyant1 though motionless1 to meet the 
,heavenly ,spouse4 ,only one remains but
 half escaped from her material shell3  
,saint ,catherine of ,alexandria1 who1  
with upturned eyes of a brackish green1 
is neither as simple nor as innocent as 
her sisters2 she still sees the form of 
man in ,christ2 she still is a woman2   
she is1 if one may so1 the sin of the   
work4  ,still1 all these spiritual      
degrees clothed in human figures are but
 the accessories of this picture4 ,they 
are placed there1 in the august         
assumption of gold and the chaste       
ascending scale of blue1 to lead by a   
stair of pure joy to the sublime        
platform whereon we see the group of the

 ,saviour and the ,virgin4  ,and here1  
in the presence of the ,mother and ,son1
 the ecstatic painter overflows4 ,one   
could imagine that the ,lord had merged 
into him1 and transported him beyond the
 life of sense1 love and chastity are so
 perfectly personified in the group     
above all the means of expression at the
 command of man4  ,no words could       
express the reverent tenderness1 the    
anxious affection1 the filial and       
paternal love of the ,christ1 who smiles
 as ,he crowns ,his ,mother2 and ,she is
 yet more incomparable4 ,here the words 
of adulation are too weak2 the invisible
 is made visible by the sacramental use 
of colour and line4 ,a feeling of       
infinite deference1 of intense but      
reserved adoration1 flows and spreads   
about this ,virgin1 who1 with ,her arms 
crossed over ,her bosom1 bends ,her     
little dove-like head1 with downcast    
eyes and a rather long nose1 under a    
veil4 ,she resembles the ,apostle ,st4  
,john who is just behind her1 and might 

be his daughter2 and she is enigmatic2  
for that soft1 delicate face1 which in  
the hands of any other painter would be 
merely charming and trivial1 breathes   
out the purest innocence4 ,she is not   
even flesh and blood2 the material that 
clothes ,her swells softly with the     
breath of the fluid that shapes it4     
,mary is a living but a volatilized and 
glorious body4  ,we can understand      
certain ideas of the ,abbess of ,agreda 
who declares that ,she was exempt from  
the defilements inflicted on women2 we  
see what ,st4 ,thomas meant who asserted
 that ,her beauty purified instead of   
agitating the senses4  ,her age is      
indeterminate2 ,she is not a woman1 yet 
,she is no longer a child4 ,it is hard  
to say even that ,she is grown up1 just 
marriageable1 a girl-child1 so entirely 
is ,she refined above all humanity1     
beyond the world1 so exquisitely pure   
and for ever chaste4  ,she remains      
incomparable1 unapproached in painting4 
,by ,her1 other ,madonnas are vulgar2   

they are in every case women2 ,she alone
 is the white stem of the divine ,ear of
 corn1 the ,wheat of the ,eucharist4    
,she alone is indeed the ,immaculate1   
the ,regina ,virginum of the hymns2 and 
,she is so youthful1 so guileless1 that 
the ,son seems to be crowning ,his      
,mother before ,she can have conceived  
,him4  ,it is in this that we see the   
glory of the gentle ,friar's superhuman 
genius4 ,he painted as others have      
spoken1 inspired by ,grace2 he painted  
what he saw within him just as ,st4     
,angela of ,foligno related what she    
heard within her4 ,both one and the     
other were mystics absorbed into ,god2  
thus this picture by ,angelico is at the
 same time a picture by the ,holy       
,ghost1 bolted through a purified sieve 
of art4  ,if we consider it1 this soul  
is that of a female saint rather than of
 a monk4 ,turn to his other pictures2   
those1 for instance1 in which he strove 
to depict ,christ's ,passion2 we are not
 looking at the stormy scene represented

 by ,matsys or ,gruenewald2 he has none 
of their harsh manliness1 nor their     
gloomy energy1 nor their tragic         
turbulence2 he only weeps with the      
uncomforted grief of a woman4 ,he is a  
,sister rather than a ,friar-artist2 and
 it is from this loving sensibility1    
which in the mystic vocation is more    
generally peculiar to women1 that he has
 drawn the pathetic orisons and tender  
lamentation of his works4  ,and was it  
not also in this spiritual nature1 so   
womanly in its complexion1 that he      
found1 under the impulse of the ,spirit1
 the wholly angelical gladness1 the     
really glorious apotheosis of ,our ,lord
 and ,his ,mother1 as he has painted    
them in this ,coronation of the ,virgin1
 which1 after being revered for         
centuries in the ,dominican ,church at  
,fiesole1 has now found shelter and     
admiration in the little gallery devoted
 to the ,italian ,school at the ,louvre4
         99       99       99       99  
99  ,your article is very good1 said the

 ,abbe ,plomb4 ,but can the principles  
of a ritual of colour which you have    
discerned in ,angelico be verified with 
equal strictness in other painters8     
,no1 if we look for colour as ,angelico 
received it from his monastic           
forefathers1 the illuminators of        
,missals1 or as he applied it in its    
strictest and most usual acceptation4   
,yes1 if we admit the law of antagonism1
 the rules of inversion1 and if we know 
that symbolism authorizes the system of 
contraries1 allowing the use of the hues
 which are appropriated to certain      
virtues to indicate the vices opposed to
 them4  ,in a word1 an innocent colour  
may be interpreted in an evil sense1 and
 vice versa1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin4  
,precisely4 ,in fact1 artists who1      
though pious1 were laymen1 spoke a      
different language from the monks4 ,on  
emerging from the cloister the          
liturgical meaning of colours was       
weakened2 it lost its original rigidity 
and became pliant4 ,angelico followed   

the traditions of his ,order to the     
letter1 and he was not less scrupulous  
in his respect for the observances of   
religious art which prevailed in his    
day4 ,not for anything on earth would he
 have infringed them1 for he regarded   
them as a liturgical duty1 a fixed rule 
of service4 ,but as soon as profane     
painters had emancipated the domain of  
painting1 they gave us more puzzling    
versions1 more complicated meanings2 and
 the symbolism of colour1 which is so   
simple in ,angelico1 became singularly  
abstruse--supposing that they even were 
constantly faithful to it in their      
works--and almost impossible to         
interpret4  ,for instance1 to select an 
example3 the ,antwerp gallery possesses 
a tryptich1 by ,roger van der ,werden1  
known as ',the ,sacraments4' ,in the    
centre panel1 devoted to the ,eucharist1
 the ,sacrifice of the ,redeemer is     
shown under two aspects1 the bleeding   
form of the ,crucifixion and the mystic 
form of the pure oblation on the altar2 

behind the ,cross1 at the foot of which 
we see the weeping ,mary1 ,saint ,john  
and the ,holy ,women1 a priest is       
celebrating ,mass and elevating the     
,host in the midst of a cathedral which 
forms the background of the picture4    
,on the left-hand shutter1 the          
,sacraments of ,baptism1 ,confirmation  
and ,penance are shown1 in small        
detached scenes2 and on the right-hand  
shutter those of ,ordination1 ,marriage 
and ,extreme ,unction4  ,this picture1 a
 work of marvellous beauty1 with the    
',descent from the ,cross' by ,quentin  
,matsys1 are the inestimable glory of   
the ,belgium gallery2 but ,i will not   
linger over a full description of this  
work2 ,i will omit any reflection       
suggested by the supreme art of the     
painter1 and restrict myself to         
recording that part of the work which   
bears on the symbolism of colour4  ,but 
are you sure that ,roger van der ,weyden
 intended to ascribe such meanings to   
the colours8  ,it is impossible to doubt

 it1 for he has assigned a different hue
 to each ,sacrament1 by introducing     
above the scenes he depicts1 an angel   
whose robe is in each instance different
 in accordance with the ceremony set    
forth4 ,his meaning therefore is beyond 
question2 and these are the colours he  
affects to the means of ,grace          
consecrated by the ,saviour3  ,to the   
,eucharist1 green2 to ,baptism1 white2  
to ,confirmation1 yellow2 to ,penance1  
red2 to ,ordination1 purple2 to         
,marriage blue2 to ,extreme ,unction1 a 
violet so deep as to be almost black4   
,well1 you will admit that the          
interpretation of this sacred scheme of 
colour is not altogether easy4  ,the    
pictorial imagery of ,baptism1 ,extreme 
,unction1 and ,ordination is quite      
clear2 ,marriage even as symbolized by  
blue may be intelligible to simple      
souls2 that ,communion should blazon its
 coat with vert1 is even more           
appropriate1 since green represents sap 
and humility1 and is emblematical of the

 regenerative power4 ,but ought not     
,confession to display violet rather    
than red2 and how1 in any case1 are we  
to account for ,confirmation being      
figured in yellow8  ,the colour of the  
,holy ,ghost is certainly red1 remarked 
the ,abbe ,plomb4  ,thus there are      
differences of interpretation between   
,angelico and ,roger van der ,weyden1   
though they lived at the same time4     
,still1 the monk seems to me the more   
trustworthy authority4  ,for my part1   
said the ,abbe ,gevresin1 ,i cannot but 
think of the right side of the lining of
 which you were speaking just now4      
,this rule of contraries is not peculiar
 to the ritual of colour2 it is to be   
seen in almost every part of the science
 of symbolism4 ,look at the emblems     
derived from the animal world2 the eagle
 alternately figuring ,christ and the   
,devil2 the snake which1 while it is one
 of the most familiar symbols of the    
,demon1 may nevertheless1 as in the     
brazen serpent of ,moses1 prefigure the 

,saviour4  ,the anticipatory symbol of  
,christian symbolism was the            
double-faced ,janus of the heathen      
world1 said the ,abbe ,plomb1 laughing4 
,indeed1 these allegories of the palette
 turn completely to the right-about1    
said ,durtal4 ,take red1 for instance3  
we have seen that in the general        
acceptation it is to be interpreted as  
meaning charity1 endurance1 and love4   
,this is the right side out2 the wrong  
side1 according to ,sister ,emmerich1 is
 dulness1 and clinging to this world's  
goods4  ,grey1 the emblem of repentance 
and sorrow1 and at the same time the    
image of a lukewarm soul1 is also1      
according to another interpretation1    
symbolical of the ,resurrection--white1 
piercing through blackness--light       
entering into the ,tomb and coming out  
as a new hue--grey1 a mixed colour still
 heavy with the gloom of death1 but     
reviving as it gets light by degrees    
from the whiteness of day4  ,green1 to  
which the mystics gave favourable       

meanings1 also acquires a disastrous    
sense in some cases2 it then represents 
moral degradation and despair2 it       
borrows melancholy significance from    
dead leaves1 is the colour given to the 
bodies of the devils in ,stephan        
,lochner's ,last ,judgment1 and in the  
infernal scenes depicted in the glass   
windows and pictures of the earliest    
artists4  ,black and brown1 with their  
inimical suggestions of death and hell1 
change their meaning as soon as the     
founders of religious ,orders adopt them
 for the garb of the cloister4 ,black   
then symbolizes renunciation1           
repentance1 the mortification of the    
flesh1 according to ,durand de ,mende2  
and brown and even grey suggest poverty 
and humility4  ,yellow again1 so        
misprized in the formulas of symbolism1 
becomes significant of charity2 and if  
we accept the teaching of the ,english  
monk who wrote in about #abbj1 yellow is
 enhanced when it changes to gold1      
rising to be the symbol of divine ,love1

 the radiant allegory of eternal        
,wisdom4  ,violet1 finally1 when it     
appears as the distinctive colour of    
prelates1 divests itself of its usual   
meaning of self-accusation and mourning1
 to assume a certain dignity and        
simulate a certain pomp4  ,on the whole1
 ,i find only white and blue which never
 change4  ,in the ,middle ,ages1        
according to ,yves de ,chartres1 said   
the ,abbe ,plomb1 blue took the place of
 violet in the vestments of bishops1 to 
show them that they should give their   
minds rather to the things of ,heaven   
than to the things of earth4  ,and how  
is it1 asked ,madame ,bavoil1 that this 
colour1 which is all innocence1 all     
purity1 the colour of ,our ,mother      
,herself1 has disappeared from among the
 liturgical hues8  ,blue was used in the
 ,middle ,ages for all the services to  
the ,virgin1 and it has only fallen into
 desuetude since the eighteenth century1
 replied the ,abbe ,plomb2 and that only
 in the ,latin ,church1 for the orthodox

 ,churches of the ,east still wear it4  
,and why this neglect8  ,i do not know1 
any more than ,i know why so many       
colours formerly used in our services   
have been forgotten4 ,where are the     
colours of the ancient ,paris use3      
saffron yellow1 reserved for the        
festival of ,all ,angels2 salmon pink1  
sometimes worn instead of red2 ashen    
grey1 which took the place of violet2   
and bistre instead of black on certain  
days4  ,then there was a charming hue   
which still holds its place in the scale
 of colour used in the ,roman ritual1   
though most of the ,churches overlook   
it--the shade called 'old rose1' a      
medium between violet and crimson1      
between grief and joy1 a sort of        
compromise1 a diminished tone1 which the
 ,church adopted for the third ,sunday  
in ,advent and the fourth ,sunday in    
,lent4 ,it thus gave promise1 in the    
penitential season that was ending1 of a
 beginning of gladness1 for the         
festivals of ,christmas and ,easter were

 at hand4  ,it was the idea of the      
spiritual dawn rising on the night of   
the soul1 a special impression which    
violet1 now used on those days1 could   
not give4  ,yes1 it is to be regretted  
that blue and rose-colour have          
disappeared from the ,churches of the   
,west1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin4 ,but to
 return to the monastic dress which     
delivered brown1 grey1 and black from   
their melancholy significance1 does it  
not strike you that from the point of   
view of emblematic language1 that of the
 ,order of the ,annunciation was the    
most eloquent8 ,those sisters were      
habited in grey1 white1 and red1 the    
colours of the ,passion1 and they also  
wore a blue cape and a black veil in    
memory of ,our ,mother's mourning4  ,the
 image of a perpetual ,holy ,week6      
exclaimed ,durtal4  ,here is another    
question1 the ,abbe ,plomb went on4 ,in 
the earliest religious pictures the     
cloaks in which the ,virgin1 the        
,apostles1 and the ,saints are draped   

almost always show the hue of their     
lining in ingeniously contrived folds4  
,it is of course different from that of 
the outer side1 as you yourself observed
 just now with regard to the mantle of  
,saint ,agnes in ,angelico's work4 ,now1
 do you suppose that1 apart from        
contrast of colour selected for         
technical purposes1 the monk meant to   
express any particular idea by the      
juxtaposition of the two colours8  ,in  
accordance with the symbolism of the    
palette the outer colour would represent
 the material creature1 and the lining  
colour the spiritual being4  ,well1 but 
then what is the significance of ,saint 
,agnes' mantle of green lined with      
orange8  ,obviously1 replied ,durtal1   
green denoting freshness of feeling1 the
 essence of good1 hope2 and orange1 in  
its better meaning1 being regarded as   
representing the act by which ,god      
unites ,himself to man1 we might        
conclude from these data that ,saint    
,agnes had attained the life of union1  

the possession of the ,saviour1 by      
virtue of her innocence and the fervour 
of her aspirations4 ,she would thus be  
the image of virtue yearning and        
fulfilled1 of hope rewarded1 in short4  
,but now ,i must confess that there are 
many gaps1 many obscurities in this     
allegorical lore of colours4 ,in the    
picture in the ,louvre1 for instance1   
the steps of the throne1 which are      
intended to play the part of veined     
marble1 remain unintelligible4 ,splashed
 with dull red1 acrid green1 and bilious
 yellow1 what do these steps express1   
suggesting as they do by their number   
the nine choirs of angels8  ,it seems to
 me difficult to allow that the monk    
intended to figure the celestial        
hierarchies by smears with a dirty brush
 and these crude streaks4  ,but has the 
colour of a step ever represented an    
idea in the science of symbolism8 asked 
the ,abbe ,gevresin4  ,saint ,mechtildis
 says so4 ,when speaking of the three   
steps in front of the altar1 she        

propounds that the first should be of   
gold1 to show that it is impossible to  
go to ,god save by charity2 the second  
blue1 to signify meditation on things   
divine2 the third green1 to show eager  
hope and praise of ,heavenly things4    
,bless me6 cried ,madame ,bavoil1 who   
was getting somewhat scared by this     
discussion1 ,i never saw it in that     
light4 ,i know that red means fire1 as  
everybody knows2 blue1 the air2 green1  
water2 and black1 the earth4 ,and this  
,i understand1 because each element is  
shown in its true colour2 but ,i should 
never have dreamed that it was so       
complicated1 never have supposed that   
there was so much meaning in painters'  
pictures4  ,in some painters'6 cried    
,durtal4 ,for since the ,middle ,ages   
the doctrine of emblematic colouring is 
extinct4 ,at the present day those      
painters who attempt religious subjects 
are ignorant of the first elements of   
the symbolism of colours1 just as modern
 architects are ignorant of the first   

principles of mystical theology as      
embodied in buildings4  ,precious gems  
are lavishly introduced in the works of 
the primitive painters1 observed the    
,abbe ,plomb4 ,they are set in the      
borders of dresses1 in the necklets and 
rings of the female saints1 and are     
piled in triangles of flame on the      
diadems with which painters of yore were
 wont to crown the ,virgin4 ,logically1 
,i believe we ought to seek a meaning in
 every gem as well as in the hues of the
 dresses4  ,no doubt1 said ,durtal1 but 
the symbolism of gems is much confused4 
,the reasons which led to the choice of 
certain stones to be the emblems1 by    
their colour1 water1 and brilliancy1 of 
special virtues1 are so far-fetched and 
so little proven1 that one gem might be 
substituted for another without greatly 
modifying the interpretation of the     
allegory they present4 ,they form a     
series of synonyms1 each replacing the  
other with scarcely a shade of          
difference4  ,in the treasury of the    

,apocalypse1 however1 they seem to have 
been selected1 if not with stricter     
meaning1 with a more impressive breadth 
of application1 for expositors regard   
them as coincident with a virtue1 and   
likewise with the person endowed with   
it4 ,nay1 these jewellers of the ,bible 
have gone further2 they have given every
 gem a double symbolism1 making each    
embody a figure from the ,old ,testament
 and one from the ,new4 ,they carry out 
the parallel of the two ,books by       
selecting in each case a ,patriarch and 
an ,apostle1 symbolizing them by the    
character more especially marked in     
both4  ,thus1 the amethyst1 the mirror  
of humility and almost childlike        
simplicity1 is applied in the ,bible to 
,zebulon1 a man obedient and devoid of  
pride1 and in the ,gospel to ,st4       
,matthias1 who also was gentle and      
guileless2 the chalcedony1 as an emblem 
of charity1 was ascribed to ,joseph1 who
 was so merciful and pitiful to his     
brethren1 and to ,st4 ,james the ,great1

 the first of the ,apostles to suffer   
martyrdom for the love of ,christ2 the  
jasper1 emblematical of faith and       
eternity1 was the attribute of ,gad and 
of ,st4 ,peter2 the sard1 meaning faith 
and martyrdom1 was given to ,reuben and 
,st4 ,bartholomew2 the sapphire1 for    
hope and contemplation1 to ,naphtali and
 ,st4 ,andrew1 and sometimes1 according 
to ,aretas1 to ,st4 ,paul2 the beryl1   
meaning sound doctrine1 learning1 and   
long-suffering1 to ,benjamin and to ,st4
 ,thomas1 and so forth4 ,there is1      
indeed1 a table of the harmony of gems  
and their application to patriarchs1    
apostles1 and virtues1 drawn up by      
,madame ,felicie d',ayzac1 who has      
written an elaborate paper on the       
figurative meaning of gems4  ,the avatar
 of some other ,scriptural personages   
might be equally well carried out by    
these emblematical minerals1 observed   
the ,abbe ,gevresin4  ,obviously2 and as
 ,i warned you1 the analogies are very  
far-fetched4 ,the hermeneutics of gems  

are uncertain1 and founded on mere      
fanciful resemblances1 on the harmonies 
of ideas hard to assimilate4 ,in        
mediaeval times this science was        
principally cultivated by poets4        
,against whom we must be on our guard1  
said the ,abbe ,plomb1 since their      
interpretations are for the most part   
heathenish4 ,marbode1 for example1      
though he was a ,bishop1 has left us but
 a very pagan interpretation of the     
language of gems4  ,these mystical      
lapidaries have on the whole chiefly    
applied1 their ingenuity to explaining  
the stones of the breastplate of ,aaron1
 and those that shine in the foundations
 of the ,new ,jerusalem1 as described by
 ,st4 ,john2 indeed1 the walls of ,sion 
are set with the same jewels as the     
,high ,priest's pectoral1 with the      
exception of the carbuncle1 the ligure1 
agate1 and onyx1 which are named in     
,exodus1 and replaced in the ,book of   
,revelation by chalcedony1 sardonyx1    
chrysoprase1 and jacinth4  ,yes1 and the

 symbolist goldsmiths wrought diadems1  
setting them with precious stones1 to   
crown ,our ,lady's brow2 but their poems
 showed little variety1 for they were   
all borrowed from the ,libellus ,corona 
,virginis1 an apocryphal work ascribed  
to ,st4 ,ildefonso1 and formerly famous 
in convents4  ,the ,abbe ,gevresin rose 
and took an old book from the shelf4    
,that brings to my mind1 said he1 a hymn
 in honour of the ,virgin composed in   
rhyme by ,conrad of ,haimburg1 a ,german
 monk in the fourteenth century4        
,imagine1 he continued1 as he turned    
over the pages1 a litany of gems1 each  
verse symbolizing one of ,our ,mother's 
virtues4  ,this prayer in minerals opens
 with a human greeting4 ,the good monk1 
kneeling down1 begins3--  ',hail1 noble 
,virgin1 meet to become the ,bride of   
the ,supreme ,king6 ,accept this ring in
 pledge of that betrothal1 ,o ,mary6'   
,and he shows ,her the ring1 turning it 
slowly in his fingers1 explaining to    
,our ,lady the meaning of each stone    

that shines in the gold setting2        
beginning with green jasper1 symbolical 
of the faith which led the ,virgin to   
receive the message of the angelic      
visitant2 then comes the chalcedony1    
signifying the fire of charity that     
fills ,her heart2 the emerald1 whose    
transparency signifies ,her purity2 the 
sardonyx1 with its pale flame1 like the 
placidity of ,her virginal life2 the red
 sard-stone1 one with the ,heart that   
bled on ,calvary2 the chrysolite1       
sparkling with greenish gold1 reminding 
us of ,her numberless miracles and ,her 
,wisdom2 the beryl1 figurative of ,her  
humility2 the topaz1 of ,her deep       
meditations2 the chrysoprase of ,her    
fervency2 the jacinth of ,her charity2  
the amethyst1 mingling rose and purple1 
of the love bestowed on ,her by ,god and
 men2 the pearl1 of which the meaning   
remains vague1 not representing any     
special virtue2 the agate1 signifying   
,her modesty2 the onyx1 showing the many
 perfections of ,her grace2 the diamond1

 for patience and fortitude in sorrow2  
while the carbuncle1 like an eye that   
shines in the night1 everywhere         
proclaims that ,her glory is eternal4   
,finally the donor points out to the    
,virgin the interpretation of certain   
other matters set in the ring1 which in 
the ,middle ,ages were regarded as      
precious3 crystal1 emblematic of        
chastity of body and soul2 ligurite1    
resembling amber1 more especially       
figurative of the quality of temperance2
 lodestone1 which attracts iron1 as ,she
 touches the chords of repentant hearts 
with the bow of her loving-kindness4    
,and the monk ends his petition by      
saying3 ',this little ring1 set with    
gems1 which we offer ,thee as at this   
time1 accept1 glorious ,bride1 in ,thy  
benevolence4 ,amen4'  ,it would no doubt
 be possible1 said the ,abbe ,plomb1 to 
reproduce almost exactly the invocations
 of these ,litanies by each stone thus  
interpreted4 ,and he reopened the book  
his friend the priest had just closed4  

,see1 he went on1 how close is the      
concordance between the epithets in the 
sentences and the quality assigned to   
the gems4  ,does not the emerald1 which 
in this sequence is emblematical of     
incorruptible purity1 reflect in the    
sparkling mirror of its water the ,mater
 ,purissima of the ,litanies to the     
,virgin8 ,is not the chrysolite1 the    
symbol of wisdom1 a very exact image of 
the ,sedes ,sapientiae8 ,the jacinth1   
attribute of charity and succour        
vouchsafed to sinners1 is appropriate to
 the ,auxilium ,christianorum and the   
refugium peccatorum of the prayers4 ,is 
not the diamond1 which means strength   
and patience1 the ,virgo potens8--the   
carbuncle1 meaning fame1 the ,virgo     
praedicanda8--the chrysoprase1 for      
fervour1 the ,vas insigne devotionis8   
,and it is probable1 said the ,abbe1 in 
conclusion1 as he laid the book down1   
that if we took the trouble we could    
rediscover one by one1 in this rosary of
 stones1 the whole rosary of praise     

which we tell in honour of ,our ,mother4
  ,above all1 remarked ,durtal1 if we   
did not restrict ourselves to the narrow
 limits of this poem1 for ,conrad's     
manual is brief1 and his dictionary of  
analogies small2 if we accepted the     
interpretations of other symbolists1 we 
could produce a ring similar to his and 
yet quite different1 for the language of
 the gems would not be the same4 ,thus  
to ,st4 ,bruno of ,asti1 the venerable  
,abbot of ,monte ,cassino1 the jasper   
symbolizes ,our ,lord1 because it is    
immutably green1 eternal without        
possibility of change2 and for the same 
reason the emerald is the image of the  
life of the righteous2 the chrysoprase  
means good works2 the diamond1          
infrangible souls2 the sardonyx1 which  
resembles the blood-stained seed of a   
pomegranate1 is charity2 the jacinth1   
with its varying blue1 is the prudence  
of the saints2 the beryl1 whose hue is  
that of water running in the sunshine1  
figures the ,scriptures elucidated by   

,christ2 the chrysolite1 attention and  
patience1 because it has the colour of  
the gold that mingles in it and lends it
 its meaning2 the amethyst1 the choir of
 children and virgins1 because the blue 
mixed in it with rose pink suggests the 
idea of innocence and modesty4  ,or1    
again1 if we borrow from ,pope ,innocent
 ,,iii4 his ideas as to the mystical    
meanings of gems1 we find that          
chalcedony1 which is pale in the light  
and sparkles in the dark1 is synonymous 
with humility2 the topaz with chastity  
and the merit of good works1 while the  
chrysoprase1 the queen of minerals1     
implies wisdom and watchfulness4  ,if we
 do not go quite so far back into past  
ages1 but stop at the end of the        
sixteenth century1 we find some new     
interpretations in a ,commentary on the 
,book of ,exodus by ,corneille de la    
,pierre2 for he ascribes truth to the   
onyx and carbuncle1 heroism to the      
beryl1 and to the ligure1 with its      
delicate and sparkling violet hue1 scorn

 of the things of earth1 and love of    
heavenly things4  ,and then ,st4        
,ambrose regards this stone as          
emblematical of ,eucharist1 the ,abbe   
,gevresin put in4  ,yes2 but what is the
 ligure or ligurite8 asked ,durtal4     
,conrad of ,haimburg speaks of it as    
resembling amber2 ,corneille de la      
,pierre believes it to be violet-tinted1
 and ,st4 ,jerome gives us to understand
 that it is not identifiable2 in fact1  
that it is but another name for the     
jacinth1 the image of prudence1 with its
 water of blue like the sky and changing
 tints4 ,how are we to make sure8  ,as  
to blue stones1 we must not forget that 
,st4 ,mechtildis regarded the sapphire  
as the very heart of the ,virgin1       
observed the ,abbe ,plomb4  ,we may also
 add1 ,durtal went on1 that a new set of
 variations on the subject of gems was  
executed in the seventeenth century by a
 celebrated ,spanish ,abbess1 ,maria    
d',agreda1 who applies to ,our ,mother  
the virtues of the precious stones      

spoken of by ,st4 ,john in the          
twenty-first chapter of the ,apocalypse4
 ,according to her1 the sapphire figures
 the serenity of ,mary2 the chrysolite  
shows forth ,her love for the ,church   
,militant1 and especially for the ,law  
of ,grace2 the amethyst1 ,her power     
against the hordes of hell2 the jasper1 
,her invincible fortitude2 the pearl1   
,her inestimable dignity--  ,the pearl1 
interrupted the ,abbe ,plomb1 is        
regarded by ,st4 ,eucher as emblematic  
of perfection1 chastity1 and the        
evangelical doctrine4  ,and all this    
time you are forgetting the meaning of  
other well-known gems1 cried ,madame    
,bavoil4 ,the ruby1 the garnet1 the     
aqua-marine2 are they speechless8  ,no1 
replied ,durtal4 ,the ruby speaks of    
tranquility and patience2 the garnet1   
,innocent ,,iii4 tells us1 symbolizes   
charity4 ,st4 ,bruno and ,st4 ,rupert   
say that the aqua-marine concentrates in
 its pale green fire all theological    
science4 ,there yet remain two gems1 the

 turquoise and the opal4 ,the former1   
little esteemed by the mystics1 is to   
promote joy4 ,as to the second1 of which
 the name does not occur in treatises on
 gems1 it may be identified with        
chalcedony1 which is described as a sort
 of agate of an opaque quality1 dimmed  
with clouds and flashing fires in the   
shadows4  ,to have done with this       
emblematical jewelry1 we may add that   
the series of stones serves to symbolize
 the hierarchies of the angels4 ,but    
here1 again1 the meanings commonly      
received are derived from more or less  
forced comparisons and a tissue of      
notions more or less flimsy and loose4  
,however1 it is so far established that 
the sard-stone suggests the ,seraphim1  
the topaz the ,cherubim1 the jasper     
means the ,thrones1 the chrysolite      
figures the ,dominions1 the sapphire the
 ,virtues1 the onyx the ,powers1 the    
beryl the ,principalities1 the ruby the 
,archangels1 and the emerald the        
,angels4  ,and it is a curious fact1    

said the ,abbe ,plomb1 that while       
beasts1 colours1 and flowers are        
accepted by that symbolists sometimes   
with a good meaning and sometimes with  
an evil one1 gems alone never change2   
they always express good qualities1 and 
never vices4  ,why is that8  ,st4       
,hildegarde perhaps affords a clue to   
this stability when1 in the fourth book1
 of her treatise on ,physics1 she says  
that the ,devil hates them1 abhors and  
scorns them1 because he remembers that  
their splendour shone in him before his 
fall1 and that some of them are the     
product of the fire that is his torment4
  ,and the saint added1 ',god1 who      
deprived him of them1 would not that the
 stones should lose their virtues2 ,he  
desired1 on the contrary1 that they     
should ever be held in honour1 and used 
in medicine to the end that sickness    
should be cured and ills driven out4'   
,and1 in fact1 in the ,middle ,ages they
 were highly esteemed and used to effect
 cures4  ,to return to those early      

pictures1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin1 in  
which the ,virgin emerges like a flower 
from amid the gorgeous assemblage of    
gems1 it may be said as a general thing1
 that the glow of jewels declares by    
visible signs the merits of ,her who    
wears them2 but it would be difficult to
 say what the painter's purpose may have
 been when1 in the decoration of a crown
 or a dress1 he placed any particular   
stone in one spot rather than another4  
,it is1 as a rule1 a question of taste  
or harmony1 and has nothing1 or very    
little1 to do with symbolism4  ,of that 
there can be no doubt1 said ,durtal1 who
 rose and took leave1 as ,madame        
,bavoil1 hearing the cathedral clock    
strike1 handed to the two priests their 
hats and breviaries4     ,,chapter      
,,viii4   ,the somewhat dolefully calm  
frame of mind in which ,durtal had been 
living since settling at ,chartres came 
to a sudden end4 ,one day ennui made him
 its prey1 the black possession which   
would allow him neither to work1 nor to 

read1 nor to pray2 so overwhelming that 
he knew not whither to turn nor what to 
do4  ,after spending dark and futile    
days in lounging round his library1     
taking down a volume and shutting it up 
again1 opening another of which he      
failed to master a single page1 he tried
 to escape from the weariness of the    
hours by taking walks1 and he determined
 finally to study the town of ,chartres4
  ,he found a number of blind alleys and
 break-neck steeps1 such as the road    
down the knoll of ,st4 ,nicolas1 which  
tumbles from the top of the town to the 
bottom in a precipitous flight of steps2
 and then the ,boulevard des            
,filles-,dieu1 so lonely with its walks 
planted with trees1 was worthy of his   
notice4 ,starting from the ,place       
,drouaise1 he came to a little bridge   
where the waters meet of the two        
branches of the ,eure2 to the right1    
above the eddying current and the       
buildings on the shore1 he could see the
 pile of the old town shouldering up the

 cathedral2 to the left1 all along the  
quay1 and looking out on the tall       
poplars that fanned the water-mills1    
were saw-mills and timber-yards1 the    
washing places where laundresses knelt  
on straw in troughs1 and the water      
foamed before them in widening inky     
circles splashed into white bubbles by  
the dip of a bird's wing4  ,this arm of 
the river diverted into the moat of the 
old ramparts1 encircled ,chartres1      
bordered on one side by the trees of the
 alleys1 and on the other by cottages   
with terraced gardens down to the level 
of the stream1 the two banks joined by  
foot-bridges of planks or cast iron     
arches4  ,near where the ,porte         
,guillaume uplifted its crenelated      
towers like raised pies1 there were     
houses that looked as if they had been  
gutted1 displaying1 as in the vanished  
cagnards or vaults of the ,hotel ,dieu  
at ,paris1 cellars open on the level of 
the water1 paved basements in whose     
depths of prison twilight stone steps   

could be seen2 and on going out through 
the ,porte ,guillaume across a little   
humpbacked bridge1 under the archway    
still showing the groove in which the   
portcullis had worked which was let down
 of yore to defend this side of the     
town1 he came upon yet another arm of   
the river washing the feet of more      
houses1 playing at hide and seek in the 
courts1 musing between walls2 and at    
once he was haunted by the recollection 
of another river just like this1 with   
its decoction of walnut hulls frothed   
with bubbles2 and to contribute to the  
suggestion1 the more clearly to evoke a 
vision of the dismal ,bievre1 the rank1 
acrid1 pungent smell of tan1 steeped1 as
 it were1 in vinegar1 came up in fumes  
from this broth of medlar juice brought 
down by the ,eure4  ,the ,bievre1 a     
prisoner now in the sewers of ,paris1   
seemed to have escaped from its dungeon 
and to have taken refuge at ,chartres   
that it might live in the light of day2 
winding by the ,rues de la ,foulerie1 de

 la ,tannerie1 du ,massacre1 the        
quarters invaded by the                 
leather-dressers1 the skinners and      
tan-peat makers4  ,but the ,parisian    
environment1 so pathetic in its aspect  
of silent suffering1 was absent from    
this town2 these streets suggested      
merely a declining hamlet1 a            
poverty-stricken village4 ,he felt      
something lacking in this second        
,bievre1 the fascination of exhaustion1 
the grace of the woman of ,paris faded  
and smirched by misery2 it lacked the   
charm compounded of pity and regret1 of 
a fallen creature4  ,such as they were1 
however1 these streets1 traced with a   
sort of descending twist round the hill 
on which the cathedral stood exalted1   
were the only curious by-ways of        
,chartres worth wandering through4      
,here ,durtal often succeeded in getting
 out of himself1 in dreaming over the   
distressful weariness of these streams1 
and in ceasing to meditate on his own   
qualms1 till he presently was tired of  

constant excursions in the same quarter 
of the town1 and then he tramped through
 it in every direction1 trying to find  
an interest in the sight of time-worn   
spots--the grace of ,queen ,berthe's    
tower1 of ,claude ,huve's house and     
other buildings that have survived the  
shock of ages2 but the enthusiasm he    
threw into the study of these relics1   
spoilt by the foregone eulogiums of the 
guides1 could not last1 and he then fell
 back on the churches4  ,although the   
cathedral crushed everything near it1   
,saint-,pierre1 the ancient ,abbey      
church of a ,benedictine monastery1 now 
used as barracks1 deserved a lingering  
visit for the sake of its splendid      
windows1 the dwelling-place of ,abbots  
and ,bishops who look down with stern   
eyes1 holding up their croziers4 ,and   
these windows1 damaged by time1 were    
very singular4 ,upright1 in each        
lancet-shaped setting of white glass1   
rose a sword-blade bereft of its point2 
and in these square-tipped blades ,saint

 ,benedict and ,saint ,maur stood lost  
in thought1 with ,apostles and ,popes1  
,prelates and ,saints1 standing out in  
robes of flame against the luminous     
whiteness of the borders4  ,certainly   
,chartres could show the finest glass   
windows in the world2 and each century  
had left its noblest stamp on its       
sanctuaries3 the twelfth1 thirteenth1   
and even the fifteenth1 on the          
cathedral2 the fourteenth on ,saint     
,pierre2 and a few                      
examples--unfortunately broken up and   
used in a medley mosaic--of painted     
glass of the sixteenth century in ,saint
 ,aignan1 another church where the      
vaulted roof had been washed of the     
colour of gingerbread speckled with     
anise-seed1 by painters of our own day4 
,durtal got through a few afternoons in 
these churches2 then the charm of this  
prolonged study was at an end1 and gloom
 took possession of him1 even worse than
 before4  ,the ,abbe ,plomb1 to divert  
his mind1 took him for walks in the     

country1 but ,la ,beauce was so flat1 so
 monotonous1 that any variety of        
landscape was impossible to find4 ,then 
the ,abbe took him through other parts  
of the town4 ,some of the buildings     
claimed their attention1 as1 for        
instance1 the ,house of ,detention1 in  
the ,rue-,sainte-,therese near the      
,palais de ,justice4 ,the edifices      
themselves were not1 indeed1 very       
impressive1 but the history of their    
origin made them available as the       
fulcrum for old dreams4 ,there was      
something in the prison walls1 in their 
height and austerity1 in their look of  
order and precision1 which made the     
cloister wall of a ,carmel look small4  
,they had1 in fact1 of old1 sheltered a 
,sisterhood of that ,order1 and a few   
steps further on1 in a blind alley1 was 
the entrance to the ancient convent of  
the ,jacobins1 the ,mother-,house of the
 great ,sisterhood of ,chartres3 the    
,nursing ,sisters of ,saint ,paul4  ,the
 ,abbe ,plomb took him to visit this    

house1 and he retained a cheerful       
impression of the walk in the fresh air 
on the old ramparts4 ,the ,sisters had  
kept up the sentry's walk1 which        
followed a long and narrow avenue with a
 statue of the ,virgin at each end1 one 
representing the ,immaculate            
,conception1 the other the ,virgin      
,mother4 ,and this walk1 strewn with    
river-pebbles and edged with flowers1   
shut in on one side by the ,abbey and   
the novices' schools1 on the left       
overlooked a precipice down to the      
,butte des ,charbonniers1 and below that
 again1 the ,rue de la ,couronne2 while 
beyond lay the grass lawns of the ,clos 
,saint ,jean1 the line of the railroad1 
labourers' hovels1 and convent          
buildings4  ,there you see1 said the    
,abbe1 behind the embankment of the     
,western ,railway stands the ,convent of
 the ,sisters of ,our ,lady and of the  
,carmelites2 here1 nearer to the town on
 this side of the line1 are the ,little 
,sisters of the ,poor4  ,and indeed the 

place swarmed with convents3 ,sisters of
 the ,visitation1 ,sisters of           
,providence1 ,sisters of ,good ,comfort1
 ,ladies of the ,sacred ,heart1 all     
lived in hives close round ,chartres4   
,prayer hummed up on every side1 rising 
as the fragrant breath of souls above a 
city where1 by way of divine service1   
nothing was chanted but the             
price-current of grain and the higher   
and lower cost of horses in the fairs   
which1 on certain days1 brought all the 
copers of ,la ,perche together in the   
cafes on the ,place4  ,besides this walk
 on the old ramparts1 the ,convent of   
the ,sisters of ,saint ,paul was        
attractive by reason of its quiet and   
cleanliness4 ,down silent passages the  
backs of the good women might be seen   
crossed by the triangular fold of linen1
 and the click could be heard of their  
heavy black rosaries on links of copper1
 as they rattled on their skirts against
 the hanging bunch of keys4 ,their      
chapel was redolent of ,louis ,,xiv41 at

 once childish and pompous1 too much    
bedizened with gold1 and the floor too  
shiny with wax2 but there was an        
interesting detail3 at the entrance     
large panes of glass had been           
substituted for the walls1 so that in   
winter the sick1 sitting in a warm room1
 could look through the glass partition 
and follow the services and hear the    
plain song of ,solesmes which the       
,sisters had the good taste to use4     
,this visit revived ,durtal's spirit2   
but he inevitably compared the peaceful 
hours told out in that retreat with     
others1 and his disgust was increased   
for this town1 and its inhabitants1 and 
its avenues1 and its boasted ,place des 
,epars1 aping a little ,versailles1 with
 its surrounding blatant mansions1 and  
its ridiculous statue of ,marceau in the
 middle4  ,and then the limpness of the 
place1 hardly awake by sunrise and      
asleep again by dusk6  ,once only did   
,durtal see it really awake1 and that   
was on the day when ,monseigneur ,le    

,tilloy des ,mofflaines was enthroned as
 ,bishop4  ,then suddenly the city was  
galvanized2 projects were made1 the     
various bodies corporate sat in         
committee1 and men came forth who had   
lived within doors for years4  ,scaffold
 poles were brought out from the masons'
 yards2 blue and yellow flags were      
hoisted on them1 and these masts were   
linked together by garlands of          
ivy-leaves sewn one over the other with 
white cotton4  ,then ,chartres was      
exhausted1 and paused for breath4       
,durtal1 startled by these unexpected   
preparations and such an assumption of  
life1 had gone out to meet the ,bishop1 
as far as to the ,rue ,saint ,michel4   
,there1 on the open square1 a gymnastic 
apparatus had been erected1 the swing   
bars and rings having been removed1 and 
the poles garnished with pine branches  
and gilt paper rosettes1 and surmounted 
by a trophy of tricolour flags arranged 
in a fan behind a painted cardboard     
shield4 ,this was an arch of triumph1   

and under this the ,brethren of the     
,christian ,schools were to escort the  
canopy4  ,the procession1 which had gone
 forth to fetch the ,bishop from the    
,hospice of ,saint ,brice1 where1 in    
obedience to time-honoured custom1 he   
had slept the night before entering his 
,see1 had made its way thither under a  
fine rain of chanted canticles1 broken  
by heavier showers of brass sounding a  
pious flourish of trumpets4 ,slowly1    
with measured steps1 the train wound    
along between two hedges of people      
crowded on the sidewalks1 and all the   
way the windows1 hung with drapery1     
displayed bunches of faces and leaning  
bodies1 cut across the middle by the    
balcony bar4  ,at the head of the       
procession1 behind the gaudy uniforms of
 the ponderous beadles1 came the girls  
of the ,congregational ,schools1 dressed
 in crude blue with white veils1 in two 
ranks1 filling up the roadway2 then     
followed delegates of nuns from every   
,order that has a ,house in the diocese2

 ,sisters of the ,visitation from       
,dreux1 ,ladies of the ,sacred ,heart   
from ,chateaudun1 ,sisters of the       
,immaculate ,conception from ,nogent le 
,rotrou1 the uncloistered ,sisters of   
the ,cloistered ,orders of ,chartres1   
,sisters of ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul and  
,poor ,clares1 whose dresses of blueish 
grey and peat-brown contrasted with the 
black robes of the others4  ,what was   
most odd was the various shapes of their
 coifs4 ,some had soft flapping         
blinkers1 others wore them goffered and 
stiffened with starch2 these hid their  
face at the bottom of a deep white      
tunnel2 others1 on the contrary1 showed 
their countenance set in an oval frame  
of pleated cambric1 prolonged behind    
into conical wings of starched linen    
lustrous from heavy irons4 ,as he looked
 over this expanse of caps1 ,durtal was 
reminded of the ,paris landscape of     
roofs1 in shapes resembling the funnels 
worn by these nuns and the cocked hats  
of the beadles4  ,then1 behind these    

long files of sober-coloured garments1  
the scarlet vestments of the choirs came
 like the blare of trumpets4 ,the little
 ones marched with downcast eyes1 their 
arms crossed under their red capes edged
 with ermine1 and behind them1 a little 
in advance of the next group1 walked two
 white cowls1 that of a ,brother of     
,picpus1 and that of a ,trappist who    
represented the ,trappist ,sisterhood of
 ,la ,cour ,peytral1 to which he was    
chaplain4  ,finally the ,seminarists    
came on in a black crowd2 those of the  
,great ,seminary of ,chartres and of the
 ,little ,seminary of ,saint ,cheron    
preceding the priests1 and behind them1 
under a purple velvet canopy embroidered
 in gold with wheat ears and grapes1 and
 decorated at each corner with bunches  
of snow-white feathers1 with his mitre  
on his head and holding his crozier1    
came ,monseigneur ,le ,tilloy des       
,mofflaines4  ,as he passed1 in the act 
of blessing the street1 many an unknown 
,lazarus rose up1 the forgotten dead    

come back to life2 ,his ,reverence      
seemed to multiply the ,miracles of the 
,lord4 ,effete old men1 huddled in their
 chairs in the doorways or at the       
windows1 revived for a second1 and found
 strength enough to cross themselves4   
,persons who had been supposed dead for 
years managed almost to smile4 ,the     
vacant eyes of old1 old children gazed  
at the violet cross outlined in the air 
by the ,prelate's gloved hand4          
,chartres1 that city of the dead1 had   
changed to a vast nursery2 in the       
extravagance of its joy the town was in 
its second childhood4  ,but as soon as  
the ,bishop was past the scene changed4 
,durtal was startled1 and he tittered4  
,a whole ,court of ,miracles seemed to  
follow in the ,prelate's train1         
strutting but tottering2 a procession of
 old wrecks1 dressed out in such        
garments as are sold from the           
dead-house1 staggered along holding each
 other's arms1 propped one against      
another4 ,every reach-me-down that had  

been hanging these twenty years flapped 
about their limbs1 hindering their      
progress4 ,trousers with baggy ankles or
 with gaiter tops1 balloon-shaped or    
close-fitting1 made of loose-woven stuff
 or so shrunk that they would not meet  
the boot1 displaying feet where the     
elastic sides wriggled like living      
vermin1 and ankles covered with         
vermicelli dipped in ink2 then the most 
impossibly threadbare and discoloured   
coats1 made1 as it seemed1 of old       
billiard cloths1 of tarpaulin worn to   
the canvas1 of cast-off awnings2        
overcoats of cast iron1 the surface worn
 off the back-seam and sleeves--glaucous
 waistcoats1 sprigged with flowers and  
furnished with buttons of dry           
brawn-parings2 and all this was as      
nothing2 what was prodigious1 beyond the
 bounds of belief1 fabulous1 positively 
insane1 was the collection of hats that 
crowned these costumes4  ,the specimens 
of extinct headgear1 lost in the night  
of ages1 that were collected here6 ,the 

veterans wore muff-boxes and gas-pipes2 
some had tall white hats1 for all the   
world like toilet-pails turned upside   
down1 or huge spigots with a hole for   
the head2 others had donned felt hats   
like sponges1 shaggy1 long-haired       
,bolivars1 melons on flat brims just    
like a tart on a dish2 others1 again1   
had crush-hats1 which swayed and played 
the accordion on their own account1     
their ribs showing through the stuff4   
,the craziness of the gibus hats beats  
description4 ,some were very tall1 the  
shaft crowned with a platform larger    
than the head1 like the shako of an     
,imperial ,lancer2 others very low1     
ending in an inverted cone--the mouth of
 a blunderbuss or a ,polish schapska4   
,and under this ,sanhedrim of drunken   
hats were the mopping1 wrinkled faces of
 very old men1 with whiskers like white 
rabbits' paws1 and bristles like        
tooth-brushes in their nostrils4        
,durtal shook with inextinguishable     
laughter at this carnival of            

antiquities2 but his mirth was soon     
over2 he saw two ,little ,sisters of the
 ,poor who were in charge of this school
 of fossils1 and he understood4 ,these  
poor creatures were dressed in clothes  
that had been begged1 the rummage of    
wardrobes1 for which the owners had no  
further use4 ,then the queerness of     
their outfit was pathetic2 the ,little  
,sisters must have been at infinite     
trouble to utilize these leavings of    
charity2 and the old children1 recking  
little of fashion1 plumed themselves    
with pride at being so fine4  ,durtal   
followed to the cathedral4 ,when he     
reached the little square1 the          
procession1 caught by a gale of wind1   
was struggling and clinging to the      
banners1 which bellied like the sails of
 a ship1 carrying on the men who        
clutched the poles4 ,at last1 more or   
less easily1 all the people were        
swallowed up in the basilica4 ,the ,te  
,deum was pouring out in a torrent from 
the organ4 ,at this moment it really    

seemed as though1 under the impulsion of
 this glorious hymn1 the church1        
springing heavenward in a rapturous     
flight1 were rising higher and higher2  
the echo resounded down the ages1       
repeating the hymn of triumph which had 
so often been sung under that roof2 and 
for once the music was in harmony with  
the building1 and spoke the language    
which the cathedral had learnt in its   
infancy4  ,durtal was exultant4 ,it     
seemed to him that ,our ,lady smiled    
down from those glowing windows1 that   
,she was touched by these accents1      
created by the saints she had loved1 to 
embody for ever1 in a definite melody1  
and in unique words1 the scattered      
praise of the faithful1 the unformulated
 rejoicing of the multitude4  ,suddenly 
his exalted mood was sobered4 ,the ,te  
,deum was ended2 a roll of drums and a  
clarion flourish rang out from the      
transept4 ,and while the brass band of  
,chartres cannonaded the old walls with 
the balista of mere noise1 he fled to   

breathe away from the crowd1 which1     
however1 did not nearly fill the church2
 and then1 after the ceremony1 he went  
to see the parade of representatives of 
the various institutions in the town1   
who came to pay their respects to the   
new ,bishop in his palace4  ,there he   
could laugh and not be ashamed4 ,the    
forecourt was packed full of priests4   
,all the superiors of the different     
,archdeaconries--,chartres1 ,chateaudun1
 ,nogent le ,rotrou1 and ,dreux--had    
left there1 within the great gate1 their
 following of parish priests and cures1 
who were pacing round and round the     
green circus of a grass plot4  ,the     
big-wigs of the town1 not at all less   
ridiculous than the pensioners of the   
,little ,sisters of the ,poor1 crowded  
in1 driving the ecclesiastics into the  
garden walks4 ,teratology seemed to have
 emptied out its specimen bottles2 it   
was a seething swarm of human larvae1 of
 strange heads--bullet-shaped1          
egg-shaped1 faces as seen through a     

bottle or in a distorting mirror1 or    
escaped from one of ,redon's grotesque  
albums2 a perfect museum of monsters on 
the move4 ,the stagnation of monotonous 
toil1 handed down for generations from  
father to son in a city of the dead1 was
 stamped on every face1 and the         
,sunday-best festivity of the day added 
a touch of the absurd to hereditary     
ugliness4  ,every black coat in         
,chartres had come out to take the air4 
,some dated from the days of the        
,directory1 swallowed up the wearer's   
neck1 climbed up high behind the nape1  
muffled the ears and padded the         
shoulders2 others had shrunk by lying in
 the drawer1 and their sleeves1 much too
 short1 cut the wearer round the        
armholes so that he dared not move4  ,a 
miasma of benzine and camphor exhaled   
from these groups4 ,the clothes1 only   
that morning taken out of pickle to be  
aired by the good wife1 were            
pestilential4 ,the stove-pipe hats were 
to match4 ,left to themselves on        

wardrobe shelves1 they had surely grown 
taller2 they towered immense1 displaying
 on their mill-board column a thin      
covering of hairs4  ,this assembly of   
worthies admired and congratulated each 
other2 clasped hands encased in white   
gloves--gloves scoured with paraffin1   
cleaned with indiarubber or breadcrumb4 
,presently a retiring wave cleared a    
space in the crowd of priests and       
laymen1 who shrank back hat in hand to  
make way for an old hearse of a landau1 
drawn by a consumptive horse and driven 
by a sort of ,moudjik1 a coachman with a
 puffy face behind a thicket of hair    
sprouting on his cheeks and his mouth1  
in his ears and nose4 ,this vehicle came
 to an anchor before the front steps1   
and out of it stepped a fat man1 blown  
out like a bladder and buttoned up in an
 uniform with silver lace2 after him    
came a thinner personage in a coat with 
facings of dark and light blue1 and     
everybody bowed to the ,prefet attended 
by one of his three ,councillors4  ,they

 had lifted their plumed cocked hats1   
distributed a dole of hand-shaking1 and 
vanished into the vestibule when the    
army made its appearance1 represented by
 a ,colonel of ,cuirassiers1 some       
officers of the ,artillery and the      
,commissariat1 a few subalterns of      
,infantry1 and one gendarme4  ,this was 
all4  ,within an hour of this reception 
the exhausted town was asleep again1 not
 having energy enough even to remove the
 poles2 ,lazarus had gone back to his   
sepulchre1 the resuscitated antiquities 
had relapsed into death2 the streets    
were empty2 reaction had ensued2        
,chartres would be exhausted for months 
by this outbreak4  ,what a sty it is6   
,what a hole6 cried ,durtal to himself4 
,on certain days1 tired of spending his 
afternoons shut up with his books or of 
attending service in the cathedral1     
hearing the canons languidly playing    
rackets from side to side of the choir  
with the ,psalms1 of which they tossed  
the verses to and fro in a mumbling     

tone1 he would go down after dinner and 
smoke cigarettes in the little ,place4  
,at ,chartres1 eight o'clock in the     
evening was as three in the morning in  
any other town2 every light was out1    
every house closed4  ,the priesthood1   
eager for bed1 had shut up shop4 ,no    
prayers to the ,virgin1 no ,benediction1
 nothing in this cathedral6 ,at such an 
hour1 kneeling in the dark1 you feel as 
if the ,mother were more immediately    
present1 nearer1 more intimately your   
own2 but these moments of confidence1   
when it is easier to tell ,her all your 
trivial woes1 were unknown at ,notre    
,dame4 ,no one was worn out by midnight 
prayer in that church6  ,but though he  
could not go in1 ,durtal could prowl    
round and about it4 ,and then1 scarcely 
seen by the light of the                
poverty-stricken lamps standing here and
 there on the square1 the cathedral     
assumed strange aspects4 ,the portals   
yawned as caverns full of blackness1 and
 the outer shape of the body of the     

building1 from the towers to the apse1  
with its abutments and buttresses merely
 guessed at in the dark1 stood up like a
 cliff worn away by invisible waves4 ,it
 might have been a mountain1 its summit 
jagged by storms1 eaten into deep       
caverns at the foot by a vanished ocean2
 and on going nearer he could in the    
gloom imagine ill-defined paths steeply 
running up the cliff1 or winding on     
shelves at the edge of a rock2 and1     
occasionally1 midway on one of these    
dark paths1 some white statue of a      
,bishop would start forth under a       
moonbeam1 like a ghost haunting the     
ruins1 and blessing all comers with     
uplifted fingers of stone4  ,these      
wanderings in the precincts of the      
cathedral1 which by daylight was so     
light and slender1 and in the dark      
seemed so ponderous and threatening1    
were ill-adapted to cure ,durtal of his 
melancholy4  ,this illusion of rocks    
riven by the lightning1 of caverns      
deserted by the waves1 plunged him into 

fresh reveries1 and at last threw him   
back on himself1 ending1 after many     
divagations of mind1 in the             
contemplation of the ruin within him4   
,then once more he sounded his soul1 and
 tried to reduce his thoughts to some   
sort of order4  ,i am simply bored to   
death1 said he to himself1 and why8 ,and
 by dint of analyzing his condition he  
came to this conclusion3 ,my state of   
boredom is not simple but two-fold2 or1 
if it is indeed all of a piece1 it may  
be divided into two very distinct       
phases3 ,i am bored by myself1          
independently of place1 of home1 of     
books2 and ,i am also bored by          
provincial life--the special form of    
boredom inherent in ,chartres4  ,bored  
by myself--ah1 yes1 most heartily6 ,how 
tired ,i am of watching myself1 of      
trying to detect the secret of my       
disgust and contentiousness4 ,when ,i   
contemplate my life ,i could sum it up  
thus3 the past has been horrible2 the   
present seems to me feeble and desolate2

 the future--is appalling4  ,he paused1 
and then went on1--  ,during my first   
days here ,i was happy in the dream     
suggested by this cathedral4 ,i believed
 it would re-act on my life1 that it    
would people the solitude ,i felt within
 me1 that it would1 in a word1 be a help
 to me in this provincial atmosphere4   
,but ,i beguiled myself4 ,in fact1 it   
still weighs on me1 it still holds me   
wrapped in the mild gloom of its crypt2 
but ,i can now reason about it1 ,i can  
scrutinize its details1 ,i try to talk  
to it of art1 and in these inquiries ,i 
have lost the unreasoning sense of its  
environment1 the silent fascination of  
the whole4  ,i am less conscious now of 
its soul than of its body4 ,i tried to  
study archaeology1 that contemptible    
anatomy of building1 and ,i have fallen 
humanly in love with its beauty2 the    
spiritual aspect has vanished1 to leave 
nothing behind but the earthly part4    
,alas6 ,i was determined to see1 and ,i 
have wrecked trust2 it is the eternal   

allegory of ,psyche over again6  ,and   
besides--besides--is not the weariness  
that is crushing me to some extent the  
fault of the ,abbe ,gevresin8 ,by       
compelling me to much repetition he has 
exhausted in me the soothing and1 at the
 same time1 subversive virtue of the    
,sacrament2 and the most evident result 
of this treatment is that my soul has   
collapsed and has no spirit to          
reinvigorate it4  ,no1 no1 he went on   
presently4 ,here ,i am working back on  
my perennial presumption1 my incessant  
round of cares2 and once more ,i am     
unjust to the ,abbe4 ,but it is         
certainly no fault of his if frequent   
,communion makes me cold4 ,i look for   
sensations2 but the very first thing    
should be to convince myself that such  
cravings are contemptible1 and next1 to 
understand clearly that it is precisely 
because ,communion is so frigid that it 
is the more meritorious and virtuous1   
yes1 that is very easy to say2 but where
 is the ,catholic who prefers such      

coldness to a glow8 ,the saints may1 no 
doubt2 but even they suffer under it6   
,it is so natural to entreat ,god for a 
little joy1 to look forward to an ,union
 consummated by a loving word1 a sign--a
 mere nothing that may show that ,he is 
present4  ,say what they may1 we cannot 
help being pained by a dead absorption  
of that living bread6 ,and it is very   
hard to admit that ,our ,lord is wise   
when ,he keeps us in ignorance of the   
ills from which it preserves us and the 
progress it enables us to make1 since1  
but for that1 we might be defenceless   
against the attacks of self-conceit and 
the assaults of vanity--helpless against
 ourselves4  ,in short1 whatever the    
reason1 ,i am no better off at ,chartres
 than in ,paris1 was his conclusion4    
,and when these reflections beset him1  
especially on ,sundays1 he regretted    
having accompanied the ,abbe ,gevresin  
into the country4  ,in ,paris1 in old   
days1 he at any rate got through the    
hours at the services4 ,he could attend 

