Foxholme Hall, and Other Tales

by William Henry Giles Kingston

and goodness he gave to mento guide them in their passage through life, that, `The wind goethtoward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth aboutcontinually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits'(Eccles. i. 6). Now, boy, you have seen how true and beautiful is thataccount written by the wise king of Israel." The boy listenedattentively. "We will fly back to the equatorial calms," said theGenius; "see what effect the direct rays of the sun have on the earth,or that portion of its surface. They affect the air likewise; heatexpands it, and then makes it rise; and it also changes its specificgravity. Cold contracts it, and also changes its specific gravity.These two causes are unceasingly at work to produce the currents of airwhose courses we have been observing. The heat of the sun at theequator expands the air, and thus it rises and flows north and south;having arrived once more at the tropics, owing to the counter current itmeets, it descends, as we saw, and flowing along near the earth,receives from it a rotatory motion, which increases as it approaches thepole, where, contracted by the cold, it masses into a dense body, andultimately is whirled upwards, forming an ascending column, when it oncemore commences its never-ceasing journey."

  As they flew towards the mountain whence they set out, the boy expressedhis thanks to the Genius; if he did not comprehend all that she hadshown him and told him, he knew more about the matter than he had beforedone. She saw by the expression of his countenance the gratification hehad enjoyed. "'Tis well," she continued; "as a drop of water is to theocean which lies beneath us, so is the knowledge you may obtain in alifetime to the wonders nature has to reveal. You desire to know more;gladly will I show you more. Whenever you climb up to this rocky heightI will meet you, as I have done to-day, and each time unfold new wondersto your view. Ah, you think that I might descend to you, without makingyou toil up the mountain; but know that knowledge will not come to you;you must exert yourself, you must labour to attain it. You say that youwill willingly climb the height. That is well. That is the spiritwhich ensures success. Return to your companions. They will not havemissed you."

  Suddenly the boy found himself as he had been before, sitting a littleapart from his friends. He was silent and thoughtful as he descendedthe mountain, resolving to return as soon as possible, to learn from theGenius more of the wondrous mysteries of nature.

  Story 10--CHAPTER ONE.

  STORY TEN--A TERRIBLE BLANKET.

  Well, we were on the continent when I met with my terrible blanket. Wewere going up one of the passes on foot, and somehow I, as I usually do,lagged behind. I, of course, had an Alpine stock in my hand, and I wentswinging it away, until at last it struck against a lump of rockoverhanging a precipice, so deep that, sailor as I am, I trembled as Ilooked down. Well, the stick bounded from the granite against my shin,and so I made a vow that the lump of granite should take a run, or myname was not Theophilus.

  But it was a tough job, for the stone was very big, and well set in therock; but after a deal of straining and pushing, down it went with dullthuds, as it fell from rock to rock, and at last it splashed into thewater, which seethed up as though trying to get at and drown me.

  The job must have taken me longer than I thought for, for when I lookedbefore me I could see no one, and as I looked I began to see thattwilight was coming on.

  Now, I don't know whether you have been much among our own high hills inScotland or Wales; but, if you have, you must know how rapidly nightcomes on. It is day one moment and night the next, so to speak.

  Now I knew this, and made haste forward.

  I do not think I had gone twenty yards when I knew, by the greatwuthering sound about me, that a storm was brewing, and it was on me inno time; and as the snow came down a great curtain seemed to be drawnover the sky, it grew dark so quickly.

  Well, I groped on, but I didn't like it. If it had been a storm at seanow, I should not have cared much; if the mountains about me had onlybeen of water, I should not have cared at all; but when I knew that afalse step might send me toppling down as the rock had toppled beforeme, I don't mind owning that I grew to like it all less and less.

  I stooped down to look at the path, as well as I was able in the littleremaining light, and I found I was in no path at all.

  As the last rays of light died out, and as the snow whirled about me, Iremember, as though it would be glad to make my winding-sheet, I turnedcautiously towards a slope of rock, feeling with my stick before I tooka step, for the snow will fill up a crevice in no time, and you may sinktwenty feet before you know where you are; and at last I touched therock.

