form
much more than the elongated Gothic, where every proportion seems to
reach out to its utmost extent.

The west facade is truly fine in the disposition of its parts and
arrangements. It suggests, more than anything, a traditional local
style, favouring nothing else to any remarkable degree except the German
solidity so often to be noted in eastern France. The towers are firmly
set with unfrequent pointed openings. The central portal and vestibule
are deep, and rich with a sculptured "Martyrdom of St. Peter" and a
delightfully graceful arcade just above the portal arch, and another
crossing the gable and joining the towers in a singularly effective
manner. A somewhat heavy but rich pointed window of three lights,
surmounted by a quatrefoil rose, with a slight needle-like spire which
rises just above the gable, completes the ensemble.

The earlier work, seen at its best in the interior, is that of the choir
and transepts, where again the distinguishing features are local. In
the transepts the arches open directly on the side chapels, the southern
arm being gorgeous with brilliant glass. The windows of choir and
transepts throughout are richly traceried and set. The choir itself is
destitute of either ambulatory or chapels.

A lantern is placed at the crossing, supported by gracefully foliaged
shafts.

The nave is of a much later period, and is not of the richness of the
portion lying to the eastward. The windows of the clerestory, in
particular, will not be considered of the excellence of those of either
transept or choir.

The south tower encloses the tombs of Jean sans Peur and Philippe le
Hardi. The crypt contains the tomb of St. Benignus.

[Illustration: _CATHEDRAL of NOTRE DAME SENLIS_]

XI

NOTRE DAME DE SENLIS

"Truly rural" is a term which may well be applied to the situation of
Senlis, the ancient Civitas Sylvanectensium of the Romans. Quaint and
attractive to the eye is the entrance to the town from the railway, with
its low-lying roofs, over which tower the spires of the ancient
Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Church of St. Pierre. It forms a
heterogeneous mass of stone, to be sure, and one which looks little
enough, at first glance, like the delicate and graceful cathedral which
makes up the mass in part. It is, in reality, a confused jumble of
towers and turrets which meets the eye, and it takes some little
acquaintance with the details thereof to separate the cathedral from the
adja