THE MILLER’S SECRET 137

the old fool with his grindstone, I
went back to tell the children of
my disappointment. . . . These poor
lambs could not believe it; they en-
treated me as a favour to let them both
go together to the mill to speak to the
grandfather. . . . I had not the heart
to refuse, and off they went.

Just as they got up there Gaffer
Cornille had gone out. He had
double-locked the door; but the old
fellow had left his ladder outside, and
the children had a sudden thought
that they would get in by the window,
and see what was to be seen in this
wonderful mill. Strange to say, the
grinding place was empty! Not a
single sack, not a grain of corn, no
flour on the walls or on the cobwebs
that festooned them. ... You did
not smell even the warm sweet odour
of crushed wheat which scents most
mills. The mill-shaft was covered
with dust, and the big half-starved cat
was asleep on the top of it.