diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:43:43 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:43:43 -0700 |
| commit | f76d82e1de166c17247cbe2dc35843f1eb5eeec5 (patch) | |
| tree | f3d2ea6c7c11f4f3da1f765a4d5b6ce1ec59d34c /14118-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '14118-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 14118-h/14118-h.htm | 824 |
1 files changed, 824 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/14118-h/14118-h.htm b/14118-h/14118-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fcd62cc --- /dev/null +++ b/14118-h/14118-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,824 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Legend of Moulin Huet, by Lizzie A. Freeth</title> +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + hr.full { width: 100%; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + pre {font-size: 8pt;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14118 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Legend of Moulin Huet, by Lizzie A. Freeth</h1> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h1>LEGEND OF MOULIN HUET</h1> +<center>BY</center> +<h2>LIZZIE A. FREETH</h2> +<center>AUTHOR OF <i>THE ADVENTURES OF CARL SKINFLINT AMONG THE +FAIRIES</i></center> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<center>DEDICATED TO<br /> +"THE CONWAY BOYS."</center> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<h6><i>Guernsey:</i><br /> +Le Lievre, Printer, Star-Office,<br /> +10, Bordage Street.</h6> + +<h4>1872.</h4> +<p> </p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> +<a href='#DEDICATION'><b>DEDICATION.</b></a><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='DEDICATION' id="DEDICATION"></a> +<h2>DEDICATION.</h2> +<br /> +<p>Though the story contained in the following pages has no +connection with them, yet it is my wish to dedicate this little +work to "The Conway Boys," and all those connected with that most +invaluable institution, "H.M.S. Conway," lying at Rockferry, +Birkenhead.</p> +<p>I have particular reason to speak well of the "Conway," as any +"Boy" may know who may have been on board for the last five or six +years, from the fact that two of my brothers, after passing a +successful career under the careful teaching of the Rev. Henry +O'Brien; L.L.D., Cork, continued to build on the good foundation +laid, and left the "Conway" with credit both to their teachers and +themselves. I shall always have pleasure in meeting with any +"Conway Boy," and hearing of the good old ship to which I wish a +long continuance of her success in preparing Boys creditably for +one of the great sources of our national strength and +wealth—"Our Merchant Navy."</p> +<p>I must just add a word of thanks to my friends in Guernsey and +elsewhere, who so kindly encouraged and supported me when +publishing on a former occasion, and whom I see, by reference to +the subscription list, coming forward again—among some new +friends—with a repetition of their kindness.</p> +<p><i>Montpelier, Guernsey, 1872.</i></p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_I' id="CHAPTER_I"></a> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<br /> +<p>In the year 165–, when Cromwell had gained ascendancy in +England and over the greater portion of the Channel Islands, there +lived in Guernsey, at the Bay of Moulin Huêt, a miller of the +name of Pierre Moullin. Unlike his class generally, he was a very +morose man, hard in his dealings with the poor around him, and +exceedingly unsympathizing in all his domestic relations, as will +appear as our story unwinds itself. Before speaking of the family +surroundings of Pierre Moullin we will glance at the circumstance +which forms the basis of the present tale. Visitors to the Bay of +Moulin Huêt, as well as to other parts of this and the +surrounding Islands, may have observed a crimson appearance on the +rocks, suggesting very sanguinary ideas, but for which, geologists +doubtless, would be able to account in a very satisfactory manner. +Looking at a portion of the original gully through which the water +runs after passing through the mill wheel, we find that this +crimson appearance is very visible, and as our purpose is not to +raise scientific enquiries, we will take one of the fanciful +reasons (of which there are two or three in existence), for this +coloring on by the hand of Nature, which has so abundantly bedecked +Guernsey in general, and Moulin Huêt in particular. Dipping +into the Fairy lore of that part of the island, we find that many +believe that some mischievous Fairies who annoyed the miller much +with their nightly pranks were ground to pieces by the mill wheel +becoming unfastened, and that their blood remains there to this +day, as a warning to all others among the "good people" who might +wish to vent their superfluous mischief in a like manner.</p> +<p>So much for the Fairy lore in the Moulin Huêt Chronicles; +but we must turn our attention elsewhere to find out whose blood it +was that thus dyed the watercourse of the Moulin Huêt +Mill.