,mass in the morning at the ,benedictine
 chapel or at ,saint ,severin1 and go to
 ,saint ,sulpice for vespers or         
compline4  ,here there was nothing2 and 
yet where were there more promising     
conditions for the performance of       
,gregorian music than at ,chartres8     
,setting aside a few antiquated basses  
who could only bark1 and whom it would  
be necessary to dismiss1 there was a    
whole sheaf of rich young voices1 a     
school of nearly a hundred boys who     
could have rolled out in clear1 sweet   
tones the broad melodies of the old     
plain-song4  ,but in this ill-starred   
cathedral an inept precentor gave out1  
by way of liturgical canticles1 a       
perfect menagerie of outlandish tunes1  
which1 let loose on ,sunday1 seemed to  
scamper like marmosets up the pillars   
and under the roof4 ,and the artless    
voices of the choir-boys were drilled to
 these musical monkey-tricks4 ,at       
,chartres it was impossible to attend   
,high ,mass in the cathedral with any   

decent devotion4  ,the other services   
were not much better2 indeed1 ,durtal   
was reduced to attending vespers at     
,notre ,dame de la ,breche1 in the lower
 town1 a chapel where the priest1 a     
friend of the ,abbe ,plomb1 had         
introduced the use of ,solesmes1 and    
patiently trained a little choir        
composed of faithful working-men and    
pious boys4  ,the voices1 especially the
 trebles1 were not first-rate2 but the  
priest1 being a skilled musician1 had   
contrived to train and soften them1 and 
had1 in fact1 succeeded in getting the  
,benedictine art accepted in his church4
  ,unfortunately it was so ugly1 so     
painfully adorned with images1 that only
 by shutting his eyes could ,durtal     
endure to remain in ,notre ,dame de la  
,breche4  ,in the midst of this surge of
 reflections on his soul1 on ,paris1 on 
the ,eucharist1 on music1 on ,chartres1 
,durtal was at last quite bewildered1   
not knowing where he was4 ,now and then1
 however1 he recovered some             

tranquillity1 and then he was astonished
 at himself1 he could not understand    
himself4  ,why regret ,paris--why1      
indeed8 he would ask himself4 ,was the  
life ,i led there unlike that ,i lead   
here8 ,were not the churches            
there--,notre ,dame de ,paris1 to name  
but one--just as much to be execrated   
for sacrilegious bravuras as ,notre     
,dame de ,chartres8 ,on the other hand1 
,i never went out there to lounge in the
 tiresome streets2 ,i saw nobody but the
 ,abbe ,gevresin and ,madame ,bavoil1   
and ,i see them still1 and oftener1 in  
this town4 ,i have even gained a friend 
by the move1 a learned and agreeable    
companion1 in the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,so why8
  ,and then one morning1 unexpectedly1  
every thing was plain to him4 ,he saw   
quite clearly that he was on the wrong  
track1 and without even seeking for it  
he found the right one4  ,to discover   
the unknown source of his flaccid       
longing for he knew not what1 and his   
inexplicable dissatisfaction1 he had    

only to look back a little way and pause
 at ,la ,trappe4 ,he saw now everything 
had begun there4 ,having reached that   
culminating point of his retrospect1 he 
could1 as it were1 stand on a height and
 command a view of the declining years  
since he had left the monastery2 and    
now1 gazing at that descending panorama 
of his life1 he discerned this3--  ,that
 from the time of his return to ,paris a
 craving for the cloister had been      
incessantly permeating his being2 he had
 unremittingly cherished the dream of   
retiring from the world1 of living      
peacefully as a recluse near to ,god4   
,he had1 to be sure1 only thought of it 
definitely in the form of impossible    
longings and regrets1 for he knew full  
well that neither was his body strong   
enough nor his soul staunch enough for  
him to bury himself as a ,trappist4     
,still1 once started from that          
spring-board1 his imagination flew off  
at a tangent1 overleaped every obstacle1
 floated in discursive reveries where he

 saw himself as a ,friar in some        
easy-going convent under the rule of a  
merciful ,order1 devoted to liturgies   
and adoring art4  ,he could but shrug   
his shoulders1 indeed1 when he came back
 to himself1 and smile at these dreams  
of the future which he indulged in hours
 of vacuous idleness2 but this          
self-contempt of a man who catches      
himself in the very act of flagrant     
nonsense was nevertheless succeeded by  
the hope of not losing all the          
advantages of an honest delusion2 and he
 could remount on a chimera which he    
thought less wild1 as leading to a via  
media1 a compromise1 fancying that by   
moderating his ideal he should find it  
more attainable4  ,he assured himself   
that1 in default of a really conventual 
life1 he might perhaps achieve an       
illusory imitation of it by avoiding the
 turmoil of ,paris and burying himself  
in a hole4 ,and he now saw that he had  
completely cheated himself when1 on     
discussing the question as to whether he

 should leave ,paris and go to settle at
 ,chartres1 he had believed that he was 
yielding to the ,abbe ,gevresin's       
arguments and ,madame ,bavoil's urgency4
  ,certainly1 without admitting it1     
without accounting for it1 he had really
 acted on the prompting of this         
cherished dream4 ,would not ,chartres be
 a sort of monastic haven1 of open      
cloister1 where he could enjoy his      
liberty and not have to give up his     
comforts8 ,would it not1 at any rate1   
for lack of an unattainable hermitage1  
be a sop thrown to his desires2 and     
supposing he could succeed in reducing  
his too exorbitant demands1 give him the
 final repose and peace for which he had
 yearned ever since his return from ,la 
,trappe8  ,and nothing of all this had  
been realized4 ,the unsettled feeling he
 had experienced in ,paris had pursued  
him to ,chartres4 ,he was1 as it were1  
on the march1 or perched on a bough2 he 
could not feel at home1 but as a man    
lingering on in furnished rooms1 whence 

he must presently depart4  ,in short1 he
 had deluded himself when he had fancied
 that a man might make a cell of a      
solitary room in silent surroundings2   
the religious jog-trot in a provincial  
atmosphere had no resemblance to the    
life of a monastery4 ,there was no      
illusion or suggestion of the convent4  
,this check1 when he recognized it1     
added to the ardour or his regrets2 and 
the distress which in ,paris had lurked 
latent and ill-defined1 developed at    
,chartres clear and unmistakable4  ,then
 began an unremitting struggle with     
himself4  ,the ,abbe ,gevresin1 whom he 
consulted1 would only smile and treat   
him as in a novices' school or a        
seminary a youthful postulant is treated
 who confesses to deep melancholy and   
persistent weariness4 ,his malady is not
 taken seriously2 he is told that all   
his companions suffer the same          
temptations1 the same qualms2 he is sent
 away comforted1 while his superiors    
seem to be laughing at him4  ,but at the

 end of a little time this method no    
longer succeeded4 ,then the ,abbe was   
firm with ,durtal1 and one day1 when his
 penitent was bemoaning himself1 he     
replied1--  ,it is an attack you must   
get over1 and then he added lightly     
after a silence1 ,and it will not be the
 last or the worst4  ,at this ,durtal   
turned restive2 the ,abbe1 however1     
drove him to bay1 wanting to make him   
confess how senseless his struggles     
were4  ,the idea of the cloister haunts 
you1 said he4 ,well1 then1 what is there
 to hinder you8 ,why do you not retire  
to a ,trappist convent8  ,you know very 
well that ,i am not strong enough to    
endure the rule4  ,then become an       
oblate2 go to join ,monsieur ,bruno at  
,notre ,dame de l',atre4  ,no1 indeed1  
not that1 at any rate4 ,to be an oblate 
at ,la ,trappe is the same thing as     
remaining at ,chartres6 ,it is a mere   
half-measure4 ,monsieur ,bruno will     
always remain a boarder2 he will never  
be a monk4 ,he gets all the             

disadvantages of the cloister1 and none 
of the benefits4  ,but there are other  
monasteries besides those of ,la        
,trappe1 replied the ,abbe4 ,be a       
,benedictine ,father or oblate1 a black 
,friar4 ,their rule seems to be mild2   
you will live in a world of learned men 
and writers2 what more would you have8  
,i do not say--but--  ,but what8  ,i    
know nothing of them--  ,nothing can be 
easier than to get to know them4 ,the   
,abbe ,plomb is a welcome friend at     
,solesmes4 ,he can give all the         
introductions you can wish to that      
convent4  ,good2 that is worth thinking 
about4 ,i will consult the ,abbe1 said  
,durtal1 rising to take leave of the old
 priest4  ,the ,black ,dog is troubling 
you1 our friend1 observed ,madame       
,bavoil1 who had overheard the two men's
 conversation from the next room1 the   
door between being open2 and she came   
in1 her breviary in her hand4  ,ah1 ha6 
she went on1 looking at him over her    
spectacles1 do you suppose that by      

moving your soul from place to place you
 can change it8 ,your trouble is neither
 in the air nor outside you1 but within 
you4 ,on my word1 to hear you talk1 one 
might fancy that by travelling from one 
spot to another every discord could be  
avoided1 that a man could escape from   
himself6 ,nothing can be more false4    
,ask the ,father--  ,and when ,durtal1  
smiling awkwardly1 was gone1 ,madame    
,bavoil questioned her master4  ,what is
 really the matter with him8  ,he is    
being broken by the ordeal of dryness1  
replied the priest4 ,he is enduring a   
painful but not dangerous operation4 ,so
 long as he preserves a love of prayer1 
and neglects none of his religious      
exercises1 all will be well4 ,that is   
the touchstone which enables us to      
discern whether such an attack is sent  
from ,heaven4  ,but1 ,father1 he must at
 any rate be comforted4  ,i can do      
nothing but pray for him4  ,another     
question3 our friend is possessed by the
 notion of a monastic life2 perhaps you 

ought to send him to a convent4  ,the   
,abbe gave an evasive shrug4  ,dryness  
of spirit and the dreams to which it    
gives rise are not the sign of a        
vocation1 said he4 ,i might even say    
that they have a greater chance of      
thriving than of diminishing in the     
cloister4 ,from that point of view      
conventual life might be bad for him4   
,still1 that is not the only question to
 be considered--there is something      
else--and besides1 who knows8 ,he was   
silent1 and presently added3 ,much may  
be possible4 ,give me my hat1 ,madame   
,bavoil4 ,i will go and talk over       
,durtal with the ,abbe ,plomb4          
,,chapter ,,ix4   ,this discussion had  
been of use to ,durtal2 it took him out 
of the generalities over which he had   
persistently mused since his arrival at 
,chartres4 ,the ,abbe had1 in fact1     
shown him his bearings1 and pointed out 
a navigable channel leading to a        
definite end1 a haven familiar to all4  
,the monastery which had lingered in    

,durtal's fancy as a mere confused      
picture1 apart from time1 without place 
or date1 deriving nothing from his      
memories of ,la ,trappe but the sense of
 discipline1 and on to which he had at  
once engrafted the fancy of an abbey of 
a more literary and artistic stamp1     
governed by a conciliatory rule1 in a   
milder atmosphere--that ideal retreat1  
half borrowed from reality and half the 
fabric of a dream--was taking shape4 ,by
 speaking of an ,order that existed1    
mentioning it by name and actually      
specifying a ,house under its rule1 the 
,abbe had given ,durtal substantial food
 instead of the argumentative wordiness 
of a mania2 he had afforded him         
something better to chew than the empty 
air on which he had fed so long4  ,the  
state of uncertainty and indecision he  
had been living in was at end2 his      
choice now lay between remaining at     
,chartres or retiring to ,solesmes2 and 
at once1 without delay1 he set to work  
to read and reconsider the works of     

,saint ,benedict4  ,this rule1 summed up
 more particularly in a series of       
paternal injunctions and affectionate   
advice1 was a marvel of gentleness and  
tactfulness4 ,every craving of the soul 
was described1 every misery of the body 
foreseen4 ,it knew so precisely how to  
ask much and yet not to exact too much1 
that it had yielded without breaking1   
satisfied the movements of different    
ages1 and remained1 in the nineteenth   
century what it had been in mediaeval   
times4  ,then how merciful1 how wise it 
was when addressing itself to the feeble
 and infirm4 ,the sick shall be served  
as though they were ,christ in person1  
says ,saint ,benedict2 and his anxiety  
for his sons1 his urgent recommendations
 to the ,superiors to love and visit the
 younger brethren1 to neglect nothing   
that may assuage their ills1 reveals a  
maternal care that is truly touching on 
the patriarch's part4  ,yes1 yes1       
muttered ,durtal1 but there are in this 
rule other articles which seem less     

acceptable to miscreants of my stamp4   
,this1 for instance3 ',no man shall dare
 to give or to receive anything without 
the ,abbot's permission1 or to have or  
hold anything as his own--absolutely    
nothing1 neither book1 nor tablets1 nor 
pointer--in a word1 nothing whatever1   
inasmuch as they are not allowed to call
 even their body or their will their    
own4'  ,this is a terrible sentence of  
abnegation and obedience1 he sighed1    
only1 is this law1 which is binding on  
the ,fathers and the ,serving ,brothers1
 equally strict for the ,oblates1 the   
aegrotant members of the ,benedictine   
army1 who are not mentioned in the text8
 ,this remains to be seen4 ,it will be  
well too to ascertain how far it is     
applied1 for the rule is on the whole so
 skilful1 so elastic1 so broad that it  
can be made at option very austere or   
very mild4  ,with the ,trappists the    
ordinances are so closely drawn that    
they are stifling2 with the             
,benedictines1 on the contrary1 they    

would be light and airy enough to allow 
the soul to breathe easily4 ,one        
,fraternity clings scrupulously to the  
letter2 the other1 on the contrary1     
draws inspiration from the ,spirit of   
the ,saint4  ,before goading myself     
along this road ,i must consult the     
,abbe ,plomb1 was ,durtal's conclusion4 
,he went to call on the priest2 but he  
was absent for some days4  ,as a        
precaution against indolence1 a measure 
of spiritual discipline1 he threw       
himself on the cathedral once more1 and 
tried1 now that he was less overpowered 
by speculation1 to read its meaning4    
,the stone text which he was bent on    
understanding was puzzling1 if not      
difficult to decipher1 in consequence of
 the interpolated passages1 repetitions1
 and parts eliminated or abridged2 in   
fact1 to say the truth1 as the result of
 a certain incoherence1 accounted for no
 doubt by the circumstance that the work
 had been carried on1 altered or        
extended by successive artists during a 

lapse of two hundred years4  ,the       
image-makers of the thirteenth century  
had not always taken into account the   
ideas expressed by their precursors2    
they had repeated them1 expressing them 
from their own point of view in their   
personal tongue2 thus1 for instance1    
they had introduced a second version of 
the signs of the seasons and of the     
zodiac4 ,the sculptors of the twelfth   
century had made a calendar in stone on 
the western front2 those of the         
thirteenth did the same in the          
right-hand doorway of the north porch1  
justifying this reduplication of the    
subject on the same church by the fact  
that the zodiac and the seasons may in  
symbolism have several interpretations4 
,according to ,tertullian the death and 
new birth of the circling years afforded
 an image of the ,resurrection at the   
end of the world4 ,according to others  
the ,sun1 surrounded by the twelve      
,signs1 was emblematic of the ,sun of   
,justice surrounded by his twelve       

,apostles4 ,the ,abbe ,bulteau sees in  
these stony calendars a rendering of the
 passage in which ,st4 ,paul declares to
 the ,hebrews that ,jesus is the same   
yesterday1 to-day1 and for ever1 while  
the ,abbe ,clerval gives this simple    
interpretation3 that all times belong to
 ,christ1 and are bound to glorify ,him4
  ,but this is a mere detail1 said      
,durtal to himself4 ,in the whole       
structure of the cathedral itself we can
 trace two-fold purposes4  ,the         
architectural mass of ,notre ,dame de   
,chartres as a whole may be divided1    
externally1 into three great parts1 as  
indicated by the three grand porches4   
,the western or royal portal1 which is  
the ceremonial entrance to the          
sanctuary1 between the two towers2 the  
north porch on the side next the        
bishop's palace1 beyond the new spire2  
the south porch1 flanked by the old     
spire4  ,now1 the subjects represented  
on the royal front and in the south     
porch are identical4 ,each glorifies the

 ,triumph of the ,incarnate ,word1 with 
this difference3 that on the south porch
 ,our ,lord is not exalted alone as ,he 
is on the west front1 but in the person 
also of the ,elect and of ,his ,saints4 
,if to these two subjects1 which may be 
considered as one--the ,saviour         
glorified in ,himself and in ,his       
,saints--we add the praises of the      
,virgin set forth in the north front we 
find this result3 a poem in praise of   
the ,mother and the ,son as declaring   
the final cause of the ,church itself4  
,by studying the variations between the 
south and west fronts we perceive that1 
though in both ,jesus is shown in the   
same act of blessing the earth1 and     
though both are almost exclusively      
restricted to illustrating the ,gospel1 
leaving the scenes of the ,old          
,testament to the arches on the north1  
they differ greatly from each other1 and
 are no less unlike the portals of all  
other cathedrals4  ,in total            
disagreement with the mystic rituals    

observed almost everywhere else--at     
,notre ,dame de ,paris1 at ,bourges1 at 
,amiens1 to name but three churches--the
 ,last ,judgment1 which is seen on the  
main entrance of those basilicas1 is at 
,chartres relegated to the south porch4 
,and in the same way the ,tree of       
,jesse1 which at ,amiens and ,reims and 
the cathedral at ,rouen1 is displayed on
 the royal porch1 is at ,chartres on the
 north side of the building2 and many   
more similar changes might be noted1    
said ,durtal to himself4 ,but1 which is 
yet more strange1 the parallel so       
commonly to be observed between the     
subjects treated on the inner and outer 
surface of the same wall1 in sculptured 
stone without and painted glass within1 
does not constantly exist at ,chartres4 
,this1 for instance1 is the case with   
regard to the genealogical ,tree of     
,christ1 which is seen inside in glass  
on the upper wall of the west front1 and
 is carved outside on the north porch4  
,at the same time1 when the subjects do 

not entirely coincide on the front and  
back of the page1 they are often        
complementary1 or carry out the same    
idea4 ,thus the ,last ,judgment1 which  
is not to be found on the outside of the
 north front1 blazes out1 within1 from  
the great rose window above on the same 
side4 ,this1 then1 is not cumulative but
 appropriate development--history begun 
in one dialect and finished in another4 
,in short1 it is the ruling idea of the 
poem which governs all these differences
 and harmonies2 which comes out like a  
refrain after each of these three       
strophes in stone2 the idea that this   
church belongs to ,our ,mother4 ,the    
cathedral is faithful to its name1 loyal
 to its dedication4 ,the ,virgin is     
,lady over all4 ,she fills the whole    
interior1 and appears outside even on   
the western and southern portals1 which 
are not especially ,hers1 above a door1 
on a capital1 high in air on a pediment4
 ,the angelic salutation of art has been
 repeated without intermission by the   

painters and sculptors of every age4    
,the cathedral of ,chartres is truly the
 ,virgin's fief4  ,and on the whole1    
thought ,durtal1 in spite of the        
discrepancies in some of its texts1 the 
cathedral is legible4  ,it contains a   
rendering of the ,old and ,new          
,testaments2 it also engrafts on the    
sacred ,scriptures the ,apocryphal      
traditions relating to the ,virgin and  
,st4 ,joseph1 the lives of the saints   
preserved in the ,golden ,legend of     
,jacopo da ,voragine and the special    
biographies of the aspiring recluses of 
the diocese of ,chartres4 ,it is a vast 
encyclopaedia of mediaeval learning as  
concerning ,god1 the ,virgin1 and the   
,elect4  ,didron is almost justified in 
saying that it is a compendium of those 
great encyclopaedias composed in the    
thirteenth century2 only the theory that
 he bases on this truthful observation  
wanders off and becomes faulty as soon  
as he tries to work it out4  ,he        
concludes1 in fact1 by conceiving of    

this cathedral as no more than a        
rendering of the ,speculum ,universale1 
the ,mirror of the ,world of ,vincent of
 ,beauvais2 above all1 like that work1  
as an epitome of practical life and a   
record of the human race throughout the 
ages4 ,in point of fact1 said ,durtal to
 himself1 as he took the ,christian     
,iconography of that writer down from   
the shelf1 in point of fact1 according  
to him1 our stone pages ought to follow 
in such succession that1 beginning with 
the opening chapter on the north1 they  
would end with the paragraphs on the    
south4 ,then we should find the         
narrative in the following order3 ,first
 of all the genesis1 the ,biblical      
cosmogony1 the creation of man and woman
 and ,eden2 and then1 after the         
expulsion of the first pair1 the tale of
 man's redemption by suffering4         
',whereby1' says he1 'the sculptor took 
occasion to teach the hinds of ,la      
,beauce how to work with their hands and
 their head4 ,here1 to the right of     

,adam's ,fall1 he carves under the eyes 
and for the perpetual edification of all
 men1 a calendar of stone with all the  
labours of the field1 and then a        
catechism of industry1 showing the works
 done in the town2 finally1 for the     
labours of the mind1 a manual of the    
liberal arts4  ,then1 thus instructed1  
man lives on from generation to         
generation1 until the end of the world1 
set forth in the images on the south    
side4  ,this treasury of sculpture would
 thus include a compendium of the       
history of nature and of science1 a     
glossary of morality and art1 a         
biography of humanity1 a panorama of the
 whole world4 ,thus it would very really
 represent the ,mirror of the ,world1   
and be an edition in stone of ,vincent  
of ,beauvais' book4  ,there is only one 
difficulty4 ,the ,dominican's ,speculum 
,universale dates from many years later 
than the erection of this cathedral2    
also1 in developing his theory1 ,didron 
does not take into account the          

perspective and relations of the        
statuary4 ,he assigns equal importance  
to a small figure half hidden in the    
moulding of an arch and to the large    
statues in the foreground supporting the
 picture in relief of ,our ,lord and    
,his ,mother4 ,indeed1 it might be said 
that these are the very figures he      
overlooks2 and1 in the same way1 he     
takes no account of the western doors1  
which he could not force into his       
scheme4  ,this archaeologist's ideas1 in
 fact1 cannot be maintained4 ,he        
subordinates leading features to        
accessory details1 and ends in a kind of
 rationalism entirely opposed to the    
mysticism of the period4 ,he            
investigates the ,middle ,ages by       
levelling down the divine idea to the   
lowest earthly meaning1 and referring to
 man what is intended to apply to ,god4 
,the prayer of sculpture1 chanted by the
 ages of faith1 becomes1 in the         
introduction to his work1 nothing more  
than an encyclopaedia of industrial and 

moral teaching4  ,let us look closer at 
all this1 ,durtal went on1 and he went  
out to smoke a cigarette on the ,place4 
,that royal doorway1 thought he1 as he  
walked on1 is the entrance to the great 
front by which kings were admitted4 ,it 
is likewise the first chapter of the    
book1 and it sums up the whole of the   
building4  ,but certainly these         
conclusions forestalling the premisses  
are very strange2 this recapitulation1  
placed at the very beginning of the     
work1 when it ought1 in fact1 to be     
placed at the end1 in the apse6  ,and   
yet1 he reflected1 putting this aside1  
the facade thus worked out fills the    
position in this basilica which the     
second of the ,sapiential ,books holds  
in the ,bible4 ,it answers to the ,book 
of ,psalms1 which is in a certain sense 
an epitome of all the ,books of the ,old
 ,testament1 and consequently1 at the   
same time1 a prophetic memento of the   
whole of revealed religion4  ,the       
western side of the cathedral is        

similar2 only1 it is a compendium not of
 the older but of the newer ,scriptures2
 an epitome of the ,gospels1 an         
abridgment of the books of ,st4 ,john   
and the synoptical ,gospels4  ,in       
building this1 the twelfth century did  
more4 ,it added more details to this    
glorification of ,christ1 following ,him
 from before ,his birth1 through the    
,bible story1 till after ,his ,death and
 to ,his ,apotheosis as described in the
 ,apocalypse2 it completed the          
,scriptures by the ,apocryphal writings1
 telling the tale of ,saint ,joachim and
 ,saint ,anna1 recording many episodes  
of the marriage of the ,virgin and      
,joseph derived from the ,gospel of the 
,nativity of the ,virgin and            
pseudo-,gospel of ,st4 ,james the ,less4
  ,but1 indeed1 in every early sanctuary
 such use was made of these legends1 and
 no church is really intelligible when  
they are ignored4  ,nor is there        
anything to surprise us in this mixture 
of the authentic ,gospels and mere      

fables4 ,when the ,church refused to    
recognize by canonical authority the    
divine origin of the ,gospels of the    
,childhood1 of the ,nativity1 the       
writings of ,st4 ,thomas the ,israelite1
 of ,nicodemus1 of ,st4 ,james the      
,less1 and the ,history of ,joseph1 it  
had no intention of rejecting them      
altogether1 and consigning them to the  
limbo of inventions and lies4 ,in spite 
of certain anecdotes which are1 to say  
the least of it1 ridiculous1 there may  
be found in these texts some accurate   
details and authentic narratives which  
the ,evangelists1 cautiously reticent1  
did not think proper to record4 ,the    
,middle ,ages by no means lent          
themselves to heresy when they ascribed 
to these purely human ,scriptures the   
value of probable legend and the        
interest of pious reminiscence4  ,as a  
whole1 thought ,durtal1 who was now     
standing in front of the doors between  
the two towers1 the royal western front1
 as a whole1 this vast palimpsest1 with 

its #gai figures1 is easy to decipher if
 we avail ourselves of the key applied  
by the ,abbe ,bulteau in his monograph  
on this cathedral4  ,starting from the  
new belfry and working across the       
western front to the old belfry1 we     
follow the history of ,christ embodied  
in nearly two hundred statues lost in   
the capitals4 ,it starts with ,christ's 
ancestors1 beginning with the story of  
,anna and ,joachim1 and giving the      
legend in minute images4 ,out of        
deference perhaps to the ,inspired      
,books1 this history creeps along the   
wall1 making itself small so as to be   
inconspicuous1 and narrates1 as if in   
secret1 by artless mimicry1 poor        
,joachim's despair when a scribe of the 
,temple named ,reuben reproves him for  
being childless1 and rejects his        
offerings in the name of the ,lord who  
has not blessed him2 then ,joachim1 in  
sorrow1 separates from his wife and goes
 away to bewail the curse that has      
lighted on him1 till an angel appears to

 him and comforts him1 and bids him     
return to his wife1 who shall bear a    
daughter of his begetting4  ,then we see
 ,anna1 weeping alone over her          
barrenness and her widowhood2 and the   
angel comes to her and bids her go forth
 to meet her husband1 and she finds him 
at the golden gate4 ,and they fall on   
each other's neck and go home together4 
,and ,anna brings forth ,mary1 whom they
 dedicate to the ,lord4  ,years then    
pass1 till the time comes when the      
,virgin is to be betrothed4 ,the ,high  
,priest bids all of the children of the 
,house of ,david who are of age1 and not
 yet married1 to come to the altar with 
a rod in their hand2 and to discern     
which of these shall be chosen to marry 
the ,virgin1 ,abiathar1 the ,high       
,priest1 inquires of the ,most ,high1   
who repeats the prophecy of ,isaiah     
which declares that a flower shall come 
out of ,jesse on which the ,holy ,spirit
 shall rest4  ,and immediately the rod  
blossoms of one of those present1       

,joseph the ,carpenter1 and a dove      
descends from heaven to settle on it4   
,so ,mary is given to ,joseph1 and the  
marriage takes place2 ,messiah is born1 
and ,herod massacres the ,innocents2 and
 there the gospel of the ,nativity ends1
 and the story is taken up by the ,holy 
,scriptures1 which follow the ,life of  
,jesus to the hour of ,his last         
appearance on earth after ,his death4   
,these scenes1 set forth in small simple
 imagery1 serve as a border at the      
bottom of the vast presentment which    
extends from tower to tower over all    
three doors4  ,here the scenes are      
placed which are intended to attract the
 crowd by plainer and more visible      
images2 here we see the general theme of
 this portal in all its splendour1      
recapitulating the ,gospels and         
achieving the purpose of the ,church    
itself4  ,on the left we see the        
,ascension of ,our ,lord1 soaring       
triumphant on clouds rendered by a      
waving scroll held on each side1 in the 

,byzantine manner1 by two angels2 while 
below1 the ,apostles with uplifted      
faces1 gaze at this ascension pointed   
out to them by other angels who have    
descended and hover over them1 their    
fingers extended towards the sky4  ,the 
hollow moulding of the arch is filled up
 with a calendar and zodiac of stone4   
,the right-hand side shows the          
,assumption of ,our ,lady1 seated on a  
throne1 sceptre in hand1 and holding the
 ,infant1 who blesses the world4        
,beneath are the episodes of ,her life3 
the ,annunciation1 the ,visitation1 the 
,nativity1 the homage of the shepherds1 
and the presentation of ,jesus to the   
,high ,priest2 and the bend of the arch1
 rising to a point like a mitre above   
the ,mother1 has the mouldings enriched 
with two lines of figures1 one of       
archangels bearing censers1 with wings  
closely imbricated as if with tiles1 the
 other of personifications of the seven 
liberal arts1 each represented by two   
figures--one allegorical1 and the other 

the presentment of the inventor1 or of  
the paragon of that art in antiquity4   
,this is the same scheme of expression  
as we see in the cathedral at ,laon2 the
 paraphrase in sculpture of scholastic  
theology1 and a rendering in images of  
the text of ,albertus ,magnus1 who1     
after rehearsing the perfections of the 
,virgin1 declares that ,she possessed a 
perfect knowledge of the seven arts3    
grammar1 rhetoric1 dialectic1           
arithmetic1 geometry1 astronomy1 and    
music--all the lore of the ,middle      
,ages4  ,finally1 in the middle1 the    
great doorway illustrates the subject   
round which the storied carving of the  
other doors all centres3 the            
,glorification of ,our ,lord1 as ,saint 
,john beheld it at ,patmos2 the         
,apocalypse1 the last book of the       
,bible1 spread open on the forefront of 
the basilica1 above the grand entrance  
to the church4  ,jesus is seated1 on    
,his head the cruciform nimbus1 robed in
 the linen talaris and draped in a      

mantle which hangs in a fall of close   
pleats2 ,his bare feet rest on a stool1 
emblematical of the earth1 according to 
,isaiah4 ,with one hand ,he blesses the 
world2 in the other ,he holds the ,book 
with the seven ,seals4 ,about him1 in   
the oval glory or ,vesica1 we see the   
,tetramorph--the four evangelical       
emblems with closely fretted wings3 the 
winged cherub1 the lion1 the eagle1 and 
the ox1 figuring ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4    
,mark1 ,st4 ,john1 and ,st4 ,luke4      
,above are the twelve ,apostles holding 
scrolls and books4  ,and to complete the
 ,apocalyptic vision1 in the hollow     
mouldings of the arch are the twelve    
,angels and four and twenty ,elders     
described by ,st4 ,john1 in white       
raiment and crowned with gold1 playing  
on musical instruments1 and singing in  
the perpetual adoration which some few  
souls1 dwelling isolated in the midst of
 the indifference of this age1 still    
carry on4 ,they magnify the glory of the
 ,most ,high1 throwing themselves on    

their faces when the ,evangelical       
,beasts1 responding to the fervent and  
solemn prayers that go up from the      
earth1 utter1 in a voice that resounds  
above the roar of thunder1 the word     
which in its four letters1 its two      
syllables1 sums up every duty of man to 
,god--the humble1 loving1 obedient      
,amen4  ,the text has been very closely 
followed by the image-maker1 excepting  
with regard to the ,beasts1 for one     
detail is omitted2 they are not         
represented with the eyes of which the  
prophet tells us they were 'full        
within4'  ,thus1 regarding this whole   
front as a triptych1 we find that in the
 left doorway we have the ,ascension    
framed in the signs of the zodiac2 in   
the middle1 the triumph of ,jesus as    
described by the ,seer2 on the right1   
the triumph of ,mary1 surrounded by     
certain of ,her attributes4 ,the whole  
constitutes the scheme to be carried out
 by the architect3 the ,glorification of
 the ,incarnate ,word4  ,in fact1 as the

 ,abbe ,clerval says in his important   
work on the cathedral of ,chartres1 'we 
have the scenes of ,his life which      
prepared the way for ,his glory2 we have
 this actual entrance into glory2 and   
then ,his eternal glorification by the  
,angels1 the ,saints1 and the ,blessed  
,virgin4'  ,from the point of view of   
artistic execution the work in the grand
 subject is crisp and splendid2 the     
smaller figures are obscure and         
mutilated4 ,the panel representing the  
,virgin ,mary has suffered severely1 and
 both it and that representing the      
,ascension are strangely rough and      
barbarous1 quite inferior to the central
 tympanum1 which contains the most      
living1 the most haunting1 of many      
figures of ,christ4  ,nowhere1 indeed1  
in mediaeval sculpture does the         
,redeemer appear as more saddened or    
more pitiful1 or under a more solemn    
aspect4 ,seen in profile1 ,his hair     
flowing over ,his shoulders1 smooth in  
front and divided down the middle1 with 

a nose slightly turned up and a heavy   
mouth under a thick moustache1 with a   
short1 curling beard and a long neck1   
,he suggests not so much a ,byzantine   
,christ1 such as the artists of that    
time were wont to paint and carve1 but a
 pre-,raphaelite ,christ designed by a  
,fleming1 or even derived from the      
,dutch1 showing indeed that slightly    
earthy taint which reappeared at a later
 time with a less pure type of head1 at 
the end of the fifteenth century1 in the
 picture by ,cornelis ,van ,oostzaanen1 
in the gallery at ,cassel4  ,he rises   
enthroned1 almost sorrowful in ,his     
triumph1 unamazed as ,he blesses1 with  
pathetic resignation1 the generations of
 sinners who for seven centuries have   
gazed up at ,him with inquisitive1      
unloving eyes as they cross the square2 
and all turn their back on ,him1 caring 
little enough for this ,saviour unlike  
the head familiar to them1 recognizing  
,him only with sheep-like features and a
 pleasing expression2 such1 in short1 as

 the foppish image at the cathedral at  
,amiens before which the lovers of a    
softer type go into ecstasies4  ,above  
this ,christ are the three windows      
invisible from outside1 and over them   
again the huge dead rose window1 looking
 like a blind eye1 and lighting up1 like
 the windows1 only when seen from       
within1 when they glow with clear flame 
and pale sapphires set in stone2 then1  
higher yet1 above the rose1 is the      
gallery of ,french kings1 under the     
great triangular gable between the      
towers4  ,and the two belfries fling up 
their spires2 the old one carved in soft
 limestone1 imbricated with scales1     
rising in one bold flight to end in a   
point1 and send up a vapour of prayer   
among the clouds2 the new one1 pierced  
like lace1 chiselled like a jewel1      
wreathed with foliage and crockets of   
vine1 rises with coquettish dalliance1  
trying to make up for lack of the       
inspired flight and humble entreaty of  
its senior by babbling prayer and       

ingratiating smiles2 to persuade the    
,father by childlike lisping4  ,but to  
return to the west portal1 ,durtal went 
on1 in spite of the importance of its   
grand decoration1 displaying the        
,eternal ,triumph of the ,word1 the     
interest of artists is irresistibly     
attracted to the ground storey of the   
building1 where nineteen colossal stone 
statues stand in the space that extends 
from tower to tower2 part against the   
wall1 and part in the recesses of the   
door-bays4  ,the finest sculpture in the
 world is certainly that we find here4  
,there are seven kings1 seven saints or 
prophets1 and five queens4 ,there were  
originally twenty-four of these statues1
 but five have disappeared and left no  
trace4  ,they all wear glories excepting
 the three first1 nearest to the new    
belfry1 and all stand under canopies of 
pierced work1 representing roofs or     
tabernacles1 palaces1 bridges--a whole  
town in little1 ,sion for children1 a   
dwarfed ,new ,jerusalem4  ,they all are 

standing1 each on a column with a       
guilloche pattern2 on plinths carved    
over with lozenges1 diamond points1     
fir-cone scales1 with chain patterns1   
fretwork1 billets1 chequers like a      
chess-board of which the alternate      
squares are hollowed out2 and paved with
 a sort of mosaic1 inlaid patterns      
which1 like the borders of the church   
windows1 suggest a reminiscence of      
,mussulman goldsmith's work1 and show   
the origin of the style brought from the
 ,east by the ,crusaders4  ,the three   
first statues in the recess to the left1
 nearest the new spire1 do not stand on 
any pattern borrowed from the heathen2  
they are trampling on indescribable     
monsters4 ,one1 a king whose head having
 been lost1 has been fitted with the    
head of a queen1 treads on a man        
entangled by serpents2 another king     
stands on a woman who holds a reptile by
 the tail with one hand1 and with the   
other strokes the plait of her own hair2
 the third1 a queen1 her head crowned   

with a plain gold fillet and her shape  
that of a woman with child1 while her   
face is smiling but commonplace1 has at 
her feet two dragons1 a monkey1 a toad1 
a dog1 and a snake with an ape's head4  
,what is the meaning of these enigmas8  
,no one knows--no more1 indeed1 than we 
know the names of the sixteen other     
statues placed along the porch4  ,some  
believe that they represent the ancestry
 of the ,messiah1 but this assertion has
 no evidence to support it2 others find 
here a mixed assemblage of the heroes of
 the ,old ,testament and the benefactors
 to the ,church1 but this hypothesis is 
no less illusory4 ,the truth is that1   
though all these personages have had    
sceptres in their hands1 scrolls1       
ribands1 and breviaries1 not one of them
 displays the attributes which would    
serve to identify them in accordance    
with the religious symbolism of the     
,middle ,ages4 ,at most might we venture
 to give the name of ,daniel to a       
headless figure because a formless      

dragon writhes under his feet1          
emblematical of the ,devil conquered by 
the prophet at ,babylon4  ,the most     
striking and the strangest of these     
figures are the queens4  ,the first1 the
 royal virago with the prominent        
stomach1 is ordinary enough2 the last1  
opposite to this princess at the        
furthest end of the front near the old  
tower1 has lost half her face1 and the  
remaining portion is not attractive2 but
 the three others1 standing in the      
principal doorway1 are matchless4  ,the 
first1 tall1 slender1 and very straight1
 wears a crown on her brow1 a veil1 hair
 banded on each side of a middle        
parting1 and falling in plaits on her   
shoulders2 her nose turns up a little1  
is somewhat common2 her lips firm and   
judicious2 her chin square4 ,the face is
 not very young4 ,the body is swathed1  
and rigid1 in a large cloak with wide   
sleeves1 and the richly-jewelled sheath 
of a gown that betrays no feminine      
outline of figure4 ,she is upright1     

sexless1 shapeless2 her waist slight and
 bound with a girdle of cord1 like a    
,franciscan ,sister4 ,she stands        
looking1 with her head slightly bent1   
attentive to one knows not what1 seeing 
nothing4 ,has she attained to the       
perfect negation of all things8 ,is she 
living the life of ,union with ,god     
beyond the worlds1 where time is no     
more8 ,it might be thought so1 since it 
is noteworthy that1 in spite of her     
royal insignia and the magnificence of  
her costume1 she has the self-centred   
look1 the austere demeanour of a nun4   
,she seems more of the cloister than of 
the ,court4 ,then we wonder who can have
 placed her on guard by this door1 and  
why1 faithful to a charge known to none 
but herself1 she watches1 day and night1
 with her far-away gaze across the      
square1 waiting motionless for some one 
who for seven hundred years has failed  
to come4  ,she might be an embodiment of
 ,advent1 stooping a little to listen to
 the woeful supplications of man as they

 rise from earth2 in that case1 she must
 be an ,old ,testament queen1 dead long 
before the birth of the ,messiah she    
perhaps may have prophesied4  ,as she   
holds a book1 the ,abbe ,bulteau thinks 
it may be a full-length statue of ,saint
 ,radegonde4 ,but other princesses have 
been canonized1 and1 like her1 hold     
books4 ,at the same time1 the monastic  
aspect of this queen1 her emaciated     
figure1 her eye vaguely fixed on the    
region of internal dreams1 would well   
befit ,clotaire's wife1 who retired to a
 cloister4  ,but for what can she be    
watching8 ,the dreaded arrival of the   
king bent on tearing her from her ,abbey
 at ,poitiers to replace her on the     
throne8 ,for lack of any information    
every conjecture must be futile4  ,the  
second statue again represents a king's 
wife holding a book4 ,she is younger2   
she wears neither cloak nor veil2 her   
bosom is full and closely fitted in a   
clinging dress1 tightly drawn over the  
bust like wet linen2 a bodice resembling

 the ,carlovingian rokette1 fastened on 
one side4 ,her hair lies flat in two    
bands on her forehead1 covering her ears
 and falling in long tresses plaited    
with ribbon1 and ending in loose tufts4 
,her face is wilful and alert1 and      
rather haughty4 ,she is looking out of  
herself2 her beauty is of a more human  
type1 and she knows it4 ,saint          
,clotilde1 is the ,abbe ,bulteau's      
guess4  ,it is very certain that this   
,elect lady was not always a pattern of 
amiability--not what could be called    
easy to get on with4 ,before being      
reproved and chastened we see her in    
history1 as vindictive1 unrelenting to  
pity1 eager for retaliation4 ,she would 
be ,clotilde before her repentance--the 
,queen1 before she became a saint4  ,but
 is it really she8 ,the name was given  
her because a statue of the same period 
and very like this1 which was formerly  
at ,notre ,dame de ,corbeil1 was dubbed 
with this name4 ,it was1 however1       
subsequently admitted that it           

represented the ,queen of ,sheba4 ,are  
we then in the presence of that         
sovereign8 ,and why1 if her name is not 
in the ,book of ,life1 has she a glory8 
,it is highly probable that she is      
neither the wife of ,clovis1 nor        
,solomon's friend--this strange princess
 who stands before us1 at once so       
earthly and yet more spectral than her  
sisters2 for time has marred her        
features1 injured her skin1 dotted her  
chin with hail-specks1 vulgarized her   
mouth1 injured her nose1 making it look 
like the ace of clubs1 and put the stamp
 of death on that living countenance4   
,as to the third1 she is tall and       
slender1 a fragile spindle1 a slim1     
sylph-like creature1 suggesting a taper 
with the lower portion patterned1       
embossed1 brocaded in the wax itself2   
she stands magnificently arrayed in a   
stiff-pleated robe channelled           
lengthwise1 like a stick of celery4 ,the
 bodice is richly trimmed and stitched2 
below her waist hangs a cord with loose 

jewelled knots2 on her head is a crown4 
,both arms are broken2 one hand rested  
on her bosom2 in the other she held a   
sceptre1 of which a small portion       
remains4  ,this queen is smiling1       
artless1 and engaging--quite charming4  
,she looks down on all comers with wide 
open eyes under high-arched brows4      
,never1 at any period1 has a more       
expressive face been formed by the      
genius of man2 it is a masterpiece of   
childlike grace and saintly innocence4  
,here1 amid the pensive architecture of 
the twelfth century1 one of a crowd of  
devout statues1 symbolical to some      
extent of simple love in an age when men
 were in perpetual dread of everlasting 
hell1 she seems to stand at the ,gate of
 the ,lord as the exorable image of     
forgiveness4 ,to the terrified souls of 
habitual sinners who after perseverance 
in guilt no longer dare cross the       
threshold of the ,sanctuary1 she stands 
kindly reproving such reticence1        
conquering regrets and soothing terrors 

by her familiar smile4  ,she is the     
elder sister of the prodigal son1 of    
whom ,st4 ,luke indeed makes no mention1
 but who1 if she ever existed1 would    
have pleaded for the absent wanderer1   
and have insisted with her father on the
 killing of the fatted calf when the son
 returned4  ,chartres1 to be sure1 does 
not see her in this indulgent aspect2   
local tradition names her ,berthe of the
 broad foot2 but while there is no      
argument to support this hypothesis1 it 
is in fact quite absurd1 as the statue  
is graced with a nimbus4 ,this mark of  
holiness would not have been given to   
,charlemagne's mother1 whose name is not
 on the list of the saints of the       
,church ,triumphant4  ,according to the 
notions of those archaeologists who     
believe that the sculptured dignitaries 
of this porch represent the ancestry of 
,christ1 she must be a queen of the ,old
 ,testament4 ,but which8 ,as ,hello very
 truly remarks1 tears abound in the     
,scriptures1 but laughter is so rare    

that ,sarah's1 when she could not help  
mocking at the angel who announced that 
she should bear a son in her old age1   
has remained on record4 ,so it is in    
vain that we inquire to what personage  
of the ancient books this queen's       
innocent joy may be ascribed4  ,the     
truth is that she must remain a         
perennial mystery2 she is an angelic1   
limpid creature1 who has attained1 no   
doubt1 to the purest joy in the ,lord2  
and withal so attractive1 so helpful1   
that she leaves in us an impression of a
 healing gesture1 the illusion of a     
blessing made visible to all who crave  
it4 ,her right arm indeed is broken at  
the wrist1 and her hand is gone2 but we 
can fancy it there still when we look   
for it2 as a shade1 a reflection2 it is 
very plainly seen in the slight fulness 
of the bosom1 as though it were the     
palm2 in the folds of the bodice1 which 
distinctly show the four taper fingers  
and raised thumb to make the sign of the
 cross over us4  ,how exquisite a       

forerunner of the ,blessed ,mother is   
this royal guardian of the threshold1   
this sovereign1 inviting wanderers to   
come back to the ,church1 to enter the  
door over which ,she keeps watch1 and   
which is itself one of the symbols of   
,her ,son6 exclaimed ,durtal1 as he     
glanced at the opposite figures--such   
different women6 one a nun rather than a
 queen1 her head a little bowed2        
another1 every inch a queen1 holding    
hers aloft2 the third saucy1 though     
saintly1 her neck neither bent nor      
assertive1 holding herself in a natural 
attitude1 and moderating the august mien
 of a sovereign by the humble1 smiling  
expression of a saint4  ,and perhaps1   
said he to himself1 we may see in the   
first an image of the contemplative     
life1 and in the second the embodied    
idea of the active life2 while the      
third1 like ,ruth in the ,scriptures1   
symbolizes both6  ,as to the other      
statues--prophets wearing the ,jewish   
cap with ears1 and kings holding missals

 or sceptres1 they too are impossible to
 identify4 ,one in the middle arch1     
divided from the so-called ,berthe by a 
king1 was more especially interesting to
 ,durtal because it was like ,verlaine4 
,the statue had indeed thicker hair1 but
 just as strange a head1 a skull with   
curious bumps1 a flattish face1 a       
curling beard1 and the same common but  
kindly look4  ,tradition gives this     
statue the name of ,st4 ,jude1 and this 
resemblance is suggestive between the   
saint whom ,christians most neglected1  
and who for several centuries found so  
few devotees that suddenly1 one day1 on 
the theory that he1 less than the       
others1 would have exhausted his credit 
with ,god1 people took to imploring him 
for desperate cases1 lost souls1 and the
 poet so utterly ignored or so stupidly 
condemned by the very ,catholics to whom
 he has given the only mystical verses  
produced since the ,middle ,ages4  ,they
 were ill-starred1 one as a saint and   
the other as a poet1 ,durtal concluded1 

as he drew back to get a better view of 
the front4  ,it was indeed incredible1  
with the chasing of silvery flowers     
wrought on the panes by frost2 with its 
church-drapery1 its lace rochets1 its   
fine pierced work1 as light as gossamer1
 running up to the level of the second  
storey1 and forming a fretted frame for 
the great stone-carvings of the porch4  
,and above that it rose in hermit-like  
sobriety1 unadorned1 ,cyclopean1 with   
the colossal eye of its dull rose-window
 between the two towers1 one full of    
windows and richly wrought like the     
doorway1 the other as bare as the facade
 above the porch4  ,but after all1 what 
absorbed and possessed ,durtal's mind   
was still those statues of queens4  ,he 
finally thought no more of the rest1    
listened to nothing but the divine      
eloquence of their lean slenderness1    
regarding them only under the semblance 
of tall flower-stems deep in carved     
stone tubes and expanding into faces of 
ingenuous fragrance1 of innocent        

perfume1 while ,christ1 touched and     
saddened1 blessing the world1 seemed to 
bend from ,his throne above them to     
inhale the delicate aroma that rose from
 these up-soaring chalices full of soul4
 ,durtal was wondering--what potent     
necromancer could evoke the spirits of  
these royal doorkeepers1 compel them to 
speak1 and enable us to overhear the    
colloquy they perhaps hold when in the  
evening they seem to withdraw behind the
 curtain of shadow8  ,what have they to 
say to each other--they who have seen   
,saint ,bernard1 ,saint ,louis1 ,saint  
,ferdinand1 ,saint ,fulbert1 ,saint     
,yves1 ,blanche of ,castille--so many of
 the ,elect walking past on their way   
into the starry gloom of the nave8 ,did 
they cause the death of their           
companions1 the five other statues that 
have vanished for ever from the little  
assembly8 ,do they listen1 through the  
closed doors1 to the wailing breath of  
heart-broken psalms1 and the roaring    
tide of the organ8 ,can they hear the   

inane exclamations of the tourists who  
laugh to see them so stiff and so       
lengthy8 ,do they1 as many saints have  
done1 smell the fetor of sin1 the foul  
reek of evil in the souls that pass by  
them8 ,why1 then1 who would dare to look
 at them8  ,and still ,durtal looked at 
them1 for he could not tear himself     
away2 they held him fast by the undying 
fascination of their mystery2 in short1 
he concluded1 they are supra-terrestrial
 under the semblance of humanity4 ,they 
have no bodies2 it is the soul alone    
that dwells in the wrought sheath of    
their raiment2 they are in perfect      
harmony with the cathedral1 which1      
divesting itself of its stones1 soars in
 ecstatic flight above the earth4  ,the 
crowning achievement of mystical        
architecture and statuary are here1 at  
,chartres2 the most rapturous1 the most 
superhuman art which ever flourished in 
the flat plains of ,la ,beauce4  ,and   
now1 having contemplated the whole      
effect of this facade1 he went close to 

it again to examine its minutest        
accessories and details1 to study more  
closely the robes of these sovereigns2  
then he observed that no two were alike 
in their drapery4 ,some flowed without  
any broken folds1 in ridge and furrow   
like the fall of rippling water2 others 
hung closely gathered in parallel       
flutings like the ribs on stems of      
angelica1 and the stern material lent   
itself to the needs of the dressers1 was
 soft in the figured crape and fustian  
and fine linen1 heavy in the brocade and
 gold tissue4 ,every texture was        
distinct2 the necklaces were chased bead
 by bead2 the knots of the girdles might
 be untied1 so naturally were the       
strands entwined2 the bracelets and     
crowns were pierced and hammered and    
adorned with gems1 each in its setting1 
as if by practised goldsmiths4  ,and in 
many cases the pedestal1 the statue1 and
 the canopy were all carved out of one  
block1 in one piece4 ,what were the men 
who executed such work8  ,it is probable

 that they lived in convents1 for art   
was not at that time cultivated or      
practised but in the precincts of ,god4 
,and just then they were in their glory 
in the ,ile de ,france1 the ,orleans    
country1 the provinces of ,maine1       
,anjou1 and ,berry1 for we find statues 
of this type in all2 still1 it must be  
said that they are not equal to these at
 ,chartres4  ,at ,bourges1 for instance1
 analogous prophets and very similar    
queens stand meditative in1 one of the  
extraordinary side bays where the ,arab 
trefoil is so conspicuous4 ,at ,angers  
the statues are weather-beaten1 almost  
ruined1 but it can be seen that they    
were less stately1 merely human2 they   
are no longer chastely slender1 fit for 
,heaven1 but earthly queens4 ,at ,le    
,mans1 where they are in better         
preservation1 they vainly strive to soar
 above their narrow weed2 they lack     
spring1 they are nerveless1 feeble1     
almost common4  ,nowhere do we find a   
soul clothed in stone as at ,chartres2  

and if at ,le ,mans we study the front1 
of which the scheme is the same as at   
,chartres1 with ,christ enthroned and   
benedictory between the winged beasts of
 the ,tetramorph1 what a descent we note
 in the divine ideal6 ,everything is    
pinched and airless4 ,the ,christ1 too  
roughly wrought1 looks savage4 ,the     
pupils only of the supreme masters of   
,chartres evidently adorned these       
portals4  ,was there a guild1 a         
brotherhood of these image-makers1      
devoted to the holy work1 who went from 
place to place to be employed by monks  
as helpers of the masons and labourers1 
builders for ,god8 ,did they first come 
from the ,benedictine ,abbey of ,tiron  
founded at ,chartres near the market1 by
 that ,abbot ,saint ,bernard whose name 
figures on the list of benefactors to   
the church1 in the necrology of the     
cathedral8 ,none may know4 ,they worked 
humbly1 anonymously4  ,and what souls   
these artists had6 ,for this we know3   
they laboured only in a state of grace4 

,to raise this glorious temple1 purity  
was required even of the workmen4  ,this
 would seem incredible if it were not   
proved by authentic documents and       
undoubted evidence4  ,we possess letters
 of the period preserved in the         
,benedictine annals1 a letter from an   
,abbot of ,saint-,pierre-sur-,dive1     
found by ,monsieur ,leopold ,delisle1 in
 ,,ms4 #ibi of the ,french collection in
 the ,bibliotheque ,nationale1 and a    
,latin volume of the ,miracles of ,our  
,lady1 discovered in the ,vatican       
,library1 and translated into ,french by
 ,jehan le ,marchant1 a poet of the     
thirteenth century4 ,and these all      
relate the way in which the ,sanctuary  
dedicated to the ,virgin was rebuilt    
after destruction by fire4  ,what then  
occurred was indeed sublime4 ,this was a
 crusade1 if ever there was one4 ,it was
 here no question of snatching the ,holy
 ,sepulchre from the power of the       
infidels1 of meeting armies on the field
 of battle1 and fighting with men2 the  

,lord ,himself was to be attacked in    
,his entrenchments1 ,heaven was         
besieged1 and conquered by love and     
repentance6 ,and ,heaven confessed      
itself beaten2 the angels smiled and    
yielded2 ,god capitulated1 and in the   
gladness of defeat ,he threw open the   
treasury of ,his grace to be plundered  
of men4  ,then1 under the guidance of   
the ,spirit1 came a battle in every     
workshop with brute matter1 the struggle
 of a nation vowing1 cost what it might1
 to save a ,virgin1 homeless now as on  
the day when ,her ,son was born4  ,the  
manger of ,bethlehem was a mere heap of 
cinders4 ,mary would be left to wander1 
lashed by bitter winds1 across the icy  
plains of ,la ,beauce4 ,should the same 
tale be repeated1 twelve hundred years  
later1 of pitiless households1          
inhospitable inns1 and crowded rooms8   
,madonna was loved then in              
,france--loved as a natural parent1 a   
real mother4 ,on hearing that she was   
turned adrift by fire1 seeking woefully 

for a home1 everyone grieved and wept2  
and that1 not only in the country about 
,chartres2 in the ,orleans country1 in  
,normandy1 ,brittany1 the ,ile de       
,france1 in the far north1 whole        
populations stopped their regular work1 
left their homes to fly to ,her help1   
the rich giving money and jewels1 and   
helping the poor to drag their barrows  
and carry corn and oil1 wine1 wood and  
lime1 everything that could serve to    
feed labouring men or help in building a
 church4  ,it was a constant stream of  
immigration1 the spontaneous exodus of a
 people4 ,every road was crowded with   
pilgrims1 all1 men and women alike1     
dragging whole trees1 pushing loads of  
sawn beams1 and cartfuls of the moaning 
sick and aged forming the sacred        
phalanx1 the veterans of suffering1 the 
unconquerable legions of sorrow1 all to 
help in the siege of the heavenly       
,jerusalem1 forming the outer guard to  
support the attack by the reinforcement 
of prayer4  ,nothing--neither sloughs1  

nor bogs1 nor pathless forests1 nor     
fordless rivers1 could check the        
advancing tide of the marching throng2  
and one morning1 from every point of the
 compass1 lo6 they took possession of   
,chartres4  ,the investment began2 while
 the sick opened the first parallels of 
prayer1 the sound pitched the tents2 the
 camp extended for leagues on all sides2
 tapers were kept burning on the carts1 
and at night ,la ,beauce was a champaign
 of stars4  ,what still seems           
incredible1 and is nevertheless attested
 by every chronicle of the time1 is that
 this horde of old folks and children1  
of women and men1 were at once amenable 
to discipline2 and yet they belonged to 
every class of society1 for there were  
among them knights and ladies of high   
degree2 but divine love was so powerful 
that it annihilated distinctions and    
abolished caste2 the nobles harnessed   
themselves with the villeins to drag the
 trucks1 piously fulfilling their task  
as beasts of burthen2 patrician dames   

helped the peasant women to stir the    
mortar1 and to cook the food2 all lived 
together in an undreamed surrender of   
prejudice2 all were alike ready to be   
mere labourers1 machines1 loins and     
arms1 and to toil without a murmur under
 the orders of the architects who had   
come out of the cloister to direct the  
work4  ,nothing was ever more simply or 
more efficiently organized2 the convent 
cellarers1 forming a sort of            
commissariat for this army1             
superintended the distribution of food1 
and saw to the sanitation of the huts   
and the health of the camp4 ,men and    
women were no more than docile          
instruments in the hands of the chiefs  
they themselves had chosen1 and who in  
their turn obeyed gangs of monks4 ,these
 again were under the orders of the     
wonderful man1 the nameless genius1 who1
 after conceiving the plan of this      
cathedral1 directed the whole work4  ,to
 achieve such results the spirit of the 
multitude must really have been         

admirable1 for the humble and laborious 
work of plasterers and barrow-men was   
accepted by all1 noble or base-born1 as 
an act of mortification and penance1 and
 at the same time as an honour2 and no  
man was so audacious as to lay hand on  
the materials belonging to the ,virgin  
till he had made peace with his enemies 
and confessed his sins4 ,those who were 
reluctant to repair the ill they had    
done1 or to frequent the ,sacraments1   
were dismissed from the traces1 rejected
 as reprobates by their comrades1 and   
even by their own families4  ,at        
daybreak every morning the work decided 
on by the foremen was begun4 ,some dug  
the foundations1 cleared away the ruins1
 carried off the rubbish2 others1 going 
in parties to the quarries of           
,berchere-l',eveque1 at about five miles
 from ,chartres1 cut out enormous blocks
 of stone1 so heavy that in some cases a
 thousand workmen were not many enough  
to hoist them from their bed to the top 
of the hill where the church was        

presently to rise4  ,and when these     
silent toilers paused1 exhausted and    
broken1 the sound went up of prayers and
 psalms2 some would groan over their    
sins1 imploring ,our ,lady's mercy1     
beating their breast and sobbing in the 
arms of priests who bade them be        
comforted4  ,on ,sundays long           
processions formed with banners at their
 head1 and the shout of canticles filled
 the streets that blazed from afar with 
tapers2 the canonical services were     
attended by a whole people on their     
knees2 relics were carried with much    
pomp to visit the sick4  ,and all the   
time the walls of the ,celestial ,city  
were being shaken by battering-rams of  
supplication1 catapults of prayer2 the  
living forces of the whole army         
combining to make a breach and take the 
place by storm4  ,then it was that      
,jesus surrendered at discretion1       
conquered by so much humility and so    
much love2 ,he placed ,his powers in    
,his ,mother's hands1 and miracles began

 to abound4  ,all the tribe of the sick 
and crippled are on their feet2 the     
blind see1 the dropsical dry up1 the    
lame walk1 the weak-hearted run4  ,the  
tale of these miracles1 which were      
repeated day after day1 sometimes being 
produced even before the pilgrim had    
reached ,chartres1 has been preserved in
 the ,latin manuscript in the ,vatican4 
,the natives of ,chateau ,landon are    
dragging a cart-load of wheat4 ,on      
reaching ,chantereine they discover that
 the food they had taken for the journey
 is all gone1 and they beg for bread    
from some unhappy creatures who are     
themselves in the greatest want4 ,the   
,virgin intercedes for them and the     
bread of the poor is multiplied4 ,again1
 some men set out from the ,gatinais    
with a load of stone4 ,ready to drop1   
they pause near ,le ,puiset1 and some   
villagers coming out to meet them1      
invite them to rest while they          
themselves take a turn at the load2 but 
this they refuse4 ,then the natives of  

