omen of her class, she transformed into an ordinary peasant woman, broad-shouldered and full-waisted.
"One day, her five-year-old youngest daughter - that is our maid who tells this story - was running errands for her mother in another village. On her way back, the playful little girl got carried away and ended up getting lost. Vendée was covered in dense forests, and as night grew deeper and dead silence reigned, the trees all transformed into gruesome specters. The rustling sound of stepping on leaves became indistinguishable; she couldn''t tell whether it was her own footsteps or those of lurking wild beasts. The little girl was too terrified to cry, could only keep shaking the basket in her hand, creating some noise to keep herself company.
"Fortunately, she gradually recognised the outlines of Comte de La Garnache''s castle, and there seemed to be faint lights emanating from a window on top. Once the little girl found herself back on a familiar path, she let out a sigh of relief, and her fear all at once dissipated considerably.
"However, as she passed by the castle and looked towards the candlelight that had given her courage, she was surprised to see a beautiful, pale and thin boy standing by the window. He extended his head and arms outside the window, tears streaming down his face, his hands reaching out as if seeking help from the outside world. There was a captivating enchantment in both his appearance and demeanor, leaving the girl momentarily spellbound, feeling that he would at any time fall from the upper floors or even... fly out of the window.
"At that moment, the girl''s mother, who had come out searching for her, finally spotted her daughter. Anxiously and reproachfully, she rushed over and embraced her tightly. Seeing the girl staring blankly in the direction of the castle, her mother also followed the girl''s gaze: When she saw the scene at the window, her eyes suddenly widened in terror. She abruptly pushed her daughter forward, crying out in a desperate voice, ''Heavens! It''s that ghost child! Run, run, Jenne! Run!''
"When the mother and daughter finally returned to the safety of their home, the peasant woman locked all the doors and windows tightly, trembling with fear. Only then did she recount