o Egypt; down to
the grand drama of the Calvary and the Resurrection, all are shown and
witnessed with great reverence by the crowds of devout peasants from the
surrounding country. And these pathetic waxen figures were those of
Prophets, Apostles, Jews, Angels, Cavaliers and Roman Soldiers, lying
all about the dim dusty chamber in disorder. Afterwards, from the window
of the quaint Hotel of the "Nobele Rose," we saw this procession passing
through the crowded streets of Furnes, and almost held our breaths with
awe at the long line of black cloaked, hooded penitents, bare-footed,
the faces covered so that one could hardly tell whether they were men or
women, save for the occasional delicate small white foot thrust forward
beneath the black shapeless gown.

And finally _One Figure_, likewise black gowned and with concealed face,
staggering along painfully--feebly--and bearing a heavy wooden cross,
the end of which dragged along on the stones of the street.[3]

Outside of this, the Grand' Place, and the old red brick tower of St.
Nicholas, so scorched by the sun and beaten by the elements, and the
rows of quaint gabled houses beneath, Furnes has little to offer to the
seeker after antiquity. The bells in the tower are of sweet tone, but
the chimes which hung there were silent, and no amount of persuasion
could induce the _custode_ to admit me to the bell chamber. Madame at
the "Nobele Rose" had assured me that I could go up there into the tower
whenever I wished, but somehow that pleasure was deferred, until finally
we were forced to give it up. Of course Madame _did_ rob me; when the
bill was presented, it proved to be fifty per cent. more than the price
agreed upon, but she argued that we had "used" the window in our
apartment overlooking the procession, so we must pay for that privilege.
The point was so novel that I was staggered for a suitable reply to
it,--the crucial moment passed,--I was lost. I paid!

The Artists of Malines

The Artist of Malines

It may not be out of place to add here some account of the artists[4]
who dwelt in and made Malines famous in the early days. Primitively the
painters formed part of the Society of Furniture Makers, while sculptors
affiliated with the Masons' Gild. These at length formed between them a
sort of federation as they grew in number and power. Finally, in 1543,
they formed the Gild of Saint Luke. In 1560 they numbered fifty-one free
masters, who gave instru