Passing through a large open gateway we enter the vast courtyard of the establishment, which, with arriving and departing carts--the first loaded with wine in cask or with new bottles, and the others with cases of champagne--presents rather an animated scene. Under a roof projecting from the wall of the vast cellier on the right hand a tribe of “Sparnaciennes”--as the feminine inhabitants of Epernay are termed--are occupied in washing bottles in readiness for the coming tirage. The surrounding buildings, most substantially constructed, are not destitute of architectural pretensions. The extensive cellier, the area of which is 23,589 square feet, is understood to be the largest single construction of the kind in the Champagne district. Built entirely of iron, stone and brick, its framework is a perfect marvel of lightness. The roof, consisting of rows of brick arches, is covered above with a layer of Portland cement, in order to keep it cool in summer and protect it against the winter cold, two most desirable objects in connection with the manipulation of champagne. Here an endless chain of a new pattern enables wine in bottle to be lowered and raised with great rapidity to or from the cellars beneath--lofty and capacious excavations of two stories, the lowest of which is reached by a flight of no less than 170 steps. Epernay, unlike Reims, has little of general interest to attract the stranger. Frequently besieged and pillaged during the Middle Ages, and burnt to the ground by the dauphin, son of François I., the town, although of some note as far back as the time of Clovis, exhibits to-day no evidence whatever of its great antiquity. The thoroughfare termed the Rempart de la Tour Biron recalls a memorable incident which transpired during the siege of the town by Henri IV. While the king was reconnoitring the defences a cannon-ball aimed at his waving white plume took off the head of the Maréchal Biron at the moment Henri’s hand was resting familiarly on the maréchal’s shoulder. Strange to say, the king himself escaped unhurt. [Illustration: VIEW OF AY FROM THE BANKS OF THE MARNE CANAL. (p. 117.)] [Illustration: THE VENDANGEOIR OF HENRI QUATRE.] XI.--CHAMPAGNE ESTABLISHMENTS AT AY AND MAREUIL.