Ainsworth's Magazine - Volume 1/Legends of the Monts-Dores, by Louisa Stuart Costello/The Spirit of Lake Pavin and Our Lady of Vassiviére
LEGENDS OF THE MONTS-DORES.
ВY LOUISA STUART COSTELLO.
NO. III. THE SPIRIT OF LAKE PAVIN AND OUR LADY OF VASSIVIERE.
Lake Pavin is the largest of the lakes of the Monts-Dores, and is situated on the summit of a mountain, having other mountains towering above it to a great height. It is evidently the crater of an extinct volcano, about half filled with water of peculiar transparency. This liquid mirror is framed by a sort of cornice of lava rocks, which have fallen from the surrounding heights. A line of these rocks runs from the edge, under the waves, for some distance, and then suddenly the blackness of the water tells of its profound depth. It is easy to distinguish, beneath the clear surface, branches of trees waving, whose leaves are of immense size, and whose nature is different from those in the neighbouring forests—huge blocks of stone and blackened beams of wood appear as if floating in a gulf beneath ; and strange are the sights and sounds which may be witnessed on those mysterious banks of the most curious and beautiful lake of Auvergne.
Its borders are in some places raised more than three hundred feet from the surface ; in others, they are depressed gradually till the sides meet at an opening, from whose narrow gorge the overflowing water rushes over a stony bed, and forming numerous cascades, as it escapes to a plain below covered with thick verdure, subsides into a murmuring stream.
The banks of the lake are here and there adorned with turf of velvet softness which gently inclines to the edge : steep and rugged rocks spring up immediately after ; and opposite them, an amphitheatre of forest extends far and wide. When a gentle wind ruffles the face of this lake on which the bright sun is shining, a thousand little waves seem suddenly to rise from the gulf in the centre, whose angles sparkle and glitter like diamonds, and break on the shore over rounded masses of voleanic substance, in flashes of light that surround the whole basin with rays. Nothing can be more exquisite than the scene in a warm day of summer, when the rich bine of the sky is reflected in the waters, together with the lively green of the bending woods and the broad shadows of the frowning rock's piled along the banks. The profound stillness around adds to the charm—not a sound is heard—it seems as if all was peace and tranquillity on the borders of this secluded mass of crystal, and that nature feared to disturb the majestic quietude.
But it is not always so : fearful are the commotions within the breast of the beautiful lake, and deadly and dangerous is it, beyond all that was ever known of ocean or of river. Not a boat dares to venture on its waters ; not a sail ever breaks the monotonous beauty of its deceptive calmness ; for in the midst reigns a whirling and boiling abyss, which would instantly swallow up the imprudent mariner who dared approach it.
If any one is bold enough to cast a stone into the black gulf beyond the clear borders, a hollow sound is heard, the waves rise higher and higher, and presently a tempest bursts forth of hideous violence : rocks, mountains, waters, and skies, are confounded in one frightful commotion ; shrieks, bowlings, and roaring voices, tear the echoes, and the villagers below tremble ; for they know that the Spirit of Lake Pavin has been insulted, and is taking his revenge. The venturous wretch who awakes this burst of wrath never returns to tell the tale, nor is his body ever found, but his end is conjectured with tolerable certainty.
The extinct volcano of Montchalme frowns above Lake Pavin, and opens its yawning mouth, from whence once issued flames and boiling lava, and where now flourishes the juniper and numerous wild flowers of varied colours.
Descending from the mountain, may be traced the course which the overflowing lava took, and the commotion of the earth which bubbled up with internal heat, and left obelisks and mounds whose small craters seem to emulate the large one above them. Aquatic plants float in the water which fills these hollows ; and the golden lily looks up from her throne of large green leaves into the clear air, as if no violence of nature had ever existed where she now blooms.
Below this, dangerous bogs extend in the direction of another lake, that of Montsineire, and in the midst of these is concealed the Creux de Soucy, a dark gulf of unknown depth, connected by some mysterious means with the distant lake of Pavin.
Soon after passing the small town of Vassivifere, on a rising ground close under the mountain which leads to Lac Pavin, might formerly be seen a thatched cottage where lived two orphan sisters. One of them was many yеагз older than the other, and stood instead of a mother to the young and pretty Elphège, who was the admiration of all the country between Besse and les bains du Mont-Dore.
The sisters had a little flax-field, which they cultivated with great care, and, as the situation was tolerably sheltered, it generally produced very abundantly : the produce of this and the cheese made from the milk of their few goats, enabled them to livebetter than many of their neighbours. Marthe, the elder sister, was very plain, and had never had suitors > she was of a quiet, contented disposition, and thought of little else but seeing her pretty Elphege well established. The latter had no want of lovers, and had never any occasion to return alone across the mountain from Besse or Vassivière when she took her goods to market ; nor when she went to pay her devotions at the shrine of the Miraculous Virgin who, in spite of removal by human hands, chose to remain half the year in her chapel at Vassivière, and the other half at the larger town. Biaise, the young shepherd, who fed his flock very near the cottage, was generally her attendant on these occasions, though that honour was disputed by many. He was a handsome, strongly built, and active youth, amiable and obliging, and very much in love, but very timid, particularly in the presence of Elphège, who delighted to torment and agitate him, for she had not been slow to observe the impression her beauty had made on his susceptible heart.
