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diff --git a/14501-0.txt b/14501-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f117d41 --- /dev/null +++ b/14501-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1958 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14501 *** + +THE FOREST OF VAZON + +_A GUERNSEY LEGEND OF THE EIGHTH CENTURY_. + +London: +HARRISON & SONS, 59, PALL MALL +Booksellers to the Queen and H.R.H the Prince of Wales +1889. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Nothing authentic is known of the history of Guernsey previously to its +annexation to the Duchy of Normandy in the tenth century. The only +sources of information as to events which may have occurred before that +date are references in monkish chronicles of the usual semi-mythical +type, and indications conveyed by cromlechs and menhirs, fragments of +Celtic instruments and pottery, and a few Roman relics. It is +unfortunate that we are thus precluded from acquiring any knowledge of +the development of a people as to whom the soundest among conflicting +conjectures seems to be that, coming originally from Brittany, they +preserved the purity of the Celtic race through periods when in other +offshoots of the same stock its characteristics were being obliterated +by the processes of crossing and absorption. + +If early local records had existed they would hardly have failed to +have given minute details of the convulsion of nature which resulted in +the destruction by the sea of the forest lands on the northern and +western sides of the island, and in the separation of tracts of +considerable magnitude from the mainland. Geologists are agreed in +assigning to this event the date of March, 709, when great inundations +occurred in the Bay of Avranches on the French coast; they are not +equally unanimous as to the cause, but science now rejects the theory of +a raising of the sea-level and that of a general subsidence of the +island. The most reasonable explanation appears to be that the +overpowering force of a tidal wave suddenly swept away barriers whose +resistance had been for ages surely though imperceptibly diminishing, +and that the districts thus left unprotected proved to be below the +sea-level--owing, as regards the forests, to gradual subsidence easily +explicable in the case of undrained, swampy soil; and, as regards the +rocks, to the fact that the newly exposed surface consisted of +accumulations of already disintegrated deposits. + +It is unquestionable that before the inroad of the sea the inlet in the +south-west of the island known as Rocquaine Bay was enclosed by two +arms, the northern of which terminated in the point of Lihou; on which +still stand the ruins of an old priory, while the southern ended in the +Hanois rocks, on which a lighthouse has been erected. Lihou is at +present an island, accessible only at low water by a narrow causeway; +the Hanois is entirely cut off from the shore, but it is a noteworthy +fact that the signs of old cart-ruts are visible at spring tides, and +that an iron hook was recently discovered attached to a submerged rock +which had apparently served as a gatepost; besides these proofs of the +existence of roads now lying under the waves, it is said that an old +order for the repair of Hanois roads is still extant. That Vazon and the +Braye du Valle were the sites of forests is indisputable, though the +former is now a sandy bay into which the Atlantic flows without +hindrance, and the latter, reclaimed within the present century by an +enterprising governor, formed for centuries a channel of the sea by +which the Clos du Valle, on which the Vale Church stands, was separated +from the mainland. A stratum of peat extends over the whole arm of the +Braye, while as regards Vazon there is the remarkable evidence of an +occurrence which took place in December, 1847. A strong westerly gale, +blowing into the bay concurrently with a low spring tide, broke up the +bed of peat and wood underlying the sand and gravel, and lifted it up +like an ice-floe; it was then carried landwards by the force of the +waves. The inhabitants flocked to the spot, and the phenomenon was +carefully inspected by scientific observers. Trunks of full-sized trees +were seen, accompanied by meadow plants and roots of rushes and weeds, +surrounded by those of grasses and mosses; the perfect state of the +trees showed that they had been long buried under the sand. Some of the +trees and boughs were at first mistaken for wreckage, but the fishermen +soon discovered their error and loaded their carts with the treasure +locally known as "gorban." Subsequent researches have shown that acorns +and hazel-nuts, teeth of horses and hogs, also pottery and instruments +of the same character as those found in the cromlechs, exist among the +Vazon peat deposits. There is therefore abundant evidence that the +legends relating to the former inhabitants of the forest are based on +traditions resting on an historical foundation. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I.--TRADITION + + CHAPTER II.--SUPERSTITION + + CHAPTER III.--DEVOTION + + CHAPTER IV.--REVELATION + + CHAPTER V.--AFFLICTION + + CHAPTER VI.--CONSOLATION + + CHAPTER VII.--ANNIHILATION + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +TRADITION. + + "What can he tell that treads thy shore? + No legend of thine olden time, + No theme on which the mind might soar + High as thine own in days of yore." + + _The Giaour_.--BYRON + + +In the beginning of the eighth century Guernsey was a favoured spot. +Around, over the Continent and the British Isles, had swept successive +conquests with their grim train of sufferings for the conquered; but +these storm-clouds had not burst over the island. The shocks which +preceded the fall of the Roman Empire had not been felt, nor had the +throes which inaugurated the birth of Frankish rule in Gaul and Saxon +supremacy in Britain, disturbed the prevailing tranquillity. Occasional +descents of pirates, Northmen from Scandinavian homes or Southmen from +the Iberian peninsula, had hitherto had a beneficial effect by keeping +alive the martial spirit and the vigilance necessary for self-defence. +In the third century three Roman ships had been driven on shore and +lost; the legionaries who escaped had established themselves in the +island, having indeed for the moment no alternative. When their +commander succeeded in communicating with Gaul he suggested a permanent +occupation, being secretly influenced by tales of mineral wealth to +which he had lent an ear. Disillusioned and recalled, he was followed by +a sybarite, whose palate was tickled by banquets of fish of which he +wrote in raptures to his friends at Capri and Brindisi. This excellent +man, dying of apoplexy in his bath, was replaced by a rough soldier, who +lost no time in procuring the evacuation of a post where he saw with a +glance that troops were uselessly locked up. From this time nothing had +been heard of the Romans; their occupation had lasted forty years, and +in another forty the only physical traces of it remaining were a camp at +Jerbourg, the nearly obliterated tessellated pavement and fragments of +wall belonging to the sybarite's villa, which occupied the site in the +King's Mills Valley where the Moulin de Haut now stands, the pond in +the Grand Mare in which the voluptuary had reared the carp over which, +dressed with sauces the secret of which died with him, he dwelt lovingly +when stretched on his triclinium, and the basins at Port Grat in which +he stored his treasured mullet and succulent oysters. The islanders were +of one mind in speeding the parting guests, but the generation which saw +them go were better men than their fathers who had trembled at the +landing of the iron-thewed demi-gods. Compelled to work as slaves, they +had learnt much from their masters; a knowledge of agriculture and of +the cultivation of the grape, the substitution of good weapons and +implements of husbandry for those of their Celtic ancestors, improved +dwellings, and some insight into military discipline,--these were +substantial benefits which raised them in some respects above their +Continental and British neighbours, among whom patriotism had, on the +disappearance of the civilization of the Romans, revived the more +congenial barbarism. Arrivals among them of Christian monks, scanty at +first, more frequent since the landing of S. Augustine in Britain, had +also had a certain effect. The progress of conversion was, however, +slow; the people were bigoted, and the good fathers were compelled, as +in Brittany, to content themselves with a few genuine converts, wisely +endeavouring rather to leaven the mass by grafting Christian truths on +the old superstitions than to court certain defeat, possible expulsion +or massacre, by striving to overthrow at once all the symbols of +heathenism. + +The island was larger in extent than it is at present, as, in addition +to the Vale district, the islet of Lihou, Vazon Bay, and the rock group +known as the Hanois formed part of it. It is with the events that +altered this configuration that the following legend deals. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +SUPERSTITION. + + "Awestruck, the much-admiring crowd + Before the virgin vision bowed, + Gaz'd with an ever-new delight, + And caught fresh virtues at the sight." + + EDWARD MOORÉ'S _Fables_. + + +On the 24th of June, in the year 708, merry crowds were thronging to +Vazon Forest. It was a lovely spot. The other portions of the island +were bare and somewhat rugged; here the humidity of the soil favoured +the growth of fine, vigorous timber. On the low ground flourished oak +and sycamore, torn and bent near the shore where the trees met the force +of the Atlantic gales, growing freely and with rich verdure where better +protected. On the higher slopes were massed beech, birch, and the sweet +chestnut which was even then domesticated in the island. Glades, +bursting with a wealth of flowers nurtured by the mildness of the +climate, penetrated the wood in every direction; streams bubbling up +from springs, and forming little cascades where their course was checked +by granite boulders, lent an additional charm. Towards the centre of the +forest these streams united to form a lake, or rather a natural moat, +surrounding an island in the midst of which stood a gigantic oak. This +was the only tree on the island; round it, at even distances, were +placed twelve stones, beyond which a meadow glittering with varied hues +extended to the surrounding water. + +It was to this island that the holiday-makers were wending their way: +young men and maidens, and such elders as had vigour enough to traverse +the rough tracks leading from the interior. They were a small race, +lithe and active, with strong black hair and dark eyes now twinkling +with merriment They poured over the wooden bridges into the precincts of +the towering oak, under which the elders seated themselves with the +musicians, the younger people streaming off to the clear ground between +the stones and the water. + +When all were assembled the music struck up at a signal from an elder. +The instruments were akin to the goat-skin pipes of Lower Brittany; the +music wild, weird, appealing to the passion if not melodious to the ear. +At any rate the effect was inspiriting. First, the men danced, the +maidens seating themselves round the dancers and chanting the following +words, to the rhythm of which they swayed their bodies gracefully:-- + + "Mille Sarrazins, mille Sarmates, + Un jour nous avons tués. + Mille, mille, mille, mille, mille Perses, + Nous cherchons à present." + +The dance, footed to this truculent chant, had no warlike features; +beginning with a march, or rather a tripping walk, it ended with feats +in which each dancer defied his neighbour to out-spring him; nor did the +vocalists appear to expect representations of strife and doughty deeds. +The words, Roman by origin, as is clear from the allusion to the +Persians, had been adapted to a native air by the conquerors, and had +been left by them as a legacy to the islanders. Next, the maidens trod a +measure, the men standing round and applauding; the dance was quiet and +soft, consisting principally of graceful movements of the body as if the +dancers were getting themselves into training for greater efforts; in +this case the dancers themselves chanted words suitable to the music. +This ended, there was a pause before the principal business of the day +began, the dance in which both sexes joined, to be followed by the +bestowal of a wreath on the loveliest of the maidens. + +During the pause it was evident that an unusual incident had occurred. +The best-looking of the girls were pouting, the attention of the youths +was distracted. During the latter part of the dance the applause had +been intermittent; towards the close it had almost ceased. The elders, +looking about under their shaggy eyebrows, had not been long in +discovering the cause, and when they had found it allowed their +attention to wander also. + +The disturbing element was, indeed, not far to seek. Close to one of the +bridges was seated a maiden, unknown to all of them, but lovely enough +to hold the glance of old and young. Unlike the natives she was tall and +fair; masses of golden hair encircled her oval face and clustered over +her blue eyes. Who was she? Whence came she? None could answer. By +degrees some of the boldest of the youths approached, but their bluff +manners seemed to displease her; though unaccustomed to rebuffs they +retired. One, however, among them fared differently. Jean Letocq, a +member of the family to which the hero belonged who near this very spot +discovered the sleeping troops of the Grand Sarrazin, was admired and +beloved both by youths and maidens. First in every sport, having shown +courage and resource in times of peril both by sea and land, tender of +glance and gentle of tongue, he held a pre-eminence which none disputed, +and which was above the reach of envy. The fair stranger, from his first +glance at her, had fascinated, enthralled him: his eyes fastened +greedily on her every movement; he noted well her reception of those who +had addressed her, and when he approached he came, bare-headed, with a +low obeisance and a deferential air. He seated himself by her in +silence, after murmuring a few words of welcome to the feast, to which +she made no answer. Presently he spoke again, softly and courteously; +she replied without constraint, speaking his own language fluently, +though with a foreign accent. The ice once broken their talk rippled on, +as is the wont of light words, brightly uttered. Jean drank in each +gentle phrase, watched every graceful