</p> +<p>At the time of which we are speaking, (the opening of the year +165–) Pierre Moullin and his two children, a son and a +daughter, lived in a house adjoining the mill, in fact, the same +roof covered both mill and house, which were built facing the sea. +The stream of water which turned the wheel was far more powerful +than the present, as the old marks (still partially visible) +denote. Pierre Moullin, like many of his fellow-islanders, was a +strong adherent of Cromwell; his son Hirzel was also,—though +perhaps he did not go quite as far as his father in his hatred of +the Royalist party. He had nevertheless acquaintances among the +Royalist soldiers who were quartered in the strong fortress at +Jerbourg. One in particular he had made a great friend +of—Charlie Heyward. Old Pierre often used to say he knew harm +would come of this friendship, and felt his words were being proved +true when he discovered that an attachment was springing up between +his daughter Marguerite and the young soldier. On becoming aware of +this his rage was unbounded, and he repeatedly said he would be the +death of Charlie if he could manage it. He tried in every way to +bring his son to his way of thinking, but though Hirzel did not +much like the idea of his sister marrying a Royalist soldier, and +besides which another friend and fellow-countryman of his Jacques +Gaultier, was also much attached to the fair Marguerite, and had +long persecuted her with his unwelcome attentions, still Hirzel +would have done anything rather than have injured his friend +Charlie, whom he liked well, though he did not like his principles. +In Jacques Gaultier the old miller saw a ready tool towards gaining +his wicked end of destroying Charlie. The latter did not think +Pierre's hatred reached the extent it did, at the same time he was +still aware there was no chance of his ever gaining the old man's +consent to his marrying Marguerite.</p> +<p>One night Pierre sent his son to bring Jacques Gaultier saying, +he wished to speak to him about taking some flour into the town +next day. Jacques was only too delighted to get any excuse for +going to the mill, and immediately said he would accompany Hirzel +if he "would wait until he got something which he had been making +for Marguerite."</p> +<p>"All right, Jacques, my boy, but look sharp, as the old man +seems impatient to-night."</p> +<p>"Thy tone and way of speaking savour far more of the style of +that base soldiery which our island is burdened with, than the tone +of thy father's son should be," replied Jacques.</p> +<p>"Very well," said Hirzel, "I will promise to mend my ways, but +do be quick, as I promised to walk with my sister at seven, and now +it is nigh on half-past; and she says she needs my counsel much on +a matter."</p> +<p>"Ah! thou art an impatient lad, but it would be worse with me +were I in thy case; long till she'd ask me to walk with her, not I +warrant were I dying for a look at her sweet face."</p> +<p>"Don't be down-hearted, Jacques, how know'st thou but that my +sister may change her mind and look kindly on thee yet; wait till +the Redcoats have gone down to the Castle, and then perhaps thy +fishers' garb may find favour in her sight, but what hast thou got +there? Some woman's trifles, which thou seem'st to understand +better than I have yet learned."</p> +<p>"I made these sore against my will, for I would rather see thy +sister reading some edifying book than passing her time on such +vanities as these are used for, they are bobbins, lad."</p> +<p>"Ha, Ha," laughed Hirzel, "were I to go into the market +to-morrow and say that stern Jacques Gaultier spent his hours +carving out lace bobbins, who would believe me?"</p> +<p>"Don't laugh at me, Hirzel, perhaps one of these fine days thou +wilt do something more foolish: when thy nineteen summers shall +have ripened like mine to thirty thou wilt have different +thoughts."</p> +<p>"Time enough to speak when it comes. Now I love my boat better +than anything else! But how we are wasting this fine evening. My +Father will think we are lost or gone to be soldiers, eh Jacques? +Come along, and we will see what Marguerite thinks of those little +sticks of thine."</p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II' id="CHAPTER_II"></a> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<br /> +<p>On the same evening of which we have been speaking Marguerite +was sitting just outside the door, employed as she generally was in +her leisure time at lace work, of the style which had been so +fashionable during the reign of the late murdered King. How +Marguerite had first learnt this "unedifying work," we know not but +as she used to work for the family of one of the King's officers, +and had seen the ladies do it, she soon with very little +instruction learnt to do it well. Very pretty Marguerite looked +bending over her "lace pillow," weaving sweet thoughts into her +work, if we may judge from the expression of her face which was one +of those that "made one feel good to look at," as Charlie often +said, and indeed it was a good thing for him to take the +remembrance of such a face through his Barrack life, which at least +was a rough one.</p> +<p>Marguerite had not long been enjoying the quiet of her own +society when she heard her Father call her. She immediately obeyed +his summons with that strange feeling at her heart—that +strange foreshadowing of evil—to which we have all been +subject at some time in our lives. "Again at that silly work, girl; +better for thee to get something to do about the house than waste +thy time over that useless finery; I'll warrant me when thou art +Jacques Gaultier's wife he will find thee other work—mending +his nets, mayhap!"</p> +<p>"My dear Father, I will never be Jacques Gaultier'a wife. I have +told him so oft: I doubt if he will ever speak to me on the subject +again; he will not risk hearing rude words from me, I fancy."</p> +<p>"I tell thee thou <i>shalt</i> be Jacques Gaultier's wife, and +that before long; he is coming here to-night, and I will tell him +he can have thee with my full consent. Spite of thy love for red +coats, thou wilt settle down here as a fisher's wife."