n this recess an altar had been erected, and was covered
with all the emblems of the Catholic faith. The priests knelt before it,
and chanted a portion of the service, and then returned to the
procession, which continued its march up the street; the flowers and
bits of colored paper filling the air before it, and the people still
reverently bowing down to the host. The solemn and impressive chanting
of the priests kindled the pious enthusiasm of the multitude, and as the
line passed the _cafes_ and _estaminets_, or smoking houses, the pipe,
the drink, and the gay jest were abandoned, to pay homage to the faith
of the nation.

The faces of the little children and the white-robed maidens in the
procession presented an aspect of religious enthusiasm, solemn but not
sad, which young people seldom wear. Everybody seemed to be carried away
by the excitement of the scene; all hats were removed, and the utmost
respect was paid to the representatives and to the emblems of the church
in the line.

As Paul and his friend followed the spectacle up the street, they saw a
Beguine nun kneeling at the altar in the arch, wringing her hands in an
ecstasy of devotion, while several women were regarding her with an
admiring reverence, which seemed to indicate that they envied her the
enjoyment of the heavenly raptures which thrilled her.

"It is very solemn--isn't it?" said Paul, when they had passed out of
hearing of the procession.

"It is really moving, even while you have no sympathy with the church
which makes these displays."

"I think I was never more moved in my life than I was by the chanting of
those priests. But what is the occasion of all this?"

"I don't know; except that this is some saint's day--St. James, I
believe; but there is something of this kind in Brussels nearly every
Sunday; and I have seen several minor displays in the streets in the
evening."

"I am surprised to see how much respect the people pay to their
religion. If they have these displays often, I should think they would
become stale."

"It appears they do not. I have a great deal more consideration and
respect for these exhibitions in Belgium than in some other parts of
Europe, for the reason that all religions enjoy the utmost toleration
here. The people are almost exclusively Catholic, and yet they permit
Protestants and Jews entire freedom in the exercise of their religion,
and pay them their fair share of the government money."

At two o'clo