And so we left him to his solitude, and he seemed content to have us go.  George Hamon, however, ran across now and again in his lugger to see how he was getting on, and to make sure that he was still there, and perhaps with the hope that sooner or later that which was in himself still, as strong as it had been any time this twenty years, might find its reward.

CHAPTER XXXIX

HOW I CAME INTO RICH TREASURE

“Carette, ma mie,” I asked, as we sat in the heather on Longue Pointe, the evening after I got home, “when shall we marry?”

“When you will, Phil.  I am ready.”

“As soon as may be then,” and I drew her close into my arms, the richest treasure any man might have, and thanked God for his mercies.

It was a glorious evening, with a moon like a silver sickle floating over Guernsey.  The sky was of a rare depth and purity, which changed from palest blue to faintest green, and away to the north-west, above the outer isles, the sun was sinking behind a bank of plum-coloured clouds which faded away in long thin bands along the water line.  The clouds were rimmed with golden fire, and wherever an opening was, the golden glory streamed through and lit the darkening waters between, and set our bold Sercq headlands all aflame.  And up above, the little wind-drawn clouds were rosy red, and right back into the east the sky was flushed with colour.  It was a very low tide, too, and every rock was bared, so that from the white spit of Herm it seemed as though a long dark line of ships sped northwards towards the Casquets.  Brecqhou lay dark before us, and the Gouliot Pass was black with its coiling tide.  A flake of light glimmered through the cave behind, and now and again came the boom of a wave under some low ledge below.  Up above us the sky was full of larks, and their sweet sharp notes came down to us like peals of little silver bells.  And down in Havre Gosselin the gulls were wheeling noisily as they settled themselves for the night.

I have always thought that view one of the most beautiful in the world, but all its glories were as nothing to the greater glory in our two hearts.  We had had our cloudy days and our times of storm and strife; and now they were past, our clouds were turned into golden glories and our hearts were glad.  We had been parted.  We had looked death in the face.  And now we were together and we would part no more.

We sat there in the heather till all the glories faded save our own,—­till Guernsey and Herm and Jethou sank into the night—­till Brecqhou was only a shadow, and the Gouliot stream only a sound; and then we went down the scented lanes close-linked, as were our hearts.

Jean Le Marchant was sitting in the kitchen with Aunt Jeanne.  He was recovered of his wound, and Martin also, but for the elder, at all events, active life was over, and he would have to be content with the land, and his memories.