Barbier walks quickly, but softly, from one room to another, to take down the several volumes enquired after.  At length, having paced along upwards of 200 feet of glazed red tile, and wondering when this apparently interminable suite of apartments will end, I view my estimable friend, the HEAD LIBRARIAN deeply occupied in some correction of Bayle or of Moreri—­sitting at the further extremity.  His reception of me is more than kind.  It is hearty and enthusiastic.

“Now that I am in this magical region, my good friend, allow me to inspect the famous PRAYER BOOK of CHARLEMAGNE?”—­was my first solicitation to Mons. Barbier.  “Gently,”—­said my guide.  “You are almost asking to partake of forbidden fruit.  But I suppose you must not be disappointed.”  This was only sharpening the edge of my curiosity—­for “wherefore this mystery, good M. Barbier?” “That you may know another time.  The book is here:  and you shall immediately inspect it.”—­was his reply.  M. Barbier unlocked the recess in which it is religiously preserved; took off the crimson velvet in which it is enveloped; and springing backward only two feet and a half, exclaimed, on presenting it, “Le voila—­dans toute sa beaute pristine.”  I own that I even forgot Charles the Bald—­and eke his imperial brother Lotharius,[110]—­as I gazed upon the contents of it.  With these contents it is now high time that you should be made acquainted.

EVANGELISTARIUM, or PRAYER BOOK—­once belonging to CHARLEMAGNE.  Folio.  The subject-matter of this most precious book is thus arranged.  In the first place, there are five large illuminations, of the entire size of the page, which are much discoloured.  The first four represent the Evangelists:  each sitting upon a cushion, not unlike a bolster.  The fifth is the figure of our SAVIOUR.  The back ground is purple:  the pillow-like seat, upon which Christ sits, is scarlet, relieved by white and gold.  The upper garment of the figure is dark green:  the lower, purple, bordered in part with gold.  The foot-stool is gold:  the book, in the left hand, is red and gold:  the arabesque ornaments, in the border, are blue, red, and gold.  The hair of our Saviour is intended to be flaxen.

The text is in double columns, upon a purple ground, within an arabesque border of red, purple, yellow, and bluish green.  It is uniformly executed in letters of gold, of which the surface is occasionally rather splendid.  It consists of a series of gospel extracts, for the whole year, amounting to about two hundred and forty-two.  These extracts terminate with “Et ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die.  Amen”