,le ,puiset offer them a cask of wine1  
and pour it into a barrel hoisted on to 
the truck4 ,this the pilgrims accept1   
and1 feeling less weary1 they go on     
their way4 ,but they are called back to 
see that the empty vat has refilled     
itself with excellent wine4 ,of this all
 drink1 and it heals the sick4  ,again1 
a man of ,corbeville-sur-,eure employed 
in loading a cart with timber has three 
fingers chopped across by an axe and    
shrieks in agony4 ,his comrades advise  
him to have the fingers completely      
severed1 as they hold only by a strip of
 flesh1 but the priest who is conducting
 them to ,chartres disapproves4 ,they   
all pray to ,mary1 and the wound        
vanishes1 the hand is whole as before4  
,some men of ,brittany have lost their  
way at night in the open country1 and   
are suddenly guided aright by flames of 
fire2 it is the ,virgin in person       
descending that ,saturday after         
,complines into ,her church when it is  
almost finished1 and filling it with    

dazzling glory4  ,and there are pages   
and pages of such incidents4  ,ah1 it is
 easy to understand1 thought ,durtal1   
why this ,sanctuary is so full of ,her4 
,her gratitude for the love of our      
forefathers is still felt here--even now
 ,she is fain not to seem too much      
disgusted1 not to look too closely4     
,well1 well6 we build sanctuaries in    
another way nowadays4 ,when ,i think of 
the ,sacred ,heart in ,paris1 that      
gloomy1 ponderous erection raised by men
 who have written their names in red on 
every stone6 ,how can ,god consent to   
dwell in a church of which the walls are
 blocks of vanity joined by a cement of 
pride2 walls where you may read the     
names of well-known tradesmen exhibited 
in a good place1 as if they were an     
advertisement8 ,it would have been so   
easy to build a less magnificent and    
less hideous church1 and not to lodge   
the ,redeemer in a monument of sin6     
,think of the throng of good souls who  
so long ago dragged their load of       

stones1 praying as they went6 ,it would 
never have occurred to them to turn     
their love to account and make it serve 
their craving for display1 their hunger 
for lucre4  ,an arm was laid on his1 and
 ,durtal recognized the ,abbe ,gevresin1
 who had come up while he stood dreaming
 in front of the cathedral4  ,i am going
 on at once1 they are waiting for me1   
said the priest4 ,i only took advantage 
of our meeting to tell you that ,i had a
 letter this morning from the ,abbe     
,plomb4  ,indeed6 ,and where is he8  ,at
 ,solesmes2 but he comes home the day   
after to-morrow4 ,our friend seems      
greatly taken with the ,benedictine     
life4  ,and the ,abbe smiled1 while     
,durtal1 a little startled1 watched him 
turn the corner by the new belfry4      
,,chapter ,x4   ,one morning ,durtal    
went out to seek the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,he  
could not find him in his own house1 nor
 in the cathedral2 but at last1 directed
 by the beadle1 he made his way to the  
house at the corner of the ,rue de      

l',acacia1 where the choir-school was   
lodged4  ,he went in by a gate that     
stood half open1 into a yard littered   
with broken pails and other rubbish4    
,the house1 beyond this courtyard1 was  
suffering from the cutaneous disease    
that affects plaster1 eaten with leprosy
 and spotted with blisters1 with zig-zag
 rifts from top to bottom1 and a        
crackled surface like the glaze of an   
old jar4 ,the dead stock of a vine      
stretched its gnarled black arms along  
the wall4  ,durtal1 looking in at a     
window1 saw a dormitory with rows of    
white beds1 and he was amused1 for never
 had he seen beds so tiny4  ,a lad was  
in the room1 whom he called1 by tapping 
on the pane1 and asked whether the ,abbe
 ,plomb were still about the place4 ,the
 boy nodded an affirmative1 and showed  
,durtal into a waiting-room4  ,this room
 was like the office of an exceedingly  
inferior and pious hotel4 ,the furniture
 consisted of a mahogany table of a sort
 of salmon pink colour1 on which stood a

 pot-stand bereft of flowers2 arm-chairs
 with circular backs fit for a          
gatekeeper's room1 a chimney-piece      
adorned with statues of saints much     
fly-bitten1 and a chimney board covered 
with paper representing the ,vision of  
,lourdes4 ,on the walls hung a black    
board with rows of numbered keys2       
opposite1 a chromo-lithograph of        
,christ1 displaying1 with an amiable    
smile1 an underdone heart bleeding amid 
streams of yellow sauce4  ,but what was 
chiefly characteristic of this bedizened
 porter's lodge was a horribly sickening
 smell1 the smell of lukewarm castor    
oil4  ,durtal1 nauseated by this odour1 
was on the point of making his escape1  
when the ,abbe ,plomb came in and took  
his arm4 ,they went out together4  ,then
 you have just come back from ,solesmes8
 said ,durtal4  ,as you see4  ,and were 
you satisfied with your visit8          
,enchanted1 and the ,abbe smiled at the 
impatience he could detect in ,durtal's 
accents4  ,what do you think of the     

monastery8  ,i think it most interesting
 to visit1 both from the monastic and   
from the artistic point of view4        
,solesmes is a great convent1 the parent
 ,house of the ,benedictine ,order in   
,france1 and it has a flourishing school
 of novices4 ,what is it that you want  
to know1 exactly8  ,why1 everything you 
can tell me4  ,well1 then1 ,i may tell  
you that ecclesiastical art1 brought to 
its very highest expression1 is         
fascinating in that monastery4 ,no one  
can conceive of the magnificence of the 
liturgy and of plain-song who has not   
heard them at ,solesmes4 ,if ,notre     
,dame des ,arts had a special sanctuary1
 it undoubtedly would be there4  ,is the
 chapel ancient8  ,a part of the old    
church remains1 and the famous ,solesmes
 sculpture1 dating from the sixteenth   
century4 ,unfortunately1 there are some 
quite disastrous windows in the apse3   
the ,virgin between ,saint ,peter and   
,saint ,paul2 modern glass in its most  
piercing atrocity4 ,but1 then1 where is 

decent glass to be had8  ,nowhere4 ,we  
have only to look at the transparent    
pictures let into the walls of our new  
churches to appreciate the incurable    
idiocy of painters who insist on        
treating window panes from cartoons1 as 
they do subject pictures--and such      
subjects6 and such pictures6 ,all turned
 out by the gross from cheap glass      
melters1 whose thin material dots the   
pavement of the church with spots like  
confetti1 strewing lollipops of colour  
wherever the light falls4  ,would it not
 be far better to accept the colourless 
scheme of window-glass used at ,citeaux1
 where a decorative effect was produced 
by a design in the lead lines2 or to    
imitate the fine grisailles1 iridescent 
from age1 which may still be seen at    
,bourges1 at ,reims1 and even here1 in  
our cathedral8  ,certainly1 said the    
,abbe4 ,but to return to our monastery4 
,nowhere1 ,i repeat1 are the services   
performed with so much pomp4 ,you should
 see it on the occasion of some high    

festival6 ,picture to yourself above the
 altar1 where commonly the tabernacle   
shines1 a ,dove suspended from a golden 
crozier1 its wings outspread amid clouds
 of incense2 then a whole army of monks 
deploying in a solemn rhythmic march1   
and the ,abbot standing1 on his brow a  
mitre thickly set with jewels1 his green
 and white ivory crozier in his hand1   
his train carried by a lay-brother when 
he moves1 while the gold of many copes  
blazes in the light of the tapers1 and a
 torrent of sound from the organ bears  
the voices up1 carrying to the very     
vault the cry of repentance or the joy  
of the ,psalms4  ,it is glorious4 ,it is
 not the penitential austerity of the   
liturgy as it is used by the            
,franciscans or at ,la ,trappe3 it is   
luxury offered to ,god1 the beauty ,he  
created dedicated to ,his service1 and  
in itself praise and prayer4 ,but if you
 wish to hear the music of the ,church  
in its utmost perfection you must go to 
the neighbouring ,abbey3 that of the    

,sisters of ,saint ,cecilia4  ,the ,abbe
 paused1 whispering to himself1 thinking
 over his reminiscences2 and then he    
slowly spoke again1--  ,wherever you go1
 the voice of a nun preserves1 merely by
 reason of her sex1 a sort of emotion1 a
 tendency to the cooing tone1 and1 it   
must be owned1 a certain satisfaction in
 hearing herself when she knows that    
others can hear her2 so that the        
,gregorian chant is never perfectly     
executed by nuns4  ,but with the        
,benedictine ,sisters of ,sainte-,cecile
 all the graces of earthly              
sentimentality have vanished4 ,these    
nuns have ceased to have women's voices2
 the quality is at once seraphic and    
manly4 ,in their church you are either  
thrown back ,i know not how far into the
 depth of past ages1 or shot forward    
into time to come1 as they sing4 ,they  
have outpourings of soul and tragical   
pauses1 pathetic murmurs and ecstasies  
of passion1 and sometimes they seem to  
rush to the assault1 and storm certain  

,psalms at the bayonet's point4 ,and    
they do assuredly achieve the most      
vehement leap that can be imagined from 
this world into the infinite4  ,then it 
is a very different thing from the      
,benedictine service of nuns in the ,rue
 ,monsieur in ,paris8  ,no comparison is
 possible4 ,without wishing to reflect  
on the musical sincerity of those good  
,sisters1 who sing quite suitably but   
humanly1 as women1 it may be asserted   
that they have neither such knowledge1  
nor such soul-felt aspiration1 nor such 
voices4 ,as a monk remarked1 'when you  
have heard the ,sisters of ,solesmes1   
those of ,paris sound provincial4'  ,and
 you saw the ,abbess of ,saint ,cecilia4
 ,why1 when ,i think of it1 is not she  
the writer of a ,treatise on ,prayer    
7,traite de l',oraison7 which ,i read   
when ,i was at ,la ,trappe1 and which   
was not1 ,i believe1 regarded with      
favour at the ,vatican8  ,yes1 she it   
is4 ,but you are making the greatest    
mistake in imagining that her book was  

not approved at ,rome4 ,it was examined 
there1 like every book of the kind1     
through a magnifying glass1 strained    
through a sieve1 picked over line by    
line1 turned inside out and upside down2
 but the theologians employed in this   
pious custom-house service acknowledged 
and certified that this work1 based on  
the soundest principles of mysticism1   
was learnedly1 impeccably1 desperately  
orthodox4  ,i may add that the volume   
was printed privately by the ,abbess    
herself1 helped by some of the nuns1 in 
a little hand-press belonging to the    
convent1 and has never been in          
circulation4 ,it is1 in fact1 an epitome
 of doctrine1 the essential extract of  
her teaching1 and was more especially   
intended for those of her daughters who 
are unable to have the benefit of her   
instruction and lectures1 because they  
live away from ,solesmes1 in other      
convents that she has founded4  ,why in 
these days1 when for ten years past the 
,benedictine ,sisters have made a study 

of ,latin1 when many of them translate  
from ,hebrew and ,greek and are skilled 
in exegesis1 when others draw and paint 
the pages of missals1 reviving the art  
of the illuminators of the ,middle      
,ages1 when others again--as1 for       
instance1 ,mother ,hildegarde--are      
organists of the highest attainment1 you
 may easily understand that the woman   
who directs them all1 the woman who has 
created in her ,sisterhoods a school of 
practical mysticism and of religious    
art1 is a very remarkable person2 nay1  
in these days of frivolous devotions and
 ignorant piety1 quite unique4  ,why1   
she is one of the great ,abbesses of the
 ,middle ,ages1 cried ,durtal4  ,she is 
the crowning work of ,dom ,gueranger1   
who took her in hand almost as a child  
and kneaded and mollified her soul with 
long patience2 then he transplanted her 
into a special greenhouse1 watching her 
growth in the ,lord day after day2 and  
you see the result of this forcing and  
high culture4  ,yes1 and even this does 

not hinder some persons from regarding  
convents as the homes of idleness and   
reservoirs of folly4 ,when you think    
that obscure idiots write to the papers 
to say that nuns know nothing of the    
,latin they repeat6 ,it would be well   
for them if they knew as much ,latin as 
those women6  ,the ,abbe smiled4  ,and  
the secret of the ,gregorian chant      
dwells with them1 he went on4 ,it is    
necessary not only to understand the    
language of the ,psalms as they are     
sung1 but to appreciate meanings which  
are often doubtful in the ,vulgate1 in  
order to express them properly4 ,without
 fervent feeling and knowledge1 the     
voice is nothing4  ,it may be beautiful 
in secular music1 but it is null and    
void when it attempts the venerable     
sequences of plain-song4  ,and how are  
the ,fathers employed8  ,they also began
 by restoring the liturgy and ,church   
singing2 then they discovered certain   
lost texts of the subtle symbolists and 
learned saints1 and collected them in a 

,spicilegium and ,analectae4 ,now they  
are editing and printing a musical      
,palaeography1 one of the most learned  
and abstruse of modern publications4    
,still1 ,i would not have you believe   
that the whole mission of the           
,benedictine ,order consists in         
overhauling ancient manuscripts and     
reproducing ancient ,antiphonals and    
curious chronicles4 ,the ,brother who   
has a talent for any art devotes himself
 to it1 no doubt1 if the ,superior      
permits2 on this point the rule knows no
 exception2 but the real and true aim of
 the ,son of ,saint ,benedict is to sing
 ,psalms and praise the ,lord1 to serve 
his apprenticeship here for his task in 
,heaven3 namely1 to glorify the         
,redeemer in words inspired by ,himself1
 and in the language ,he spoke by the   
voice of ,david and the ,prophets4      
,seven times a day the ,benedictines do 
the homage required of the ,elders in   
,heaven1 as described by ,saint ,john in
 the ,apocalypse1 and represented by    

sculptors as playing on instruments here
 at ,chartres4  ,in point of fact1 their
 particular function is not at all to   
bury themselves under the accumulated   
dust of ages1 nor even to accept in     
substitution the sins and woes of others
 as the ,orders of pure mortification   
do--the ,carmelites and the ,poor       
,clares4 ,their vocation is to fill the 
office of the ,angels2 it is a task of  
joy and peace1 an anticipation of their 
inheritance of gladness beyond the      
grave2 in fact1 the work which is       
nearest to that of purified spirits1 the
 highest on earth4  ,to fulfil their    
duty fittingly1 besides ardent piety1 a 
thorough knowledge of the ,scriptures is
 required1 and a refined feeling for    
art4 ,thus a true ,benedictine must be  
at once a saint1 a learned man1 and an  
artist4  ,and what is the daily life of 
,solesmes8 asked ,durtal4  ,very        
methodical and very simple3 ,matins and 
,lauds at four in the morning2 at nine  
o'clock tierce1 mass for the brethren1  

and sext2 at noon dinner2 at four nones 
and vespers2 at seven supper2 at        
half-past eight compline and deep       
silence4 ,as you see1 there is time for 
meditation and work in the intervals    
between the canonical hours and meals4  
,and the oblates8  ,what oblates8 ,i saw
 none at ,solesmes4  ,indeed--then if   
there are any1 do they lead the same    
life as the ,fathers8  ,evidently2      
excepting1 perhaps1 some dispensations  
depending on the ,abbot's favour4 ,i can
 tell you this much3 that in some other 
,benedictine ,houses that ,i have       
visited the general system is that the  
oblate shall follow as much of the rule 
as he is able for4  ,still1 he is1 ,i   
suppose1 free to come and go--his       
actions are free8  ,when once he has    
taken the oath of obedience to his      
,superior1 and1 after his term of       
probation1 has adopted the monastic     
habit1 he is as much a monk as the rest1
 and consequently can do nothing without
 the ,father ,superior's leave4  ,the   

deuce6 muttered ,durtal4 ,of course1 if 
the ridiculous metaphor so familiar to  
the world were accurate1 if the cloister
 were rightly compared to a tomb1 the   
condition of the oblate would also be   
tomb-like1 only its walls would be less 
air-tight1 and the stone1 a little      
tilted1 would admit a ray of daylight4  
,if you like6 said the ,abbe1 laughing4 
,as they walked1 they had reached the   
,bishop's palace4  ,they went into the  
forecourt1 and saw the ,abbe ,gevresin  
making his way to the gardens2 they     
joined him1 and the old priest asked    
them to go with him to the kitchen      
garden1 where1 to oblige his            
housekeeper1 he was to inspect the seeds
 she had sown4  ,aye1 and ,i too        
promised long ago to look at the        
vegetables1 exclaimed ,durtal4  ,they   
went down the ancient paths and reached 
the orchard on the slope2 and as soon as
 ,madame ,bavoil caught sight of them   
she grounded arms1 so to speak1 setting 
her foot in gardener fashion on the     

spade she had stuck into the soil4  ,she
 proudly pointed to her rows of cabbages
 and carrots1 onions and peas1 announced
 that she intended to make an attempt on
 the gourd tribe1 expatiated on         
cucumbers and pumpkins1 and to conclude1
 declared that at the bottom of the     
kitchen garden she meant to have a      
flower-bed4  ,then they sat down on a   
mound that formed a sort of seat4  ,the 
,abbe ,plomb1 in a mood for teasing1    
gave his spectacles a push1 settling the
 arch above his nose1 and rubbing his   
hands1 remarked1 very seriously1--      
,madame ,bavoil1 flowers and vegetables 
are but of trivial importance from the  
decorative and culinary point of view2  
the only rule that should guide you in  
your selection is the symbolical        
meaning1 the virtues and vices ascribed 
to plants4 ,now1 ,i am sorry to observe 
that your favourites are for the most   
part of evil augury4  ,i do not         
understand you1 ,monsieur l',abbe4      
,why1 you have only to consider that    

these vegetables which you take such    
care of mean many evil things4 ,lentils1
 for instance--you grow lentils8  ,yes4 
,well1 the seeds of the lentils are very
 cunning and mysterious4 ,artemidorus1  
in his ',interpretation of ,dreams1'    
tells us that if we dream of them it is 
a sign of mourning2 it is the same with 
lettuce and onion3 they forecast        
misfortune4 ,peas are less ill-famed2   
but1 above all1 beware of coriander1    
with its leaves smelling like bugs1 for 
it gives rise to all manner of evils4   
,thyme1 on the contrary1 according to   
,macer ,floridus1 cures snake-bites1    
fennel is a stimulant wholesome for     
women1 and garlic taken fasting is a    
preservative against the ills we may    
contract from drinking strange waters1  
or changing from place to place4 ,so    
plant whole fields of garlic1 ,madame   
,bavoil4  ,the ,father does not like it6
  ,and then1 the ,abbe ,plomb added1    
very seriously1 you must fill your mind 
from the books of ,albertus ,magnus1 the

 ,master of ,saint ,thomas ,aquinas1 who
 in the treatises ascribed to him on the
 ,virtues of ,herbs1 the ,wonders of the
 ,world1 and the ,secrets of ,women1    
puts forth certain ideas1 which1 as ,i  
may hope1 will not have been written in 
vain4  ,he tells us that the            
plantain-root is a cure for headache and
 for ulcers2 that mistletoe grown on an 
oak opens all locks2 that celandine laid
 on a sick man's head sings if he will  
die2 that the juice of the house-leek   
will enable you to hold a hot iron      
without being burnt2 that leaves of     
myrtle twisted into a ring will reduce  
an abscess2 that lily powdered and eaten
 by a young maiden is an effectual test 
of her virginity1 for if she should not 
be innocent it takes instantaneous      
effect as a diuretic6  ,i did not know  
of that property in the lily1 said      
,durtal1 laughing1 but ,i knew that     
,albertus ,magnus assigned the same     
peculiarity to the mallow2 only the     
patient need not swallow the plant2 she 

has only to stoop over it4  ,what       
nonsense6 exclaimed the old priest4     
,his housekeeper1 quite scared1 stood   
looking at the ground4  ,do not listen  
to him1 ,madame ,bavoil1 cried ,durtal4 
,i have a less medical1 and more        
religious1 idea3 cultivate a liturgical 
garden and emblematic vegetables2 make a
 kitchen and flower garden that may set 
forth the glory of ,god and carry up our
 prayers in their language2 and1 in     
short1 imitate the purpose of the ,song 
of the ,three ,holy ,children in the    
fiery furnace1 when they called on all  
,nature1 from the breath of the storm to
 the seed buried in the field1 to ,bless
 the ,lord6  ,very good6 exclaimed the  
,abbe ,plomb2 but you must have a wide  
space at your disposal1 for not less    
than one hundred and thirty plants are  
mentioned in the ,scriptures2 and the   
number of those to which mediaeval      
writers give a meaning is immense4  ,to 
say nothing of the fact1 observed the   
,abbe ,gevresin1 that a garden dependent

 on our cathedral ought also to         
reproduce the botany of its             
architecture4  ,is it known8  ,a list   
has not indeed been written for         
,chartres as it has been for ,reims of  
its sculptured flora3 the botany in     
stone of the church of ,notre ,dame     
there1 has been carefully classified and
 labelled by ,monsieur ,saubinet2 still1
 you will observe that the posies of the
 capitals are much the same everywhere4 
,in all the churches of the thirteenth  
century you will find the leaves of the 
vine1 the oak1 the rose-tree1 the ivy1  
the willow1 the laurel1 and the bracken1
 with strawberry and buttercup leaves4  
,indeed1 as a rule1 the image-makers    
selected native plants characteristic of
 the region where they were employed4   
,did they intend to express any         
particular idea by the capitals and     
corbels of the columns8--,at ,amiens1   
for instance1 there is a wreath of      
flowers and foliage forming the         
string-course above the arches of the   

nave for its whole length and continued 
over the cornice of the pillars4 ,apart 
from the probable purpose of dividing   
the height into two equal parts in order
 to rest the eye1 has this string-course
 any other meaning8 ,does it embody any 
particular idea8 ,is it the expression  
of some phrase relating to the ,virgin1 
in whose name the cathedral is          
dedicated8  ,i do not think so1 said the
 ,abbe4 ,i believe that the artist who  
carved those wreaths simply aimed at a  
decorative effect1 and made no attempt  
to give us in symbolical language a     
compendium of our ,mother's virtues4    
,moreover1 if we admit that the         
sculptors of the thirteenth century     
introduced the acanthus on account of   
its emollient qualities1 the oak because
 it is emblematic of strength1 and the  
water-lily because its broad leaves are 
accepted as a figure of charity1 we     
ought no less to conclude that at the   
end of the fifteenth century1 when the  
mystery of symbolism was not as yet     

altogether lost1 the toothed bunches of 
curled cabbage1 of thistles and other   
deeply-cut leaves mingling with         
true-love-knots1 as in the church at    
,brou1 might have had some meaning4 ,but
 it is perfectly certain that these     
vegetable forms were chosen only for    
their elaborately elegant growth1 and   
the fragile and mannered grace of their 
outline4 ,otherwise we might assert that
 this later ornament has a different    
tale to tell from that set forth in the 
flora of ,reims and ,amiens1 ,rouen and 
,chartres4  ,in point of fact1 the      
natural form which most frequently      
occurs in the capitals of our           
cathedral--by no means a remarkably     
flowery one--is the episcopal crozier as
 seen in the young shoots of the fern4  
,no doubt4 ,but does not the fern bear a
 symbolical meaning8  ,in a general     
sense1 it is emblematic of humility1    
evidently in allusion to its habit of   
growing as much as possible far from the
 high road1 in the depths of woods4 ,but

 by consulting the ,treatise of ,st4    
,hildegarde we learn that the plant she 
calls ,fern1 or bracken1 has magical    
properties4  ,just as sunshine disperses
 darkness1 says the ,abbess of          
,rupertsberg1 the ,fern puts nightmares 
to flight4 ,the devil hates and flees   
from it1 and thunder and hail rarely    
fall on spots where it takes shelter2   
also the man who wears it about him     
escapes witchcraft and spells4  ,then   
,st4 ,hildegarde made a study of natural
 history in its relations to medicine   
and magic8  ,yes2 but the book remains  
unknown because it has never yet been   
translated4  ,she sometimes assigns very
 singular talismanic virtues to certain 
flowers4 ,would you like some instances8
  ,according to her1 the plantain cures 
anyone who has eaten or drunk poison1   
and the pimpernel has the same virtue   
when hung round the neck4 ,myrrh must be
 warmed against the body till it is     
quite soft1 and then it nullifies the   
wizard's malignant arts1 delivers the   

mind from phantoms1 and is an antidote  
to philtres4 ,it also puts to flight all
 lascivious dreaming1 if worn on the    
breast or the stomach2 only1 as it      
eliminates every carnal suggestion it   
depresses the spirit and makes it       
'arid'2 and for this reason1 adds the   
saint1 it should never be eaten but     
under great necessity4  ,it is true that
 as a remedy against the dejection      
caused by myrrh we may apply the        
'hymelsloszel' 7,himmelschluessel71     
which is--or appears to be--,primula    
officinalis1 the cowslip1 whose bunches 
of fragrant yellow blossoms are to be   
seen in moist woods and meadows4 ,this  
plant is 'warm1' and imbibes its        
qualities from the light4 ,hence it can 
drive away melancholy1 which1 says ,st4 
,hildegarde1 spoils men's good manners1 
making them utter speech contrary to    
,god1 on hearing which words the spirits
 of the air gather about him who has    
spoken them1 and finally drive him mad4 
,i may also tell you of the mandragora1 

a plant 'warm and watery1' that may     
symbolize the human being it resembles2 
and it is more susceptible than all     
other plants to the suggestion of the   
devil2 but ,i would rather quote a      
recipe that you might perhaps think     
useful4  ,here is our ,abbess's         
prescription a propos to the iris or    
lily3 ,take the tip of the root1 bruise 
it in rancid fat1 heat this ointment and
 rub it on any who are afflicted with   
red or white leprosy1 and they will soon
 be healed4  ,but enough of these       
old-world recipes and counter-charms2 we
 will study the symbolism of plants4    
,flowers in general are emblematic of   
what is good4 ,according to ,durand of  
,mende1 both flowers and trees represent
 good works1 of which the virtues are   
the roots2 according to ,honorius1 the  
hermit1 green herbs are for wisdom2     
those in flower are for progress2 those 
in fruit are the perfect souls2 finally1
 we are told by old treatises on        
symbolical theology that all plants     

embody the allegory of the              
,resurrection1 while the idea of        
eternity attaches more particularly to  
the vine1 the cedar and the palm4  ,and 
you may add1 the ,abbe ,gevresin put in1
 that in the ,psalms the palm figures   
the righteous man1 while according to   
the interpretation of ,gregory the      
,great its rugged bark and the golden   
strings of dates are emblematical of the
 wood of the ,cross1 hard to the touch1 
but bearing fruit that is sweet to those
 who are worthy to taste them4  ,well1  
said ,durtal1 but supposing that ,madame
 ,bavoil should wish to plant a         
liturgical garden1 what should she      
select for it8  ,can we1 to begin with1 
compose a dictionary of plants          
representing the capital sins and their 
antithetical virtues1 sketch a basis of 
operations1 and pick out by certain     
rules the materials at the command of   
the mystic gardener8  ,i do not know1   
said the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,at the same     
time1 ,i should think it might be       

possible2 only we should have to        
remember the names of the plants more or
 less exactly symbolizing those         
qualities and defects4 ,in short1 what  
you need is a sort of language of       
flowers as applied to the catechism4    
,let us try4  ,for pride we have the    
pumpkin1 which was worshipped of old as 
a divinity in ,sicyon4 ,it bears        
indifferently the character of pride or 
of fertility2 of fertility by reason of 
its multitude of seeds and its rapid    
growth1 of which the monk ,walafrid     
,strabo wrote in noble hexameters a     
whole chapter of his poem2 and of pride 
by reason of its huge hollow head and   
its bulk2 and then we also have the     
cedar1 which ,peter of ,capua and ,saint
 ,melito agree in accusing of pride4    
,avarice8 ,i confess ,i know of no plant
 which represents it2 we will come back 
to that4  ,i beg your pardon1 said the  
,abbe ,gevresin2 ,saint ,eucher and     
,raban ,maur speak of thorns as         
emblematical of riches which accumulate 

to the detriment of the soul2 and ,saint
 ,melito says that the sycamore means   
greed of money4  ,the poor sycamore6    
cried the younger priest4 ,it has been  
served with every sauce6 ,raban ,maur   
and the ,anonymous monk of ,clairvaux   
also call it a misbelieving ,jew2 ,peter
 of ,capua compares it to the ,cross2   
,saint ,eucher calls it wisdom1 and     
there are other meanings4 ,but meanwhile
 ,i forget how far we had gone4 ,oh6    
lasciviousness2 we here have ample      
choice4 ,besides certain trees there is 
cyclamen1 or sow-bread1 which1 according
 to an ancient dictum of ,theophrastus1 
is symbolical of this sin because it was
 used in the preparation of             
love-philtres2 the nettle1 which ,peter 
of ,capua says is emblematic of the     
unruly instincts of the flesh2 and the  
tuberose1 a more modern introduction1   
but known as far back as the sixteenth  
century1 when a ,minorite ,father       
brought it to ,france4 ,its heady       
perfume1 which disturbs the nerves1     

also1 it is said1 excites the senses4   
,for envy there are the bramble and the 
aconite1 which1 to be sure1 is more     
exactly assigned to calumny and scandal2
 and1 again1 the nettle1 which1 however1
 is also interpreted by ,albertus       
,magnus as figuring courage and         
expelling fear4  ,greediness8 ,the ,abbe
 paused to think4 ,carnivorous plants1  
perhaps1 as the fly-trap and the bog    
sundew4  ,and why not the humbler       
cuscuta1 the dodder1 the cuttlefish of  
the vegetable kingdom1 which shoots out 
the antennae of its stems as fine as    
thread1 attaching itself to other plants
 by tiny suckers and feeding greedily on
 their juices8 asked the ,abbe          
,gevresin4  ,anger1 the ,abbe ,plomb    
went on1 is symbolized by a shrub with  
pinkish flowers1 a kind of bitter-sweet1
 as it is popularly called1 and by ,herb
 ,basil1 which ever since the ,middle   
,ages has had the same character        
ascribed to it of cruelty and rage as to
 its namesake1 the basilisk1 in the     

animal world4  ,oh6 cried ,madame       
,bavoil1 and we use it to season dishes 
and flavour certain sauces4  ,that is a 
serious culinary error and a spiritual  
danger1 said the priest1 smiling4 ,he   
then went on3--  ,anger may also be     
figured by the balsam1 which especially 
symbolizes impatience by reason of the  
irritability of its seed-vessels1 which 
fly at a touch and explode1 sending them
 to some distance4444  ,sloth finally   
has the whole tribe of poppies1 which   
give sleep4  ,as to the opposite        
virtues1 the explanation they need is   
childish4 ,for humility you have the    
bracken1 the hyssop1 the knotweed1 and  
the violet1 which1 says ,peter of       
,capua1 is1 by that same token1         
emblematical of ,christ4  ,and likewise1
 according to ,saint ,melito1 of the    
,confessors2 or1 according to ,saint    
,mechtildis1 of widows1 added the ,abbe 
,gevresin4  ,for indifference to the    
things of this world we find the lichen 
symbolizing solitude2 for chastity1 the 

orange-flower and the lily2 for charity1
 the water-lily1 the rose1 and the      
saffron flower--so say ,raban ,maur and 
the ,anonymous monk of ,clairvaux2 for  
temperance1 the lettuce1 which also     
stands for fasting2 for meekness1       
mignonette2 for watchfulness1 the elder1
 signifying zeal2 and thyme1 which1 with
 its sharp1 pungent aroma1 symbolizes   
activity4  ,you may dispense with the   
sins1 which have no place in the        
precincts of ,our ,lady1 and lay out    
your plots with the devout flowers4     
,how is that to be done8 asked the ,abbe
 ,gevresin4  ,why1 said ,durtal1 there  
are two plans4 ,one would be to sketch  
the plan of a real church and supply the
 place of its statues with plants1 which
 would be the better way from the point 
of view of art2 or else to compose a    
whole sanctuary with trees and shrubs4  
,he rose1 and went to pick up a stick   
that was lying in the field4  ,there1   
said he1 tracing the cruciform outline  
of a church on the ground1 there you    

have the plan of our cathedral4         
,supposing now we build it1 beginning at
 the end1 the apse2 there we naturally  
place the ,lady chapel1 as we find it in
 most cathedrals4  ,plants emblematic of
 ,our ,lady's attributes are abundant4  
,the mystical rose of the ,litanies6    
exclaimed ,madame ,bavoil4  ,h'm6 said  
,durtal2 the rose has been much         
bedraggled4 ,not only was it the erotic 
blossom of ,paganism1 but in the ,middle
 ,ages ,jews and prostitutes were       
compelled in many places to wear a rose 
as a distinctive mark of infamy4  ,true1
 said the ,abbe ,plomb1 and yet ,peter  
of ,capua uses it1 with an              
interpretation of love and charity1 to  
figure the ,virgin2 ,saint ,mechtildis1 
again1 says that roses are symbolical of
 martyrs1 and in another passage of her 
work on ',specific ,grace1' she compares
 this flower to the virtue of patience4 
,walafrid ,strabo1 in his ',hortulus1'  
also speaks of the rose as the blood of 
the martyred saints1 the ,abbe ,gevresin

 murmured4  ',rosae martyres1 rubore    
sanguinis1' according to the key of     
,saint ,melito1 the other priest added1 
in confirmation4  ,we will admit that   
shrub1 cried ,durtal4 ,now for the      
lily--  ,here ,i must interrupt you1    
exclaimed the ,abbe ,plomb1 for it must 
be at once understood that the lily of  
the ,scriptures has nothing to do with  
the flower we know by that name4  ,the  
common white lily which grows in        
,europe1 and which even before the      
,middle ,ages was regarded by the       
,church as emblematic of virginity1 does
 not seem to have existed in ,palestine2
 and when1 in the ,song of ,songs1 the  
mouth of the ,beloved is compared to a  
lily1 it is evidently not in praise of  
white1 but of red lips4 ,the plant      
spoken of in the ,bible as the lily of  
the valleys1 or the lily of the fields1 
is neither more nor less than the       
anemone4  ,this is proved by the ,abbe  
,vigouroux4 ,it abounds in ,syria1 round
 ,jerusalem1 in ,galilee1 on the ,mount 

of ,olives2 rising from a tuft of       
deeply-cut1 alternate leaves of a rich1 
dull green1 the flower cup is like a    
delicate and refined poppy2 it has the  
air of a patrician among flowers1 of a  
little ,infanta1 fresh and innocent in  
her gorgeous attire4  ,it is certainly  
the fact1 observed ,durtal1 that the    
innocence of the lily is far from       
obvious1 for its scent1 when you think  
of it1 is anything rather than chaste4  
,it is a mingling of honey and pepper1  
at once acrid and mawkish1 pallid but   
piercing2 it is suggestive rather of the
 aphrodisiac conserves of the ,east and 
the erotic sweetmeats of the ,indies4   
,but1 after all1 said the ,abbe         
,gevresin1 granting that there never    
were lilies in the ,holy ,land--but is  
it so8--it is none the less certain that
 a whole series of symbols were derived 
from this plant both by the ancients and
 in mediaeval times4  ,look1 for        
instance1 at ,origen2 to him the lily is
 ,christ1 for ,our ,lord alluded to     

,himself when ,he said1 ',i am the      
flower of the field and the lily of the 
valley2' and in these words1 the field1 
meaning tilled land1 represents the     
,hebrew people1 taught by ,god ,himself1
 while the valleys or fallow land are   
the ignorant1 or1 in other words1 the   
heathen4  ,again1 turn to ,peter        
,cantor4 ,according to him1 the lily is 
the ,virgin1 by reason of its whiteness1
 of its perfume delectable above all    
others1 of its healing virtues2 and     
finally1 because it grows in            
uncultivated ground1 as the ,virgin was 
born of ,jewish parents4  ,as regards   
the therapeutic virtues mentioned by    
,petrus ,cantor1 said the ,abbe ,plomb1 
,i may add that the ,anonymous ,english 
writer of the thirteenth century tells  
us that the lily is a sovereign remedy  
for burns1 and for this cause is an     
image of the ,virgin1 who heals sinners 
of their burns--that is to say1 of their
 vices4  ,you may further consult ,saint
 ,methodus1 ,saint ,mechtildis1 ,peter  

of ,capua1 and the ,english monk of whom
 you spoke1 and you will find that the  
lily is the attribute1 not only of the  
,virgin ,mary1 but of virginity in      
general and of all virgins4  ,and here  
is a posy of meanings culled from ,saint
 ,eucher1 who compares the whiteness of 
the lily to the purity of the angels2   
from ,saint ,gregory the ,great1 who    
says its fragrance is like the works of 
the saints2 and again from ,raban ,maur1
 who speaks of the lily as emblematic of
 celestial beatitude1 of the beauty of  
holiness1 of the ,church1 of perfection1
 of chastity in the flesh4  ,not to     
forget that1 according to the           
translation of ,origen1 the ,lily among 
,thorns is the ,church in the midst of  
its enemies1 the ,abbe ,plomb put in4   
,then it is ,jesus1 ,his ,mother1 the   
,angels1 the ,church1 the ,virgins1     
everything at once6 exclaimed ,durtal4  
,we cannot but wonder how these mystic  
gardeners could discern so many meanings
 in one and the same plant6  ,why1 you  

can see3 the symbolists not only        
considered the analogies and            
resemblances they discovered between the
 form1 scent1 and colour of a flower and
 the being with whom they compared it2  
they also studied the ,bible1 especially
 the passages wherein a tree or flower  
was named1 and they then ascribed to it 
such qualities as were mentioned or     
could be inferred from the text4 ,they  
did the same with regard to animals1    
colours1 gems1 everything to which they 
could attribute a meaning4 ,it is simple
 enough4  ,it is complicated enough6    
said ,durtal4 ,and now where was ,i8    
,in the ,lady chapel1 planting roses and
 anemones4 ,now add to these a shrub    
which is the emblem of ,mary according  
to the ,anonymous monk of ,clairvaux1 or
 of the ,incarnation according to the   
,anonymous writer of ,troyes1 the       
walnut1 of which the fruit is           
interpreted in the same sense by the    
,bishop of ,sardis4  ,and also          
mignonette1 cried ,durtal1 for ,sister  

,emmerich speaks of it frequently and   
with much mystery4 ,she says that this  
flower is very dear to ,mary1 who       
planted it and made much use of it4     
,then there is another plant which seems
 to me no less appropriate3 the         
bracken--not by reason of the qualities 
ascribed to it by ,saint ,hildegarde1   
but because it symbolizes the most      
secret and retiring humility4 ,take one 
of the stoutest stems and cut it aslant1
 like the mouthpiece of a whistle1 and  
you will find very distinctly imprinted 
in black the form of a heraldic fleur de
 lys1 as if stamped with a hot iron4    
,the scent being absent1 we may here    
accept it as the symbol of humility--a  
humility so perfect that it is          
undiscoverable but in death4  ,aha6 our 
friend is not so ignorant of country    
lore as ,i had fancied1 exclaimed       
,madame ,bavoil4  ,oh1 ,i wandered in   
the woods a little1 as a child4  ,for   
the choir no discussion is possible1 ,i 
believe1 said the ,abbe ,gevresin4 ,the 

eucharistic plants1 the vine and corn   
are self-evidently appropriate4  ,the   
vine1 of which the ,lord said ',ego     
vitis sum1' is also the emblem of       
communion and the image of the eighth   
beatitude2 corn1 which1 as the          
,sacramental element1 was the object of 
peculiar care and respect in the ,middle
 ,ages4  ,you have only to recall the   
solemn ceremonial observed in certain   
convents when the wafer was to be       
prepared4  ,at ,saint ,etienne1 ,caen1  
the monks washed their face and hands1  
and kneeling before the altar of ,saint 
,benedict1 said ,lauds1 the seven       
penitential ,psalms1 and the ,litanies  
of the ,saints4 ,then a lay brother     
presented the mould in which the wafers 
were to be baked1 two at a time2 and on 
the day when this unleavened bread was  
prepared those who had taken part in the
 ceremony dined together1 and their     
table was served exactly like the       
,abbot's4  ,at ,cluny1 again1 three     
priests or three deacons1 fasting after 

the above-mentioned services of prayer1 
put on albs and invited the aid of      
certain lay brethren4 ,they mixed the   
flour of wheat that had been sifted by  
the novices1 grain by grain1 with a due 
quantity of water2 and a monk wearing   
gloves baked the wafers one by one over 
a large fire of brushwood1 in an iron   
mould stamped with the proper symbols4  
,that reminds me1 said ,durtal1 as he   
lighted a cigarette1 of the mill for    
grinding the wheat for the offering4  ,i
 am familiar with the mystical          
wine-press which was often represented  
by the glass-workers of the fifteenth   
and sixteenth centuries1 said the ,abbe 
,gevresin4 ,that was practically a      
paraphrase of ,isaiah's prophetic verse3
 ',i have trodden the wine-press alone1 
and there was no man with me'2 but the  
mystic mill is1 ,i own1 unknown to me4  
,i have seen it once at ,berne1 in a    
window of the fifteenth century1 said   
the ,abbe ,plomb4  ,i also saw it in the
 cathedral at ,erfurt1 painted1 not on  

glass1 but on a panel4 ,the picture is  
by no known painter1 and dated #aecd4 ,i
 can see it now3 ,above1 ,god the       
,father1 a good old man with a snowy    
beard1 solemn and thoughtful2 and the   
mill1 like a coffee mill1 fixed on the  
edge of a table1 with the drawer open   
below4 ,the evangelical beasts are      
emptying into the hopper1 skins full of 
scrolls on which are written the        
effective ,sacramental words4 ,these    
scrolls are swallowed in the body of the
 machine1 and come out into the drawer1 
thence falling into a chalice held by a 
,cardinal and ,bishop kneeling at the   
table4  ,and the texts are changed into 
a little ,child in the act of blessing  
while the four ,evangelists turn a long 
silver crank in the right-hand corner of
 the panel4  ,what seems strange1       
remarked the ,abbe ,gevresin1 is that it
 should be the formula of               
,transubstantiation and not the         
substance that is changed1 and that the 
,evangelists1 twice represented--under  

their animal and their human            
aspect--pour into the mill and grind4   
,and also that the sacred oblation      
should be represented by the living     
flesh4  ,still1 it is correct2 since the
 consecrating words are uttered1 the    
bread has ceased to be4 ,this scheme of 
implied meaning1 though somewhat        
strange1 in a literal presentment1 a    
scene of actual grinding--the wheat in  
the grain1 in flour1 and in the         
,host--this obvious intention of        
ignoring the species1 the appearances1  
and substituting the reality which is   
invisible to sense1 must have been      
adopted by the painter in order to      
appeal to the masses1 to bear witness to
 the certainty of the ,miracle and to   
make the mystery evident to the people4 
,but let us return to the construction  
of our church4 ,where were we8  ,here1  
said ,durtal1 pointing with his stick to
 the side aisles as traced in the sand4 
,now1 to represent the side chapels we  
have a choice4 ,one we shall dedicate1  

of course1 to ,saint ,john the ,baptist4
 ,to distinguish it from the others we  
have the gilliflower and the ground-ivy 
to which he has given his name1 and more
 especially the ,st4 ,john's wort1 which
 if gathered on the eve of his festival 
and placed in a room1 destroys malignant
 spells and charms1 is a protection     
against thunder1 and hinders the walking
 of ghosts4  ,it may be added that this 
plant1 famous in the ,middle ,ages1 was 
used as a remedy for epilepsy and ,st4  
,vitus' dance1 two maladies for which   
the intercession of the ,precursor is   
most efficacious4  ,we will dedicate    
another to ,saint ,peter4 ,on his altar 
we may lay a posy of the herbs dedicated
 to his service by our forefathers3 the 
primrose1 the wild honeysuckle1 the     
gentian and soap-wort1 pellitory and    
bindweed1 with others whose names escape
 me4  ,but1 first1 will it not be our   
bounden duty to erect a tower for ,our  
,lady of the ,seven ,dolours1 such as we
 find in many churches8  ,the flower    

obviously indicated is the              
passion-flower2 that unique blossom1 of 
a purplish blue1 its seed-vessel        
simulating the ,cross1 its styles and   
stigma the ,nails2 its stamens mimicking
 the ,hammer1 its thread-like fringe the
 ,crown of thorns--in short1 it         
represents all the instruments of the   
,passion4 ,add to this1 if you will1 a  
bunch of hyssop1 plant a cypress1 of    
which ,saint ,melito speaks as          
emblematical of the ,saviour1 and which 
,monsieur ,olier regards as symbolical  
of death2 a myrtle1 signifying          
compassion1 according to a passage by   
,saint ,gregory the ,great2 and1 above  
all1 do not omit the buckthorn1 or      
,rhamnus--for of that shrub the ,jews   
twined the stems that formed ,christ's  
crown--and your chapel is complete4     
,the buckthorn1 said the ,abbe          
,gevresin2 yes1 ,rohant de ,fleury says 
that its thorny branches were used to   
crown the ,son's head2 but this leaves  
us wondering1 when we remember that in  

the ,old ,testament1 in the ninth       
chapter of the ,book of ,judges1 all the
 tall trees of ,judaea bow down before  
the ,royalty prophetically prefigured by
 this humble shrub4  ,very true1 replied
 the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,but what is most    
curious is the number of absolutely     
dissimilar senses which the oldest      
symbolists attribute to the buckthorn4  
,saint ,methodus uses it for virginity2 
,theodoret for sin2 ,saint ,jerome      
ascribes it to the devil2 and ,saint    
,bernard takes it as symbolizing        
humility4 ,again1 in the ',theologia    
,symbolica' of ,maximilian ,sandaeus1   
this shrub is made to signify the       
worldly prelacy1 while the olive1 vine1 
and fig1 with which the author contrasts
 it1 are the contemplative ,orders4 ,in 
this1 no doubt1 we may see an allusion  
to the thorns which ,bishops were not   
always unready to thrust on the         
long-suffering ,heads of monasteries4   
,you have forgotten1 too1 in the        
blazonry of your chapel1 the reed which 

formed the sceptre of mockery forced    
into the ,son's hands4 ,but the reed1   
like the buckthorn1 is a sort of        
,jack-of-all-trades4 ,saint ,melito     
defines it as the ,incarnation and the  
,scriptures2 ,raban ,maur as the        
,preacher1 the hypocrite1 and the       
,gentiles2 ,saint ,eucher as the sinner2
 the ,anonymous monk of ,clairvaux as   
,christ2 and others which ,i have       
forgotten4  ,these are many meanings for
 a single plant1 observed ,durtal4 ,but 
now if we want to specialize some       
chapels as dedicated to saints1 nothing 
can be easier2 at any rate1 for such as 
have lent their names to plants4  ,for  
instance1 the ,valerian1 known as ,herb 
,saint ,george1 the white flower with a 
hollow stem1 which grows in moist1      
places1 and its popular name is quite   
intelligible since it was used in       
treating nervous diseases1 for which the
 saint's intercession was invoked4      
,then we have the plant or plants       
dedicated to ,saint ,roch3 the          

pennyroyal1 and two species of ,inula1  
one with bright yellow flowers1 a       
purgative that cures the itch4 ,formerly
 on ,saint ,roch's day branches of this 
herb were blessed and hung in the       
cow-houses to preserve the cattle from  
epidemics4  ,saint ,anne's wort1 a      
humble creeper1 the samphire--an emblem 
of poverty4  ,herb ,barbara1 the        
winter-cress1 a cruciferous plant1      
anti-scorbutic--a poverty-stricken      
flower1 creeping along the wayside like 
a beggar4  ,to ,saint ,fiacre is        
dedicated the mullein1 with its         
emollient leaves2 boiled to make a      
poultice1 it relieves colic1 which this 
saint has a reputation for curing4      
,saint ,stephen's wort is the           
enchanter's nightshade1 a beneficent    
plant with red berries on a hairy stem4 
,and there are many others4  ,for the   
crypt1 supposing we dig one out1 it must
 certainly be filled with the trees     
mentioned in the ,old ,testament1 of    
which this portion of the building is   

itself an allegory4 ,in spite of climate
 we must grow the vine and the palm1    
emblems of eternity2 the cedar1 which by
 reason of its incorruptible wood is    
sometimes thought to symbolize the      
angels2 the olive and the fig1 emblems  
of the ,holy ,trinity and of the ,word2 
frankincense1 cassia and balsamodendron 
,myrrha1 a symbol of the perfect        
humanity of ,our ,lord2 the             
terebinth--meaning exactly what8        
,according to ,peter of ,capua1 the     
,cross and the ,church2 but ,saint      
,melito says the saints4 ,according to  
the monk of ,clairvaux1 it is the false 
doctrine of the ,jews and heretics2 and 
as to the drops of resin1 they are      
,christ's tears1 if we may believe      
,saint ,ambrose1 replied the ,abbe      
,plomb4  ,and even so1 our cathedral    
remains incomplete4 ,we are but feeling 
our way1 without logical sequence4 ,i   
admit that at the entrance we must plant
 the purifying hyssop in the place of   
the holy-water vessel2 but with what can

 we build the walls unless we accept the
 alternative of a real church having    
walls but unfinished8  ,take the        
figurative sense of the walls and       
translate that2 the great walls are     
representative of the four ,evangelists1
 ,can you find plants for them8  ,durtal
 shook his head4 ,the ,evangelists are1 
of course1 symbolized in the fauna of   
mysticism by the animals of the         
,tetramorph2 the twelve apostles have   
their synonyms in the category of gems1 
and two of the ,evangelists are         
naturally to be found there3 ,saint     
,john is associated with the emerald1   
the emblem of purity and faith2 ,saint  
,matthew with the chrysolite1 the emblem
 of wisdom and watchfulness2 but none1  
so far as ,i know1 has found a          
representative among either trees or    
flowers4 ,and yet1 to be sure1 ,saint   
,john has the sun-flower1 signifying    
divine inspiration2 for he is           
represented in a window in the church of
 ,saint ,remy at ,reims1 his head       

crowned with a nimbus surmounted by two 
of these flowers4  ,saint ,mark1 too1   
has a plant--the tansy1 so named in the 
,middle ,ages4  ,the tansy8  ,yes2 a    
bitter1 aromatic plant with yellow      
flowers1 which grows in stony ground1   
and is used in medicine as an           
anti-spasmodic4 ,like ,saint ,george's  
herb1 it is used in nervous maladies1   
the intercession of ,saint ,mark being1 
it would seem1 of sovereign efficacy4   
,as to ,saint ,luke1 he may be          
represented by clumps of mignonette1 for
 ,sister ,emmerich tells us that while  
he was a physician it was his favourite 
remedy4 ,he macerated mignonette in palm
 oil1 and after blessing it1 applied the
 unction in the form of a cross on the  
brow and mouth of his patients2 in other
 cases he used the dried plant in an    
infusion4  ,only ,saint ,matthew        
remains2 but here ,i give in1 for ,i    
know of no vegetable species that can   
reasonably be assigned to him4  ,nay1 do
 not think it hopeless1 cried the ,abbe 

,plomb4 ,a mediaeval legend tells us    
that balms exuded from his tomb2 hence  
he was represented as holding a branch  
of cinnamon1 symbolical of the fragrance
 of virtue1 says ,saint ,melito4  ,well1
 it would be better to accept the real  
walls of a church1 making use of the    
structure1 and limiting ourselves to    
completing the idea by details borrowed 
from the symbolism of flowers4  ,and the
 sacristy8 suggested the ,abbe          
,gevresin4  ,since1 according to the    
,rationale of ,durand of ,mende1 the    
sacristy is the very bosom of the       
,virgin1 we will represent it by        
virginal plants such as the anemone1 and
 trees such as the cedar1 which ,saint  
,ildefonso compares to ,our ,mother4    
,and now1 if we are to furnish the      
instruments of worship1 we shall find in
 the ritual of the liturgy and in the   
very form of certain plants almost      
precise guidance4 ,thus1 flax1 of which 
the cornice and altar napery is to be   
woven1 is indispensable2 the olive and  

the balsamum1 from which oil and balm   
are extracted1 and frankincense1 which  
sheds the drops of gum for the incense1 
are no less indicated4 ,for the chalice 
we may choose from among the flowers    
which goldsmiths take as their models3  
the white convolvulus1 the frail        
campanula1 and even the tulip1 though1  
having some repute as connected with    
magic1 that flower is in ill odour4 ,for
 the shape of the monstrance there is   
the sun-flower4  ,yes1 interrupted the  
,abbe ,plomb1 wiping his spectacles1 but
 these are fancies borrowed simply from 
superficial resemblance2 it is modern   
symbolism1 which is really not symbolism
 at all4 ,and is not this the case to a 
great extent with the various           
interpretations that you accept from    
,sister ,emmerich8 ,she died in #ahbd4  
,what does that matter8 said ,durtal4   
,sister ,emmerich was a primitive saint1
 a seer1 whose body indeed lived in our 
day1 but whose soul was far away2 she   
dwelt more in the ,middle ,ages than in 

ours4 ,it might be said indeed that she 
was more ancient still1 for1 in fact1   
she was contemporary with ,christ1 whose
 life she follows step by step through  
her pages4  ,hence her ideas of         
symbolism cannot be set aside4 ,to me   
they are of equal authority with those  
of ,saint ,mechtildis1 who was born in  
the early part of the thirteenth        
century4  ,in point of fact1 the source 
whence they both alike derived them is  
the same4 ,and what is time1 or past or 
present1 when we speak of ,god8  ,these 
women were the sieves through which ,his
 grace was poured1 and what need ,i care
 whether the instruments were of        
yesterday or to-day8 ,the word of the   
,lord is supreme over the ages2 ,his    
inspiration blows when and where it     
lists4 ,is not that true8  ,i quite     
agree4  ,and all this time1 said the    
housekeeper1 you do not think of making 
use in your building of the iris1 which 
my good ,jeanne de ,matel regards as an 
emblem of peace4  ,oh1 we will find a   

place for it1 ,madame ,bavoil1 never    
fear4 ,and there is yet another plant   
which we must not omit2 the trefoil1 for
 sculptors have strewn it broadcast in  
their stony gardens1 and the trefoil1   
like the fruit of the almond tree1 which
 shows the elongated nimbus1 is an      
emblem of the ,holy ,trinity4  ,suppose 
we recapitulate3  ,at the end of the    
nave1 in the shell of the apse1 in front
 of a semicircle of tall bracken turned 
brown by autumn1 we see a flaming       
assumption of climbing roses hedging a  
bed of red and white anemones1 edged    
with the sober green of mignonette4 ,and
 to give variety by adding symbols of   
humility--the knotweed1 the violet1 and 
the hyssop--we may form a posy of which 
the meaning will represent the perfect  
virtues of ,our ,mother4  ,now1 said he1
 pointing with his stick to the plan of 
the nave he had traced1 here is the     
altar1 overgrown with red-leaved vines1 
purple or pearly grapes1 sheaves of     
golden corn4 ,ah6 but we must have a    

cross over the altar4  ,that will not be
 difficult1 replied the ,abbe ,gevresin4
 ,from the grain of mustard seed1 which 
all the symbolists accept in a          
figurative sense as representing        
,christ1 to the sycamore and the        
terebinth1 you have a wide range2 you   
can at pleasure have a tiny cross1 a    
mere nothing1 or a gigantic crucifix4   
,here1 ,durtal went on1 along the bays  
where trefoils flourish1 different      
flowers rise from the ground1           
corresponding to the saints of their    
ascription2 here is the chapel of ,our  
,lady of the ,seven ,dolours1           
recognizable by the passion-flower full 
blown on its creeping stem1 with its    
many tendrils2 and the background is a  
hedge of reeds and rhamnus1 full of sad 
meaning1 mitigated by the compassionate 
myrtle4  ,here1 again1 is the sacristy1 
where smiles the soft blue flax on its  
light stem1 the abundant flowers of the 
convolvulus and campanula1 tall         
sun-flowers1 and1 if you choose1 a palm1

 for ,i recollect that ,sister ,emmerich
 speaks of this tree as a paragon of    
chastity1 because1 she says1 the male   
and female flowers are separate1 and    
both kept modestly hidden4 ,another     
interpretation to the credit of the     
palm6  ,but after all1 you are absurd1  
our friend6 cried ,madame ,bavoil4 ,all 
this will not hold together4 ,your      
plants are the growth of different      
climates1 and in any case they could not
 all be in bloom at the same time2      
consequently1 by the time you have      
planted this1 that will be dead4 ,you   
can never grow them side by side4  ,that
 is symbolical of many unfinished       
cathedrals1 where the building is       
carried across from century to century1 
said ,durtal1 snapping his stick4 ,but  
listen1 fancy apart1 there is something 
which may be done1 and has not been     
done1 for celestial botany and pious    
posies4  ,that is1 to make a liturgical 
garden1 a true ,benedictine garden1     
where flowers may be grown in succession

 for the sake of their relations to the 
,scriptures and hagiology4 ,would it not
 be delightful to follow out the liturgy
 of prayer with that of plants1 to place
 them side by side in the sanctuary1 to 
deck the altars with flowers all having 
their meanings according to the days and
 festivals2 in short1 to associate      
nature in its most exquisite            
manifestation--that is1 its             
flowers--with the ceremonies of divine  
worship8  ,yes1 indeed6 exclaimed both  
the priests with one accord4            
,meanwhile1 till these fine things are  
accomplished1 ,i will be content to dig 
in my little kitchen garden with an eye 
to the savoury stews in which you shall 
share1 said ,madame ,bavoil4 ,there ,i  
am in my element2 ,i do not lose my     
footing as ,i do in your imitation      
churches4  ,and ,i1 on my part1 will    
meditate on the symbolism of eatables1  
said ,durtal1 taking out his watch4 ,it 
is near breakfast time4  ,as he was     
going off1 the ,abbe ,plomb called him  

back and said1 laughing1--  ,in your    
future cathedral you have forgotten to  
reserve a nook for ,saint ,columba1 if1 
indeed1 we can find some ascetic plant  
native1 or at any rate common1 to       
,ireland1 the land where this ,father   
was born4  ,the thistle1 figurative of  
mortification and penance and a memento 
of asceticism1 is conspicuous as the    
badge of ,scotland1 replied ,durtal4    
,but why ,saint ,columba8  ,because of  
all saints he is the most neglected1 the
 least invoked by those of our          
contemporaries who ought to be most     
assiduous2 since he is regarded in the  
attributions of special virtues as the  
patron saint of idiots4  ,pooh6 cried   
the ,abbe ,gevresin4 ,why1 if ever a man
 revealed a magnificent comprehension of
 things human and divine1 it was that   
great ,abbot and founder of monasteries6
  ,oh6 there is no suggestion implied   
that ,saint ,columba was feeble of      
brain2 and as to why the mission was    
trusted to him rather than another of   

protecting the greater part of the human
 race1 ,i do not know4  ,perhaps he may 
have cured lunatics and healed those    
possessed8 the ,abbe ,gevresin          
suggested4  ,at any rate1 said ,durtal1 
it would be vain to erect a chapel to   
him1 since it would always be empty2 no 
one would come to entreat him1 poor     
saint6 for the essential mark of an     
idiot is not to think himself one6  ,a  
saint out of work6 remarked ,madame     
,bavoil4  ,and who is not likely to find
 any1 said ,durtal1 as he left them4    
,,chapter ,,xi4   ,durtal had begged his
 housekeeper1 ,madame ,mesurat1 to serve
 his coffee in his study4 ,he thus hoped
 to escape having her constantly        
standing in front of him1 as she did all
 through his meal1 asking him if his    
mutton-cutlet were good4  ,and though   
that meat had a taste of flannel1       
,durtal had nodded a sketchy            
affirmative1 knowing full well that if  
he ventured on the least comment he     
would have to endure an incoherent      

harangue on all the butchers in the     
town4  ,as soon as this woman1 at once  
servile1 despotic1 and obsequious1 had  
placed his cup on the table1 he buried  
his nose in a book1 and by his repellent
 attitude compelled her to fly4  ,he    
knew the book he was turning over almost
 by heart1 for he had often read it     
between the hours of service at the     
cathedral4 ,it was so entirely          
sympathetic to him1 with its artless    
faith and ingenuous enthusiasm1 that it 
was to him like the familiar speech of  
the ,church itself4  ,the little volume 
contained the prayers composed in the   
fourteenth century by ,gaston ,phoebus1 
,comte de ,foix4 ,durtal had it in two  
editions1 one printed in the original   
form of his authentic words and         
antiquated spelling1 by the ,abbe de    
,madaune2 the other modernized1 but with
 great skill and taste1 by ,monsieur de 
la ,briere4  ,durtal1 as he turned the  
pages1 came on such lamentable and      
humble prayers as these3 ,thou who hast 

shapened me in my mother's womb1 let me 
not perish4444 ,lord1 ,i confess my     
poverty4444 ,my conscience gnaws me and 
shows me the secrets of my heart4       
,avarice constrains me1 concupiscence   
befouls me1 gluttony disgraces me1 anger
 torments me1 inconstancy crushes me1   
indolence oppresses me1 hypocrisy       
beguiles me4444 and these1 ,lord1 are   
the companions with whom ,i have spent  
my youth1 these are the friends ,i have 
known1 these are the masters ,i have    
served4 ,and further on he exclaims1    
,sin have ,i heaped upon sin1 and the   
sins which ,i could not commit in very  
deed yet have ,i committed by evil      
desire4  ,durtal closed the volume1     
regretting that it should be so entirely
 unknown to ,catholics4 ,they were all  
busy chewing the cud of the old hay left
 at the heading or end of the           
,christian's ,day or ,the ,eucologia1 or
 meditating on the pompous prayers      
elaborated in the ponderous phraseology 
of the seventeenth century1 in which    

there is no accent of sincerity to be   
found--nothing1 not an appeal that comes
 from the heart1 not even a pious cry6  
,how far were these rhapsodies all cast 
in the same mould from this penitent and
 simple language1 from this easy and    
candid communion of the soul with ,god8 
,then ,durtal dipped again here and     
there1 and read3--  ,my ,god and my     
,mercy1 ,i am ashamed to pray to ,thee  
for very shame of my evil conscience2   
give a fountain of tears to my eyes1 and
 my hands largess of alms and charity2  
give me a seemly faith1 and hope1 and   
abiding charity4 ,lord1 ,thou holdest no
 man in horror save the fool that denies
 ,thee4 ,oh1 my ,god1 the ,giver of ,my 
,redemption and ,receiver of my soul1 ,i
 have sinned and ,thou hast suffered me6
  ,then1 turning over a few more pages1 
he came at the end of the volume to a   
few passages collected by ,monsieur de  
la ,briere1 among them these reflections
 on the ,eucharist culled from a        
manuscript of the fifteenth century3--  

