Legend of Moulin Huet | Page 6

unfasten the rope, the sudden starting round of the wheel would precipiate Charlie into the stream below, where he must inevitably be dashed to pieces. Well thought of, Jacques Gaultier; but it is a pity thy ingenuity had not been turned to better account!
Jacques spent a most restless night, for the awfulness of the crime which he was meditating presented itself unceasingly to his mind; but, on the other hand, he pictured to himself Marguerite Charlie's wife, therefore lost to him. Not only did he hate Charlie on this score, but political feeling, as well as the frank pleasant manner of the young soldier, assisted in making Jacques look hardly on him. He could'nt but remark the different manner in which he was treated. People rather avoided than courted the society of "Dark Jacques Gaultier," as he was called by the boys round his neighbourhood, with the disagreeable honesty of "small boy" youth.
Jacques was one of those unhappy beings who live with their blinds down and windows shut, morally speaking; and yet who wonder that they don't get the bright light and pure air into their minds, which cause some of their brethren to be such refreshing bits in the way through life. One of these was Charlie: he went happily through life, carrying sunshine with him wherever he went: he felt sorry for Jacques, and would willingly have been friends with him, but in their relative positions this was impossible. All his overtures were received with decided rudeness on the part of Jacques, when they received any notice at all, so Charlie gave up, and took the situation as inevitable. When morning came Jacques rose very early and went down to the mill. He judged the early morning to be the best time to see the old man by himself. In this he was correct, for when he got there he found Pierre was the only one down. He was standing in the little garden in the front of the house. After they had exchanged the customary greetings of the place, the old miller asked Jacques "what had brought him out so early."
The latter told him all he had overheard the preceding evening, and then he unfolded his plan, for Charlie's destruction, but tried to impress on the old man that he had better loosen the rope himself.
This Pierre would not listen to; said his courage might fail him; then pleaded his age, failing strength, and many other things; finally, he said, he would not do it, adding, "One would think I wanted the girl for my wife; no, do thy own business unless thou art very anxious to give Marguerite to this fine soldier. I warrant me that will be the end of it."
"Father Pierre, thou well know'st I would sooner die a thousand times than he should have her, so I will do the thing myself; but how shall I give reason for my presence here? Marguerite, for days, even weeks past, has been looking at me with suspicion in her eyes, as though she divined my thoughts towards that lover of hers?"
"Leave all to me. Can I not have whom I like in my own house? I see that though thou may'st not dread other things, thou art well frightened at a woman's looks. Well, well, there's something in that, too."
"Yes, Father Pierre, there is; much sometimes."
"But leave looks to mind themselves now, and I will show you what to do, and where to go. You can well be in the room behind the granary, as one or two of the rafters need mending. Let Marguerite see you leave your work and start for home; then when she goes to show her light say 'All is well,' thou can'st come back and be ready for the bird with his bright plumage. Ha! he would go elsewhere and pipe his song, did he know the manner in which we are preparing his perch!"
"That is all well; the popinjay can't escape us now."
"Come in, Jacques, and have some breakfast with us; I think I hear Marguerite busy at it now."
"Marguerite will not have a welcome for me, I know; but as she is to be my wife, she may as well get used to my presence now."
When they entered Marguerite turned round wondering who could be with her Father at such an early hour. On seeing who it was, her face clouded, and she immediately experienced that same feeling of fear come over her as she always had of late when she saw her Father and Jacques Gaultier together. She said "good morning" to them, and then resumed the preparation for the morning meal. Jacques' dark eyes followed her all about the room; doubtless he was thinking of the time when she would be performing the same duties