[Illustration:  INTERIOR OF CATHEDRAL, ST. POL DE LEON.]

The stalls, the chief beauty of the choir, are magnificently carved, and date from 1512.  The choir, completely surrounded by a stone screen, is larger and more ornamented than the nave, and is surrounded by double aisles, ending in a Lady Chapel possessing some good carved woodwork of the sixteenth century.

The towers are almost equal in dimension but somewhat different in design.  One of them—­the south tower—­possesses a small lancet doorway on the west side, called the Lepers’ Doorway, where probably lepers entered to attend mass in days gone by, remaining unseen and isolated from the rest of the congregation.  The south wall possesses a magnificent rose window, above which is another window, called the Window of Excommunication.  The rose window is unfortunately filled with modern glass, but one or two of the side windows are good.  The basin for holy-water, dating from the twelfth century, is said to have been the tomb of Conan Meriadec, first of the Breton kings.

A small bell, said to have belonged to St. Pol, is kept in the church, and on the day of the Pardon of Leon (the chief fete of the year) is carried up and down the nave and rung vigorously over the heads of the faithful to preserve them from headache and ear-ache.

The best view of the interior is obtained by standing in the choir, as near as possible to the tomb of St. Pol—­distinguished by a black marble slab immediately in front of the altar—­and looking westward.  The long-drawn aisle is very fine; the stalls and decoration of the choir stand out well, whilst the Early-Pointed arches on either side are marked by beauty and refinement.  The west end of the nave seems quite far off and becomes almost dream-like.

Yet in some way the Cathedral of St. Pol de Leon left upon us a certain feeling of disappointment.  The interior did not seem equal to the exterior; and as the church has been much praised at different times by those capable of distinguishing the good in architecture, we attributed this impression to the effect of its comparatively recent restoration.

Behind the cathedral is an old prebendal house, belonging to the sixteenth century and possessing many interesting details.  Beyond it again was the small chapel of St. Joseph, attached to the convent of the Ursuline nuns, founded in 1630.  For St. Pol de Leon is still essentially a religious and ecclesiastical town, living on its past glory and reputation.  Once immensely rich, it now impresses one with a feeling of sadness and poverty.

One wonderful little glimpse we had of an earthly paradise.