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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^^'WUPP^'^^^IWP*" mrmf^T^^mm^imim^ 242 stkwaut's i.itkkauy TiiK :MYSTi:in' at the chateau des oiniRACx. ]>v J. (i. 15(11 uisor, Sviliirv, (.'ai)r Urfion. Ti:\ yonrs mu'ii — tin' I'xact (luto i- a uuiIUt (if no iiiii)i)r'iiii('t — I AVi\.s liviu^j in tlic |ili'a:-;uil iiml jjicdirr-qiii' city ol' (.)iu'li('(', mul anidii;,' tlio RCiiiaiiitam-os lliat 1 inaile . licst Hcimlais in liic cdloiiy. To liini 1 ^vas indcbU'd, not only for unniiT fads rc.-iii'ctin;,^ tlic early history of Lower Canada, I'lM i'dr many intti'i'-iinL' flctails of tlic man- ners and customs of llie Frcnidi Canadians. I'ndcr liis i>uiilap.cc (Que- bec and its snlmiljs l.ucanic as familial' to mc as llic old town wlioro I wa^ born. I'.vcii now whilst I wrilo. 1 can see the tin-roofed Iniild- iii'is (•reepin;^: u\) ihe s.ih-s, or nestlinir at the fool of that nolile {ircmnn- torv. which overlooks the dark v>aleis of llie rlvtr that cai'iies to the ocean, many hniidii'd miles helow, the irihiite of the 'ireat lakes of the We.-t. A.^ain am I halhed hy the mist of the lovely fall of Mont- njoreiicy, tiimMin,:^ in one mi^ilily lca|' from the rocks, lu'arly throe hundred feet iilio\e, or 1 am ■'coas'.iim" down the sides of the im- mense ice-cones which are formal I'.t the f.ini, and alliird so iniicli lijnusement to the |dea--iire-.-('ekers of io\ial (^iietiec, diirinLr the monlh- that the Fr<;st Kinjr holds the cfiniilry in his icy !:rasp. lint 1 must rememher thai 1 ha-.e not sat down to descrihe the so- cial or natural eharaeteristies of the oM ca|illal of Canada. I have ti short story to tidl, not eonnocted immediali'y with (,[ne!i;c. I at with a pretty villa;j;i! which is situated, a short distance from llie city, on llie St. Lawrence. Soon alter my inlroiiiu li(.ii to the Ahhc, I ,-tatcd that it was my intention, tit the earliest opporinnity, to \ isit some of tlie (jld French \ill:i:j'es and -ee the hi'.lnltinl in lii^ own liona-. 'I'licrc- lipon the Ahhe very kindly i Ifeied to jii\i' me letters ol' inlroihicl ion to some Irienif- of his own, a; the \ ilhiL'e in (|i;e-iioii, — which is called, like so many olliers in Cana(la, afier cue of tin- Saints so nnineroiis in the luimau Catholic Calendar — and as-ured me at the same lime thai there 1 would ^ee the /(((('•//(n-/, \ cry lillle ahcred iVom >\liat he was last centniT w luii he came under llie i!on;iiiion li. We noon took our jihices in the "Cah'che" — a sort of jii;: — of whi ..IcI- IS of inliy. ••V nijiii- <>Mr- In re iiiM- IIIOII- M llic [■^ (,(■ llll-C(^ iiii- iiiii'li Mllll- liii'l .'Insisted iiip on (.;.(• occiisiuii in (•(>j)yin;i joiiio. oM liistfirical docc- nicnls \vli!'!i ! liinl liiii.tcd nji in llii' Li'^ri-ltiliv i- I.ihriuy. lie lunl ln'ca inlrndni'ril !ii nu- !iy lln^ liliiiiriiin. lii;l i ImmI ior'^nitcn liis iijinii'. 11; wiis ii lii-.-t-rntc piiii'.ii'n, iinil luid nd <'ii!y cojiic!'. !;i!t trunslalcil ila- jKiiii'i's in iin iHlniiruMr numncr. lie was \ciy ymu!;; — imi ninri' lliiin twe-nty |ir(il)!iltly— MMi'i .■■cnn -imw (n oiiur It .-iii:ck me, \Nlivn I nniicid 'i.i.-'. ri'liii::;r, ■'■uIm!;'! .; i.^iinniT, !li;;i ln'Wi'.s cpi/if.-.-cil l)ylliv .rii-c ol' >-»)nn' ITcrlll l;r-!i:l'' ;;; .'. ! !i,ld inN'Ijilrd .jM.' •! ■iJliili;;- l!;i' 1 .Ir'i' : i:i:i IV- (■prc! in;;' ii! ni, i);i! >i •iiu'.lnu.,' I'i'cnnt'd l-i pre v im:1 mo fan", ill;:; (uil ii:v inlcntiun. '' I !iiid irlsc'i yi.n iij'." aid liic .