XXI. "Hymen! Oh Hymen!"
XXII. The castle of happiness




CAPTAIN FRACASSE



CHAPTER I. CASTLE MISERY

Upon the southern slope of one of those barren hills that rise abruptly
here and there in the desolate expanse of the Landes, in South-western
France, stood, in the reign of Louis XIII, a gentleman's residence, such
as abound in Gascony, and which the country people dignify by the name
of chateau.

Two tall towers, with extinguisher tops, mounted guard at the angles of
the mansion, and gave it rather a feudal air. The deep grooves upon
its facade betrayed the former existence of a draw-bridge, rendered
unnecessary now by the filling up of the moat, while the towers were
draped for more than half their height with a most luxuriant growth of
ivy, whose deep, rich green contrasted happily with the ancient gray
walls.

A traveller, seeing from afar the steep pointed roof and lofty towers
standing out against the sky, above the furze and heather that crowned
the hill-top, would have pronounced it a rather imposing chateau--the
residence probably of some provincial magnate; but as he drew near would