Beauties of age--Apostles' Doorway--How the old bishops kept out of temptation--Interior of cathedral--Its vast nave--Days of Charlemagne--And of the Moors--A giant dwarfed--Rare choir--Surly priest--And a more kindly--Our showman--Dazzling treasures--Father Anselmo--Romantic story--Heaven or the world?--Doubts--The gentle Rosalie decides--Sister Anastasia--Told in the sacristy--A heart-confession--Anselmo's mysticism--Heresy--Charms of antiquity--Scene of his triumph--Celestial vision--Church of San Pedro--Pagan interior--Rare cloisters--Desecrated church--Singular scene--Chiaroscuro--Miguel the carpenter--His opinions--Daily life a religion--Anselmo improves his opportunity--"A reflected light"--Ruined citadel--War of Succession--Alvarez and Marshall--Gerona in decadence--A revelation--Dreamland--Midday vision.
The colonel disappeared, and we went our way through narrow, tortuous, deserted wynds until we found ourselves in the quaint cathedral square.
Here again we were surrounded by the beauties of antiquity. Before us was the south front of the cathedral with its deeply-arched Apostles' Doorway at which we had knocked in vain last night. At right angles, its grey walls of exactly the same tone as the cathedral, was the Bishop's Palace, its picturesque windows guarded by ancient ironwork. Why so carefully secured? Had the mediæval bishops feared a reversal of things--serenades from fair dames yielding to the charm of forbidden fruit? Or mistrusting their own strength had wisely put temptation out of reach? Ancient walls are discreet and disclose nothing.
The outer gloom was intensified when we passed within the cathedral. After a time pillars and arches and outlines grew more or less visible, a shadowy distinctness full of mystery, appealing to the senses.
The vast nave is the widest Gothic vault in existence and on entering strikes one with astonishment. So bold was the architect's design considered that it created consternation in the minds of Bishop, Dean and Chapter then ruling. Council after council was summoned and opinions were taken from the great architects of foreign countries. Finally a jury of twelve men was appointed who gave their verdict in favour of Boffy, and the nave was erected.