hort period. He died
Feb. 23, 1813, aged 53 years."

When all was over, Tournier remained behind to view the sacred edifice
with his friend Cosin.

"What a magnificent church," he exclaimed, after he had looked round.
"Why, it is a small cathedral! Are all your parish churches like this?"

"No," said Cosin, smiling, "this is the finest in the neighbourhood."

"But what is the meaning of those wooden boxes all about?" asked
Tournier: "they look like (forgive me for saying so,) what we call
'_stalles pour les bestiaux_,' but there are seats in them"--peeping into
one of the square pews.

"Oh, that is where we sit and worship."

"How droll!"

So it strikes a stranger! Taste in such matters had not yet come into
fashion, or rather, it had gone away, and not yet come back.

"Well," said Tournier, greatly interested, and looking round with
admiration on the noble building, with its beautiful windows and four
fine chapels, "if my village church in France were anything like this, I
would take a pride in doing my utmost to preserve and beautify it. It is
a glorious gift. But, excuse me, my dear friend, it does not look _cared
for_."

Then he asked about its age, and Cosin shewed him a place in the wall of
one of the chapels where two hands are supporting a heart in some sort of
relief. No inscription whatever accompanies the simple representation.
"There," he told Tournier, "is said to be deposited the heart of William
of Yaxley, a native of the place, who was Abbot of Thorney, near
Peterborough, and who built, or enlarged this church. He was a true
Yaxley man, and directed that his body should be buried in Thorney Abbey,
and his heart in the wall of Yaxley Church. I have often thought how I
should like to make a hole {133} in that wall, and search for that heart,
but to my mind it would be nothing less than sacrilege to do such a thing
merely to gratify curiosity. No! Let William of Yaxley's heart rest
where he wished it to be. Yaxley was the home of his heart; Yaxley
Church is the gift of his heart, and there should his heart rest in
peace."

* * * * *

On the 21st of June, 1813, the battle of Vittoria was fought. The
French, under Marshal Jourdan, took up a strong position before the town,
but after obstinate resistance were beaten and driven through the place.
The whole of their artillery, baggage, and ammunition, together with
property valued at a million sterling, was captured; and they fled in