The Argosy — page 77: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Of Far Normandy. devoted to your next door neighbour, who is recounting a choice bit of scandal to an absorbed and delighted companion. All this is very pleasant—not the scandal, but the scene. It is very lively, very French ; there is life and motion, that inexpressible vitality in the air, every large town in France possesses. But it is not Rouen as one pictures, and thinks, and dreams of the old town. The people are striking. They are well formed; they stand and walk well; they are frequently handsome ; they do not look altogether French ; and they are not French; they are Norman: and the Nor- mans do not consider themselves French, any more than the Scotch consider themselves English, and there is a certain English look and type about the Normans. They have a great deal of love for their country, and think of it very much as the Savoyard thinks of his beloved mountains. ‘They do not fall ill of the mal-du-pays, like the poor Southerner, for they belong to Northern climes, and are a strong people; nevertheless, they love and cherish their country, and no doubt would defend and die for it if called upon to do so. The spirit of Joan of Arc, though not a Norman herself, seems to have descended upon the country that so shamelessly put her to death, as if to prove, in the greatness of her soul, that she forgave them all their sin against her. As we sat, shortly after our arrival, taking in the scene I have described, H. C., in spite of a fairly optimistic temperament, was in despair at what he called our first failure. I would not admit any failure, but felt sure we should find more than enough in Rouen to awaken old traditions, and give us at least an idea of what she had been in her best days. The shades of evening were falling as we passed up a side street, and in a few moments found ourselves before the cathedral, the pride and glory of the old town. It stands in a market-place, once given up to fruit and flowers, confronted by houses, some of which possess ancient outlines much modernised. ‘This putting new faces upon old tenements is, as a rule, very unsatisfactory in its results ; producing an incongruous element that is terribly inartistic. It resem- bles a faded beauty patched up with paint and powder: the artificial does not adorn, and only makes one regret departed realities the more. Weare Time’s subjects, and we cannot cheat him. The front of the cathedral stands out conspicuously, but the houses on either side are, as usual, too close to it. On the whole, however, it is well placed. We first saw it, perhaps in the most favourable of all lights; in the gloaming, when everything is softened and subdued to a solemn, even a romantic tone. We both felt that here alone was sufficient repayment for a visit to Rouen. Of course one had heard all about the cathedral, knew all about it, had seen photographs and engravings innumerable of it. But none approached the reality as we now gazed upon it in all its glory. H.C., perhaps, in the accompanying sketch of the Gomilcbooks.co | a» \