The Portland daily press., 1900-05-31

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After the 18th century Chinon often
changed hands. It. was here that the
Maid Of Orleans sought Charles VII.
and aroused him TO attempt the deliver
ance Of France. In one Of the vast halls
of the Chateau du Milieu, she recognized
him and picked him out from amongst
his courtiers, scornfully passing by the
sham king placed upon the throne to
test the supernatural vision Of this coun-
try lass. In one Of the towers this
fanatical maiden spent several days be-
fore setting out TO win the battles for her
lord. An inscription over the door re-
cords the fact.
On the slope Of the mountain side,
formerly reached by secret staircase,
were the apartments Of Agnes Sorel
who first filed the dull soul Of her ig-
nominious sovereign with patriotic am
bition to free his country.
The Chateau du Coudry is connected
to the Millieu BY draw bridge. There
are many towers and dungeons and
prison cells In this fine old ruin which
is made much more fascinating than
many restored castles. The Chateau OF
st. George, which without is well pre-
served, Is within fiourishing vineyard.
In the town are several old houses and
ancient churches with antique sculp-
lures which make up quaint and beauti-
ful facades.
But we can linger no longer In de-
scription over this relic Of the past any
more than we were able to do in reality;
for we were Obliged to hasten on to
Loches, past Azay-le-Rideau which
Henry James classes as third In the list
of the great houses in that part of
France. The Able Chevalier calls 1t
the purest expression Of the "belle Rem
aissance franchise" The latter says Of
Azay -le- Rideau "Carven chimneys and
tail dormer windows covered with imag-
cry rise from roofs; turrets In brackets
Of elegant shape hang with the greatest
lightness from the angles Of the buildings.
The delicacy Of the details constitutes
an enchanting whole" This castle is
filed with fine old furniture of the
Renaissance; and the salamander which
figures in all the decoration Of Francis
I. is In evidence here.
Loches is so much more easily reached
from this route than from Tours that
wo could not let the sun set on this rare
afternoon without fastening to visit its
castle, which contains the oratory Of
Anne Of Brittany and the tomb of Agnes
Sorel LA Belle des Bellies"
This great structure at Loches was
castle of some sort as early as the 9Th CEN
tury and the site of monastery In the
5th century. 1t is almost like q village
in itself, surrounded by walls with dis
mantled gateways. The church Of st.
Ours, with three pyramidal domes, where
Agnes Sorel was first buried, Is near
the entrance. The royal Chateau was at
different times inhabited by Charles
VII, Charles VIII. and Louis XII. and
is now used as Sous-Prefecture. 1t
was the home OF Agnes Sorel where as
maid Of honor to the Countess OF Anjou
she attracted the attention Of Charles
VII, and her influence was his ruling
spirit as long as she lived. She was a
beautiful character and at her death left
large sum to the monks Of Loohes.
Her sarcophagus was afterwards taken
from the church Of st. Ours and placed
in the present chapel in the Chateau.
Little reclining angels sit on either side
of the tomb over which there is a recum-
bent statue of herself. Among other
beautiful things said Of her in long
Latin inscription, are the words Like a
flower In the Spring was the face Of this
woman"
Almost as fascinating as this tomb is
the oratory of Anne Of Brittany In the
Oldest part Of the chateau. 1t is decorat-
ed with the erAine which is part of the
device of her coat Of arms, and with the
festooned cord produces great richness
Of effect.
The Donjon at the other side Of the
enclosure con tains some horrible prisons
and grim towers constructed by Louis
XI. The dungeon In which Ludovico
Sforza was confined for nine years is i'm
printed with inscriptions on the wall as
well as his own portrait. By this em-
ployment he was accustomed to keep
himself busy as an antidote against i'm
pending madness. In one ef the pris-
ons occupied by a certain Bishop there Is
a tiny altar formed of the loosening Of a
stone from the solid wall, accomplished
by his own hands; and In places there
were incisions made by means Of which
he was accustomed to lift himself up In
order to get glimpse of the light Of day
through the prison bars.