herto
discursive as to subject, turned on the Cathedral.

"It is the fifth erection over a Druidical cave," said the Abbe Plomb.
"It has a strange history.

"The first, built at the time of the Apostles by Bishop Aventinus, was
razed to the ground. Rebuilt by another Bishop named Castor, it was
partly burnt down by Hunaldus Duke of Aquitaine, then restored by
Godessaldus; again injured by fire, by Hastings, the Norman chief;
repaired once more by Gislebert, and finally destroyed utterly by
Richard Duke of Normandy when he sacked the city after the siege.

"We have no very authentic records of these two basilicas; at most are
we certain that the Roman Governor of the land of Chartres completely
destroyed the first and at the same time slaughtered a great number of
Christians, among them his own daughter Modesta, throwing the corpses
into a well dug near the cave, and thence known as _le Puits des Saints
Forts_.

"A third fabric, built by Bishop Vulphardus, was burnt down in 1020,
when Fulbert was Bishop, and he founded the fourth Cathedral. This was
blasted by lightning in 1194; nothing remained but the two belfries and
the crypt.

"The fifth structure, finally, built in the reign of Philippe Auguste,
when Regnault de Moucon was Bishop of Chartres, is that we still see; it
was consecrated on the 17th of October, 1260, in the presence of Saint
Louis. This again has passed through the fire. In 1506 the northern
spire was struck by lightning; the structure was of wood covered with
lead; a terrific storm raged from six in the evening till four in the
morning, fanning the fire to such violence that the six bells were
melted like cakes of wax. The flames were, however kept within limits,
and the church was refitted. But the scourge returned many times; in
1539, in 1573, and in 1589 lightning fell on the new belfry. Then a
century elapsed before the visitation was repeated; in 1701 the same
spire was struck again.

"It then stood uninjured till 1825, when a thunder-bolt fell and shook
it severely on Whit Monday while the _Magnificat_ was being chanted at
Vespers.

"Finally, on the 4th of June, 1836, a tremendous fire broke out, caused
by the carelessness of two plumbers working under the roof. It lasted
eleven hours, and destroyed all the timbers, the whole forest that
supported the roof; it was by a miracle that the church was not entirely
consumed in this fury of fire."

"You must allow, Monsieur, that there is som