The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-05-19

ed through the sugar-loaf turrcts and the
lattices. which it had burst in. and the
loop-holes, like hundred thousand dew
lis whistles. The seneschal fell on his
knees.
"Stronger still p said the baron.
And meantime what was Jacques Fort
doing in his new ship2 With every rag
Of canvass torn out of the bolt-ropes, the
Saintc Iicrge was flying on the top, as
it seemed, of the driving spray, on to
the breakers Jacques was the only
man left on deck-eyery one of the rest
had been washed overheard, and were al
ready sleeping in the sea and he knew
that in moment he would follow them
The staggering ship rose on the back of
a mighty breaker and the captain knew
that with its fall upon the beach his YES
sci would be ground to powder
Oh, Toinette y he murmured, as the
ship was hove forward like bolt from a
bow, and then fell shooting into cream
ing current of rushing water, while the
sand-hills appeared right and left for a
moment, and then were left astern. The
last grand wave had burst the barrier.
and the frail ship and the llneeling mar
incr were borne onward on the ridge Of
the advancing food, which formed the
lake Of Arcachon. Jacques Fort saw Il
light. and steercd towards it it was the
light in the baron's chamber at the cha
teau Of Chatcl-morant
There. by the burst-in lattice. stood
the baron, his grey hair flying above his
head, and ever shouting to the imp.
. Stronger, Klosso-strongerw And
every time he used the words, the hurri-
cane burst louder and louder upon the
rocking turrcts And still Armand
clung to the stonc-work of the burst-in
lattice, through which the flying sand
drove ill., and clustered in his robes and
hair
And now the terrified domestics began
to rush up to the chamber Of the baron.
My lord, such storm was never
heard Of"
Ny lord, the devil is loose, and ri
ding ON the wind m
My lord, the end of the world is at
hand li'
Klosso I" shouted the baron, strong
erw
As he spoke, the wind burst like n
thunder clap over them and they heard
the crash of falling tower The scrv-
ing men and women groyclled in terror
on the floor; the baron clung by the
window the imp visible only to him, sat
on the back of the armchair, as he had
sat since his appearance.
But hush Another sound, mingling
with the roar of the wind, and deeper
and more awful still 1t rapidly increas-
ed, and the baron found his face besprink-
led with driving drops of water-they
we're salt
Ny lord--my lord !" screamed the
seneschal, sinking. as he spoke, at the
baron's knees my lord-the sea p
\ cry was heard without the lights
of the hamlet beneath disappeared and
then a shock from below made the cha
teau swing and rock, and white waves
were all around them.
The sea, my lord" said the sencschal,
has burst the sand-banks; the castle
stands on low ground We are all dead
men-the sea-the sea !"
The Baron Armand turned to Klosso 4.
Sc Does he speak truth2"
The worthy gentleman" said the imp,
" is perfectly in the right; you are all
dead men; and, Monseigncm lie Baron,
when you gave me last Il year of your
life. you gave the last you had to give"
Up rose the watfy, and higher dashed
the waves. Up, foot by foot, and yard
by yard and still the baron stood erect
amid the raving of the eelements-h face
as white as his hair, but his eyes as bright
and keen as ever
"Klosso," he said, IL am yours; and
the future is the future"
lie looked at the iron lamp swinging
above his head
1T will soon be out" said Klosso.
Jacques Fort still stcered to the light
1t came nearer and nearer and he saw
even through the gloom and the driving
spray that it shone from castle-turret,
and he seized the tiller to change the
course Of the vessel but as he did so,
the grand, triumphant, finishing blast of
the hurricane fell upon the seething food
like lron-heaved up one bristlmg, foam
ing sea, which caught the SaiRtc Ficrgc
upon its crest, and flung the ship almost
into the air The light cleaned for
moment almost beneath him and Jac-
4ues, rushing 70 the bow, saw below it,
as in prison, fierce conyulsed face.
and staring eyes, and flying white hair
and the eyes saw him As Jacques re-
cognised the sorcerer Armand of Chatel.
morant, so did Armand recognise the
face and form he had seen helping Toin-
cite to cook the christening feast.
The next instant the .SaiRtc Iicyge
was borne over and over the highest tur-
ret of the chateau, her keel fathom
good above the lofticst and the gaudiest
Of all the gilt weather-cocks.
The event foreshadowed in the crystal
duly took place ON the anniversary of the
day which saw the chateau dc Chatel-
morant swallowed in the Bay of Area
chon
The AFRICAN BaVard TaVlor