"The bitter hostility to wards the Church of their baptism, and the utter absence of Christian sympathy in good works of this nature, which characterize so many of those who have fallen away from our Communion, is indeed most deplorable. But even if your unreasonable and narrow-hearted parishioner will oppose all improvement in that part of the aisle which--stolen from God and His people--he claims as his own private property, there is much you can do, when you set about your work of restoration, to make that part of the church less isolated than at present. At least, you can remove much of the useless wood and masonry which now separate the aisle from the nave." "I propose also to re-open the ancient hagioscope in the south wall of the chancel, by which means the people in the aisle will once more gain a view of the altar, and be enabled to see and hear the priest when officiating there." "Will you kindly tell me, Mr. Beeland," said Mr. Acres, "what are _hagioscopes_[127]? I never remember having heard the word before." "You probably have heard them called by their more common name of _squints_. They are openings in the north or south walls of the chancel, or perhaps more commonly in the walls supporting the chancel arch, and are intended to give a view of the altar to those who are worshipping in the aisles. They are to be found in most old churches, but they have commonly, as in our case, been bricked up. It is manifestly very desirable that in all cases they should be restored, not only on account of their architectural beauty, but also for their practical utility in the services of the Church." The party then separated, and the Vicar of Droneworth took back to his parish a lighter heart than he had known for many a day. _CHAPTER XXI_ THE TRANSEPTS "Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary." Ps. xcvi. 6. "Pace we the ground! our footsteps tread A cross--the builder's holiest form-- That awful couch where once was shed The blood with man's forgiveness warm, And here, just where His mighty breast Throbb'd the last agony away, They bade the voice of worship rest, And white-robed Levites pause and pray." HAWKER. Illustration: Church of SS. Peter and Paul, Ringwood THE TRANSEPTS "Much of the objection which you have expressed to the prevailing arrangement of the aisles," said Mr. Acres, continuing the conversation with his Vicar, "seems to me to apply also to that of the transepts--I believe that is the proper name for those portions of a church which extend in a _transverse_ direction north and south?" "Yes," replied the Vicar; "and the remedies for the evil are in both cases nearly the same. Great inconvenience often arises from the exclusive character of the parclose. I would have the solid part of this made lower, and the upper part more light and open."