gesture; his heart bounded when +she carelessly smiled. But he lost not his daring: when the musicians +again struck up he boldly asked her to join in the dance. + +She was not offended, her look showed no displeasure, but she refused; +he renewed his request; suddenly a change came over her face, she looked +rapidly round as though searching for some one who was not present, a +flash came into her eyes, she sprang to her feet. "Why should I not +dance!" she said; "they are merry, why should I alone be sad!" She let +him lead her into the ring. If she had been enchanting when seated, what +was her power when she moved! She was a model of grace and loveliness; +the contrast of her colouring to that of her neighbours inspired the +superstitious with some terror, but made the braver spirits gaze more +curiously, indifferent to the half-concealed anger and affected disdain +of their partners. Every moment she gained more hearts, though she let +her eyes rest only on those of Jean. After the dance was over she seated +herself in her former position; the women then, according to custom, +retired outside the stone circle, while the men clustered round the oak +to award the prize. The ceremony had up to this day been looked on as a +pure formality: for the last two summers the wreath had been by common +consent placed on the brows of Suzanne Falla, and none who woke that +morning had doubted that it would rest there again before night. But now +the men's heads were turned; there was commotion both outside and inside +the circle; then a hush, as the old men rose in their places and the +young men formed a lane to the tree. Jean stepped out, and taking the +stranger by the hand, led her to where a white-haired veteran stood with +the wreath in his hand. The next moment it was placed on her brows, and +then all voices burst into a song of triumph, which rang to the remotest +glades of the forest. Suzanne did not join in the song; her little heart +was breaking; all the passion of her hot nature was roused; she felt +herself unfairly, unjustly, treated; insulted on the very day that was +to have crowned her pride. She could not control herself, nor could she +accept her defeat: she stamped her foot on the ground, and poured out a +torrent of objurgation, accusing Jean of treachery, demanding to know +whence he had produced her rival, appealing to the elders to revise the +judgment. Then, suddenly ceasing, as she saw by the looks of those +around her that while in some her fate created pity, in others it gave +rise to amusement, in many to the pleasure which poor human nature felt +then as now in a friend's misfortune, her mood altered: she turned and, +rapidly leaving the crowd, crossed one of the bridges. Hastening her +steps, but not watching them, she tripped over the straggling root of a +yew, and fell, her temple striking a sharp boulder, one of many cropping +up in the forest. Poor girl! in one moment passion and pride had flown; +she lay senseless, blood streaming from the wound. + +A quick revulsion of feeling swept through the impressionable people. +Her departure had been watched, the fall observed, and the serious +nature of the accident was soon known; all hurried to the spot where she +lay, full of sympathy and distress. Jean, perhaps not altogether +unremorseful, was among the first to proffer aid; the stranger, left +alone, took off the wreath and placed it on one of the stones of the +circle, by which she stood contemplating the scene. + +The blow, struck deep into the temple, was beyond any ordinary means of +cure; life indeed seemed to be ebbing away. "Send for Marie!" the cry +sprang from many mouths: "send for Marie the wise woman! she alone can +save her!" Three or four youths ran hastily off. + +"Wish ye for Marie Torode's body or her spirit?" said a harsh female +voice; "her body ye can have! but what avail closed eyes and rigid +limbs? Her spirit, tossed by the whirling death-blast, is beyond your +reach!" + +The speaker, on whom all eyes turned, was an aged woman of unusual +height; her snow-white hair was confined by a metal circlet, her eyes +were keen and searching, her gestures imperious; her dress was simple +and would have been rude but for the quaintly ornamented silver girdle +that bound her waist, and the massive bracelets on her arms. Like the +girl she was seen for the first time; her almost supernatural appearance +inspired wonder and awe. She bent over the prostrate form: "Marie said +with her last breath," she muttered to herself, "that ere the oaks were +green again the sweetest maidens in the island would be in her embrace, +but she cannot summon this one now! her vext spirit has not yet the +power!" + +She examined the wound, and raising herself said, "No human hand can +save her. The Spirits alone have power: those Spirits who prolong human +life regardless of human ills; but they must be besought, and who will +care to beseech them?" + +"Prayers may save her," answered a stern voice, "but not prayers to +devils! The Holy Virgin should we beseech, by whom all pure maidens are +beloved. She will save her if it be God's will, or receive her into her +bosom if it be decreed that she should die." + +The words were those of Father Austin, one of the monks of Lihou, +distinguished by his sanctity and the austerity of his habits. He was +spare, as one who lived hardly; his grey eyes had a dreamy look +betokening much inward contemplation, though they could be keen enough +when, as now, the man was roused; there was a gentleness about his mouth +which showed a nature filled with love and sympathy. + +The woman drew herself to her full stature, and turned on him a defiant +look. + +"Gods or devils!" she said in a ringing tone--"which you will! What can +an immured anchorite know of the vast mysteries of the wind-borne +spirits? Is this child to live or die? My gods can save her; if yours +can, let them take her! She is nought to me." + +"When Elijah wrestled with the prophets of Baal, where did victory +rest?" said the priest, and he too stooped down and inspected the wound. +"She is past cure," he said, rising sadly; "it remains but to pray for +her soul." + +At this critical moment an agonizing shriek rang through the forest. The +same runners who had sped to Marie Torode's cottage and had learnt there +that the wise woman had in truth passed away, had brought back with +them Suzanne's mother, who threw herself on her child's body +endeavouring to staunch the blood, and to restore animation. Finding her +efforts vain, she had listened anxiously to the words that had passed, +and on hearing the priest's sentence of doom she burst into frantic +grief and supplication. Turning to each disputant she cried--"Save her! +save her young life! I suckled her, I reared her, I love her!--oh, how I +love her!--do not let her die!" + +"She can be saved!" curtly responded the stranger. The priest was +silent. A murmur arose. Austin, who had trained himself to study those +among whom he laboured, saw that the feeling was rising strongly against +him. His antagonist saw it also, and pressed her victory. + +"Yes!" she said scornfully, "it is a small matter for my Gods to save +her, but they will not be besought while this bald-pate obtrudes his +presence. Let him leave us!" + +The priest was much perplexed. He knew the skill of these lonely women; +secretly he had faith in their power of witchcraft, though attributing +it to the direct agency of Satan. He thought it not impossible that +there was truth in the boast; and his heart was wrung with the mother's +grief. On the other hand, the public defeat was a sore trial; but it was +clear to him that for the present at least the analogy of Elijah's +struggle was imperfect: he must wait, and meanwhile bear his +discomfiture with meekness. He prepared to retire. The victor was not, +however, even now satisfied. "Take with you," she said, "yon idol that +defaces the sacred oak!" + +The good fathers, following their usual practice of associating emblems +of heathen with those of Christian worship, in the hope of gradually +diverting the reverence to the latter without giving to the former a +ruder shock than could be endured, had suspended a small cross on the +oak, hoping eventually to carve the tree itself into a sacred emblem; it +was to this that the woman was pointing with a sneer. + +But this time she had made a blunder. Father Austin turned to the +crucifix and his strength and fire returned. Taking it from the tree, +reverently kissing it and holding it aloft, he said solemnly--"Let my +brothers and sisters come with me! We will pray apart, where no profane +words can reach us. Perchance our prayers may be granted!" Not a few of +the hearers followed him; sufficient indeed to make an imposing +procession: the triumph of the Evil One was at least dimmed. + +But his adversary did not appear to notice their departure. She gave a +sharp glance in the direction of the oak, and the now discrowned girl +was quickly at her side. Receiving some rapid instructions, the latter +disappeared into the wood, and shortly returned with some herbs, which +she passed to her companion; she then resumed her position by the stone. +The old woman placed some leaves, which she selected, on the wound: the +bleeding at once ceased; squeezing juice from the herbs, she applied an +ointment made from it; then, opening a phial attached to her waist-belt, +she poured some drops of liquid into the girl's mouth, gently parting +her lips. This done, she stood erect and began an incantation, or rather +a supplication, in an unknown tongue. As she proceeded her form became +rigid, her eye gleamed, her arms, the hands clenched, were raised above +her head. The sun flashed on the circlet, glittered on the embossed +girdle: on the right arm was a heavy bracelet, composed of a golden +serpent winding in weird folds round a human bone; the head was towards +the wearer's wrist, and the jewelled eyes which, being of large size, +must have been formed of rare stones, glowed and shot fire as the red +beams struck on them through the branches. It seemed that a forked +tongue darted in and out, but this may have been imagined by the heated +fancies of the bystanders. The prayer ended; the stillness of death +rested a moment on man and nature; then a wild gust of wind, striking +the oak without any preliminary warning, bent and snapped the upper +branches, and crashed inland through the swaying forest. The watchers +saw the colour return to the cheeks of the wounded girl, who opened her +eyes and sate up. "Take her home," said the sorceress, now quite +composed, to the mother; "she is yours again!--till Marie calls her!" +she added in a low voice to herself. The happy mother, shedding tears of +joy, but in vain attempting to get her thanks accepted, obeyed the +injunction. + +As she and her friends disappeared, the old woman, turning to the awed +people who seemed more than ever disposed to look on her as a +supernatural being, said sternly--"Why linger you here? Are you +unmindful of your duties? See you not how the shadows lengthen?" These +words produced a magical effect: the deep emotions by which the mass had +been recently swayed were swiftly replaced by equally profound feelings +of a different nature, as cloud succeeds cloud in a storm-swept sky. + +And now a singular scene was enacted. A procession was formed, headed by +the old men, bare-headed; the musicians followed, behind whom walked +with solemn step the younger members of the community. This procession, +emerging from the western border of the forest, slowly climbed the +slopes of the Rocque du Guet, and arriving at the summit bent its way +seaward, halting at the edge of the precipitous cliff. + +The sun was nearing the horizon. The scene was one of unsurpassed +loveliness. Behind lay the central and southern portions of the island, +hushed as if their primaeval rocks were still tenantless. The outlines +of the isles of Herm and Jethou were visible, but already sinking into +the shades of evening. On the left the bold bluffs of L'Erée and Lihou, +on the right the rugged masses of the Grandes and the Grosses Rocques, +the Gros Commet, the Grande and Petite Fourque, lay in sharpened +outline, the lapping waves already assuming a grey tint. These masses +formed the framework of a picture which embraced a boundless wealth of +colour, an infinite depth of softness. Straight from the sun shot out +across Cobo Bay a joyous river of gold, so bright that eye could ill +bear to face its glow; here and there in its course stood out +quaintly-shaped rocks, some drenched with the fulness of the glorious +bath, others catching now and again a sprinkling shower. On each side of +the river the sea, clear to its depths where alternate sand and rock +made a tangle of capriciously mingled light and shade; its surface, here +blue as the still waters of the Grotta Azzurra, there green as the +olive, here again red-brown as Carthaginian marble, lay waveless, as +with a sense that the beauty was too perfect to be disturbed. Suddenly +the scene was changed; the lustrous outflow was swiftly drawn in and +absorbed; a grey hue swept over the darkening surface; in the distance +the round, blood-coloured, orb hung above the expectant ocean. + +Then all assembled fell on their knees. The music gave out sharp +plaintive notes which were answered by the voices of men and women in +short, wailing, as it were inquiring, rhythm; this continued till the +sun was on the point of disappearance, when music and voices together +burst into a sad chant, seemingly of farewell; the kneeling people +extending their hands seaward with an appealing gesture. One figure only +was erect; on the projecting boulder, which is still so conspicuous a +feature of the Rocque du Guet, stood the sorceress, her arms also +outstretched, her figure, firm, erect, sharply outlined, such as +Turner's mind conceived when he sketched the Last Man. + +Father Austin contemplated the scene from a distance. By his side was +his favourite convert, Jean Letocq. + +"Strange!" he said, placing his hand on his companion's shoulder. "Your +race are not sun-worshippers. Never, except on this day of the year, do +they show this feeling; but who that saw them to-day would doubt that +they are so! Is it that from old times their intense love of nature has +led them to show in this way their sadness at its decay? or do they by +mourning over the close of the sun's longest day symbolize their +recognition of the inevitable end of the longest life of man? I cannot +tell. But, blind as this worship is, it is better than that of the work +of man's hands. By God's will your countrymen may be led from kneeling +to the created to mount the ladder till they bend the