Louis de Sancerre, 1402. Renée de Longueville, from the Church of the Célestins. =Blanche and Jean=, children of St. Louis, enamelled copper, Limoges; from other abbeys. =**François I^{er}=, his wife, Claude, and their three children, above. On pedestal, Scenes from his battles; High Renaissance work: Philibert Delorme, Germain Pilon, and Jean Goujon. More stately, but less interesting than Louis XII. =**Urn=, to contain heart of François I^{er}, from the nunnery of Hautes Bruyères. Louis d’Orléans and Valentine of Milan, from the Church of the Célestins. Charles d’Étampes; 1336, with 24 small figures of saints. * * * * * Leave the enclosure and return to the church. I advise you then to read this all over again, and finally, go round a second time, to complete the picture. * * * * * The Abbey and Church are closely bound up at every turn with French history. In Dagobert’s building, in 754, Pope Stephen II, flying from the Lombards, consecrated Charlemagne and his brother Carloman. In the existing Basilica, St. Louis took down the Oriflamme to set forth on his Crusade; and Joan of Arc hung up her armour as a votive offering after the siege of Orleans. But indeed, St. Denis played an important part in all great ceremonials down to the Revolution, and its name occurs on every page of old French history. * * * * * On your return to Paris, you may find this a convenient moment to visit =St. Vincent de Paul=, which lies two minutes away from the Gare de Nord. * * * * *