</p> +<p>"Father, I have promised to marry Charlie and no other, and I +will do so; you used to like him ere 'my Lord Protector Cromwell' +turned the heads, if not gained the hearts, of nearly all but the +loyal soldiery! And now I will never marry any one but Charlie. You +have made me speak thus to you Father; I don't think you ought to +try to make me marry one whom in my heart I despise; and who you +know well is not a good man."</p> +<p>"Ah! that is thy spirit, is it? Well, we'll see; I doubt if thou +wilt find that fine soldier of thine alive much longer; it would be +a good and commendable deed to sweep all such from the face of the +earth."</p> +<p>"Yes, surely, commendable, but only in the eyes of those who +murdered our poor King, Father; but we will speak no more of these +things. You are tired with your day's work, and are not like +yourself to-night. I hear Hirzel's voice, so I will go and meet +him; we are to have a walk this evening, and you can talk quietly +with Jacques, but not a word about me; you know what my thoughts +are now, Father."</p> +<p>Having thus spoken, Marguerite left the house, and after going +through the garden gate, she entered a pretty lane which was +abundantly blessed by Nature with a quantity of ferns and wild +flowers. It was just beginning to grow dusk, and she saw not far +off Jacques Gaultier and her brother. The latter was singing in his +native <i>patois</i> a gay song, much to the horror of Jacques, who +thought it was dreadful to do such a thing. Dropping his usual air +of hypocritical stiffness (adopted by so many to fall in with the +custom of the times), he hastened forward to meet Marguerite, and +with a show of politeness, wonderful for the rough Jacques, raised +his hat and said, "Good evening, Marguerite; it is my fault that +thy brother is late; I kept him while I was getting ready some +bobbins which I have made in the hope that thou wilt take them from +me."</p> +<p>"I thank thee, Jacques Gaultier, but I do not want thy bobbins; +keep them for some other girl: I am teaching many this same work, +and no doubt you will find some one glad to get them. I am going +to-night where I shall get a set made by some one whom I like +better than Jacques Gaultier. My father is waiting, so go to him; +come Hirzel, don't delay me longer."</p> +<p>Jacques moved off muttering to himself, and with a most +murderous look on his dark face. Poor Charlie would have fared +badly had he been in this man's power just now!</p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III' id="CHAPTER_III"></a> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<br /> +<p>We will follow Gaultier into the mill, leaving Marguerite and +her brother to pursue their intention of having a walk, and hear +what old Pierre has to say. On Jacques entering the room he found +the old man in a state of great disquietude—in fact, in a +very great rage. He had by no means recovered his daughter's +assertion that she would never marry anyone but Charles +Heyward.</p> +<p>"Good evening, Jacques, I sent for thee on a matter of great +importance to thyself. I know thou did'st love my girl Marguerite, +and that thou had'st a desire to marry her. Art thou still of that +mind?" Jacques was somewhat surprised both at the old man's manner +and at this opening address, but replied, "Truly I am, but I fear +she will never consent to take me for her husband; she hates me, +and loves that soldier with red cheeks and bold forward air. I wish +he were far from here; but perhaps she would still think of him and +never look on me. Even to-night she had not a civil word for me, +though I stayed at home to make these things for her and lost my +place at market."</p> +<p>"And serve thee right. What business hast thou to encourage the +girl in her vanities? But thou said'st just now thou would'st like +to have that fellow out of this. So would I, and the whole lot of +those lawless soldiers. Can'st thou not think of some means to +catch him"?</p> +<p>"Well, Father Pierre, I wouldn't like—-</p> +<p>"Wouldn't like <i>what</i>!" shouted the old man, "perhaps thou +art afraid of the popinjay in his red coat—eh, thou +chicken-hearted fellow? Thou art not the man I took thee for. I +wonder not at Marguerite speaking as she does."</p> +<p>"Those are hard words and I like them not," replied Jacques +sulkily. He felt the hit contained in Pierre's words all the more +as he was not quite innocent of fear of the red coat. "I was going +to say," he continued, "I wouldn't like Marguerite to know I was +watching for her soldier, as she might warn him and put him on his +guard. Ah! the hateful fellow, I wish I had my hands at his throat +now."</p> +<p>"Gently, gently, my good Jacques," replied the elder hypocrite, +"such language becomes not a follower of our Lord Protector +Cromwell. But let us understand one another. Charlie +Heyward—(the name hath but an ill savour to me)—must be +put out of the way, and Marguerite, like her sex, will doubtless +forget that he ever existed, and marry thee. I wonder where they +meet? It must be somewhere near here, but I cannot find out. Now +that he knows he is unwelcome to me, he comes not in here."</p> +<p>"I will try and find out, Father Pierre, and then we must devise +means for putting him out of the way, as thou seem'st to desire it, +and, mind, my reward is Marguerite, whether she be willing or +not."</p> +<p>"Yea, my son, and here is my hand on it."</p> +<p>After shaking hands over this black bargain, Jacques arose and +said he must go, and wishing old Pierre "Good night," he left the +mill. Turning round when he had gone a few steps from the door, he +clenched his hand and said, "Thou tempt'st me to commit murder, but +I'll take care that thou doest the deed thyself; bad as I am I +could not take Marguerite's hand in mine after such a foul +deed."