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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lily and the Cross, by James De Mille
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Lily and the Cross
+       A Tale of Acadia
+
+Author: James De Mille
+
+Release Date: January 27, 2010 [EBook #31096]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LILY AND THE CROSS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Marlo Dianne
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: A Meeting In Mid Ocean.]
+
+
+
+
+The
+
+LILY AND THE CROSS.
+
+A Tale of Acadia.
+
+By
+
+PROF. JAMES DE MILLE,
+
+Author Of "the Dodge Club," "Cord And Creese," "the B. O. W. C.
+Stories," "the Young Dodge Club," Etc
+
+ILLUSTRATED.
+
+BOSTON:
+LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS.
+
+
+Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, By LEE AND
+SHEPARD, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+A Voice Out Of The Deep
+
+CHAPTER II.
+A Meeting In Mid Ocean
+
+CHAPTER III.
+New Friends
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+Mimi And Margot
+
+CHAPTER V.
+A Strange Revelation
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+A French Frigate
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+Caught In A Trap
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+Under Arrest
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+Grand Pre
+
+CHAPTER X.
+Alone In The World
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+A Friend In Need
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+The Parson Among The Philistines
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+A Stroke For Liberty
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+Manoeuvres Of Zac
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+Flight
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+Reunion
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+Among Friends
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+Louisbourg
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+The Captive And The Captors
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+Examinations
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+A Ray Of Light
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+Escape
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+Pursuit
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+Zac And Margot
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+The Court Martial
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+News From Home
+
+
+
+
+THE LILY AND THE CROSS.
+
+A TALE OF ACADIA.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+A VOICE OUT OF THE DEEP.
+
+
+Once upon a time there was a schooner belonging to Boston which was
+registered under the somewhat singular name of the "Rev. Amos Adams."
+This was her formal title, used on state occasions, and was, no
+doubt, quite as appropriate as the more pretentious one of the "Duke
+of Marlborough," or the "Lord Warden." As a general thing, however,
+people designated her in a less formal manner, using the simpler and
+shorter title of the "Parson." Her owner and commander was a tall,
+lean, sinewy young man, whoso Sunday-go-to-meeting name was Zion
+Awake Cox, but who was usually referred to by an ingenious
+combination of the initials of these three names, and thus became
+Zac, and occasionally Zachariah. This was the schooner which, on a
+fine May morning, might have been seen "bounding over the billows" on
+her way to the North Pole.
+
+About her motion on the present occasion, it must be confessed there
+was not much bounding, nor much billow. Nor, again, would it have
+been easy for any one to see her, even if he had been brought close
+to her; for the simple reason that the "Parson," as she went on her
+way, carrying Zac and his fortunes, had become involved in a fog
+bank, in the midst of which she now lay, with little or no wind to
+help her out of it.
+
+Zac was not alone on board, nor had the present voyage been
+undertaken on his own account, or of his own motion. There were two
+passengers, one of whom had engaged the schooner for his own
+purposes. This one was a young fellow who called himself Claude
+Motier, of Randolph. His name, as well as his face, had a foreign
+character; yet he spoke English with the accent of an Englishman, and
+had been brought up in Massachusetts, near Boston, where he and Zac
+had seen very much of one another, on sea and on shore. The other
+passenger was a Roman Catholic priest, whose look and accent
+proclaimed him to be a Frenchman. He seemed about fifty years of age,
+and his bronzed faced, grizzled hair, and deeply-wrinkled brow, all
+showed the man of action rather than the recluse. Between these two
+passengers there was the widest possible difference. The one was
+almost a boy, the other a world-worn old man; the one full of life
+and vivacity, the other sombre and abstracted; yet between the two
+there was, however, a mysterious resemblance, which possibly may have
+been something more than that air of France, which they both had.
+
+Whatever it may have been, they had been strangers to one another
+until the past few days, for Claude Motier had not seen the priest
+until after he had chartered the schooner for a voyage to Louisbourg.
+The priest had then come, asking for a passage to that port. He gave
+his name as the Abbe Michel, and addressed Claude in such bad English
+that the young man answered in French of the best sort, whereat the
+good priest seemed much delighted, and the two afterwards conversed
+with each other altogether in that language.