^lli'. '-.A iia nu'Ml ianr von would lia\i' mis.-cd ns." A\ i;!i thi ,-■• \',ords tin' Aliit' 1 ado tin' .••IfttnLn r ad'i'ti and tuiiclicd 11)1 till" 111! -('. A- wr j'assL-d rapidly nvi'f liio n»n;;li |i!,\c- nU'Ul lowaidr- tin- ;:aii' It adiii'.: inili,. cininlfy, my ( innpaninii (b('f\cd: ''Tlial ynini'r man lia-i iVii'iid-- al i!h' jdai.' in ^vllil•ll we arc udiiiLr. Iiidcc.l III' v.as, al niic lin'.i', lii;j!li in tlic lavuni- n'l iLc S'lijii'iiv 1\I. dr ( ;iicicla'\ iilc ; liiil .-(.nu' ditl'cfi'ni'i'.-. Iiavc iinriii-tnna'.i Iv <)C(i:inrniii,u: snnliulit. '1'Ik' I'uimtiy thnn'^h wliitdi \vi; di- \ c v.a.-i d'. \\'e met many d' ilie iiali\es — ilu' nu'ii in led .-hifls (If lihiiise.-, and the W( men in cap- and ,-litl' li(>me:-ptin dri.-ses. 'Jiie villa;. es (Mnsi-liil y i;;li I.( iid,ar(!\ poplars, laapU's, (i- ladde elm.-^, juid !ri\ inir Ihe idea d ci i;itort and \\eahh. 'I hc-e jifiurally lit IciiLied to liie Siiijiintrs who -o Ion;; e\eiei eil I' nilal li^l.ts o\ir tlie etiinJry, ftiul aie still the wealthiest men in the iiiral ilisliiels. It was nearly daiK when v\e iin'i\ed at our di'slii alion, v. hich wtis a, hir;:(' \ iihiL'e prettily :e(jiiesieied hy the s'ue nf a .-mall stream just vhere it joiiud the St. 1, awiei.ee. The lar;fest lionses Wile mostly ol ftone. and some (d' them <:a\e the e\id al i nl, 1 nt we <(iidd -ee the .'ai na rs 1 iisv at their barns, storinj;' crain, or lakii ;.; the latlle to v. ii!(i. 7\s \\e di(i\e we cuiild .'^ei! the ('h.'.tcan di s OimeaiiN, the residence of Sily jxrapi^ vino au'l Viru'iui'i. creepers, iiiid witliiu k ^((jIic's throw of tlie Cinireli. A Frenelnvdiimii of middle a;j:e — willi ii irood- huiuourcd face — iveoived us witli a coiirli'sy and promised lln' Abb*'; to do her best to i.iake us eomfortal)le. Tlieii my kind iVieiid U'i'i ine •ttitli ihe understaiidin;: tiiat be woniil sei' me early llie next iiKirninj^. 1 was soon at lioine in llie snu;,', Iboii^'h eerlaiuly plainly funiisliod cottaj^o of Jean Bapti^to jMannonttl, wlio also kept the I'ost Olllep of the sottlemi nt — a line evidence of bis inlegrily and respectabilily. His kuowiedire ot Kii,L;lisli was very nioa^n'c — he could read it very well, howe\oi' — anII. T1h> letter you savr tlie y(ning man hand mc when we started was for his old tutor." We had now reached li.e entrance to the Chateau -which was fronted by a high stone wall, and passed up an a\er.ue of iine maples, beeches and elms. A well kept law ii lay directly in front of the house, and a small conservatory at one siet, and she wore her hair iu coils twisted round her well turne(l head. The Hciyneur himself was a snnill, wiry man, with keen eyes which were deeply set in his head ; and with a (diin and mouth indicating a strong will. IVI. de Guerehc- vil!e jiressed me very strongly to remain at the Chateau. "8ir," lie said, " if you knew the gratification you would afford us by remaining, you would not continue to refuse. AVe lead a very quiet 21(5 SIKWAUT S l,irKl!\Kr life ill ilii-i dill liMii', mill arc aluiiys ul:i'l I" see lln- AI>Ii' nr lii.^ IVieiids. As I ii!iiL'i>:!i!ul viu tal;.' an inirri'sl in llic lii.s'.Di-y of ihis foiiiitry, 1 siiall hi,' luil'l'V to sliuw y.-.i ^ in.' rai>' old works ami iiiaiui- siTipls. I wn^ wi'U .-ali.