knee only to the +Creator. It may be well, too, that their chosen object of veneration is +the only object in nature which dies but to rise again. Thus may they be +led to the comprehension of the great truth of the resurrection. But +Satan," he added with warmth, "must be wrestled with and cast down, +specially when he takes the forms of temptation which he has assumed +to-day: those of power and beauty. Prayer and fasting are sorely +needed." + +For once his pupil was not altogether docile. "Thou hast taught me, +father," he replied, "the lesson of charity. This old woman is sinful, +her error is deep, but may she not be converted and saved?" + +"The devils can never regain Paradise," replied the priest sternly. "Arm +thyself, Jean, against their wiles, in which I fear thou art already +entangled. The two forms we have to-day seen are but human in seeming: +demons surely lurked beneath." + +Jean was now in open rebellion. "Nay, good father," he said decisively, +"the maiden was no fiend; if her companion be an imp of darkness, as +well she may, be it my task to rescue her from the evil snare into which +she has fallen!" He had indeed a vivid recollection of the soft, human +hand to which he had ventured to give a gentle pressure when he had +assisted in placing the wreath on the fair, marble, brow, and had no +doubt of the girl's womanhood. As he spoke he vanished from the side of +the priest, who, seeing the two objects of his pious aversion entering +the darkening glades of the wood, was at no loss to divine the cause of +his disappearance. The holy father shook his head, and sighed deeply. He +was accustomed to disappointments, but this day his path had to an +unusual extent been beset with thorns. His faith was unshaken, and he +humbly laid the fault on his own shoulders, promising further privations +to his already sorely afflicted body. Meanwhile he descended the hill, +directing his course to Lihou. Pausing on his way through the forest to +replace the cross on the oak, he saw Jean, walking slowly homewards, his +listless step showing that his quest had failed. The Evil One had, he +thought, for the time at least, forborne to press his advantage. Further +off he heard the scattered voices of the dispersing throng. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DEVOTION. + + "There glides a step through the foliage thick, + And her cheek grows pale and her heart beats quick, + There whispers a voice through the rustling leaves, + And her blush returns, and her bosom heaves; + A moment more--and they shall meet. + 'Tis past--her lover's at her feet." + + _Parasina_.--BYRON. + + +After visiting all the accessible parts of the island Jean satisfied +himself that it was useless to search further in them for traces of the +strangers. Persons so remarkable could not, it was clear, conceal +themselves from the knowledge of the inhabitants. He must therefore +either admit that the monk's surmise was correct, or must search in +quarters hitherto unexplored. Though his rejection of the former +alternative was a foregone conclusion, his adoption of the latter was a +remarkable proof of the strength of his passion. There was only one +district unexplored, and that was practically unapproachable. + +Early in the sixth century some piratical vessels had entered Rocquaine +Bay in a shattered condition; the crews succeeded in landing, but the +ships, for seagoing purposes, were beyond repair. The pirates penetrated +inland, driving out the inhabitants from Torteval and some of the +adjoining valleys. Here they settled; and being skilled in hunting and +fishing, having a fair knowledge of husbandry, and finding the position +peculiarly adapted for their marauding pursuits, throve and prospered: +so much so that when, some years afterwards, they had an opportunity of +leaving, the majority elected to remain. Their descendants had continued +to occupy the same district. Who they were, whether pure Northmen or of +some mixed race, it would be idle to conjecture: they were originally +put down by the islanders as Sarrazins, that being the name under which +the simple people classed all pirates; the strangers, however, resented +this description, and had consequently come to be spoken of as Les +Voizins, a definition to which no exception could be taken. Hardy and +warlike, quick of temper and rough of speech, they had an undisputed +ascendancy over the natives, to whom, though dangerous if provoked, they +had often given powerful aid in times of peril. On the whole they made +not bad neighbours, but a condition was imposed by them the violation +of which was never forgiven: no native was permitted, under any pretext, +to enter their territory; death was the sure fate of an intruder found +in Rocquaine Bay or setting foot in the Voizin hills or valleys. +Whatever may have been the cause of this regulation the result had been +to keep the race as pure as it was on the day of the first landing. + +Now it was in the Terre des Voizins that Jean had resolved to seek his +beloved, and his resolution was unalterable. He knew the danger; he +wished to avoid death if possible; he meant to employ to the full the +resources at his command; foolhardy as his enterprise seemed it was long +and carefully planned. He knew that in the summer evenings it was the +custom of the Voizin women to visit the sunny shores of the bay: this he +had seen from Lihou; could he then succeed in landing unperceived, and +in concealing himself in one of the many clefts of the rocks, he felt +sure that if the well-known form were there he would descry it; what +would follow afterwards was a question which had taken many fantastic +shapes in his imagination, none of which had assumed a definite form. + +Towards the close of July the conditions were favourable for his +attempt. In the night a strong tide would be running into the bay; the +wind was south-westerly, the moon set early. He prepared to start. He +had selected a small and light boat, which would travel fast under his +powerful strokes, and might be so handled as not to attract attention; +in it he had stored provisions which would last for a few days and a +small cask of fresh water. Towards evening he shaped his course for +Lihou. + +He had seen but little of the monk since the day of the feast, but he +was yearning to see him now. His love for the man, his reverence for the +truths he taught, his thought of his own future if he lost his life in +his rash expedition, all urged him to seek a parting interview. + +The brothers received him affectionately and bade him join their frugal +meal. The monks were five in number: they had been six, but one had +recently been drowned while returning from a pious mission to Herm. Jean +knew them all; they were honest, God-fearing men, trustful and truthful. +If their reasoning powers were not great, their faith was unswerving. +Their life was a prolonged asceticism, and they had fair reason to +expect that martyrdom would be their earthly crown. + +The only exceptional feature of the repast was the appearance of one who +had never yet been seated there in Jean's presence; this guest was the +hermit who dwelt on the extreme point, against which the Atlantic waves +dashed in their fiercest fury. The recluse did not seem to cultivate the +duty of abstemiousness, but he maintained silence. Jean could not +forbear furtively scanning his appearance, which was indeed remarkable. +He would have been of large stature in any country; compared with the +natives his proportions were gigantic. His broad shoulders and muscular +arms betokened enormous strength; his hair and beard were fair; his blue +eyes had a clear, frank, expression; there was firmness of purpose in +his massive jaw; he seemed between forty and fifty, and would have been +strikingly handsome but for three deep scars which totally marred the +expression of his features. As Jean eyed him he returned the compliment, +but the meal was soon over and the youth accompanied Father Austin to +his cell. + +There a long and sleepless night was passed by both. The monk in vain +endeavoured to combat Jean's resolution; he argued, prayed, indeed +threatened, but without effect. Finding his efforts hopeless he +abandoned them, and endeavoured to fortify his charge against the +influence of the spell under which he believed him to have fallen. Then +the young man was again the pupil; he listened humbly and reverently to +the repetition of the great truths which the father strove to rivet on +his mind, and joined earnestly in the prayers for truth and constancy. +As daylight broke, and he at length laid himself down to rest, his +latest vision was that of the good man kneeling by him with that rapt +look of contemplation which seemed to foreshadow his immortality. + +Jean slept profoundly for some hours. When night began to fall he +received Austin's blessing, no further reference being made to his +expedition, and when the moon was on the eve of disappearance he +launched his boat. As he rounded Lihou point another boat shot out, the +occupant of which hailed him. Recognizing the hermit, Jean paused. "You +steer wrong," said the giant, speaking with an accent which at once +reminded his hearer of that of the maiden; "your course is to the rising +sun." "I go where I will," replied Jean, nettled at this unlooked-for +interruption. "Youth," answered the other, "I have watched thee and wish +thee well! rush not heedlessly to certain death!" "Stay me not!" +resolutely answered Jean, wondering at the interest taken in him by this +strange being. "Thou knowest not!" said the hermit sternly; "it is not +only from death I wish to save thee, but from worse than death; I tell +thee I--" He checked himself, as if fearful of saying too much, and bent +his eyes searchingly into those of Jean, who murmured simply, "I am +resolved." "Then God help thee and speed thee!" said the giant. Glancing +into the boat he saw one of the curved and pierced shells then, as now, +used by Guernsey seamen as signal-horns: pointing to it he said, "If in +peril, where a blast may be heard on Lihou, sound the horn twice: it is +a poor hope but may serve thee!" He was gone. + +Jean paddled into the dreaded bay; the moon had now sunk and he was +further favoured by a slight mist. Knowing the tides from infancy, he +worked his way noiselessly till he approached where the Voizin fleet +lay, then laid himself down and let the current take him. He passed +several boats in safety; as far as he could judge, from the observations +he had taken from Lihou, he was nearly past the anchorage when a crash, +succeeded by a grating sound, warned him of danger. A curse, followed by +an ejaculation of surprise and pleasure, enlightened him as to the +nature of the collision: he was in contact with one of the anchored +vessels. "Odin is good!" cried a voice; "ha! a skiff drifted from a +wrecked vessel! and all eyes but mine sleeping!" The speaker threw over +a small anchor and grappled the boat. Jean was prepared; without a +moment's hesitation he cut the anchor-rope: his craft drifted onwards, +leaving the fisherman grumbling at the rottenness of his tackle. He +offered a short prayer of gratitude, and in a few minutes ventured +cautiously to resume his oars. He heard the breaking of the waves, but +seamanship on the unknown and indistinct coast was useless. Two sharp +blows, striking the boat in rapid succession, told him that he had +touched a submerged rock; the strong tide carried him off it, but the +water poured in through a gaping rent. He was now, however, on a sandy +bottom: he sprang out, pulled the boat up as far as possible, and sat +down to wait for light. + +The first break of dawn showed him his position: he was facing +northward; he was therefore on the Hanois arm of the bay. Fortune had +indeed been kind to him, for he had drifted into a small cleft sheltered +by precipitous rocks, a place where concealment was fairly possible, as +it was accessible only by land at the lowest tides. He examined his +store of provisions, which was uninjured; storing it among the rocks he +rested till the sun sank. He then cautiously climbed the cliff, and +looked on the scene revealed by the moonlight. Seawards stood a rough +round tower; no other building was visible on the point, which seemed +deserted. The loneliness gave him courage; when the moon set, the night +being clear, he explored further and satisfied himself that there were +no human beings, except the occupants of the tower, living on these +rocks. He retired to his hiding-place to rest; before dawn he again +ascended and concealed himself among the bracken and brambles which +formed the only available shelter. During the whole day he saw but one +person, an elderly woman, whose dark features and bright kerchief showed +her to be of southern or gipsy origin, and who passed backwards and +forwards carrying water to the tower. His examination increased his +confidence; he calculated, by measuring the time occupied by the old +woman in passing with an empty and returning with a full pitcher, that +the spring frequented by her could not be far distant; at night he +found it just beyond the junction of the rocks with the mainland. The +water was cool and fresh, and considerably revived him; he noticed too +that the luxuriant brushwood, nourished by the moisture, offered a good +place for concealment; he returned, removed thither what remained of his +provisions, and ensconced himself in his new retreat. + +In the morning he saw two figures approaching from the tower; one was +the same servant he had seen before, but the other!--his heart throbbed +and leaped, his brain reeled, his eyes gazed hungrily; he could not be, +he was not, mistaken!--the second figure was the heroine of his dreams! +She walked silently. Jean saw that memory had not played him false: her +beauty, her grace, were no freak of his imagination; would the holy +father now say that she was a devil, while thus she moved in her +loveliness, a woman to be loved and worshipped!