  There was still an atom of light left, and by it I just discerned ablack part of the rock, which I took, and rightly, to be a cave. So Icrept towards it, into it, and crouched down on the ground to leeward;and I can tell you the wind was getting up.

  Well, I hadn't lain there three minutes when it was as dark as you couldwish it. I don't know whether any of you have ever been in the darkwhen full of anxiety; but if you have, you will believe me when I sayevery precious minute seemed an hour.

  Suddenly I thought of my fusee-box, and I believe shouted as I thoughtof it, for a second idea came into my head. Suppose I struck the fuseesabout one a minute, they would not only help me through the darkness,but, luck willing, they might answer the purpose of a revolving light,and guide those who were looking for me to my place of shelter, or thelight might be seen at the convent, from which I knew by the guide wewere not far when I stopped to upset the rock.

  And I give you my honest word that not for one second did I feel anyill-will against my companions for leaving me behind; I somehow knew itwas all right.

  So out came the fusee-box, and the next moment I had struck a light.Why I looked round the cave I can't tell, but I did, and I caught mybreath, as you may suppose, when away in the dark I saw two greatyellowish-green balls of fire.

  I don't think I moved for a moment, and then I began to question myselfas to whether it was not all fancy.

  So I thought I would strike another light; but the box had fallenamongst the snow, and when I felt for the matches they were all mixed upwith the powder, which is about the only name you can give the snow inthose places; it is very different from the clammy snow we see here.

  Now, what was I to do? If I went out of the cavern I should be frozento death, while to remain in the cave, and near those dreadful lights,was maddening.

  Well, one way or the other, I determined not to go either backwards orforwards; so I curled myself up as small as possible, and lay shivering.I had only lain for what I now know to be a very short time, but whichI took to be hours, when something soft came up against my knees andelbows.

  You may believe I dashed out my fist, and felt it sink a foot deep inthe soft snow, which I rightly guessed had drifted up against theopposite side of the cavern till it fell over and rolled up against me.

  Good, so I was being snowed up, and I saw I must either go nearer thosedreadful balls, which by this time I was sure were no fancy, and which Ifelt certain were looking towards me through the darkness, or I muststay where I was to be buried alive.

  I don't know how I came to the decision; but I did at last decide to gofurther into the cavern, and so I shuffled out of the way of the snow.

  And then I lay still again, waiting.

  In a moment or so, surrounded by danger as I was, I began to find myselfactually going quietly to sleep. I had no idea then that that sleepmight have been the sleep of death.

  Well, in another minute or so, I felt a warm air on my face; but I wastoo sleepy to move, and so I lay still.

  And then, believe me I do not exaggerate, I felt four weights press, oneafter the other, upon my body, and then a soft, heavy weight sunk downupon me. I had no doubt it was an animal of some kind; I felt quitesure of this when a muzzle was placed as near my mouth as possible.

  I dare say you will hardly believe it, but in a few moments all my fearhad gone, and I found myself growing grateful to this creature, for hemade me so good a blanket that the
heat came back into my body, and Ifelt no longer that dull sleepiness of which I have spoken.

  I do not at all know how long I had thus lain, when a bark was heard,which disturbed the regular breathings of my hairy friend, and I felthis big heart beat above me. Again there was a bark, the broad loudbark of a big dog, and it sounded much nearer than the first.

  As my blanket heard it, he uttered a harsh sound, and leapt from off myback.

  The barking and the start of the animal roused me from what drowsinessstill remained in me, and the next moment I was plunging through thesnow in the entrance to the cave. It was above my head. I was nearlysnowed up; but then the wall of snow had served to keep the cold out.When I got through the snow, I found the whole mountains were lightagain with the stars and the rising moon, for the storm was over.

  But a more blessed sight than all was that of a brave, big dog, wholeapt upon me and placed a fore-paw upon each of my shoulders.

  Not far off was one of the good monks,