</p> +<p>It was now getting rather late, but as Jacques had no business +of his own on hand, but rather wished, like so many others to be +about business that was <i>not</i> his, instead of going home he +thought he would go up the cliffs by a path which swept round the +side of the hill till it came to fields that led to the Jerbourg +fortress. On coming to a corner where the path turned up the hill, +he paused to look at the scene before him, which was a lovely one: +the moon was very brilliant, and the light of it made a broad +pathway across the bay—such a pathway as always makes one +wish to walk along in the calm to find a place of rest.</p> +<p>Perhaps the dark rocks which rose with a sort of sullen majesty +straight up from the water side, were more to Jacques' fancy than +the moon path on the water, for he was gazing intently across the +hay at them, while apparently the rest of the beautiful scene was +lost on him. So intent was his gaze at the rocks—on the +summit of which was the Jerbourg fortress—that he did not +observe the presence of two persons who were coming slowly towards +him. Evidently they had not remarked him either, which was not so +much to be wondered at as they were no other than Marguerite and +Charlie!</p> +<p>Suddenly Jacques' attention was drawn to them by a merry laugh +from Marguerite. On looking round and seeing who were there he +ground his teeth in jealous rage and muttered to himself. "Ha! now +I may discover something," and going a few steps round the corner, +he turned himself into some bushes that overhung the path and bent +down his head, prepared to listen to the conversation of the pair +coming along. Ah! Marguerite; Ah, Charlie! how careful you would be +did you know of the presence of that dark-faced Jacques with his +evil designs.</p> +<p>Unconsciously Jacques had placed himself in an excellent +position to hear and see all that was going on, as immediately +beneath the bushes in which he had hidden himself there was a large +block of granite on which the lovers sat down to await Hirzel, who +was coming up from the bay. Little they knew what power they were +putting in the hands of one who would not scruple to use it to the +utmost.</p> +<p>"So your father is still against me, Marguerite?"</p> +<p>"Yes, Charlie; and that dreadful Jacques is persecuting me as +much as ever with his impertinent attentions. Only this evening he +brought me some bobbins which I told him he might take +elsewhere."</p> +<p>"That reminds me I have brought with me those I have been +making; perhaps, though, you prefer those made by our dark friend, +eh! Marguerite?"</p> +<p>"Don't jest about him, Charlie; it frightens me even to think of +him. I am sure he would work you a mischief if he could."</p> +<p>"Ah! Marguerite, don't alarm yourself. The worst mischief he can +work is to bring a shade on your sweet face. All this evening I +have noticed a troubled look in those grey eyes of yours, which +must be banished ere I see you again. You surely do not think I am +frightened at what such a fellow as that can do! But what have I +done with the bobbins? I hope I have not dropped them. Ah! well! I +suppose I did not bring them with me after all, but I promise you +shall have them two nights hence."</p> +<p>"No, Charlie, you must not come near here again for some time, +as I am certain there is danger, and I would far rather wait to see +you until you can come with safety. I feel there is something wrong +going on between my father and Jacques."</p> +<p>"Nonsense, Marguerite; you really must not have these idle +fancies. I shall come over in the evening after dark. You come up +this path, and show the light of a lantern three times if all is +well. Then I will start from our barracks, and come as quickly +round the cliffs as I can. You return to the mill, and go to the +granary; I will climb up the mill wheel. If I remember rightly, the +granary window is just over the wheel. Then I shall be able to +speak to you for a few minutes, and bring the precious little +bobbins."</p> +<p>"Halloo! Charlie, where are you, and what have you done with my +sister?"</p> +<p>"Oh! there is Hirzel. How he frightened me," exclaimed +Marguerite, who evidently feared everything to-night.</p> +<p>"She is all right, old fellow. Come along, you are just in time +to take her home; I must be off, or black hole for me."</p> +<p>Hirzel now appeared from the midst of the ferns and gorse, and +came up on the path and joined his sister and Charlie.</p> +<p>"The fish won't bite to-night, somehow; <i>they</i> are not so +easily caught by a dazzling bait as some other things I could +mention. Ha! Marguerite, you seem to take it to yourself. Well, +perhaps I mean you, and perhaps I don't; but come along, Father +will think you are lost."</p> +<p>Hirzel said "Good night" to Charlie, and moved off discreetly, +leaving his sister to follow.</p> +<p>"Don't forget Wednesday night, Marguerite; I shall look for your +signal about eight, and if all's well, I'll be round by nine. I +will get leave to stay out later than usual that night."</p> +<p>"Well, Charlie, I won't prevent your coming this once, but my +heart sadly misgives me. I hope nothing will happen to you."</p> +<p>"Don't be foolish, Marguerite, but run away after your brother; +he is looking impatient, and you know this is nicer for me than for +him! He is a brave good lad, worthy of having such a sister as he +has. Good bye till Wednesday. Mind, don't forget the signal. Good +night, Hirzel."</p> +<p>"Well! time you said it old fellow," shouted Hirzel, "I have +knocked about all the stones in the neighbourhood with my stick, so +was beginning to be at a loss for employment. Come quickly. +Marguerite."