+
+Besides these three, there were the ship's company dispersed about
+the vessel. This company were not very extensive, not numbering over
+three, in addition to Zac. These three all differed in age, in race,
+and in character. The aged colored man, who was at that moment
+washing out some tins at the bows, came aboard as cook, with the
+understanding that he was to be man of all work. He was a slave of
+Zac's, but, like many domestic slaves in those days, he seemed to
+regard himself as part of his master's family,--in fact, a sort of
+respected relative. He rejoiced in the name of Jericho, which was
+often shortened to Jerry, though the aged African considered the
+shorter name as a species of familiarity which was only to be
+tolerated on the part of his master. The second of the ship's company
+was a short, athletic, rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed, round-faced lad,
+who was always singing and dancing except when he was whistling. His
+name was Terry, and his country Ireland. In addition to Jerry and
+Terry, there was a third. He was a short, dull, and somewhat doleful
+looking boy of about twelve, who had a crushed expression, and seemed
+to take gloomy views of life. The only name by which he was known to
+himself and others was Biler; but whether that was a Christian name,
+or a surname, or a nickname, cannot be said. Biler's chief trouble in
+life was an inordinate and insatiable appetite. Nothing came amiss,
+and nothing was ever refused. Zac had picked the boy up three years
+before, and since that time he had never known him to be satisfied.
+At the present moment, Terry was standing at the tiller, while Biler
+was at the masthead, to which he had climbed to get rid of the
+disappointments of the world below, in a more elevated sphere, and
+from his lofty perch he was gazing with a hungry eye forth into
+space, and from time to time pulling bits of dried codfish from his
+pocket, and thrusting them into his mouth.
+
+"Hy da!" suddenly shouted the aged Jericho, looking up. "You da,
+Biler? You jis come down heah an' help me fotch along dese yar tings.
+Ef you ain't got notin' to do, Ise precious soon find you lots ob
+tings. Hurry down, da; make haste; relse I'll pitch some hot water up
+at you. I can't be boddered wid dese yer pots an' pans any longer,
+cos Ise got de dinna to meditate 'bout."
+
+With these words Jericho stood up, regarding Biler with an appearance
+of grave dignity, which would have overawed even a less solemn lad
+than this. Biler did not refuse obedience, but thrusting a few
+fragments of dried codfish into his mouth, heaved a sigh, gave
+another dejected look at surrounding space, and then slowly and
+mournfully descended to the lower world.
+
+The priest was seated on a water-cask, reading his Breviary, while
+Zac stood not far off, looking thoughtfully over the vessel's side.
+Terry was at the tiller, not because there was any steering to be
+done, but because he thought it would be as well for every one to be
+at his post in the event of a change of wind. He had whistled "St.
+Patrick's Day in the Morning," and was about beginning another
+interminable strain of the same kind. Claude was lounging about, and
+gradually drew nearer to the meditative Zac, whom he accosted.
+
+"Well, we don't appear to be making much progress--do we?" said he.
+
+Zac slowly shook his head.
+
+"No," said he; "I must say, I don't like this here one mite. 'Tain't
+quite right. Seems kin' o' unlucky."
+
+"Unlucky? How?"
+
+"Wal, fust and foremost, ef it hadn't been you, you'd never a' got me
+to pint the Parson's nose for that French hole, Louisbourg."
+
+"Why not?" asked Claude, in some surprise; "you don't suppose that
+there's any danger--do you?"
+
+"Wal, it's a risky business--no doubt o' that thar. You see, my
+'pinion is this, that Moosoo's my nat'ral born enemy, an' so I don't
+like to put myself into his power."
+
+"O, there's no danger," said Claude, cheerily. "There's peace now,
+you know--as yet."
+
+Zac shook his head.
+
+"No," said he, "that ain't so. There ain't never real peace out here.
+There's on'y a kin' o' partial peace in the old country. Out here, we
+fight, an' we've got to go on fightin', till one or the other goes
+down. An' as to peace, 'tain't goin' to last long, even in the old
+country, 'cordin' to all accounts. There's fightin' already off in
+Germany, or somewhars, they say."
+
+"But you know," said Claude, "you thought you could manage this for
+me somehow. You said you could put me ashore somewhere without
+trusting yourself in Louisbourg harbor--some bay or other--wasn't it?
+I forget what the name is. There's no trouble about that now--is
+there?"
+
+"Wal, not more'n thar was afore," said Zac, slowly; "on'y it seems
+more resky to me here, jest now, settin' here this way, inactive
+like; p'aps it's the fog that's had a kin' o' depressin' effect on my
+sperrits; it's often so. Or mebbe it's the effect of the continooal
+hearin' of that darned frog-eatin' French lingo that you go on a
+jabberin' with the priest thar. I never could abide it, nor my
+fathers afore me; an' how ever you--you, a good Protestant, an' a
+Massachusetts boy, an' a loyal subject of his most gracious majesty,
+King George--can go on that way, jabberin' all day long with that
+thar priest in that darned outlandish lingo,--wal, it beats me,--it
+doos clar."
