. La Côte d'Émeraude. ned and pointed to the rock of , glittering in the moonlight, stood a shiningedifice of sculptured towers, pinnacles and buttresses,soaring spires and solemn domes, rising in intricateharmony. Gnashing his teeth with rage, the evil oneacknowledged himself vanquished. As though com-miserating his chagrin, St. Michael proposed thatthey should exchange handiwork. The devil wasdelighted, and hastened with a few select friends totake possession of his bright abode. This naturallyraised the temperature, and soon there were littlerifts in the Satanic satisfaction, a
. La Côte d'Émeraude. ned and pointed to the rock of , glittering in the moonlight, stood a shiningedifice of sculptured towers, pinnacles and buttresses,soaring spires and solemn domes, rising in intricateharmony. Gnashing his teeth with rage, the evil oneacknowledged himself vanquished. As though com-miserating his chagrin, St. Michael proposed thatthey should exchange handiwork. The devil wasdelighted, and hastened with a few select friends totake possession of his bright abode. This naturallyraised the temperature, and soon there were littlerifts in the Satanic satisfaction, and in the exquisite sculpture of the interior lost shapeand sharpness ; here and there a fragment fell tothe ground ; moisture trickling down the walls,and dripping from the ceiling, made the distinguishedcompany think regretfully of the central heating towhich they were accustomed. But worse, much worse,was to follow. The long night at length was spent, and 164 FROM THE JARDIN DES PLANTES, AVRANCHES - fcs. Pontorson to Avranches no sooner did the rays of the rising sun glint on thefairylike building, than like the insubstantial fabric ofa vision, it commenced to fall to rack and ruin. Thedelicate sculpture and tracery vanished into the air ;then a spire crashed to the ground, a tower toppledover, domes and walls fell in. The gorgeous edificewas, in fact, built of ice ; before the day was faradvanced it had entirely disappeared, and the poordeluded devil was left shivering on the rocks, havingonly the sorry consolation that he had signally dis-credited the maxim that honesty is the best policy. A popular extension of the legend relates that it wasagreed that Satan should have his own again if ever thechurch became a prison. At the commencement oflast century, after the first instalment of prisoners,a black-hulled, sailless craft, vomiting clouds of smoke,was seen advancing across the bay. The good peopleof the mount were greatly concerned, thinking thatSatan was c
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidlactedmeraud, bookyear1912
