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more than I can say； the illusion has never lasted long enough to be analyzed。 From the bottom of its perch Poitiers looks large and high； and indeed； the evening I reached it； the interminiable climb of the omnibus of the hotel I had selected； which I found at the station； gave me the measure of its commanding position。 This hotel； 〃magnifique construction ornee de statues；〃 as the Guide…Joanne； usually so reticent； takes the trouble to announce； has an omnibus； and； I suppose； has statues； though I didn't perceive them； but it has very little else save immemorial accumulations of dirt。 It is magnificent； if you will； but it is not even relatively proper； and a dirty inn has always seemed to me the dirtiest of human things； … it has so many opportunities to betray itself。
Poiters covers a large space； and is as crooked and straggling as you please； but these advantages are not accompanied with any very salient features or any great wealth of architecture。 Although there are few picturesque houses； however； there are two or three curious old churches。 Notre Dame la Grande； in the market…place； a small romanesque structure of the twelfth century； has a most interesting and venerable exterior。 Composed； like all the churches of Poitiers； of a light brown stone with a yellowish tinge； it is covered with primitive but ingenious sculptures； and is really an impressive monument。 Within； it has lately been daubed over with the most hideous decorative painting that was ever inflicted upon passive pillars and indifferent vaults。 This battered yet coherent little edifice has the touching look that resides in everything supremely old： it has arrived at the age at which such things cease to feel the years； the waves of time have worn its edges to a kind of patient dul… ness； there is something mild and smooth； like the stillness； the deafness； of an octogenarian； even in its rudeness of ornament； and it has become insensible to differences of a century or two。 The cathedral interested me much less than Our Lady the Great； and I have not the spirit to go into statistics about it。 It is not statistical to say that the cathedral stands half…way down the hill of Poitiers； in a quiet and grass…grown _place_； with an approach of crooked lanes and blank garden…walls； and that its most striking dimension is the width of its facade。 This width is extraordinary； but it fails； somehow； to give nobleness to the edifice； which looks within （Murray makes the remark） like a large public hall。 There are a nave and two aisles； the latter about as high as the nave； and there are some very fearful modern pictures； which you may see much better than you usually see those specimens of the old masters that lurk in glow… ing side…chapels； there being no fine old glass to dif… fuse a kindly gloom。 The sacristan of the cathedral showed me something much better than all this bright bareness； he led me a short distance out of it to the small Temple de Saint…Jean； which is the most curious object at Poitiers。 It is an early Christian chapel； one of the earliest in France； originally； it would seem； … that is； in the sixth or seventh century； … a bap… tistery； but converted into a church while the Christian era was still comparatively young。 The Temple de Saint…Jean is therefore a monument even more vener… able than Notre Dame la Grande； and that numbness of age which I imputed to Notre Dame ought to reside in still larger measure in its crude and colorless little walls。 I call them crude； in spite of their having been baked through by the centuries； only because； although certain rude arches and carvings are let into them； and they are surmounted at either end with a small gable； they have （so far as I can remember） little fascination of surface。 Notre Dame is still ex… pressive； still pretends to be alive； but the Temple has delivered its message； and is completely at rest。 It retains a kind of atrium； on the level of the street； from which you descend to the original floor； now un… covered； but buried for years under a false bottom。 A semicircular apse was； apparently at the time of its conversion into a church； thrown out from the east wall。 In the middle is the cavity of the old baptismal font。 The walls and vaults are covered with traces of extremely archaic frescos； attributed； I believe； to the twelfth century。 These vague； gaunt； staring fragments of figures are； to a certain extent； a reminder of some of the early Christian churches in Rome； they even faintly recalled to me the great mosaics of Ravenna。 The Temple de Saint…Jean has neither the antiquity nor the completeness of those extraordinary monuments； nearly the most impressive in Europe； but； as one may say； it is very well for Poitiers。
Not far from it； in a lonely corner which was ani… mated for the moment by the vociferations of several old； women who were selling tapers； presumably for the occasion of a particular devotion； is the graceful romanesque church erected in the twelfth century to Saint Radegonde； … a lady who found means to be a saint even in the capacity of a Merovingian queen。 It bears a general resemblance to Notre Dame la Grande； and； as I remember it； is corrugated in some… what the same manner with porous…looking carvings； but I confess that what I chiefly recollect is the row of old women sitting in front of it； each with a tray of waxen tapers in her lap； and upbraiding me for my neglect of the opportunity to offer such a tribute to the saint。 I know not whether this privilege is oc… casional or constant； within the church there was no appearance of a festival； and I see that the name… day of Saint Radegonde occurs in August； so that the importunate old women sit there always； perhaps； and deprive of its propriety the epithet I just applied to this provincial corner。 In spite of the old women； however； I suspect that the place is lonely； and in… deed it is perhaps the old women that have made the desolation。
The lion of Poitiers； in the eyes of the natives； is doubtless the Palais de Justice； in the shadow of which the statue…guarded hotel； just mentioned； erects itself； and the gem of the court…house； which has a prosy modern front； with pillars and a high flight of steps； is the curious _salle des pas perdus_； or central hall； out of which the different tribunals open。 This is a feature of every French court…house； and seems the result of a conviction that a palace of justice … the French deal in much finer names than we … should be in some degree palatial。 The great hall at Poitiers has a long pedigree； as its walls date back to the twelfth century； and its open wooden roof； as well as the remarkable trio of chimney…pieces at the right end of the room as you enter； to the fifteenth。 The three tall fireplaces； side by side； with a delicate gallery running along the top of them； constitute the originality of this ancient chamber； and make one think of the groups that must formerly have gathered there； … of all the wet boot…soles； the trickling doublets； the stiffened fingers； the rheumatic shanks； that must have been presented to such an incomparable focus of heat。 To…day； I am afraid； these mighty hearts are forever cold； justice it probably adm