</p> +<p>On the way home Marguerite told her brother how Charlie was to +come and see her on Wednesday, and they arranged that Hirzel should +stop about the house so fearful of some violence occurring was +Marguerite.</p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV' id="CHAPTER_IV"></a> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<br /> +<p>When Hirzel and his sister were out of sight, Jacques got down +from his hiding place and walked after them with the intention of +telling old Pierre what he had heard, and also to reveal to him a +plan which had suggested itself to his evil mind for destroying the +young soldier when he came to visit Marguerite on the following +Wednesday evening. Jacques changed his mind about going in when he +came near the mill. He saw through the open door Pierre talking +with his children; he thought he should not be able to see the old +man alone that night, and besides, he had a feeling which kept him +back from entering Marguerite's presence when he was plotting +against her happiness in such a deadly manner. So Gaultier turned +his steps homeward, revolving in his mind the plan he had laid out +which was briefly this. The mill wheel was secured by a rope which +passed round the corner of the house and into a room behind the +granary, where it was fastened to a rafter. Now Gaultier thought +that when Charlie was standing on the wheel, if he could get old +Pierre to unfasten the rope, the sudden starting round of the wheel +would precipiate Charlie into the stream below, where he must +inevitably be dashed to pieces. Well thought of, Jacques Gaultier; +but it is a pity thy ingenuity had not been turned to better +account!</p> +<p>Jacques spent a most restless night, for the awfulness of the +crime which he was meditating presented itself unceasingly to his +mind; but, on the other hand, he pictured to himself Marguerite +Charlie's wife, therefore lost to him. Not only did he hate Charlie +on this score, but political feeling, as well as the frank pleasant +manner of the young soldier, assisted in making Jacques look hardly +on him. He could'nt but remark the different manner in which he was +treated. People rather avoided than courted the society of "Dark +Jacques Gaultier," as he was called by the boys round his +neighbourhood, with the disagreeable honesty of "small boy" +youth.</p> +<p>Jacques was one of those unhappy beings who live with their +blinds down and windows shut, morally speaking; and yet who wonder +that they don't get the bright light and pure air into their minds, +which cause some of their brethren to be such refreshing bits in +the way through life. One of these was Charlie: he went happily +through life, carrying sunshine with him wherever he went: he felt +sorry for Jacques, and would willingly have been friends with him, +but in their relative positions this was impossible. All his +overtures were received with decided rudeness on the part of +Jacques, when they received any notice at all, so Charlie gave up, +and took the situation as inevitable. When morning came Jacques +rose very early and went down to the mill. He judged the early +morning to be the best time to see the old man by himself. In this +he was correct, for when he got there he found Pierre was the only +one down. He was standing in the little garden in the front of the +house. After they had exchanged the customary greetings of the +place, the old miller asked Jacques "what had brought him out so +early."</p> +<p>The latter told him all he had overheard the preceding evening, +and then he unfolded his plan, for Charlie's destruction, but tried +to impress on the old man that he had better loosen the rope +himself.</p> +<p>This Pierre would not listen to; said his courage might fail +him; then pleaded his age, failing strength, and many other things; +finally, he said, he would not do it, adding, "One would think I +wanted the girl for my wife; no, do thy own business unless thou +art very anxious to give Marguerite to this fine soldier. I warrant +me that will be the end of it."</p> +<p>"Father Pierre, thou well know'st I would sooner die a thousand +times than <i>he</i> should have her, so I will do the thing +myself; but how shall I give reason for my presence here? +Marguerite, for days, even weeks past, has been looking at me with +suspicion in her eyes, as though she divined my thoughts towards +that lover of hers?"</p> +<p>"Leave all to me. Can I not have whom I like in my own house? I +see that though thou may'st not dread other things, thou art well +frightened at a woman's looks. Well, well, there's something in +that, too."</p> +<p>"Yes, Father Pierre, there is; much sometimes."</p> +<p>"But leave looks to mind themselves now, and I will show you +what to do, and where to go. You can well be in the room behind the +granary, as one or two of the rafters need mending. Let Marguerite +see you leave your work and start for home; then when she goes to +show her light say 'All is well,' thou can'st come back and be +ready for the bird with his bright plumage. Ha! he would go +elsewhere and pipe his song, did he know the manner in which we are +preparing his perch!"</p> +<p>"That is all well; the popinjay can't escape us now."</p> +<p>"Come in, Jacques, and have some breakfast with us; I think I +hear Marguerite busy at it now."</p> +<p>"Marguerite will not have a welcome for me, I know; but as she +is to be my wife, she may as well get used to my presence now."