Part 3 (1/2)
”My good, yes, tell me, I am only too pleased if you talk to me.
Shall we go up to Les Casquets together? I was going there to see your father.”
As they walked side by side she began to speak rapidly.
”Well, this amusing thing I have seen! Listen! I was at the top of the valley that leads to Orvilliere Farm this morning when, all at once, I saw a cart coming along. In it was a big chest made of oak and carved all over; and besides there was a box covered with leather and all over bra.s.s nails. Of course one knew at once what that meant! In the chest and in the box there was the linen for the house of some woman who was soon to be married, and it was being taken to the house of the bridegroom. Sure enough, it seems I was right, for tied to the cart behind was the cow the father of the bride would give! Then, close to the cart, on the side, there was a girl I knew. She was the nearest woman relation of Blaisette Simon, and she was carrying a looking gla.s.s. I knew what all those things meant--a marriage soon to take place. So I looked again, and I saw that the man who was leading the cart was Dominic Le Mierre, the master of Orvilliere, and he turned down the hill that leads to the farm. He didn't see me--him--he was chatting and laughing with the girl cousin of Blaisette, and telling her not to let the looking gla.s.s fall, or that would be bad luck. Now, Perrin Corbet, tell me, what do you think all that means?”
She breathed quickly and turned her face away from him.
”Means!” echoed the fisherman, ”of course it means only one thing, that there will soon be a wedding, that the bride will be Blaisette Simon and the bridegroom will be Dominic Le Mierre. But why do you ask me? You said you knew yourself what it meant when you saw the chest in the cart!”
”Bah, don't be so stupid and tease me like that! There might be some mistake. And what do I care if she does marry him?”
”I wonder you haven't heard it talked of before, Ellenor, for all Torteval has said long ago they would make a match.”
”Well, let people chat as much as they like! _He_ don't care for her, that I know. It's only her money he's after. She is a silly little fool, all pink and white and yellow hair.”
”Perhaps! But all we men can see that she is a very pretty girl. And how do you know he don't care for her, eh?”
”How dare you to question me like this! Never mind how I know, but I do.”
”Well, my girl, I can tell you all about it. It would seem that Le Mierre has been making a fool of you. All Torteval knows it. And there's times and times I've seen you together; and him making love to you.”
”You're a sneak and a liar! So you've spied on us, Perrin Corbet, have you?”
The fisherman was absolutely unmoved by her rudeness. His love was beyond and above any feeling of even proper pride.
”I've not spied on you at all, but it wasn't my fault if you didn't see me; and you never gave me a chance of telling you all this before. He's sure and certain to marry Blaisette. It's as good as if she was his wife now you've seen the cart taking the linen to Orvilliere. Don't be vexed with me. It's for your good I speak. You know how I love you, Ellenor.”
”Bah, who cares for your love! I was a fool to tell you the amusing thing I've seen. And I tell you, once more, he don't love Blaisette Simon.”
”Well, have it your own way! I've nothing more to say about the marriage. But I've a mind to go to warn Blaisette about her husband to be.”
Ellenor turned on Perrin a look of wild terror and anger.
”If I could, I'd kill you, because I hate you so! You would go to tell Blaisette that you've seen me and him together!”
”I would do no such thing. But I would wish to warn her that Dominic is mixed up with smugglers.”
A dead silence was at last broken by Ellenor's husky words.
”How do you know he's mixed up with smugglers?”
”Listen to my tale this time,” he said, ”but it isn't at all amusing. One night I was off the point of the cliffs below the Haunted House. I was in my boat, fis.h.i.+ng for _bream_. It was full moon, but me and my boat were in shadow. None could see us. By and bye--I saw a long, narrow boat shoot out from a cave not far off from me. In it were three or four black looking foreigners. They pushed their boat close under the cliffs and waited, full an hour.
Then, by and bye, down came Le Mierre and another man with bundles of silk, or what looked like it ... and the fellow in the boat got up and caught hold of the bundles and went off with them like the very devil. Le Mierre and his man were up the cliff again before I could whistle to them that I was by. I've meant to tell Le Mierre some day; and it seems to me now's the time for him and his girl to know.”
”And what good would that be, I'd like to be told! He'd only do his best to pay you out for being a sneak.”
”I've thought, too, of letting the constables of the parish know of it,” pursued Corbet quietly.
”And a fine row there'd be! Do you think you, a poor fisherman, would be believed when you went to tell tales of him, a rich farmer!