bour, fastening with the cable this heavy mass of planks and piles
wider than the entrance of the defile itself, with the nails driven into
the base of the Little Douvre, the observer would perhaps have found it
still more difficult to comprehend, and might have wondered why
Gilliatt, if he wanted for the purpose of his operations to disencumber
the space between the two rocks of this mass, had not allowed it to fall
into the sea, where the tide would have carried it away.

Gilliatt had probably his reasons.

In fixing the nails in the basement of the rocks, he had taken advantage
of all the cracks in the granite, enlarged them where needful, and
driven in first of all wedges of wood, in which he fixed the nails. He
made a rough commencement of similar preparations in the two rocks which
rose at the other extremity of the narrow passage on the eastern side.
He furnished with plugs of wood all the crevices, as if he desired to
keep these also ready to hold nails or clamps; but this appeared to be
a simple precaution, for he did not use them further. He was compelled
to economise, and only to use his materials as he had need, and at the
moment when the necessity for them came. This was another addition to
his numerous difficulties.

As fast as one labour was accomplished another became necessary.
Gilliatt passed without hesitation from task to task, and resolutely
accomplished his giant strides.

IV

SUB RE

The aspect of the man who accomplished all these labours became
terrible.

Gilliatt in his multifarious tasks expended all his strength at once,
and regained it with difficulty.

Privations on the one hand, lassitude on the other, had much reduced
him. His hair and beard had grown long. He had but one shirt which was
not in rags. He went about bare-footed, the wind having carried away one
of his shoes and the sea the other. Fractures of the rude and dangerous
stone anvil which he used had left small wounds upon his hands and arms,
the marks of labour. These wounds, or rather scratches, were
superficial; but the keen air and the salt sea irritated them
continually.

He was generally hungry, thirsty, and cold.

His store of fresh water was gone; his rye-meal was used or eaten. He
had nothing left but a little biscuit.

This he broke with his teeth, having no water in which to steep it.

By little and little, and day by day, his powers decreased.

The terrible rocks were consuming his existence.