chapel, with a single candle lighting up the divine sorrow of
the Mater Dolorosa, knelt a woman in deep black, weeping and praying all
alone. In another flowery nook dedicated to the Infant Jesus, a peasant
girl was telling her beads over the baby asleep in her lap; her sunburnt
face refined and beautiful by the tenderness of mother-love. In a third
chapel a pale, wasted old man sat propped in a chair, while his rosy old
wife prayed heartily to St. Gratien, the patron saint of the church, for
the recovery of her John Anderson. And most striking of all was a dark,
handsome young man, well-dressed and elegant, who was waiting at the
door of a confessional with some great trouble in his face, as he
muttered and crossed himself, while his haggard eyes were fixed on the
benignant figure of St. Francis, as if asking himself if it were
possible for him also to put away the pleasant sins and follies of the
world, and lead a life like that which embalms the memory of that good
man.

'If we don't go away to-morrow we never shall, for this church will
bewitch us, and make it impossible to leave,' said Amanda, when at
length they tore themselves away.

'I give up trying to sketch cathedrals. It can't be done, and seems
impious to try,' said Matilda, quite exhausted by something deeper than
pleasure.

'I think the "Reminiscences of a Rook" would make a capital story. They
are long-lived birds, and could tell tales of the past that would
entirely eclipse our modern rubbish,' said Lavinia, taking a last look
at the solemn towers, and the shadowy birds that had haunted them for
ages.

The ladies agreed to be off early in the morning, that they might reach
Amboise in time for the eleven o'clock breakfast. Amanda was to pay the
bill, and to make certain enquiries at the office; Mat to fly out and do
a trifle of shopping; while Lavinia packed up the bundles and mounted
guard over them. They separated, but in half-an-hour all met again, not
in their room according to agreement, but before the cathedral, which
all had decided not to revisit on any account.

Matilda was there first, and as each of the others came stealing round
the corner, she greeted them with a laugh, in which all joined after the
first surprise was over.

'I told you it would bewitch us,' said Amanda; and then all took a
farewell look, which lasted so long that they had to rush back to the
hotel in most unseemly haste.

'Now to fresh _chateaux_ and churches new,