--a very woman, too! not +above the cares of life! Seating herself by the spring she despatched +her companion on an errand to supply domestic wants, promising to await +her return. + +Jean's principal characteristic was rapid resolution: he reasoned that a +small alarm might make the girl fly; that his chance of retaining her +was an overpowering shock. He stepped boldly out and stood before her. +The maiden sprang quickly to her feet; there was no terror in her face; +she was of true blood; if she was afraid she did not show it; it was +clear she recognized the apparition, but intense surprise, overpowering +other emotions, kept her dumb. Jean had thus the chance of speaking +first, and deftly he used his opportunity. In a few rapid sentences he +told the tale of his search, of his adventures, of his selection of his +hiding-place; then he paused. The maiden was not long in finding words. +There was a flush on her cheek and a tear hanging on her eyelash which +made Jean very happy. "You must go," she said, "but where? Your life is +forfeit! forfeit to the Gods!" She shuddered as she said this. "In +yonder tower lives my mother, on the shore are my people; there is no +escape on either hand! A chance has saved you hitherto; none dare +approach our home without my mother's permission, which is rarely given; +but on this spot they may find you, may seize you, may--!" She stopped, +with an expression of horror, and covered her face with her hands. + +But Jean was not anxious; he was radiant with happiness. He seated +himself and spoke of love, deep passionate love; so gentle was he, so +soft, so courteous, and yet so ardent, that the maiden trembled; when he +dared to take her hand she did not withdraw it. The moment of bliss was +brief; a step was heard. "Hide yourself quickly," she whispered, "Tita +is returning." Jean promptly obeyed the injunction. The old woman +arrived with a well-filled wallet, and looked fondly at her young +mistress. The signs of recent agitation struck her. "What has befallen +thee, Hilda?" she cried anxiously. The girl took her arm and led her +seawards. Jean, watching, could see the start and angry expression of +the older, the coaxing, pleading attitude of the younger woman; he could +satisfy himself that the resistance of the former was gradually being +overcome, and as they returned he saw that the maiden's victory was +indisputable. She summoned Jean, who was inspected by Tita at first with +distrust, then with modified approval. "You must stay here," said the +maiden earnestly, "closely hidden till nightfall; my absence has been +already sufficiently long, and nothing can be done while daylight +lasts." Bidding him farewell she sped with her guardian towards the +tower, while Jean retired to his bushes a prey to fond thoughts and +feverish hopes. + +Before sundown he saw the tall figure of the sorceress wending +landwards. She did not approach the spring. Hilda quickly followed with +her former companion. "We have a long journey," she said, "and short +time: we must start at once." Removing all traces of his lair he obeyed +without hesitation. They ascended the steep cliff. The night was clear, +the moon at this hour was bright and lustrous. "We have three hours," +said the maiden, "ere we leave our guest!"--she looked archly at Jean as +she thus described him--"it should suffice!" They were now on the +heights of Pleinmont; no one was moving, though voices of men and beasts +could be plainly heard in the distance. "They feast to-night to the +Gods," said Hilda; "we need fear only some belated laggard!" The heather +was not yet springing, but Jean could see that gorse was on the bloom, +which he considered a favourable omen: they stepped out bravely on the +short springy turf. Tita's steps were slower than those of the young +pair, who were deaf to her calls for delay. Never to his dying day did +Jean forget that happy night-walk. His soul was poured out in love, and +he knew that his love was returned. He was steeped to the full in joy; +no thought of future cares or perils crossed his mind. They had passed +three or four headlands before the girl halted and waited for her +attendant, who came up muttering to herself and grumbling; compliments +from Jean and caresses from Hilda restored her good humour, and the work +of the evening commenced. "Follow me closely," said the girl; "let your +eye be keen and your step firm: the descent is no child's sport." Jean +looked at the cliff, fitted for the flight of gull or cormorant rather +than the foot of man, still less of gentle maiden: Hilda was already +over the brink: Jean, following, saw that she was on a path no broader +than a goat's track; the difficulties of the descent need not be +described; it was possible for a clear head and practised foot, to the +nervous or the unsteady the attempt must have been fatal. Arrived at +the bottom the climbers found themselves in a small cleft strewn with +huge boulders; the rocks towered high above them. Hilda glanced at the +moon. "We must be quick," said she, showing him some deep caverns in the +rock; "there," she said, "is your home. Here you are safe; my mother +alone knows the secret of these caves. I must mount again; you must +climb with me to mark the path more closely." She sprang to the rock and +commenced to ascend as nimbly as she had come down. Jean saw the +necessity of taking every precaution; he noted carefully each feature of +the track. Arrived at the summit she bade him farewell. She pointed out +a place where Tita would from time to time leave him provisions, and +said that he would find water in the caves; she then tripped quickly +off. Jean did not linger, seeing that if he did so light would fail him +for his return. He crossed the track for the third time, reached the +caves, and slept soundly till dawn. + +When he awoke he inspected his strange retreat. He was in a large hall, +two hundred feet long, and some fifty feet high and broad; this chamber +was entered by a small orifice of no great length, through which he had +passed on the preceding night; it was warm, and dry except where the +stream of which Hilda had spoken trickled through to the sea. It was the +fissure now known as the Creux Mahie, and to which an easy access has +been arranged for the benefit of the curious. Here Jean passed three +months. Hilda frequently visited him, and always kept him supplied with +food; she warned him also when he might safely roam on the cliffs above. +There was no obstacle to her visits, even when they extended to a +considerable length, as the mother seemed always to be satisfied as to +her absences when Tita accompanied her; and the latter, whose +infirmities prevented her from descending, had no means of shortening +the interviews. + +Thus the lovers had opportunity to study each other's characters. The +maiden's pure heart knew no distrust, and Jean was faithful and +chivalrous as Sir Galahad. They spoke not always of love: words were +unnecessary to explain what every look betokened. Jean found her skilled +in strange, mystical, lore, but ignorant of all that sways and rules +mankind. The history of the selfish struggles of human interests and +passions was to her a sealed book. She had been carefully shrouded from +the knowledge of evil; but, in order to protect her in the rough +turbulent little world in which she lived, it had been necessary to keep +her from association with her countrymen, and so she had never mingled +with them except under the charge of her mother, in whose presence the +fiercest were submissive. Jean, therefore, in speaking to her of family +intercourse, of the intermingling of members of the household, of +bright chat with friends, opened up to her views of life of which she +had formed no conception. Then he told her of his own people; described +the three generations living under one roof; depicted the daily round, +the care of the old and the young, the work, the return of the workers +to their wives, sisters, and children, the love of the mothers for their +infants, the reverence for age, the strong mutual affection of husband +and wife, brother and sister. To these descriptions she listened with a +happy smile, the mission of woman dawning on her; and many were the +questions she asked, till she seemed to have mastered the pictures +painted for her. Above all, Jean strained to bring her to the knowledge +of the God of the Christian, for he himself was an earnest, intelligent +disciple. He found her mind clearer than he had expected. Judith (this +he now knew was the mother's name) was a remarkable woman; her mind was +lofty, if darkened. While others were satisfied with the grossness of a +material creed her spirit soared aloft. Her Gods commanded her implicit +faith, her unswerving allegiance. Seated on the storm-clouds, sweeping +through space, they represented to her infinite force. She attributed to +them no love for mankind, which was in her creed rather their plaything, +but she credited them with the will and the power to scatter good and +ill before they claimed the soul of the hero to their fellowship, or +cast into a lower abyss that of the coward or the traitor. She believed +that she saw their giant forms half bending from their vapoury thrones, +and she thought that she read their decrees. Sorceress she may have +been; in those days sorcery was attributed to many who had obtained a +knowledge of laws of nature, then considered occult, now recognized +among the guiding principles from which scientific deductions are drawn. +She believed in the power of magic, which she was universally understood +to possess; but she was no vulgar witch: rather was she a worthy +priestess of her not ignoble deities. The effect upon Hilda's mind of +the teachings of such a woman is easy to conceive. She had been allowed +to know little of the wild orgies of the barbaric feasts offered to the +Gods by her countrymen, of their brutal excesses, of their human +sacrifices: from this knowledge she had been as far as possible +shielded: she knew only of the dim mystic beings, half men, half Gods, +from whose wrath she shrank with terror. To a mind so constituted and +trained the revelation of the story of the infant Christ was a +passionate pleasure. She never tired of listening to the tale of the +birth in the stable of Bethlehem; but she loved not to dwell on the +history of the passion and death, which was at that time beyond her +understanding. She drank in with parted lips all that concerned the Holy +Mother, of whom she was never weary of hearing. Jean had a rude drawing +of the Madonna and Child, given him by Father Austin: the figures had +the angularity and rigidity of Byzantine art, but the artist had +represented his subject with reverence, and no lack of skill, and she +loved to dwell on the pure mother's face, and on the longing look in the +eyes of the Child. She accepted wholly the idea of a God who loved +mankind, of infinite goodness and mercy: if she could not as yet enter +into the subtlety of doctrine she could give that childlike faith which +is the envy of doctrinarians. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +REVELATION. + + "I curse the hand that did the deid, + The heart that thocht the ill, + The feet that bore him wi' sik speid, + The comely youth to kill." + + _Gil Morrice_.--OLD BALLAD. + + +Jean had often expressed his curiosity to see the interior of the tower, +and Hilda had promised to gratify it. On the 25th of October an +opportunity occurred. She informed her lover that on that day a feast of +unusual importance would be held from which none would be absent, and +that her mother would be engaged at it from noon to midnight. On that +day, therefore, he walked freely along the cliffs, and was admitted to +the dwelling. He had unconsciously based his idea of its contents upon +his recollections of the squalid abode of Marie Torode, where human +skulls, skeletons, bones of birds and beasts, dried skins, and other +ghastly objects had been so grouped as to add to the superstitious +feeling inspired by the repulsive appearance of the crone herself. His +astonishment was therefore proportionate when he saw what to his eyes +appeared exceptional luxury. A wooden partition divided the room on the +lower story into two chambers of unequal size: the larger, in which he +stood, was the common dwelling apartment, the other was given over to +Hilda. The upper story, approached by a ladder and also by an external +staircase, was sacred to Judith; Tita occupied some outbuildings. The +sitting-room was hung with rich stuffs of warm and glowing colours; here +and there fitful rays of the sun flickered upon gold brocade and +Oriental embroidery; rugs and mats, which must have been offered for +sale in the bazaars of Egypt and Morocco, were littered about in strange +contrast with the bracken-strewed floor. On the walls were inlaid +breastplates and helmets, pieces of chain armour, swords and daggers of +exquisite workmanship. On shelves stood drinking vessels of rougher +make, but the best that northern craftsmen could produce. The seats were +rude and massive: one of them, placed by a window fronting the setting +sun, was evidently the favourite resting-place of Judith. Above this +seat was a shelf on which lay some of the mysterious scrolls of which +Jean had seen specimens in the possession of the fathers. Instruments of +witchcraft, if such existed, must have been in the upper story: none +were visible. All this splendour was manifestly inconsistent with the +homely taste and abstracted mode of thought of the sorceress. In point +of fact she was hardly aware of its existence. The decorator was Tita, +in whom was the instinct of the connoisseur, supported by no +inconsiderable knowledge to which she had attained in those early years +of which she never could be induced to speak. When a rich prize was +brought into the bay, freighted with a cargo from Asia, Africa, or the +European shores of the Mediterranean, she never failed to attend the +unloading, during which, by the help of cajolery, judicious +depreciation, and other ingenious devices still dear to the virtuoso, +she succeeded in obtaining possession of articles which would have +enraptured a modern collector. Judith was apparently indifferent to a +habit which she looked upon as a caprice of her faithful servant, and +the only evidence of her noticing it was her concentration in her own +apartments of all that related to her personal studies and pursuits. + +It was now Jean's turn to listen and learn, and Hilda's to explain and +instruct. Towards nine o'clock he was preparing to return. He was +indifferent to the darkness, as by this time he knew the track so well +that he crossed it fearlessly at all hours. His hand was on the bolt +when Tita announced in alarm that Judith was returning and was on the +point of entering. Hardly was there time to conceal him behind the +hangings before she appeared. Her countenance was pale and worn, her +tone, as Hilda took off her outer garments was weary and sad. "The +portents were hostile and dangerous," she said; "they foretold woe, +disaster, ruin. Will the mighty ones reveal to me the future? I cannot +tell! But my spirit must commune with them till dawn breaks. Dost hear +them? They call me now!" She held up her finger as a sudden blast rocked +the tower to its foundations. "Aye," she continued more firmly after a +pause, "they will not forget those who are true to them. But this +people! this people!" She hid her face with her hands as if to cover a +painful vision. After a time she rose to her feet and took the girl by +the hand. Leading her to the seat by the window on which she placed +herself, and making her kneel by her side, she said-- + +"Hilda! the chill mist closes round! my life draws to its end! Nay, weep +not, child! were it not for thee I would long ere this have prayed the +gods my masters to remove me from my sojourn among the degenerate sons +of our noble fathers; but I trembled for thy fate, sweet one!" These +last words were almost inexpressibly tender. "I dared not trust thy +slight frame to battle unsheltered with the storm. Now the blast +summoning me is sounded. I cannot much longer disobey, though I may +crave for brief respite. But I have found thee refuge! thou wilt be in +a safe haven. Stay! I must speak while the spirit is on me!" + +"Mother!" sobbed the girl, clasping the old woman's knees. + +"Hilda!" said Judith slowly, "call me no longer by that name! I am not +thy mother; before men only do I call thee daughter. Silence!" she +exclaimed imperatively, as Hilda looked quickly up, doubting whether she +heard aright. "Silence! and listen!" + +"I have loved thee truly, child, and have nurtured thee as a mother +would! and thou art no stranger! the same blood runs in our veins! Yes! +thou art mine! for thy father was my brother. Does not that give thee to +me? Hush! thou shalt hear the tale." + +Hilda's were not the only ears that drank in every word of the following +story. + +"Twenty years ago what a demi-god was Haco! He was a giant, but even men +who feared him loved him. Though brave and strong as Odin himself, his +mind was gentle and kind as a maiden's; first in council, in war, in +manly sports, he ever had an open ear and a helping hand for the +troubled and distressed. He was adored, nay, worshipped, by all. What +wonder then that when he and the proud chief Algar courted the same +maiden, he was preferred! Thou knowest not, Hilda, the mysteries of a +tender heart; may it be long indeed before thy heart is seared by human +passion!" It was fortunate that darkness hid the burning blush which +suffused Hilda's face and neck at this pious wish. Judith +proceeded:--"Thy father wedded and thou wast born. He poured on thy +infant form all the wealth of his great generous heart. Algar nursed his +revenge: he dared not act openly, for our house was as noble as his +own--nay, nobler!" she added haughtily, "but he bided his time. Haco's +tower was near the shore, a pleasant, lovely, spot. One night the news +was borne to me that enemies had landed, and that his dwelling was in +flames; I hurried towards it; I was stopped by armed warriors; Algar's +men, they said, had hastened to the rescue; the chief had ordered that +no women should leave their homes. It was in vain that I urged and +protested. When at last I reached the spot the struggle was said to be +over, and the assailants, beaten off, were declared to have sailed away. +Algar himself came to me with well-assumed grief. He had arrived, he +swore, too late to save. The tower had been fired whilst the inmates +slept, the wife and child had perished; Haco, after performing +incredible feats of valour, had fallen before the strokes of numerous +foes; when he himself had come with a chosen band, while sending the +rest of his forces to other posts which the unforeseen danger might +threaten, nothing remained but to avenge the murder. Why recount the +caitiffs lies? Where were the signs of landing, of hasty re-embarkation? +Where were the dead of the strangers? Thrown into the sea! he said; it +was foul falsehood, and fouler treachery. I found your father's body; he +was smitten and gashed, but nobler than the living. I touched him and +was silent. I knew what none others guessed. I arose. The spirits of the +Gods came over me, and I cursed his slayer. Never had I spoken so +fiercely; men stood and wondered. I prayed the Gods to make the wretch +who had caused my darling's death miserable by land and by sea, by day +and by night, in the field and at the board, loathed by his friends, and +scorned by his foes. The Gods heard my imprecations; as I turned my eyes +skywards they looked from their clouds, wrath kindling on their brows, +and Algar's face was white with fear, his hand trembled and his knee +shook. + +"'We must bury him,' he faltered. + +"'Yea,' said I, 'but in a hero's grave, and after the custom of our +fathers.' + +"There was a murmur of applause. Algar could not refuse. + +"They brought the choicest of the boats, they made the sails bright and +gay, they put in it the dead man's arms, and food to accompany him to +the land of spirits. Then they bound him before the mast, his face +turned seaward. At sundown they towed the boat to deep water, so pierced +her that she might sink slowly under the waves, and then they left the +hero to his rest. I had gone out with them: alone I said to him my last +farewell. But they did not know my secret. They did not guess that I had +ascertained by my art that life was yet in him, that I had poured +between his lips subtle drops which would maintain animation for many +days and nights, during which consciousness might be restored; nor did +they imagine that when I kneeled before him I had stopped the leak by +which the water was to flow into the doomed boat. Algar was now the +deceived; it was a living man, not a corpse, who started on that voyage. +Haco lives still, though where my art cannot tell. I thought that Marie +Torode knew, and sought her on her death-bed to question her, but either +she could not or she would not tell." Hilda's mind was in such confusion +that she could not speak. The old woman continued. "Algar lived on--yes, +lived that he might suffer all the evils with which my curse loaded him, +and died that he might be hurled into the abyss where traitors and +cravens writhe and groan. Enough of him! + +"When I returned to my tower, a figure was crouching before the hearth: +it was Tita, and you were in her arms. The faithful creature, whom your +father had chosen from a band of captives to be your nurse, had, +unperceived, saved your life from the flames. Thenceforward you were my +care. I took your mother's place as best I could. Others knew not your +parentage, nor did they dare to question me. None suspected the truth." + +When she reached this point she bent over the kneeling girl and gave her +a kiss, tender as a mother's if not a mother's kiss; her fingers +caressed the head bowed upon her knees; for a time the silence was only +broken by Hilda's sobs. She then spoke again, this time quickly, +sternly, as if to prevent interruption. + +"I cannot leave thee alone, and I will not! Listen, child, and be +silent! What I now tell thee is beyond thy young understanding: thou +hast but to shape thy will to my bidding: it is for me to launch thy +vessel on its voyage, the Gods will help thy riper judgment to steer its +course! The time has come when thou must wed! I have chosen for thee a +suitor, the chief to whom all thy countrymen bend the knee. Garthmund +claims thee as his bride; ere eight days expire the marriage feast will +be held. He is of noble birth, there is none nobler; he is young and +strong, and should be favoured by the Gods if he prove worthy of them. +He is a fitting bridegroom for Haco's daughter." + +The girl was dazed and trembling. She knew this chief: he answered +Judith's description, but was rough and coarse. Had she not met Jean +she might not have dared to refuse, but now she felt that death would be +more welcome than this marriage. "Spare me, mother!" she said, as if she +had not heard the disclaimer of maternity. "I am too young, too weak." +The old woman pressed her hand on the girl's lips. "We will not speak +further to-night," she said; "thou canst not see Garthmund for three +days, for so long the feast will last. May the Gods protect thee!" She +rose: the fitful moonlight streamed on her gaunt form; she turned and +slowly ascended to her chamber. + +The terrified girl quickly released Jean, who led her from the tower. If +she was broken and trembling he was erect and resolute; no longer the +soft lover, but the prompt man of action. She felt the bracing +influence. "We have three days," he said. "Within that time we must +flee. I will not return to the cave; my task must be to repair the +boat." He mentioned certain articles which he begged her to provide, +pressed her to his breast, and disappeared in the darkness. + +At daylight he examined the little vessel. She was no worse than she had +been, as each incoming tide, reaching the place where she was secured, +had floated her, but the rock had opened a large jagged fissure. Hilda +brought him such materials as she could procure, a log of wood, bark +which she stitched with her own hands, a hatchet and nails. Jean +utilized also the vraick with which the sand was strewn. He worked +without fear of detection, knowing that the whole population was inland; +but the lovers had to rely on themselves alone, for, when there was a +question of flight, Tita was no longer to be trusted. + +On the third day Jean found the boat fairly seaworthy. Hilda felt a +severe pang at leaving Judith, who had not reverted to the subject of +her marriage. Whether her parent or not, she loved her dearly; she felt +also the pain of parting with Tita, but her resolution never swerved. +She had given her heart to Jean; she felt also a presentiment that she +would discover her father; while it was her belief that the parting from +her old associates was but temporary. + +When the sun went down Jean set his sail, meaning to make a rapid dash +across the bay, and seeing no cause for concealing his movements. There +was more swell than he liked for so frail a craft, but wind and tide +were favourable to the enterprise, and the night was exceptionally +bright, the moon being full; this brightness would have been fatal had +the inhabitants been on the alert, but under present circumstances the +pale beams were welcome. Hilda took the helm; she knew every passage in +the labyrinth of submerged rocks, and they were soon in comparatively +open water. Jean then assumed control, wrapping the maiden in his +cloak, for the waves were tossing their spray over the boat as she +heeled over to the breeze. + +They had traversed in safety three-fourths of their course when Jean, +looking seaward, saw a dark sail bearing down on them. One of the pirate +ships, delayed by contrary winds, was hurrying homeward, the crew of +five men hoping to arrive ere the feast was over. Jean's hope that the +boat might not be discovered was soon dispelled: the vessel altered her +course slightly and hailed. Jean made no answer. The pirate was +evidently in no mood to parley; the crew were in a fierce temper, angry +and discontented at the postponement of their arrival. She made a +deliberate attempt to run the boat down. Jean divined her object and, +putting up his helm sharply at the right moment, let her shoot by him +astern; he then resumed his course. A second attempt was clumsier, and +was easily evaded; the assailants were hurried and impatient; nor did +they know the seamanlike qualities of the man with whom they were +dealing. But Jean saw that ultimate escape was hopeless, and this was +equally apparent to Hilda who, however, though pale as death, gave a +firm pressure of the hand in response to his grasp. At this moment an +object glimmered under the youth's feet: stooping down he touched the +shell. The hermit's parting words flashed on his mind: he seized on the +hope of rescue, and sounded two loud and clear blasts. + +The pirates now altered their tactics. Handling their vessel with more +care they succeeded, after two or three unsuccessful attempts, in +ranging alongside and grappling the boat. A man sprung on board and +seized Hilda. "A rare booty!" he cried,--"the Gods repent of their +waywardness." Jean was engaged with those of the crew who had seized the +boat; the man laughingly gave the girl a rough embrace: it was the last +act he had to record before entering the spirit world. Hilda drew from +her bosom one of the daggers which Jean had noticed on the tower walls, +whose blade, still sharp and keen, might have been forged by a Damascus +smith; it struck deep to the heart of the ruffian, who fell lifeless +into the waves. Jean had now freed the craft, but the respite was short: +before she had made much progress she was again captured. The pirates, +furious at the death of their comrade, made a determined onslaught. +Jean, fighting desperately, received from behind a terrific blow which +laid him senseless. But a superstitious feeling made them hesitate +before committing further outrage; they had recognized Hilda, and feared +the consequence of Judith's vengeance if she were injured. There was no +time, however, for delay; the, rude repairs, torn by the trampling feet, +had given way, and the leak had re-opened: the boat was fast sinking. +The pirates cared not for Jean's lifeless body; that might sink or swim; +but they felt they must save the girl whatever might be her future +doom. Even their hearts softened somewhat as they watched her erect in +the sinking boat, her face pallid, her fair hair shining in the +moonlight, but her lips set, her lovely eyes bent tearless on her +prostrate lover, her right hand, holding the blood-stained dagger, +hanging listlessly by her side. + +Watching an opportunity, a stalwart youth seized her from behind and +pinned her arms. The next moment he himself was seized as if he were a +dog, and hurled into the water. The new combatant, whose arrival had so +effectually changed the aspect of affairs, was the hermit, who followed +up his first stroke by another still more decisive. Springing into the +pirate craft, wrenching a weapon from the grasp of the chief of the +assailants, he drove before him the three remaining men, terror-struck +at his sudden and inexplicable appearance, his superhuman size and +strength. One by one he swept them overboard; then grasping a huge +stone, which formed part of the ballast, he dashed it with the full +force of his gigantic strength through the planks of the boat, which at +once began to fill. All this was the work of a few moments. He then +leaped into the skiff, which sank as he swiftly transferred to his own +vessel its two occupants. + +Before another hour was over, Jean, stretched on a pallet, was receiving +the attention of loving hands in a cell of the Lihou monastery. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +AFFLICTION. + + "The race of Thor and Odin + Held their battles by my side, + And the blood of man was mingling + Warmly with my chilly tide." + + _Danube and the Euxine_.