-lii'il wiili liu' i|iiii'l ((iiaitt rs I lial t'liui'l a! .Marmou- ti'l's ('u!laj,'e, lait ulu'ii 1 saw that tin: S'l'tunir woiiM he (|i-|ili'a -id it" I ilid not act'i'pt liis liospllalili' uHor, I aliiiwul him lu s) uanie sliowcj;ay luonareh with the han:;h:y retort, ' Sjrc, my rank, jxn'haps is not hi^h eiiou;;'li to piTmit lue to in- ynir wil'i', and iny heart is too hi;,di to permit me to he yi>nr mistl^•^s.' The iSci'jnctii's la'othir, a doctor hy profi's>ion, thouLch he rarely practised tlieii, joined us in the course of tla* da\-. \\ hen I learned that he had a son, now at colI.'Lre, I wondered if he had anythin;^ to do with the d;s-raeo into whi 'h I'a(ed iiad lallen. He seemed an ofP- handed, plear-ant Lientlcnan — nnu'li more a man oi' llie woi'ld lliaii his brother; and 1 soon dismi-sul the .-nspicion that had llar-hed across my mind that ho was periiaps jealons of tiie favour which iiad been shown to Uaonl. I aceomjianied M. de (Inerelie\ilie a. id his l.rollier over his princi- pal i'arin, which eoM-rcd se\eral hundred aci-cs, alihoUf:!i ii was only a titlie of his posnessions. ()ue of the; most interesting; objects we saw was a hu;;e btoue Imiidinjr, once u-ed as a wind-mill, but was HOW employed as a ;j;ranaiy. Tiie mill was always an im|iortant item in the eeonomy of a Seia;noiry, for under the feudal tenure, the ccnsitairts, or holders of land, were bound to frriiul their corn ivt the vionlin canal, or the lord's mill, where one-fourteenth j)art of it was taken ibr his use as toll. Tlu; Ifihlfaiil.'i we saw on the estate were just the same class of peoiile, in their faces aial manners, mw sees at the present day in seme old Uretou vill,i;;(!. The eveningat the Chateau passed away plea-aiillv. Mademoiselle de (Jnercheviile was a charmin;;- musician, and sanj; simple Canadian airs \vhicli are favourites anion;^^ tin; haliihuila, many of whose fathers and jrrandl'athers hail l)eeii roj/a;icurH and coHieitrs clu hoia. The doctor and the S'i)jn<-"r narrated anecdotes illustrative of the life of the sim|de-minded, old-fashioned residmils ; and (hen we all i)arted (or tlic night. I sat fa' awhile in my bccl-nuim — a larve, comlbrtable apart- ment overlooking die river — h)noking a cigar and enjoying the jilea- santlire of maple sjdinters wdiicn blazed ou the hearth, with its ipuiiut, brass andirons. Tlie night was chilly, as is cd'ten the case in Sep- tember in parts of Canada, and the room liJid not been occupied for some time. So I .sat tor au hour at least, watching the sparks ilyiug mmmm QUAUTKKLY MAOAZINE. 217 III.'* ilii.s 'iiiii- IMIl- .1 if my aj)i- <>f. ialiiit some liody wa>^ in the room. I listened Cor a moment or two, and soon lau^died at uiysidl' lor my foolish fancy. The moon-lijilit was slream- in.ur into the apartment and playin;^ slrau'^e IVeiiks on some cnL^rav in^'i Iwm/^in;,' on tlie wall; hut I heard iiothinu' except thu tick of my watcii on the dressinjj;-tali!e. I was arrani^Miii; uiysell onco more eomt'ortabl/ imderthe hc5 (lra,ix;rod stealthily on tho (loor of the corridor, ami a lew ni'iments ivfterwards the notes of an unknown jiir In'nke the nilhicss of the iiijiht. AVhcn I lookeil at my watcii and sa^v that it was nearly throe o'clock, I could no! Iielie\e that any of the I'aiuily would he nji at that hour of tho mornint;. I confess 1 was sonu'whal stai'tled when 1 rc- luomhered the st(My I had heard on tin; ]M"e\ ions ev(ininj;, hut I am not .superstitious, and at once reji'cled the idea that there was aiiythiuij .supernatural in those mysterious sound-i. I was on the jioint of p\it- tiiig on my dressin;; j^own and .