</p> +<p>When they entered Marguerite turned round wondering who could be +with her Father at such an early hour. On seeing who it was, her +face clouded, and she immediately experienced that same feeling of +fear come over her as she always had of late when she saw her +Father and Jacques Gaultier together. She said "good morning" to +them, and then resumed the preparation for the morning meal. +Jacques' dark eyes followed her all about the room; doubtless he +was thinking of the time when she would be performing the same +duties under his roof, while she—Well, we will not penetrate +into her thoughts; no doubt she would prefer keeping them to +herself, so we will let her, in the certainty that the train of +thought was very different to that of Jacques Gaultier.</p> +<p>Hirzel now appeared, announcing that he was ready to eat up all, +his sister included. Breakfast being ready, they all drew their +chairs near the table, Marguerite begging Hirzel to come and sit +near her, as she wanted to speak to him. The boy saw that she +wished to keep Gaultier off, and with his usual teasing way, he +made signs behind that worthy's back to the effect that his sister +ought to ask him to sit by her. However, when Hirzel saw that his +sister looked really troubled, he came immediately like a good +brother and did what his sister wished. All this was not lost on +that wretched Jacques, who between present circumstances, and his +own thoughts of what must come before he gained Marguerite, had by +no means an enviable position.</p> +<p>During the repast Pierre informed Hirzel that on the afternoon +of the following day he had a particular message to send him on, as +it was one some way off, he might take the cart or ride if he +preferred it.</p> +<p>"Very well, Father, I'll go for you; riding is best if I have +nothing to carry."</p> +<p>"And thou, Jacques," said old Pierre, "will come after thy +fishing is past and mend the rafters I told thee of in the room +behind the granary." "But Father," said Hirzel, "why not let me do +that work for you? I would like to, and ride for this message the +day after."</p> +<p>Hirzel said this, because he remembered his sister's arrangement +with Charlie, and he knew that she particularly wished him to be at +home, especially now that there was some chance of Jacques being +about.</p> +<p>"Thou would'st like to work indoors? Why what has come to thee +Hirzel?"</p> +<p>"You had better do what Father wishes Hirzel," said Marguerite. +She saw her brother was troubled as to what was best to be done; +also, she was very much afraid lest he should say something to +betray matters. So she thought she would settle it quietly, +especially when she remembered that Charlie would not come until +she had shown the light, which she firmly resolved should not be +shown until Jacques was well out of the place.</p> +<p>Breakfast being over, Jacques took his leave, and the others +dispersed to their various occupations—each of the four with +very different thoughts and hopes as to what the morrow might bring +forth, but at present, like all the rest of mankind, their first +business was to get through "to-day" as well as they could.</p> +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V' id="CHAPTER_V"></a> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<br /> +<p>The morning following the events recorded in the last chapter +was ushered in with bright sunshine, and everything pleasant, so +far as outward appearances went, in and out of the mill, though +some hearts were restless or uneasy as to how it would be when the +sun rose to run his accustomed course the next morning. Charlie was +perhaps the happiest of all those whose fortunes we are now +following. He had but slight clouds to dim his horizon; at least +his horizon as seen by his own eyes. He went cheerfully and gladly +through his duties that morning, and never did he more fully merit +the name of "Happy Charlie" bestowed on him by his comrades in the +gallant 22nd than he did on the morning in question. The truth was +he was beginning to tire of old Pierre Moullin's determined refusal +to have anything to say to him in the character of son-in-law. He +had made up his mind (and being of a hopeful nature, considered +more than half the battle was fought in consequence), that come +what might, he would prevail on Marguerite to marry him at once, +and trust to gain her Father's forgiveness when the deed was done +beyond recall. And so our friend Charlie whistled and sang through +this day, building all sorts of pleasant castles about his future +life, little thinking what a train was being laid, to which, if the +match were applied, he and his castles would be blown up in a more +sanguinary, if not more decisive manner, than these airy +fabrications generally have to yield to!</p> +<p>Hirzel had been detained on various pretexts by his Father; in +consequence he was rather late in starting for this important +business on which he was to be despatched. From the time he managed +to get off, it was not at all likely that he could be back before +10 o'clock. Marguerite's heart quite misgave her when she heard +this, but as time moved on, and it came to half-past 7, she was +re-assured to find that Jacques Gaultier was putting away his +tools, and finally left the house, saying that he had "work for +himself at home, but would return the following morning to finish +repairing those rafters that had so suddenly got out of +repair."</p> +<p>Matters seemed better still when her Father said he did not feel +at all himself that night, and that he thought he would go off to +bed. Marguerite wished him "Good night;" and at 8 o'clock found +herself alone and mistress of her own actions. She might now have +brought Charlie into the house, but that she remembered her +Father's prohibition of such a thing; and at least she thought it +best and fittest to leave him master in his own house, at the same +time reserving to herself liberty to control her own actions. This +was fair enough.