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diff --git a/old/14118.txt b/old/14118.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d27f76 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14118.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1205 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Legend of Moulin Huet, by Lizzie A. Freeth + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Legend of Moulin Huet + +Author: Lizzie A. Freeth + +Release Date: November 22, 2004 [eBook #14118] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEGEND OF MOULIN HUET*** + + +E-text prepared by Steven Gibbs and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +LEGEND OF MOULIN HUET + +by + +LIZZIE A. FREETH + +Author Of _The Adventures of Carl Skinflint among the Fairies_ + +Guernsey: Le Lievre, Printer, Star-Office, +10, Bordage Street. + +1872 + + + + + + + + DEDICATED TO + "THE CONWAY BOYS." + + + + + +DEDICATION. + + +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. + +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." + +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. + +Montpelier, Guernsey, 1872. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +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 Huet, 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 Huet, 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 Huet 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. + +So much for the Fairy lore in the Moulin Huet Chronicles; but we must +turn our attention elsewhere to find out whose blood it was that thus +dyed the watercourse of the Moulin Huet Mill. + +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. + +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." + +"All right, Jacques, my boy, but look sharp, as the old man seems +impatient to-night." + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +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. + +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!" + +"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." + +"I tell thee thou _shalt_ 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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +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 _patois_ 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." + +"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." + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +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. + +"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." + +"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"? + +"Well, Father Pierre, I wouldn't like--- + +"Wouldn't like _what_!" 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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Yea, my son, and here is my hand on it." + +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." + +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 _not_ 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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +"So your father is still against me, Marguerite?" + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Halloo! Charlie, where are you, and what have you done with my sister?" + +"Oh! there is Hirzel. How he frightened me," exclaimed Marguerite, who +evidently feared everything to-night. + +"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." + +Hirzel now appeared from the midst of the ferns and gorse, and came up +on the path and joined his sister and Charlie. + +"The fish won't bite to-night, somehow; _they_ 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." + +Hirzel said "Good night" to Charlie, and moved off discreetly, leaving +his sister to follow. + +"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." + +"Well, Charlie, I won't prevent your coming this once, but my heart +sadly misgives me. I hope nothing will happen to you." + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +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! + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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." + +"Father Pierre, thou well know'st I would sooner die a thousand times +than _he_ 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?" + +"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." + +"Yes, Father Pierre, there is; much sometimes." + +"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!" + +"That is all well; the popinjay can't escape us now." + +"Come in, Jacques, and have some breakfast with us; I think I hear +Marguerite busy at it now." + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Very well, Father, I'll go for you; riding is best if I have nothing +to carry." + +"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." + +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. + +"Thou would'st like to work indoors? Why what has come to thee Hirzel?" + +"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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +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! + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"I was getting a little anxious, Charlie, but 'all is well' now that you +have come." + +"Ah, that is right! but how are you to-night, little woman--all the +fancies fled?" + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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 _only_ fancy. Did you see anything of him? + +"I wish--." + + * * * * * + +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. + +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. + +"A pretty night's work this," he said, when he came into the room and +saw his sister lying there. + +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. + +"Oh! Hirzel, what shall I do without Charlie? Stay with me, only you, +and I will tell you all." + +Hearing this her Father left the room, and Hirzel bent down and +whispered to her--- + +"Charlie is alive and well. He told me to tell you this himself." + +"Oh! Hirzel, you are deceiving me. How could he be alive after such a +dreadful fall? It was terrible." + +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." + +"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?" + +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. + +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. + +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 Huet cliffs, carried +there by the mill stream. + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LEGEND OF MOULIN HUET*** + + +******* This file should be named 14118.txt or 14118.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/1/1/14118 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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