^oini; out into liie eorriilor. when the music ceased and the noise l»ej;au a.rain. I imloekeil tlie door in (]uickly as I could, hut nolhin;; was visihle, as 1 ln,ikereak!'ast, as licr father did not feel very wcdl and sent his excuses for his non-appear- ance. I mentioned the eiri'umstances which had taken place dui-ing the night, and as I did so 1 noticed that (uie looked at the other in surprise. After a pause of a few moments, Dr. de (ruerchevilie ob- served : "I cannot at all explain the matter — it is certainly very curious ; for the servants have, on two previous occasions, heard the very same noises. None of us, however, have j)aid Miy attention to their state- ments — indeed I don't tliink my brother has yet been told of them." "1 hope you don't think," saiil M'dlle. de (liiercheville, addressing mc, " that we put you purposely in that romii — it is the most com- fortable in the Chateau, ai\(l noljody ever believed there was anything in the stories which JMargiu'rite and aiujther ser\ ant have been telling. I thought, when I was told of them yesterday, that the silly girls had made thcni up to frighten the house-keeper who is very superstitions, and no favourite with some of the servants." "After what you have told me," contimied the doctor, '' I must be- lieve that the servants did hear something. 1 suppose the Scii/ucur will ratlier }>lnme himself ou the fact that this old house is haunted. I believe it is only your old families that are properly entitled to ghosts iu their houses — they are luxuries beyond the reach of com- mon-place pcoi)le." " I remember hearing a similar stoiy about a year ago," said M'dlle., " when poor Kaoul left us. Uncle," 248 STEWAUT S MTK.nARY <^ Hero hIu' f foppi^il suiMoiily and bluslunl sliirlitly, us if hIio had been bolrayoil into tlio mention of a name forbidden at the CliiUeau. The Doctor, evidently (ib.-ervlnj; her confusion, olian;^od tlio tojiic, and took nie into tlie j^'iird'en to wliow nio some rare autumnal llowers which lie was himself cuUivatini,'. I did not HCe the .S'l;/-/'"'"'', the rest of that day, as he was oblij,'cd to drive away at noon to a distant part of the o-*tate where some oxtensivo improvcnientM Wfre iroin'.' o-i. Nor hahed to make extracts. In the cvenin;^, after dinner, we were a!! as-icniMi'il in the lar;,'e dressinu; room — and ihen M. de (Iiu'K hoville Icninod, for tl.e first time, the story of the mysterious noises in the cast eorridi.r. Wlicn I came to mention the music, he looked exceedingly perplexed iind then f^ave a quick exclamation of sur- prise, as if ho h.ui remcnibercd some eircumstancc lonj; forgotten. ''What iiistrunuiit do you suppose it was ? " he en(|uircd. " That 1 cannot lei!," I replied ; " the music was very low indeed, quite nuiftled and indistinct, as if it proceudcd from a distance." " Your story," said M. do (Juerchcville, "recalls to my mind Ronic- lliini; 1 had forgotten. If you will wait ii few moments we may unravel this mystery.'' Thereupon he went out and returned shortly, asking us to follow hiui. The houso-kcepcr ami a servant prcceeded us with lights to the ';orridor, where iiiy bed-room was .-ituated, and liiially entered a large chamber at the end. The room was filled with