--AYTOUN. + + +Father Austin received his pupil's companion with the courtesy due to +her distress, but with much misgiving. After tending his patient, whose +situation was critical, he paced thoughtfully towards the cell in which +he had placed her, revolving in his mind the difficulties of the case. +His amazement was intense when he slowly opened the door. The maiden was +kneeling, her back towards him; before her was the little picture of the +Madonna; she was praying aloud; her words were simple but passionately +pathetic; she threw herself and her lover upon the mercy of the Holy +Mother with a trust so absolute, a confidence so infinite, that the monk +could hardly refrain from tears. How had he been blinded! as he looked +and listened the scales fell from his eyes: he humbly owned his error. + +The noise of his step startled her; she rose and looked at him +inquiringly. "Maiden," he said, answering her appealing look, "his fate +is in the hands of God, whose ears are ever open to the prayers of those +that fear Him." + +Often and often had Jean spoken to her of Father Austin; she loved him +already, but she had yet to fathom the nobleness of his soul. His +single-heartedness and abnegation of self, his tenderness and quick +sympathy (virtues tempering his fierce abhorrence of Paganism), his +stern reprobation of the evil, and his yearning for the good, in the +untutored barbarians among whom he laboured, were gradually revealed in +the discourses which they held daily while Jean lay between life and +death. Reaping and garnering what Jean had sown, he scattered fresh +seed, opening out to her the great history of God in man. Qualities +hitherto unsuspected in her developed; if an apt pupil, she was an +instructive teacher of the wealth of charity and purity that dwells in +an untainted woman's heart. And she had another friend: the hermit +watched over her with touching care and assiduity. He appeared strangely +attracted to her; the holy fathers marvelled to see this rough being, +who had seemed to them an animal to be feared while pitied, caring for +the maiden's comfort with a woman's gentleness: he seemed never weary of +contemplating her, sometimes murmuring to himself as he did so. Any +little delicacy that the island could afford, game, fish, shellfish, was +provided for her by him. Once, thinking her couch hard, he disappeared +and returned bearing, whence none knew, soft stuffs better fitted for +her tender form; on this occasion the whole man seemed transformed, when +he stepped in with a smile in his big frank eyes, and a ruddy glow on +his bronzed scarred cheeks, placed his offering at her feet, and strode +away. Strange, too, to say, Hilda seemed to return the feeling: happy in +the presence of Austin, she was yet with him as the pupil with the +master; but with the recluse she was gentle, affectionate, and even +playful. The monks attempted not to solve the puzzle of the bond that +knitted together the two strange beings; analysis of character troubled +little their saintly minds. + +At length consciousness returned; Jean opened his eyes and recognised +Austin. This was a joyful moment. Quiet was all that was now necessary +to complete the restoration of his health, which could not, however, be +anticipated for a considerable time. The first inquiry of the patient +was for Hilda, and he was allowed to see her; on the next day they were +permitted to interchange a few words, after which Austin explained what +he had already decided. Hilda, he pointed out, could not fitly remain +in Lihou, where she had been allowed to reside only until her lover was +out of danger; the laws of the establishment, which forbade the presence +of women, must now be put in force, but a fitting home had been provided +for her; she would be placed with the Sisters at the Vale; the hermit +would conduct her thither on the following day. The girl bowed to this +decision, sorely as she grieved to leave him she loved; the next morning +they parted, and she embarked with her guardian who, shielding her +lovingly from all harm, placed her, ere nightfall, in her new abode. + +Judith had not discovered the girl's departure till the sun was well up, +when she heard of her absence from the frantic Tita. The old woman's +force of character was colossal; pettinesses, small passions, were +unknown to her. Had her sphere been larger her promptitude of resource, +keenness of perception, resolute look onwards and upwards, solidity of +purpose, and incisive action might have graven her name on the tables of +history. Stagnating in the shallow pools of the unstoried rocks in which +she passed her life, these grand qualities were wasted and perverted. +She lost no time now in recrimination; a few sharp questions enabled her +to judge how far the weakness of affection had played the traitor with +the old woman, whom she left to settle matters with her own conscience. +She saw Garthmund, and told him that, in consequence of the +unsatisfactory augury of the last sacrifice, she had decided to postpone +the marriage. Nor did she appear to notice the indifference with which +the chief, who could not pretend that he ardently loved a bride who was +practically a stranger to him, received the decision. It took her some +time to discover where Hilda had taken refuge; it speaks ill for female +reticence that she discovered it shortly after the girl's removal to the +sisterhood. She satisfied herself that her own people had no suspicion +of the flight, as none of the crew of the belated boat had reached the +shore; and she gathered, from the transfer of the maiden to the convent, +that Father Austin was, on his side, resolved not to make known the +elopement of Garthmund's intended wife. Her paramount wish was to +recover her niece, but she perceived that she must act warily, and must +be ready to deal with the many contingencies which would inevitably +arise during the development of her schemes. Hilda's position under the +immediate protection of the religious communities was a serious +obstacle. Judith believed that against them her magic arts would be of +no avail; she was therefore driven to confine herself to earthly +combinations; but she was in no wise daunted by this difficulty, which +in point of fact cleared her judgment, and assisted her by inducing her +to make the best of the materials at her disposal. The obvious plan for +the recovery of the girl was to induce Garthmund to attack the nunnery, +and drag his bride from it; but to this there were many objections. +Acknowledgment of Hilda's flight would be in itself a confession of +failure. She had promised to produce the girl when she was required; to +seek the chief's assistance to enable her to fulfil the promise would be +a diminution of her prestige, and consequently of her power. Again, it +was by no means certain that the chief who, it has been said, was no +love-sick bridegroom, would consent to undertake the enterprise; nor, if +he did undertake it, was his prospect of success unquestionable, for the +islanders, though not ready listeners to the Christian teaching, would +have united to repel a heathen attack on their teachers whom they +honoured and respected. Judith therefore rejected this expedient, +arranging her plan of operations with remarkable ingenuity. + +Her first aim was to promote ill-feeling between the Voizins and their +neighbours; this part of the campaign was prosecuted with vigour. Cattle +were lost on either side of the boundary; houses were burnt; old wells +ran dry; rumours, mysteriously circulated, spoke of these as no +accidental mishaps; suspicions were whispered; instances of retaliation +followed. At the time when a dangerous feeling was thus growing up a +famine broke out in the Voizin country while the islanders were well +supplied. The hungry Voizin men heard voices in the darkness scoffing +at them, laughter and sneers. When their carts were sent to fetch the +necessaries of life, lynch-pins were loosened; in more than one case the +draught oxen were houghed; the provisions, when received, were mouldy +and unwholesome. At last sickness broke out, with stories of poison; +then the tension became insupportable. The Voizin chief, too proud to go +to his neighbours, summoned them to him; the messenger was murdered. +This assassination, of which the natives denied all knowledge, was met +by prompt reprisals; three Perelle fishermen were hung on the spot where +the body was found. From this date the outbreak of hostilities was but a +question of time. A sternness of purpose ruled in the councils of the +Voizins which frustrated all attempts at conciliation. A little before +Christmas a trivial incident kindled the smouldering flames, and the +hordes, pouring from the Torteval valleys, swept over the districts now +known as the parishes of St. Saviour's and the Câtel; the resistance was +tame and ineffectual, sufficient only to give occasion for considerable +slaughter and plunder. The invaders, seeing no reason for returning to +their famine-stricken fastnesses, settled themselves in the enjoyment of +the abundance of the vanquished, who, in their turn, with their +accustomed versatility, submitted patiently, and even cheerfully, to a +yoke which, after the first onslaught was over, pressed lightly; the +Voizins, to whom fighting was a pastime, bearing no malice, and passing +imperceptibly into a genial mood. + +Judith now prepared to develop the next move, the object of which was to +undermine the authority of the monks, and make them vulnerable by +isolation. Derisive hints were dropped respecting the failure of the new +religion to help its votaries in the hour of peril; the victory of the +Voizins was attributed to the superiority of their Gods rather than to +deficiency in courage on the part of their foes: this theory, which was +not unpalatable to those who had been half-hearted in defence of their +homes, was also utilized by the more sober spirits as an argument +wherewith to restrain the more ardent from attempting to renew the +struggle under similar conditions. The observances of the religion of +Thor and Odin, or rather of that debased form of it which prevailed +among this singular people, were celebrated under their more alluring +aspects: frequent feasts and dances captivated the laughter-loving +islanders, who had been tried somewhat severely by the severity of the +_régime_ which Austin had endeavoured to impose since he had seen danger +in his damaging encounter with Judith. After a time it was proclaimed +that none would be permitted to join in the revelries who were enemies +to the Gods who presided at them. This stroke was successful: the +majority openly embraced the creed of their conquerors, and showed the +usual spirit of perverts in exceeding the latter in their zeal to sweep +away all traces of the religion which they had abandoned. The minority +who held true to their faith drew together, a grim and resolute band, +prepared for a bold defence and, if Christ so willed it, for martyrdom. + +It was not Judith's purpose, now that the disruption of the islanders +was effected, to leave time for the Christians to mature plans for +resistance. Garthmund, at her instigation, delivered simultaneous +attacks on Lihou and the Vale; he himself superintending the latter +operation in order that he might see that the sorceress's instructions, +that all in the nunnery were to be made prisoners uninjured, and brought +to her closely veiled, were implicitly obeyed. To the surprise of the +islanders, however, both assaults, though made with spirit and absolute +confidence of success, were completely repulsed; the same result +attended a renewed attack, made two days subsequently with fresh and +increased forces supported by native levies. Garthmund found that in +both places he had before him not only resolute troops, but skilled and +enterprising commanders. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +CONSOLATION. + + "Mother! list a suppliant child! + Ave Maria! + Ave Maria! Stainless styled. + Foul demons of the earth and air, + From this their wonted haunt exiled, + Shall flee before thy presence fair." + + _Lady of the Lake_.--WALTER SCOTT. + + +Jean's recovery after Hilda's departure had been slow and lingering; but +for the unwearied care of the good fathers and of the recluse, aided by +a constitution of no ordinary strength, he must have succumbed to the +terrible injuries which he had received. As, however, the days began to +lengthen, and signs of spring to appear even on the wild rock where he +had taken refuge, his vigour gradually returned. It had been necessary +that he should be protected from excitement; consequently, while +receiving from the hermit regular reports from the Vale, and many a +sweet message from his love which made his heart leap with happiness, +he knew nothing till the beginning of February of the incursion of the +Voizins, and the accompanying events. Since he had been alone, however, +he had dwelt for hours together on the strange story which he had +overheard in the tower, the principal figure of which, while his brain +had been still confused, had been always mingled in his delirium with +the massive form of the hermit. Father Austin, watching him with +anxiety, at length suggested that he should relieve his mind by +repeating the tale to the recluse himself. He readily adopted the +suggestion. His listener, who had been too delicate to question Hilda as +to her antecedents, but who had been burning to learn the explanation of +the striking resemblance of her features to a face which, whether he +waked or slept, ever haunted him, though more often contorted in agony +than wreathed in smiles, heard with impatience the history of Algar's +treachery; but when Jean detailed the escape of Tita and her charge, and +identified the latter with the maiden whom he had rescued, he sprang to +his feet at the risk of plunging his patient into a fresh crisis of +fever, and exclaimed, "May the choicest gifts of heaven be showered on +thee, brave youth! the blessed angels and saints will love thee for this +deed!" He reflected a moment, then turned his eyes full on Jean's face, +"Why should I leave it to Austin to tell thee what he has long known +under the solemn secrecy which binds priest and sinner? Thou shalt know +it from my own lips: I am Haco! Drifted hitherward on that lonely +voyage, I was released by holy men, now saints above, who healed my +wounds and taught me to bury my pride, and to kneel humbly before the +Cross. I never doubted that I was childless as well as wifeless; had I +done so, I should have returned at all risks to claim my own. But she! +Hilda! 