+
+At this Claude burst into a merry laugh.
+
+"Well, by George," he cried, "if this ain't the greatest case of
+patriotic prejudice! What's the matter with the French language? It's
+better than English to talk with. Besides, even if it wern't, the
+French can't help their language. If it were yours, you'd like it,
+you know. And then I hope you're not beginning to take a prejudice
+against the good Pere Michel. He's as fine a fellow as ever lived, by
+George!"
+
+"O, mind you, now, I wan't intendin' to say anythin' agin him," said
+Zac. "I like him, an' can't help it, he's so gentle, an' meek, an'
+has sech a look out of his eyes. Blamed if I don't sometimes feel
+jest as though he's my father. O, no, I ain't got anythin' agin' him.
+Far from it. But it's the idee. For here, you see--this is the way
+it is; here aboard the Parson I see a Roman Catholic priest; I hear
+two people jabber French all day long. It makes me feel jest for all
+the world as though I'd got somehow into the hands of the
+Philistines. It seems like bein' a captive. It kin' o' seems a sort
+o' bad lookout; a kin' o' sort o' sign, you know, of what's a goin'
+to happen afore I git back agin."
+
+At this, which was spoken with much earnestness, and with a very
+solemn face, Claude gave another laugh.
+
+"O, that's all nonsense," said he, gayly. "Why, you don't really
+think, now, that you're going to get into trouble through me--do you?
+And then as to Pere Michel, why, I feel as much confidence in him as
+I do in myself. So come, don't get into this low state of mind, but
+pluck up your spirits. Never mind the fog, or the French language.
+They oughtn't to have such an effect on a fellow of your size and
+general build. You'll put us ashore at that bay you spoke of, and
+then go home all right. That's the way of it. As to the land, you
+can't have any danger from that quarter; and as to the sea, why, you
+yourself said that the French cruiser was never built that could
+catch you."
+
+"Wal," said Zac, "that's a fac', an' no mistake. Give me any kin' of
+wind, an' thar ain't a Moosoo afloat that can come anywhar nigh the
+Parson. Still, jest now, in this here fog,--an' in the calm, too,--if
+a Moosoo was to come along, why, I railly don't--quite--know--what--I
+could--railly do."
+
+"The fog! O, in the fog you'll be all right enough, you know," said
+Claude.
+
+"O, but that's the very thing I don't know," said Zac. "That thar
+pint's the very identical pint that I don't feel at all clear about,
+an' would like to have settled."
+
+Claude said nothing for a few moments. He now began to notice in the
+face, the tone, and the manner of Zac something very different from
+usual--a certain uneasiness approaching to anxiety, which seemed to
+be founded on something which he had not yet disclosed.
+
+"What do you mean?" he asked, rather gravely, suddenly dropping his
+air of light banter.
+
+Zac drew a long breath.
+
+"Wal," said he, "this here fog makes it very easy for a Moosoo to
+haul up alongside all of a suddent, an' ax you for your papers. An'
+what's more," he continued, dropping his voice to a lower tone, and
+stooping, to bring his mouth nearer to Claude's ear, "what's more, I
+don't know but what, at this very moment, there's a Moosoo railly an'
+truly a little mite nearer to us than I altogether keer for to hev
+him."
+
+"What!" exclaimed Claude, with a start; "do you really think so?
+What! near us, here in this fog?"
+
+"Railly an' truly," said Zac, solemnly, "that's my identical
+meanin'--jest it, exactly; an' 'tain't overly pleasant, no how. See
+here;" and Zac dropped his voice to still lower tones, and drew still
+nearer to Claude, as he continued--"see here, now; I'll tell you what
+happened jest now. As I was a standin' here, jest afore you come up,
+I thought I heerd voices out thar on the starboard quarter
+--voices--"
+
+"Voices!" said Claude. "O, nonsense! Voices! How can there be voices
+out there? It must have been the water."
+
+"Wal," continued Zac, still speaking in a low tone, "that's the very
+thing I thought when I fust heerd 'em; I thought, too, it must be the
+water. But, if you jest take the trouble to examine, you'll find that
+thur ain't enough motion in the water to make any sound at all.