</p> +<p>At about 8 o'clock, as agreed on, Marguerite took her little +lantern, and going round the path to where they had been standing +two evenings before, she flashed the light three times trusting +that Charlie would be able to see it. Meanwhile Jacques had come +out from one of the mill sheds, where he had been concealed, and +went quickly up to the room behind the granary, only pausing on his +way to tell old Pierre that he was there.</p> +<p>We will leave him waiting for his prey, with a dark sardonic +smile on his ill-favoured countenance, and return to Marguerite, +who is waiting in the granary for her lover, confident that "all is +well," and having no thoughts but pleasant ones concerning the +coming meeting. Even the remembrance of Hirzel's absence brings no +disquietude with it. Her thoughts shape themselves into a blessing +when her brother's bright manly face comes before her, and then she +bends all her attention to listen for Charlie's approach.</p> +<p>She had been waiting for rather more than an hour, when she +heard her name called softly; then up Charlie scrambled, and when +standing on the wheel his head comes just half way up the +window.</p> +<p>"Well, here I am, Marguerite; I hope you were not alarmed at the +time I have taken, but I was on duty when I saw your signal, and it +was some little time before I could get away."</p> +<p>"I was getting a little anxious, Charlie, but 'all is well' now +that you have come."</p> +<p>"Ah, that is right! but how are you to-night, little +woman—all the fancies fled?"</p> +<p>"Almost Charlie, but still not quite; you will think me very +foolish, I know, but everything was so beautifully arranged for my +seeing you easily to-night that I can't help thinking that some one +else has been arranging too for some purpose of his own."</p> +<p>"Come, come, you little croaker, try and put such thoughts out +of your pretty head, and remember I 'deserve the fair' after having +been so 'brave' as to mount this rickety wheel, but I wish you +would take this parcel from me; the bobbins are in it, which I have +perilled my life to bring! I hope you see my devotion clearly, +eh?"</p> +<p>"I do, indeed, Charlie, and now I shall work all the better and +be more in earnest; I don't mean you to have all the work on your +shoulders when we marry; I know I shall be able to get sale for my +lace amongst the beautiful ladies you tell me of in England."</p> +<p>"Ah, Marguerite, that is just what I wanted to speak to you +about; I suppose your Father still wishes you to marry that rascal +Gaultier? By the way, I believe he or some one very like him was +sneaking round the cliffs on Monday night. After I left you, I +fancied I saw him; it might be <i>only</i> fancy. Did you see +anything of him?</p> +<p>"I wish—."</p> +<hr /> +<p>Alas! poor Charlie! Will you speak again to finish that sentence +and tell what you wish? For suddenly the mill wheel has turned +round with a tremendous crash, and the brave young soldier has been +hurled down! And Marguerite, what of her? With one agonized cry she +rushed to the door intending to run outside to see if anything +could be done for Charlie, when she came face to face with Jacques +Gaultier! In an instant it all flashed on her that he must have +wrought this terrible work, and, overcome by grief and horror, she +sank down in a deadly faint. Bad man as he was, Jacques was really +overcome at the consequences of his act, for he thought he had also +killed Marguerite. He called loudly to her Father, who came up +hurriedly. He was also seriously alarmed when his gaze rested on +his child lying like one dead on the floor. Between them they +carried her downstairs and laid her on her bed. They applied such +restoratives as suggested themselves, but as everything was for +sometime quite unavailing, a more miserable pair it would have been +difficult to discover.</p> +<p>Hirzel now came in. He was running upstairs to the granary when +his Father called him in to see if he could do anything for his +poor sister.</p> +<p>"A pretty night's work this," he said, when he came into the +room and saw his sister lying there.</p> +<p>At this moment she opened her eyes, and he went close to her and +raised her in his arms. With an expression of deep thankfulness, +Marguerite's first words were to send that murderer, Jacques +Gaultier, away out of her sight. Hirzel ordered him to leave the +room, with more fierceness in his tone than anyone had heard there +before.</p> +<p>"Oh! Hirzel, what shall I do without Charlie? Stay with me, only +you, and I will tell you all."</p> +<p>Hearing this her Father left the room, and Hirzel bent down and +whispered to her—-</p> +<p>"Charlie is alive and well. He told me to tell you this +himself."</p> +<p>"Oh! Hirzel, you are deceiving me. How could he be alive after +such a dreadful fall? It was terrible."</p> +<p>Here Marguerite's fortitude gave way, and she indulged in a +flood of tears, while Hirzel looked at her with the masculine +helplessness usual on such occasions, and indeed it seemed to cost +the fine tender-hearted fellow an effort to keep from joining in +them too. At last he said, "Well Marguerite, if you don't stop, +I'll go off, and tell Charlie you only cried after you heard he was +alive and well."</p> +<p>"Ah! Hirzel, is that not the way with our sex. Sometimes, to cry +over the best and happiest times while the worst is bravely +borne?"</p> +<p>Hirzel then told Marguerite how he had met Charlie just outside +at the foot of the lane, considerably bruised and knocked about, +though without any internal injuries. How he escaped was nothing +short of a miracle, one of those things which occasionally happen, +perhaps, to show what can be done when there is the will to do +it.