68 THE WATCH-TOWER OF KOAT-VEU. 



o 



CHAPTER II. 



THE tower of Koat-veu, which the evening before had excited sp 

 warmly the attention of the duchess of Almeda, stood, as we have 

 before said, upon the high rocks on the western coast of Brittany. 



This edifice, originally constructed for a watch-tower, had been 

 abandoned, and afterwards granted by the intendant of the depart- 

 ment to Joseph Rumphius, a learned astronomer, for the purpose of 

 facilitating the meteorological and hydrographical experiments and 

 observations which had for a long time engaged his attention ; and 

 tis the tower of Koat-veu was at a very short distance from St. Re- 

 nan, where Rumphius lived, he found this observatory of the greatest 

 value to his pursuits. The different rooms, of a circular form, were 

 therefore usually in confusion, from the number of quadrants, astro- 

 labes, watches, globes, telescopes, and other instruments, heaped to- 

 gether, without the slightest order. - 



But at this time Rumphius no longer dwelt in the tower of Koat- 

 veu ; therefore all the machinery of the science of astronomy had 

 been banished to a kind of lantern placed upon the summit of the 

 building, and the useful pieces of furniture which replaced all this 

 learned apparatus proved pretty clearly that the destination of the 

 tower was for the moment changed, and that its new master, more 

 interested with the earth than with the empyrean, had attempted to 

 render this building habitable. 



The four long and narrow windows looking to the south, north, 

 east, and west, which lighted the vast room which alone formed the 

 first stage were ornamented with long curtains; some chairs, and a 

 large and excellent easy chair with well-cushioned sides and back, 

 surrounded a large table covered with papers and works on theology. 



It was the day succeeding that on which the duchess had so im- 

 prudently risked her safety in the descent of Fal-Goet. The sun 

 was sinking into the waves, which the wanton breeze tossed playfully 

 on ; and the girdle of the isles and rocks, whose brown points stood 

 in dark relief against the horizon, stretched in the midst of the pearly 

 foam which leaped to embrace its base. 



There was nevertheless an indescribable melancholy in the aspect 

 of the sky, so pure, so uniform, which gave rise to an unconquerable 

 sentiment of sadness. One would have desired to see the white flakes 

 of some cloud spread forth over this monotonous blue ? as if the sight 

 of these clouds would by their form and contrasts have relieved the 

 soul from its painful reverie. 



Yes, for a sky of perfect blue, a sky without the striking touches 

 of light and shade, of sunshine and gloom, such a sky is sad, most 

 sad. It is life without joy and without tears, without love and 

 without hate. 



It was two o'clock. At this hour all is silent on the shore ; all was 

 hushed at Koat-veu. Sometimes only the plaintive cry of the sea- 

 mew mingled with the dull and regular murmur of the broad waves 

 which broke heavily upon the beach. Sometimes the humid wings 

 of a larpe gull shook the narrow casements of this tower, or the hal- 

 cyon skimmed the transparent talc as he brought into the crevices of 



