Thierry, who had studied geography at school, knew all the symbols on ordnance survey maps and even though these symbols were not like the modern ones, they were close enough. He had been looking at the map while Aliénor grappled with the poem. He had come to the conclusion that he knew the area very well indeed! “It is an ocean area, look at these symbols for the sea and the sand dunes,” he said as they all crowded around the map. “This building is a lighthouse and this could be a Château or a large building with a small chapel, and over here, in direct alignment with the other two, is the symbol for a windmill. Now what does that remind you of? The numbers appear to be compass point directions and that odd arrow hanging over the top of the map could be a constellation of stars. And the constellation appears to be pointing directly at the moulin. Thierry admitted it was an odd map. “It is unusual to mix terrestrial and celestial pointers on one map but perhaps that was done to confuse the reader into thinking that the map was useless, unless, of course, you knew what you were looking for. There must be something hidden in that moulin or nearby and, if the date of the map is genuine, then the windmill, or perhaps an even more ancient one must have been there as far back as the French Revolution.”
“What do you think those other numbers mean and that funny little box in the corner?” asked Jennifer. Thierry admitted he was confused about them. They didn’t seem to be references to compass points but did seem to be instructions of some sort. But, as they were written near the moulin, Thierry felt that they might become clear when they got near the building itself, but the little box was a mystery.
“Perhaps we will solve the mystery of your ghost yet, Jennifer,” said Thierry. “Your aunt plays the piano well,” he continued but when he looked across to Jennifer she clearly had not heard him speak.
“What about the poem, Aliénor. Did you have any luck with that?” asked Jennifer. Aliénor turned the map over and they all looked at the poem as she tried to analyse it. “Well, I am sure it’s about the revolution. There is a reference here to madame, which is surely the guillotine and the “aux armes” is part of the French national anthem which is very blood thirsty and calls for the citizens to arm themselves and form battalions against the enemy. It was first sung at the time of the Revolution. I think whoever wrote this must have been quite brave because it seems to be saying how bloodthirsty things had become in Paris. If they had been caught writing something like this, they would surely have been guillotined by Robespierre’s revolutionary government.”
“What’s the matter, Jenny?” asked Aliénor, “You look as though you have just seen your ghost. Jenny had gone very pale and when she spoke all she could say was,
“Orion? Oh my god, why didn’t I see it before! Look at that tapestry on the wall over there. There is a scene just like the one you are describing – the lighthouse, the Château, the mill and hanging above them all is the constellation of Orion. And Aunty Izzy’s painting too! Wasn’t she trying to paint the stars above her landscape painting that also includes the same three buildings? It is as if we were all being guided toward the mill, by the tapestry, the painting and now by the map. What on earth can it all mean?”