'twas her mother's name! this maiden, towards whom my soul went +out in yearning, is my own! yes! my child! If a wild feeling rose when I +watched her I crushed it out, for I thought that I had stifled all human +passions; but now--" He fell on his knees, and hid his face in his +hands, his giant frame convulsed with sobs; but it was evident that he +was controlling himself, and when he rose his rugged face was full of +humanity: youth seemed to have returned to it; under the disfiguring +scars Jean could trace without difficulty the fearless, generous +features of which Judith had spoken with such enthusiasm. Haco warmly +grasped the sick man's hand, and left the cell. + +Father Austin had, it appeared, learnt Judith's story from Hilda, but +this confidence also had been made under the seal of confession. He had +been confirmed in his impression of its accuracy by the tale he had +already heard from Haco, whose strange arrival was still a favourite +topic among the monks, though none of those now in the monastery had +witnessed it. The three men were now able openly to discuss the subject +in its various bearings, but they agreed that the mystery should not be +revealed till peace was restored. + +Haco had from the first foreseen the danger to be apprehended from the +Voizin incursion. The monks were still further surprised to see the +being, whose gentleness had amazed them on Hilda's arrival, now a leader +of men, active, vigorous, inspiring others with the love of life with +which he himself seemed to be animated. Before the attack came Jean was +sufficiently recovered to be able to render efficient assistance; he had +ably seconded Haco in the two encounters, after which he was specially +entrusted with the defence of the Vale. + +Judith was in no degree daunted by temporary failure: her nature +revelled in overcoming opposition; her spirit rose to the occasion. +Garthmund was inclined to be sulky after his second defeat, and might +have abandoned the enterprise had he dared to do so; but fear of the +sorceress kept him firm. For a month the system of blockade was tried, +varied by occasional assaults which, being made with less spirit than +the earlier ones, were easily repulsed. The blockade was not more +successful. Haco had provided ample stores for the small garrison which +he had considered sufficient to protect the promontory of Lihou, +naturally almost impregnable; and the force defending the Vale, camped +chiefly on Lancresse Common, was only nominally blockaded. The sallies, +made from time to time, were ordered more with a view of keeping up the +martial spirit of the men than with that of providing for wants, for the +friendly inhabitants of the eastern side of the island, emboldened by +recent proofs that the dreaded Voizins were not invincible, ran their +boats almost with impunity into the little creeks into which the heavier +craft of the enemy could not follow them. + +Judith hardly noticed these details. Her attention was fixed upon the +key of the position. She knew that a resistance of this description was +altogether contrary to the unwarlike character of the natives; she was +convinced that they were actuated by some abnormal spirit, and that if +the motive power were removed the machine would collapse. She made it +her business to ascertain what the spring was that guided them. All her +art failed in detecting the presence of Haco, perhaps because her +engines were powerless when directed against one of her own blood; but +she easily ascertained that the warriors in the opposing camp looked to +Jean as their leader, that his spirit pervaded all, and that his ardour +to protect his sacred charge filled him with a wondrous power which +astonished even those who from childhood had bent to his unchallenged +primacy. + +Having satisfied herself as to the character of the opposing force, her +next step was to secure Jean's person. This presented no difficulty to +her. A scroll was delivered to the young leader by an unknown messenger, +who at once disappeared. Jean, seeing that the characters were those +which, as he believed, Austin alone was able to trace, took the scroll +to the sister who alone was able to interpret them. What Sister Theresa +read was alarming:--"Hasten! I am grievously sick; my strength fails! I +must see thee without delay." Jean was distressed beyond measure, but +Hilda, whom he hurried to consult, agreed with him that no time must be +lost in obeying the summons; the fact that Haco was at Lihou convinced +them that the father would not have sent for Jean if his case had not +been one of extreme danger. After a hasty farewell and a promise of +speedy return, for his presence with the forces was imperative and he +grudged every hour of absence from his beloved, he set out alone in his +boat. Before an hour had passed he was captured by a flotilla which had +been lying in ambuscade behind the Grandes Rocques, and was a prisoner +in the enemy's camp. + +If Judith had been an ordinary woman she would have been content with +this result, would have executed the prisoner, and have awaited the +submission of his disheartened followers; and she would have failed, +defeated by the indomitable courage and resource of Haco. But it was not +in this clumsy fashion that her genius moulded the materials at her +command. She now controlled, as she believed, the mainspring of the +resistance, which would probably cease with the death of Jean. But her +aim went far beyond the mere submission of her antagonists; she wished +that the blow should be struck in such a manner as to stamp out the +false creed which had held the islanders in thrall, to prove to all +sceptics the powers of her own Gods and the impotence of those of her +opponents, and to commit the recently reconverted islanders so +irretrievably that they could not afterwards backslide. She wished also, +by making an example that would inspire terror, to establish the +undisputed supremacy of her people in the whole island. But, side by +side with these political considerations, were the religious influences +honestly and steadfastly working in her powerful intellect. When she +communed with her Gods she thought of no earthly good or ill: she loved +these strange conceptions, and fixed her whole soul on conciliating +them. It was now her conviction that they were displeased: their +displeasure, awful as she believed it to be, did not terrify her, but it +vexed her to the inmost heart: she feared that they had not been rightly +propitiated, and resolved that the shortcoming must be remedied. + +All her reflections pointed with unerring force to the same conclusion. +She held in her hands the strong frame, the stout heart, the ruling +mind. All were concentrated in Jean Letocq. He, then, must be offered up +as a fitting sacrifice. By such an offering the deities could not fail +to be appeased, and by the death of this man in this fashion all the +natural exigencies of the situation would be satisfied. She never +allowed herself to dwell for one moment on the fact that the victim was +beloved by Hilda. On this point she had armed herself with bars of brass +and triple steel. He might have fooled the girl, but at the thought of +love her heart was ice. + +The sorceress communicated her resolution to Garthmund. The chieftain +exhibited no surprise: he expressed a grim approval of the proposal, +which seemed likely to give an excuse for revelry and to bring the +campaign to a prompt conclusion, and proceeded to make the requisite +arrangements. + +The 30th of March was the day chosen. The forces investing the two +beleaguered positions were ordered to assemble, that on the western side +on the low ground between L'Erée and Lihou, that on the northern under +shelter of the woods of the Braye du Valle, facing the fortifications +thrown up by the defenders. At a given signal, the kindling of a beacon +on the Rocque du Guet, the two hosts were to make simultaneously a +determined assault. The islanders not engaged in these operations, with +the exception of those openly or secretly sympathizing with the +Christians, poured into Vazon Forest, none remaining behind but those +absolutely incapable of conveying themselves or of being conveyed. + +By this time the consternation in the enemy's camp was all that the +sorceress could desire. Jean's capture had been ascertained, and all the +particulars respecting his coming fate were known by means of spies. +Haco shook his head at the proposals of rescue made by spirited youths. +"Success would be hopeless," he said; "failure would be fatal to those +whose lives are precious to us. If he dies we will brace every nerve to +avenge him, but we must be patient, and await their onslaught. Then will +come our turn! then will we spring at their dastard throats! then shall +they drink freely of their own gore!" If the man of the sword thought +the case hopeless, what could the men of the cloister do? They did all +in their power--prayed ceaselessly, fasted, did penance under the +guidance of Father Austin; but nevertheless the fatal morning arrived. + +Hilda knew her lover's danger. When he failed to return, and when Haco, +arriving from Lihou, admitted that he had not been seen at the +monastery, her heart sank; she, better than any of those around her, +knew the stern, implacable patriotism and fanaticism of Judith's +nature; she fully realized the savage dispositions of her countrymen, +their contempt of human life, and their brutal treatment of captives. +She had some conception of their fearful orgies, and she shuddered when +her mind touched, not daring to dwell, on Jean's possible fate. She had +sufficient presence of mind to bear up bravely before Haco, who had no +suspicion that she had a perception of the terrible truth from which +even his rent and seared feelings shrank; nor did she reveal to Father +Austin, during a short visit which he paid her at great risk this inner +serpent which was devouring her young heart. Sister Theresa and her +fellows marvelled at her as on the morning of the fatal day she passed +between them, her eyes rapt in contemplation, her look serene and calm, +though beneath the surface lay a depth of unutterable woe, sinking, +receding, chill as the dark, haunted, bosom of an unfathomable mountain +lake. + +She sought her own cell and begged to be left alone. Then the full heart +burst the bounds imposed by the strong will. She placed before her the +little Madonna, from which she never parted, and fell on her knees. She +prayed till noon, and her prayer continued still; it was not simply a +woman's supplication: her whole essence was poured out before the Holy +Mother, who was the object of her special adoration. This girl had never +known evil: for nineteen years her mind had rippled on, sparkling with +good deeds, little bright thoughts, gentle inspirations sweetly obeyed; +then first streamed in the warm current of human love, followed by the +rapid thrilling rush of the flow of Divine awakening. The little stream +had become a torrent; but one in which every element was pure, for its +component parts were faith in God, trust in man, the will to act, the +power to bear, contentment in joy and resignation in sorrow. Above all, +she had ever before her the words which Austin had told her comprised +the sermon of the universe--"Thy will be done!" Was it possible that, in +the days when miracles were yet wrought, such a prayer at such a time +from such a saint should not be heard? Some three hours had passed after +noon when she felt a sweet languor overspread her. A mist crept before +her eyes, which quickly passed away and was replaced by a radiance +brighter than the sun's rays; her eyes had power however to look aloft, +and she gazed with clasped hands and with loving reverence: the Holy +Virgin herself stood before her, holding in her arms the Blessed Infant; +the Mother looking down with a smile inexpressibly tender and +compassionate, the Child stretching forth its dimpled hand and giving +its blessing. She sank in rapture, the glory too great for her. As the +vision faded she arose, a marvellous strength possessing her. She +stepped forth, and found herself in the midst of a crowd gazing, +horror-stricken, seawards. "Fear nothing," she said with a calm +expression that seemed to permeate the whole assembly like an inner +voice; "he is saved, and you are saved!" The words came opportunely. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ANNIHILATION. + + "Prophet-like that lone one stood, + With dauntless words and high, + That shook the sere leaves from the wood + As if a storm pass'd by." + + _The Last Man_.--CAMPBELL. + + "So perish the old Gods! + But out of the sea of time + Rises a new land of song, + Fairer than the old." + + _The Seaside and the Fireside_.