,not every man can assimilate this meat2
 some there be who eat it not1 but      
swallow it down in haste4 ,it should be 
chewed as much as possible with the     
teeth of the understanding1 to the end  
that the sweet of its savour be pressed 
out of it1 and may come forth from it4  
,ye have heard it said that in nature1  
that which is most crushed is most      
nourishing2 now the crushing of the     
teeth is our deep and keen meditation on
 the ,sacrament itself4  ,then1 after   
having elucidated the individual use of 
each tooth1 the author adds1 in speaking
 of the fifteenth1 the ,sacrament on the
 altar is not merely as meat to fill and
 refill us2 but1 which is more1 to make 
us divine4  ,lord6 murmured ,durtal1    
laying down the book4 ,o ,lord6 ,if we  
allowed ourselves nowadays to use such  
materialistic comparisons and make use  
of such homely terms in speaking of ,thy
 supremely adorable ,body1 what a       
clamour would arise from the            
'respectable' among the worshippers and 

the blessed legion of the good women who
 have comfortable praying-chairs and    
reserved places near the altar--like    
front seats in a theatre--in the ,house 
where all are equal4  ,and ,durtal      
pondered over these reflections which   
assailed him every time he happened to  
take up a clerical journal or one of the
 ,manuals introduced by some prelate's  
note of approval1 like a clean bill of  
health4  ,he could never get over his   
amazement at the incredible ignorance1  
the instinctive aversion for art1 the   
type of ideas1 the terror of words1     
peculiar to ,catholics4 ,why was this8  
,for after all there was no reason why  
believers should be more ignorant and   
stupid than any other folks4 ,indeed1   
the contrary ought to be the truth4     
,whence did this inferiority proceed8   
,and ,durtal could answer himself4 ,it  
was due to the system of education1 to  
the training in intellectual timidity1  
to the lessons in fear1 given in a      
cellar1 far from a vital atmosphere and 

the light of day4 ,it really seemed as  
if there were some intention of         
emasculating souls by nourishing them on
 dried-up fragments1 literary           
white-meat2 some set purpose of         
destroying all independence and         
initiative in the disciples by levelling
 them1 crushing them all under the same 
roller1 and restricting the sphere of   
thought by maintaining a deliberate     
ignorance of art and literature4  ,and  
all merely to avert the temptation of   
forbidden fruit1 of which the idea was  
suggested under the pretext of inspiring
 dread of it4 ,by this method curiosity 
with regard to the veiled unknown       
tormented their young brains and excited
 their senses1 for it was always in the 
background1 and in a form all the more  
dangerous because it had the effect of a
 more or less transparent gauze4 ,the   
imagination could not fail to exasperate
 itself by cogitating its desire to know
 and its fear of knowing1 and it was    
ready to fly off at the least word4     

,under these circumstances the most     
anodyne book was a source of danger from
 the simple fact that love was alluded  
to1 and woman depicted as an attractive 
creature2 and this was enough to account
 for all--for the inherent ignorance of 
,catholics1 since it was proclaimed as  
the preventive cure for temptations--for
 the instinctive horror of art1 since to
 these craven souls every written and   
studied work was in its nature a vehicle
 of sin and an incitement to fall4      
,would it not really be far more        
sensible and judicious to open the      
windows1 to air the rooms1 to treat     
these souls as manly beings1 to teach   
them not to be so much afraid of their  
own flesh1 to inculcate the firmness and
 courage needed for resistance8 ,for    
really it is rather like a dog which    
barks at your heels and snaps at your   
legs if you are afraid of him1 but who  
beats a retreat if you turn on him      
boldly and drive him off4  ,the fact    
remains that these schemes of education 

have resulted1 on the one hand1 in the  
triumph of the flesh in the greater     
number of men who have been thus brought
 up and then thrown into a worldly life1
 and on the other1 in a wide diffusion  
of folly and fear1 an abandonment of the
 possessions of the intellect and the   
capitulation of the ,catholic army      
surrendering without a blow to the      
inroads of profane literature1 which    
takes possession of territory that it   
has not even had the trouble of         
conquering4  ,this really was madness6  
,the ,church had created art1 had       
cherished it for centuries2 and now by  
the effeteness of her sons she was cast 
into a corner4 ,all the great movements 
of our day1 one after the               
other--romanticism1 naturalism--had been
 effected independently of her1 or even 
against her will4  ,if a book were not  
restricted to the simplest tales1 or    
pleasing fiction ending in virtue       
rewarded and vice punished1 that was    
enough2 the propriety of beadledom was  

at once ready to bray4  ,as soon as the 
most modern form of art1 the most       
malleable and the broadest--the         
,novel--touched on scenes of real life1 
depicted passion1 became a psychological
 study1 an effort of analysis1 the army 
of bigots fell back all along the line4 
,the ,catholic force1 which might have  
been thought better prepared than any   
others to contest the ground which      
theology had long since explored1       
retired in good order1 satisfied to     
cover its retreat by firing from a safe 
distance1 with its old-fashioned        
match-lock blunderbusses1 on works it   
had neither inspired nor written4  ,the 
,church party1 centuries behind the     
time1 and having made no attempt to     
follow the evolution of style in the    
course of ages1 now turned to the rustic
 who can scarcely read2 it did not      
understand more than half of the words  
used by modern writers1 and had become1 
it must be said1 a camp of the          
illiterate4 ,incapable of distinguishing

 the good from the bad1 it included in  
one condemnation the filth of           
pornography and real works of art2 in   
short1 it ended by emitting such folly  
and talking such preposterous nonsense1 
that it fell into utter discredit and   
ceased to count at all4  ,and it would  
have been so easy for it to work on a   
little way1 to try to keep up with the  
times1 and to understand1 to convince   
itself whether in any given work the    
author was writing up the ,flesh1       
glorifying it1 praising it1 and nothing 
more1 or whether1 on the contrary1 he   
depicted it merely to buffet it--hating 
it4 ,and1 again1 it would have done well
 to convince itself that there is a     
chaste as well as a prurient nude1 and  
that it should not cry shame on every   
picture in which the nude is shown4     
,above all1 it ought to have recognized 
that vices may well be depicted and     
studied with a view to exciting disgust 
of them and showing their horrors4      
,for1 after all1 this was the great     

theory of the ,middle ,ages1 the        
theological method in sculpture1 the    
literary dogma of the monks of that     
time2 and this is the meaning and       
purpose of certain groups which even now
 shock the propriety of our             
methodistical purists4 ,these unseemly  
subjects and images of indecency are    
very numerous at ,saint ,benoit on the  
,loire1 in the cathedral of ,reims1 at  
le ,mans1 in the crypt at ,bourges1     
everywhere in our churches2 for in those
 where they do not occur1 it is because 
the prudery which was most rife in the  
most immoral times1 broke them by       
stoning them in the name of a morality  
very unlike that which was inculcated by
 the mediaeval saints4  ,these subjects 
have for many years been the delight of 
,freethinkers and the despair of        
,catholics2 those see in them a scathing
 satire on the manners of the monks and 
bishops1 these lament that such         
turpitude should ever have fouled the   
walls of the ,temple4 ,and yet it would 

have been so easy to explain the purpose
 of these scenes2 far from seeking to   
apologize for the tolerance of the      
,church that allowed them1 her honesty  
and breadth should have been held up to 
admiration4 ,by acting thus1 the ,church
 manifested her determination to inure  
her sons by showing them the ridiculous 
side of the temptations which assail    
them4 ,it was1 so to speak1 an object   
lesson or demonstration1 and at the same
 time a bidding to self-examination     
before venturing into the sanctuary     
which was thus prefaced by a catalogue  
of sins as a reminder to confession4    
,this was part of her plan of education1
 for she aimed at moulding manly souls  
and not crippled creatures such as are  
turned out by the spiritual orthopedists
 of our day2 she dragged out vice and   
lashed it wherever it lurked1 and did   
not hesitate to preach the equality of  
men before ,god1 insisting that bishops 
and monks should1 when guilty1 be placed
 in the pillory of its doorways2 nay1   

she gibbeted them more willingly than   
others1 to set an example4  ,these      
scenes were practically a comment of the
 ,sixth 7,seventh7 ,commandment1 a      
sculptured paraphrase of the ,catechism2
 the ,church's accusation and teaching  
plainly expressed so as to be understood
 of all men4  ,and ,our ,mother did not 
restrict herself to one mode only of    
expressing ,her warnings and reproofs2  
to reiterate them she borrowed the      
language of other arts4 ,literature and 
the pulpit were inevitably the          
interpreters that she employed to       
vituperate the sins of the people4  ,and
 they were not a whit more prudish or   
less audacious than sculpture4 ,we have 
only to open the books of the ,church to
 convince ourselves of the violent      
language in which she was wont to lash  
the sins of the flesh4 ,beginning with  
the ,scriptures1 the ,bible             
itself--which no one dares read now but 
in mawkish ,french versions--what       
priest1 for instance1 would venture to  

recommend to the nerveless spirit of his
 flock the study of the sixteenth       
chapter of ,ezekiel or of the ,song of  
,songs1 that ,epithalamium of ,jesus and
 the ,soul--down to the ,fathers and the
 ,doctors8  ,how our modern ,pharisees  
would reprove the uncompromising        
language of ,saint ,gregory the ,great  
when he exclaims1 ,speak the truth6 ,a  
scandal is better than a lie2 or ,saint 
,epiphanius' plain speaking in          
discussing the ,gnostics and describing 
in detail the abominations of that sect1
 quietly adding in the face of the      
congregation1 ,why should ,i shrink from
 speaking of the things you do not fear 
to do8 ,by speaking thus1 ,i hope to    
fill you with horror of the turpitude   
you commit4  ,or what would they think  
of ,saint ,bernard expatiating in his   
third meditation on horrible            
physiological details to demonstrate the
 baseness of our carnal ambition and the
 foulness of our pleasures8 ,or of      
,saint ,hildegarde1 who placidly        

discusses the various factors of such   
pleasures1 ,saint ,vincent ,ferrier     
freely dealing in his sermons with the  
sins of ,onan and of ,sodom1 using the  
simplest language1 and comparing        
confession to a purgative1 and asserting
 that the priest1 like a doctor1 should 
examine the excreta of the soul and     
prescribe for it8  ,what reprobation    
would be poured on the splendid passage 
by ,odo of ,cluny quoted by ,remy de    
,gourmont in his ,latin ,mystique1 the  
passage where that terrible monk        
analyzes the attractions of woman1 turns
 them over1 eviscerates them1 and flings
 them aside like a drawn rabbit on a    
butcher's stall2 and again on ,clement  
of ,alexandria1 who sums the whole      
matter up in two sentences3--  ,i am not
 ashamed to name the parts of the body  
wherein the foetus is formed and        
nourished2 and why indeed should ,i be1 
since ,god was not ashamed to create    
them8  ,none of the great writers of the
 ,church were prudish4 ,this            

mock-modesty which has so long          
stultified us dates actually from the   
ages of impiety1 the period of paganism1
 the return on threadbare classicism    
which was known as the ,renaissance2 and
 see how it has developed since6 ,its   
hot-bed and nursery ground lay in the   
lewd and gorgeous years of the so-called
 ,grand-siecle2 the virus of ,jansenism1
 the old ,protestant taint mingled with 
the blood of ,catholics1 and pollutes it
 still4  ,it is very true6 ,and pretty  
results have come of this infection of  
decency6 ,durtal burst out laughing as  
he thought of the cathedral at          
,chartres4  ,here1 said he to himself1  
we reach the climax2 pious imbecility   
can go no further4 ,among the subjects  
in sculpture in the ambulatory of the   
choir there is a group representing the 
,circumcision1 ,saint ,joseph holding   
the ,infant while the ,virgin has a     
napkin ready and the ,high ,priest is   
preparing to operate4 ,and there has    
been a priest so modest1 a divine so    

decorous as to regard this scene as     
licentious and to paste a piece of paper
 over the ,child's nakedness6  ,the     
indecency of ,god1 the obscenity of a   
new-born ,babe is too much6  ,bah6 said 
he4 ,the time has slipped away in all   
this meditation1 and the ,abbe will be  
waiting4  ,he ran quickly downstairs and
 hurried across to the cathedral1 where 
the ,abbe ,plomb was pacing to and fro  
in front of the northern porch1 reciting
 his ,breviary4  ,the side where sinners
 and demons are figured is especially   
that of the ,virgin1 who saves those and
 crushes these1 said the ,abbe4 ,the    
northern porch of a church is usually   
the most lively of all2 here1 however1  
the ,satanic incidents are on the       
southern side1 because they form part of
 the ,last ,judgment represented over   
the south door4 ,otherwise ,chartres1   
unlike her sister cathedrals1 would have
 no scenes of that kind4  ,then the rule
 in the thirteenth century was to place 
the ,virgin in the northern portion8    

,yes4 ,to the men of that time the north
 meant the gloom of winter1 the         
dejection of darkness1 the misery of    
cold2 the ice-bound chant of the winds  
was to them the very blast of evil2 to  
the north was the home of the devil1 the
 hell of nature1 as the south was its   
,eden4  ,but that is absurd6 cried      
,durtal1 the greatest blunder ever      
introduced into the symbolism of the    
elements4 ,the medieval sages were      
mistaken1 for snow is pure and cold is  
chastity4 ,it is the sun1 on the        
contrary1 that is the active agent in   
developing the germs of rottenness1 the 
ferment of vice6  ,they forget that the 
third ,psalm of ,compline speaks of the 
hot hour of noon as the most harassing  
and dangerous of all2 they must have    
overlooked the horrors of sweat and     
unwholesome heat1 the risks of relaxed  
nerves1 of loosened dresses1 all the    
abominations of leaden clouds and hard  
blue skies6  ,there are diabolical      
effluvia in the storm1 and in weather   

when the air stirs like the vapours from
 a furnace1 rousing evil instincts and  
bringing about us the raging swarm of   
evil angels4  ,but remember the passages
 in which ,isaiah and ,jeremiah speak of
 ,lucifer as dwelling in the blast of   
the north wind2 and recollect that the  
great cathedrals did not originate in   
the south but in the middle and north of
 ,france2 consequently1 after having    
adopted this symbolism of seasons and   
weather1 the pious architects dreamed of
 the horror of men buried in snow1 and  
longing for a gleam of sunshine and a   
bright day4 ,naturally they thought of  
the east as the region of the original  
,paradise1 and of those lands as milder 
and less inclement than their own4      
,that does not hinder the fact that this
 theory was controverted by ,our ,lord  
,himself4  ,where do you find that8     
asked the ,abbe ,plomb4  ,on ,calvary2  
,jesus died turning ,his back to the    
south1 which had crucified ,him1 and    
extending ,his arms on the ,cross to    

bless and embrace the north4 ,he seemed 
to be withdrawing ,his favours from the 
east1 'to bestow them on the west4      
,hence1 if any region is accurst and    
inhabited by ,satan1 it is the south and
 not the north4  ,you abominate the     
south and its races1 that is evident1   
said the ,abbe1 laughing4  ,i do not    
love them4 ,their scenery1 vulgarized by
 crude daylight1 their dusty trees      
standing out against a sky of           
washerwoman's blue1 have no charm for   
me2 as to the natives1 hairy and noisy1 
with a blue bar under their nostrils if 
they shave1 ,i flee from them6  ,here1  
in short1 we are face to face with a    
fact which no discussions can alter4    
,this side of the church is dedicated to
 the ,virgin4 ,shall we now examine it1 
first as a whole1 and then in detail8   
,this portal1 brought forward like an   
open porch1 a sort of verandah in front 
of the doors1 is an allegory of the     
,saviour showing the way into the       
heavenly ,jerusalem4 ,it was begun in   

the year #abae under ,philip ,augustus1 
and finished by about #abge1 under      
,philip the ,bold2 thus it was nearly   
sixty years in building1 the greater    
part of the thirteenth century4 ,it is  
divided into three parts1 corresponding 
to the three doors behind it2 there are 
more than seven hundred statues grouped 
here1 large and small1 representing1 for
 the most part1 personages from the ,old
 ,testament4  ,it forms1 in fact1 three 
deep bays or gulfs4  ,the central       
portal1 before which we are standing1   
and which leads to the middle door1 has 
for its subject the ,glorification of   
the ,virgin4  ,the left-hand bay        
contains the life and virtues of the    
,virgin4  ,the right-hand bay is devoted
 to images of ,mary ,herself4           
,according to another interpretation1   
put forward by ,canon ,davin1 this      
porch1 which was built at the time when 
,saint ,dominic instituted the ,rosary1 
is a reproduction in images of its      
mysteries4  ,on that theory1 the        

left-hand arch1 containing the scenes of
 the ,annunciation1 the ,visitation1 and
 the ,nativity1 answers to the ,joyful  
,mysteries2 the central bay1 containing 
the ,assumption and ,coronation of the  
,virgin1 to the ,glorious ,mysteries2   
and that to the right1 where we find a  
presentment of ,job1 precursor of the   
,crucifixion under the ancient law1 to  
the ,sorrowful ,mysteries4  ,there is a 
third interpretation1 said ,durtal1 but 
it is ridiculous4 ,that of ,didron1 who 
regards this front as the first page of 
the ,book of ,chartres4 ,he opens it at 
this porch1 and asserts that the        
sculptors began to render the           
,encyclopedia of ,vincent de ,beauvais  
by representing the creation of the     
world4 ,but if so1 where are those      
wonderful representations of ,genesis   
hidden8  ,there1 said the ,abbe1        
pointing to a row of statuettes lost in 
a hollow moulding at the very edge of   
the porch4  ,but to ascribe so much     
importance to tiny figures which1 after 

all1 are there merely to fill up1 as    
stop-gaps--it is preposterous6 cried    
,durtal4  ,no doubt4 ,but now let us    
examine the work4  ,you will observe in 
the first place that1 in opposition to  
the ritual observed in most of the great
 churches of the time--those of ,amiens1
 ,reims1 and ,paris1 to name but        
three--it is not the ,virgin who stands 
on the pillar between the two halves of 
the door1 but ,her ,mother1 ,saint      
,anne2 and inside1 in the windows1 we   
find the same thing3 ,saint ,anne1 as a 
negress1 her head bound in a blue       
kerchief1 holds ,mary in her arms1 as   
brown as a half-caste4  ,why is this8   
,no doubt because the ,emperor          
,beaudouin1 after the sack of           
,constantinople1 bestowed that ,saint's 
head on this cathedral4  ,the ten       
colossal statues placed on each side of 
,her in the niches of the porch are     
familiar to you1 for they attend ,our   
,lady in every sanctuary of the         
thirteenth century--in ,paris1 at       

,amiens1 at ,rouen1 ,reims1 ,bourges1   
and ,sens4 ,the five to the left are a  
series figurative of the ,son2 the five 
on the right symbolize ,our ,lord       
,himself4 ,they stand in chronological  
order3 the prototypes of the ,messiah1  
or the ,prophets who foretold ,his      
birth1 death1 resurrection1 and         
everlasting priesthood4  ,to the left1  
,melchizedec1 ,abraham1 ,moses1 ,samuel1
 and ,david2 to the right1 ,isaiah1     
,jeremiah1 ,simeon1 ,saint ,john the    
,baptist1 and ,saint ,peter4  ,but why1 
remarked ,durtal1 is the son of ,jonas  
in the midst of the ,old ,testament8    
,his place is not there1 but in the     
,gospels4  ,yes1 but you will observe   
that ,saint ,peter here stands next to  
,saint ,john the ,baptist2 the two      
statues are side by side and touch each 
other4 ,then do you not perceive the    
meaning of this juxtaposition8 ,one was 
the ,precursor and the other the        
,successor of ,christ2 the first        
anticipated ,him1 the second carried out

 ,his mission4 ,it was quite natural to 
place them together1 and that the ,chief
 of the ,apostles should figure as the  
conclusion to the premisses set forth by
 the other statues of this portal4      
,finally1 in addition to this series of 
patriarchs and prophets1 you may see    
there1 in the hollow between the        
pilasters1 a pair of statues1 one on    
each side of the door3 ,elijah the      
,tishbite1 and ,elisha his disciple4    
,the first prefigures the ,saviour's    
,ascension by his being carried up alive
 to ,heaven in a chariot of fire2 the   
second typifies ,jesus saving and       
preserving mankind in the person of the 
,shunammite's son4  ,argument is vain1  
murmured ,durtal1 who was meditative4   
,the ,messianic prophecies are          
irresistible4 ,all the logic of the     
,rabbins1 the ,protestants1 the         
,freethinkers1 all the ingenuity of the 
,germans1 have failed to find a crack or
 to undermine the old rock of the       
,church4 ,there is such a body of       

evidence1 such certainty1 such          
demonstration of the truth1 such an     
indestructible foundation1 that a man   
must be stricken with spiritual         
blindness to dare deny it4  ,yes3 and to
 the end that there should be no        
mistake1 no possibility of alleging that
 the inspired ,scriptures were written  
subsequent to the arrival of the        
,messiah they prophesy1 to prove that   
they were neither invented nor added to 
after the event1 it was ,god's pleasure 
that they should be translated into     
,greek in the ,septuagint version and   
known to the whole world more than two  
hundred and fifty years before the birth
 of ,christ4  ,to imagine the           
impossible--supposing the ,gospels were 
to be annihilated1 they could1 ,i       
suppose1 be restored1 and a brief       
history written of the ,saviour's life  
as they relate it merely by studying the
 ,messianic announcements in the books  
of the ,prophets8  ,no doubt2 for1 after
 all1 and it cannot be too often        

repeated1 the ,old ,testament is the    
story before the event of the ,son of   
,man and the founding of ,his ,church2  
as ,saint ,augustine bears witness1 'the
 whole history of the ,jewish people was
 a perpetual prophecy of the expected   
,king4'  ,you will see1 apart from      
personages prefiguring the ,redeemer    
which you may find in every page of the 
,bible3 ,isaac1 ,joseph1 ,moses1 ,david1
 ,jonah1 to name five taken at random2  
apart1 too1 from the animals and objects
 that symbolized ,him under the ,old    
,laws1 as1 for instance1 the ,paschal   
,lamb1 the ,manna1 the ,brazen ,serpent1
 and others1 we can1 if you please1     
simply by quoting the ,prophets1 trace  
the broad outlines of ,emmanuel's life  
and epitomize the ,gospels in a few     
words4 ,listen6  ,the ,abbe paused for  
thought1 his hand over his eyes4  ,that 
he should be born of a ,virgin is       
foretold by ,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 and     
,ezekiel--that this ,advent should be   
preceded by a special messenger1 ,saint 

,john1 is noted by ,malachi1 whom       
,isaiah confirms1 adding for greater    
certainty that he should be as 'the     
voice of one crying in the ,wilderness4'
  ,the place of ,his birth1 ,bethlehem1 
is mentioned by ,micah2 the adoration of
 the ,magi1 offering gold1 myrrh and    
frankincense1 is announced by ,isaiah   
and the ,psalm ascribed to ,solomon4    
,his youth and ,his calling are clearly 
suggested by ,ezekiel1 who speaks of    
,him as seeking the lost sheep1 and by  
,isaiah1 who tells beforehand of the    
miracles ,he would perform on the blind 
and the deaf and dumb1 and who finally  
declares that ,he will be 'a stone of   
stumbling' to the ,jews4  ,but it is    
when they speak of ,his ,passion and    
,death that the prophecies become       
mathematically exact1 incredibly        
precise4 ,the offering of palm branches1
 the betrayal by ,judas1 and the price  
of thirty pieces of silver appear in    
,zechariah2 and ,isaiah takes up the    
parable to describe the rejection and   

opprobrium of ,calvary3 ',he was wounded
 for our transgressions1 ,he was bruised
 for our iniquities4444 ,the ,lord hath 
laid on ,him the iniquity of us all4444 
,he was despised and rejected of men2 a 
man of sorrows1 and acquainted with     
grief4444 ,he was brought as a lamb to  
the slaughter1 and as a sheep before her
 shearers is dumb4'  ,david expatiates  
on the dreadful scene3 ',he was a worm  
and no man1 a very scorn of men and the 
outcast of the people4'  ,details are   
multiplied4 ,the wounds in ,his hands   
are spoken of by ,zechariah2 ,david     
enumerates the circumstances of the     
,passion1 word for word3 the pierced    
hands1 the division of ,his raiment1    
casting lots for the robe4 ,the hooting 
of the ,jews1 bidding ,him to save      
,himself if ,he be the ,son of ,god1 is 
mentioned in chapter ii4 of the ,book of
 ,wisdom1 and again by ,david2 the gall 
and the vinegar offered ,him on the     
,cross and the very words of ,jesus     
giving up the ghost are to be found in  

the ,psalms4  ,nor is this the last of  
the prophecies to be found in the ,old  
,testament4  ,its prophetic mission is  
carried out to the end4 ,the            
establishment of the ,church in the     
place of the ,synagogue is foretold by  
,ezekiel1 ,isaiah1 ,joel1 and ,micah2   
and the ,mass1 the ,eucharistic         
,sacrament1 is plainly adumbrated by    
,malachi1 who declared that for the     
offerings of the ,old ,law offered only 
in the ,temple at ,jerusalem shall be   
substituted 'a pure offering to be      
offered in every place and by all       
nations'--by priests chosen from among  
all people1 ,isaiah adds1 and ,david    
says after the order of ,melchizedec4   
,pascal very truly remarks that 'the    
fulfilment of the prophecies is a       
perpetual miracle1 and that no other    
proof is needed to show the divine      
origin of the ,christian ,religion4'    
,durtal had gone closer to the statues1 
standing by ,saint ,anne1 and was       
looking at one on the left wearing a    

pointed cap1 a sort of papal tiara with 
a crown round the edge1 robed in an alb 
girt round the middle with knotted cord1
 and a large cope with a fringe2 the    
features were grave1 almost anxious1 and
 the eye fixed with an absorbed gaze    
into the distance4 ,this figure held a  
censer in one hand1 and in the other a  
chalice covered with a paten on which   
there was a loaf2 and this image of     
,melchizedec1 the ,king of ,salem1 threw
 ,durtal into a deep reverie4  ,he was1 
in fact1 one of the most mysterious     
types of the ,holy ,scriptures--this    
monarch mentioned in ,genesis as the    
,priest of the ,most ,high ,god4 ,he    
consummates the sacrifice of bread and  
wine1 blesses ,abram1 receives tithes   
from him1 and then vanishes into the    
darkness of history4 ,and suddenly his  
name is found in a psalm of ,david's1   
who declares that the ,messiah is a     
priest for ever after the order of      
,melchizedec1 and again he is lost      
without leaving a trace4  ,then quite   

unexpectedly he reappears in the ,new   
,testament1 and what ,saint ,paul says  
of him in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews  
makes him more enigmatical than ever4   
,the apostle speaks of him as without   
father1 without mother1 without descent1
 having neither beginning of days nor   
end of life1 but made like unto the ,son
 of ,god1 abiding a priest continually4 
,saint ,paul is explicit to show how    
great a person he was--and the dim light
 he casts on this figure goes out4  ,you
 must confess that this ,king of ,salem 
is a puzzle4 ,what do the commentators  
think of him8 asked ,durtal4  ,they say 
but little4 ,only ,saint ,jerome        
observes that when ,saint ,paul speaks  
of him as without parents1 without      
descent1 without beginning1 and without 
end1 he does not mean to convey that    
,melchizedec came down from ,heaven or  
was created ab initio like the first    
man1 by the ,ancient of ,days4 ,the     
phrase simply means that he is          
introduced into the history of ,abraham 

without our knowing whence he came1 who 
he was1 when he was born1 or at what    
time he died4  ,in fact1 the inscrutable
 part played by this prototype of ,jesus
 in the canonical ,scriptures has led to
 the most grotesque legends and         
heresies4  ,some have asserted that he  
was ,shem1 the son of ,noah2 others have
 thought that he was ,ham4 ,simon       
,logothetes considers him an ,egyptian2 
,suidas believes him to have belonged to
 the accursed race of ,canaanites1 and  
that this is why the ,bible says nothing
 of his ancestry4  ,the gnostics revered
 him as an ,eon superior to ,jesus2 and 
in the third century ,theodore le       
,changeur also asserted that he was not 
a man1 but a virtue transcending        
,christ1 because ,christ's priesthood   
was but a copy of ,melchizedec's4       
,according to another sect1 he was      
neither more nor less than the          
,paraclete4 ,but come1 in the absence of
 early ,scriptures what do the seers    
say8 ,does ,sister ,emmerich speak of   

him8  ,she tells us nothing precise1    
replied ,durtal4 ,to her he was a sort  
of priestly angel charged with the      
preparation for the great ,act of       
,redemption4  ,that is very much the    
view held by ,origen and ,didymus1 who  
also ascribed to him the angelic nature4
  ,thus she perceives him long before   
the advent of ,abram in various desert  
spots of ,palestine2 he unlocks the     
springs of ,jordan1 and in another      
passage of the life of ,christ she adds 
that it was he who taught the ,hebrews  
the culture of wheat and of the vine4   
,in fact1 she throws no light on this   
insoluble enigma4  ,from the artist's   
point of view1 ,durtal went on1         
,melchizedec is one of the best statues 
in this porch4 ,but what a strange face 
is that of his neighbour ,abraham1 seen 
only three-quarters full1 with hair like
 rolled grass1 a beard like a river god1
 and a long nose straight from the      
forehead1 coming down between the eyes  
without a bridge1 like the proboscis of 

a tapir1 with cheeks that seem swollen  
with cold1 and a look--how shall ,i     
describe it8--of a conjuror who has made
 away with his son's head4  ,in point of
 fact1 he is listening to the commands  
of the angel1 whom he cannot see2       
observe1 below on the pedestal the ram  
caught in the thicket1 and the symbolism
 is evident4  ,this is the ,father      
sacrificing his ,son1 and ,isaac is the 
very image of the ,son--,isaac bearing  
the wood to fire the altar1 as ,jesus   
bore the ,cross2 then the ram becomes   
figurative of the ,saviour1 and the bush
 in which he is caught by the horns is  
symbolical of the ,crown of ,thorns4    
,to do full justice to this subject and 
to the teaching by figures that it      
contains1 we ought also to have had the 
,patriarch's two wives carved on the    
supporting pillar or plinth1 and his    
other son ,ishmael4 ,for1 as you know1  
these two women are emblems1 ,hagar of  
the ,old ,dispensation1 and ,sarah of   
the ,new2 the former disappears to make 

way for the second1 the ,old ,law being 
merely the preparation for the ,new2 and
 the two sons born of these two mothers 
are by analogy the children of the      
,books1 and thus ,ishmael represents the
 ,israelites1 and ,isaac the            
,christians4  ,next to ,abraham1 the    
father of believers1 stands ,moses1 as a
 symbol of ,christ2 for the deliverance 
of ,israel is an image of the           
,redemption of ,man snatched by the     
,saviour from the devil1 just as the    
passage of the ,red ,sea is an image of 
,baptism4 ,he holds the ,table of the   
,law and the staff round which the      
,brazen ,serpent is twined4 ,then comes 
,samuel1 in many ways typical of        
,christ1 the founder of the ,royal      
,priesthood and of ,pontifical          
,kingship2 and last of all1 ,david      
holding the ,lamb and ,crown of         
,calvary4  ,i need hardly remind you    
that this ,prophet-,king1 more than any 
other personage1 prefigured the sorrows 
of the ,messiah1 and that he too1 to    

make the resemblance more perfect1 had  
his ,judas in the person of ,achitophel1
 who1 like the later traitor1 hanged    
himself4  ,you must admit1 said ,durtal1
 that these statues1 before which the   
historians of this cathedral go into    
ecstasies1 declaring in chorus they are 
the highest achievement of              
thirteenth-century sculpture1 are far   
inferior to those of the twelfth century
 that adorn the great north porch4 ,how 
evident is the lowering of the divine   
standard6 ,their action is freer1 no    
doubt1 and the play of drapery is       
broader4 ,the rhubarb-stem plaits of the
 robes are fuller1 and have some        
movement1 but where is the grace as of a
 sculptured soul that we see in the     
royal porch8 ,all these statues1 with   
their massive heads1 are thick-set and  
mute1 devoid of communicative life4     
,this is pious work--fine work1 if you  
will--but devoid of the 'beyond'2 here  
is art indeed1 but it has ceased to be  
mysticism4  ,look at ,st4 ,anne with her

 gloomy expression1 either cross or     
suffering--how far she is from the      
so-called ,radegonde and ,berthe6  ,with
 the exception of two1 ,st4 ,john and   
,st4 ,joseph over there in the innermost
 part of the arch1 these are familiar   
figures4 ,they also occur at ,reims and 
at ,amiens4 ,and do you remember the    
,simeon1 the ,virgin1 and the ,st4 ,anne
 at ,reims8 ,the ,virgin so guilelessly 
charming1 so exquisitely chaste1 holding
 out the ,infant to ,simeon1 who stands 
mild and devout in his solemn garb as   
,high ,priest4 ,st4 ,anne--a head of the
 same type as ,st4 ,joseph's1 and as    
those of two angels on the same frontal1
 standing by ,st4 ,nicasius1 with his   
head cut off at the brows--,st4 ,anne   
with a smiling1 arch expression and yet 
elderly--a sharp little chin1 large     
eyes1 a thin1 long1 pointed nose1 the   
look of a youthful duena1 kindly but    
knowing4  ,but1 indeed1 those           
image-makers excelled in creating these 
singular1 indefinable countenances4 ,do 

you recall ,our ,lady of ,paris1 later1 
,i believe1 by a century8 ,she is       
scarcely pretty1 but so expressive1 with
 the smile of happiness parting such    
melancholy lips4 ,seen from one side    
,she is smiling at ,jesus1 watchful1    
almost sportive2 it would seem as though
 she were waiting for the ,child to say 
some merry word before laughing out2    
,she is a girl-mother1 not yet          
accustomed to her ,child's caress4 ,seen
 from another angle1 this smile1        
apparently in the bud1 has vanished4    
,the mouth is puckered in sorrow1 and   
promises tears4  ,perhaps when he       
succeeded in stamping on the face of    
,our ,lady two such opposite expressions
 of peace and of fear1 the sculptor     
intended to suggest at once the joy of  
the ,nativity and the anticipated       
anguish of ,calvary4 ,thus he has       
portrayed in one and the same image1 the
 ,mother of ,sorrows and the ,mother of 
,joy--has1 without knowing it1 embodied 
the prototypes of the ,virgin of ,la    

,salette and the ,virgin of ,lourdes4   
,and yet all this is inferior to the    
living and dignified art1 so full of    
individuality and mystery1 that we see  
in the royal porch of ,chartres6  ,i    
will not contradict you1 said the ,abbe 
,plomb4 ,now that we have studied the   
series of types placed on ,st4 ,anne's  
left hand1 let us consider the prophetic
 series on her right4  ,first we see    
,isaiah2 the pedestal on which he stands
 represents ,jesse sleeping4 ,the       
familiar stem1 rooted in him1 passes    
between the prophet's feet1 and the     
branches of the ,virgin's ancestry      
according to the flesh and the spirit1  
as they rise1 fill the four courses of  
moulding in the central arch4 ,by his   
side is ,jeremiah1 who1 meditating on   
the ,passion of ,christ1 wrote this     
lamentable passage which is read in the 
fifth lesson of the second ,nocturn on  
,easter ,eve3 ',all ye that pass by1    
behold and see if there be any sorrow   
like unto my sorrow4' ,next ,simeon     

holding the ,infant whose ,birth he had 
foreseen1 at the same time with the     
sorrows of the ,virgin and the anguish  
of ,golgotha2 ,saint ,john the ,baptist1
 and finally ,saint ,peter1 whose dress 
is an interesting study since it is     
copied from that of the                 
thirteenth-century ,popes4  ,with what  
care is every detail wrought6 ,admire   
the treatment of the sandals1 the       
gloves1 the broidered amice1 the alb1   
the maniple1 the dalmatic1 the pallium  
marked with six crosses1 the triple     
crown1 the conical tiara of brocaded    
silk1 the pontifical breastplate1       
everything is chiselled1 pierced1 and   
patterned as if by a goldsmith4  ,very  
true4 ,but how superior altogether is   
the ,saint ,john to his fellows on this 
front4 ,what mastery we discern in that 
hollow1 emaciated face1 as expressive as
 the others are dull4 ,he is apart from 
the conventional and hackneyed type4 ,he
 stands upright1 savage but mild1 with  
his beard in curling prongs1 his lean   

frame1 his raiment of camel-skin2 we can
 hear him speaking as he points to the  
,lamb carrying the hastate cross        
surrounded by a nimbus1 pressing it to  
his bosom with both hands4 ,that statue 
is sublime1 and it is most certainly not
 by the same hand that carved the       
,abraham1 nor even his immediate        
neighbour1 ,samuel4 ,this prophet       
appears to be offering to ,david1 who   
cares not1 a lamb he is feeling1 head   
downwards4 ,he is a butcher pricing his 
goods1 weighing the meat1 inviting you  
to feel it1 and hesitating to sell till 
he gets the best price4 ,how different  
from the ,saint ,john6  ,the tympanum of
 the door will have no charm for us1 the
 ,abbe went on4 ,the death of the       
,virgin1 ,her assumption and coronation 
are more curious to read of in the      
,golden ,legend than to study in those  
has-reliefs which are but an epitome4   
,we will proceed to the left-hand       
doorway4  ,it is much mutilated1 in a   
lamentable state of ruin4 ,most of the  

large statues have disappeared4 ,there  
were once1 it would seem1 as on the     
royal porch of ,notre ,dame at ,paris   
and the southern porch at ,reims1 the   
figures of the ,synagogue and the       
,church2 also ,leah and ,rachel1        
typifying the active and the            
contemplative life1 of which we shall   
decipher the details recorded in the    
archivolt4  ,of the large figures that  
remain1 three are regarded as           
masterpieces3 the ,virgin1 ,saint       
,elizabeth1 and ,daniel4  ,that is      
saying a great deal1 cried ,durtal4     
,they are stupid-looking and the drapery
 is cold2 the arrangement of their robes
 recalls the ,greek peplum2 they have a 
prophetic savour of the ,renaissance4   
,i will not contradict you2 but what is 
really attractive is the scheme of ideas
 expressed by the figures in the hollow 
mouldings of the arch of this portal1   
based on an equilateral triangle4 ,as to
 the tympanum1 which displays the       
,nativity1 the calling of the ,shepherds

 of ,bethlehem1 the dream and adoration 
of the ,kings1 it is marred and worn by 
time2 nor is it in a style of art that  
can move us deeply4  ,study the         
mouldings of the arch with the four rows
 of images that adorn them4 ,first the  
inner one1 with its ten torch-bearing   
angels2 the second1 illustrating the    
parable of the wise and foolish virgins2
 the third1 representing the            
,psychomachia1 or struggle between the  
,virtues and the ,vices2 the fourth1 a  
row of twelve queens embodying the      
twelve fruits of the ,spirit2 and linger
 over the enchanting series of statues  
in the moulding at the very edge of the 
archway of the porch1 representing the  
occupations of the active and the       
contemplative life4  ,the active life1  
on the left1 is imagined in accordance  
with the picture of the virtuous woman  
in the last chapter of ,proverbs4 ,she  
is seen washing wool in a bowl1 carding 
it1 stripping the flax1 beating it1     
spinning it on a distaff1 and winding it

 into hanks4  ,on the right is seen the 
contemplative life2 a woman praying1    
holding a closed book1 opening it1      
reading it2 she shuts it to meditate on 
it1 teaches others1 and falls into an   
ecstasy4  ,finally1 in the outermost    
hollow of the moulding of the arch1 the 
nearest to us and the most visible1     
there are fourteen statues of queens1   
leaning on shields with coats-of-arms1  
and formerly holding banners4 ,the      
meaning of these statuettes has been    
much discussed1 especially of the second
 figure on the left1 which is named     
',libertas' the word being carved in the
 stone4 ,didron believed them to        
represent the domestic and social       
virtues2 but the question has been      
finally and definitively settled by the 
most erudite and clearsighted symbolist 
of our day1 ,madame ,felicie d',ayzac1  
who1 in a very edifying pamphlet        
published in #ahdc on these statues and 
on the animals of the ,tetramorph1 has  
proved to demonstration that these      

fourteen queens are none else than the  
fourteen heavenly ,beatitudes as        
enumerated by ,saint ,anselm3 ,beauty1  
,liberty1 ,honour1 ,joy1 ,pleasure1     
,agility1 ,strength1 ,concord1          
,friendship1 ,length of ,days1 ,power1  
,health1 ,safety1 and ,wisdom4  ,is not 
this porch1 as a whole1 so closely set  
with imagery1 one of the most ingenious 
and interesting doorways known1 from the
 points of view of theology and of      
mysticism alike8  ,and no less from the 
point of view of art4 ,you are perfectly
 right2 these toiling and meditative    
women are so delicate and so loving1    
that we can but regret that they should 
be hidden in the shadow of a cavern4    
,what artists must those have been who  
worked thus for the glory of ,god and   
for their own satisfaction1 creating    
marvels while knowing that no man would 
see them6  ,and they had not even the   
vanity to sign them2 they were always   
anonymous4  ,ah6 they were men of a     
different mould from us4 ,prouder souls1

 and humbler4  ,and holier1 added the   
,abbe4 ,shall we now inquire into the   
iconography of the right-hand portal8   
,it has suffered less1 and may be       
explained in a few words4  ,this        
sculptured vault is1 as you know1       
dedicated to types of ,mary2 but we     
might more accurately say that it is    
devoted to prototypes of ,christ1 for in
 this doorway1 as in the other two1     
indeed1 the image-makers of the         
thirteenth century have made it their   
task to identity the ,son with the      
,mother4  ,in fact1 most of the         
personages we have already studied      
relate more especially to ,christ4      
,what1 then1 are those in the ,old      
,testament1 which are more essentially  
proper to the daughter of ,joachim1 and 
transferred in images of stone to be    
deciphered here8  ,the allegories of the
 ,virgin in the ,scriptures are         
numberless4 ,whole books1 as the ,song  
of ,songs and the ,book of ,wisdom1     
allude in every verse to ,her beauty and

 wisdom4 ,as to the non-human emblems   
that may be applied to ,her1 you know   
them well3 ,noah's ,ark1 in which the   
,redeemer dwells2 the ,dove1 the        
,rainbow1 as a sign of alliance between 
the ,lord and the earth2 the burning    
bush whence came out the name of ,god2  
the cloud of fire guiding ,israel in the
 desert2 the ,rod of ,aaron which alone 
blossomed of those of the twelve tribes 
taken by ,moses2 the ,ark of the        
,covenant2 ,gideon's fleece2 and a whole
 series1 if possible1 more obviously    
representative2 ,david's tower2         
,solomon's throne2 the garden enclosed  
and the fountain sealed of the          
,canticle2 the dial of ,ahaz2 ,elijah's 
saving cloud2 ,ezekiel's doorway--and ,i
 mention none but those of which the    
interpretation has received the seal and
 sanction of the ,fathers and ,doctors  
of the ,church4  ,as to the living      
beings that prefigured ,her on earth1   
instances abound2 the greater part of   
the famous women of the ,old ,testament 

are but anticipatory images of ,her     
graces4 ,sarah1 to whom an angel        
foretells the birth of a son who is     
himself a type of the ,son2 ,miriam1 the
 sister of ,moses1 who1 by saving her   
brother from the river1 freed the ,jews2
 ,jephthah's daughter2 ,deborah1 the    
prophetess2 ,jael1 who1 like the        
,virgin1 was called ,blessed among      
women2 ,hannah1 the mother of ,samuel1  
whose song of praise seems like a       
forecast of the ,magnificat2 ,jehosheba 
preserving ,joash from the fury of      
,athaliah1 as the ,virgin afterwards    
saved ,jesus from the wrath of ,herod2  
,ruth personifying both the             
contemplative and the active life2      
,rebecca1 ,rachel1 ,abigail1 ,solomon's 
mother1 the mother of the ,maccabees1   
who witnessed the death of her sons2 and
 again those whose names are inscribed  
under these arches2 ,judith and ,esther1
 the first representative of courageous 
chastity1 and the second of mercy and   
justice4  ,however1 to avoid confusion1 

we will follow the statues in order as  
they stand in this porch1 three on each 
side4  ,on the left ,balaam1 the ,queen 
of ,sheba and ,solomon4  ,on the right1 
,jesus the son of ,sirach1 ,judith or   
,esther1 and ,joseph4  ,balaam is this  
statue of a worthy peasant1 smug and    
friendly1 smiling in his beard1 a stick 
in his hand and a hat like a pie-dish2  
and the ,queen of ,sheba1 the woman who 
bends forward a little1 looking as if   
she were cross-questioning and arguing  
over some deed she condemned4 ,but what 
have these two persons to do with the   
life of the ,virgin8  ,balaam is a type 
of the ,messiah4 ,it was he who         
prophesied that a star should come out  
of ,jacob and a sceptre rise out of     
,israel4 ,as to the ,queen of ,sheba1   
according to the teaching of the        
,fathers1 she is an image of the        
,church2 ,solomon's spouse1 as the      
,church is the spouse of ,christ4       
,well1 well1 muttered ,durtal to        
himself4 ,the thirteenth century could  

not give a fitting presentment of that  
queen1 whom we picture to ourselves as  
dressed with foolish magnificence1      
rocking on a camel across the desert at 
the head of a caravan under the blazing 
sky across the furnace of sand4 ,her    
charms have appealed to writers1 and not
 the smallest of them2 ,flaubert for    
one--this ,queen ,balkis1 ,mekida or    
,nicaule4 ,but in the ',tentation de    
,saint ,antoine' she has failed to      
assume any form but that of a puerile   
and flimsy creature1 a skipping and     
lisping puppet4 ,in fact1 no one but    
,gustave ,moreau1 the painter of        
,salome1 could represent the woman1 a   
virgin and a courtesan1 a casuist and a 
coquette4 ,he only could give life1     
under the flowered panoply of dress and 
the blazing gorget of jewels1 to the    
crowned foreign face1 with its smile as 
of an artless sphinx1 come from so far  
to ask enigmas4 ,such a woman is too    
complicated for the spirit and the      
ingenuous art of the ,middle ,ages4     

,indeed1 the sculptured image is neither
 mysterious nor suggestive4 ,she is     
hardly pretty1 and stands in the        
obsequious attitude of an advocate4     
,solomon looks like a jovial good       
fellow4 ,the two effigies on the other  
side of the door might perhaps invite   
attention if they were not so completely
 crushed by the third4 ,again a         
question4 ,by what right does the author
 of that admirable book ',ecclesiastes' 
find a place in these ranks of honour8  
,jesus the son of ,sirach prefigures the
 ,messiah as a ,prophet and a ,doctor4  
,as to the figure next to him1 it may   
equally well be ,judith or ,esther3 her 
identity is doubtful2 there is nothing  
that can help us to determine it4  ,at  
any rate1 as ,i told you but now1 each  
is a harbinger of the ,virgin4 ,as to   
,joseph persecuted and sold1 a slave    
raised almost to the throne1 the        
merciful protector of his people1 he is 
the prototype of ,christ4  ,durtal      
paused to gaze up at the beardless face1

 with curling hair cut close round4 ,the
 youth wore a tunic under a surcoat     
embroidered round the neck1 and he stood
 motionless1 a sceptre in his hand4 ,he 
might be a very young monk1 humble1     
simple1 and so far advanced in the      
mystic road that he was unconscious of  
it4 ,this statue was undoubtedly a      
portrait1 and it seemed certain that    
some refined and innocent novice had    
served as a model to the artist4 ,it was
 the work of a chastened and happy soul 
superior to the crowd4 ,this one1 even  
more than the ,st4 ,john1 is a perfect  
dream1 said ,durtal to the ,abbe1 who   
assented with a nod1 and went on1--     
,the sculptures over the arches are     
practically invisible1 for you must     
dislocate your neck to see them4 ,nor is
 the art they display exciting4 ,only   
the subjects are interesting4 ,besides a
 row of angels bearing stars and        
torches1 they represent the achievements
 of ,gideon2 the story of ,samson1 who1 
when a prisoner1 rose in the night1 and 

carrying away the gates of ,gaza1       
escaped from the town1 as ,christ broke 
the gates of death1 and escaped alive   
from ,his sepulchre2 the history of     
,tobit1 as a divine paragon of mercy and
 patience2 and finally1 in the corner we
 find a replica of the grand porch1 the 
signs of the zodiac1 and a calendar in  
sculptured stone4  ,the tympanum1 as you
 see1 is divided into two portions4  ,in
 the upper part we see the ,judgment of 
,solomon1 as figuring the ,sun of       
,justice1 ,christ ,himself4  ,in the    
lower half ,job lies stretched on his   
dunghill1 and the ,messiah1 of whom he  
is a prototype1 comes1 supported by two 
angels1 to give him a palm-branch4  ,to 
complete the elucidation of the         
symbolism of these doorways1 it now only
 remains to glance at the three arches  
of the porch that precedes them4 ,here  
we see chiefly the benefactors of the   
cathedral and the saints of the ,see2   
also1 mingled with these1 certain       
prophets for whom there was not room in 

the arches of the doors4 ,this vestibule
 is1 so to speak1 a postscript1 a       
supplement added to the work4  ,here1   
where we stand in the right-hand arch   
are ,saint ,potentien1 the first apostle
 of ,chartres1 and ,saint ,modesta1 the 
daughter of ,quirinus1 the ,governor of 
the city1 who killed her because she    
would not deny ,christ4 ,here you see   
,ferdinand of ,castille4 ,he presented  
certain windows distinguished by his    
arms1 gules1 three castles or1 side by  
side with the azure shield and          
fleur-de-lys of ,france1 in the         
principal window of this front4 ,next to
 him that shrewd and severe face is     
probably that of ,baruch1 the judge1 and
 here1 barefoot and burthened with a    
penitent's satchel1 you see ,saint      
,louis1 who loaded the cathedral with   
gifts and inaugurated its use4  ,under  
the porch of the middle door are two    
vacant pedestals1 on which formerly     
stood the effigies of ,philip ,augustus 
and ,richard ,coeur de ,lion1 two of the

 most liberal donors to the church4 ,on 
the other plinths stand the ,comte and  
,comtesse de ,boulogne1 a buxom dame    
with masculine features1 wearing a      
biretta2 a prophet who is nameless1 but 
no doubt ,ezekiel1 for he is missing    
from the series in this porch2 ,louis   
,,viii41 ,saint ,louis' father2 and1    
finally1 that king's sister ,isabella1  
who founded the ,abbey of ,longchamps   
under the rule of ,saint ,clare4 ,she is
 dressed as a nun1 and next her in the  
shadow is a personage of the ,old       
,dispensation carrying a censer1 like   
,melchizedec4 ,remark1 too1 the firm and
 solemn mien of that priest1 ,zacharias1
 the father of ,john the ,baptist1 whose
 canticle ',benedictus' foretells the   
blessings of ,christ4  ,thus ends our   
review of this wonderful text-book of   
the ,old ,testament types1 and the      
historical memorial of those benefactors
 whose gifts endowed the church with    
this sculptured imagery of the ,ancient 
,word4  ,durtal lighted a cigarette1 and

 they walked up and down in front of the
 palace railing4  ,setting aside the    
question of art1 said ,durtal1 in this  
long array of ,christ's ancestors there 
is one--,david--who really confounds me1
 for he is the most complex of all2 at  
once so august and so small6 he is quite
 puzzling6  ,why8  ,well1 only think of 
the life of the man who was by turns    
shepherd1 warrior1 and outlaw chief1 an 
omnipotent king and a fugitive without  
either hearth or home2 who was a        
wonderful poet and an exact prophet and 
seer6 ,and is not the monarch's         
character even more enigmatical than his
 career8  ,he was mild and indulgent1   
devoid of rancour and hatred1 and yet he
 was ferocious4 ,remember the           
punishments he inflicted on the         
,ammonites2 his vengeance was appalling4
 ,he had them sawn asunder1 cut them    
with harrows of iron1 and made them pass
 through the brick-kiln4  ,he was loyal1
 wholly devoted to the ,lord1 and just2 
but he committed the crime of adultery1 

and ordered the death of the husband he 
had betrayed4 ,what contradictions6  ,to
 understand ,david1 said the ,abbe      
,plomb1 you must not think of him apart 
from his surroundings1 nor take him out 
of the age in which he lived1 otherwise 
you measure him by the ideas of our own 
time1 and that is absurd4 ,in the       
,asiatic conception of royalty1 adultery
 was almost permitted to a being whom   
his subjects regarded as superior to the
 common run of humanity2 besides1 women 
were then as a species of cattle        
belonging almost absolutely to him as   
the despot and supreme master4 ,it was  
but the exercise of his regal power1 as 
has been plainly shown by ,monsieur     
,dieulafoy in his study of that king4   
,and1 on the other hand1 if he is       
accused of tortures and bloodshed1 why1 
the whole of the ,old ,testament is full
 of them6 ,jehovah ,himself pours out   
blood like water1 and exterminates men  
as if they were flies4 ,it is well not  
to forget that the world then still     

lived under the ,law of ,fear4 ,so it is
 not very surprising that1 with a view  
to terrifying his enemies1 whose manners
 and customs were not indeed any milder 
than his own1 he should have tortured   
the inhabitants of ,rabbah and baked the
 ,ammonites4  ,but in contrast to these 
acts of violence and the sins which he  
expiated1 see how generous he was to    
,saul1 and admire the magnanimity and   
charity of the man whom the followers of
 ,renan would have us regard as a bandit
 chief and outlaw4 ,remember1 too1 that 
he taught the world1 as yet ignorant1   
the virtues which at a later time       
,christ was to preach--humility in its  
most touching form1 and repentance in   
its bitterest shape4 ,when the prophet  
,nathan reproved him for the murder of  
,uriah1 he confessed his sin with tears1
 fell on his face before ,god1 bravely  
accepted the most terrible punishment3  
incest and murder in his family1 the    
rebellion and death of his son1 treason1
 misery1 and a desperate flight in the  

woods2 and with what urgency he implores
 for pardon in the ',miserere1' with    
what love and contrition he cries to the
 ,god he had offended6  ,he was a man   
whose vices were small and few if       
compared with those of the kings of his 
time--of admirable and exceptional      
virtues if compared with those of       
sovereigns of any time of every age4    
,why1 then1 fail to understand that ,god
 should have chosen him as a precursor8 
,besides1 ,jesus came to ransom sinners1
 ,he took upon ,himself the sins of the 
whole world4 ,was it not natural1 then1 
that ,he should take to prefigure ,him1 
a man who1 like others1 had sinned8     
,yes2 that is true1 no doubt4  ,and that
 evening1 when he was away from the     
,abbe ,plomb1 from whom he parted on the
 church steps1 as ,durtal stretched     
himself on his bed1 he recapitulated in 
his memory this theory of the ,old      
,testament personages and the sculpture 
in the porch4  ,to epitomize this north 
front1 said he to himself1 it must be   

regarded as an abridged history of the  
,redemption prepared so long beforehand1
 a table of sacred history1 a compendium
 of the ,mosaic ,law1 and at the same   
time foreshadowing the ,christian law4  
,the vocation of the ,jewish nation is  
set forth in these three doorways1 their
 whole mission from ,abraham to ,moses2 
from ,moses to the ,babylonian          
,captivity2 from the ,captivity till the
 death of ,christ1 comprehending three  
phases of its history3 the making of    
,israel1 its independent existence1 its 
life among the ,gentiles4  ,and how     
slowly1 with what difficulty1 was this  
fusion of tribes achieved6 ,with what   
waste and what ejection of dross6 ,what 
massacres were needed to discipline     
those rapacious wanderers1 to quell the 
greed and licentiousness of the race6   
,and in a succession of bewildering     
images he beheld the irruption into     
,judaea of the headlong and indignant   
prophets1 hurling imprecations against  
the crimes of the kings and the         

atrocities of that unstable race        
perpetually tempted by the voluptuous   
worships of ,asia1 always rebelling and 
complaining1 and ready to break the iron
 bit with which ,moses had subdued them4
  ,and prominent in this group of       
declaiming judges1 towering above the   
masses1 he saw ,samuel1 the man of      
contradictions1 going whither the ,lord 
drove him1 achieving work which he was  
destined to overthrow1 creating the     
monarchy which he reprobated1           
consecrating a fanatic king--a sort of  
madman1 who passes across behind the    
transparent sheet of history with       
frantic and threatening gestures2 and   
then ,samuel has to overwhelm this      
extraordinary ,saul under the burthen of
 his curses1 to anoint ,david           
king--,david1 whom another prophet is to
 accuse of his crimes4 ,and these       
inspired men succeed each other1        
continuing from year to year their task 
of guardians of the public soul1        
watching over the consciences of judges 

and kings1 expectant of the ,divine     
word1 and ready to proclaim it over the 
head of the crowd2 announcing disasters1
 ending often as martyrs1 prominent from
 beginning to end of the sacred annals  
till they disappear in ,john beheaded by
 an ,herodias6  ,then came ,elijah1     
cursing the worship of ,baal1 contending
 with the dreadful ,jezebel2 ,elijah    
founding the first society of monks1 the
 only man of the ,old ,testament history
 except ,enoch who did not die2 and     
,elisha1 his disciple2 the greater      
prophets ,isaiah1 ,ezekiel1 ,jeremiah1  
and ,daniel1 and the groups of minor    
prophets announcing the advent of the   
,son1 rising up in commination or       
lamentation1 threatening or comforting  
the people4  ,the whole history of      
,israel flowed along in a torrent of    
curses1 rivers of blood1 oceans of      
tears6  ,this dismal procession at last 
oppressed ,durtal4 ,with closed eyes he 
suddenly beheld a patriarch who stood   
before him1 and he recognized with awe  

that this was ,moses1 an old man with a 
beard like a cataract1 hair sweeping his
 shoulders1 a master workman whose      
powerful hands had kneaded those rough  
,hebrews and coagulated their medley    
hordes4 ,he was indeed father and       
lawgiver to this people4  ,facing the   
scene on ,calvary there rose before him 
the scene on ,sinai1 the close and the  
opening of the great chronicle of the   
nation that was dispersed by its own    
crime1 enclosing the whole purpose of   
its existence in the space between those
 two hills4  ,a terrific spectacle6     
,moses alone on the smoking height1     
while lightnings rend the clouds and the
 mountain trembles at the sound of the  
invisible trumpet4 ,below1 the          
awe-stricken people fly2 and ,moses1    
unmoved amid the roar of thunder and the
 repeated fires of lightning1 listens to
 ,him who ,is1 and who dictates the     
terms of ,his protection of ,israel2 and
 then ,moses1 with shining face1        
descends from the ,mount1 which1        

according to ,st4 ,john ,damascene1 is  
the type of the ,virgin's ,womb1 as the 
smoke that rises from it is that of the 
desires and flames of the ,holy ,spirit4
  ,suddenly this picture vanished2 the  
,patriarch remained1 and by his side    
appeared the first ,high ,priest of the 
worship of ,jehovah1 whom the sculptors 
had omitted to represent on the exterior
 of the porch1 but whose image the      
glass-workers have portrayed in a window
 of the same front2 ,aaron1 the great   
,pontiff1 anointed by ,moses4  ,and this
 ceremony1 during which ,moses conferred
 the order of priesthood on the person  
and the descendants of his elder        
brother1 arose before ,durtal's fancy as
 a terrific scene4 ,the details he had  
formerly read of this ordination1 the   
ceremonies lasting seven days1 recurred 
to his mind4 ,after ablution and the    
anointing with oil1 the holocaust of    
victims began4 ,flesh sputtered on the  
walls1 mingling the black stench of     
burnt fat with the blue vapour of       

incense2 the ,patriarch anointed the    
right ear and thumb and foot of ,aaron  
and his sons with blood2 then1 taking up
 the flesh of the sacrifice1 he placed  
them in the hands of the new-made       
priests1 who rocked first on one foot   
and then on the other1 thus waving the  
offerings above the altar4  ,then all   
bowed their heads under a shower of oil 
mingled with blood with which the       
,consecrator inundated them4 ,they      
looked like slaughterers from the       
shambles and lamp trimmers1 all         
sprinkled as they were with clots of red
 mire1 on which glistened yellow eyes4  
,and then1 as in the swift change of    
magic-lantern slides1 this savage scene1
 this worn-out symbol of a splendid and 
subtle liturgy1 stammered out in a      
hoarse voice1 disappeared1 giving way to
 the solemn array of ,levites and       
priests marching in procession under the
 guidance of ,aaron1 resplendent in his 
turban with the crown of gold above it1 
in his purple robe1 on its hem the open 

pomegranates of scarlet and blue1 with  
tinkling bells of gold2 and he wore the 
linen ephod1 girt with a girdle1 blue   
and purple and scarlet1 and kept in its 
place by shoulder-pieces fastened with  
onyx stones1 his breastplate in a blaze1
 flashing sparks that lighted up as he  
moved in the twelve gems of the         
breastplate4  ,again the scene changed4 
,he beheld an amazing palace2 under the 
shade of its domes of giddy height1     
tropical trees and flowers were planted 
by tepid pools2 monkeys sported there1  
hanging in bunches to the boughs1 while 
long-drawn1 insinuating melodies were   
scraped on stringed instruments1 and the
 rattle of tambourines made the eyed    
plumes quiver in the peacocks' outspread
 tails4  ,in this strange hot-bed1      
filled with clumps of flowers and of    
women1 this immense harem where his     
seven hundred princesses and his three  
hundred concubines disported themselves1
 ,solomon watched the whirl of dances1  
gazed at the living hedge of women1 seen

 against the background of gold-plated  
walls1 their bodies clothed only in the 
transparent veil of vapour rising from  
resins burning on tripods4  ,he appeared
 as a typical ,eastern monarch1 a sort  
of ,khalif or ,sultan1 or fairy-tale    
,rajah--the prodigious king at once     
polygamous1 unbridled1 insatiable by    
luxury1 and learned1 artistic1          
peace-loving1 the wisest among men4 ,in 
advance of the ideas of his time1 he was
 the great builder in ,israel1 and the  
commerce of the country was of his      
making4 ,he left such a reputation for  
wisdom and justice that he came at last 
to be regarded as an enchanter and      
wizard4 ,even ,josephus tells us that he
 wrote a book of ,magic1 of incantations
 for laying evil spirits2 in the ,middle
 ,ages he was said to have owned a magic
 ring1 charms1 forms of evocation1      
secrets for exorcism2 and in all these  
legends the image of the king becomes   
confused4  ,and he would remain to this 
day a figure out of the ,thousand and   