</p> +<p>There was an iron loop which projected about a foot from the +walls, this Charlie made a spring at after the manner of a gymnast; +he caught it, and although it came away in his grasp, yet it broke +his fall, and what was of more importance, changed the direction of +his course to the brickwork alongside the wheel, instead of the +water under it. Once on the brickwork he jumped down into the +garden, and went out into the lane, where he met Hirzel.</p> +<p>Charlie did not for a moment suspect that there was anything but +pure accident in what had happened, and as he met Hirzel just at +that moment he judged it wisest not to return near the house in +case he should get Marguerite into trouble; but after telling +Hirzel to assure his sister that he was safe, he set off to the +fortress, little thinking he was supposed to be lying dead at the +foot of the Moulin Huêt cliffs, carried there by the mill +stream.</p> +<p>Marguerite now told to her brother, her suspicions of how all +had happened. He wished to go immediately and tax Jacques with the +crime; but, in deference to his sister's wishes, remained where he +was. The noise of the mill wheel turning round suddenly ceased, and +on Hirzel's going up to ascertain the cause, he found his Father +tying up the rope in the room behind the granary. This rope passed +out of a small round hole in the wall of this room, and round the +corner of the house where it was attached to the wheel. The window +through which Charlie and Marguerite had been talking was rather a +large one, but had some iron bars across which had prevented +Marguerite leaning out to see what had become of Charlie. This +perhaps was as well, for at best his descent would have been +extremely trying to look at.</p> +<p>The next morning did not bring Jacques to finish his work, but +in the evening he appeared, after vainly trying to induce +Marguerite to speak to him, which naturally she was very loath to +do, went and commenced his work, which he went steadily on with, +though he was very much fatigued by having no rest the preceding +night, and now had been out fishing all day. He sat down to rest +for a few minutes when he fell asleep. After dark old Pierre came +round to lock all the doors, as was his nightly custom. Looking in +and not seeing Jacques he supposed he had gone and locked that door +also. Pierre then went to rest himself, and all were buried in +slumber, with the exception of Hirzel, who had gone over to +Jerbourg to acquaint Charlie with all that had happened. About 9 +o'clock, as Charlie and Hirzel were coming out of the barracks, +they saw flames rising in the direction of the mill. It was but the +work of a moment for Charlie to run back and get leave for some of +his comrades to come with him, and off they set for the mill. On +arriving there they found their surmises correct: both house and +mill were enveloped in flames. Marguerite and her Father were +safely out, but the latter was in a dreadful state of misery at +seeing all his property go like this. Charlie went up to him after +he had spoken to Marguerite, and said he would try and save the +wheel for future murders. Seeing Charlie, whom he fully thought to +be dead, and hearing these words, the old man shrank back with +horror. He fell on his knees and begged Charlie to forgive him, +adding that it was not he who had done it, but Jacques. Charlie +raised the old man, saying all should be forgiven and forgotten on +one condition. That condition we need hardly state was permission +to marry Marguerite without further trouble. Until Pierre had said +so Charlie, had no idea that he knew any thing of his intended +destruction. It saddened him very much and made him very sorry for +the old man; however, he had other things to think of, so he set +all the other soldiers to hand up water from the mill stream, which +was now running for some little time. Suddenly a shout from one of +the soldiers called Charlie's attention, and on going to see what +it was, he found him dragging a body out of the mill stream. With +some difficulty he recognized Jacques Gaultier, as it was rather +dark just there. Jacques revived a little, and told Charlie how on +waking he had found the room full of smoke, and finding the door +locked he broke it down, but the door of the granary resisted all +his efforts, so he put all his strength towards tearing the bars +from the window. He succeeded in this and got out on the wheel, but +directly he tried to get down the rope—which doubtless had +been much charred by the flames—gave way, and down he went. +He had seen from the window, Charlie and his comrades coming, and +this endued him with further strength, but all to no purpose. He +implored Charlie's forgiveness, and turning over with a groan he +died.</p> +<p>Little now remains to be told. Owing to the exertions of the +soldiers some of the machinery was saved, but the old man never +made any use of it; he had too great a horror of anything like a +mill after his past experiences. Charlie and Marguerite were soon +married. They lived at Castle Cornet for some time, and after the +restoration went with the Regiment to England, where Marguerite +could display her loyalty undisturbed. Hirzel remained heart-whole +to the last we hear of him, and after his Father's death went and +lived with his sister in England, to see for himself some of the +wonders which Charlie had described to him in his own little Island +home.</p> + +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14118 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |