eligible。　　At　present；　indeed；　when　once　you　have　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　stout；　serious　Romanesque　tower；　…　which　is　not　high；　but　strong；　…　you　feel　that　the　building　has　something　to　say；　and　that　you　must　stop　to　listen　to　it。　　Within；　it　has　a　vast　and　splendid　nave；　of　immense　height；　…　the　nave　of　a　cathedral；　…　with　a　shallow　choir　and　transepts；　and　some　admir…　able　old　glass。　　I　spent　half　an　hour　there　one　morn…　ing；　listening　to　what　the　church　had　to　say；　in　perfect　solitude。　　Not　a　worshipper　entered；　…　not　even　an　old　man　with　a　broom。　　I　have　always　thought　there　is　a　sex　in　fine　buildings；　and　Saint　Julian；　with　its　noble　nave；　is　of　the　gender　of　the　name　of　its　patron。
  It　was　that　same　morning；　I　think；　that　I　went　in　search　of　the　old　houses　of　Tours；　for　the　town　con…　tains　several　goodly　specimens　of　the　domestic　archi…　tecture　of　the　past。　　The　dwelling　to　which　the　average　Anglo…Saxon　will　most　promptly　direct　his　steps；　and　the　only　one　I　have　space　to　mention；　is　the　so…called　Maison　de　Tristan　l'Hermite；　…　a　gentleman　whom　the　readers　of　〃Quentin　Durward〃　will　not　have　forgotten；　…　the　hangman…in…ordinary　to　the　great　King　Louis　XI。　Unfortunately　the　house　of　Tristan　is　not　the　house　of　Tristan　at　all；　this　illusion　has　been　cruelly　dispelled。　There　are　no　illusions　left；　at　all；　in　the　good　city　of　Tours；　with　regard　to　Louis　XI。　　His　terrible　castle　of　Plessis；　the　picture　of　which　sends　a　shiver　through　the　youthful　reader　of　Scott；　has　been　reduced　to　sub…　urban　insignificance；　and　the　residence　of　his　_triste　compere；_　on　the　front　of　which　a　festooned　rope　figures　as　a　motive　for　decoration；　is　observed　to　have　been　erected　in　the　succeeding　century。　　The　Maison　de　Tristan　may　be　visited　for　itself；　however；　if　not　for　Walter　Scott；　it　is　an　exceedingly　picturesque　old　facade；　to　which　you　pick　your　way　through　a　narrow　and　tortuous　street；　…　a　street　terminating；　a　little　be…　yond　it；　in　the　walk　beside　the　river。　　An　elegant　Gothic　doorway　is　let　into　the　rusty…red　brick…work；　and　strange　little　beasts　crouch　at　the　angles　of　the　windows；　which　are　surmounted　by　a　tall　graduated　gable；　pierced　with　a　small　orifice；　where　the　large　surface　of　brick；　lifted　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　street；　looks　yellow　and　faded。　　The　whole　thing　is　disfigured　and　decayed；　but　it　is　a　capital　subject　for　a　sketch　in　colors。　　Only　I　must　wish　the　sketcher　better　luck　…　or　a　better　temper　…　than　my　own。　　If　he　ring　the　bell　to　be　admitted　to　see　the　court；　which　I　believe　is　more　sketchable　still；　let　him　have　patience　to　wait　till　the　bell　is　answered。　　He　can　do　the　outside　while　they　are　coming。