,one ,nights1 were it not that in the   
decline of his glory we see him as a    
grandiose image of the mournfulness of  
life1 the vanity of joy1 the nothingness
 of man4  ,his old age was melancholy4  
,exhausted and governed by women1 he    
denied ,god and sacrificed to idols4 ,we
 discern in him wide gaps1 vast         
clearings in the soul4 ,weary of        
everything1 sick of enjoyment1 and      
drunken with sin1 he wrote some         
admirable reflections and anticipated   
the blackest pessimism of our day1      
summing up the misery of him who endures
 the condemnation of living1 in phrases 
that are its final expression4 ,what    
distress is that of the ,preacher3 ,all 
the days of man are sorrow1 and his     
travail grief2 better is the day of     
death than the day of birth2 all is     
vanity and vexation of spirit4  ,after  
his death1 too1 the old king remains a  
mystery4 ,had he expiated his apostacy  
and his fall8 ,was he1 like his fathers1
 received into ,abraham's bosom8 ,and   

the greatest writers of the ,church have
 not agreed about it4  ,according to    
,st4 ,irenaeus1 ,st4 ,hilary1 ,st4      
,cyril of ,jerusalem1 ,st4 ,ambrose1 and
 ,st4 ,jerome1 his penance was          
accomplished1 and he is saved4          
,according to ,tertullian1 ,st4         
,cyprian1 ,st4 ,augustine1 and ,st4     
,gregory the ,great1 he did not repent  
to amendment1 and so he is damned4      
,durtal turned over in his bed and tried
 to lose consciousness4 ,everything was 
in confusion in his brain1 and at last  
he fell into disturbed slumbers mingled 
with hideous nightmares1 in which he saw
 ,madame ,mesurat standing in the place 
of the queen on a pedestal in the porch2
 and ,durtal fumed at her ugliness1     
raging against the ,canons1 to whom he  
vainly appealed to remove his           
housekeeper and replace the queen4      
,,chapter ,,xii4   ,this church         
symbolism1 this psychology of the       
cathedral1 this study of the soul of the
 sanctuary1 so entirely overlooked since

 mediaeval times by those professors of 
monumental physiology called            
archaeologists and architects1 so much  
interested ,durtal that he was able by  
its help to forget for some hours the   
turmoil and struggles of his soul2 but  
the moment he ceased to ponder on the   
inner sense of things seen1 he was as   
bad as ever4  ,the sort of requisition  
he had laid before the ,abbe ,gevresin1 
to put an end to his tossing and decide 
for him one way or the other1 was       
distracting while it terrified him4     
,the cloister6 ,he must reflect a long  
time before making up his mind to       
imprison himself4 ,and the pros and cons
 tormented him in endless alternation4  
,here ,i am just where ,i was before ,i 
set out for ,la ,trappe6 said he to     
himself1 and the decision to be taken is
 even more serious2 for ,notre ,dame de 
l',atre was but a temporary refuge4 ,i  
knew when ,i went there that ,i should  
not stay2 it was a painful time to be   
endured1 but it was only a short time2  

whereas at this moment ,i have to come  
to a determination from which there is  
no turning back1 to go to a place where1
 if ,i once shut myself in1 ,i must stay
 till ,i die4 ,it is imprisonment for   
life1 with no mitigation of the penalty1
 no pardon and release2 and the ,abbe   
talks as if it were the simplest thing6 
,what am ,i to do8 ,renounce all        
freedom1 be nothing but a machine1 a    
chattel1 in the hands of a man ,i do not
 know--,god knows ,i am willing6 ,but   
there are other and more pressing       
questions from my point of view2 in the 
first place1 this matter of             
literature--to write no more1 to give up
 what has been the occupation and aim of
 my life2 that would be painful2 still1 
it is a sacrifice ,i could make4 ,but to
 write and then see my language stripped
 and washed in pump-water1 all the      
colour taken out by another man1 who may
 be a learned man or a saint1 but have  
no more idea of art than ,st4 ,john of  
the ,cross6 ,that is too hard4 ,that    

one's ideas should be picked over and   
weeded1 from the theological point of   
view1 ,i quite understand1 nothing could
 be more just2 but one's style6 ,and in 
a monastery1 so far as ,i can learn1    
nothing is printed till the ,prior has  
read it2 and he has the right to revise 
everything1 alter it--suppress it if he 
chooses4 ,it would evidently be better  
not to write at all1 but this again is  
not a matter of choice1 since under the 
rule of obedience each one must submit  
to orders1 and treat of any subject in  
any way the ,abbot commands4  ,and      
unless the master were very exceptional1
 what a stone of stumbling6  ,and then1 
besides this1 which is to me the most   
important question of all1 there are    
others worth considering4 ,from the     
little ,i have been told by my two      
priests1 the blessed silence of the     
,cistercians is not the rule with the   
black-frocked ,orders4 ,now1 however    
perfect these cenobites may be1 they    
remain none the less men2 or1 to express

 it otherwise1 sympathy and antipathy   
live in constant and compulsory         
friction2 with very restricted subjects 
of discussion1 living in complete       
ignorance of all that is going on       
outside1 conversation must degenerate   
into chatter2 at last the only interest 
of life centres in trivialities1 in     
petty questions which in such an        
atmosphere assume the importance of     
events4  ,a man becomes an old maid1 and
 how infinitely wearisome must this talk
 be1 unvaried by the unforeseen4        
,finally1 there is the question of      
health4 ,in the convent nothing but     
stews and salads6 ,a disordered stomach 
before long1 broken sleep1 crushing     
fatigue in an ill-treated frame--ah1 all
 that is neither attractive nor amusing6
 ,who knows whether1 after a few months 
of this mental and physical rule1 ,i    
should not have sunk into bottomless    
dejection1 whether the sloth of those   
monastic gaols would not have crushed me
 and left me absolutely incapable of    

thought or action8  ,and he concluded3--
  ,it is madness to think of a          
cloistered life2 ,i should do better to 
remain at ,chartres4  ,but hardly had he
 made up his mind not to move1 when the 
reverse of the medal forced itself upon 
him4  ,a convent6 ,why1 it was the only 
logical existence1 the only right life6 
,all these fears he suggested to himself
 were imaginary4 ,in the first place1 as
 to his health4 ,had he forgotten ,la   
,trappe1 where the food was far more    
innutritious and the rule far stricter8 
,why be alarmed beforehand8  ,and1 on   
the other hand1 could he fail to        
perceive the need for conversation1 the 
wisdom of speech1 relieving the solitude
 of the cloister just when weariness    
might supervene8 ,it was a remedy       
against constant introspection1 and     
exercise taken with others secured      
health to the soul and gave tone to the 
body2 and as for saying that these      
monastic dialogues would be trivial1    
were the conversations he might hear in 

any other society more edifying8 ,in    
short1 was not the company of the       
,brethren far superior to that of men of
 any profession1 condition1 or sort1    
whom he would be obliged to meet in the 
world outside8  ,and what1 after all1   
were these trifles1 these minor details 
in the splendid completeness of the     
cloister8 ,what were these petty        
matters--mere nothings--in the scale as 
against peace1 the cheerfulness of the  
soul in the joy of the services and the 
fulfilment of the task of praise8 ,would
 not the tide of worship cleanse        
everything1 and wash away the small     
defects of men1 like straws in a stream8
 ,was it not the case of the mote and   
the beam1 with the parts                
reversed--imperfections discerned in    
others1 when he was so far their        
inferior8  ,constantly1 at the end of   
every argument1 ,i find my own lack of  
humility1 said he to himself4 ,what     
efforts are needed to remove the mire of
 my sins6 ,in a convent perhaps ,i might

 rub the rust off1 and he dreamed of a  
purer life1 a soul soaked in prayer1    
expanding in communion with ,christ1 who
 might perhaps1 without too much soiling
 ,himself1 come down to dwell in him4   
,it is the only life desirable1 cried   
he4 ,it is settled6  ,but then1 like a  
douche of cold water1 a reflection      
overwhelmed him4 ,it would in any case  
be the life in common1 school-life1     
which would begin again for him2 it     
would be the garrison-rule of a convent6
  ,this floored him4 ,then he tried to  
fight against it1 and lost patience4    
,come1 come6 he growled1 a man does not 
shut himself up in an abbey to take his 
ease there2 a convent is not a pious    
,sainte-,perine2 he retires there1 ,i   
suppose1 to expiate his sins and prepare
 for death4 ,what1 then1 is the use of  
expatiating on the kind of punishments  
to be endured8 ,a determination to      
accept them is all1 to endure them and  
be strong6  ,did he1 then1 sincerely    
long for suffering and penance8 ,he     

dared not answer himself4 ,in the depth 
of his soul a hesitating ,yes rose up1  
smothered at once by the clamour of     
cowardice and fear4 ,why then go8  ,he  
was only bewildering himself1 and when  
the worst of this turmoil was over he   
thought of a respite1 or of some        
half-measure1 some mild mortification   
quite endurable1 some repentance so     
slight as to be none at all4  ,i am an  
idiot1 he concluded2 ,i am fighting with
 the air2 ,i am puzzling myself with    
words1 about habits of which ,i have no 
knowledge4 ,the first thing to be done  
is to visit some ,benedictine           
monastery--nay1 several--to compare     
them1 and to see for myself what the    
life is that is led there4 ,then the    
matter as to the oblates must be cleared
 up2 if the ,abbe ,plomb is well        
informed1 their fate depends on the     
caprice of the ,abbot1 who can tighten  
or loosen the halter according to his   
more or less domineering character4 ,but
 is that quite certain8 ,there were     

always oblates throughout the ,middle   
,ages2 consequently they are controlled 
by the secular law6  ,and all this is so
 human1 so vile6 ,for it is not a matter
 of disputing texts and more or less    
accommodating clauses4 ,it is a case of 
subjection without reserve1 of leaping  
boldly into the water2 of giving oneself
 up entirely to ,god4 ,any other view of
 the cloister is to regard it as a      
citizen's home1 and that is absurd4 ,my 
apprehensions1 my antagonism1 my        
compromises1 are disgraceful6  ,yes2 but
 where can ,i find the necessary        
strength to brush myself clean from this
 dust of the soul8  ,and at last1 when  
he felt himself bruised by these        
alternating desires and fears1 he took  
refuge with ,notre ,dame de             
,sous-,terre4  ,the crypt was closed in 
the afternoon1 but he found his way in  
by a small door in the sacristy inside  
the cathedral1 and descended into utter 
darkness4  ,having reached the crypt in 
front of the altar1 he round once more  

the doubtful but soothing odour of that 
vault1 smoked by burning tapers1 and    
went forward in the soft1 warm          
atmosphere of frankincense and a cellar4
 ,it was even darker than in the early  
morning1 for the lamps were out2        
floating wicks only1 shining through    
what looked like very thin orange-peel1 
threw gleams of tarnished gold on the   
sooty walls4  ,as he turned1 with his   
back to the altar1 he could see the low 
aisle in retreating perspective1 and at 
the end1 as in a tunnel1 the light of   
day--unluckily1 for it allowed him to   
discern certain hideous paintings of    
scenes commemorating the ecclesiastical 
glories of ,chartres3 the visit paid to 
the cathedral by ,mary de' ,medici and  
,henri ,,iv42 ,louis ,,xiii4 and his    
mother2 ,monsieur ,olier offering to the
 ,virgin the keys of the ,seminary of   
,saint ,sulpice with a dress of gold    
brocade2 ,louis ,,xiv4 at the feet of   
,notre ,dame de ,sous-,terre2 by the    
grace of heaven1 the remaining frescoes 

seemed extinct2 at any rate1 they lay in
 shadow4  ,what was really blissful was 
to be alone with the ,virgin1 who looked
 down1 her dark face gleaming dimly in  
the gloom when a wick happened to       
flicker with short flashes of brighter  
light4  ,durtal1 kneeling before ,her1  
determined to address ,her1 to say to   
,her1--  ,i am afraid of the future and 
of its cloudy sky1 and ,i am afraid of  
myself1 for ,i am wasting in depression 
and bewilderment4 ,thou hast hitherto   
led me by the hand4 ,do not desert me2  
finish ,thy work4 ,i know that it is    
folly thus to take care for the future1 
for ,thy ,son has said1 ',sufficient to 
the day is the evil thereof4' ,still1   
that depends on temperament4 ,what is   
easy to some is so hard for others4     
,mine is a restless spirit1 always      
astir1 always on the alert4 ,do what ,i 
will1 it wanders1 feeling its way about 
the world1 and gets lost6 ,bring it     
home1 keep it near ,thee in a leash1    
kind ,mother1 and after so much         

weariness1 grant me to find rest6  ,oh6 
to be no longer thus torn in sunder1 to 
be of one mind6 ,oh6 to have a soul so  
quenched that it should know no sorrows1
 no joys1 but those of the liturgy1 that
 it might only be claimed1 day by day1  
by ,jesus or by ,thee1 and follow ,your 
lives as they are unfolded in the annual
 cycle of the ,church services6 ,to     
rejoice at the ,nativity1 to laugh on   
,palm ,sunday1 to weep in ,holy ,week1  
and be indifferent to all else1 to cease
 to hold oneself as of any account1 to  
care not at all for one's individual    
self6 ,what a dream6 ,how easy it then  
would be to take refuge in a cloister6  
,but is this possible to any but a      
saint8 ,what a stripping of the soul it 
presupposes2 what an emptying out of    
every profane idea1 of every earthly    
image2 what a taming of the subjugated  
imagination1 never venturing forth but  
on one track1 instead of wandering      
haphazard as mine does6  ,and yet how   
foolish is every other care--for all    

that does not tend to ,heaven is vain on
 earth4 ,aye1 but as soon as ,i try to  
put these thoughts into1 practice1 my   
jade of a soul plunges and rears2 do    
what ,i will1 it only bucks and makes no
 advance4  ,alas6 ,blessed ,virgin1 ,i  
do not seek to excuse myself and my     
sins4 ,and still ,i dare confess to     
,thee that it is discouraging1          
heart-breaking1 to understand nothing   
and see nothing6 ,is this ,chartres     
where ,i am vegetating a waiting-place1 
a halting-place between two monasteries1
 a bridge leading from ,notre ,dame de  
l',atre to ,solesmes or some other      
,abbey8 ,or is it1 on the contrary1 the 
final stage where it is ,thy will that  
,i should remain fixed8 ,but then my    
life has no further meaning6 ,it is     
purposeless1 built and overthrown with  
the shifting of sands4 ,to what end1 if 
this be the case1 are these monastic    
yearnings1 these calls to another life1 
this all but conviction that ,i have    
stopped at a station1 and am not yet at 

the place whither ,i am to travel8  ,if 
only it might be now1 as on other       
occasions when ,i have felt ,thee near  
me1 when in response to my questions    
,thou hast answered me1 if only it might
 be here as at ,la ,trappe1 much as ,i  
suffered there6 ,but no4 ,i hear ,thee  
not--,thou dost not heed me4  ,durtal   
was silent4 ,then he went on1--  ,i am  
wrong to address ,thee thus1 he said4   
,thou dost not carry us in ,thine arms  
unless we be unable to walk2 ,thou hast 
care and caresses for the poor soul born
 anew by conversion2 but when it can    
stand it is set down on the ground1 and 
,thou lookest on while it makes trial of
 its strength4  ,this is meet and right2
 but it does alter the fact that the    
memory of those celestial alleviations1 
those first1 lost joys is crushing to   
the soul4  ,o ,holy ,virgin1 ,holy      
,virgin1 have pity on the rickety souls 
that struggle on so painfully when they 
are no longer upheld by ,thee6 ,have    
pity on the bruised souls to whom every 

effort is painful2 on the souls whom    
nothing can console1 to whom everything 
is affliction6 ,take pity on the        
homeless1 outcast souls1 the wandering  
souls1 unable to settle and dwell with  
their kind1 the tender1 budding souls6  
,take pity on all souls such as mine6   
,have pity on me6  ,and before quitting 
the ,mother he would often visit ,her in
 those depths where1 since the ,middle  
,ages1 the faithful no longer seek her2 
he would light an end of taper1 and1    
turning aside from the nave of the      
crypt1 follow the curved line of the    
wall along the entrance passage as far  
as the sacristy of this underground     
church1 where in the ponderous          
stone-work was a door strengthened with 
iron-work4  ,through and down a little  
flight of steps1 he reached a cellar    
which was the ancient martyrium where1  
of old1 in time of war the ciborium was 
concealed4 ,an altar stood in the middle
 of this well1 dedicated in the name of 
,saint ,lubin4 ,in the crypt the distant

 hum of the bells1 the sounds of life in
 the cathedral above1 could still be    
heard2 here1 nothing6 ,it was like being
 in the tomb4 ,unfortunately1 some      
squalid1 square columns whitened with   
lime-wash1 built on the altar to give   
support to ,bridan's group in the choir 
above1 spoilt the barbaric simplicity of
 this oubliette1 forgotten1 lost in the 
night of ages1 and underground4  ,he    
went up again comforted nevertheless1   
accusing himself of ingratitude1 and    
asking himself how he could dream of    
leaving ,chartres and going away from   
the ,virgin1 with whom he could thus so 
easily converse in solitude whenever he 
would4  ,on other days1 when it was     
fine1 he would take for the object of   
his walk a convent whose existence had  
been revealed to him by ,madame ,bavoil4
 ,one afternoon he had met her in the   
square1 and she had said to him1--  ,i  
am going to see the little ,jesus of    
,prague at the ,carmelite convent here4 
,will you come with me1 our friend8     

,durtal had no liking for these petty   
pilgrimages made by good women2 but the 
idea of going to the ,carmelite chapel1 
which was unknown to him1 tempted him to
 accompany her1 and she led the way to  
the ,rue des ,jubelines1 behind the     
railway line and beyond the station4    
,they had to cross a bridge that groaned
 under the weight of rolling trains1 and
 turned to the right down a path winding
 between the embankment on one side1 and
 on the other thatched huts1 and old    
sheds1 and other houses less            
poverty-stricken1 indeed1 but closed and
 impenetrable after daybreak4 ,madame   
,bavoil led him to where this alley     
ended under the arch of another bridge4 
,overhead was a siding1 with its signals
 round and square1 red and yellow1 and  
posts with cast-iron ladders2 and there 
always in the same place an engine was  
being fired1 or1 with shrill whistling1 
was moving out backwards4  ,madame      
,bavoil stopped at a door under a round 
arch in an immense wall1 which not far  

off ran against the embankment1 forming 
an impassable angle2 it was built of    
millstone grit of the colour of burnt   
almonds1 like that used for the ,paris  
reservoirs2 here dwelt the nuns of      
,saint ,theresa4  ,madame ,bavoil1 as   
being used to convent ways1 pushed open 
the door which stood ajar1 and ,durtal  
saw before him a paved walk between     
strips of river pebbles1 dividing a     
garden stocked with fruit-trees and     
geraniums4 ,two yews1 clipped into      
spheres1 with a cross on the top of     
each1 gave this priestly close a        
graveyard flavour4  ,the path led       
upwards1 cut into steps4 ,when they     
reached the top ,durtal saw a building  
of brick and plaster pierced with       
windows guarded by iron bars1 and a grey
 door with a wicket bearing these words 
painted in white1 ,o ,mary1 conceived   
without sin1 pray for us who put our    
trust in ,thee4  ,he looked about him1  
surprised at seeing nobody1 hearing     
nothing2 but ,madame ,bavoil beckoned to

 him1 made her way round the house1 and 
led the way into a sort of vestibule    
along which clambered a vine wrapped in 
swathing1 and she turned into a little  
chapel1 where she knelt down on the     
flagstones4  ,durtal1 amazed1 seemed to 
breathe the melancholy that weighed on  
this naked sanctuary4  ,he was in a     
building of the end of the eighteenth   
century2 in the middle1 raised on eight 
steps1 stood an altar of wax-polished   
wood in the shape of a tomb2 above it   
was a shrine covered with a curtain of  
white brocade and surmounted by a       
picture of the ,annunciation1 a washy   
painting mounted in a gilt frame4 ,to   
the right and left were two medallions  
in relief1 on one side ,saint ,joseph   
and on the other ,saint ,theresa1 and   
above the picture1 close to the ceiling1
 were the arms of the ,carmelites1 also 
in relief3 a shield with a cross and    
stars beneath a marquis's coronet1 from 
which an arm emerges wielding a sword4  
,this was held up by fat little angels1 

the swollen infants of the sculptors of 
that period1 and floating in the air was
 a scroll bearing the motto of the      
order3 ,zelo1 zelatus sum1 pro ,domino  
,deo ,exercituum4  ,finally1 to the     
right of the altar1 the iron grating of 
the nunnery was seen in an arch in the  
wall2 and on the steps of the altar1    
inside the railing for the communicants1
 an annoying statue was emerging from   
under a gilt canopy--the ,infant ,christ
 holding a globe in one hand1 and       
raising the other as if to command      
attention2 a statue of painted plaster  
as of some precocious mountebank1 with  
homage offered in this deserted chapel1 
of two pots of hydrangea and a floating 
wick in a crimson glass4  ,how cold and 
dismal is such rococo6 thought ,durtal4 
,he knelt down on a chair1 and by       
degrees his impressions underwent a     
change4 ,this holy place1 saturated with
 prayer1 seemed to let its ice melt and 
grow balmy4 ,it was as though visions   
percolated through the gate of the      

cloister and shed warm puffs of air in  
the place4 ,a sense of warmth of soul   
stole over him1 of being at home in this
 solitude4  ,the only astonishing thing 
was to hear1 in such remote seclusion1  
the whistling of trains and the rumbling
 of engines4  ,durtal went out before   
,madame ,bavoil had finished the rosary4
 ,standing in the doorway1 he saw1 just 
opposite1 the cathedral in profile1 but 
with only one spire1 the old belfry     
being hidden by the new4 ,under a cloudy
 sky it stood massively solid1 green and
 grey1 with its roof of oxidized copper1
 and the pumice-stone hue of the tower4 
,it is stupendous6 said ,durtal to      
himself1 recalling the various aspects  
it could assume according to the season 
and the hour1 as the colour of its      
complexion varied4 ,the whole effect    
under a clear sky is silvery grey1 and  
if the sun lights it up it turns pale   
golden yellow2 seen from near1 its skin 
is like a nibbled biscuit1 a siliceous  
limestone eaten into holes2 at other    

times1 when the sun is setting1 it turns
 crimson and appears like some vast and 
exquisite shrine1 all rose colour and   
green2 and in the twilight it is blue1  
and seems to evaporate into violet4     
,and those porches6 he went on4 ,that of
 the royal front is the least variable2 
it remains of a cinnamon-brown half-way 
up1 of a dull pumice-grey as it rises2  
that on the south side1 more eaten into 
by lichens1 is wearing green1 while the 
arches on the north1 with their stones  
like concrete full of shells1 suggest to
 the fancy a sea-grotto left high and   
dry4  ,well1 our friend1 are you        
dreaming8 said ,madame ,bavoil1 tapping 
him on the shoulder4  ,this ,carmelite  
convent you see is a very austere house1
 said she1 and as you may suppose1 grace
 abounds2 and when ,durtal murmured1--  
,what a contrast between this dead spot 
and the railway that runs past it1      
always in a stir6 she exclaimed1--  ,do 
you suppose that anywhere else you will 
find1 side by side1 such an image of the

 contemplative life and the active life8
  ,and what must the nuns think as they 
hear these continual departures for the 
outer world8 ,those who have grown old  
in the convent would1 of course1 despise
 these calls1 these invitations to live2
 the quietude of their spirits must     
increase as they find themselves        
protected for ever from the perils which
 the noisy rush of the trains must bring
 before them every hour of the day and  
night2 they will feel more drawn to     
pray1 for those whom the chances of life
 carry away to ,paris1 or bring back to 
the country1 outcasts from the city4    
,but the postulants--the novices8 ,in   
the hours of desertion1 of doubt as to  
their vocation1 which must come over    
them1 is it not appalling to think of   
the constantly revived memories of home1
 of friends1 of all that they have left 
to shut themselves up for ever in a     
convent8  ,as each asks herself whether 
she can endure watching and fasting1    
must it not be a permanent temptation to

 rebel against being buried alive in a  
tomb8  ,and ,i cannot help thinking of  
the appearance as of a reservoir that   
the style of building gives to this     
,carmel4 ,the image is precise1 for the 
convent is indeed a reservoir into which
 ,god dips to draw forth the good works 
of love and tears1 and restore the      
balance of the scales in which the sins 
of the world are so heavy6  ,madame     
,bavoil smiled4  ,a very old ,carmelite 
nun1 said she1 who had gone into this   
,house before railways were invented1   
died here hardly three months ago4 ,she 
had never been outside the walls1 and   
never saw an engine or a railway        
carriage4 ,under what form could she    
picture to herself the trains she heard 
thundering and shrieking8  ,as some     
diabolical invention1 no doubt1 since   
these conveyances carry us to the wicked
 but delightful sins of towns1 replied  
,durtal1 smiling4 ,but it is a curious  
case1 nevertheless4  ,he was silent2    
then1 changing the subject1 he said1--  

,and do you still hold communion with   
,heaven1 ,madame ,bavoil8  ,no1 she     
answered1 sadly4 ,i no longer have any  
converse or any visions4 ,i am deaf and 
blind4 ,god is silent to me4  ,she shook
 her head1 and1 after a pause1 she      
added1 speaking to herself1--  ,such a  
little thing is enough to displease     
,him4 ,if ,he detects a trace of vanity 
in the soul on which ,he shines1 ,he    
departs4 ,and as the ,father tells me1  
the mere fact of having spoken of the   
special graces vouchsafed to me by      
,jesus1 proves that ,i am not humble4   
,in short1 ,his will be done6--,and you1
 our friend1 do you still think of      
taking shelter in a cloister8  ,i--my   
spirit still craves a truce2 my soul is 
but shifting ballast4  ,because1 no     
doubt1 you are not honest in your       
dealings4 ,you behave as if you meant to
 strike a bargain with ,him2 that is not
 the way to set to work4  ,what would   
you do in my place8  ,i should be       
generous2 ,i should say to ,him1 ',here 

,i am1 do with me as ,thou wilt4 ,i give
 myself unconditionally to ,thee4 ,i ask
 but one thing3 ,help me to love ,thee4'
  ,and do you suppose that ,i have not  
blamed myself for my cowardice of heart8
  ,they walked on in silence4 ,when they
 reached the cathedral1 ,madame ,bavoil 
proposed that they should pay a visit to
 ,notre ,dame du ,pilier4  ,they seated 
themselves in the gloom of the side     
aisle of the choir1 where the dark-toned
 windows were still further obscured by 
a poorly executed wooden niche1 in which
 the ,virgin1 as dark as her namesake in
 the crypt1 ,notre ,dame de             
,sous-,terre1 stood on a pillar1 hung   
round with bunches of metal hearts and  
little lamps on coronas1 from the roof4 
,frames of tapers on each side shot up  
little tongues of flame1 and prostrate  
women were praying1 their faces hidden  
in their hands or upturned to the dark  
countenance1 on which the light did not 
fall4  ,it struck ,durtal that the woes 
repressed in the morning hours were     

poured out in the twilight2 the faithful
 did not now come for ,her alone1 but   
for themselves2 each one brought a load 
of sorrows and opened it before ,her4   
,what anguish of soul was poured out on 
the stones by these women1 leaning      
prostrate against the railing that      
protected the pillar which each kissed  
as she rose4  ,and the swarthy image1   
carved in the early part of the         
sixteenth century1 had listened1 ,her   
face invisible1 to the same sighs1 the  
same complaints1 from succeeding        
generations1 had heard the same cries1  
echoing down the ages1 for ever         
lamenting the bitterness of life1 for   
ever expressing the desire1 all the     
same1 for length of days6  ,durtal      
looked at ,madame ,bavoil4 ,she was     
praying with closed eyes1 kneeling on   
the stones and sitting on her heels1 her
 arms hanging1 her hands clasped4 ,how  
happy was she to be able thus to        
abstract herself4  ,and he tried to     
force himself to say a prayer1 quite a  

short one1 in the hope that he might    
succeed in getting to the end without   
letting his mind wander4 ,he began ,sub 
tuum--,under ,thy protection do we take 
refuge2 ,holy ,mother of ,god1 despise  
not us4 ,what it was really             
indispensable that he should obtain from
 the ,father ,superior was permission to
 take his books with him into the       
monastery1 and to have at least a few   
pious toys in his cell4 ,ah--but how    
could he explain that any profane       
literature was necessary in a convent1  
that1 from an artist's point of view1 it
 was requisite to refresh one's memory  
of the prose of ,hugo1 of ,baudelaire1  
of ,flaubert--,i am at sea again6 said  
,durtal suddenly to himself4  ,he tried 
to brush away these distractions1 and   
went on3 ,despise not the prayers we put
 up to ,thee in our needs-- ,and he was 
off again at a gallop in his            
dreams--,even supposing that no         
difficulty were made about this request1
 the question would still remain as to  

submitting manuscripts for revision1    
obtaining the imprimatur2 and how would 
that be arranged8  ,madame ,bavoil      
interrupted his wanderings by rising    
from her knees4 ,recalled to himself1 he
 hastily finished his prayer--but       
deliver us from all perils1 glorious and
 blessed ,virgin2 ,amen4 ,and he parted 
from the housekeeper on the steps of the
 church1 going home much vexed by his   
dissipation of mind4  ,he there found a 
note from the ,editor of the ,review1   
which had published his paper on the    
,fra ,angelico in the ,louvre1 asking   
him for another article4  ,this         
diversion made him glad2 he thought that
 this task might perhaps preserve him   
from vain thoughts of his discomfiture  
at ,chartres and his fancy for the      
cloister4  ,what can ,i send to the     
,review8 said he to himself4 ,since what
 they chiefly ask for is criticism of   
religious art1 ,i might write some short
 study of the early ,german painters4 ,i
 have ample notes1 made on the spot in  

the galleries there2 let us see6  ,he   
turned them over1 lingering to read a   
note-book containing his impressions of 
travel4 ,a summing up of his remarks on 
the ,school of ,cologne arrested his    
attention4  ,at every page he gave vent 
to his surprise in more and more        
vehement exclamations1 at the false     
ideas and absurd theories put forward   
for so many years with regard to these  
pictures4  ,every writer1 without       
exception1 had expatiated1 each more    
enthusiastically than the last1 on the  
pure and religious art of these early   
painters1 speaking of them as seraphic  
artists who had depicted superhuman     
beauty1 white and sylph-like ,virgins   
all soul1 standing out like celestial   
visions1 against backgrounds of gold4   
,durtal1 prejudiced by the unanimity of 
this universal praise1 expected to find 
almost impalpably fair angels1 ,flemish 
,madonnas1 etherealized in some sort1   
having shed their husk of flesh1        
rapturous ,memlings with eyes full of   

heaven1 and bodies that had almost      
ceased to be--and he remembered his     
dismay on entering the galleries of the 
,cologne ,museum4  ,in point of fact his
 disenchantment had begun as soon as he 
stepped out of the train4 ,carried in   
the course of a night from ,paris to    
that city1 he had made his way through  
narrow streets where every basement     
window exhaled the fragrance of         
sauerkraut1 and he had reached the      
cathedral square1 beautified by         
,farina's shop-signs1 where in front of 
the famous ,dom he had been obliged to  
confess that this facade1 this exterior1
 was a huge piece of patchwork--a       
delusion4 ,every part of it was         
furbished up1 and the church sheltered  
no sculpture under its portals2 it was  
symmetrical1 built by peg and line2 its 
rigid forms1 its hard outlines were an  
offence4  ,the interior was better1 in  
spite of the vulgar blaze1 the cheap    
fireworks1 of ignoble modern glass4 ,and
 there1 in a chapel near the choir1     

might be seen1 for a consideration1 the 
most famous picture of the ,german      
school1 the ,dombild1 by ,stephan       
,lochner1 a triptych representing the   
,adoration of the ,magi on the centre   
panel1 with ,st4 ,ursula on the left    
hand shutter and ,st4 ,gereon on the    
right4  ,durtal's consternation had     
risen to the highest pitch4 ,the work   
was thus arranged4 ,against a gold      
background1 a ,virgin1 crowned1         
red-haired1 bullet-headed1 dressed in   
blue1 held on her knees an ,infant      
blessing the ,kings1 two kneeling on    
each side of the throne4 ,one1 an old   
fellow with a short beard like a retired
 officer1 and hair curled like shavings 
over his ears1 was sumptuously arrayed  
in crimson velvet brocaded with gold1   
his hands clasped2 the other1 a dandy   
with long hair and a large beard1       
dressed in green shot with gold and     
trimmed with fur1 held up a golden cup4 
,and behind each1 other figures were    
standing1 flourishing their swords and  

standards1 in cavalier attitudes1 and   
posing for the public1 thinking much    
more of the visitors than of the        
,virgin4  ,this1 then1 was the type of  
,madonna1 of the supersensual and       
sublimated ,virgins of ,cologne6 ,this  
one was puffy1 redundant1 chubby2 she   
had the neck of a heifer1 and flesh like
 cream1 or hasty pudding1 that quivers  
when it is touched4 ,jesus1 whose       
expression was the only interesting     
feature of the picture1 a certain manly 
gravity that was shown without any      
disfigurement of the character of       
childhood1 was also round and well-fed1 
and the scene took place on a lawn      
strewn with flowers--primroses1 violets1
 and strawberries painted in fine       
stipple with the touch of a miniaturist4
  ,you might call this picture what you 
pleased1 the execution1 smooth and wavy1
 and cold in spite of the brilliant     
colours1 was a finished piece of work1  
brilliant1 dexterous--but not religious2
 it betrayed a decadence2 the work was  

laboured1 complicated1 pretty1 but it   
was in no sense that of an early master4
  ,this common1 squat ,virgin1 fat and  
pudgy1 was simply a good ,german girl1  
well-dressed and squarely seated1 but   
she could never have been the ecstatic  
,mother of ,god6 ,then these kneeling   
and standing men were not in prayer2    
there was no devotion in this picture2  
the personages were all thinking of     
something else1 folding their hands and 
looking round at the painter who was    
depicting them4 ,as to the wings1 it    
were better to say nothing about them4  
,what was to be thought of the ,saint   
,ursula with a prominent forehead like a
 cupping-glass and a burly stomach1     
surrounded by other creatures as        
shapeless as herself1 their squab noses 
poking out of the bladders of lard that 
did duty for their faces8  ,and ,durtal 
found the same impression of            
insensibility to mysticism in the       
picture gallery4 ,there he could study  
,stephan ,lochner's precursor1 ,master  

,wilhelm--the first early ,german       
painter whose name is known--and in this
 again he found the look of elaborate   
chubbiness as in the ,dombild4          
,wilhelm's ,virgin was indeed less      
vulgar than the ,virgin of the          
cathedral2 but in feeling she was       
equally insipid1 over-finished1 and even
 more simperingly pretty4 ,she was the  
triumph of delicate pertness1 and had   
the look of a stage chamber-maid with   
her hair crimped over her forehead4 ,and
 the child1 twisted into an unnatural   
attitude1 while he caressed his         
,mother's chin1 turned his face round to
 be the better seen4  ,in short1 this   
,virgin was neither human nor divine2   
she had not even the too realistic touch
 of ,lochner1 and could1 no more than   
the other1 have been the chosen ,mother 
of ,god4  ,it is indeed strange that    
these very early painters should have   
begun where painting as an art ends1 in 
mere finish and smoothness2 men who from
 the first put sugar in their new wine  

and betray their lack of energy1 of     
enthusiasm1 of simplicity1 while no     
faith projects itself from their work4  
,they are the very converse of every    
other school2 for everywhere else1 in   
,italy1 ,flanders1 ,holland1 ,burgundy1 
pictures began by being clumsy and      
unfinished1 barbarous and hard1 but at  
least ardent and pious6  ,as he studied 
the other pictures in this collection1  
the mass of anonymous work1 the         
paintings ascribed to the ,master of the
 ,lyversberg ,passion1 and the ,master  
of the ,saint ,bartholomew1 ,durtal came
 to the conclusion that the ,school of  
,cologne had known nothing of mysticism 
till it had felt the influence of the   
,flemish painters4 ,it had needed a ,van
 ,eyck1 and the yet more exquisite      
,roger van der ,weyden1 to breathe the  
air of ,heaven into these craftsmen4    
,they thus had changed their manner1 had
 imitated the ascetic innocence of the  
,flemings1 had assimilated their tender 
piety and simplicity1 and1 in their     

turn1 had sung the glory of the ,mother 
and mourned over the sufferings of the  
,son in ingenuous hymns4  ,this school  
may be thus summed up1 said ,durtal4 ,it
 is the triumph of padding and puffing1 
the apotheosis of fatness and sheen1 and
 this has nothing to do with ,christian 
art in the true sense of the word4  ,if 
we want to understand the whole personal
 character of ,german religious         
painting1 we must study other schools   
than this1 the only one ever spoken of1 
and always with praise4 ,we must turn to
 the less familiar schools of ,franconia
 and ,swabia2 there we find the very    
opposite4 ,as art it is savage and      
rough1 but it lives--it weeps1 nay it   
cries aloud1 but it prays4 ,we must look
 at the works of these unkempt geniuses1
 such as ,gruenewald1 whose ,christs1   
rebellious and wrathful1 grind their    
teeth2 or ,zeitblom1 whose ',veronica's 
veil1' in the ,berlin ,museum1 is       
unpleasant1 no doubt2 the angels have   
black leather crosses on their breasts1 

and the ,saviour's head is terrible1    
horrible2 still there is such energy in 
the work1 such decision1 such crudity1  
that the very sincerity of its ugliness 
is impressive4  ,certainly1 ,durtal went
 on1 even setting apart such daring     
painters as ,gruenewald1 ,i prefer many 
an unknown artist whose work is strange 
rather than beautiful1 but at any rate  
mystical1 to the honey and lard of      
,cologne2 for instance1 an anonymous    
painter who is to be found in the ,grand
 ,duke's collection at ,gotha1 as the   
author of one of those curious          
,mass-scenes which in the ,middle ,ages 
were called the ',mass of ,saint        
,gregory1' wherefore1 we know not4      
,durtal turned over his note-book and   
read through the description he had     
recorded of this work1 which he         
remembered as an instance of a sort of  
pious brutality4  ,the picture was set  
out on a gold background4 ,a little     
above the altar1 but scarcely higher1 a 
wooden sarcophagus1 a sort of square    

bath1 was seen1 with a board over it    
from end to end4 ,on this plank-bridge  
sat the ,christ1 ,his legs hidden in    
this tomb1 holding a cross4 ,his face   
was haggard and hollow1 ,he was crowned 
with green thorns1 and ,his emaciated   
body was spotted all over by the ends of
 the scourges as if the wounds were     
flea-bites4 ,over ,him1 in the air1     
floated the instruments of the ,passion3
 the nails1 the sponge1 a hammer and a  
spear2 to the left1 on a very small     
scale1 were the busts of ,jesus and of  
,judas1 near a pedestal on which lay    
three rows of pieces of silver4  ,in    
front of this altar1 adoring this truly 
hideous ,saviour painted in accordance  
with the prophetic descriptions of      
,isaiah and ,david1 were ,pope ,gregory 
on his knees1 his hands clasped1 a grave
 ,cardinal1 whose hands were hidden     
under his robe1 and a rough-looking     
,bishop1 standing1 in a dark green cloak
 embroidered with gold2 he held a cross4
  ,it was enigmatical and it was        

sinister1 but those austere and         
commanding faces were alive4 ,there was 
a stamp of faith1 indomitable and       
resolute1 in those countenances4 ,it was
 harsh to the palate1 the roughest wine 
of mysticism2 but at least it was not   
the mawkish syrup of the early ,cologne 
painters4  ,ah6 that mystical breath by 
which the soul of the artist becomes    
incorporate in the colour on a canvas1  
in the lines of carved stone1 in written
 words1 and speaks to the souls of those
 who can understand6 ,how few have had  
it6 thought ,durtal1 closing his notes  
of travel4 ,in ,germany it may be seen  
in the very bunglers among painters2 in 
,italy1 setting aside ,angelico1 whose  
works reveal his saintly spirit and are 
the coloured image of his secret soul1  
and his pupil1 ,benozzo ,gozzoli1 the   
last of the ,mediaeval painters2 if we  
also except his precursors3 ,cimabue1   
the survivors of the rigid ,byzantines1 
,giotto--who thawed those fixed and     
puzzling figures1 ,orcagna1 ,simone di  

,martino1 ,taddeo ,gaddi--all the very  
early painters--how much dexterous      
trickery do we find among the great     
painters1 mimicking the religious note1 
and producing a deceptive imitation by  
sheer sham4  ,the ,italians of the      
,renaissance1 above all others1 excelled
 in this spurious piety1 and those are  
comparatively rare who1 like            
,botticelli1 were honest enough to      
confess that their ,virgins were        
,venuses and their ,venuses ,virgins4   
,the ,berlin gallery1 where he is to be 
seen in some exquisite and triumphant   
examples1 shows this very plainly2 we   
see the two versions of the type side by
 side4  ,first we have a wonderful      
,venus1 nude1 with pure gold hair       
brought round her body by one hand1     
standing out in her white flesh against 
a black background1 gazing with limpid  
grey eyes1 liquid with the colour of    
stagnant water1 and edged with lids like
 a young rabbit's--pink lids2 she must  
have wept much1 and her disconsolate    

look1 her drooping attitude1 suggest    
some far-away thought of the unsatisfied
 weariness of the senses and the        
intolerable unrest of horrible desires  
that nothing can satisfy4  ,and not far 
away is a ,virgin1 very like her--indeed
 her very self1 with her sensitive1     
slightly upturned nose1 her lips like a 
folded clover-leaf1 her brackish eyes1  
her pink lids1 her golden hair1 her     
greenish complexion1 her                
strongly-moulded frame and large hands4 
,the countenance is the same1 fretful   
and weary2 it is evident that the same  
model sat for both4 ,they are both      
purely pagan4 ,for the ,venus1 well and 
good6 ,but the ,virgin6  ,it may be     
added that in this picture a row of     
torch-bearing angels makes the result1  
if possible1 even less ,christian1 for  
these delightful creatures1 with their  
ambiguous smiles and supple grace1 have 
all the dangerous attraction of wicked  
angels4 ,they are ,ganymedes1 borrowed  
from mythology1 not from the ,bible4    

,how far we are from ,god with this     
paganism of ,botticelli's6 said ,durtal 
to himself4 ,what a difference between  
this painter and that ,roger van der    
,weyden whose ,nativity is the glory of 
one of the adjoining rooms in that      
magnificent ,old ,museum of ,berlin6    
,ay1 that ,nativity6--,he had only to   
turn to his notes to see it plainly     
before him4  ,painted as a triptych1 on 
the right wing was an old man in front  
of some wondering bystanders1 burning   
incense to the ,virgin1 who is visible  
through an open window above a landscape
 in distant perspective with avenues    
undulating to the horizon2 while a      
woman1 her head dressed in a muffler    
that is almost a turban1 touches the old
 man's shoulder with one hand and raises
 the other with an indescribable gesture
 of surprise and joy1 her face          
expressive of ecstasy4 ,on the left wing
 kneel the three ,kings1 their hands    
uplifted1 their eyes raised to ,heaven1 
contemplating an ,infant beaming from   

the heart of a star2 nothing can be more
 beautiful than these three transfigured
 faces2 and these are praying with all  
their heart1 never troubling themselves 
about us4  ,still1 these two divisions  
are but accessory to the central subject
 which they complement1 and which is    
thus arranged3  ,in the middle1 in front
 of a sort of ruined palace or columnar 
cow-shed without a roof1 the ,virgin    
kneels in prayer before the ,babe2 to   
the right the donor1 the ,chevalier     
,bladelin1 is seen1 also kneeling1 and  
on the left ,saint ,joseph1 holding a   
lighted taper1 gazes down on ,jesus4    
,there are besides six little angels1   
three below at the door of the stable   
and three above in the air4 ,this is the
 whole scene4  ,it is noteworthy that   
the goldsmith's work1 the mingled       
splendour of ,oriental hangings1 the    
brocades hemmed with fur and strewn with
 gems of which ,van ,eyck and ,memling  
made such free use to array their       
figures of the ,virgin and the donors1  

are not to be seen in this panel4 ,the  
textures are rich and heavy1 but have   
none of the gorgeous colouring of the   
silks of ,bruges or the carpets of      
,persia4 ,roger van der ,weyden seems   
intentionally to have reduced the whole 
setting of the scene to its simplest    
expression1 and yet1 while using an     
unaffectedly sober key of colour1 he has
 produced a masterpiece of pure and     
lucid harmony4  ,mary1 with no diadem1  
no jewelled band1 not a bracelet or a   
gem1 her head simply crowned by a few   
golden rays1 is seen in a white dress1  
closed to the throat1 and a blue cloak  
of which the ample folds lie on the     
ground2 the sleeves of her under dress1 
fastened at the wrists1 are of a rich   
blue violet1 more nearly black than red4
  ,her face is indescribable2 of        
superhuman loveliness1 with long        
red-gold hair2 the brow high1 the nose  
straight1 the lips full1 the chin small2
 but words are of no avail2 what cannot 
be described is the expression of       

candour and sadness1 the tide of love   
that rises to those downcast eyes as she
 looks down on the tiny1 helpless ,babe1
 round whose head there is a rosy nimbus
 starred with gold4  ,never was there a 
more unearthly and yet more living      
,virgin4 ,neither ,van ,eyck1 with his  
rather vulgar and never beautiful heads1
 nor ,memling--more tender and refined1 
no doubt1 but limited to his ideal of a 
woman with a round forehead and a face  
shaped like a kite1 wide above and      
pointed below--ever achieved the        
elegance of form or the purity of a     
woman made divine by love1 a being who1 
even apart from her surroundings and    
bereft of the attributes by which she is
 recognizable1 could be none other than 
the ,mother of ,god4  ,by her side the  
,chevalier ,bladelin1 dressed all in    
black1 with his equine type of face1 his
 shaven cheeks1 his dignity1 at once    
priestly and princely1 is lost in       
contemplation1 far away from the world2 
he is praying in good earnest4 ,and     

,saint ,joseph1 opposite to him1        
represented as a bald old man1 with a   
short beard1 and wearing a red cloak1   
comes forward as if amazed at his       
happiness1 and scarce daring to believe 
that the moment has come when he may    
adore the ,messiah born at last2 he     
smiles1 deferentially1 mildly stepping  
with the almost clumsy care of an old   
man who would fain be serviceable but   
fears to intrude4  ,to make the whole   
thing more than perfect1 above the      
figure of ,pierre ,bladelin extends a   
wondrous landscape1 cut across by the   
,high ,street of ,middelburg1 the town  
founded by this nobleman1 a street      
bordered by castellated houses with     
battlements and church towers1 and      
vanishing in a country scene lighted up 
by a clear sky1 a blue spring day2 above
 ,saint ,joseph a meadow and woods1     
sheep and shepherds1 and three exquisite
 angels in robes1 one of pinkish yellow1
 one of purple like a campanula1 and one
 of greenish citron hue2 three really   

ethereal beings1 having no relationship 
with the pertly innocent pages invented 
by the ,renaissance4  ,if we sum up the 
whole impression produced by this work1 
we are led to the conclusion that       
mystical art1 still dwelling on earth1  
and not restricted to scenes in ,heaven1
 as ,angelico had chosen to limit it in 
his ,coronation of the ,virgin1 has     
produced in ,roger van der ,weyden's    
triptych the purest effluence of prayer 
to be found in painting4 ,never has the 
,nativity been so gloriously set forth1 
nor1 it may be said1 more artlessly and 
simply expressed4 ,the masterpiece of   
the ,christmas festival is at ,berlin1  
just as the masterpiece of the          
,deposition is at ,antwerp1 in the      
agonized and magnificent work of        
,quentin ,matsys4  ,the early ,flemish  
painters were the greatest that ever    
lived6 said ,durtal to himself1 and this
 ,roger ,van der ,weyden1 or ,roger de  
la ,pasture as he is sometimes called1  
crushed between the fame of van ,eyck   

and of ,memling--as ,gherard ,david was 
later1 and ,hugo van der ,goes1 ,justus 
of ,ghent1 and ,dierck ,bouts--was in my
 opinion superior to them all4  ,and    
after them what a falling away6         
,theatrical ,crucifixions1 the fleshy   
coarseness of ,rubens which ,vandyck    
tried to mitigate by making it leaner4  
,we must leap into ,holland to find the 
mystic accent once more1 and it reveals 
itself in the soul of a ,judaizing      
,protestant1 under an aspect so         
mysterious and eccentric that at first  
sight we hesitate1 feeling ourselves1 as
 it were1 to make sure that we are not  
mistaken in regarding this as religious 
art4  ,nor need we go to ,amsterdam to  
verify the truth of this impression4 ,it
 is enough to go to see the ',disciples 
at ,emmaus1' in the ,louvre4  ,durtal1  
started on this theme1 fell into a      
reverie over ,rembrandt's strange       
conception of ,christian aesthetics4 ,it
 is evident that in his mode of         
depicting ,gospel scenes this painter   

still exhales a breath of the ,old      
,testament2 his church1 even if he had  
meant to paint it as it was in his day1 
would still be a synagogue1 so strong is
 the odour of the ,jew in all his work2 
he is possessed by the imagery1 the     
prophecies1 all the solemn and barbarous
 side of the ,east4 ,and this we can    
understand when we know that he was the 
companion of ,rabbis1 whose portraits he
 has left us1 and the friend of         
,manasseh ben ,israel1 one of the most  
learned men of his age4 ,on the other   
hand1 we may admit that this ,protestant
 ,dutchman engrafted on this stock of   
cabalistic learning and ,mosaic         
ceremonial an attentive and assiduous   
study of the ,old ,testament1 for he    
possessed a ,bible1 which was sold by   
auction with his furniture to pay his   
debts4  ,this would be enough to justify
 his choice of subjects and the         
composition of his pictures2 but the    
riddle remains unsolved of the results  
achieved by an artist whom we cannot    

conceive of1 after all1 as praying      
before he would paint3 like ,angelico   
and ,roger van der ,weyden4  ,be this as
 it may1 he1 with the eye of a          
visionary1 with his serious but fervid  
art1 his genius for concentration1 for  
getting a spot of the essence of        
sunlight into the heart of darkness1 has
 accomplished great results2 and in his 
,biblical scenes has spoken a language  
which no one before him had even        
attempted to lisp4  ,is not this picture
 of the ,pilgrims to ,emmaus a typical  
instance of this8 ,pull the work to     
pieces2 it ought to seem dull1          
monotonous1 voiceless4 ,as a composition
 it is utterly common3 we see a sort of 
cellar of stone-work1 a table facing us1
 behind which sits ,jesus1 ,his feet    
bare1 ,his lips colourless1 ,his        
complexion muddy1 ,his raiment of a     
pinkish grey2 ,he is breaking the bread1
 while1 to ,his right1 an apostle1      
clutching his napkin1 looks at ,him1    
fancies he recognizes ,him1 and on the  

left another disciple1 quite sure that  
he knows ,him1 clasps his hands--and    
this one utters a cry of joy that we can
 hear6 ,a fourth figure1 with an        
intelligent profile1 sees nothing1 but1 
attentive to his duties1 waits on the   
guests4  ,it is a meal of humble folk in
 a prison2 the colours are limited to a 
key of sad greys and browns1 excepting  
in the case of the man who twists his   
napkin1 whose sleeves are thick with a  
vermilion like red sealing-wax1 while   
the others might be painted with dust   
and pitch4  ,these are the literal      
facts2 but they are not the truth1 for  
everything is transfigured4 ,the head of
 ,christ is luminous merely by the way  
,he looks up2 a pale radiance fills the 
room4 ,this ,jesus1 ugly as ,he is1 with
 lips like death1 asserts ,himself by a 
gesture1 a look of ineffable beauty1 as 
the murdered ,son of a ,god6  ,we stand 
dumfounded1 not even trying to          
understand2 for this work1 stamped with 
transcendent naturalism1 is beyond and  

apart from painting2 no one can copy or 
reproduce it4  ,after ,rembrandt1       
,durtal went on1 there is an            
irremediable decay of religious feeling 
in painting4 ,the seventeenth century   
has not left a single picture in which  
there is a genuine stamp of manly       
devotion2 excepting1 indeed1 in ,spain  
at the time when ,saint ,theresa and    
,saint ,john of the ,cross flourished   
there2 then the mystical realism of its 
painters produced some fiercely fervid  
works2 and ,durtal recalled a picture by
 ,zurbaran he had seen and admired in   
the ,gallery at ,lyons1 ,saint ,francis 
of ,assisi standing upright in a habit  
of grey serge1 the cowl over his head1  
his hands hidden in his sleeves4  ,the  
face looked as if it had been moulded or
 chiselled out of cinders2 the mouth was
 open1 livid1 below ecstatic eyes as    
white as if they had been blinded4 ,it  
was a wonder how this corpse1 of which  
nothing was left but the bones1 could   
hold itself up2 and terror came over the

 beholder as he thought of the excessive
 maceration and overwhelming penances   
that must have exhausted that frame and 
seamed that face4  ,this painting was   
the evident outcome of the relentless   
and terrible mysticism of ,saint ,john  
of the ,cross1 the art of the rack1 the 
delirium tremens of divine intoxication 
here on earth2 aye1 but what a passion  
of adoration1 what a voice of love      
stifled by anguish found utterance in   
this canvas4  ,as to the eighteenth     
century1 it was not worth a thought2    
that century was the age of the belly   
and the bath-room2 as soon as art tried 
to touch the ,church it only made a     
washing-basin into a holy-water stoup4  
,in our own time1 again1 there is       
nothing to note4  ,overbeck1 ,ingres1   
,flandrin--all sorry jades harnessed    
willy-nilly to religious tasks by       
commissions from the pious4 ,in the     
church of ,saint ,sulpice ,delacroix    
extinguishes all the feeble art that    
surrounds him1 but his sense of         