+'Tain't as if thar was a puffin' of the wind an a dashin' of the
+waves. Thar ain't no wind an' no waves, unfort'nat'ly; so it seems
+beyond a doubt that it must either be actooal voices, or else
+somethin' supernat'ral. An' for my part I'd give somethin' for the
+wind to rise jest a leetle mite, so's I could step off out o' this,
+an' git out o' hearin', at least."
+
+At this Claude was again silent for some time, thinking to himself
+whether the possibility of a French ship being near was to be wished
+or dreaded. Much was to be said on both sides. To himself it would,
+perhaps, be desirable; yet not so to Zac, although he tried to
+reassure the dejected skipper by telling him that if a French vessel
+should really be so near, it would be all the better, since his
+voyage would thereby be made all the shorter, for he himself could go
+aboard, and the Parson might return to Boston. But Zac refused to be
+so easily comforted.
+
+"No," said he; "once I git into their clutches, they'll never let me
+go; and as for the poor old Parson, why, they'll go an' turn her into
+a Papist priest. And that," he added, with a deep sigh, "would be
+too--almighty--bad!"
+
+Claude now found that Zac was in too despondent a mood to listen to
+what he called reason, and therefore he held his tongue. The idea
+that a French ship might be somewhere near, behind that wall of fog,
+had in it something which to him was not unpleasant, since it
+afforded some variety to the monotony of his situation. He stood,
+therefore, in silence, with his face turned towards the direction
+indicated by Zac, and listened intently, while the skipper stood in
+silence by his side, listening also.
+
+There was no wind whatever. The water was quite smooth, and the
+Parson rose and fell at the slow undulations of the long ocean
+rollers, while at every motion the spars creaked and the sails
+flapped idly. All around there arose a gray wall of fog, deep, dense,
+and fixed, which shut them in on every side, while overhead the sky
+itself was concealed from view by the same dull-gray canopy. Behind
+that wall of fog anything might lie concealed; the whole French fleet
+might be there, without those on board the Parson being anything the
+wiser. This Claude felt, and as he thought of the possibility of
+this, he began to see that Zac's anxiety was very well founded, and
+that if the Parson should be captured it would be no easy task to
+deliver her from the grasp of the captor. Still there came no further
+sounds, and Claude, after listening for a long time without hearing
+anything, began, at length, to conclude that Zac had been deceived.
+
+"Don't you think," he asked, "that it may, after all, have been the
+rustle of the sails, or the creaking of the spars?"
+
+Zac shook his head.
+
+"No," said he; "I've heerd it twice; an' I know very well all the
+sounds that sails an' spars can make; an' I don't see as how I can be
+mistook. O, no; it was human voice, an' nothin' else in natur'. I
+wouldn't mind it a mite if I could do anythin'. But to set here an'
+jest git caught, like a rat in a trap, is what I call
+too--almighty--bad!"
+
+At this very instant, and while Zac was yet speaking, there came
+through the fog the sound of a voice. Claude heard it, and Zac also.
+The latter grasped the arm of his friend, and held his breath. It was
+a human voice. There was not the slightest doubt now of that. Words
+had been spoken, but they were unintelligible. They listened still.
+There was silence for a few moments, and then the silence was broken
+once more. Words were again heard. They were French, and they heard
+them this time with perfect distinctness. They were these:--
+
+"_Put her head a little over this way_."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+A MEETING IN MID OCEAN.
+
+
+_Put her head a little over this way_!
+
+They were French words. To Claude, of course, they were perfectly
+intelligible, though not so to Zac, who did not understand any
+language but his mother Yankee. Judging by the distinctness and the
+loudness of the sound, the speaker could not be very far away. The
+voice seemed to come from the water astern. No sight, however, was
+visible; and the two, as they stared into the fog, saw nothing
+whatever. Nor did any of the others on board seem to have heard the
+voice. The priest was still intent on his Breviary. Terry was still
+whistling his abominable tune. Jericho was below with his pots and
+pans; and Biler, taking advantage of his absence, was seated on the
+taffrail devouring a raw turnip, which he chewed with a melancholy
+air. To none of these had the voice been audible, and therefore
+Claude and Zac alone were confronted with this mystery of the deep.
+But it was a mystery which they could not fathom; for the fog was all
+around, hiding everything from view, and the more they peered into
+the gloom the less were they able to understand it.
+
+Neither of them spoke for some time. Zac had not understood the
+words, but was more puzzled about the fact of a speaker being so near
+on the water, behind the fog, than he was about the meaning of the
+words which had been spoken. That seemed to be quite a secondary
+consideration. And it was not until he had exhausted his resources in
+trying to imagine what or where the one might be, that, he thought of
+asking about the other.
