a Sablerie. Berenger, on
that morning, had for the first time been seized by a fit of anxiety as
to the impression his face would make, with its terrible purple scar,
great patch, and bald forehead, and had brought out a little black
velvet mask, called a _tour de nez_, often used in riding to protect the
complexion, intending to prepare Eustacie for his disfigurement. He had
fastened on a carnation-coloured sword-knot, would a scarf of the same
colour across his shoulder, clasped a long ostrich plume into his broad
Spanish hat, and looked out his deeply-fringed Spanish gloves; and
Philip was laughing merrily, not to say rudely, at him, for trying to
deck himself out so bravely.

'See, Master Hobbs,' cried the boy in his high spirits, as he followed
his brother on deck, 'you did not know you had so fine a gallant on
board. Here be braveries for my Lady.'

'Hush, Phil,' broke in Berenger, who had hitherto taken all the raillery
in perfect good part. 'What is amiss, Master Hobbs?'

'I cannot justly say, sir,' returned Master Hobbs, without taking his
gaze off the coast, 'but by yonder banks and creeks this should be the
Sables d'Olonne; and I do not see the steeple of La Sablerie, which has
always been the landmark for the harbour of St. Julien.'

'What do you understand by that?' asked Berenger, more struck by his
manner than his words.

'Well, sir, if I am right, a steeple that has stood three or four
hundred years does not vanish out of sight like a cloud of smoke for
nothing. I may be lightning, to be sure; or the Protestants may have
had it down for Popery; but methinks they would have too much Christian
regard for poor mariners than to knock down the only landmark on this
coast till you come to Nissard spire.' Then he hailed the man at the
mast-head, demanding if he saw the steeple of La Sablerie. 'No, no,
sir.' But as other portions of the land became clearer, there was no
doubt that the THROSTLE was right in her bearings; so the skipper
gave orders to cast anchor and lower a boat. The passengers would have
pressed him with inquiries as to what he thought the absence of his
landmark could portend; but he hurried about, and shouted orders, with
the deaf despotism of a nautical commander; and only when all was made
ready, turned round and said, 'Now, sir, maybe you had best let me go
ashore first, and find out how the land lies.'

'Never!' said Berenger, in an agony of impatience.

'I thought so,' said the ca