,catholic art is null4  ,in truth1 faith
 is now dormant1 and without that no    
mystical work is possible6  ,at the     
present moment ,signol is dead1 but     
,olivier ,merson is left2 vacuity all   
along the line4 ,we need not take into  
account the got-up absurdities and      
paintings to puzzle ,rosicrucian        
simpletons2 nor1 again1 the feeble      
imagery of the wealthy idlers or the    
worthy youths who fancy that if they    
paint a woman larger than life1 that    
makes her mystical4 ,silence would befit
 the subject1 only that1 unluckily1 a   
well-meaning publisher was struck by the
 idea of mobilizing the clerical forces 
to hail ,james ,tissot as an evangelical
 painter4 ,his ,life of ,christ is one  
of the least religious works            
conceivable1 for1 in fact1 it might be  
regarded as a hesitating paraphrase of  
the ,life of ,jesus as narrated by that 
cheerful apostate and terrible jester1  
,renan4  ,the firm of ,mame has         
completed this artist's treason by the  

issue of these melancholy               
chromo-lithographs4 ,under the pretext  
of realism1 of information acquired on  
the spot1 of authenticated costumes--all
 extremely doubtful1 since we should be 
forced to conclude that nothing has     
changed in ,palestine in the course of  
nineteen centuries--,monsieur ,tissot   
has given us the basest masquerade that 
anyone has yet dared present as an      
illustration of the ,scriptures4 ,look  
at that disreputable trull1 a street    
slut tired of shouting ,this way to the 
boats6 till she falls fainting4 ,this is
 the ,magnificat1 the ,blessed ,virgin4 
,that epileptic boy with outstretched   
arms is ,jesus in the ,temple4 ,look at 
the ,baptism1 the ,pharisee and the     
,publican1 the ,massacre of the         
,innocents1 the ,saint ,peter walking on
 the ,sea1 the ,magdalen at the feet of 
,jesus1 the ridiculous ,consummatum     
est--look at them all3 these prints are 
matchless for platitude1 effeteness1    
poverty of spirit4 ,they might have been

 designed by the first-comer1 and are   
painted with muck1 wine-sauce1 mud6     
,certainly the hapless ,catholics have  
no luck when once they try to meddle    
with what they do not understand2 their 
incurable lack of artistic sense is once
 more displayed in this attempt over    
which the whole world of art and letters
 is laughing in their sleeve4  ,then is 
there nothing1 absolutely nothing1 to   
the credit side for the ,church8        
exclaimed ,durtal4 ,and yet some        
attempts at ascetic art have been made  
in this century4 ,a few years since1 the
 ,benedictine ,house at ,beuron1 in     
,bavaria1 tried to revive ecclesiastical
 art2 and ,durtal remembered having     
looked through some reproductions of    
mural frescoes painted by these monks in
 a tower at ,monte ,cassino4  ,these    
frescoes had gone back to the types of  
,assyria and ,egypt1 with their crowned 
gods1 their sphynx-headed angels having 
fan-shaped wings behind their heads1    
their old men with plaited beards       

playing on stringed instruments2 and    
then the ,friars of ,beuron had given up
 this hieratic style1 in which1 it must 
be owned1 they succeeded but ill1 and in
 certain later works--especially in a   
volume of the ,way of the ,cross1       
published at ,freiburg in               
,breisgau--they had adopted a strange   
medley of other styles4  ,the ,roman    
soldiers who figured in those pages were
 huge firemen1 a bequest from the       
schools of ,guerin and ,david2 and then1
 unexpectedly1 in certain plates where  
the ,magdalen and the ,holy women       
appeared1 a younger spirit seemed to    
prevail among the commonplace           
groups--,greek female types derived from
 the ,renaissance1 pretty and elegant1  
evidently imported from the works of the
 pre-,raphaelites1 and strongly         
recalling ,walter ,crane's              
illustrations4  ,thus the ideal at      
,beuron had developed into an alloy of  
the ,french art of the ,first ,empire   
and contemporary ,english work4  ,some  

of these compositions were all but      
laughable1 that of the ,ninth ,station1 
to mention one3 ,christ lying at full   
length on ,his face1 and being pulled up
 by a rope tied to ,his bound hands2 it 
looked as if ,he were learning to swim4 
,still1 but for feeble and vulgar       
incidents1 clumsy and obvious details1  
what strange scenes suddenly rose before
 his mind1 distinct from the mass3      
,veronica on her knees before ,jesus1   
was really distracted with grief1 really
 fine2 the borrowed or copied figures of
 the other persons represented          
disappeared2 even in the least original 
of these compositions the coarse1       
unsatisfactory utterances of these monks
 spoke an almost eloquent language2 and 
this because intense faith and fervour  
lurked in the work4 ,a breath had passed
 over those faces1 and they were alive2 
the emotion1 the voice of prayer1 was   
felt in the silence of this conventional
 crowd4 ,this ,way of the ,cross was    
matchless from this point of view3      

,monastic piety had introduced an       
unexpected element1 giving evidence of  
the mysterious power it has at its      
command1 infusing a personal emotion1 a 
peculiar aroma1 into a work which1      
without it1 would never indeed have     
existed4 ,these ,benedictines had       
suggested the sensation of kneeling     
worship and the very fragrance of the   
,gospel1 as artists of wider scope had  
failed in doing4  ,their attempt1       
however1 had begotten no following1 and 
at this day the school is almost dead1  
producing nothing but feeble prints for 
old women designed by the lay-brothers4 
,how1 indeed1 could it have been        
anything but still-born8 ,the idea of   
doing for the ,west what ,manuel        
,pauselinos did for the ,east1 of       
eliminating study from nature1 imposing 
an uniform ritual of colour and line1 of
 compelling every artistic temperament  
to squeeze itself into the same mould1  
shows an absolute misapprehension of art
 in the mind of the man who attempted   

it4 ,the system was bound to end in     
ankylosis1 in the paralysis of painting1
 and this1 in fact1 was the result4  ,at
 about the same time with these         
,religious an unknown artist1 living in 
the country1 and never exhibiting in    
,paris1 was painting pictures for       
churches and convents1 working for the  
glory of ,god and refusing all          
remuneration from priests or monks4     
,durtal knew his pictures1 and they had 
suggested much the same reflections as  
those aroused by the ,benedictine       
paintings of ,beuron4  ,at first sight  
,paul ,borel's work is neither cheerful 
nor attractive2 the phrases he used     
might often have made a partisan of the 
modern smile2 and besides1 to judge his 
work fairly it is indispensable to get  
rid of part of it1 to refuse to see     
anything but that which has evaded the  
too-familiar formulas of commonplace    
unction2 and then what a spirit of manly
 fervency1 of ardent piety1 filled and  
upheld it4  ,his most important         

paintings are buried in the chapel of   
the ,dominican school at ,oullins1 in a 
remote corner of the suburbs of ,lyons4 
,among the ten subjects that decorate   
the nave1 we find ,moses ,striking the  
,rock1 the ,disciples at ,emmaus1 the   
,healing of ,one ,possessed1 of ,one    
,born ,blind1 and of ,tobit2 but in     
spite of the calm energy shown in these 
frescoes1 they are disappointing by     
reason of their general heaviness and of
 the sleepy and unwonted effect of      
colour4 ,not till we reach the choir1   
beyond the communion railing1 do we find
 works of a quite different kind of art1
 above some magnificent figures of      
saints of the ,order of ,friars         
,preacher1 amazing in the power of      
prayer1 the essence of saintliness that 
they diffuse4  ,there1 too1 ,durtal had 
found two large compositions3 one of the
 ,virgin bestowing the ,rosary on ,saint
 ,dominic1 and the other of ,saint      
,thomas ,aquinas kneeling before an     
altar on which stands a ,crucifix       

radiating light4 ,never since the       
,middle ,ages had monks been so         
understood and so painted2 never had a  
more impetuous fount of soul been       
revealed under so stern a casing of     
features4 ,borel was the painter of the 
,monastic ,saints2 his art1 by nature   
rather torpid1 soared up with them as   
soon as he tried to paint them4  ,at    
,versailles1 again1 even better perhaps 
than in the chapel of the ,oullins      
seminary1 the sincere and deeply        
religious work of ,borel might be       
studied4 ,at the entrance to the chapel 
of the ,augustine ,sisters in that town1
 of which ,borel had painted the nave   
and the choir1 there stood a figure of  
an ,abbess of the fourteenth century1   
,saint ,clare of ,montefalcone1 in the  
black robes of an ,augustinian ,nun1    
against the stone walls of her cell1 an 
open book on one side of the figure and 
a brass lamp on the other1 somewhat     
behind her on a table4  ,in that face1  
bent over the ,crucifix she was pressing

 to her lips1 in that countenance1 at   
once sweet and hungering1 in the        
movement of the arms closely folded over
 her bosom1 raised to her face1 and     
themselves forming a cross1 he had seen 
the complete absorption of a bride1 the 
rapt1 ecstatic joy of the purest love1  
and at the same time something of the   
anxious affection of a mother cherishing
 the ,christ she kissed1 and seemed to  
shelter in her bosom like a suffering   
child4  ,and this was all set forth     
without any theatrical attitude or      
forced gestures1 with perfect           
simplicity4 ,this ,saint ,clare has no  
ravings1 no outcries1 like ,saint       
,magdalen of ,pazzi2 she does not soar  
with the flight of divine intoxication4 
,the mystic possession manifests itself 
in a mute rapture2 her transports are   
controlled1 and her inebriety is grave2 
she does not diffuse herself1 but opens 
her soul1 and ,jesus1 as ,he enters in1 
stamps her with ,his likeness1 impresses
 her with the image of the ,crucifix she

 holds1 and of which the impress was    
found graven on her heart when it was   
examined after her death4  ,this was the
 most remarkable religious painting of  
our time1 and it was achieved with no   
borrowing from the ,early painters1 no  
trickery of awkward attitudes supported 
by iron bars1 no affectations1 no       
artifice4 ,and what a devout ,catholic1 
what an emotionally pious artist must   
the man be who could produce such a     
work6  ,after him the rest was silence4 
,among the religious youth of to-day no 
one is to be found equal to the         
presentment of ,church subjects4 ,only  
one1 said ,durtal1 thinking it over1    
gave any hope of such powers1 for he    
stands apart from the rest1 and1 at any 
rate1 has talent4  ,he rose and went to 
turn over his portfolios1 picking out   
the lithographs by ,charles ,dulac4     
,this artist had begun with a series of 
landscapes1 idealizing nature1 at first 
with a timid hand--extravagantly large  
pools1 and trees with leaves that looked

 like wild wigs tossed by the wind2 then
 he had produced a rendering in black   
and white of a ,canticle of the ,sun1 or
 of ,creation1 and had poured out in    
nine plates1 printed in different states
 of tone1 that effluence of mystical    
feeling which in his first set was still
 latent and undecided4  ,the rather     
hackneyed dictum that a landscape is a  
state of mind1 was strictly appropriate 
to this work2 the artist had stamped his
 faith on these views1 studied1 no      
doubt1 from nature1 but seen1 it was    
evident1 not by the eyes alone1 but by a
 captivated spirit singing in the open  
air ,daniel's hymn and ,david's psalm1  
as interpreted by ,saint ,francis1 and  
repeating after them the thought that   
all the ,elements shall sing to the     
glory of ,him who created them4  ,among 
these plates two were genuinely         
inspiring3 that with the title1 ,stella 
,matutina1 and the other with the words1
 ,spiritus ,sancte ,deus2 but another1  
the broadest1 the most decisive1 and the

 simplest of them all1 bearing the title
 ,sol ,justitiae1 seemed best of all to 
set forth the individual sympathies of  
the artist4  ,it was thus composed3 ,a  
light1 remote1 translucent distance was 
lost in infinitude--a peninsula1 a      
desert waste of waters with ribs of     
shore1 tongues of land planted with     
trees repeated in the mirror of the     
lake2 on the horizon the sun1 half set1 
cast its beams reflected by the sheet of
 waters2 that was all1 but amazing      
placidity and calm1 a sense of fulness  
was shed over all4 ,the idea of justice1
 to which that of mercy answers as its  
inevitable echo1 was symbolized in the  
serene solemnity of this expanse lighted
 up by the glow of a kindly season and  
mild atmosphere4  ,durtal drew back to  
get a more complete view of the work as 
a whole4  ,there is no denying it1 said 
he2 this artist has the instinct1 the   
subtle sense of aerial space1 of        
expanse2 he understands the soul of calm
 waters flowing under a vast sky6 ,and  

then1 this print diffuses emanations as 
from a ,catholic1 which steal into us1  
slowly soak into our heart4  ,and by    
this time1 said he1 closing the         
portfolio1 ,i am far enough away from   
the original matter1 and none the nearer
 to any article ,i can write for the    
,review4 ,a paper on the primitive      
,german painters would1 indeed1 be quite
 in its line2 yes1 but what an          
undertaking6 ,i should have to work up  
my notes1 and after dealing with        
,meister ,wilhelm1 ,stephan ,lochner1   
and ,zeitblom1 to speak of ,bernhardt   
,strigel1 an almost unknown painter1 of 
,albert ,duerer1 ,holbein1 ,martin      
,schongauer1 ,hans ,balding1            
,burgkmayer1 and ,i know not how many   
more4 ,i should have to account for     
whatever may have survived of orthodoxy 
in ,germany after the ,reformation2 to  
mention1 at any rate1 from the ,lutheran
 point of view1 that extraordinary      
painter1 ,cranach1 whose ,adams are     
bearded ,apollos of the complexion of a 

,red ,indian1 and his ,eves slender1    
chubby-faced courtesans1 with bullet    
heads1 little shrimps' eyes1 lips       
moulded out of red pomatum1 breasts like
 apples close under the neck1 long1 slim
 legs1 elegantly formed1 with the calf  
high up1 and large1 flat feet with thick
 ankles4  ,such a treatise would carry  
me too far4 ,it is amusing to dream     
over1 but not to write4 ,i should do    
better to seek a less panoramic1 a      
compacter subject4 ,but what8--,well1 ,i
 will see later1 he concluded1 getting  
up1 for ,madame ,mesurat jovially       
announced that dinner was ready4        
,,chapter ,,xiii4   ,to change his      
weariness of the place1 ,durtal one     
sunny afternoon went to the further end 
of ,chartres1 to visit the ancient      
church of ,saint ,martin du ,val4 ,it   
dated from the tenth century1 and had   
served as the chapel by turns of a      
,benedictine ,house and of a ,capuchin  
convent4 ,restored without any too      
flagrant heresies1 it was now included  

in the precincts of an ,asylum1 and was 
reached by crossing a yard where blind  
folk in white cotton caps sat nodding on
 benches in the shade of a few trees4   
,its small1 squat doorway and three     
little belfries1 as if it had been built
 for a village of dwarfs1 attested its  
,romanesque origin2 and1 as at ,saint   
,radegonde at ,poitiers and ,notre ,dame
 de la ,couture at le ,mans1 the        
interior opened1 under an altar very    
much raised above the ground1 into a    
crypt lighted by loopholes borrowing    
their light from the ambulatory of the  
choir4 ,the capitals of the columns1    
coarsely carved1 resembled the idols of 
,oceania2 under the pavement and in the 
tombs lay many of the ,bishops of       
,chartres1 and newly-consecrated        
prelates were supposed to spend the     
first night of their arrival at the ,see
 in prayer before these tombs1 so as to 
imbue themselves with the virtues of    
their predecessors and enlist their     
support4  ,the ,manes of these ,bishops 

might very well have whispered to their 
present successor1 ,monseigneur des     
,mofflaines1 some plan for purifying the
 ,house of the ,virgin by turning out   
the vile musician who degrades the      
,sanctuary on ,sundays to the level of a
 music hall6 sighed ,durtal4 ',but1     
alas6 nothing disturbs the inertia of   
that aged1 and invalid shepherd1 who is1
 indeed1 never to be seen either in his 
garden1 in the cathedral1 or in the     
town4  ,ah6 ,but this is something      
better than all the vocal flourishes of 
the choristers6 said ,durtal to himself 
as he listened to the bells aroused from
 silence to shed the blessed drops of   
sound over the city4  ,he called to mind
 the meanings ascribed to bells by the  
early symbolists4 ,durand of ,mende     
compares the hardness of the metal to   
the power of the preacher1 and thinks   
that the blows of the tongue against the
 side1 aim at showing the orator that he
 should punish himself and correct his  
own vices before he blames those of     

others4 ,the wooden crossbeam to which  
the bell is suspended resembles in form 
the ,cross of ,christ1 and the rope     
pulled by the ringer to set the bell    
going is allegorical of the knowledge of
 the ,scripture which depends on the    
,cross itself4  ,according to ,hugh of  
,saint ,victor1 the tongue of the bell  
is the sacerdotal tongue1 which1        
striking on both sides of the body1     
declares the truth of both ,testaments4 
,finally1 to others the bell itself is  
the mouth of the ,liturgy1 and the      
tongue its tongue4  ,in fact1 the bell  
is the ,church's herald1 its outer      
voice1 as the priest is its inward      
voice1 ,durtal concluded4  ,while       
meditating in this wise1 he had reached 
the cathedral1 and for the hundredth    
time stood to admire those powerful     
abutments throwing out1 with the strong 
curve of a projectile1 flying buttresses
 like spoked wheels1 and1 as usual1 he  
was amazed by the flight of the         
parabola1 the grace of the trajectory1  

the sober strength of those curved      
supports4 ,still1 said he to himself1 as
 he studied the parapet raised above    
them1 bordering the roof of the nave1   
the architect who was content to stamp  
out those trefoil arches1 as if they    
were punched in that stone parapet1 was 
less happily inspired than certain other
 master-masons or stone-workers who     
enclosed the little gutter-path they    
made round church roofs with scriptural 
or symbolical images4 ,such an one was  
he who built the cathedral at ,troyes1  
where the top parapet is carved         
alternately into fleur de lys and ,saint
 ,peter's keys2 and he who at ,caudebec 
sculptured the edge into gothic letters 
of a delightfully decorative character1 
spelling a hymn to the ,virgin1 thus    
crowning the church with a garland of   
prayer1 wreathing its head with a white 
chaplet of aspiration4  ,durtal left the
 north side of the cathedral1 went past 
the royal door and round the corner of  
the old tower4 ,with one hand he held on

 his hat1 and with the other grasped the
 skirts of his coat1 which flapped about
 his legs4 ,the storm blew permanently  
on this spot4 ,there might be not a     
breath of air anywhere else in the town1
 but here1 at this corner1 winter and   
summer1 there was always a blast that   
caught cloaks and skirts and lashed the 
face with icy thongs4  ,that perhaps is 
the reason why the statues of the       
neighbouring north door1 which are so   
incessantly scourged by the wind1 stand 
in such shivering attitudes with narrow 
and tightly-drawn raiment1 their arms   
and legs held close1 thought ,durtal1   
with a smile4 ,and is it not the same   
with that strange figure dwelling in    
companionship with a sow                
spinning--though it is not in fact a    
sow1 but a hog--and an ass playing on a 
hurdy-gurdy on the storm-beaten wall of 
the old tower8  ,these two animals1     
whose careless herd he seems to be1     
represent in their merry guise the old  
popular sayings3 ,ne sus ,minerveum1 and

 ,asinus ad lyram1 which may be freely  
rendered by ,every man to his trade1 and
 ,never force a talent2 for we should   
but be as inept as a pig trying to be   
wise or an ass trying to strike the     
lyre4  ,but this angel with a nimbus1   
standing barefoot under a canopy1       
supporting a sun-dial against his       
breast1 what does he mean1 what is he   
doing8  ,a descendant of the royal women
 of the north porch1 for he is like them
 in his slender shape1 sheathed in a    
clinging robe with string-like pleats1  
he looks over our heads1 and we wonder  
whether he is very impure or very       
chaste4  ,the upper part of the face is 
innocent1 the hair cropped round the    
head2 the face is beardless and the     
expression monastic1 but between the    
nose and mouth there is a broad slope1  
and the lips1 parting in a straight     
gash1 wear a smile1 which as we look    
seems just a little impudent1 just a    
little vulgar1 and we wonder what manner
 of angel this may be4  ,there is in    

this figure something of the            
recalcitrant seminarist1 and also       
something of the virtuous postulant4 ,if
 the sculptor took a young ,brother for 
his model1 he certainly did not choose a
 docile novice1 such as he who no doubt 
served for the study of ,joseph standing
 under the north door2 he must have     
worked from one of the religious        
,gyrovagoi who so tormented ,st4        
,benedict4 ,a strange figure is this    
angel1 who has a father at ,laon1 behind
 the cathedral1 and who anticipated by  
many centuries the puzzling seraphic    
types of the ,renaissance4  ,what a     
wind6 muttered ,durtal1 hastening back  
to the west front1 where he went up the 
steps and pushed the door open4  ,the   
entrance to this immense and obscure    
church is always coercive2 we           
instinctively bend the head and advance 
cautiously under the oppressive majesty 
of its vault4 ,durtal stopped when he   
had gone a few steps1 dazzled by the    
illumination of the choir in contrast   

with the dark alley of the nave1 which  
only gained a little light where it     
joined the transepts4 ,the ,christ had  
the legs and feet in shadow1 the body in
 subdued light1 and the head bathed in a
 torrent of glory2 ,durtal gazed up in  
the air at the motionless ranks of      
,patriarchs1 and ,apostles1 and         
,bishops1 and ,saints in a glow as of   
dying fires1 dimly lighted glass1       
guarding the ,sacred ,body at their     
feet1 below them2 they stood in rows    
along the upper storey in huge pointed  
settings1 with wheels above them1       
showing to ,jesus1 nailed to earth1 ,his
 army of faithful soldiers1 ,his legions
 as enumerated in the ,scriptures1 the  
,legends1 the ,martyrology2 ,durtal     
could identify in the armed throng of   
the painted windows ,st4 ,laurence1 ,st4
 ,stephen1 ,st4 ,giles1 ,st4 ,nicholas  
of ,myra1 ,st4 ,martin1 ,st4 ,george of 
,cappadocia1 ,st4 ,symphorian1 ,st4     
,philip1 ,st4 ,foix1 ,st4 ,laumer1 and  
how many more whose names he could not  

recollect--and paused in admiration near
 the transept1 in front of a figure of  
,abraham fixed for ever in a threatening
 gesture1 holding a sword over a        
crouching ,isaac1 the blade shining     
brightly against the infinite blue4  ,he
 stood admiring the conceptions and the 
craftsmanship of those thirteenth       
century glass-workers1 their emphatic   
language1 necessary at such great       
heights1 the way in which they had made 
the pictures legible from a distance by 
introducing a single figure in each1    
whenever that was possible1 and painting
 it in massive outline1 with contrasting
 colours1 so as to be easily taken in at
 a glance when seen from below4  ,but   
the triumph of this art was neither in  
the choir1 nor in the transepts of the  
church1 nor in the nave2 it was at the  
entrance1 on the inner side of the wall1
 where on the outside stood the statues 
of the nameless queens4 ,durtal         
delighted in this glorious show1 but he 
always postponed it a little to excite  

himself by expectancy1 and revel in the 
leap of joy it gave him1 repetition of  
the sensation not having yet availed to 
weaken it4  ,on this particular day1    
under a sunny sky1 these three windows  
of the twelfth century blazed with      
splendour with their broad short blades1
 the blade of a claymore1 flat wide     
panels of glass under the rose that held
 the most prominent place over the west 
door4  ,it was a twinkling sheet of     
cornflowers and sparks1 a shifting maze 
of blue flames--a paler blue than that  
in which ,abraham1 at the end of the    
nave1 brandished his knife2 this pale1  
limpid blue resembled the flames of     
burning punch and of the ignited powder 
of sulphur1 and the lightning flash of  
sapphires1 but of quite young sapphires1
 as it were1 still infantine and        
tremulous4 ,and in the right hand       
pointed window he could distinguish in  
burning red the ,stem of ,jesse--figures
 piled up espalier fashion1 in the blue 
fire of the sky2 while to the left and  

in the middle1 scenes were shown from   
the ,life of ,jesus--the ,annunciation1 
,palm ,sunday1 the ,transfiguration1 the
 ,last ,supper1 and the ,supper at      
,emmaus2 and above these three windows  
,christ hurled thunder from the heart of
 the great rose1 the dead emerged from  
their graves at the trumpet-call1 and   
,st4 ,michael weighed souls4  ,how did  
the glass-makers discover and compound  
that twelfth century blue8 wondered     
,durtal4 ,and why have their successors 
so long lost it1 as well as their red8  
,in the twelfth century glass-painters  
made use chiefly of three colours2      
first1 blue--that ineffable1 uncertain  
sky-blue which is the glory of the      
,chartres windows2 then red--a purplish 
red1 full and important2 and            
green--inferior in quality to the two   
others4 ,for white they preferred a     
greenish tinge4  ,in the following      
century the palette is more extensive1  
but the stain is darker2 the glass1 too1
 is thicker4 ,and yet1 what a glowing   

blue of pure1 bold sapphire tone the    
artists of the furnace had at their     
command1 and what a fine red they used1 
the colour of fresh blood6 ,yellow1 of  
which they were less lavish1 was1 if ,i 
may judge from the robe of a king near  
the ,abraham1 in a window by the        
transept1 a daring hue of bright lemon4 
,but apart from these three colours1    
which have a sort of resonance1 and     
burst forth like songs of joy in these  
transparent pictures1 others grow more  
sober2 the violets are like ,orleans    
plums or purple egg-fruit1 the browns   
are of the hue of burnt sugar1 the      
chive-coloured greens turn dark4  ,but  
what masterpieces of colour they        
achieved by the harmony and contrast of 
these tones1 and with what skill did    
they handle the lead-lines1 emphasizing 
certain details1 punctuating and        
dividing these paragraphs of flame as if
 with lines of ink4  ,and another thing 
which is amazing is the perfect         
agreement of all these various crafts1  

practised side by side1 treating the    
same subjects1 or supplementing each    
other--each1 by its own mode of         
expression1 under one guiding mind1     
contributing to the whole2 with what a  
sense of fitness1 with what skill were  
the posts distributed1 the places       
assigned to each as beseemed the purpose
 of his craft1 the requirements of his  
art4  ,architecture having finished the 
lower portion of the edifice1 retires   
into the background to make way for     
,sculpture1 giving it the fine          
opportunity of the doorways2 and        
,sculpture1 hitherto invisible at       
excessive heights1 as a mere accessory1 
suddenly finds itself supreme4 ,with due
 sense of justice it now comes forward  
where it can be seen1 and the sister art
 retires1 leaving it to address the     
multitude1 giving it the noblest        
framework in those arched doorways1     
imitating a deeper perspective by their 
concentric arches1 diminishing and      
retreating to the door-frames4  ,in     

other instances ,architecture does not  
give everything to one art1 but divides 
the bounty of her great facade between  
sculpture and painting2 reserving to the
 former the hollows and nooks where     
statues may find niches1 and giving to  
glass-painters the tympanum of the great
 door1 where at ,chartres the           
image-maker has displayed the ,triumph  
of ,christ4 ,this we see in the great   
west doors of ,tours and of ,reims4     
,this plan of substituting glass for    
bas-reliefs had its disadvantages2 seen 
from outside--their wrong side--these   
diaphanous pictures look like spiders'  
nets on an enormous scale and thick with
 dust4 ,with the light on them the      
windows are1 in fact1 grey or black2 it 
is only by going inside and looking back
 that their fire can be seen flashing2  
the outside is here sacrificed to the   
inside4 ,why8  ,perhaps1 said ,durtal1  
answering himself1 it is symbolical of  
the soul having light inwardly1 an      
allegory of the spiritual life--  ,he   

took in all the windows of the nave with
 a rapid glance1 and it struck him that 
their effect was a combination of the   
prison and the grave1 with their coals  
of fire burning behind iron bars1 some  
crossed like the windows of a gaol1 and 
others twisting like black twigs and    
branches4 ,is not glass painting of all 
arts that in which ,god does most to    
help the artist1 the art which man1     
unaided1 can never make perfect1 since  
the sky alone can give life to the      
colours by a beam of sunshine1 and lend 
movement to the lines8 ,in short1 man   
fashions the form1 prepares the body1   
and must wait till ,god infuses the     
soul4  ,it is to-day a high-day of light
 and the ,sun of ,justice is visiting   
,his ,mother1 he went on1 as he walked  
to where the pillared thicket of the    
choir ended at the south transept1 to   
look at the window known as ,notre ,dame
 de la belle ,verriere1 the figure1 in  
blue1 relieved against a mingled        
background of dead-leaf olive1 brown1   

iris violet1 plum-green2 ,she gazed out 
with her sad and pensive pout--a pout   
very cleverly restored by a modern      
glass-painter2 and ,durtal remembered   
that people had come to pray to ,her1 as
 he now went to pray to the ,virgin of  
the ,pillar and ,notre ,dame de ,sous   
,terre4  ,such devotion was a thing of  
the past2 the men of our time need1 it  
would seem1 a more tangible1 a more     
material ,virgin than this slender1     
fragile image1 hardly visible in dark   
weather2 nevertheless1 a few peasants   
still kept up the habit of kneeling and 
offering a taper before ,her1 and       
,durtal1 who loved these old neglected  
,madonnas1 joined them and invoked ,her 
too4  ,two other windows also appealed  
to him by the singularity of the        
figures1 perched very high up1 in the   
depths of the apse1 and serving as      
attendant pages1 at a distance1 to the  
,virgin holding ,her ,son in the centre 
light commanding the whole perspective  
of the cathedral2 these each contained  

in a light-toned lancet1 a barbarous and
 grotesque seraph1 with sharply-marked  
features1 white wings full of eyes1 and 
robes with jagged1 strap-like edges of a
 pale green colour2 their legs were     
bare1 and they were represented as      
floating4 ,these two angels had jujube  
yellow aureoles tilted to the back like 
sailors' hats2 and this ragged attire1  
the feathers folded over the breast1 the
 hat of glory1 with their general       
expression of refractory wilfulness1    
suggested the idea that these beings    
were at once paupers1 ,apaches or       
,mohicans1 and seamen4  ,as to the      
remaining windows1 especially those     
which included several figures and were 
divided into several pictures1 it would 
have needed a telescope and have taken  
many days of study only to make out the 
story they told1 and discover the       
details2 and months would not have      
sufficed for the task1 since the glass  
had been in many cases repaired and     
often replaced without regard to order1 

so that it was especially difficult to  
decipher it4  ,an attempt had been made 
to count the number of figures          
represented in the cathedral windows2   
they were as many as #chhi2 in the      
mediaeval times everybody had been eager
 to present a glass picture to the      
,virgin4 ,not cardinals only1 kings1    
bishops and princes1 canons and nobles1 
but the corporations of the town also   
had contributed these panels of fire2   
the richest1 such as the ,guilds of     
,drapers and ,furriers1 of ,goldsmiths  
and ,money-changers1 had each presented 
five to ,our ,lady1 while the poorer    
companies of the ,master ,scavengers and
 ,water-carriers1 the ,porters and      
,rag-pickers1 each gave one4  ,pondering
 on these things1 ,durtal wandered round
 the ambulatory and paused in front of a
 small stone ,virgin ensconced at the   
foot of the stairs leading up to the    
chapel of ,saint ,piat1 constructed in  
the fourteenth century as a sort of     
outbuilding behind the apse4 ,this      

,virgin1 dating from the same period1   
had shrunk into the shade1 effacing     
,herself1 deferentially leaving the more
 important places to the senior         
,madonnas4  ,she carried an ,infant     
playing with a bird1 in allusion1 no    
doubt1 to the passage in the apocryphal 
,gospels of the ,infancy1 and of ,thomas
 the ,israelite1 which shows us the     
,child ,jesus amusing ,himself by       
modelling birds out of clay1 and giving 
them life by breathing upon them4  ,then
 ,durtal continued his walk through the 
chapels2 stopping only to look at one   
which contained relics of opposite      
utility and double purpose3 the shrines 
of ,saint ,piat and ,saint ,taurinus4   
,the bones of the former saint were     
displayed to secure dry weather in times
 of rain1 and those of the second to    
invoke rain in times of drought4 ,but   
what was far less comforting and more   
irritating even than this array of      
side-chapels1 with their wretched       
adornment--with names that had been     

changed since their first dedication so 
that the tutelary protection earned by  
centuries of service had ceased to      
exist--was the choir1 battered1 dirty1  
degraded as if on purpose4  ,in #agfc   
the old ,chapter had thought fit to     
deface the ,gothic columns1 and to have 
them colour-washed by a ,milanese       
lime-washer1 of a yellowish pink        
speckled with grey2 then they had       
abandoned to the town-museum some       
magnificent pieces of ,flemish tapestry 
that screened the inner circuit of the  
choir aisles1 and had put in their place
 bas-reliefs in marble executed by the  
dreadful bungler who had crushed the    
altar under the gigantic group of the   
,virgin4 ,and mischance had helped4 ,in 
#aghi the ,sansculottes were intending  
to destroy this mountainous ,assumption1
 and some ill-starred idiot saved it by 
placing a cap of liberty on the         
,virgin's head6  ,to think that some    
beautiful windows were knocked out in   
order to get a better light for this    

mass of lard6 ,if only there were the   
slightest hope of ever getting rid of   
it2 but alas6 all such hopes are vain4  
,some years ago1 when ,monseigneur      
,regnault was ,bishop1 the idea was     
indeed suggested--not of making away    
with this petrified lump of tallow1 but 
at least of getting rid of the          
bas-reliefs4  ,then the prelate--who    
stuffed his ears with cotton for fear of
 taking cold--set his face against it2  
and for reasons of equal importance1 no 
doubt1 the sacrilegious hideousness of  
this ,assumption must be for ever       
endured1 and the marble screens as well4
  ,but though the interior of this choir
 was a disgrace1 the groups round the   
ambulatory of the apse and the outer    
wall of the choir were well worth       
lingering over4  ,these figures under   
canopies and tabernacles carved by      
,jehan de ,beauce began on the right by 
the south transept1 went round the      
horse-shoe behind the altar1 and ended  
at the north transept where the ,black  

,virgin of the ,pillar stands4  ,the    
subjects were the same as those treated 
in the small capitals of the royal      
doorway1 outside the church1 above the  
panegyric of the kings1 saints1 and     
queens4 ,they were taken from the       
,apocryphal legends1 the ,gospel of the 
,childhood of ,mary1 and the            
,protoevangelist ,james the ,less4  ,the
 first of these groups was executed by  
an artist named ,jehan ,soulas4 ,the    
contract1 dated ,january #bnd1 #aeah1   
between this sculptor and the delegates 
of the authorities conducting the works 
of the church1 still existed4 ,it set   
forth that ,jehan ,soulas1 a master     
image-maker1 dwelling in ,paris at the  
cemetery of ,saint ,jehan in the parish 
of ,saint ,jehan en ,greve1 pledged     
himself to execute in good stone of the 
,tonnerre quarry1 and better than the   
images that are round about the choir of
 ,notre ,dame de ,paris1 the four first 
groups1 of which the subjects were      
prescribed and explained2 in            

consideration of the sum of two hundred 
and eighty livres ,tournois1 which the  
,chapter of ,chartres undertook to pay  
him as he might require4  ,soulas1 who  
had undoubtedly learned his craft from  
some ,flemish artist1 produced certain  
little genre pictures well adapted1 by  
their spirit and liveliness1 to cheer   
the soul that the solemnity of the      
windows might have depressed2 for in    
this aisle they really seemed to let the
 light filter through ,indian           
shawl-stuff1 admitting only a few dull  
sparks and smoky gleams4  ,the second   
group1 representing ,saint ,anna        
receiving from an unseen angel an order 
to go to meet ,joachim at the ,golden   
,gate1 was a marvel of grace and subtle 
observation2 the saint stood listening  
attentive in front of her fald-stool1 by
 which lay a little dog2 and a          
waiting-maid1 seen in profile1 carrying 
an empty pitcher1 smiled with a knowing 
air and a wink in her eye4 ,and in the  
next scene1 where the husband and wife  

were embracing each other with the      
trepidation of a worthy old couple1     
stammering with joy and clasping        
trembling hands1 the same woman1 seen   
full-face this time1 was so delighted at
 their happiness that she could not keep
 still1 but1 holding up her skirts1 was 
almost in the act of dancing4  ,a little
 further on1 the image-maker had        
represented the birth of ,mary1 a       
thoroughly ,flemish scene3 in the       
background1 a bed with curtains1 on     
which ,saint ,anna reclined1 watched by 
a maid1 while the midwife and her       
attendant washed the infant in a basin4 
,but another of these bas-reliefs1 close
 to the ,renaissance clock1 which       
interrupts the series of this history   
told in the choir-aisle1 was even more  
astonishing4 ,in this ,mary was sewing  
at baby-clothes while reading1 and      
,saint ,joseph1 asleep in a chair1 his  
head resting on his hand1 was instructed
 in a dream of the ,immaculate          
,conception of the ,virgin4 ,and he not 

only had his eyes shut1 he was sleeping 
so soundly1 so really1 that one could   
see him breathe1 one felt his body      
stretching1 relaxing1 in the perfect    
abandonment of his whole being4 ,and how
 diligently the young mother stitched   
while she was absorbed in prayers1 her  
nose in her book6 ,never1 certainly1 was
 life more closely apprehended1 or      
expressed with greater certainty and    
truth to life caught in the act1 at the 
instant1 ere it moved4  ,next to this   
domestic scene1 and the ,adoration of   
the ,shepherds and ,angels1 came the    
,circumcision of ,jesus1 with a white   
paper apron pasted on by some low       
jester2 then the ,adoration of the      
,magi2 and ,jehan de ,soulas and the    
pupils of his studio had finished the   
work on their side4 ,they were succeeded
 by inferior craftsmen1 ,francois       
,marchant of ,orleans1 and ,nicolas     
,guybert of ,chartres2 and after them   
art went on sinking lower and lower1    
down to one ,sieur ,boudin1 who had     

dared to sign his miserable puppets1    
down to the stupid conventionality of   
,jean de ,dieu1 ,legros1 ,tuby1 and     
,mazieres1 to the cold and pagan work of
 the seventeenth and eighteenth         
centuries4 ,but there was an improvement
 in the eight last groups opposite the  
,virgin of the ,pillar--some simple     
figures carved by the pupils of ,soulas2
 these1 however1 were to some extent    
wasted1 since they stood in the shadow1 
and it was almost impossible to judge of
 them in that half-dead light4  ,in     
reviewing this ambulatory1 in parts so  
pleasing and in others so unseemly1     
,durtal could not help recalling the    
details of a similar but more complete  
work--one that had not been wrought in  
succeeding ages and disfigured by       
discrepancies of talent and date4 ,this 
work was at ,amiens1 and it1 likewise1  
was the decoration of the outer aisle of
 a cathedral choir4  ,this story of the 
life of ,saint ,firmin1 the first       
,bishop and patron saint of the city1   

and of the discovery and translation of 
his relics by ,saint ,salvo1 was told in
 a series of groups that had been gilt  
and painted2 then1 to complete the      
circuit of the sanctuary1 the life of   
the second patron of ,amiens had been   
added1 ,saint ,john the ,baptist2 and in
 the scene of the ,baptism of ,christ a 
fair-haired angel was represented       
holding a napkin1 an ingenuous and arch 
being1 one of the most adorable seraphic
 faces ever carved or painted by        
,flemish art in ,france4  ,this legend  
of ,saint ,firmin was set forth1 like   
that of the ,birth of the ,virgin at    
,chartres1 in separate chapters of      
stone1 surmounted in the same way with  
gothic canopies or tabernacles2 and in  
the compartment where ,saint ,salvo1    
surrounded by the multitude1 discerns   
the beams which radiate from a cloud to 
indicate the spot where the lost body of
 the ,martyr had been buried1 a man on  
his knees with clasped hands1 seems to  
pant1 uplifted in prayer1 burning1      

projected by the leap of his soul1 his  
face transfigured1 turning a mere rustic
 into a saint in ecstasy1 already       
dwelling in ,god far above the earth4   
,this worshipper was the masterpiece of 
the ambulatory at ,amiens1 as the       
sleeping ,saint ,joseph was of the      
bas-reliefs at ,chartres4  ,take it for 
all in all1 said ,durtal to himself1    
that work in the ,picardy ,cathedral is 
more explicit1 more complete1 more      
various1 more eloquent even than that of
 the church in ,la ,beauce4             
,irrespective of the fact that the      
unknown image-maker who created it was  
as highly gifted as ,soulas with acute  
observation1 and persuasive and decided 
simple-mindedness and spirit1 he had    
besides a peculiar and more noble vein  
of feeling4 ,and then his subjects were 
not restricted to the presentment of two
 or three personages2 he frequently     
grouped a swarming crowd1 in which each 
man1 woman1 or child differed in        
individual character and feature from   

every other1 and was conspicuously      
marked by that unlikeness1 so clear and 
living was the realism of each small    
figure6  ,after all1 thought ,durtal1   
looking once more at the choir aisles as
 he turned away1 though ,soulas maybe   
inferior to the sculptor of ,amiens1 he 
is none the less a delightful artist and
 a true master1 and his groups may      
console us for the ignominious work of  
,bridan and the atrocious decoration of 
the choir4  ,he then went to kneel      
before the ,black ,virgin1 and returning
 to the ,north transept near which ,she 
stands1 he gazed once more in amazement 
at the incandescent flowers of the      
windows2 again he was captivated and    
moved by the five pointed windows under 
the rose1 in which1 on each side of the 
,mauresque ,saint ,anna1 stood ,david   
and ,solomon1 a forbidding pair1 in a   
furnace of purple1 and ,melchizedec and 
,aaron with tawny complexions and hairy 
faces1 with enormous colourless eyes    
standing out passionless in a blaze of  

daylight4  ,the radiating rose-window   
above them was not of the vast diameter 
of those in ,notre ,dame de ,paris1 nor 
of the incomparable elegance of the     
star-patterned rose at ,amiens4 ,it was 
smaller and heavier1 sparkling with     
flowers like saxifrages of flame1       
opening in the pierced wall4  ,durtal   
turned on his heel to look at the ,south
 transept1 where five great windows     
faced those on the ,north4 ,there he    
saw1 blazing like torches on each side  
of the ,virgin placed exactly opposite  
,saint ,anna1 the four ,evangelists     
borne on the shoulders of the four      
greater ,prophets--,saint ,matthew on   
,isaiah1 ,saint ,luke on ,jeremiah1     
,saint ,john on ,ezekiel1 ,saint ,mark  
on ,daniel--each stranger than the      
other1 with their eyes like the lenses  
of opera-glasses1 their hair in ripples1
 their beards like the up-torn roots of 
trees2 excepting ,saint ,john1 who was  
always represented as a beardless youth 
in the ,latin ,mediaeval ,church1 to    

symbolize his virginity2 but the most   
grotesque of these giants' was perhaps  
,saint ,luke1 who1 perched on           
,jeremiah's back1 gently scratches the  
prophet's head1 as if he were a parrot1 
while turning woeful1 meditative eyes up
 to ,heaven4  ,durtal went down the     
nave1 darker than the choir2 the        
pavement sloped gently to the door1 for 
in the ,middle ,ages it was washed every
 morning after the departure of the     
crowds who slept on it2 and he looked   
down1 in the middle1 on the labyrinth   
marked out on the ground in lines of    
white stone and ribbons of blue stone1  
twisting in a spiral1 like a            
watch-spring4 ,this path our fathers    
devoutly paced1 repeating special       
prayers during the hour they spent in   
doing so1 and thus performing an        
imaginary pilgrimage to the ,holy ,land 
to earn indulgences4  ,when he was out  
in the square once more1 he turned back 
to take in the splendid effect of the   
whole before going home4  ,he felt at   

once happy and awe-stricken1 carried out
 of himself by the tremendous and yet   
beautiful aspect of the church4  ,how   
grandiose and how aerial was this       
cathedral1 sprung like a jet from the   
soul of a man who had formed it in his  
own image1 to record his ascent in      
mystic paths1 up and up by degrees in   
the light2 passing through the          
contemplative life in the transept1     
soaring in the choir into the full glory
 of the unitive life1 far away now from 
the purgatorial life1 the dark passage  
of the nave4  ,and this assumption of a 
soul was attended1 supported1 by the    
bands of angels1 the apostles1 the      
prophets1 and the righteous1 all arrayed
 in their glorified bodies of flame1 an 
escort of honour to the ,cross lying low
 on the stones1 and the image of the    
,mother enthroned in all the high places
 of this vast reliquary1 opening the    
walls1 as it seemed1 to present to ,her1
 as for a perpetual festival1 their     
posies of gems that had blossomed in the

 fiery heat of the glass windows4       
,nowhere else was the ,virgin so well   
cared for1 so cherished1 so emphatically
 proclaimed the absolute mistress of the
 realm thus offered to ,her2 and one    
detail proved this4 ,in every other     
cathedral kings1 saints1 bishops1 and   
benefactors lay buried in the depths of 
the soil2 not so at ,chartres4 ,not a   
body had ever been buried there2 this   
church had never been made a            
sarcophagus1 because1 as one of its     
historians--old ,rouillard--says1 it has
 the preeminent distinction of being the
 couch or bed of the ,virgin4  ,thus it 
was ,her home2 here ,she was supreme    
amid the court of ,her ,elect1 watching 
over the sacramental ,body of ,her ,son 
in the sanctuary of the inmost chapel1  
where lamps were ever burning1 guarding 
,him as ,she had done in ,his infancy2  
holding ,him on ,her knee in every      
carving1 every painted window2 seen in  
every storey of the building1 between   
the ranks of saints1 and sitting at last

 on a pillar1 revealing herself to the  
poof and lowly1 under the humble aspect 
of a sunburnt woman1 scorched by the    
dog-days1 tanned by wind and rain4 ,nay1
 ,she went lower still1 down to the     
cellars of ,her palace1 waiting in the  
crypt to give audience to the waverers1 
the timid souls who were abashed by the 
sunlit splendour of ,her ,court4  ,how  
completely does this sanctuary--where   
the sweet and awful presence is ever    
felt of the ,child who never leaves ,his
 ,mother--lift the spirit above all     
realities1 into the secret rapture of   
pure beauty6  ,and how good must ,they  
both be1 ,durtal said to himself1 as he 
looked round and found himself alone1   
never to abandon this desert1 never to  
weary of waiting for worshippers6 ,but  
for the honest country folk who come at 
all hours to kiss the pillar1 what a    
solitude it would be1 even on ,sunday1  
for this cathedral is never full4       
,however1 to be just1 at the nine       
o'clock mass on ,sundays the lower end  

of the nave is thronged1 and he smiled1 
remembering that end of the church      
packed with little girls brought in     
schools by ,sisters1 and with peasant   
women who1 not being able to see there  
to read their prayers1 would light ends 
of taper and crowd together closely1    
several looking over one book4  ,this   
familiarity1 this childlike simplicity  
of piety1 which the dreadful sacristans 
of ,paris would never endure in a       
church1 were' so natural at ,chartres1  
so thoroughly in harmony with the homely
 and unceremonious welcome of ,our      
,lady6  ,a thing to be ascertained1 said
 ,durtal1 starting on a new line of     
thought1 is whether this church has     
preserved its surface uninjured1 or     
whether it may not have been coloured in
 the thirteenth century4 ,some writers  
assert that1 in ,mediaeval times1 the   
interiors of cathedrals were always     
painted4 ,is that the fact8 ,or1        
admitting that the statement is correct 
as to all ,romanesque churches1 is it   

equally so with regard to ,gothic       
churches8  ,for my part1 ,i like to     
believe that the sanctuary of ,chartres 
was never befooled with gaudiness1 such 
as we have to endure at ,saint ,germain 
des ,pres1 in ,paris1 and ,notre ,dame  
la ,grande at ,poitiers4 ,in fact such  
colour can only be conceived of--if at  
all--as used in small chapels2 why stain
 the walls of a cathedral with motley8  
,for this tattooing1 so to speak1       
reduces the sense of space1 brings down 
the roof1 and makes the pillars clumsy2 
in short1 it eliminates the mysterious  
soul of the nave1 and destroys the sober
 majesty of the aisle with its feebly   
vulgar fret or guilloche1 lozenges or   
crosses1 scattered over the pillars and 
walls1 in a paste of treacly yellow1    
endive-green1 vinous purple1 lava drab1 
brick red--a whole range of dull and    
dirty colours2 to say nothing of the    
horror of a vault dotted with stars that
 look as if they had been cut out of    
gilt paper and stuck against a smalt    

background1 a sky of washing-blue6  ,it 
is endurable--if it must be--in the     
,sainte-,chapelle1 because it is very   
small1 an oratory1 a shrine2 it might   
even be intelligible in that wonderful  
church at ,brou1 which is a boudoir2 its
 vaulting and pendants are in polychrome
 and gold1 and the ground has been paved
 with enamelled tiles1 of which visible 
traces remain round the tombs4 ,this    
gaudiness of the roof and floor was in  
harmony with the filagree tracery of the
 walls1 the heraldic glass1 and the     
clear windows1 the profusion of         
lace-like carving and coats of arms in  
the stone-work1 blossoming with bunches 
of daisies mingling with labels1        
mottoes1 monograms1 ,saint ,francis'    
girdles and knots4 ,the colouring was in
 keeping with the alabaster retables1   
the black marble tombs1 the pinnacled   
tabernacles with their crockets of      
curled and dentate foliage4 ,we can then
 quite easily imagine the columns and   
walls painted1 the ribs and bosses      

washed with gold1 and making a          
harmonious whole of this bonbonniere1   
which indeed is a piece of jewelry      
rather than of architecture4  ,this     
building at ,brou was the last effort of
 mediaeval times1 the last rocket flung 
up by the flamboyant ,gothic style--a   
,gothic which though fallen from its    
glory struggled against death1 fought   
against returning paganism and the      
invading ,renaissance4 ,the era of the  
great cathedrals ended in the production
 of this exquisite abortion1 which was  
in its way a masterpiece1 a gem of      
prettiness1 of ingenuity1 of tormented  
and coquettish taste4  ,it was          
emblematic of the soul of the sixteenth 
century1 already devoid of reserve2 the 
sanctuary1 too brightly lighted1 was    
secularized2 we here see it fully blown1
 and it never folded up or veiled itself
 again4 ,we discern in this a lady's    
bower1 all paint and gold2 the little   
chapels 7or pews7 with chimney-places   
where ,margaret of ,austria could warm  

herself as she heard ,mass1 furnished   
with scented cushions1 provided with    
sweetmeats and toys and dogs4  ,brou is 
a fine lady's drawing-room1 not the     
house for all comers4 ,then1 naturally1 
with its screen-work1 and the carving of
 the rood-loft stretching like a lace   
portal across the entrance to the choir1
 it invites1 it almost requires some    
skilful tinting of the details1 the     
touches of colour that complete it1 and 
harmonize it finally with the elegance  
of the founder1 the ,princess           
,marguerite1 whose presence is far more 
conspicuous in this little church than  
is that of the ,virgin4  ,even then it  
would be satisfactory to know whether   
the walls and pillars at ,brou ever were
 really painted2 the contrary seems     
proven4 ,but in any case1 though a touch
 of rouge might not ill beseem this     
curious sanctum1 it would not be so at  
,chartres1 for the only suitable hue is 
the shining1 greasy patina1 grey turning
 to silver1 stone-colour turning        

buff--the colouring given by age1 by    
time helped by accumulated vapours of   
prayer and the fumes of incense and     
tapers6  ,and ,durtal1 arguing over his 
own reflections1 ended by reverting1 as 
he always did1 to his own person1 saying
 to himself1--  ,who knows that ,i may  
not some day bitterly regret this       
cathedral and all the sweet meditations 
it suggests2 for1 after all1 ,i shall   
have no more opportunities for such long
 loitering1 such relaxation of mind1    
since ,i shall be subject to the        
discipline of bells ringing for         
conventual drill if ,i suffer myself to 
be locked up in a cloister6  ,who knows 
whether1 in the silence of a cell1 ,i   
should not miss even the foolish cawing 
of those black jackdaws that croak      
without pause1 he went on1 looking up   
with a smile at the cloud of birds that 
settled on the towers2 and he recalled a
 legend which tells that since the fire 
in #ahcf these birds quit the cathedral 
every evening at the very hour when the 

conflagration began1 and do not return  
till dawn1 after spending the night in a
 wood at three leagues from ,chartres4  
,this tale is as absurd as another1 also
 dear to the old wives of the city1 and 
which tells that if you spit on a       
certain square of stone1 set with black 
cement into the pavement behind the     
choir1 blood will exude4  ,hah1 it is   
you1 ,madame ,bavoil4  ,yes1 our friend1
 ,i myself4 ,i have just been on an     
errand for the ,father1 and am going    
home again to make the soup4 ,and you1  
are you packing your trunks8  ,my       
trunks8  ,why1 are not you going off to 
a convent8 said she1 laughing4  ,would  
not you like to see it8 exclaimed       
,durtal4 ,catch me at that6 ,enlisting  
as a private subject to a pious drill1  
one of a poor squad1 whose every        
movement must mark time1 and who1 though
 he is not expected to keep his hands   
over the seam of his trowsers1 is       
required to hide them under his         
scapulary--  ,ta1 ta1 ta1 interrupted   

the housekeeper1 ,i tell you once more1 
you are grudging1 bargaining with ,god--
  ,but before coming to so serious a    
decision it is quite necessary that ,i  
should argue all the pros and cons2 in  
such a case some mental litigation is   
clearly permissible4  ,she shrugged her 
shoulders2 and there was such peace in  
her face1 such a glow of flame lurked   
behind the liquid blackness of her eyes1
 that ,durtal stood looking at her1     
admiring the honesty and purity of a    
soul which could thus rise to the       
threshold of her eyes and come forth in 
her look4  ,how happy you are6 he       
exclaimed4  ,a cloud dimmed her eyes1   
and she looked down4  ,envy no one1 our 
friend1 said she1 for each has his own  
struggles and griefs4  ,and when he had 
parted from her1 ,durtal1 as he went    
home1 thought of the disasters she had  
confessed1 the cessation of her         
intercourse with ,heaven1 the fall of a 
soul that had been wont to soar above   
the clouds4 ,how she must suffer6  ,no1 

no1 he said1 the service of the ,lord is
 not all roses4 ,if we study the lives  
of the ,saints we see these ,elect      
tormented by dreadful maladies1 and the 
most painful trials4 ,no1 holiness on   
earth is no child's play1 life is not   
amusement4 ,to ,saints1 indeed1 even on 
earth excessive suffering finds         
compensation in excessive joys2 but to  
other ,christians1 such small fry as we 
are1 what distress and trouble6 ,we     
question the everlasting silence and    
none answers2 we wait and none comes4   
,in vain do we proclaim ,him as         
,illimitable1 ,incomprehensible1        
,unthinkable1 and confess that every    
effort of our reason is vain1 we cannot 
cease to wonder1 and still less cease to
 suffer6 ,and yet--and yet if we        
consider1 the darkness about us is not  
absolutely impenetrable1 there is light 
in places and we can discern some       
truths1 such as this3  ,god treats us as
 ,he treats plants4 ,he is1 in a certain
 sense1 the soul's year2 but a year in  

which the order of the seasons is       
reversed2 for the spiritual seasons     
begin with spring1 followed by winter1  
and then autumn comes1 followed by      
summer4  ,the moment of conversion is   
the spring1 the soul is joyful and      
,christ sows the good seed2 then comes  
the cold and all is dark1 the           
terror-stricken soul believes itself    
forsaken and bewails itself2 but without
 its feeling it during the trials of the
 purgatorial life1 the seed germinates  
in the contemplative peace of autumn and
 flourishes in the summer life of       
,union4  ,aye2 but each one must be the 
helping gardener of his own soul1       
listening to the instructions of the    
,master who plans the task and directs  
the work4 ,alas1 we are no more the     
humble labourers of the ,middle ,ages1  
who toiled1 giving ,god thanks1 who     
submitted without discussion to the     
,master's orders4 ,we1 by our little    
faith1 have exhausted the value of      
prayer1 the panacea of aspirations2     

consequently many things seem to us     
unjust and cruel1 and we rebel1 we ask  
for pledges2 we hesitate to begin our   
task1 we want to be paid in advance1 and
 our distrust makes us vile6--,o ,lord1 
give us grace to pray1 and never dream  
of demanding an earnest of ,thy favours6
 ,give us grace to obey and be silent6  
,and ,i may add1 said ,durtal to himself
 as he smiled on ,madame ,mesurat1 who  
opened the door in answer to his ring1  
,grant me1 ,lord1 the grace not to be   
too much irritated by the buzzing of    
this great fly1 the inexhaustible flow  
of this good woman's tongue6            
,,chapter ,,xiv4   ,what a fearful      
muddle1 what a sea of ink is this       
menagerie of good and evil emblems6     
exclaimed ,durtal1 laying down his pen4 
,he had harnessed himself that morning  
to the task of investigating the        
symbolical fauna of the ,middle ,ages4  
,at first sight the subject had struck  
him as newer and less arduous1 and      
certainly as less lengthy1 than the     

article he had thought of writing on the
 ,primitive ,german ,painters4 ,but he  
now sat dismayed before his books and   
notes1 seeking a clue to guide him      
through the mass of contradictory       
evidence that lay before him4  ,i must  
take things in their order1 said he to  
himself1 if indeed any principle of     
selection is possible in such confusion4
  ,the ,beast-books of ,mediaeval times 
knew all the monsters of                
paganism--,satyrs1 ,fauns1 ,sphinxes1   
,harpies1 ,centaurs1 ,hydras1 ,pygmies1 
and ,sirens2 these were all regarded as 
various aspects of the ,evil ,spirit1 so
 no research is needed as to their      
meaning2 they are but a residuum of     
,antiquity4 ,the true source of mystic  
zoology is not in mythology1 but in the 
,bible1 which classifies beasts as clean
 and unclean1 makes them symbolize      
virtues and vices1 some species being   
allegorical of heavenly personages1 and 
other embodying the ,devil4  ,starting  
from this base1 it may be observed that 

the liturgical interpreters of the      
animal world distinguished beasts from  
animals1 including under the former head
 wild and untamable creatures1 and under
 the second gentle and timid creatures  
and domestic animals4  ,the             
ornithologists of the ,church1          
furthermore1 represent birds as being   
the righteous1 while ,boetius1 on the   
other hand1 often quoted by ,mediaeval  
writers1 credited them with inconstancy1
 and ,melito compares them in turn to   
,christ1 to the ,devil1 and to the      
,jewish nation4 ,it may be added that   
,richard of ,saint ,victor1 disregarding
 these views1 sees in winged fowl a     
symbol of the life of the soul1 as in   
the four-footed beast he sees the life  
of the body--,and that gets us no       
further6 sighed ,durtal4  ,this is      
beside the mark4 ,we must find some     
other symbolism1 closer and clearer4    
,here the classification of naturalists 
would be useless1 for a biped and a     
reptile not unfrequently bear the same  

interpretation as emblems4 ,the simplest
 plan will be to divide the ,church     
menagerie into two large classes1 real  
beasts and monsters2 there is no        
creature that we may not include in one 
or the other category4  ,durtal paused  
to reflect3  ,nevertheless to arrive at 
a clearer notion and better appreciate  
the importance of certain families in   
,catholic ,mythography1 we had better   
first take out all those animals which  
symbolize ,god1 the ,virgin1 and the    
,devil1 setting them aside to be        
referred to when they may elucidate     
other figures2 and at the same time weed
 out those which apply to the           
,evangelists and are combined in the    
figures of the ,tetramorph4  ,the       
surface thus being removed1 we may      
investigate the remainder1 the          
figurative language of ordinary or      
monstrous beings4  ,the animal emblems  
of ,god are numerous2 the ,scriptures   
are filled with creatures emblematic of 
the ,saviour4 ,david compares ,him1 by  

comparing himself1 to the pelican in the
 wilderness1 to the owl in its nest1 to 
a sparrow alone on the house-top1 to the
 dove1 to a thirsting hart2 the ,psalms 
are a treasury of analogies with ,his   
qualities and ,his names4  ,saint       
,isidor of ,seville--,monseigneur       
,sainct ,ysidore1 as the naturalists of 
old are wont to call him--figures ,jesus
 as a lamb by reason of his innocence1  
as a ram because ,he is the head of the 
,flock1 even as a he-goat because the   
,redeemer was subject to the flesh of   
iniquity4  ,some took as ,his image the 
ox1 the sheep1 and the calf1 as beasts  
meet for sacrifice1 and others those    
animals that symbolize the elements3 the
 lion1 the eagle1 the dolphin1 the      
salamander--the kings of the earth1 air1
 water1 and fire4 ,some again1 as ,saint
 ,melito1 saw ,him in the kid1 the deer1
 and even in the camel1 which1 however1 
according to another passage of the same
 author1 personifies a love of flattery 
and of vain praise4 ,others again find  

