was
market-day all the year round.

The market-place was a charming three-cornered square; on one side a
Renaissance church that for its style was really picturesque and formed
an admirable background to the women and stalls. The interior, all gilt
and glitter, set one's teeth on edge, but that did not alter the outward
effect.

Opposite was a far lovelier building--the Lonja de Seda, or ancient Silk
hall--of exquisitely beautiful and refined fifteenth-century Gothic.

The immense rooms were ornamented with fluted columns without capitals,
that spread out like the leaves of a palm-tree and lost themselves in
the roof. Behind it was an old garden, with wonderful architectural
surroundings. A long stone staircase ended in a Gothic doorway of
graceful outlines and deep rich mouldings. Windows filled with
half-ruined tracery looked on to the garden with its trees and flowers.
The upper part was an open Gothic arcade with rich ornamentations and
medallions, above which rose a massive square tower with a round Norman
turret.

This dream-building was vanishing under the hands of the restorer. The
court was filled with workmen, and the exquisite tone of age, the
rounded, crumbling outlines were beginning to disappear. We were just in
time to see it at its best.

[Illustration: MARKET PLACE, VALENCIA.]

From this we made our way to the cathedral, of which little need be
said. After the architectural dreams of Catalonia, it was terribly
unsatisfactory. The interior gave out no sense of grandeur, repose or
devotion. On Sunday, during service, it gained a certain solemn
impressiveness from the kneeling crowd, but that was all. Begun in the
thirteenth century, and originally Gothic, few traces of the first
building remain. Certain portions of the exterior are beautiful and
striking; especially the magnificent north doorway--the Apostles'
Gateway; deep and richly ornamented, though many of its statues have
disappeared. It is here that the Tribunal of the Waters sits in
judgment, to which we have heard de Nevada allude.

[Illustration: LONJA DE SEDA: VALENCIA.]

Near the cathedral was the Audiencia, or Court of Justice, one of the
most perfect buildings in Europe. Though the ground-floor has been
divided into public offices, the elaborately carved and gilt ceilings
remain, decorated with splendid honey-comb pendentives of the Moorish
School. The first floor is given up to the matchless Salon de Cortes,
where justice is adm