t a little country town, served by the
stage-coach. She still lies on both banks of the river; the "high city,"
with long rows of deserted houses, climbs the side of the steep hill and
is dominated by the ruins of the great castle, which Richelieu
destroyed. The "lower city," which is the busier of the two, lies on the
opposite bank; and on its outskirts, in a little garden-close, almost
surrounded by the fields, is the Cathedral,--solitary, lonely, and old.

[Illustration: "THE WHOLE APSE-END."--VAISON.]

[Illustration: "THE SOUTH WALL WHICH IS CLEARLY SEEN FROM THE
ROAD."--VAISON.]

The decoration of the exterior is slight, a dentiled cornice and a
graceful foliated frieze extend along the top of the side-walls, which
although most plainly built, are far from being severely angular or
gaunt and have a quaint and pleasing harmony of line. The west front is
so featureless that it scarcely deserves the title of facade. The south
wall, which is clearly seen from the road, has a small portal and plain
buttresses that slope at the top. The central apse is rectangular and
heavy, the little southern apse is short and round, and that of the
north is tall and thin as a pepper-box. Behind them rise the pointed
roof of the nave and the heavy tower. The whole apse-end is constructed
in most picturesque irregularity, and the new red of the roof-tiles and
sombre grey of the old stone add greatly to its charm.

Unlike many churches of its period Notre-Dame of Vaison is three-aisled.
Slender, narrow naves, whose tunnel vaults are not extremely lofty, end
in small circular apses. The nave is a short one of three irregular
bays, and over the last, which precedes the choir, is the little
eight-sided dome, which instead of projecting above the roof is
curiously placed a little lower than the tunnel vaulting of the other
bays. The High Altar, which originally belonged to an older church, is
well placed in the simple choir; for it belongs in style, if not in
actual fact, to the first centuries of the Faith; and in the
semi-darkness behind the altar, the old episcopal throne still stands
against the apse's wall, in memory of the custom of the Church's early
days. The low arches of the aisles, the dim lighting of the church, its
simple ornaments of classic bands and little capitals, its slight
irregularities of form and carvings, make an interior of fine and strong
antique simplicity.

A little door in the north wall leads to the Cloiste