The Strangest Northerns: W. Victor Cook

“The Chateau Mirabelle” by W. Victor Cook appeared in the October 1909 issue of The Idler. This Northern is sub-titled “A French-Canadian Ghost Story”. The story was illustrated by E. Lee.

W. Victor Cook (1875-1955) was a prolific adventure writer from Sussex, England. He wrote about places all over the Commonwealth including Britain, Canada and Australia. In Canada, he sold to Maclean’s Magazine. In the Pulps, he appeared in Top-Notch, Short Stories and All-Story.

The plot begins with Armand Rigaud, a likable young man who has a soft spot for the ladies. Armand falls and in and out of love with regularity, never settling for any girl. The local priest warns him this will lead to a sad end. Rigaud is no weakling but his indiscriminate ways make him unpopular with the local men.

For the summer, Armand takes a job on a ship that plies up and down the lakes to Montreal. One day the boat stops by a sandy bank to let the tourists have a picnic. Armand gets it into his head to climb the nearly mountain and see the river from above. Returning late he finds the boat gone, but a man waits for him in a canoe. The man is named Jacques. He insists Armand not talk as it affects the boat. The canoe takes off at a speed that in unnatural, especially going up stream.

They stop at a beautiful palace of a house. Armand goes inside and is treated as if expected. There are lords and ladies in fine clothing all around. He asks where he is. The maitre d’ tells him he is in the Chateau Mirabelle. It isn’t long before he spies the most beautiful girl in the place. He asks to be introduced. Her name is Desiree. The maitre d’ asks if he would not prefer another girl? Armand insists. it must be Desiree.After a wonderful night together, Desiree tells Armand he must return home. The servant in the canoe takes him back, leaving him where men are looking for him along the shore.

The cleric notices a difference in Armand. He no longer chases the girls, finding them dull. The winter comes and Armand takes a job in a logging camp. When New Year’s Eve arrives, the men want to party. Armand is a famous for his jolly songs, but he will not sing. He does agree to play his fiddle. The song he plays is not a jig but a sad song that puts the men to sleep. He goes outside, hearing a sled. It is Jacques. He tells Armand not to talk as it bothers the horses. Armand is more than ready to go to the Chateau Mirabelle and Desiree.

In the morning the men notice Armand is gone. They find his body frozen to death under a big tree. He is smiling.

Cook’s story has much of the fairy tale about it. Tales of ghosts inhabiting phantom castles at night are many. The degree of danger varies, with Japanese tales of demons and foxes being very dire. The European tales that would have inspired the French Canadiens might be less so. Other tales, especially those of the Celtic people, have visitors going into enchanted hills. When these travelers return they are usually a hundred old or fall into dust when they eat food. A supernatural visit is filled with wonders but comes at a high price.