,him in the scarabaeus1 as ,saint       
,euchre does in the bee2 still1 the bee 
is regarded by ,raban ,maur as the      
unclean sinner4 ,christ's ,resurrection 
is1 to yet other writers1 symbolized by 
the ,phoenix and the cock1 and ,his     
wrath and power by the rhinoceros and   
the buffalo4  ,the iconography of the   
,virgin is less puzzling2 ,she may be   
symbolized by any chaste and gentle     
creature4 ,the ,anonymous ,englishman in
 his ,monastic ,distinctions1 compares  
,her to the bee1 which we have seen so  
vilified by the ,archbishop of ,mayence1
 but the ,virgin was most especially    
represented by the dove1 the bird of all
 others whose ,church functions are most
 onerous4  ,all authorities agree in    
taking the dove as the image at once of 
the ,virgin and of the ,paraclete4      
,according to ,saint ,mechtildis1 it is 
the simplicity of the heart of ,jesus2  
with others it signifies the preachers1 
the active religious life1 as contrasted
 with the turtle dove1 which personifies

 the contemplative life1 since the      
ring-dove flies and coos in company1    
whereas the turtle dove rejoices apart  
and alone4  ,to ,bruno of ,asti the dove
 is also an image of patience1 a figure 
of the prophets4  ,as to the beasts     
symbolizing ,hell and evil1 they are    
almost without number2 the whole        
creation of monsters is to be found     
there4 ,then among real animals we find3
 the serpent--the aspic of ,scripture1  
the scorpion1 the wolf as mentioned by  
,jesus ,himself1 the leopard noted by   
,saint ,melito as being allied to       
,antichrist1 the she-tiger representing 
the sins of arrogance1 the hyena1 the   
jackal1 the bear1 the wild-boar1 which1 
in the ,psalms1 is said to destroy the  
vineyard of the ,lord1 the fox1         
described as a hypocritical persecutor  
by ,peter of ,capua and as a promoter of
 heresy by ,raban ,maur4 ,all beasts of 
prey2 and the hog1 the toad--the        
instrument of witchcraft1 the           
he-goat--the image of ,satan himself1   

the dog1 the cat1 the ass--under whose  
form the ,devil is seen in trials for   
witchcraft in the ,middle ,ages1 the    
leech1 on which the anonymous writer of 
,clairvaux casts contumely2 the raven   
that went forth from the ark and did not
 return--it represents malice1 and the  
dove which came back is virtue1 ,saint  
,ambrose tells us2 and the partridge    
which1 according to the same writer1    
steals and hatches eggs she did not lay4
  ,if we may believe ,saint ,theobald1  
the ,devil is also symbolized by the    
spider1 for it dreads the sun as much as
 the ,evil ,one dreads the ,church1 and 
is more apt to weave its net by night   
than by day1 thus imitating ,satan1 who 
attacks man when he knows him to be     
sleeping and powerless to defend        
himself4  ,the ,prince of ,darkness is  
also to be seen as the lion and the     
eagle interpreted in an evil sense4     
,this1 reflected ,durtal1 is the same   
fact as we find in the expressive       
symbolism of colours and flowers2       

constantly a double meaning4 ,the two   
antagonistic interpretations are almost 
invariably met with in the lore of      
hieroglyphics1 excepting only in that of
 gems4  ,thus it is that the lion1      
defined by ,saint ,hildegarde as the    
image of zeal for ,god1 the lion1       
figuring the ,son ,himself1 becomes to  
,hugh of ,saint ,victor the emblem of   
cruelty4 ,basing their argument on a    
text in the ,psalms1 certain writers    
identify it with ,lucifer4 ,he is in    
fact the lion who seeks whom he may     
devour1 the lion who rushes on his      
victim4 ,david speaks of him with the   
dragon to be trodden under foot1 and    
,saint ,peter in his first ,epistle     
describes him as roaring in quest of a  
,christian to devour4  ,it is the same  
with the eagle1 which ,hugh of ,saint   
,victor calls the standard of ,pride4   
,chosen by ,bruno of ,asti1 ,saint      
,isidor and ,saint ,anselm to represent 
the ,saviour1 the ,fisher of ,men1      
because he pounces from the highest sky 

on fish swimming on the surface of the  
water and carries them up1 the eagle1   
classed in ,leviticus and ,deuteronomy  
with the unclean beasts1 is transformed1
 as being a bird of prey1 into a        
personification of the ,devil snatching 
away souls to gnaw and tear them4  ,thus
 every ferocious beast or bird and every
 reptile is a manifestation of the ,evil
 ,one1 ,durtal concluded4  ,to pass to  
the ,tetramorph4 ,the evangelistic      
animals are well known3--  ,saint       
,matthew1 who expatiates on the subject 
of the ,incarnation and sets forth the  
human genealogy of the ,messiah1 is     
symbolized by a man4  ,saint ,mark1 who 
more especially devotes his book to the 
miracles of the ,son1 saying less about 
,his doctrine than about ,his acts and  
,his resurrection1 has the ,lion for his
 attribute4  ,saint ,luke1 who writes   
more especially of the virtues of       
,jesus1 of ,his patience1 meekness1 and 
mercy1 and who dwells at length on ,his 
sacrifice1 is distinguished by the ,ox  

or ,calf4  ,saint ,john1 who preaches   
above all else the ,divinity of the     
,word1 is represented by the ,eagle4    
,and the meaning assigned to the ox1 the
 lion1 and the eagle1 is in perfect     
accordance with the character and       
personal aim of each ,gospel4  ,the     
lion1 emblematical of ,omnipotence1 is  
also the apt allegory of the            
,resurrection4 ,all the primitive       
naturalists1 ,saint ,epiphanius1 ,saint 
,anselm1 ,saint ,yves of ,chartres1     
,saint ,bruno of ,asti1 ,saint ,isidor1 
,adamantius1 all accept the legend that 
the lion-cub after its birth remains    
lifeless for three days2 then on the    
fourth day it awakes as it hears its    
father's roar and springs full of life  
out of the den4 ,thus ,christ1 rising at
 the end of three days1 escapes from the
 tomb at the call of ,his ,father4  ,the
 belief still prevailed that the lion   
sleeps with its eyes open2 hence it     
became the emblem of vigilance1 and     
,saint ,hilary and ,saint ,augustine    

read in this manner of taking repose an 
allusion to the ,divine nature1 which   
was not extinguished even in the        
sepulchre1 though the human nature of   
the ,redeemer was in truth dead4        
,finally1 as it was considered certain  
that this animal effaced the traces of  
its steps in the sand of the desert with
 its tail1 ,raban ,maur1 ,saint         
,epiphanius1 and ,saint ,isidor regarded
 it as signifying the ,saviour veiling  
,his ,godhead under the forms of the    
flesh4  ,not an ordinary beast--the     
lion6 exclaimed ,durtal4 ,well1 he went 
on1 consulting his notes1 the ox is less
 pretentious6 ,it is the paragon of     
strength with humility2 according to    
,saint ,paul it is emblematical of the  
priesthood2 of the preacher1 according  
to ,raban ,maur2 of the ,bishop1        
according to ,peter ,cantor1 because1   
says this writer1 the prelate wears a   
mitre of which the two horns resemble   
those of an ox1 and he uses these horns1
 which are the wisdom of the ,two       

,testaments1 to rip up heretics4 ,still1
 in spite of these more or less         
ingenious interpretations1 the ox is in 
fact the beast of immolation and        
sacrifice4  ,turning to the eagle1 it   
is1 as we have seen1 the ,messiah       
pouncing on souls to catch them2 but    
other meanings are ascribed to it by    
,saint ,isidor and by ,vincent of       
,beauvais4 ,if we believe them1 the     
eagle that desires to test the prowess  
of his eaglets takes them in his talons 
and carries them out into the sun1      
compelling them to look with their eyes 
as they begin to open1 on the blazing   
orb4 ,the eagle which is dazzled by the 
fire is dropped and cast away by the    
parent bird4 ,thus doth ,god reject the 
soul which cannot gaze on him with the  
contemplative eye of love6  ,the eagle1 
again1 is typical of the ,resurrection2 
,saint ,epiphanius and ,saint ,isidor   
explain it thus3 ,the eagle in old age  
flies up so near to the sun that its    
feathers catch fire2 revived by the     

flames1 it drops into the nearest       
spring1 bathes in it three times and    
comes out regenerate3 is not this indeed
 the paraphrase of the ,psalmist's      
verse1 ,thy youth shall be renewed as   
the eagle's8 ,saint ,madalene of ,pazzi1
 however1 regards it differently1 and   
takes it to typify faith leaning on     
charity4  ,i shall have to find a place 
for all these documents in my article1  
sighed ,durtal1 placing these notes in a
 separate wrapper4  ,now for the        
chimerical fauna introduced from the    
,east1 imported into ,europe by the     
,crusaders1 and travestied by the       
illuminators of missals and by          
image-makers4  ,foremost1 the dragon1   
which we already find rampant and busy  
in mythology and in the ,bible4  ,durtal
 rose and went into his library to find 
a book1 ,traditions teratologiques1 by  
,berger de ,xivrey4 ,it contained long  
extracts from the ,romance of           
,alexander1 which was the delight of the
 grown-up children of the ,middle ,ages4

  ,dragons1 says this narrative1 are    
larger than all other serpents1 and     
longer4444 ,they fly through the air1   
which is darkened by the disgorging of  
their stench and venom 444 ,this venom  
is so deadly that if a man should be    
touched by it or come nigh it1 it would 
seem to him a burning fire1 and would   
raise his skin in great blisters1 as    
though he had been scalded4 ,and the    
author adds3 ,the sea is swollen up by  
their venom4  ,dragons have a crest1    
sharp talons1 and a hissing throat1 and 
are almost unconquerable4 ,albertus     
,magnus tells us1 however1 that         
magicians1 when they wish to subdue     
them1 beat as loudly as they can on     
drums1 and that the dragon1 imagining   
that it is the roll of thunder1 which   
they greatly dread1 let themselves be   
handled quietly and are taken4  ,the    
enemy of this winged reptile is the     
elephant1 which sometimes succeeds in   
crushing it by falling on it with all   
its weight2 but most times it is killed 

by the dragon1 which feeds on its blood1
 of which the freshness allays the      
intolerable burning caused by its own   
venom4  ,next to this monster comes the 
gryphon1 a combination of the quadruped 
and the bird1 for it has the body of the
 lion and the head and talons of the    
eagle4 ,then the basilisk1 regarded as  
the king of serpents2 it is four feet   
long1 and has a tail as thick as a tree1
 and spotted with white4 ,its head bears
 a tuft in shape like a crown2 it has a 
strident voice1 and its eye is          
murderous1 ,a look1 says the ,romance of
 ,alexander1 so piercing1 that it is    
pestilential and deadly to all beasts1  
whether venomous or no4 ,its breath is  
no less fetid1 nor less dangerous1 for1 
by its breath are all things infected1  
and when it is dying it is fain to      
disgorge it2 it stinks so that all other
 beasts flee from it4  ,its most        
formidable foe is the weasel1 which     
bites its throat1 though it be a beast  
no bigger than a rat1 for ,god hath made

 nothing without reason and remedy1 the 
pious ,mediaeval writer concludes4  ,why
 the weasel8 ,there is nothing to show2 
nor was this little creature1 who did   
such good service1 honoured by our      
forefathers as having a favourable      
meaning4  ,it is symbolical of          
dissimulation and depravity1 and taken  
to typify the degrading life of the     
mountebank4 ,it may also be remembered  
that this carnivorous beast1 which was  
supposed to carry its young in the mouth
 and give birth to them through the ear1
 is numbered among the unclean animals  
in the ,bible4  ,this zoological        
homoeopathy is rather inconsistent1     
observed ,durtal1 unless the similar    
interpretation given to these two       
creatures1 hating each other1 may       
signify that the ,devil devours himself4
  ,next we have the phoenix1 a bird of  
very fine plumage resembling the        
peacock2 it is very solitary1 and feeds 
on the seeds of the ash2 its colour1    
moreover1 is of purple overshot with    

gold2 and because it is said to rise    
again from its ashes1 it is always      
typical of the ,resurrection of ,christ4
  ,the unicorn was one of the most      
amazing creatures in mystical natural   
history4  ,it is a very cruel beast1    
with a great and thick body after the   
fashion of a horse2 it hath for a weapon
 a great horn1 half a fathom in length1 
so sharp and so hard that there is      
nothing it cannot pierce4444 ,when men  
need to take it they bring a virgin maid
 to the place where they know that it   
has its abode4 ,when the unicorn sees   
her and knows that she is a virgin1 it  
lieth down to sleep in her lap1 doing   
her no harm2 then come the hunters and  
kill it4444 ,likewise1 if she be not a  
pure maid the unicorn will not sleep1   
but killeth the damsel who is not pure4 
,whence we conclude that the unicorn is 
one of the emblems of chastity1 as also 
is another very strange beast of which  
,saint ,isidor speaks3 the porphyrion4  
,this has one foot like that of the     

partridge1 and the other webbed like    
that of a goose1 its peculiarity        
consists in mourning over adultery1 and 
loving its master so faithfully that it 
dies of pity in his arms when it learns 
that his wife has deceived him4 ,so that
 this species was soon extinct6  ,there 
must be some more fabulous beasts to be 
included1 murmured ,durtal1 again       
turning over his papers4  ,he found the 
wyvern1 a sort of ,melusina1 half woman 
and half serpent2 a very cruel beast1   
full of malice and devoid of pity1      
,saint ,ambrose tells us2 the manicoris1
 with the face of a man1 the tawny eyes 
and crimson mane of a lion1 a scorpion's
 tail1 and the flight of an eagle2 this 
sort is insatiable by human flesh4 ,the 
leoncerote1 offspring of the male hyena 
and the lioness1 having the body of an  
ass1 the legs of a deer1 the breast of a
 wild beast1 a camel's head1 and armed  
with terrible fangs2 the tharanda1      
which1 according to ,hugh of ,saint     
,victor1 has the shape of the ox1 the   

profile of the stag1 the fur of the     
bear1 and which changes colour like the 
cameleon2 finally1 the sea-monk1 the    
most puzzling of all1 since ,vincent of 
,beauvais describes it as having its    
body covered with scales1 and it is     
furnished1 in lieu of arms1 with fins   
all over claws1 besides having a monk's 
shaven head ending in the snout of a    
carp4  ,others were also invented1 as   
for instance the gargoyles1 hybrid      
monsters1 signifying the vomiting forth 
of sin ejected from the sanctuary2      
reminding the passer-by who sees them   
pouring forth the water from the gutter1
 that when seen outside the church1 they
 are the voidance of the spirit1 the    
cloaca of the soul6  ,but1 said ,durtal 
to himself1 that seems to me enough of  
the matter4 ,from the point of view of  
symbolism this menagerie is not         
particularly interesting since these    
monsters--the wyvern1 the manicoris1 the
 leoncerote1 the tharanda and           
sea-monk--all mean the same thing1 and  

all embody the ,spirit of ,evil4  ,he   
took out his watch4  ,come1 said he1 ,i 
have still time enough before dinner to 
go through the list of real animals4    
,and he turned over his notes on birds4 
,the cock1 said he1 is prayer1          
watchfulness1 the preacher1 the         
,resurrection1 since it is the first to 
wake at daybreak2 the peacock1 that has1
 as an old writer says1 the voice of a  
devil and the feathers of an angel1 is a
 mass of contradictory symbols3 it      
typifies pride1 and1 according to ,saint
 ,antony of ,padua1 immortality1 as well
 as vigilance by reason of the eyes in  
its tail4 ,the pelican is the image of  
contemplation and of charity2 of love1  
too1 according to ,saint ,madalene of   
,pazzi2 the sparrow symbolizes          
penitential solitude2 the swallow1 sin2 
the swan1 pride1 according to ,raban    
,maur2 diligence and solicitude         
according to ,thomas de ,catimpre2 the  
nightingale is mentioned by ,saint      
,mechtildis as meaning the tender soul2 

and the same saint compares the lark to 
persons who do good works with          
cheerfulness2 it is to be noted too that
 in the windows of ,bourges the lark    
means charity to the sick4  ,here are   
others specified by ,hugh of ,saint     
,victor4 ,to him the vulture means      
idleness2 the kite1 rapacity2 the raven1
 detraction2 the white owl1             
hypochondria2 the common owl1 ignorance2
 the magpie1 chattering talk2 and the   
hoopoe1 sluttishness and evil report4   
,this is all a sorry medley6 said       
,durtal1 and ,i fear it will be the same
 with the mammalia and other beasts6    
,he compared a few passages4 ,the ox1   
the lamb1 the sheep1 we have seen4 ,the 
sheep is the type of timidity and       
meekness1 and ,saint ,pacomius embodies 
in him the monk who lives punctual and  
obedient1 and loving his brethren4      
,saint ,melito on his part ascribes     
hypocrisy to the ostrich1 temporal power
 to the rhinoceros1 human frailty to the
 spider2 we may also mention among the  

crustacea1 the crab as symbolizing      
heresy and the synagogue1 because it    
walks backwards and away from the path  
of righteousness4 ,among fish1 the whale
 is the emblem of the tomb1 just as     
,jonas1 who came out of it after three  
days1 is typical of ,jesus risen from   
the dead4 ,among rodents the beaver is  
the image of ,christian prudence1       
because1 says the legend1 when he is    
pursued by hunters he tears with his    
teeth the pouch containing castoreum and
 flings it at the foe4 ,for this reason 
it is likewise the animal representative
 of the text in the ,gospel which       
declares that a man must cut off the    
offending member which is an occasion of
 sin4  ,let us pause before the den of  
wild beasts4  ,according to ,hugh of    
,saint ,victor the wolf is avarice2 the 
fox is cunning2 ,adamantius says that   
the wild boar represents blind rage2 the
 leopard wrath1 ambush and daring2 the  
tiger1 and the hyena1 which can change  
its sex at will and imitate the voice of

 man1 signifies hypocrisy2 while ,saint 
,hildegarde shows that the panther1 by  
reason of the beauty of its spots1 is   
typical of vain-glory4  ,we need not    
dwell on the bull1 the bison and the    
buffalo2 the symbolists regard them as  
emblems of brute force and pride2 while 
the goat and boar-pig are vessels of    
lust and filth4  ,they divide this      
honour with the toad1 an unclean        
reptile2 the habitation of the ,devil1  
who assumes its form to show himself to 
the female saints--for instance to      
,saint ,theresa4 ,as to the hapless frog
 it is equally defamed because of its   
likeness to the toad4  ,the stag is in  
better odour4 ,saint ,jerome and        
,cassiodorus say it exemplifies the     
,christian who overcomes sin by the     
sacrament of penance1 or by martyrdom4  
,representing ,god in the ,psalms1 it is
 also taken as the heathen desiring     
baptism2 a legend attributes to it so   
vehement a horror of the ,serpent1 in   
other words of the ,devil1 that whenever

 it can it attacks and devours him1 but 
if it subsequently goes for three hours 
without drinking1 it dies2 hence after  
that meal it runs to and fro in the     
forest seeking a spring of which1 if it 
finds one1 it drinks1 and is then many  
years younger4 ,the she-goat is         
sometimes held in ill-fame as being akin
 to the he-goat1 but it more often is   
regarded as the ,well-,beloved1 to which
 the ,bride in ,canticles compares it4  
,the hedgehog1 hiding in crannies1 is   
interpreted by ,saint ,melito as the    
sinner1 by ,peter of ,capua as the      
penitent4 ,as to the horse1 as a        
creature of vanity and pride1 it is     
opposed by ,peter ,cantor and           
,adamantius to the ox1 which is all     
gravity and simplicity4 ,it is well1    
however1 to observe that to confuse the 
matter1 by presenting the horse under   
another aspect1 ,saint ,eucher compares 
it to a saint1 and the ,anonymous ,monk 
of ,clairvaux identifies the ,devil with
 the ox4 ,the poor ass is no better     

treated by ,hugh of ,saint ,victor1 who 
accuses it of stupidity1 by ,saint      
,gregory the ,great1 who taxes it with  
laziness1 and ,peter of ,capua1 who     
speaks of its lust4 ,it must1 however2  
be observed that ,saint ,melito compares
 it with ,christ for its humility1 and  
that the exegetists explain the ass's   
foal ridden by ,christ on ,palm ,sunday 
as an image of the ,gentiles1 as they   
interpret the she-ass that threw ,him to
 mean the ,jews4  ,finally1 two domestic
 animals dear to man1 the cat and the   
dog1 are generally contemned by the     
mystics4 ,the dog1 typical of sin1 says 
,peter ,cantor1 and the most quarrelsome
 of beasts1 adds ,hugh of ,saint        
,victor1 is the creature that returns to
 his vomit2 it also prefigures the      
reprobates of whom the ,apocalypse      
speaks1 who are to be driven out of the 
heavenly ,jerusalem2 ,saint ,melito     
speaks of it as the apostate1 and ,saint
 ,pacomius as the rapacious monk1 but   
,raban ,maur redeems it a little from   

this condemnation by specifying it as   
emblematic of confessors4  ,the cat1    
which is but once mentioned in the      
,bible--in the ,book of ,baruch--is     
invariably abhorred by the primitive    
naturalists1 who accuse it of embodying 
treachery and hypocrisy1 and of lending 
its skin to the ,devil1 to enable him to
 appear in its shape to sorcerers4      
,durtal turned over a few more pages1   
discovering that the hare typified      
timidity and cowardice1 and the snail   
laziness2 noting the opinion of         
,adamantius1 who ascribes levity and a  
mocking spirit to the monkey2 that of   
,peter of ,capua and of the ,anonymous  
writer of ,clairvaux1 that the lizard1  
which crawls and hides in cracks in the 
walls1 is1 as well as the serpent1 an   
emblem of evil2 and he recorded the     
special ascription of ingratitude by    
,christ ,himself to the viper1 for ,he  
gives the name to the ,jewish race4     
,durtal then hastily dressed1 fearing to
 be late1 as he was dining with the     

,abbe ,gevresin and the ,abbe ,plomb4   
,pursued by ,madame ,mesurat1 who       
insisted on dealing him one more blow   
with the clothes-brush1 he rushed       
downstairs1 and was soon at his friend's
 door4  ,madame ,bavoil1 who opened it1 
appeared in a cap all askew and hair    
loose1 up-turned sleeves and scorched   
arms1 with cheeks crimson from the      
kitchen fire4 ,she confessed to the     
concoction of a dish of beef a la mode  
softened by calf's foot jelly and       
strengthened by a dash of brandy1 and   
fled1 alarmed by the impatient call of a
 saucepan1 of which the contents were   
boiling over on the hot plates of the   
stove1 with a noise like cats swearing4 
,durtal found the old ,abbe tormented by
 rheumatism1 but as ever1 patient and   
cheerful4 ,they talked a little while2  
then1 seeing that ,durtal was looking at
 some little lumps of gum lying on his  
writing table1 the ,abbe said1--  ,that 
is incense from the ,carmel of          
,chartres4  ,indeed6  ,yes1 the         

,carmelites are accustomed to burn none 
but genuine true incense4 ,so ,i begged 
them to trust me with a specimen that ,i
 might procure the same quality for our 
cathedral4  ,it is everywhere           
adulterated1 ,i suppose8  ,yes4 ,this   
substance is found in commerce under    
three forms3 male incense1 which is the 
best if unadulterated2 female incense1  
which is mixed with reddish fragments   
and dry grains called marrons2 finally  
incense in powder1 which is for the most
 part a mixture of inferior resin and   
benzoin4  ,and what have you there8     
,this is male incense2 do you see those 
oblong tears1 those almost transparent  
drops of faded amber8 how different from
 that which they use at ,notre ,dame2 it
 is earthy1 broken1 full of scraps1 and 
it is safe to wager that those knobs are
 crystals of carbonate of lime and not  
beads of pure resin4  ,why1 said        
,durtal1 this substance suggests to me  
the idea of a symbolism of odours2 has  
it ever been worked out8  ,i doubt it2  

but in any case it would be very simple4
 ,the aromatic substances used in the   
,liturgy are reduced to three1          
frankincense1 myrrh1 and balm4  ,their  
meaning is known to you4 ,incense is the
 ,divinity of the ,son1 and our prayers 
which rise up like vapours in the       
presence of the ,most ,high1 as the     
,psalmist says4 ,myrrh is repentance1   
the sufferings of ,jesus1 ,his death1   
the martyrs1 and also1 according to     
,monsieur ,olier1 the type of the       
,virgin who heals the souls of sinners  
as myrrh cauterizes the festering of    
wounds2 balm is another word for virtue4
  ,but though there are few ,liturgical 
savours1 it is not so with regard to    
mystical effluences which vary          
infinitely4 ,we have1 however1 but      
little information on the subject4  ,we 
merely know that the odour of sanctity  
is antithetical to that of the ,devil2  
that many of the ,elect have diffused1  
during their lifetime and after their   
death1 an exquisite fragrance which     

cannot be analyzed2 such were ,madalene 
of ,pazzi1 ,saint ,etienne de ,muret1   
,saint ,philip ,neri1 ,saint            
,paternianus1 ,saint ,omer1 the         
,venerable ,francis ,olympus1 ,jeanne de
 ,matel and many more4  ,we know too    
that our sins stink1 each according to  
its nature2 and the proof of this is    
that the saints could detect the state  
of men's consciences merely by the smell
 of their bodies4 ,do you remember how  
,saint ,joseph of ,cupertino exclaimed  
to a sinner whom he met3 ',my friend1   
you smell very badly2 go and wash4'  ,to
 return to the odour of sanctity3 in    
certain persons it has been known to    
assume a natural character almost       
identical with certain familiar scents4 
,saint ,treverius exhaled a fragrance   
compounded of roses1 lilies1 balm1 and  
incense2 ,saint ,rose of ,viterbo smelt 
of roses2 ,saint ,cajetan of            
orange-blossom2 ,saint ,catherine of    
,ricci of violets2 ,saint ,theresa by   
turns of lily1 jasmine and violet2      

,saint ,thomas ,aquinas of incense2     
,saint ,francis of ,paul of musk2--,i   
mention these at random as they occur to
 me4  ,yes1 and ,saint ,lydwine1 when so
 ill1 diffused a fragrance which also   
imparted a flavour4 ,her wounds exhaled 
a cheerful savour of spice and the very 
essence of ,flemish home cooking--a     
refined extract of cinnamon4  ,on the   
other hand1 the ,abbe went on1 the      
stench of wizards and witches was       
notorious in the ,middle ,ages4 ,on this
 point all exorcists and writers on     
,demonology are agreed2 and it is almost
 invariably recorded that after an      
apparition of the devil a foul odour of 
sulphur was left in the cells1 even when
 the ,saints had succeeded in dislodging
 him4  ,but the essential odour of the  
devil is amply recorded in the life of  
,christina of ,stumbela4 ,you are not   
ignorant1 ,i suppose1 of the exploits in
 which ,satan indulged against that     
saint8  ,indeed1 ,i am1 ,monsieur       
l',abbe4  ,then ,i may tell you that the

 narrative of these assaults has been   
preserved by the ,bollandists1 who have 
included the life of this pious woman in
 their biographies4 ,it was written by  
,peter of ,dacia1 a ,dominican1 and her 
confessor4  ,christina was born early in
 the thirteenth century--#abdb1 ,i      
believe--at ,stumbela1 near ,cologne4   
,she was persecuted by the devil from   
her infancy4 ,he exhausted the armoury  
of his arts against her1 appeared to her
 under the form of a cock1 a bull1 an   
apostle2 covered her with lice1 filled  
her bed with vermin1 poisoned her blood1
 and as he could not make her deny ,god1
 he invented fresh torments4  ,he turned
 the food she put into her mouth into a 
toad1 a snake1 a spider1 and disgusted  
her so effectually with all food1 that  
she was dying for want of it4 ,she spent
 her days in vomiting1 and prayer to    
,god to rescue her1 but ,he was silent4 
,still1 to sustain her in such trials1  
the ,sacrament was left to her4 ,satan1 
knowing this1 determined to deprive her 

of this sustenance1 and appeared in the 
form of these creatures even in the host
 when she received it4 ,finally1 to     
conquer her1 he took the form of a huge 
toad1 and established himself in her    
bosom4 ,at first ,christina fainted with
 fright1 but then ,god intervened2 by   
,his order she wrapped her hand in her  
sleeve1 slipped it between her body and 
the belly of the reptile1 tore away the 
toad1 and flung it on the stones4  ,it  
was dashed to pieces1 with a noise1 said
 the saint1 like an old shoe4  ,these   
persecutions continued till ,advent in  
#abfh2 and from that time the plague of 
filth began4  ,peter of ,dacia relates  
that one evening ,christina's father    
came to fetch him from his convent in   
,cologne1 and begged him to go with him 
to his daughter1 tormented by the devil4
 ,he and another ,dominican1 ,brother   
,wipert1 set out1 and on arriving at    
,stumbela they found in the haunted hut 
the ,priest of the district1 the        
,reverend ,father ,godefried1 ,prior of 

the ,benedictines of ,brunwilre1 and    
,cellarer of that convent4 ,as they     
stood warming themselves they discoursed
 of the pestilential incursions of the  
devil1 when suddenly the performance was
 repeated4 ,they were all bespattered   
with filth1 ,christina being caked with 
it1 to use the ,friar's expression2 and 
'strange to say1' adds ,peter of ,dacia1
 'this matter1 which was but warm1      
burned ,christina1 raising blisters on  
her skin4'  ,this continued for three   
days4 ,at length1 one evening1 ,friar   
,wipert1 quite exasperated1 began to    
recite the prayers for exorcism2 but a  
terrific uproar shook the room1 the     
candles went out1 and he was hit in the 
eye by something so hard that he        
exclaimed1 ',woe is me6 ,i am blind of  
an eye6'  ,he was led1 feeling his way1 
into an adjoining room1 where the       
garments they changed were dried1 and   
where water was constantly heated for   
their ablutions2 he was cleansed1 and   
his eye washed4 ,it had suffered no     

serious injury1 and he returned to the  
other room to say ,matins with the two  
,benedictines and ,peter of ,dacia4 ,but
 before chanting the service he went up 
to the patient's bed and clasped his    
hands in amazement4  ,she was covered   
with filth indeed1 but all was changed4 
,the smell1 which had been              
supernaturally foul1 was changed to     
angelic fragrance2 ,christina's saintly 
resignation had routed the tempter of   
souls2 and they all joined in praising  
,god4 ,what do you say to that          
narrative8  ,it is astounding1          
certainly2 but is this the only instance
 of such infernal filth8  ,no2 in the   
next century analogous circumstances    
haunted ,elizabeth de ,reute1 and       
likewise the ,blessed ,betha4 ,here     
again ,satan allowed himself such filthy
 sport4 ,it may also be noted that in   
modern times acts of the same kind were 
observed in the house of the ,cure      
d',ars4  ,but in all this ,i see nothing
 to illustrate the symbolism of         

perfumes1 remarked ,durtal4 ,at any     
rate1 the subject would seem to be      
narrow or ill-defined1 and the number of
 odours that can be named is small4     
,there are certain essences mentioned in
 the ,old ,testament prefiguring the    
,virgin4 ,some of them are interpreted  
in other senses1 as spikenard1 cassia1  
and cinnamon4 ,the first represents     
strength of soul2 the second1 sound     
doctrine2 and the third1 the sweet      
savour of virtue4 ,then there is the    
essence of cedar1 which in the          
thirteenth century symbolized the       
,doctors of the ,church2 and there are  
three specifically liturgical perfumes3 
incense1 balm1 and myrrh2 besides the   
odour of sanctity1 which in the case of 
some saints could be analyzed2 and the  
demoniacal stench1 from a mere animal   
smell to the horrible nastiness of      
rotten eggs and sulphur4  ,we must now  
inquire whether the personal fragrance  
of the ,elect is in harmony with the    
qualities or acts of which each was1 on 

earth1 the example or the doer2 and it  
would seem to have been so1 when we     
remark that ,saint ,thomas ,aquinas1 who
 composed the admirable sequence on the 
,holy ,sacrament1 exhaled a perfume of  
incense1 and that ,saint ,catherine of  
,ricci1 who was a model of humility1    
smelt of violets1 the emblem of that    
virtue1 but--  ,the ,abbe ,plomb now    
came in1 and being informed by ,durtal  
of the subject under discussion1 he     
said1--  ,but you have omitted from your
 diabolical flavours the most           
conspicuous4  ,how is that1 ,monsieur   
l',abbe8  ,certainly1 for you have taken
 no account of the false fragrance which
 ,satan can diffuse4 ,in fact1 his      
baleful effluvia are of two kinds3 one  
characterized by the stench of          
sulphurous waters and drains2 the other 
by a false odour of sanctity1 delicious 
gusts of sweetness and temptation4 ,this
 is how the ,evil ,one tried to seduce  
,dominico de ,gusman2 he bathed him in  
delicious vapours1 hoping thus to       

inspire him with notions of vain-glory2 
thus1 too1 did he to ,jourdain of       
,saxony1 who exhaled a sweet odour when 
saying ,mass4 ,god showed him that this 
phenomenon was of infernal origin1 and  
it then ceased4  ,and ,i recollect a    
singular anecdote told by ,quercetanus  
concerning a mistress of ,charlemagne's 
who died4 ,the king1 who worshipped her1
 could not bear to have her body        
interred1 though it was decomposing1    
exhaling1 however1 a perfume of violets 
and roses4 ,the body was examined1 and  
in its mouth a ring was found1 which was
 removed4 ,the demoniacal enchantment   
forthwith ceased1 the body became foul1 
and ,charlemagne allowed it to be       
buried4  ,we may add to this diabolical 
odour of seduction another1 which is1 on
 the contrary1 fetid1 and is used to    
annoy the believer1 to hinder him in    
prayer1 to estrange him from his        
fellows1 and drive him1 if possible1 to 
despair2 still1 this smell with which   
the devil infects a being may be        

included in the category of the smells  
of temptation--not1 indeed1 to pride1   
but to weakness and fear4  ,meanwhile1  
,i have something else for you1 said the
 ,abbe1 addressing ,durtal4 ,here are   
the titles ,i have collected for you of 
some works on the symbolical animals of 
the ,middle ,ages4 ,you have read ',de  
,bestiis et aliis rebus1' by ,hugh of   
,saint ,victor8  ,yes4  ,very good2 you 
may further consult ,albertus ,magnus1  
,bartholomew de ,glanville1 and ,pierre 
de ,bressuire4 ,i have noted on this    
paper a series of such beast-books3     
those of ,hildebert1 ,philippe de       
,thann1 ,guillaume de ,normandie1       
,gautier de ,metz1 and ,richard de      
,fournival4 ,only you would have to go  
to ,paris to procure them in the public 
libraries4  ,and that would not help me 
much1 replied ,durtal4 ,i have1 ere now1
 looked through many of these works1 and
 they contain no information that can be
 of use from the point of view of       
symbolism4 ,they are mere fabulous      

descriptions of animals1 legends as to  
their origin and habits4 ,the           
,spicilegium ,solesmense and the        
,analectae of ,dom ,pitra are far more  
instructive4 ,by his help1 with that of 
,saint ,isidor1 ,saint ,epiphanius1 and 
,hugh of ,saint ,victor1 we can decipher
 the figurative meaning of monsters4    
,they are all alike2 there has been no  
complete or serious work produced on    
symbolism since the ,middle ,ages1 for  
the ,abbe ,auber's work on the subject  
is a delusion4 ,in vain will you seek   
for a treatise on flowers which even    
alludes to the ,catholic significance of
 plants4 ,i do not1 of course1 mean     
those silly books compiled for lovers1  
and called the ,language of ,flowers1   
which you may find on the bookstalls    
with old cookery-books and dream-books4 
,it is the same with regard to colours2 
nothing proven or authentic has been    
written concerning infernal or celestial
 hues2 for in fact the treatise by      
,frederic ,portal is worthless4 ,to     

explain ,angelico's work ,i had to hunt 
here and there through the ,mystics1 to 
discover where ,i might the meanings    
they ascribe to colours2 and ,i see     
plainly that ,i must do the same for my 
article on the emblematical fauna4      
,there is1 on the whole1 nothing to be  
found in technical works2 it is in the  
,bible and in the ,liturgy1 the         
fountain-head of symbolical lore1 that  
,i must cast my net4 ,by the way1       
,monsieur l',abbe1 had you not some     
remarks to communicate on the zoology of
 the ,scriptures8  ,yes1 we will go--   
,to dinner1 if you please1 said ,madame 
,bavoil4  ,the ,abbe ,gevresin said     
grace1 and when they had eaten the soup 
the housekeeper served the beef4  ,it   
was strengthening1 tender1 savoury to   
its inmost fibre1 penetrated by the rich
 and highly-flavoured sauce4  ,you don't
 get the like at ,la ,trappe1 our       
friend1 eh8 said ,madame ,bavoil4  ,nor 
will he get anything so good at any     
other religious retreat1 said the ,abbe 

,plomb4  ,do not discourage me          
beforehand1 said ,durtal1 laughing2 let 
me enjoy this without a pang--there is a
 time for all things4  ,then you are    
fully determined1 said the ,abbe        
,gevresin1 to write a paper for your    
,review on allegorical beasts8  ,yes1   
,monsieur l',abbe4  ,i have made a list 
for you from the works of ,fillion and  
of ,lesetre of the blunders made by the 
translators of the ,bible when they     
disguised real beasts under chimerical  
names1 said the ,abbe ,plomb4 ,this1 in 
a few words1 is the upshot of my        
researches4  ,there was never any       
mythological fauna in the ,sacred       
,books4 ,the ,hebrew text was misread by
 those who translated it into ,greek and
 ,latin1 and the strange zoology that we
 find in certain chapters of ,isaiah and
 ,job is easily reduced to the          
nomenclature of well-known creatures4   
,thus the onocentaurs and sirens1 spoken
 of by the ,prophet1 are neither more   
nor less than jackals1 if we examine the

 ,hebrew original4 ,the lamia1 a        
vampire1 half woman and half serpent    
like the wyvern1 is a night bird1 the   
white or the screech owl2 the satyrs and
 fauns1 the hairy beasts spoken of in   
the ,vulgate1 are1 after all1 no more   
than wild goats--'schirim1' as they are 
called in the ,mosaic original4  ,the   
reptile so frequently mentioned in the  
,bible under the name of 'dragon' is    
indicated in the original by various    
words1 which sometimes mean the serpent 
or the crocodile1 sometimes the jackal1 
and sometimes the whale2 and the famous 
unicorn of the ,scriptures is merely the
 primaeval bull or auroch1 which is to  
be seen on the ,assyrian bas-reliefs--a 
race now dying out1 lingering only in   
the remotest parts of ,lithuania and the
 ,caucasus4  ,and ,behemoth and         
,leviathan1 spoken of by ,job8  ,the    
word ,behemoth is a plural form in      
,hebrew meaning ,excellence4 ,it        
designates a prodigious and enormous    
beast--the rhinoceros1 perhaps1 or the  

hippopotamus4 ,as to ,leviathan1 it was 
a huge reptile1 a gigantic python4      
,that is a pity1 said ,durtal4          
,imaginary zoology was far more         
amusing6--,why1 what is this vegetable8 
he inquired1 as he tasted a curious stew
 of greens4  ,dandelions cut up and     
boiled with shreds of bacon1 replied    
,madame ,bavoil4 ,do you like the dish1 
our friend8  ,indeed ,i do4 ,your       
dandelions are to garden spinach and    
chicory what the wild duck is to the    
tame1 or the hare to the rabbit4 ,and it
 is a fact that garden plants are       
generally poor and tasteless1 while     
those that grow wild have a certain     
astringency and pleasant bitter flavour4
 ,it is the venison of vegetables that  
you have given us1 ,madame ,bavoil6  ,i 
fancy1 said the ,abbe ,plomb1 who had   
been thoughtful1 that just as we tried  
to compile a mystic flora the other day1
 we might make a list of the deadly sins
 as represented by animals4  ,obviously1
 and with very little trouble4 ,pride is

 embodied in the bull1 the peacock1 the 
lion1 the eagle1 the horse1 the swan1   
and the wild ass--according to ,vincent 
de ,beauvais4 ,avarice by the wolf1 and1
 says ,saint ,theobald1 by the spider2  
for lust1 we have the he-goat1 the boar1
 the toad1 the ass1 and the fly1 which1 
,saint ,gregory the ,great tells1       
typifies the turbulent cravings of the  
senses2 for envy1 the sparrow-hawk1 the 
owl1 and screech-owl2 for greediness1   
the hog and the dog2 for anger1 the lion
 and wild boar1 and1 according to       
,adamantius1 the leopard2 for sloth1 the
 vulture1 the snail1 the she-ass1 and1  
,raban ,maur says1 the mule4  ,as to the
 virtues antithetical to these vices1   
humility may be typified by the ox and  
the ass2 indifference to worldly        
possessions by the pelican1 the emblem  
of the contemplative life2 chastity by  
the dove and the elephant1 though it is 
true that this interpretation of ,peter 
of ,capua is contradicted by other      
mystics1 who accuse the elephant of     

pride1 and speak of him as an 'enormous 
sinner'2 charity by the lark and the    
pelican2 temperance by the camel1 which1
 taken in another sense1 typifies under 
the name of gamal extravagant fury2     
vigilance by the lion1 the peacock1 the 
ant--quoted by the ,abbess ,herrade and 
the ,anonymous monk of ,clairvaux--and  
especially by the cock1 to which ,saint 
,eucher attributes this virtue in common
 with all other symbolists4  ,i may add 
that the dove alone epitomizes all these
 qualities and is the synthesis of all  
virtue4  ,yes1 and she alone is never   
spoken of as having any evil            
significance4  ,a distinction she shares
 with white and blue1 the only colours  
which are exempt from the law of        
antithesis and are never ascribed to any
 vice1 said ,durtal4  ,the dove6 cried  
,madame ,bavoil1 who was changing the   
plates2 she plays a beautiful part in   
the story of ,noah's ,ark4 ,ah6 our     
friend1 you should hear what ,mother    
,jeanne de ,matel says of her4  ,what   

does she say1 ,madame ,bavoil8  ,the    
admirable ,jeanne begins by saying that 
original sin produced in human nature   
the deluge of sin from which the ,virgin
 alone was exempted by the ,father1 who 
chose ,her to be ,his one ,dove4  ,then 
she relates how ,lucifer1 represented by
 the raven1 escaped from the ark through
 the window of free will2 then ,god1 to 
whom ,mary had belonged from all        
eternity1 opened the window of the ,will
 of ,his ,providence1 and from ,his own 
bosom1 from the heavenly ,ark1 ,he sent 
the original dove on the earth where she
 gathered a spray of the olive of ,his  
mercy1 took her flight back to the ,ark 
of ,heaven1 and offered this branch for 
the whole human race2 ,she then implored
 ,divine grace to abate the deluge of   
sin1 and besought the ,heavenly ,noah to
 descend from that high ,ark2 then1     
without quitting the bosom of the       
,father from whom ,he is inseparable1   
,he came down4  ,et ,verbum caro factum 
est et habitavit in nobis1 the ,abbe    

,gevresin added1 in conclusion4  ,this  
prefiguration of the ,word by ,noah is  
certainly curious1 remarked ,durtal4    
,animals are also introduced in the     
iconography of the saints1 the ,abbe    
,plomb resumed4 ,so far as ,i can       
recollect1 the ass is the attribute of  
,saint ,marcellus1 of ,saint ,john      
,chrysostom1 of ,saint ,germain1 of     
,saint ,aubert1 of ,saint ,frances of   
,rome1 and of some others2 the stag of  
,saint ,hubert and ,saint ,rieul2 the   
cock of ,saint ,landry and ,saint       
,vitus2 the raven of ,saint ,benedict1  
,saint ,apollinarius1 ,saint ,vincent1  
,saint ,ida1 ,saint ,expeditus2 the deer
 of ,saint ,henry2 the wolf of ,saint   
,waast1 ,saint ,norbert1 ,saint         
,remaclus1 and ,saint ,arnold2 the      
spider betokens ,saint ,conrad and      
,saint ,felix of ,nola2 the dog         
accompanies ,saint ,godfrey1 ,saint     
,bernard1 ,saint ,roch1 ,saint ,margaret
 of ,cortona1 and ,saint ,dominic1 when 
it bears a burning torch in its mouth2  

the doe is the badge of ,saint ,giles1  
,saint ,leu1 ,saint ,genevieve of       
,brabant1 and ,saint ,maximus2 the pig  
of ,saint ,anthony2 the dolphin of      
,saint ,adrian1 of ,saint ,lucian1 and  
,saint ,basil2 the swan of ,saint       
,cuthbert and ,saint ,hugh2 the rat is  
seen with ,saint ,goutran and ,saint    
,gertrude2 the ox with ,saint           
,cornelius1 ,saint ,eustachius1 ,saint  
,honorius1 ,saint ,thomas ,aquinas1     
,saint ,lucy1 ,saint ,blandina1 ,saint  
,bridget1 ,saint ,sylvester1 ,saint     
,sebaldus1 ,saint ,saturninus2 the dove 
belongs to ,saint ,gregory the ,great1  
,saint ,remi1 ,saint ,ambrose1 ,saint   
,hilary1 ,saint ,ursula1 ,saint         
,aldegonde1 and ,saint ,scholastica1    
whose soul flew up to ,heaven under that
 form4  ,and the list might be          
indefinitely extended4 ,shall you       
mention in your article these           
accompaniments to the saints8  ,in point
 of fact1 replied ,durtal1 most of these
 attributes are based on history or     

legend1 and not on symbolism2 so ,i     
shall not devote any particular         
attention to them4  ,there was a        
silence4  ,then1 abruptly1 the ,abbe    
,plomb1 looking at his brother priest1  
said to ,durtal1--  ,i am going to      
,solesmes again a week hence1 and ,i    
told the ,reverend ,father ,abbot that  
,i should take you with me4  ,then1     
seeing ,durtal's amazement1 he smiled4  
,but ,i will not leave you there1 he    
went on1 unless you wish not to return  
to ,chartres4 ,i only propose that you  
should pay a visit there1 just long     
enough to breathe the atmosphere of the 
convent1 to make acquaintance with the  
,benedictine ,fathers1 and try their    
life4  ,durtal was silent1 somewhat     
scared2 for this proposal1 simple enough
 as it was1 that he should go to live   
for some days in a cloister1 had        
startled him into a strange1 a grotesque
 notion that if he should accept1 it    
would be playing away his last card1    
risking a decisive step1 taking a sort  

of pledge before ,god to settle there   
and end his days in ,his immediate      
presence4  ,but what was most strange   
was that this idea1 so imperative and   
overpowering that it excluded all       
possible reflection1 bereft him of all  
his powers of self-protection1 left him 
disarmed at the mercy of he knew not    
what--this idea1 which nothing          
justified1 was not centred1 not fixed on
 ,solesmes2 whither he should retreat   
was for the moment of small importance2 
that was not the question2 the only     
point to settle was whether he meant to 
yield at all to a vague impulse1 to obey
 unformulated orders which were         
nevertheless positive1 and give an      
earnest to ,god1 ,who seemed to be      
harassing him without any sufficient    
explanation4  ,he felt himself          
inexorably condemned1 tacitly compelled 
to pronounce his decision then and      
there4  ,he tried to struggle1 to       
reason1 to recover his self-possession2 
but the very effort was fatal4 ,he felt 

a sort of inward syncope1 as though1    
while his body was still upright1 his   
soul was fainting within him with       
fatigue and terror4  ,but this is       
madness6 he cried4 ,madness6  ,why1 what
 is the matter8 cried the two priests4  
,i beg your pardon4 ,nothing4  ,are you 
in pain8  ,no1 it is nothing4  ,there   
was an awkward pause which he was       
determined to break4  ,did you ever take
 laughing gas8 said he2 the gas which   
sends you to sleep and is used in       
surgery for short operations8 ,no8      
,well1 you feel a buzzing in your brain1
 and just as you hear a great noise of  
falling waters you lose consciousness4  
,that is what ,i am feeling2 only the   
experience is not in my brain1 but in my
 soul1 which is giddy and helpless1 on  
the point of fainting away4  ,i should  
like to think1 said the ,abbe ,plomb1   
that it is not the thought of a visit to
 ,solesmes that has thus upset you4     
,durtal had not courage enough to own   
the truth2 he was afraid of seeming     

ridiculous if he confessed to such a    
panic2 so to avoid a direct answer he   
vaguely shook his head4  ,and ,i cannot 
help wondering why you should hesitate1 
for you will be welcomed with open arms4
 ,the ,father ,abbot is a man of the    
highest merit1 and1 moreover1 no enemy  
to art4 ,besides--and this ,i hope will 
suffice to reassure you--he is a most   
simple and kind-hearted monk4  ,but ,i  
have to finish my article4  ,the two    
priests laughed4  ,you have a week      
before you to write your article in4    
,and then1 to get any benefit from a    
monastery1 ,i ought not be in the state 
of dryness and diffusion in which ,i    
find myself vegetating1 ,durtal went on 
with difficulty4  ,the saints themselves
 are not free from distractions1 replied
 the ,abbe ,gevresin4 ,for instance1    
think of the monk of whom ,tauler       
speaks1 who1 on quitting his cell in the
 month of ,may1 would cover his face    
with his hood1 that he might not see the
 country1 and so be hindered from       

contemplating his soul4  ,oh1 our       
friend1 must that gentle ,jesus1 as the 
,venerable ,jeanne says1 be for ever the
 poor man pining for admittance at the  
door of our heart8 ,come1 just a little 
goodwill--open yours to ,him1 cried     
,madame ,bavoil4  ,and ,durtal1 finally 
driven into his last intrenchments1 by a
 nod signified acquiescence in the wish 
of all his friends4 ,but he did it with 
deep reluctance1 for he could not rid   
himself of a distracting idea that this 
concession implied a vow on his part to 
,god6     ,,chapter ,,xv4   ,this idea1 
which had taken firm possession of him  
for a few minutes1 seemed to fade away1 
and by the morrow there only remained a 
startled excitement which nothing could 
account for2 he now shrugged his        
shoulders1 but still1 at the bottom of  
his soul a vague sense of dread would   
surge up4  ,was not the very absurdity  
of it a proof that this notion was one  
of the presentiments that we sometimes  
feel without understanding it8 ,was it  

not1 again1 for lack of a command       
plainly given by some inward voice1 a   
warning1 a direct and secret hint1 that 
he should be on his guard not to think  
of this visit to a cloister as a mere   
pleasure trip8  ,but this is monstrous6 
,durtal exclaimed at last4 ,when ,i went
 to ,la ,trappe for my great            
purification1 ,i was not harassed by    
apprehensions of this kind2 when ,i have
 gone there again several times since1  
it never occurred to me that ,i should  
really bury myself in a monastery2 and  
now that it is a matter merely of a     
short visit to a ,benedictine monastery1
 ,i am trembling and recalcitrant4      
,such a commotion is quite childish6    
,and yet no1 not so very childish1 he   
suddenly told himself4 ,when ,i have    
been to ,notre-,dame de l',atre ,i have 
been sure that ,i should not remain1    
since ,i knew that ,i could not endure  
more than a month of their austere      
,rule2 so there was nothing to fear2    
whereas in a ,benedictine ,abbey1 where 

the ,rule is lighter1 ,i am not certain 
that ,i could not stay4  ,in that       
case--well1 well1 so much the better6   
for after all sooner or later ,i must   
decide1 ,i must make up my mind as to   
what ,i really mean2 have some definite 
notion of the value of my promissory    
notes1 of the greater or less strength  
of my energy1 my fitness1 my            
limitations4  ,a few months ago ,i      
longed for the monastic life1 that is   
beyond doubt--and now ,i am wavering4 ,i
 have abortive gushes of feeling1       
ineffectual projects1 inclinations which
 fail1 wishes which come short--,i will 
and ,i will not4 ,still it is needful to
 understand oneself2 but of what use is 
it for me to try to sound the well of my
 own soul8 ,if ,i go down into it1 ,i   
find everything dark and cold and empty4
  ,i am beginning to think that by dint 
of staring into that darkness ,i am     
becoming like a child that fixes its    
eyes on the blackness of night2 ,i end  
by creating phantoms and inventing      

terrors4 ,that is certainly the case as 
regards this excursion to ,solesmes1 for
 there is nothing1 absolutely nothing to
 justify my alarms4  ,how silly this all
 is2 how much simpler it would be to    
allow myself to live1 and1 above all1 to
 be led6  ,i have hit it1 he went on    
after a moment's reflection4 ,the cause 
of this turmoil is evident4 ,it is my   
lack of self-abandonment1 my want of    
confidence in ,god--yes1 and my little  
love1 my dryness of spirit1 which have  
brought me to this state4  ,in the lapse
 of time this disorder has brought on   
the malady from which ,i am suffering1  
an utter anaemia of the soul1 aggravated
 by the patient's terrors1 since he1    
unaware of the nature of the complaint1 
exaggerates its importance4  ,thus      
stands my balance-sheet since ,i came to
 ,chartres4  ,the position is very      
different from what it was in ,paris4   
,for the phase ,i am going through is   
the very contrary to that in which ,i   
previously lived2 in ,paris my soul was 

not dry and friable1 but dank and soft2 
it was saponaceous2 the foot sank in it4
 ,in short1 ,i was melting away1 in a   
state of langour1 more painful perhaps  
than this state of drought which is     
toughening me to horniness4 ,still on   
close examination1 though the symptoms  
have changed1 the evil persists2        
softness or dryness1 the results are    
identical4  ,at the same time it seems  
strange that this spiritual anaemia     
should now exhibit such opposite        
symptoms4 ,on one hand ,i am conscious  
of weariness1 indifference1 and torpor  
in prayer2 it seems to me1 bitter1 vain1
 and hollow1 so badly do ,i pray2 ,i am 
inclined to let everything go1 to cease 
the attempt1 to wait for a glow of      
fervour which ,i cannot hope for2 on the
 other hand1 ,i am at the same time     
conscious of a persistent and obstinate 
yearning1 an invisible touch1 a craving 
for prayer1 a constant invitation from  
,god keeping me alert4 ,and there are   
times1 too1 when1 though ,i can prove to

 myself that ,i am not stirring1 ,i     
fancy ,i am trembling and shall be swept
 away by a tide4  ,that is very much of 
what ,i feel4 ,in this frame of mind1   
half stay-at-home1 half gipsy-like1 if  
,i take up a book of the higher         
mysticism--,saint ,theresa or ,saint    
,angela--that subtle touch gains        
definiteness1 ,i am aware of shocks     
running through me2 ,i fancy that my    
soul is convalescent1 that it is young  
again1 and breathes once more2 but if ,i
 try to take advantage of this lucid    
moment to collect myself and to pray1 it
 is all over--,i flee from              
myself--nothing will work4 ,what misery1
 and how pitiable6  ,the ,abbe ,gevresin
 has guided me so far1 but how8  ,he has
 trusted chiefly to the method of       
expectancy1 restricting himself to      
combating my generally flaccid state1   
and invigorating me rather than         
contending with details4 ,he has        
prescribed the heroic remedies of the   
soul1 desiring me to communicate when he

 found me weak4 ,but1 if ,i am not      
mistaken1 he is now turning his         
batteries4 ,either he is giving up a    
line of attack which has failed1 or     
else1 on the contrary1 he is improving  
it1 his treatment having produced1      
without my being aware of it1 the       
effects he was aiming at2 in either     
case1 to promote or complete the cure1  
he wants to send me to a convent4  ,the 
plan seems to be1 indeed1 part of his   
system1 for he did the same thing when  
he was helping in my conversion4 ,he    
sent me off to a health resort for the  
soul--and the waters were powerful      
indeed and terrible2 now he thinks ,i no
 longer need have so severe a treatment 
inflicted on me1 and he is persuading me
 to stay in a more restful place1 a less
 bracing air--is that it8  ,even his way
 of coming up unexpectedly and hurling  
his opinion at me is not quite the same 
as it was4 ,this time1 it was1 indeed1  
not he who undertook to crystallize my  
irresolution by announcing my departure 

for ,solesmes2 but it comes to the same 
thing4 ,for1 after all1 there is        
something not quite above board in this 
affair4 ,why did the ,abbe ,plomb       
promise the ,benedictines that he would 
take me with him8  ,he certainly acted  
on the request of the ,abbe ,gevresin4  
,there can have been no other reason for
 his talking of me to the ,fathers4 ,i  
have1 indeed1 spoken to him of my       
distress of mind1 of my vague craving   
for retirement1 and my love for         
monasteries4 ,but ,i certainly did not  
suggest that he should thus take the    
lead1 and hurry matters on so6  ,here ,i
 am1 as usual1 imagining plots and      
schemes1 looking for things that never  
existed1 and discerning motives where   
perhaps there are none4 ,and even if    
there were6 ,is it not for my benefit   
that these good friends are laying their
 heads together8  ,i have only to hear  
and obey4 ,now to have done with this   
and return to the ,bestiary2 for ,i want
 to finish this work before ,i go4 ,and 

posting himself in front of the         
cathedral1 he studied the south porch1  
which had most of zoological mysticism  
and devilries4  ,but he did not find the
 monstrosities of his fancy4 ,at        
,chartres the ,vices and ,virtues were  
not symbolized by more or less          
chimerical creatures1 but by human      
faces4 ,after careful search he         
discovered on some of the pillars of the
 middle doorway the ,vices embodied in  
small carved groups3 ,lust1 as a woman  
fondling a young man2 ,drunkenness as a 
boor about to hit a bishop2 ,discord by 
a husband quarrelling with his wife1    
while an empty bottle and a broken      
distaff lie near them4  ,by way of      
infernal monsters1 the utmost he could  
discern1--and that by dislocating his   
neck--were two dragons in the right-hand
 bay1 one exorcised by a monk and the   
other bridled by a ,saint with his      
stole4  ,of divine beasts he could      
distinguish in the row of ,virtues      
certain female figures with symbolical  

creatures by their side3 ,docility      
accompanied by an ox2 ,chastity by a    
phoenix2 ,charity by a sheep2 ,meekness 
by a lamb2 ,fortitude by a lion2        
,temperance by a camel4 ,why should the 
phoenix here typify ,chastity1 for it is
 not used generally in that sense in the
 ,bird-books of the ,middle ,ages8      
,somewhat disconcerted by the poverty of
 the fauna of ,chartres1 he comforted   
himself by a study of this southern     
porch2 it was a match for that on the   
north1 and repeated1 with a variant1 the
 subject of the west front--the         
glorification of ,christ1 but in ,his   
function as the ,supreme ,judge1 and in 
the person of ,his ,saints4  ,this      
front1 begun in the time of ,philip     
,augustus1 and built at the cost of the 
,comte de ,dreux and his wife ,alice of 
,brittany1 was not completed till the   
time of ,philippe le ,bel4 ,it was      
divided1 like the other two1 into three 
portions3 a central door with a tympanum
 in a pointed arch bearing the          

presentment of the ,last ,judgment2 one 
on the left devoted to the ,martyrs1 and
 one on the right dedicated to the      
,confessors4  ,the central bay suggested
 the form of a boat set on end1 its prow
 in the air2 its deeply spreading sides 
contained in their niches six ,apostles 
on each1 and in the middle1 between the 
doors1 stood a single statue of ,christ4
  ,this statue1 like that at ,amiens1   
was famous2 every guidebook sings the   
praises of the regular features1 the    
calm expression of the face2 in reality 
the countenance is particularly fatuous 
and cold1 beautiful but lifeless4 ,how  
inferior to that of the twelfth century1
 the expressive and living ,god seated  
between the symbols of the ,tetramorph  
in the tympanum of the royal front4     
,the ,apostles were perhaps rather more 
refined1 rather less squat than the     
patriarchs and prophets supporting      
,saint ,anne under the north porch1 but 
their quality as works of art was less  
striking4 ,they resembled the ,christ1  

