Julian remained quiet till about six in the morning; he then gave himself a shake, bathed his face in an adjacent pool, and mounting a sand-hill, cast a glance over the country before him. Like William Thornton, he was at once attracted by the village spire, and the creek losing itself amongst the sand-hills.
“Ah!” said Julian, joyfully, “I remember yonder village; that’s where good Dame Moret lived. She was so fond of me when a boy, when I used to play and romp with her daughters. My good old stepfather, the Duke, was alive then,” soliloquised Julian; “the axe of the guillotine ended his days.”
Then he recollected the grief and agony of his mother.
Descending the hill, he resolved to proceed to the village, to the house of Dame Moret, have a look at the Château Coulancourt, and afterwards be guided by circumstances.
Acting upon this resolve, he crossed the country towards the creek; but coming upon a road where he lost sight of the village, which lay in a thickly-wooded district, he altered his course and followed the road to the right, and presently met a cart laden with ropes, blocks, sails, and all kinds of seafaring requisites; three or four sailors were walking alongside of the cart, which was drawn by three horses harnessed with ropes. One of the men, a broad, muscular man, better dressed than the others, and in manner and bearing like the captain of a ship, was walking in front. He stopped as Julian came up, and looking at him, said—
“Well, my hearty, where do you hail from, coming this road; or were you seeking me where I am repairing the Vengeance?”
Julian gave a slight start at the name of the Vengeance, saying to himself—
“Then, ten to one, this is the skipper of the privateer that Captain O’Loughlin mentioned, as having caused the imprisonment of Sir Sidney Smith and Sir Oscar de Bracy.”
This reflection did not require a second’s delay in answering the privateer’s man, who in reality was the captain of the Vengeance.
“I hail from Rouen, messmate,” replied Julian, quite unconcernedly, and imitating, which he could do with ease, the manner and language of a seaman. “I have heard of the Vengeance, but I was not seeking you. I am going on to the village, and then to Havre, to get a passage to Rouen.”