It must be confessed that the fair damsel was fond of admiration, had some ambition, and thought herself superior to most of the neighbours round, both male and female. She could not help looking on Biaise with an ез'е of favour, and her heart inclined very much his way, but she determined not to yield without giving him plenty of trouble.
Elphège went one day to market at Besse, and while she was standing in the market-place was accosted by a young man of very agreeable appearance, who began to bargain with her for her cheeses. He offered her so liberal a price that they were soon agreed, and accompanied his words with so many admiring looks, that she was quite struck and confused. He soon left the spot ; and she inquired of her neighbours who he was, but found he was an entire stranger, who had never been seen before that morning. She asked Biaise, who was near, if he knew him, who replied with rather a contemptuous air, that he did not, nor had any wish to do so. That day, Biaise did not otter to accompany Elphege home, but yielded his post to several who were ready to take advantage of his negligence. The fair coquette did not pass this slight unnoticed, and began in her own mind to compare the superior manner of the stranger with that of her careless and sulky lover.
She mused a good deal on this adventure, and the more she thought of it the more she wished to know who the stranger could he. She had heard that it was possible to know the future, by consulting an oracle at the Creux de Soucy ; but the curé of Vassivière had forbidden any visits to that spot for such a purpose, and she feared to disobey his commands.
She was one day standing in the midst of the blue flowers of her pretty little flax-field, and thinking over these things, when an old woman, who mounted the hill with difficulty, from her infirmities, approached her gate, and asked alms. Elphege, who was very charitable, relieved her; upon which the old woman exclaimed—“May you have as handsome a husband as the Creux de Soucy can give !”
She was startled at these words, and asked the old woman their meaning.
“Oh !” said she, “I only meant that it is lucky to try your fortune there : most of the young girls who consult the oracle get a good match.”
Elphège could not rest from that moment, and at last determined to go to the Creux, and learn her fate. She took with her a small bundle of flax as an offering to the Spirit who was supposed to preside over the spot ; and on arriving at the abyss, she knelt down, and whispered the question usually put, which was an inquiry as to who should be her future husband : she could not, in spite of herself, help thinking of Biaise, as she threw the flax into the dark gulf which yawned at her feet, but the image of the stranger of the market occurred to her at the same time.
A hollow sound was returned from the Creux, as the flax, attached to a stone, plashed in the water, deep below the mouth of the cavern, and words were sent forth to this effect :—
“Go to Lake Pavin, and know.”
She shuddered as she listened ; and, rising from her knees, turned to leave the place. In trembling haste, she emerged from the gloomy hollow where the cavern was situated, and had scarcely done so, when, looking up, she beheld Biaise in her path.
She coloured deeply, as he addressed her with more boldness than was usual with him. “Elphège,” said he, “is it necessary for you to ask at the Creux your fate, when your own will could fix it at once ? Why do you go there, when our curé has forbidden it? It will bring ill luck.”
“I require no advice,” answered she, pettishly, as she hurried past him, and went on her way to her cottage. He looked after her, reproachfully; and as she entered the flax-field, she observed that he was returning towards Vassivière, and did not attempt to follow her.
“Sister,” said she, “the afternoon is so fine, that I will lead the goats to browse by the great lake.”
As her sister never contradicted her wishes, she made no difficulties ; and Elphège took her distaff and spindle, and driving her goats before her, went up the mountain.
She seated herself on a block of stone beside the clear water, on which the sun shone brightly, and fixed her eyes on the centre of the lake, above the gulf; for there, it was said, whatever was thrown into the Creux de Soucy would reappear, if fate was propitious, and the Spirit was satisfied.
Presently, she observed a great commotion, and the waves, sparkling and foaming, threw up something which she recognised as her bundle of flax. At this moment, one of her goats uttered a cry which made her turn her head, and she saw, advancing towards her, from behind a ledge of rocks, a young man, whom she was not long in recollecting as the stranger of Besse. He approached with smiles and a bright countenance, and, to her surprise, presented her with a bundle of flax.
“This,” said he, “belongs to you ; the waters of the lake have thrown it on the shore, and I was so lucky as to have found it.” He said much more after this, and seating himself by her side, told her that he had long admired her, and sought an opportunity of addressing her ; he said that he was rich, and had it in his power to make her fortune ; that his home was on the other side of the mountains, where he had a large farm, and if she would consent to be his, he would endow her with riches, and make her the greatest person in the country.
