A CHURCH SERVICE 407 



the front runs a kind of portico, or open vestibule, the 

 roof supported by four square stone piers ; the openings 

 between these, and at one end, had just been filled in 

 by dwarf walls, built almost entirely of old carved 

 stones, the rest of the space above these being closed 

 in by wooden trellis-work. Within the portico three 

 doors lead into the interior; the wall' between them 

 was mostly hung with coloured chintz, but without any 

 regard to the pattern meeting. Here we waited while 

 they fetched the key, a huge instrument 18 inches long ; 

 the big central door was then opened, and we found 

 ourselves in the interior, dimly lighted by a few small 

 and narrow windows. The flat roof was supported by 

 great beams resting upon two rows of solid square 

 pillars, which divide the church into three aisles of 

 equal height ; at the third pair of these a screen 

 stretched across from side to side, shutting off about 

 two-thirds of the length of the building. The walls 

 were adorned with the usual pictures ; a quantity of 

 drums and other church gear were piled in a corner, 

 but it was so dark that details were hard to make out. 

 Just as we entered, the curtains were drawn apart in the 

 centre, and service commenced. A small boy advanced, 

 carrying a large processional cross with coloured ribbons 

 hanging from it, and began to recite in a high, shrill 

 voice at a great pace. Then, from the gloom in the 

 background a priest slowly took form, waving a censer, 

 and repeated a short prayer, which was apparently quite 

 irrelevant to what the boy was reciting, as the latter never 

 stopped. Two acolytes now took their places ; while 

 one read — very haltingly — from a large book, and the 