  The　Maison　de　Tristan；　I　say；　may　be　visited　for　itself；　but　I　hardly　know　what　the　remnants　of　Plessis…　les…Tours　may　be　visited　for。　　To　reach　them　you　wander　through　crooked　suburban　lanes；　down　the　course　of　the　Loire；　to　a　rough；　undesirable；　incon…　gruous　spot；　where　a　small；　crude　building　of　red　brick　is　pointed　out　to　you　by　your　cabman　（if　you　happen　to　drive）　as　the　romantic　abode　of　a　super…　stitious　king；　and　where　a　strong　odor　of　pigsties　and　other　unclean　things　so　prostrates　you　for　the　moment　that　you　have　no　energy　to　protest　against　the　obvious　fiction。　　You　enter　a　yard　encumbered　with　rubbish　and　a　defiant　dog；　and　an　old　woman　emerges　from　a　shabby　lodge　and　assures　you　that　you　are　indeed　in　an　historic　place。　　The　red　brick　building；　which　looks　like　a　small　factory；　rises　on　the　ruins　of　the　favorite　residence　of　the　dreadful　Louis。　　It　is　now　occupied　by　a　company　of　night…scavengers；　whose　huge　carts　are　drawn　up　in　a　row　before　it。　　I　know　not　whether　this　be　what　is　called　the　irony　of　fate；　at　any　rate；　the　effect　of　it　is　to　accentuate　strongly　the　fact　（and　through　the　most　susceptible　of　our　senses）　that　there　is　no　honor　for　the　authors　of　great　wrongs。　　The　dreadful　Louis　is　reduced　simply　to　an　offence　to　the　nostrils。　　The　old　woman　shows　you　a　few　fragments；　…　several　dark；　damp；　much…encumbered　vaults；　de…　nominated　dungeons；　and　an　old　tower　staircase；　in　good　condition。　　There　are　the　outlines　of　the　old　moat；　there　is　also　the　outline　of　the　old　guard…room；　which　is　now　a　stable；　and　there　are　other　vague　out…　lines　and　inconsequent　lumps；　which　I　have　forgotten。　You　need　all　your　imagination；　and　even　then　you　cannot　make　out　that　Plessis　was　a　castle　of　large　ex…　tent；　though　the　old　woman；　as　your　eye　wanders　over　the　neighboring　_potagers；_　talks　a　good　deal　about　the　gardens　and　the　park。　　The　place　looks　mean　and　flat；　and　as　you　drive　away　you　scarcely　know　whether　to　be　glad　or　sorry　that　all　those　bristling　horrors　have　been　reduced　to　the　commonplace。
  A　certain　flatness　of　impression　awaits　you　also；　I　think；　at　Marmoutier；　which　is　the　other　indisuensable　excursion　in　the　near　neighborhood　of　Tours。　　The　remains　of　this　famous　abbey　lie　on　the　other　bank　of　the　stream；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　the　town。　You　follow　the　edge　of　the　big　brown　river；　of　a　fine　afternoon　you　will　be　glad　to　go　further　still。　　The　abbey　has　gone　the　way　of　most　abbeys；　but　the　place　is　a　restoration　as　well　as　a　ruin；　inasmuch　as　the　sisters　of　the　Sacred　Heart　have　erected　a　terribly　modern　convent　here。　　A　large　Gothic　doorway；　in　a　high　fragment　of　ancient　wall；　admits　you　to　a　garden…　like　enclosure；　of　great　extent；　from　which　you　are　further　introduced　into　an　extraordinarily　tidy　little　parlor；　where　two　good　nuns　sit　at　work。　　One　of　these　came　out　with　me；　and　showed　me　over　the　place；　…　a　very　definite　little　woman；　with　pointed　features；　an　intensely　distinct　enunciation；　and　those　pretty　man…　ners　which　（for　whatever　other　teachings　it　may　be　responsible）　the　Catholic　church　so　often　instils　into　its　functionaries。　　I　have　never　seen　a　woman　who　had　got　her　lesson　better　than　this　little　trotting；　murmur…　ing；　edifying　nun。　　