Escal Vigor. Georges Eekhoud

rough ​gambols and careless clamouring. The hurlyburly even startled a couple of gulls in the trees on the Dike, and Kehlmark, walking up and down with Claudie on the sea-front of the terrace, watched the poor birds frantically revolving for some time, with cries of distress, around the lamp of the lighthouse, and felt for them a sentiment of poetic commiseration, the existence of which his companion did not for a moment suspect. What correlation did he imagine existed between their savage wildness and his own secret anguish. But he quickly roused himself to rattle out a number of empty nothings to the Burgomaster's daughter.

      However, the brotherhood of the Guild called for their little bugler, and as he lingered long in the apartments, before the pictures, they went off there to get him, and dragged him away, do what he would, to the extremity of the park. No doubt Henry in his own mind exaggerated their teasing humour towards the young Govaertz, for, as he walked with Claudie, he seemed strangely drawn in the direction of their noisy groups. His approach quietened them and cut short the "ragging" which they ​were about to inflict upon their victim. Yet, a sort of bashfulness, or fear of men's opinion, prevented Kehlmark from interfering directly in favour of his protégé; he turned away and even refrained from speaking to him, but in romping with Claudie he raised his voice, and Guidon artlessly imagined that the Count wished him to hear. At last, the band decided to return to the village. The drum beat the retreat. After a last gathering on the grass, the little barefooted boys of Klaarvatsch ran off to relight their torches. The musicians assumed the head of the procession. The Count conducted them as far as the main gates, and there stood watching them, as to the measured sounds of their favourite march they disappeared down the great elm plantation stretching from the chateau to the village.

      Claudie, skipping on to her father's arm, praised the Count of the Dyke to him, or rather lauded his fortune and his luxury, but without as yet confessing to the farmer the great project her mind had conceived.

      Little Guidon, with head erect, played his part with unusual bravery. Whilst his bugle seemed to challenge the stars, he was all the time thinking of the master of ​Escal-Vigor. In the echoes of his music he seemed to hear again the gentle tones of the Dykgrave's voice, and even to see something of his profound look in the velvety darkness. Strange contradiction: notwithstanding this enthusiasm, the poor boy felt his heart swell, his throat tighten, and his eyes ready for tears—and were they sometimes cries of distress, or appeals for help, that his instrument addressed to his distant protector, who still heard them not less overcome with sympathetic distress, long after they died away beneath the exceptionally solemn elms?

      1 ↑ Guido Reni, known as Guido, celebrated Italian artist, (1572-1642) born at Bologna. He excelled in grace, expression, and colouring, and is unsurpassed in elegance of touch and correctness of drawing. He painted mostly scriptural or mythological subjects.