,whom they escorted with decent duty3 it
 was honest work1 phlegmatic sculpture1 
so to speak4  ,they held the instruments
 of their death with placid propriety1  
like soldiers presenting arms4  ,on the 
right hand stood ,saint ,peter1 holding 
the cross on which he was bound head    
downwards2 ,saint ,andrew1 with a ,latin
 cross1 however1 and not the ,x-shaped  
cross to which he was nailed2 then      
,saint ,philip1 ,saint ,thomas1 ,saint  
,matthew1 ,saint ,simon1 all armed with 
the sword1 though ,saint ,philip was    
crucified and stoned1 ,saint ,thomas    
pierced with a lance1 and ,saint ,simon 
sawn asunder4  ,to the left were ,saint 
,paul1 substituted for ,saint ,matthias1
 chosen to succeed ,judas2 he carried a 
sword2 ,saint ,john1 bearing his        
,gospel2 ,saint ,james the ,great1 with 
a sword2 ,saint ,james the ,less1 with a
 fuller's club2 ,saint ,bartholomew1    
with the knife that served to flay him1 
and ,saint ,jude with a book4  ,perched 
on twisted columns1 they trampled under 

their feet--bare1 in token of their     
apostleship--the executioners of their  
martyrdom4 ,they had long flowing hair1 
and forked beards cut into two points1  
excepting ,saint ,john1 who was         
beardless1 and ,saint ,paul1 who1       
tradition says1 was bald2 and they were 
all dressed alike in cloaks hanging in  
formal curves4 ,saint ,james the ,great 
was alone distinguished by a tunic      
sprinkled with shells1 like that of the 
pilgrims who were wont to visit him at  
,compostella in one of the huge         
sanctuaries erected in his honour in    
,mediaeval times4  ,he was the patron   
,saint of ,spain2 but did he really ever
 preach in those lands1 as ,saint       
,jerome and ,saint ,isidor assert1 and  
the ,toledo ,breviary8 ,some doubt it4  
,at any rate his story1 as related by   
,durand of ,mende1 in the thirteenth    
century1 was as follows3 ,being sent    
into ,spain to convert the idolaters1 he
 failed1 and returned to ,jerusalem1    
where he was beheaded by ,herod4 ,his   

body was subsequently carried to ,spain1
 and his remains performed such miracles
 as he had never wrought in his         
lifetime4  ,indeed1 reflected ,durtal1  
we have singularly little information   
with regard to the ,apostles4 ,they     
appear1 for the most part1 only         
incidentally in the ,gospels2 and       
excepting a few--,saint ,peter1 ,saint  
,john1 and ,saint ,paul--whose figures  
are more or less definite1 they float   
past like shades1 lost1 veiled as it    
were1 in the halo of glory shed about   
,him by ,jesus ,christ4 ,and after ,his 
death they vanish into thin air1 and    
their very existence is only sketched in
 a few vague legends4  ,take ,saint     
,thomas1 the ,treasure of ,god1 as      
,saint ,bridget calls him3 where was he 
born8 ,we are not told4 ,what were the  
circumstances and reasons of his call8  
,none knows4 ,in what lands did he      
preach the new faith8 ,here disputes    
begin4 ,some report him among the       
,medes1 the ,parthians1 the ,persians1  

in ,ethiopia1 in ,hindustan4 ,he is     
commonly represented with a             
cubit-measure and a square1 for it is   
said that he built a church at          
,meliapore2 for which reason he was     
taken in the ,middle ,ages as the patron
 ,saint of architects and masons4       
,according to the ,roman ,breviary he   
was killed at ,calamine by a            
spear-thrust2 according to the ,golden  
,legend he was killed with the sword in 
an uncertainly described place2 the     
,portuguese assert that they have his   
relics at ,goa1 the chief of their      
,indian possessions4  ,in the thirteenth
 century this saint was regarded as the 
type of perverse disbelief4 ,not        
satisfied with having failed to believe 
in ,christ until he had seen and put his
 finger into ,his wounds1 he was equally
 incredulous1 if our forefathers are to 
be believed1 when he was told of the    
,assumption of the ,virgin1 and ,mary   
was fain to show ,herself to him and    
throw down ,her girdle to convince him4 

,saint ,bartholomew is even more        
obscure1 lost in the thick shade of the 
ages4 ,he was the best educated of the  
,apostles1 says ,sister ,emmerich1 for  
the others1 particularly ,peter and     
,andrew1 had preserved rough manners and
 a clumsy exterior from their humble    
origin4  ,it is supposed that his name  
was ,bartholomew4 ,the ,synoptical      
,gospels number him among the ,apostles1
 but ,saint ,john omits him1 and        
mentions in his place one ,nathanael1 of
 whom the other three ,evangelists do   
not speak4  ,it seems tolerably certain 
that these two were identical1 and      
,saint ,bernard supposed that this      
,bartholomew or ,nathanael was the      
bridegroom of the marriage at ,cana4    
,he is said to have preached in ,arabia1
 in ,persia1 in ,abyssinia1 to have     
baptized among the ,iberi1 the races of 
the ,caucasus1 and1 like ,saint ,thomas1
 in ,india1 but there is no authentic   
evidence to show this4 ,according to    
some writers he was decapitated2 others 

say he was flayed alive and then        
crucified1 near the frontiers of        
,armenia4  ,this last view was adopted  
by the ,roman ,breviary and prevailed2  
hence he was chosen as the patron ,saint
 of fleshers1 who skin beasts1 of       
leather-dressers and skinners1          
shoemakers and binders1 who use leather1
 and even of tailors1 for the early     
painters represent him with half his    
body flayed and carrying his skin over  
his arm like a coat4  ,stranger and     
still more puzzling is ,saint ,jude4 ,he
 was also called ,thaddaeus and         
,lebbaeus1 and was the son of ,cleophas 
and of ,mary the ,virgin's sister2 he is
 said to have married and had children4 
,he is scarcely mentioned in the        
,gospels1 but they point out that he is 
not to be confounded with ,judas--which1
 however1 was done1 actually by reason  
of the similarity of name1 during the   
,middle ,ages2 ,christians rejected him 
and sorcerers appealed to him4  ,he     
never speaks in the course of the       

,sacred ,narrative but when he breaks   
silence at the scene of the ,last       
,supper to ask the ,lord a question as  
to predestination2 and ,christ replies  
beside the mark1 or rather does not     
answer him at all4 ,he was also the     
author of a ,canonical ,epistle1 in     
which he seems to have been inspired by 
the ,second ,epistle of ,saint ,peter2  
and1 according to ,saint ,augustine1 it 
was he who introduced the dogma of the  
,resurrection of the flesh into the     
,credo4  ,in legend he is associated    
with ,saint ,simon2 according to the    
,breviary1 he is said to have           
evangelized ,mesopotamia and to have    
suffered martyrdom with his companion   
,saint in ,persia4 ,the ,bollandists1 on
 the other hand1 assert that he was the 
,apostle to ,arabia and ,idumea1 while  
the ,greek ,menology relates that he was
 shot to death with arrows by the       
infidels in ,armenia4  ,in fact all     
these accounts differ2 and iconography  
adds to the confusion by representing   

,jude with the most various attributes4 
,sometimes1 as at ,amiens1 he holds a   
palm1 or1 as at ,chartres1 a book4 ,he  
is also seen with a cross1 a square1 a  
boat1 a wand1 an axe1 a sword1 and a    
spear4  ,but in spite of the unfortunate
 reputation earned for him by his       
namesake ,judas1 the symbolists of the  
,middle ,ages regard him as a man of    
charity and zeal1 and attribute to him  
the splendour of the purple and gold    
fires of the chrysoprase1 regarded as   
emblematical of good works4  ,all this  
is but incoherent1 thought ,durtal1 and 
what also strikes me as strange is that 
this ,saint1 so rarely invoked by our   
forefathers--who for long never         
dedicated any altar to him1 is twice    
represented in effigy at                
,chartres--supposing the ,verlaine of   
the royal porch to represent ,saint     
,jude2 but then that seems improbable4  
,what ,i should now like to know1 he    
went on1 is why the historians of this  
cathedral pronounce the scene of the    

last ,judgment represented on the       
tympanum of the door as the most        
remarkable of its kind in ,france4 ,this
 is utterly false1 for it is vulgar1 and
 certainly inferior to many others4     
,the demoniacal half is far less        
vigorous1 more supine1 less crowded than
 in other churches of the same period4  
,at ,chartres1 it is true1 the devils   
with wolves' muzzles and asses' ears1   
trampling down bishops and kings1 laymen
 and monks1 and driving them into the   
maw of a dragon spouting flames--the    
demons with goats' beards and           
crescent-shaped jaws seizing hapless    
sinners who have wandered to the        
mouldings of the arch1 are all very     
skilfully arranged1 in well composed    
groups round the principal figure2 but  
the ,satanic vineyard lacks breadth and 
its fruit is insipid4 ,the preying      
demons are not ferocious enough1 they   
almost look as if they were monks and   
were doing it for fun1 while the damned 
take it very calmly4  ,how far more     

desperate is the devil's festival at    
,dijon6 ,durtal recalled to mind the    
church of ,notre ,dame in that city1 so 
strange a specimen of thirteenth-century
 gothic of the ,burgundian stamp4 ,the  
church was of almost elementary         
simplicity2 above its three porches rose
 a straight wall with two storeys of    
columns forming arcades and surmounted  
by grotesque figures4 ,to the right of  
this front was a small tower with a     
pointed roof2 and on the roof a         
,jacquemart of iron tracery1 with three 
puppets that strike the hours2 behind1  
rising from the transept1 was a small   
tower with four little glazed belfries4 
,this building1 small as compared with  
great cathedrals1 was stamped with the  
,flemish hall-mark2 it had the homespun 
peasant expression1 the cheerful faith  
of the race4 ,it was a domestic         
sanctuary1 very native to the soil2 the 
folks would hold converse with the      
,black ,virgin standing there on an     
altar1 tell her all their little        

concerns1 make themselves at home there 
in confidential gossiping prayer1 quite 
without ceremony4  ,but it was not well 
to trust too much to the benign and     
genial aspect of this building1 for the 
long rows of grotesque figures that were
 ranged above the doorways and the      
arcades belied the jovial security of   
the rest4  ,there they were1 in high    
relief1 in close array1 grinning and    
jibing2 a motley crowd of demented nuns 
and mad monks1 of bewildered rustics and
 outlandish women2 hobgoblins writhing  
with laughter1 and hilarious devils2 and
 in the midst of this mob of the        
reprobate a figure of a real woman1 held
 by two demons tormenting her1 stood    
out1 leaning forward as if she wanted to
 throw herself down4 ,with haggard1     
dilated eye1 and clasped hands1 in      
terror she beseeches the passer-by1     
shows him the place of refuge1 and cries
 to him to enter4 ,involuntarily he     
pauses in amazement to look at that     
face1 distorted with fear1 pinched with 

anguish1 struggling amid this pack of   
monsters1 this vision of frenzied       
nightmare4 ,at once fierce and pitying1 
she threatens and entreats2 and this    
image of one for ever excommunicate1    
cast out of the temple and left to all  
eternity on the threshold1 is as        
haunting as the memory of suffering1 as 
a nightmare of terror4  ,nowhere1       
certainly1 in the satanic menagerie of  
,la ,beauce1 is there a statue of such  
startling and assertive art4  ,from     
another point of view--that of the      
picture as a whole1 and of the broad    
view taken of the subject1 the ,judgment
 of ,souls at ,notre ,dame de ,chartres 
is for beneath that of the cathedral at 
,bourges4  ,that1 indeed1 is1 ,i think1 
the most wonderful of all1 said ,durtal 
to himself4 ,the similar scenes at      
,reims and at ,paris1 with the gangs of 
sinners held in chains tugged by demons1
 and those of the same kind at ,amiens1 
have none of them such breadth of scope4
  ,at ,bourges1 as in all works of this 

class in the ,middle ,ages1 the dead are
 escaping from their sepulchres1 and on 
the uppermost frieze1 below a figure of 
,christ1 with whom the ,virgin and      
,saint ,john are interceding1 ,saint    
,michael is weighing souls2 to the left 
devils are dragging away the wicked1 and
 to the right angels are conducting the 
blessed4  ,the resurrection of the dead1
 as it is represented by the image-maker
 of ,le ,berry1 is enough to set the    
noisy prudery of the ,catholics         
neighing1 for the figures are nude1 and 
certain reticences1 usually observed at 
any rate in the female form1 are here   
omitted4 ,men and women push up the lid 
of the tomb1 stride across the edge1    
leap up1 roll over pell mell1 one above 
another2 some ecstatically clasping     
their hands in prayer1 their eyes fixed 
on heaven2 others anxiously looking     
about them on all sides2 others praying 
with terror1 throwing up their arms2    
others1 again1 in dejected attitudes1   
beating their breasts in lamentable     

self-accusation2 and yet others who are 
dazzled by the abrupt change from       
darkness to light1 shaking their numbed 
limbs and trying to move4  ,the mad     
confusion of all these human beings1    
suddenly awakened1 and brought like owls
 into the light of day1 trembling with  
fear or with joy as they see and        
understand that the day of ,judgment is 
come1 is all expressed with a fulness1 a
 spirit1 a certainty of observation     
which leave the petty accuracy and mild 
energy of the ,chartres sculptor far    
behind them4  ,in the upper division1   
again1 the weighing of souls goes on in 
a magnificent composition2 ,saint       
,michael with wide-spread wings holds a 
large pair of scales and smiles as he   
caresses a little child with folded     
hands1 while a goat-headed devil watches
 eagerly to seize him if the ,archangel 
should turn away2 and behind this       
lingering demon begins the dolorous     
procession of the outcast4 ,nor have we 
here the infernal courtliness of the    

scene as represented at ,chartres1 the  
doubtful consideration of an evil spirit
 gently driving in a nun2 it is         
brutality in all its horror1 the lowest 
violence2 the sometimes comic side of   
these struggles is not to be seen here4 
,at ,bourges the myrmidons of the deep  
work and hit with a will4 ,a devil with 
a wild beast's muzzle and a drunkard's  
face in the middle of his fat stomach1  
is hammering the skull of a wretch who  
struggles1 grinding his teeth1 while the
 devil bites his legs with the end of   
his tail that bears a serpent's head4   
,another monster1 with a crushed face   
and pendant breasts1 a man's face in his
 stomach and wings springing from his   
loins1 has clasped a priest in his arms 
and is pitching him head foremost into a
 cauldron boiling over the flames from a
 dragon's mouth blown up with bellows by
 two of the devil's slaves4 ,and in this
 cauldron sit two figures symbolical of 
slander and lust1 a monk and a woman    
writhing and weeping1 for enormous toads

 are gnawing at the tongue of one and at
 the heart of the other4  ,on the other 
side of ,saint ,michael the scene is    
different2 a chubby1 smiling angel is   
playing with a child whom he has perched
 on one of his fellow-angels' shoulders1
 and the infant delightedly waves a     
bough2 behind him slowly marches a      
representative group of saints--a woman1
 a king1 a cenobite1 conducted by ,saint
 ,peter towards a doorway leading to a  
sanctum where sits ,abraham1 an old man 
with a cloth spread over his knees full 
of little heads all rejoicing--the souls
 that are saved4  ,and ,durtal1 as he   
recalled the features of ,saint ,michael
 and his angels1 perceived that they    
were the brethren in art of the ,saint  
,anne1 ,saint ,joseph1 and the angel of 
the great portal at ,reims4 ,they were  
all of the same peculiar type--a young  
and yet old countenance1 a long sharp   
nose and pointed chin2 only here1       
perhaps1 a little rounder1 a little less
 angular than at ,reims4  ,this sort of 

family likeness gave support to a theory
 that the same sculptors or their pupils
 had worked on the carvings of those two
 cathedrals1 but not at ,chartres1 where
 no similar type is to be seen2 though a
 certain striking resemblance exists    
between other statues in the north porch
 and some figures1 of a different class 
however1 on the facade at ,reims4       
,anyone of these hypotheses may be      
correct1 though there is no chance of   
proving their truth1 for we can discover
 no information with regard to the      
schools of art of the period1 said      
,durtal to himself1 as he turned his    
attention to the left-hand bay of the   
south porch1 dedicated to the martyrs4  
,there1 in the archway of the door1     
dwelt1 side by side1 ,saint ,vincent the
 deacon1 of ,spain2 ,saint ,denys the   
bishop2 ,saint ,piat the priest2 and    
,saint ,george the warrior2 all four    
victims of the ingenious cruelty of the 
infidels4  ,saint ,vincent in his long  
gown hung a contrite head over his      

shoulder4  ,he1 thought ,durtal1 was    
literally butchered and cooked1 for we  
are told in the legend according to     
,voragine that his body was torn with   
sharp combs of brass till his bowels    
fell out1 and that after this foretaste1
 this hors d'oeuvre of torture1 he was  
broiled on a gridiron1 larded with      
nails1 and basted with the sauce of his 
own blood4 ,he lay calm1 praying while  
he was being toasted4 ,he remained      
unmoved1 grilling and praying4 ,when he 
was dead1 ,dacian1 his persecutor1      
ordered that his body should be cast out
 on a field to be devoured by beasts2   
but a raven came to settle by him1 and  
drove away a wolf by pecking at it4     
,then a millstone was tied about his    
neck and he was thrown into the sea1 but
 his body came to land near some pious  
women who buried it4  ,saint ,denys1 the
 first ,bishop of ,paris1 was thrown to 
the lions1 who retreated before him2 he 
was then beheaded at ,montmartre1 with  
,saint ,eleutherius and ,saint          

,rusticus4 ,the image-maker had not here
 represented him1 as usual1 carrying his
 head1 but had shown him standing with  
his crozier and mitre4 ,and he was not  
humble and pitiable1 like his neighbour1
 the ,spanish ,deacon1 but upright and  
imperious1 with his hand uplifted1 in   
the attitude rather of admonishing the  
faithful than of blessing them1 and     
,durtal stood lost in thought before    
this writer1 whose brief book holds so  
important a place in the series of      
mystical writings4  ,he1 more than any  
other1 and first among the contemplative
 authors1 had overstepped the threshold 
of ,heaven and brought down to men some 
details of what happens there4 ,the     
knowledge of the angelic ranks dates    
from him1 for it was he who revealed the
 organization of the heavenly host as an
 order1 a hierarchy copied by human     
beings and parodied in hell4 ,he was a  
sort of messenger between ,heaven and   
earth1 and was the explorer of our      
celestial heritage1 as ,saint ,catherine

 of ,genoa at a later date was the      
explorer of purgatory4  ,a less         
interesting personage was ,saint ,piat1 
a priest of ,tournai1 beheaded by a     
,roman proconsul4 ,in this assembly of  
famous saints he was rather the poor    
country-cousin1 a mere provincial       
,saint4 ,he figured here because his    
relics repose in the cathedral1 for     
historians record the translation of his
 remains to ,chartres in the ninth      
century4 ,by his side was ,saint        
,george1 arrayed as a knight of the time
 of ,saint ,louis1 his head bare with an
 iron fillet1 armed with a lance and    
shield2 standing as if on guard on a    
pedestal1 showing the wheel which was   
the instrument of his martyrdom4  ,the  
companion statue1 on the opposite side  
of the door1 was that of ,saint         
,theodore of ,heraclea1 wearing a coat  
of mail1 and a surcoat1 and also holding
 a shield and spear4  ,next to this     
saint1 who was subsequently roasted to  
death by a slow fire1 in the town of    

,amasea1 were ,saint ,stephen1 ,saint   
,clement1 and ,saint ,laurence4  ,above 
this double rank of martyrs the tympanum
 represented the story of ,saint        
,stephen disputing with the ,doctors and
 stoned by the ,jews2 and on all sides1 
on the square pillars that supported the
 roof of the porch1 was carved          
stone-work representing the tortured    
bodies of the righteous3 ,saint ,leger1 
,saint ,laurence1 ,saint ,thomas of     
,canterbury1 ,saint ,bacchus1 ,saint    
,quentin1 and many more2 a whole        
procession of the ,blessed1 being       
blinded1 burnt1 cut in pieces1 flogged  
with vigorous energy1 and beheaded4 ,but
 it was all in melancholy decay4 ,the   
sans-culottes1 by amputating more of    
their limbs in their tempest of fury1   
had crowned the martyrdom of these      
,saints4  ,the doorway to the right1    
dedicated to the ,confessors1 was a vast
 hull set on end2 on the sloping side to
 the left of the door stood ,saint      
,nicholas1 ,archbishop of ,myra1 holding

 up a gloved hand1 and trampling under  
foot the cruel host killing the children
 whose death became a theme for so many 
laments2 ,saint ,ambrose1 ,doctor of the
 ,church and ,bishop of ,milan1 wearing 
a singular peaked mitre1 like an        
extinguisher2 ,saint ,leo1 the ,pope who
 defied ,attila2 and finally ,saint     
,laumer1 one of the glories of the      
,chartres district4  ,he1 like ,saint   
,piat in the left-hand bay1 is somewhat 
of a stranger dragged into this         
illustrious company4 ,he was of old     
highly venerated in ,la ,beauce1 having1
 in his lifetime1 had a career which may
 be briefly summed up4 ,during his      
childhood he had kept sheep2 he had then
 been cellarer to the cathedral2 had    
become first an anchorite1 then a monk1 
and finally ,abbot of the ,monastery of 
,corbion in the forests of the ,orne4   
,the opposite slope of the bay sheltered
 ,saint ,martin1 ,bishop of ,tours1     
,saint ,jerome1 as a ,doctor of the     
,church1 ,saint ,gregory1 ,pope and     

,doctor1 and ,saint ,avitus4  ,what is  
curious in this door1 thought ,durtal1  
is the parallel of personages4 ,on one  
side1 to the right1 ,saint ,nicholas1   
the great miracle-worker of the ,east2  
on the other side1 to the left1 ,saint  
,martin1 the great miracle-worker of the
 ,west4 ,then1 as companion figures1    
,saint ,ambrose and ,saint ,jerome2--the
 first often redundant and pompous in   
second-rate prose1 but ingenious and    
delightful in his hymns2 the second who1
 in the ,vulgate1 really created the    
language of ,church use1 purifying and  
airing the ,latin of ,pagan literature1 
foul with lascivious meaning1 reeking at
 once of an old goat and of essence of  
roses4 ,again1 face to face1 two ,popes1
 ,saint ,leo and ,saint ,gregory1 and   
two ,abbots of ,monasteries1 ,saint     
,laumer and ,saint ,avitus1 who was     
,prior of a ,house founded in the       
forests of ,le ,perche4  ,these two last
 statues had been added later2 their    
style and costume betrayed a date       

subsequent to the thirteenth century2   
had they1 then1 taken the place of      
others representing the same ,monks1 or 
different ,saints8  ,the tympanum again 
expressed the same purpose of           
parallelism1 evidently intended by the  
master of the work4 ,this was also      
devoted to two miracle workers1 to a    
correspondence in this respect of the   
north and the south4 ,it represented    
episodes in the lives of ,saint         
,nicholas and ,saint ,martin3 ,saint    
,nicholas furnishing a dowry for the    
daughters of a gentleman who was dying  
of hunger1 and about to sell their      
honour1 and the sepulchre of this       
archbishop exuding an oil of sovereign  
efficacy in the cure of diseases2 ,saint
 ,martin giving half of his cloak to a  
beggar1 and then beholding ,christ      
wearing the garment4  ,the remainder of 
this porch was of secondary interest4   
,in the mouldings of the arches and in  
the pillars of the bays the ranks of the
 ,confessors appeared again1 the nine   

choirs of ,angels1 the parable of the   
wise and foolish ,virgins1 a replica of 
the four-and-twenty elders on the royal 
front1 the ,prophets of the ,old        
,testament1 the ,virtues1 the ,vices1   
the ,christian ,virgins1 and small      
statues of the ,apostles1 all more or   
less injured and more or less invisible4
  ,this south porch1 with its seven     
hundred and eighty-three statues and    
statuettes1 spoken of by the guide-books
 as the most attractive of all1 was to  
artists1 on the contrary1 the least     
absorbing2 for1 with the exception of   
the noble effigies of ,saint ,theodore  
and ,saint ,george1 the glorification of
 the others who dwell there was on the  
whole1 from the artistic point of view1 
very inferior in interest to the        
sculpture on the twelfth-century west   
front1 or even to that of the north     
porch--that complete embodiment of the  
,two ,testaments--where the sculpture1  
if more barbarous1 was less placid and  
cold4  ,and ,durtal came to this        

conclusion3 ,the exterior of the        
cathedral of ,chartres may be summed up 
in three words3 ,latvia1 hyperdulia1 and
 dulia4 ,latria1 the worship of ,our    
,lord1 on the west front2 ,hyperdulia1  
the worship of the ,blessed ,virgin1 in 
the north porch2 ,dulia1 the worship of 
the ,saints1 in the south porch4  ,for  
although the ,redeemer is magnified in  
this south portal in ,his character of  
,supreme ,judge1 ,he seems to make way  
for the ,saints4 ,and this is quite     
intelligible1 since ,he is enthroned    
there for two purposes1 and ,his true   
palace1 ,his real throne1 is in the     
triumphal tympanum of the royal doorway 
in the west front4  ,before quitting    
this side of the building1 as he glanced
 once more at the ranks of the ,elect1  
,durtal stopped in front of ,saint      
,clement and ,saint ,gregory4  ,saint   
,clement1 whose extraordinary death     
almost casts his life into oblivion--a  
life exclusively occupied in harrowing  
souls4 ,durtal recalled the narrative of

 ,voragine4 ,after being exiled to the  
,chersonesus1 in the reign of ,trajan1  
,clement was cast into the sea with an  
anchor tied to his neck1 while the      
assembled ,christians kneeling on the   
strand besought ,heaven to restore his  
body4 ,then the sea withdrew three      
miles1 and the faithful went dry-shod to
 a chapel which the angels had just     
erected beneath the waters1 where the   
body of the saint was found reposing1   
lying on a tomb2 and for many centuries 
the sea retired every year for a week1  
to allow pilgrims to visit his remains4 
,saint ,gregory1 the first ,benedictine 
to be elected ,pope1 was the creator of 
the ,liturgy1 the master of plain-song4 
,he was alike devoted to justice and to 
charity1 and a passionate patron of art2
 and this admirable ,pope1 with his     
broad and comprehensive spirit1 regarded
 it as a temptation of the ,devil that  
made the bigots1 the ,pharisees of his  
day1 proclaim their determination not to
 read profane literature2 for1 said he1 

it helps us to understand that which is 
sacred4  ,made ,pope against his will1  
he led a life of anguish1 mourning for  
the lost peace of his cloister2 but he  
fought none the less with incredible    
energy against the inroads of the       
,barbarians1 the heresies of ,africa1   
the intrigues of ,byzantium1 and the    
,simony of his own priests4  ,he stands 
out in a dark age1 amid a witches'      
sabbath of shrieking schisms2 he is seen
 in the midst of these storms1          
protecting the poor from the rapacity of
 the rich1 feeding them with his own    
hands1 kissing their feet1 every day2   
and in spite of this overworked life    
without a moment's respite1 or a minute 
for rest1 he succeeded in restoring     
monastic discipline1 and sowing wherever
 he might the ,benedictine seed1 saving 
the headlong world by the vigilance of  
his ,order4  ,though he was not a martyr
 like ,saint ,clement1 he died          
nevertheless for ,christ1 of exhaustion 
and fatigue1 after living in the        

constant suffering of a frame undermined
 by disease1 and weakened by voluntary  
maceration and fasting4  ,this1 no      
doubt1 is the reason why the face of his
 statue is so sad and thoughtful1 said  
,durtal to himself4 ,and yet he is      
listening to the dove1 the symbol of    
inspiration which is speaking in his    
ear1 dictating to him1 the legend says1 
the antiphonal melodies1 and undoubtedly
 whispering his dialogues1 his homilies1
 his commentaries on the ,book of ,job1 
his pastoral letter--all the works which
 made him so immensely famous in the    
,middle ,ages4  ,as he made his way     
home1 ,durtal1 still reflecting on this 
array of the ,righteous1 suddenly was   
struck by this idea3 ,there is no       
portrait in ,chartres of a ,saint whose 
present help was of yore desired above  
all others3 ,saint ,christopher1 whose  
effigy was usually to be found at the   
entrance to a cathedral1 standing alone 
in a spot apart4  ,it stood thus1       
formerly1 at the door of ,notre-,dame de

 ,paris1 and is still to be seen in one 
corner of the principal front at        
,amiens2 but in most places the         
iconoclasts overthrew it1 and the       
churches where the statue of            
,christopher is now to be seen may be   
easily counted4 ,it must once have      
existed at ,chartres--but where8 ,the   
monographs on this cathedral never      
allude to it4  ,thus1 as he walked on1  
he dreamed of the ,saint whose          
popularity is easily accounted for1     
since our forefathers believed that they
 had only to look at his image1 whether 
painted or carved1 to be protected for a
 whole day from disaster1 and especially
 from violent death4  ,so he was always 
placed outside in a prominent spot1 and 
very large1 so that he might easily be  
seen by the wayfarer1 even from afar4   
,in some cases his effigy was found on a
 gigantic scale1 inside the church4     
,thus he is represented in the ,dom at  
,erfurt1 in a fresco of the fifteenth   
century1 too much restored4  ,this      

colossal figure1 five storeys high1     
extends from the pavement of the church 
to the roof4 ,christopher has a beard   
which flows in a stream1 and legs as    
thick as the pillars of the nave4       
,bending and adoring1 he bears on his   
shoulders a ,child with a round face1 as
 white as the chalk of a clown1 blessing
 all comers with a smile4 ,the ,saint is
 wading barefoot through a pool full of 
little reeds1 and imps1 and horned      
fishes and strange flowers--all         
represented on a minute scale to        
emphasize the mighty stature of the     
,saint4  ,that good friend1 thought     
,durtal1 though venerated by the poor1  
was somewhat coldly treated by the      
,church1 for he1 with ,saint ,george and
 some other martyrs1 was among those    
whose existence remains open to doubt4  
,in ,mediaeval times ,saint ,christopher
 was invoked for the cure of weakly     
children1 and also as a protector       
against blindness and the plague4  ,but 
indeed the ,saints were the chief       

healers of that time4 ,every disease    
which the leeches and apothecaries could
 not alleviate was brought to the       
,saints4 ,some indeed were reputed      
specialists1 and the ills they cured    
were known by their names4 ,the gout was
 known as ,saint ,maurus' evil1 leprosy 
as ,job's evil1 cancer was ,saint       
,giles'1 chorea ,saint ,guy's1 colds    
were ,saint ,aventinus' ill1 a bloody   
flux ,saint ,fiacre's--and ,i forget the
 rest4  ,others again remained noted for
 delivering sufferers from certain      
affections they were reputed to heal3   
,saint ,genevieve for the burning       
sickness and ophthalmia1 ,saint         
,catherine of ,alexandria for headache1 
,saint ,bartholomew for convulsions1    
,saint ,firmin for cramp1 ,saint        
,benedict for erysipelas and the stone1 
,saint ,lupus for pains in the stomach1 
,saint ,hubert for madness1 ,saint      
,appolina1 whose statue1 standing in the
 chapel of the ,hospital of ,saint ,john
 at ,bruges1 is graced by way of ex     

votos with strings of teeth and wax     
stumps1 for neuralgia and toothache--and
 how many more4  ,and granting1 said    
,durtal1 that medical science is at this
 day a greater delusion than ever1 ,i   
cannot see why we should not revert to  
the specific of prayer and the mystical 
panaceas of the past4 ,if the           
interceding ,saints should1 in certain  
cases1 refuse to cure us1 at any rate   
they will make us no worse by a mistaken
 diagnosis and the exhibition of        
dangerous remedies4 ,though after all1  
even if our modern practitioners were   
not ignoramuses1 of what use would that 
be1 since the medicines they prescribe  
are adulterated8     ,,chapter ,,xvi4   
,the day had come for ,durtal to strap  
his portmanteau and set out with the    
,abbe ,plomb4  ,he became fidgety with  
waiting as the hours went by4 ,at last1 
unable to sit still1 he went out to kill
 the time1 but a drizzling rain drove   
him for shelter into the cathedral4     
,after offering his devotions to the    

,virgin of the ,pillar1 he seated       
himself amid a camp of vacant chairs to 
meditate4  ,before interrupting the     
quiet monotony of my life at ,chartres  
by this journey1 shall ,i not do well to
 look into myself1 if only for a minute1
 and take stock of what ,i have gained  
before and since settling in this town8 
,the gain to my soul8 ,alas6 it consists
 less in acquisitions than in exchanges2
 ,i have merely found aridity in the    
place of indolence2 and the results of  
the exchange ,i know only too well2 of  
what use is it to go through them once  
more8 ,the gains to my mind seem to me  
less distressing and more genuine1 and  
,i can make a brief catalogue of them   
under three heads3 ,past1 ,present1 and 
,future4  ,in the ,past4--,when ,i least
 expected it1 in ,paris1 ,god suddenly  
seized me and drew me back to the       
,church1 taking advantage of my love of 
,art1 of mysticism1 of the ,liturgy1 and
 of plain-song4  ,still1 during the     
travail of this conversion1 ,i could not

 study mysticism anywhere but in books2 
,i knew it only in theory and not in    
practice4 ,on the other hand1 in ,paris1
 ,i never heard any but dull1 lifeless  
music1 watered down1 as it were1 in     
women's throats1 or utterly disfigured  
by the choir schools4 ,in most of the   
churches ,i found only a colourless     
ceremonial1 a meagre form of service4   
,this was the situation when ,i set out 
for ,la ,trappe3 under that strict rule 
,i found mysticism not only in its      
simplest expression1 written out and set
 forth in a body of doctrine1 but       
mysticism as a personal experience1 in  
action1 simply an element of life to    
those monks4 ,i could convince myself   
that the science of the soul's          
perfection was no delusion1 that the    
assertions of ,saint ,teresa and ,saint 
,john of the ,cross were strictly true1 
and in that cloister it was also        
vouchsafed to me to be familiar with the
 enjoyment of an authentic ritual and   
genuine plain-song4  ,in the            

,present4--,at ,chartres ,i have entered
 on new exercises1 ,i have followed     
other traces4 ,haunted by the matchless 
grandeur of this cathedral1 under the   
guidance of a very intelligent and      
cultivated priest ,i have studied       
religious symbolism1 worked up that     
great science of the ,middle ,ages which
 is in fact a language peculiar to the  
,church1 expressing by images and signs 
what the ,liturgy expresses in words4   
,or1 to be more exact1 it would be      
better to say that part of the ,liturgy 
which is more particularly concerned    
with prayer2 for that part of it which  
relates to forms1 and injunctions as to 
worship1 is itself symbolism1 symbolism 
is the soul of it4 ,in fact1 the        
limit-line of the two branches is not   
always easy to trace1 so often are they 
grafted together2 they inspire each     
other1 intertwine1 and at last are      
almost one4  ,in the ,future4--,by going
 to ,solesmes ,i shall complete my      
education2 ,i shall see and hear the    

most perfect expression of that ,liturgy
 and that ,gregorian chant of which the 
little convent of ,notre ,dame de       
l',atre1 by reason of the limited number
 of the ,brethren1 could only afford a  
reduced copy--very faithful1 it is true1
 but yet reduced4  ,by adding to this my
 own studies of the religious paintings 
removed now from the sanctuaries and    
collected in museums1 and supplementing 
them by my remarks on the various       
cathedrals ,i may explore1 ,i shall have
 travelled round the whole cycle of     
mysticism1 have extracted the essence of
 the ,middle ,ages1 have combined in a  
sort of sheaf these separate branches1  
scattered now for so many centuries1 and
 have investigated more thoroughly one  
especially--,symbolism namely1 of which 
certain elements are almost lost from   
sheer neglect4  ,yes4 ,symbolism has    
lent the principal charm to my life at  
,chartres2 it occupied and comforted me 
when ,i was suffering from finding my   
soul so importunate and yet so low4     

,and he tried to recapitulate the       
science1 to view it as a whole4  ,he saw
 it as a thickly branched tree1 the root
 deep set in the very soil of the       
,bible2 from thence1 in fact1 it drew   
its substance and its nourishment3 the  
trunk was the ,symbolism of the         
,scriptures1 the ,old ,testament        
prefiguring the ,gospels2 the branches  
were the allegorical purport of         
architecture1 of colours1 gems1 flowers1
 and animals2 the hieroglyphics of      
numbers2 the emblematical meaning of the
 vessels and vestments of ,church use4  
,a small bough represented ,liturgical  
perfumes1 and a mere twig1 dried up from
 the first and almost dead1 represented 
dancing4  ,for religious dancing once   
existed1 ,durtal went on4 ,in ancient   
times it was a recognized offering of   
adoration1 a tithe of light-heartedness4
 ,david leaping before the ,ark shows   
this4  ,and in the earliest ,christian  
times the faithful and the priesthood   
shook themselves in honour of the       

,redeemer1 and fancied that by choric   
motion they were imitating the joy of   
the ,blessed1 the glee of the ,angels   
described by ,saint ,basil as executing 
figures in the radiant assemblies of    
,heaven4  ,one is soon accustomed to    
endure ,masses of the kind called at    
,toledo ,mussarabes1 during which the   
congregation dance and gambol in the    
cathedral2 but these capers presently   
lose the pious character that they are  
supposed to bear2 they become an        
incentive to the revelry of the senses1 
and several ,councils have prohibited   
them4  ,in the seventeenth century      
sacred dances still survived in some    
provinces2 we hear of them at ,limoges1 
where the ,cure of ,st4 ,leonard and his
 parishioners pirouetted in the choir of
 the church4 ,in the eighteenth century 
their traces are found in ,roussillon1  
and at the present day religious dancing
 still survives2 but the tradition of   
this saintly frisking is chiefly        
preserved in ,spain4  ,not long since1  

on the day of ,corpus ,christi at       
,compostella1 the procession was led    
through the streets by a tall man who   
danced carrying another on his          
shoulders4 ,and to this day1 at         
,seville1 on the festival of the ,holy  
,sacrament1 the choir-children turn in a
 sort of slow waltz as they sing hymns  
before the high altar of the cathedral4 
,in other towns1 on the festivals of the
 ,virgin1 a saraband is slowly danced   
round ,her statue1 with striking of     
sticks1 and the rattle of castanets2 and
 to close the ceremony by way of ,amen  
the people fire off squibs4  ,all this1 
however1 is of no great interest1 and ,i
 cannot help wondering what meaning can 
have been attributed to cutting capers  
and spinning round4 ,i find it difficult
 to believe that farandoles and boleros 
could ever represent prayer2 ,i can     
hardly persuade myself that it can be an
 act of thanksgiving to trample peppers 
under foot or appearing to grind at an  
imaginary coffee-mill with one's arms4  

,in point of fact no one knows anything 
about the symbolism of dancing2 no      
record has come down to us of the       
meanings ascribed to it of old4 ,church 
dancing is really no more than a gross  
form of rejoicing among ,southern races4
 ,we need mention it merely as          
noteworthy1 and that is all4  ,now1 from
 a practical point of view1 what has the
 influence of symbolism been on souls8  
,durtal could answer himself4  ,the     
,middle ,ages1 knowing that everything  
on earth is a sign and a figure1 that   
the only value of things visible is in  
so far as they correspond to things     
invisible--the ,middle ,ages1 when      
consequently men were not1 as we are1   
the dupes of appearances--made a        
profound study of this science1 and made
 it the nursing mother and the handmaid 
of mysticism4  ,convinced that the only 
aim that it was incumbent on man to     
follow1 the only end he could really    
need1 was to place himself in direct    
communication with ,heaven1 and to      

out-strip death by merging himself1     
unifying himself to the utmost1 with    
,god1 it tempted souls1 subjecting them 
to a moderate claustral course1 purged  
them of their earthly interests1 their  
fleshly aims1 and led them back again   
and again to the same purpose of        
renunciation and repentance1 the same   
ideas of justice and love2 and then to  
retain them1 to preserve them from      
themselves1 it enclosed them in a fence1
 placed ,god all about them1 as it were1
 under every form and aspect4  ,jesus   
was seen in everything--in the fauna1   
the flora1 the structure of buildings1  
in every decoration1 in the use of      
colour4 ,whichever way man could turn1  
he still saw ,him4  ,and at the same    
time he saw his own soul as in a mirror 
that reflected it2 in certain animals1  
certain colours1 and certain plants he  
could discern the qualities which it was
 his duty to acquire1 the vices against 
which he had to defend himself4  ,and he
 had other examples before his eyes1 for

 the symbolists did not restrict        
themselves to turning botany1           
mineralogy1 natural history1 and other  
sciences to the uses of a catechism2    
some of them1 and among others ,saint   
,melito1 ended by applying the process  
to the interpretation of every object   
that came in their way4 ,a cithara was  
to them the breast of the devout man2   
the members of the human frame became   
emblematical3 the head was ,christ1 the 
hairs were the saints1 the nose meant   
discretion1 the nostrils the spirit of  
faith1 the eye contemplation1 the mouth 
symbolized temptation1 the saliva was   
the sweetness of the inner life1 the    
ears figured obedience1 the arms the    
love of ,jesus1 the hands stood for good
 works1 the knees for the sacrament of  
penance1 the legs for the ,apostles1 the
 shoulders for the yoke of ,christ1 the 
breast for evangelical doctrine1 the    
belly for avarice1 the bowels for the   
mysterious precepts of the ,lord1 the   
body and loins for suggestions of lust1 

the bones typified hardness of heart1   
and the marrow compunction1 the sinews  
were evil members of ,anti-,christ4 ,and
 these writers extended this method of  
interpretation to the commonest objects 
of daily use1 even to tools and vessels 
within reach of all4  ,thus there was an
 uninterrupted course of pious teaching4
 ,yves de ,chartres tells us that       
priests instructed the people in        
symbolism1 and from the researches of   
,dom ,pitra we know that in the ,middle 
,ages ,saint ,melito's treatise was     
popular and known to all4 ,thus the     
peasant learnt that his plough was an   
image of the ,cross1 that the furrows it
 made were like the hearts of saints    
freshly tilled2 he knew that sheaves    
were the fruit of repentance1 flour the 
multitude of the faithful1 the granary  
the ,kingdom of ,heaven2 and it was the 
same with many pursuits4 ,in short1 this
 method of analogies was a bidding to   
everybody to watch and pray better4     
,thus utilized1 symbolism became a break

 to check the forward march of sin1 and 
at the same time a sort of lever to     
uplift souls and help them to overleap  
the stages of the mystical life4  ,this 
science1 translated into so many        
languages1 was no doubt intelligible    
only in broad outline to the masses1 and
 sometimes1 when it percolated through  
the labyrinthine maze of such minds as  
that of the worthy ,bishop of ,mende1 it
 appeared overwrought1 full of          
contradictions1 and of double meanings4 
,it seems then as if the symbolist were 
splitting a hair with embroidery        
scissors4 ,but1 in spite of the         
extravagance it tolerated and smiled at1
 the ,church succeeded1 nevertheless1 by
 these tactics of repetition1 in saving 
souls and carrying out on a large scale 
the production of saints4  ,then came   
the ,renaissance1 and symbolism was     
wrecked at the same time as church      
architecture4  ,mysticism in the        
stricter sense of the word1 more        
fortunate than its handmaidens1 survived

 that period of festive dishonour2 for  
it may be safely asserted that1 though  
it was unproductive while living through
 that period1 it flourished anew in     
,spain1 producing its noblest blossoms  
in ,saint ,john of the ,cross and ,saint
 ,teresa4  ,since then doctrinal        
mysticism seems dried up at the source4 
,not so1 however1 as regards personal   
mysticism1 which still dwells           
acclimatized and flourishing in         
convents4  ,as to the ,liturgy and      
plain-song1 they too have gone through  
very various phases4 ,after being       
dissected and filtered in the numberless
 provincial ,uses1 the ,liturgy was     
brought back to the standard of ,rome by
 the efforts of ,dom ,gueranger1 and it 
may be hoped that the ,benedictines at  
last will also bring all the churches   
back to the strict use of plain-song4   
,and this church above all6 sighed      
,durtal4  ,he looked at his cathedral1  
loving it better than ever now that he  
was to part from it for a few days4 ,to 

impress it the better on his memory he  
tried to sum it up1 to concentrate it1  
saying to himself1--  ,it is the epitome
 of ,heaven and ,earth2 of ,heaven by   
showing us the serried phalanx of its   
inhabitants--,prophets1 ,patriarchs1    
,angels and ,saints1 lighting up the    
interior of the church by their         
transparent figures2 by singing to the  
glory of the ,mother and the ,son4 ,of  
,earth1 for it connotes the elation of  
the soul1 the ascension of man2 it      
points out quite clearly to ,christian  
souls the path of the perfect life4     
,they1 to apprehend its symbolism1      
should enter by the ,royal doorway1 and 
pass up the nave1 the transept and the  
choir--the three successive phases of   
,asceticism2 reach the top of the ,cross
 where1 surrounded by the chapels of the
 apse as by a ,crown1 the head of the   
,saviour lies1 ,his neck bent1 as we see
 them symbolized by the altar and the   
deflected axis of the church4  ,there   
the pilgrim has reached the united ways1

 close to the ,virgin1 who mourns no    
more as she does in the agonizing scene 
on ,calvary1 at the foot of the ,tree1  
but1 under the figure of the ,sacristy1 
remains veiled by the side of ,her      
,son's countenance1 getting closer to   
,him the better to comfort and to see   
,him4  ,and this allegory of the        
mystical life as set forth by the       
interior of the cathedral1 is carried   
out by the exterior1 in the suppliant   
effect of the whole building4  ,the     
,soul1 distraught by the joy of union1  
heart-broken at having still to live1   
only aspires now to escape for ever from
 the ,gehenna of the flesh2 thus it     
beseeches the ,bridegroom with the      
uplifted arms of its towers1 to take    
pity on it1 to come to fetch it1 to take
 it by the clasped hands of its spires  
and snatch it from earth1 to carry it up
 with ,him into ,heaven4  ,in short1    
this church is the finest expression of 
art bequeathed to us by the ,middle     
,ages4 ,the great front has neither the 

awful majesty of that of ,reims1 pierced
 as it is with tracery1 nor the dull    
melancholy of ,notre ,dame de ,paris1   
nor the gigantic grace of ,amiens1 nor  
the massive solemnity of ,bourges2 but  
it is full of imposing simplicity1 a    
lightness1 a spring1 which no other     
cathedral has attained to4  ,the nave of
 ,amiens alone grows beautifully less as
 it rises with as eager a spring from   
the earth2 but the body of the ,amiens  
church is light and uncomforting1 and   
that of ,chartres is mysterious and     
hushed2 of all cathedrals it is that    
which best suggests the idea of a       
delicate1 saintly woman1 emaciated by   
prayer1 and almost transparent by       
fasting4  ,and then its windows are     
matchless1 superior even to those of    
,bourges1 where1 again1 the sanctuary   
blossoms with glorious clumps of holy   
persons4 ,and finally1 the sculpture of 
the west front1 the ,royal ,portal1 is  
the most beautiful1 the most            
superterrestrial statuary ever wrought  

by the hand of man4  ,and it is almost  
unique in having none of the woeful and 
threatening solemnity of its noble      
sisters4 ,scarce a demon is to be seen  
watching and grinning on its walls to   
torture souls2 in a few small figures it
 shows indeed the variety of penance1   
but that is all2 and within1 the ,virgin
 is above all else the ,mother of       
,bethlehem4 ,jesus1 too1 is more or less
 ,her ,child2 ,he yields to ,her when   
she entreats ,him4  ,it proclaims the   
plenitude of ,her patience and charity  
by the length of the crypt and the      
breadth of the nave1 which are greater  
than those of other churches4  ,in fact1
 it is the mystical cathedral--that     
where the ,madonna is most graciously   
ready to receive the sinner4  ,now1 said
 ,durtal1 looking at his watch1 the     
,abbe ,gevresin must have finished his  
breakfast4 ,it is time to take leave of 
him before joining the ,abbe ,plomb at  
the station4  ,he crossed the forecourt 
of the palace and rang at the priest's  

door4  ,so you are sure you are going6  
said ,madame ,bavoil1 who opened the    
door1 and admitted him to her master4   
,well1 yes--  ,i envy you1 sighed the   
,abbe1 for you will be present at       
wonderful services and hear admirable   
music4  ,i hope so4 ,and if only that   
could relieve the tension1 could release
 me a little from this incoherent frame 
of mind in which ,i wander1 and allow me
 to feel at home once more in my own    
soul and not in a strange place open to 
all the winds6--  ,ah1 your soul wants  
locks and latches1 said ,madame ,bavoil1
 laughing4  ,it is a public mart where  
every distraction meets to chatter4 ,i  
am constantly driven out1 and when ,i   
want to go home again they are in       
possession4  ,oh1 ,i quite understand   
that4 ,you know the proverb1 ',who goes 
hunting loses his seat by the hearth4'  
,that is all very well to say1 but--    
,but1 our friend1 the ,lord foresaw your
 case1 when1 with reference to such     
distractions which flutter about the    

soul like this1 ,he replied to the      
,venerable ,jeanne de ,matel1 who       
complained of such annoyances1 that she 
should imitate the hunter1 who1 when he 
misses the big game he is seeking1      
seizes the smaller prey he may find4    
,ay1 but even then he must find it6  ,go
 and live in peace1 then1 said the      
,abbe4 ,do not fret yourself with       
wondering whether your soul is enclosed 
or no2 and take this piece of advice3   
,you are accustomed--are you not8--to   
repeat prayers that you know by heart1  
and it is especially under those        
circumstances that wandering supervenes4
 ,well1 then1 set those prayers aside1  
and restrict yourself to following1 very
 regularly1 the prayers of the services 
in the convent-chapel4 ,you are less    
familiar with them1 and merely to follow
 them you will be obliged to read them  
with care4 ,thus you will be less likely
 to have a divided mind4  ,no doubt1    
replied ,durtal4 ,but when ,i have not  
repeated the prayers ,i am wont to say1 

,i feel as though ,i had not prayed at  
all4 ,i know that this is absurd2 still1
 there is no faithful soul who does not 
know the feeling when the text of his   
prayers is altered4  ,the ,abbe smiled4 
,the best prayers1 said he1 are those of
 the ,liturgy1 those which ,god ,himself
 has taught us1 those alone which are   
expressed in language worthy of ,him--in
 ,his own language4 ,they are complete1 
and supreme2 for all our desires1 all   
our regrets1 all our wailing are        
contained in the ,psalms4 ,the prophet  
foresaw and said everything2 leave him1 
then1 to speak for you1 and thus1 as    
your interpreter before ,god1 give you  
his help4  ,as to the prayers you may   
feel moved to address to ,god apart from
 the hours devoted to the purpose1 let  
them be short4 ,imitate the ,recluses of
 ,egypt1 the ,fathers in the ,desert1   
who were masters in the art of          
supplication4 ,this is what old ,isaac  
said to ,cassian3 ',pray briefly and    
often1 lest1 if your orisons be long1   

the enemy will come to disturb them4    
,follow these two rules1 they will save 
you from secret upheaval4  ,so1 go in   
peace2 and if any trouble should        
overtake you1 do not hesitate to consult
 the ,abbe ,plomb4  ,eh1 our friend1    
cried ,madame ,bavoil1 laughing1 and you
 might also cure yourself of wandering  
thoughts by the method employed by the  
,abbess of ,sainte-,aure when she       
chanted the ,psalter3 she sat in a chair
 of which the back was garnished with a 
hundred long nails1 and when she felt   
herself wandering she pressed her       
shoulder firmly against the points2     
there is nothing better1 ,i can tell    
you1 for bringing folks back to reality 
and recalling their wandering attention4
  ,thank you1 indeed6  ,there is another
 thing1 she went on1 not laughing now4  
,you ought to postpone your departure   
for a day or two2 for the day after     
to-morrow is a festival of the ,virgin4 
,they expect pilgrims from ,paris1 and  
the shrine containing our ,mother's veil

 will be carried in procession through  
the streets4  ,oh no6 cried ,durtal1 ,i 
have no love for worship in common4     
,when our ,lady holds these solemn      
assizes to gel out of the way4 ,i wait  
till ,she is alone before ,i visit her4 
,hosts of people shouting canticles with
 eyes straight to ,heaven or looking for
 ,jesus on the ground by way of unction 
are too much for me4 ,i am all for the  
forlorn ,queens1 for the deserted       
churches and dark chapels4 ,i am of the 
opinion of ,saint ,john of the ,cross1  
who confesses that he does not love the 
pilgrimage of crowds because one comes  
back more distracted than when one      
started4  ,no4 ,what it is really a     
grief to me to leave in quitting        
,chartres is that very silence1 that    
solitude in the cathedral1 those        
interviews with the ,virgin in the gloom
 of the crypt and the twilight of the   
nave4 ,ah1 here alone can one feel near 
,her1 and see ,her6  ,in fact1 he went  
on after a moment's reflection1 one does

 see ,her in the strictest sense of the 
word--or at least1 can fancy that ,she  
is there4 ,if there is a spot where ,i  
can call up ,her face1 ,her attitude--in
 short ,her portrait--it is at          
,chartres4  ,and how is that8  ,well1   
,monsieur l',abbe1 we have no           
trustworthy information as to our       
,mother's face or figure4 ,her features 
are unknown--intentionally1 ,i feel     
sure1 in order that each one may        
contemplate ,her under the aspect that  
best pleases him1 and incarnate ,her in 
the ideal beauty of his dreams4  ,for   
instance1 ,saint ,epiphanius describes  
her as tall1 with olive eyes arched and 
very black eyebrows1 an aquiline nose a 
rosy mouth1 and a golden-toned skin4    
,this is the vision of an oriental4     
,take ,maria d',agreda1 on the other    
hand4 ,she thinks of the ,virgin as     
slender1 with black hair and eyebrows1  
eyes dark and greenish1 a straight nose1
 scarlet lips1 and a brown skin4 ,you   
recognize here the ,spanish ideal of    

beauty imagined by the ,abbess4  ,again 
in1 turn to ,sister ,emmerich4          
,according to her1 ,mary was            
fair-haired1 with large eyes1 a rather  
long nose1 a narrow-pointed chin1 a     
clear skin1 and not very tall4 ,here we 
have the description given by a ,german 
who does not admire dark beauty3  ,and  
yet both of these women were real       
,seers1 to whom the ,madonna appeared1  
assuming in each case the only aspect   
that could fascinate them2 just as she  
was seen to be the model of mere        
prettiness--the only type they could    
understand--by ,melanie at ,la ,salette 
and ,bernadette at ,lourdes4  ,well1 ,i1
 who am no visionary1 and who must      
appeal to my imagination to picture ,her
 at all1 ,i fancy ,i discern ,her under 
the forms and expressions of the        
cathedral itself2 the features are a    
little confused in the pale splendour of
 the great rose window that blazes      
behind ,her head like a nimbus4 ,she    
smiles1 and ,her eyes1 all light1 have  

the incomparable effulgence of those    
pure sapphires which light up the       
entrance to the nave4 ,her slight form  
is diffused in a clear robe of flame1   
striped and ribbed like the drapery of  
the so-called ,berthe4 ,her face is     
white like mother-of-pearl1 and her     
hair1 a circular tissue of sunshine1    
radiates in threads of gold4 ,she is the
 ,bride of ,canticles4 ,pulchra ut      
,luna1 electa ut ,sol4  ,the church     
which is ,her dwelling-place1 and one   
with ,her1 is luminous with ,her grace2 
the gems of the windows sing to ,her    
praise2 the slender columns shooting    
upwards1 from the pavement to the roof1 
symbolize ,her aspirations and desires2 
the floor tells of ,her humility2 the   
vaulting1 meeting to form a canopy over 
,her1 speaks of ,her charity2 the stones
 and glass echo hymns to ,her4 ,there is
 nothing1 down to the military aspect of
 certain details of the sanctuary1 the  
chivalrous touch which is a reminiscence
 of the ,crusades--the sword-blades and 

shields of the lancet windows and the   
roses1 the helm-shaped arches1 the coat 
of mail that clothes the older spire1   
the iron trellis-pattern of some of the 
panes--nothing that does not arouse a   
memory of the passage at ,prime and the 
hymn at ,lauds in the minor office of   
the ,virgin1 and typify the terribilis  
ut castrorum acies ordonata1 the        
privilege ,she possesses when ,she      
chooses to use it1 of being 'terrible as
 an army arrayed for battle4'  ,but ,she
 does not often choose to exert here1 ,i
 believe2 this cathedral mirrors rather 
,her inexhaustible sweetness1 ,her      
indivisible glory4  ,ah6 ,much shall be 
forgiven you because you have loved     
much1 cried ,madame ,bavoil4  ,and      
,durtal having risen to say good-bye1   
she kissed him affectionately1          
maternally1 and said1--  ,we will pray  
with all our might1 our friend1 that    
,god may enlighten you and show you your
 path1 may lead you ,himself into the   
way you ought to go4  ,i hope1 ,monsieur

 l',abbe1 that during my absence your   
rheumatism will grant you a little      
respite1 said ,durtal1 pressing the old 
priest's hand4  ,oh1 ,i must not wish to
 have no sufferings at all1 for there is
 no cross so heavy as having none1      
replied the ,abbe4 ,so do as ,i do1 or  
rather1 do better than ,i1 for ,i still 
repine2 put a cheerful face on your     
aridity1 and your trials4--,goodbye1    
,god bless you6  ,and may the great     
,mother of ,madonnas of ,france1 the    
sweet ,lady of ,chartres1 protect you6  
added ,madame ,bavoil4  ,and when the   
door was shut1 she added with a sigh1-- 
,certainly1 ,i should be very grieved if
 he left our town for ever1 for that    
friend is almost like a child of our    
own6 ,at the same time ,i should be     
very1 very happy to think of him as a   
true monk6  ,then she began to laugh4   
,father1 said she1 will they cut his    
moustache off if he enters the cloister8
  ,undoubtedly4  ,she tried to imagine  
,durtal clean-shaven1 and she concluded 

with a laugh1--  ,i do not think it will
 improve his beauty4  ,oh1 these women6 
said the ,abbe1 shrugging his shoulders4
  ,and what1 in short1 asked she1 may we
 hope for from this journey8  ,it is not
 of me that you should ask that1 ,madame
 ,bavoil4  ,very true1 said she1 and    
clasping her hands she murmured1--  ,it 
depends on ,thee6 ,help him in his      
poverty1 remember that he can do nothing
 without ,thine aid1 ,holy ,temptress of
 men1 ,our ,lady of the ,pillar1 ,virgin
 of the ,crypt4   ,,the ,,end4