The　interest；　of　Marmoutier　to…day　is　not　so　much　an　interest　of　vision；　so　to　speak；　as　an　interest　of　reflection；　…　that　is；　if　you　choose　to　reflect　（for　instance）　upon　the　wondrous　legend　of　the　seven　sleepers　（you　may　see　where　they　lie　in　a　row）；　who　lived　together　…　they　were　brothers　and　cousins　…　in　primitive　piety；　in　the　sanctuary　constructed　by　the　blessed　Saint　Martin　（emulous　of　his　precursor；　Saint　Gatianus）；　in　the　face　of　the　hillside　that　overhung　the　Loire；　and　who；　twenty…five　years　after　his　death；　yielded　up　their　seven　souls　at　the　same　moment；　and　enjoyed　the　curious　privilege　of　retaining　in　their　faces；　in　spite　of　this　process；　the　rosy　tints　of　life。　　The　abbey　of　Marmoutier；　which　sprung　from　the　grottos　in　the　cliff　to　which　Saint　Gatianus　and　Saint　Martin　re…　tired　to　pray；　was　therefore　the　creation　of　the　latter　worthy；　as　the　other　great　abbey；　in　the　town　proper；　was　the　monument　of　his　repose。　　The　cliff　is　still　there；　and　a　winding　staircase；　in　the　latest　taste；　en…　ables　you　conveniently　to　explore　its　recesses。　　These　sacred　niches　are　scooped　out　of　the　rock；　and　will　give　you　an　impression　if　you　cannot　do　without　one。　You　will　feel　them　to　be　sufficiently　venerable　when　you　learn　that　the　particular　pigeon…hole　of　Saint　Gatianus；　the　first　Christian　missionary　to　Gaul；　dates　from　the　third　century。　　They　have　been　dealt　with　as　the　Catholic　church　deals　with　most　of　such　places　to…　day；　polished　and　furnished　up；　labelled　and　ticketed；　…　_edited；_　with　notes；　in　short；　like　an　old　book。　　The　process　is　a　mistake；　…　the　early　editions　had　more　sanctity。　　The　modern　buildings　（of　the　Sacred　Heart）；　on　which　you　look　down　from　these　points　of　vantage；　are　in　the　vulgar　taste　which　seems　doomed　to　stamp　itself　on　all　new　Catholic　work；　but　there　was　never…　theless　a　great　sweetness　in　the　scene。　　The　afternoon　was　lovely；　and　it　was　flushing　to　a　close。　　The　large　garden　stretched　beneath　us；　blooming　with　fruit　and　wine　and　succulent　vegetables；　and　beyond　it　flowed　the　shining　river。　　The　air　was　still；　the　shadows　were　long；　and　the　place；　after　all；　was　full　of　memories；　most　of　which　might　pass　for　virtuous。　　It　certainly　was　better　than　Plessis…les…Tours。
  IV。
  Your　business　at　Tours　is　to　make　excursions；　and　if　you　make　them　all；　you　will　be　very　well　occupied。　Touraine　is　rich　in　antiquities；　and　an　hour's　drive　from　the　town　in　almost　any　direction　will　bring　you　to　the　knowledge　of　some　curious　fragment　of　domestic　or　ecclesiastical　architecture；　some　turreted　manor；　some　lonely　tower；　some　gabled　village；　or　historic　site。　　Even；　however；　if　you　do　everything；　…　which　was　not　my　case；　…　you　cannot　hope　to　relate　everything；　and；　fortunately　for　you；　the　excursions　divide　them…　selves　into　the　greater　and　the　less。　　You　may　achieve　most　of　the　greater　in　a　week　or　two；　but　a　summer　in　Touraine　（which；　by　the　way　must　be　a　charming　thing）　would　contain　none　too　many　days　for　the　others。　If　you　come　down　to　Tours　from　Paris；　your　best　economy　is　to　spend　a　few　days　at　Blois；　where　a　clumsy；　but　rather　attractive　little　inn；　on　the　edge　of　the　river；　will　offer　you　a　certain　amount　of　that　familiar　and　intermittent　hospitality　which　a　few　weeks　spent　in　the　French　provinces　teaches　you　to　regard　as　the　highest　attainable　form　of　accommodation。　　Such　an　economy　I　was　unable　to　practise。　　I　could　only