I Saw Three Ships and Other Winter TalesQuiller-Couch, Arthur
General
I Saw Three Ships and Other Winter Tales
Quiller-Couch, Arthur
Manners and customs -- Fiction; Short stories, English
They found me, next morning, lying on the brink of the tarn, and carried
me back to the inn. There I lay for weeks in a brain fever and talked--
as they assure me--the wildest nonsense. The landlord had first guessed
that something was amiss on finding the front door open when he came
down at five o'clock. I must have turned to the left on leaving the
house, travelled up the road for a hundred yards, and then struck almost
at right angles across the moor. One of my shoes was found a furlong
from the highway, and this had guided them. Of course they found no
coffin beside me, and I was prudent enough to hold my tongue when I
became convalescent. But the effect of that night was to shatter my
health for a year and more, and force me to throw up my post of School
Inspector. To this day I have never examined the school at Pitt's
Scawens. But somebody else has; and last winter I received a letter,
which I will give in full:--
21, Chesterham Road, KENSINGTON, W.
December 3rd, 1891.
Dear Wraxall,--
It is a long time since we have corresponded, but I have just
returned from Cornwall, and while visiting Pitt's Scawens
professionally, was reminded of you. I put up at the inn where
you had your long illness. The people there were delighted to
find that I knew you, and desired me to send "their duty" when
next I wrote. By the way, I suppose you were introduced to their
state apartment--the Blue Room--and its wonderful chimney carving.
I made a bid to the landlord for it, panels, mirror, and all, but
he referred me to Squire Parkyn, the landlord. I think I may get
it, as the Squire loves hard coin. When I have it up over my
mantel-piece here you must run over and give me your opinion on it.
By the way, clay has been discovered on the Tremenhuel Estate, just
at the back of the "Indian Queens": at least, I hear that Squire
Parkyn is running a Company, and is sanguine. You remember the
tarn behind the inn? They made an odd discovery there when
draining it for the new works. In the mud at the bottom was
imbedded the perfect skeleton of a man. The bones were quite clean
and white. Close beside the body they afterwards turned up a
silver snuff-box, with the word "Fui" on the lid. "Fui" was the
motto of the Cardinnocks, who held Tremenhuel before it passed to
the Parkyns. There seems to be no doubt that these are the bones
of the last Squire, who disappeared mysteriously more than a
hundred years ago, in consequence of a love affair, I'm told.
It looks like foul play; but, if so, the account has long since
passed out of the hands of man.
Yours ever, David E. Mainwaring.
P.S.--I reopen this to say that Squire Parkyn has accepted my offer
for the chimney-piece. Let me hear soon that you'll come and look
at it and give me your opinion.
THE TWO HOUSEHOLDERS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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