Finding that she hesitated, he told her that he would give her three days to consider of his offer, and begged she would meet him by the lake at the end of that time, and give him her answer. He then rose, and almost before Elphege had time to look round her, he had disappeared behind the ledge of rocks from whence she first saw him.
When she turned to call her goats, she found they were no longer to be seen, and none of them answered, as they were used to do. She hurried down the mountain, and there, in the flax-field, she saw her sister Marthe looking anxiously towards the way she should arrive.
" Oh ! Elphège," said she, " something strange has happened ; the goats came running down the mountain but now in such terror, crying and scared as if they had seen a spirit. Biaise was so frightened, that he has gone in search of you—I am glad you are returned."
Three days were gone, and Elphege drove her goats once more towards the lake, but they had mounted but a little way when they seemed seized with a panic, and, refusing to obey her, ran into the woods in all directions.
She continued her way to the lake, and there she beheld, sitting on a block of stone, the stranger.
Their interview was long and animated ; his expressions of love were ardent, and he was so handsome, so fascinating, that Elphege felt it impossible to resist his proposals, and consented to give him her hand.—" Since you love me," said he, " you will not refuse a confidence which "I have a right to claim. Go with me instantly, and let us be married at the church of Vassivii re, where the priest is now waiting for us ; we will then return to your sister, and surprise her by our news, and we shall thus prevent the comments of your envious neighbours."
Elphège did not approve of this arrangement, but her handsome lover argued away her objections.—" I have a boat," he said, " behind the rocks, which will carry us over the lake like lightning. I know of a short path down the mountain, and we shall reach Vassiviere before your absence is even observed."
" How! a boat!" said Elphege—" do you not know that no boat ever ventured on this lake ? The evil spirits swallow up all who dare to embark on these waters."
The stranger smiled.—" I know the lake well," he replied, " and assure you nothing can be safer."
On this he clapped his hands, and Elphege saw with amazement, darting from behind the shelter of a pile of rocks, a small boat, which shone like mother of pearl as it came bounding towards them, without rower or guide, and stopped close at their feet.
" I dare not go," said Elphège, shrinking back ;—" there is enchantment in this."
" It is a surprise I had arranged for you, dearest," answered the stranger, as he seized her hand ; and suddenly clasping her in his anus, leaped with her into the fragile bark.
At that instant a shout was heard, and Elphege beheld ' Blaise hurrying towards the bank of the lake.—" Hold, Elphège," he cried ; " you are in the power of the Spirit of Lake Pavin !—recommend yourself to the Blessed Virgin !"
Elphege shrieked, and struggled in the arms of the stranger, whose eyes, she observed with terror, become like two coals of fire ; a fiendish laugh was on his lips as he called aloud—" You are mine, by the spell of the Creux de Soucy !"
The boat flew along with rapidity—the middle of the lake was now nearly gained, and in another moment they would have entered the dark water above the gulf.
" Oh, save me—blessed Lady of Vassivière !" cried Elphege, in agony—" save my soul from the Evil One, Mother of Mercy !"
Biaise knelt on the shore meantime, his hands clasped, and his eyes riveted on the boat, He prayed fervently to our Lady of Vassivière, and he heard the prayer of his beloved across the water.
At that instant a loud burst of thunder shook the mountains—lightning darted forth, as if from every fissure in the rocks—the waters rose in huge billows, and thick clouds entirely covered the whole face of the lake.
Blaise heard a loud shriek and a plash in the waters—the mist cleared away, and he beheld lying at his feet on the shore the lifeless body of Elphcge. The boat and the stranger had disappeared, and no trace was left of cither. He bore the body in his arms to the cottage. In a few days it was buried in the chapel of Vassivière, and many were the prayers said for the soul of the unfortunate girl who had fallen a victim to the arts of the Spirit of Lake Pavin.
Blaise devoted himself to the service of the bereaved Marthe, and all the money they gained by the pretty flax-field and the goat-cheeses was laid out in masses from that time till their death, which happened some years after. They had the consolation of knowing, by a divine revelation, that the Evil Spirit had power over the soul of Elphege only for a period, and that when her penance was past she would be received by the angels.
Her ghost was condemned to wander along the borders of Lake Pavin for a certain number of years, and there, in stormy nights, it was long seen; but the pious prayers of her sister and her lover at length rescued her from purgatory, and it is useless now to expect to behold her shade as formerly.
More than one, however, of the goatherds of Montchalme have seen the little boat, without any one in it, dart from behind a certain ledge of dark roeks which border the lake, and have watched it for some time till it disappeared down the gulf. This is always a signal for a fearful storm, and whoever witnesses it hurries with the flocks from the neighbourhood, and seeks shelter from its fury; for the revengeful Spirit of Lake Pavin is directing his rage, although in vain, against the Chapel of our Lady of Vassivière