The Argosy — page 238: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Channel Islands. 223 were even extremely shocked at such Bohemian indiscretions on the part of the youth and beauty of Guernsey; but perhaps that was because, as the landlady observed and her larder testified, the youth and beauty had eaten her out of house and home. However, we managed to satisfy the pangs of hunger. Something always comes to light at the moment of extremity; a fat capon overlooked, or a potted tongue in the depths of a cupboard, or ham and eggs: or even only bread and cheese and fresh butter. It is certain that be- fore we left, that wonderful landlady had performed miracles quite equalling any conjurer’s hat. We took a roundabout. way home. Now following the coast-line, watching the rolling up of the waves, wave succeeding wave, that broke and died out upon the shore with a soothing, surging sound that had in it nothing of melancholy or of the warning heard by little Paul. To us the sea is ever a companion of the happiest description. Whether its mood be the calmness of a lake or the fury of a tem- pest, we love it equally ; feel ever in harmony with it; if we could choose our habitation would live and die within sound of its beat. Again, we turned inland, between fields and stone walls and autumn hedges, passing every now and then a small cluster of houses, or a church, but for the most part meeting no one, and seeing no signs of life. The ground rose and fell in gentle undulations, occasionally reaching the dignity of a hill. Presently we came to the*quarries worked by the men of the unknown tongue and unknown stupidity. Then onwards by St. Sampson’s, which we approached in so glori- Ous a sunset that it dwells in the memory for ever. It even threw a shadow of romance upon the old church, which dates back to 1111, and cannot boast even the beauty of antiquity or the dignity of age. Time as a rule bestows its own special charm, but the church of St. Sampson has gained only the ugliness of age. There is such a thing, after all; and it sometimes extends to mankind. Womankind is, or ought to be exempt: since they never pass the age of thirty-eight, theirs is the blessing of eternal youth. But our pleasantest excursion was when we left St. Peter Port for two days and a night and went overto Gouffre. It required strength of mind to leave the comforts of Old Government House for a lonely inn that had gone into winter quarters and no longer expected to be called upon to entertain visitors. No one but an ardent lover of nature and sea and rocks could have done it. Even H. acquiesced in the idea with that passive look of mild surprise which is worse than remonstrance. We all know what these places are, when the season is over and they have shut up for the winter; when blinds are drawn, and fires have ceased to enliven the chimney corner, and a general sense of damp and decay hangs about the rooms and the passages. However, the weather favoured us; and to visit Guernsey and not pass a night at the Gouffre was not to be thought of for an instant. We started early one bright morning, after breakfast. The carriage EONNIE OOO KS (E() m