--LONGFELLOW. + + +Full of evil augury was the morning of this eventful day in Vazon +Forest. There were the same trees, the same glades and streams, as on +the well-remembered Midsummer day of the preceding year; but nature and +man alike were in a different mood. The trees were leafless and +churlish, the glades ragged and colourless; the turbid, dusky streams +bore but small resemblance to the limpid rivulets of June; the native +youths were absent, engaged in military service; the maidens, headed by +Suzanne Falla, had indeed an appearance of mirth, but there was a hollow +ring in the boisterous recklessness of their merriment; the old men +tramped feebly and aimlessly, for the reverence for age had been +transferred to the veterans of the conquerors. The latter also supplied +the musicians; and the clanging of drums and cymbals, with the blast of +horns, replaced the sylvan melody of the aborigines. + +Still there was every sign of festivity. The proceedings began with +dances in which the men, who posed as athletes and warriors, gave +representations of deeds of martial prowess. Then the girls were allowed +to foot their native dances in their own fashion. Dances for both sexes +followed, in which the native maidens found it difficult to conceal +their terror of the rough partners ever ready to become rougher wooers. + +These preliminaries concluded, the business of the day began. Though +this wild race sacrificed human beings, they did not treat their victims +with the coldblooded cruelty of the Druids, who slaughtered them as if +they were oxen or sheep; their custom was to burn their captives; and it +is not for critics, whose pious forefathers kindled the fires of +Smithfield, to assert that their practice was wholly barbarous. In the +present case a pyre, some twelve feet high, was built at the foot of a +huge granite boulder, near the sea-coast: it was constructed of dry +wood, and was drenched with combustible materials. Jean was bound firmly +to a strong hurdle, made of birch stems and withies securely lashed +together. Judith, Garthmund, and the principal elders, placed themselves +under the venerable oak; the people stood at a respectful distance. +Twelve stalwart warriors bore the litter on which the prisoner was +stretched, and placed it on stone trestles planted for the purpose in +the intervening space. Then the priests arrived; twelve old men whose +white locks and beards, and snowy dresses, gave them a venerable +appearance which was soon belied by their performances. + +Halting when they reached the victim, the priests faced the oak, and +chanted a solemn, wailing dirge; this, which might have been a farewell +to the spirit whose departure they were preparing to accelerate, was not +unimpressive. Then one stepped forward whose voice was yet clear and +loud; he passed a warm eulogy on the qualities of the captive, whom he +described in exaggerated phrases as a sage in council, and a hero in +battle, endowing him also with every domestic virtue which seemed in his +eyes worthy of enumeration. This discourse was followed by a warlike +song in honour of Thor and Odin, and it was during the course of this +hymn that it became clear from their rolling eyes and unsteady gait that +the old men were in a state of no ordinary excitement. All night they +had been feasting their deities, and the solemnity had involved deep +potations; now, as the rapid movements of a dance which accompanied the +inspiriting words sent the fumes into their heads, they appeared to be +beside themselves. The bystanders, however, attributing their frenzy to +religious fervour, and not unaccustomed to such manifestations, looked +on unmoved. The music ceased; and the song of triumph gave way to a +hideous scene over which it were painful to dwell. The drunken old men, +with incredible agility, whirled round the prostrate form of Jean. There +was no question now of eulogizing his virtues: he was accused, in +language which seemed devil-born, of every crime, every infamy, of which +the human race is capable; held up to scorn and ignominy, he was cursed +and execrated with a shower of blasphemy and obscenity; a by-stander, +contemplating his calm, clear face, the lips parted in prayer, gleaming +amidst the contorted features of the screaming miscreants, might have +believed him to be already passing, unscathed, through the terrors of +purgatory. + +It is impossible at this day to fathom the mystery of this terrible +relic of some remote superstition. It may have been that the abhorrence +and extinction of evil was roughly typified, or that it was understood +that the death of the victim would, as if he were a scapegoat, cleanse +the worshippers of the sins with which he was thus loaded. It is idle to +grope where all is, and must be, dark; all that can be asserted with +any certainty is that the preliminary eulogy, a more modern practice, +was intended to enhance the value of the offering which they were about +to make to the Gods. + +The warriors now resumed their burden, and a procession was formed +towards the pyre, on which the litter-bearers, mounting by an inclined +plane, placed the doomed youth. Judith ascended the huge boulder, which +was some eight feet higher than the pyre at its foot. The chief and +people grouped themselves round its base. The priests stood ready to +apply the torch when the sorceress gave the signal, and the distant +watchman on the Guct waited in his turn for the first flash of flame to +kindle the beacon which was to set the assailing forces in motion. + +Judith turned to the expectant crowd: her glance was searching, in her +eye was an ineffable look of scorn. "Down on your knees!" she said, +"craven sons, whose sires would blush to own you! You who have steeped +your hearts in pride and boastfulness! Were your fathers slow to draw +the sword and quick to sheathe it? Did they cower by their hearths when +warm blood was being spilt? did they feast when others fought? would +they not have leaped, as the tempest rushes from its caves, to scatter +like the sand those who should have dared to bend the knee to false +Gods, objects of their loathing and derision? Runs this noble blood in +your stagnant veins? From giants ye have become pigmies!" The majestic +contempt with which these words had been delivered had a crushing +effect. She continued her harangue for some time in the same strain. +Every Voizin's head was bowed, every form bent and trembling. The +sorceress then, slowly turning, faced seaward. Her arms assumed the +well-known beseeching attitude, the serpent bracelet glittering fiercely +in the sun. Her voice changed, became softer. "Yet they are my people!" +she continued, "and the last of our race. Ennoble them, great Gods! +quicken their hearts and spare them!" Looking outward with the rapt look +of a prophetess in whom, though torn with tempests of fanaticism and of +passion, human and superhuman, no thought was mean, no sentiment +ignoble, she poured out this her prayer; not for mercy!--her Gods knew +not this attribute; nor could she understand it; if the craven continued +to be a craven she felt he were better dead;--not for peace and +contentment!--to these blessings neither she nor they attached +value;--but for fearlessness and steadfastness of purpose, and also for +courage to die for the truth! there were petitions poured out by this +woman that would have honoured the lips of the champion of any creed. + +The supplication ended, she seemed about to raise her hand to give the +anticipated signal when a look of amazement passed over her features; +she brushed her hand over her eyes and looked again, then folded her +arms and gazed steadily seawards. What she saw might have shattered even +her nerves of iron. At the close of her prayer, which had exactly +coincided with the moment when Hilda stepped from her cell, the bosom of +the sea heaved and rose: a wave, ten feet high, glided, stole as it +were, so gently did it move, into the forest; but so rapidly, that in +one minute every human being except herself and Jean was engulphed. They +were gone, the high-couraged and the craven, the frenzied priest and the +laughing child, with their passions, their hopes, and their fears, +without the faintest note of warning of coming danger! Judith glanced at +Jean, almost contemptuously; he, not having seen what had happened, was +still momentarily expecting the application of the torch. A second wave +crept in, smaller than the former, but overwhelming the pyre. The dazed +warrior on the Guet reported that after this second wave had passed he +saw the tall form still towering on the peak, but that when he looked +again the rock, though still above water, was tenantless; a little later +the granite mass, together with the tops of the tallest trees, lay under +an unruffled surface. + +When the pyre was submerged the litter, to which Jean was attached, +floated off and formed a tolerably secure raft. His life was safe for a +time; but he would have been exposed to a still more ghastly fate from +the swooping sea-birds had he not been able by a supreme effort to +wrest one of his arms from its bands. In speechless wonderment he was +carried seaward by the slowly receding tide. Suddenly his raft was +hailed by a well-known voice. Friendly hands cut the ropes that bound +him, and he was lifted into a boat. The occupant was Haco who, attracted +to the spot when hurrying to the Vale, by the cries of the clustering +gulls, had thus again saved his life. + +The giant pulled vigorously to the point which, now known as the Hommet, +terminates the northern arm of Vazon Bay; there he landed the youth, to +enable him to stretch his cramped limbs, and to clothe him in such +articles as he could spare from his own equipment. A rapid explanation +passed between them. Haco told him how the force investing Lihou had, +when apparently waiting for a signal to move, been overwhelmed by a wave +which cut off the promontory from L'Erée, and had perished to a man. +Jean could tell of nothing but the sudden cessation of the tumult and +the floating of his litter. The minds of both were wandering, burningly +anxious as they were to know what had passed at the Vale. Scaling the +Hommet, they obtained a sufficient view to satisfy them that Lancresse +Common no longer formed a portion of the mainland; an hour afterwards, +entering the Grand Havre, they saw an unbroken channel between that +inlet and St. Sampson's: every trace of the invading host had +disappeared. Jean was soon in Hilda's arms; and the two lovers, with +Haco, spent the remainder of the day in pious thanksgiving to the Holy +Mother by whose special interposition, testified so miraculously to the +maiden, the cause of Christ had triumphed and the parted had been +reunited, when the last gleam of safety seemed to have been +extinguished. + +The next morning Father Austin arrived. Hilda was then made acquainted +with her relationship to Haco, whose tender attentions during her late +troubles had already won her unreserved affection. The news was an +inexpressible joy to her, and it was touching to see how she nestled in +the deep embrace of her father, whose feelings, so long pent up, now at +last found vent. Jean absented himself during the day, but on the +following morning insisted that his nuptials should no longer be +deferred. The same evening, in the little chapel of the nunnery, Austin +bestowed his blessing on a union which had been sanctified by such +special manifestations of Divine approval. + +The readjustment of the shattered organization of the island was +imperative. The inhabitants of the eastern side, and those of the Vale, +had for the most part preserved their lives by their absence from the +forest; the Christian converts who had aided in the struggle were also +safe; with these exceptions the island was practically depopulated. Jean +was elected chief by acclamation. After giving such pressing directions +as immediate exigencies required, he acceded to his wife's ardent wish +to obtain intelligence respecting Judith, and also to ascertain the fate +of Tita. + +The Lihou monks had already reported that all communication was broken +between the Hanois and the shore, but that the tower appeared to be +intact. On an April morning Haco and the young couple sailed across +Rocquaine Bay, and landed close to the tower, which now stood on a +rugged and inhospitable island. The door was opened by Tita, who smiled, +and prattled, and caressed her young mistress like a lap-dog. She +recognised Jean with indifference, but a start, followed by a shudder, +seized her when she observed Haco; her terror, however, seemed to pass +away when he spoke a few soothing words to her. It was evident that a +shock, or a succession of shocks, had unsettled the poor woman's brain. +On the name of Judith being mentioned, she pointed fearfully to the +upper story. Uncertain as to her meaning, Jean cautiously ascended the +ladder, and ascertained that the sorceress was in truth there. After a +consultation it was decided that Haco and Hilda should seek her +presence. + +As father and daughter entered the apartment, they saw the old woman +half-seated, half-lying, on a couch placed close to the window; her +face, which was turned seaward, was haggard, the leanness bringing into +strong relief the handsome chiselling of her profile; the sternness of +her mouth was somewhat relaxed; there was an indication almost of +softness in its corners. Her high spirit had accepted, not resented, +defeat. + +As her eye fell on her two visitors there was no gleam of defiance, no +mark of anger, or even surprise; but, when Haco stood fully revealed +before her, a flash of triumph and pleasure shot into it, kindling every +feature with its glow. "You here, Haco!" she cried, "and with her! The +Gods have relented. You will hold her fast in their worship, and lead +her steps to the land of her sires! I die contented." She fell back +exhausted. "Sister," said the giant, laying his hand softly on her +shoulder, "it is too late; when Algar slew my loved one the Pagan died +in me; I am a servant of the God of the Christians." Hilda awaited +fearfully the result of this announcement, but she knew not the +greatness of the old woman's soul. It was long ere her voice was heard +again. Presently, raising herself, she said, "I would it had been +otherwise; but I have erred, I have misjudged. I thought that your Gods +were false; puny creations of a nerveless brain; but they are strong, I +own their power! It may be that the great ones of old have wearied of +our spiritless race, and abandoned us. So perchance you may be wise to +turn to the new-comers!" Her voice failed her, but as they knelt by her +side her hands wandered over their heads and lingered with a caressing +movement among Hilda's locks. She seemed to have forgotten Jean, whom +she doubtless believed to have been lost in the general calamity. +Suddenly she started up and pointed to a storm-cloud rising rapidly from +the western horizon, assuming a succession of fantastic shapes as it +passed upwards. "Do you not see them?" she cried--"the great, the +glorious ones! they bend from their seats; they smile! see their power! +Their majesty! their locks stream, their swords are half drawn! they +sheathe them, they lean forward, they extend their arms! they beckon!--I +come, I come!" She stretched out her arms with the old familiar gesture +and sank back, having breathed her spirit to the tempest which she loved +so well. + +They buried her on the cliffs of Pleinmont, where a cairn long marked +her resting-place. Tita was taken to the Vale; all attempts to restore +her from the shock which her nerves had received failed till on one +sunny morning Hilda's infant was placed on her knees: when the child +crowed, and smiled at her, the cloud imperceptibly passed away, never to +return. From that time she assumed her regular place in the household. + +Haco abandoned his Lihou cell; his rough readiness of resource, +unfailing good-humour, and skill in managing men, proved invaluable +during the task of the restoration of the broken links of government and +society. + +The labours of Father Austin and his coadjutors did not relax, but their +course lay in smoother waters: if their prospects of martyrdom were +diminished they were more than consoled by the knowledge that they +possessed among them a veritable saint, to whom the Holy Virgin had +vouchsafed the honour of a personal appearance, and that they had been +witnesses of a miraculous interposition, the evidence of which would be +indelible as long as the sea should wash the storm-beaten cliffs of +their beloved island. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forest of Vazon, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14501 *** |