+
+"What did it mean?" he asked, at length.
+
+Claude told him.
+
+Zac said nothing for some time.
+
+"I wonder whether they've seen us," said he, at length. "No--'tain't
+possible. The fog's too thick--and we're as invisible to them as they
+are to us. Besides, these words show that they ain't thinkin' about
+anybody but themselves. Well, all we've got to do is to keep as still
+as a mouse, an' I'll jest go an' warn the boys."
+
+With these words Zac moved softly away to warn his crew. First he
+went to Terry, and informed him that the whole fleet of France was
+around the Parson, and that their only chance of safety was to keep
+silent--a piece of information which effectually stopped Terry's
+singing and whistling for some time; then he told Biler, in a
+friendly way, that if he spoke above a whisper, or made any noise,
+he'd pitch him overboard with an anchor tied to his neck. Then he
+warned Jericho. As for Pere Michel, he felt that warning was
+unnecessary, for the priest was too absorbed in his book to be
+conscious of the external world. After this, he came back to Claude,
+who had been listening ever since he left, but without hearing
+anything more.
+
+"We must have drifted nearer together," said Zac. "The voice was a
+good deal louder than when I fust heerd it. My only hope is, that
+they'll drift past us, an' we'll git further away from them. But I
+wonder what they meant by bringin' her head around. P'aps they've
+seen us, after all--an' then, again, p'aps they haven't."
+
+He said this in a whisper, and Clause answered in another whisper.
+
+"It seems to me," said Claude, "that if they'd seen us, they'd have
+said something more--or at any rate, they'd have made more noise. But
+as it is, they've been perfectly silent."
+
+"Wal--I on'y hope we won't hear anythin' more of them."
+
+For more than two hours silence was observed on board the Parson.
+Terry stopped all whistling, and occupied himself with scratching his
+bullet head. The priest sat motionless, reading his book. Jericho
+drew the unhappy Biler down below for safe keeping, and detained him
+there a melancholy prisoner. Claude and Zac stood listening, but
+nothing more was heard.
+
+To Claude there seemed something weird and ghostly in this
+incident--a voice thus sounding suddenly forth out of nothingness,
+and then dying away into the silence from which it had emerged: there
+was that in it which made him feel a sensation of involuntary awe;
+and the longer the silence continued, the more did this incident
+surround itself with a certain supernatural element, until, at
+length, he began to fancy that his senses might have deceived him.
+Yet he knew this had not been the case. Zac had heard the voice as
+well as he, and the words to him had been perfectly plain. _Put her
+head a little over this way_! Singular words, too, they seemed to be,
+as he turned them over in his mind. Under other circumstances they
+might have been regarded as perfectly commonplace, but now the
+surroundings gave them the possibility of a varied interpretation.
+Who was the "her"? What was meant? Was it a ship or a woman? What
+could the meaning be? Or, again, might not this have been some
+supernatural voice speaking to them from the Unseen, and conveying to
+them some sentence either of good or evil omen, giving them some
+direction, perhaps, about the course of the schooner in which he was?
+
+Not that Claude was what is called a superstitious man. From ordinary
+superstition he was, indeed, quite as free as any man of his age or
+epoch; not was he even influenced by any of the common superstitious
+fancies then prevalent. But still there is a natural belief in the
+unseen which prevails among all men, and Claude's fancy was busy,
+being stimulated by this incident, so that, as he endeavored to
+account for it, he was as easily drawn towards a supernatural theory
+as to a natural one. Hundreds of miles from land, on the broad ocean,
+a voice had sounded from behind the impenetrable cloud, and it was
+scarcely to be wondered at that he considered it something unearthly.
+
+Under other circumstances Zac might also have yielded to
+superstitious fancies; but as it was, his mind had been too
+completely filled with the one absorbing idea of the French fleet to
+find room for any other thought. It was not an unsubstantial ghost
+which Zac dreaded, but the too substantial form of some frigate
+looming through the fog, and firing a gun to bring him on board.
+Every additional moment of silence gave him a feeling of relief, for
+he felt that these moments, as they passed, drew him away farther
+from the danger that had been so near.
+
+At length a new turn came to the current of affairs. A puff of wind
+suddenly filled the sails, and at its first breath Zac started up
+with a low chuckle.
+
+"I'd give ten guineas," said he, "for one good hooray--I would, by
+George! But bein' as it is, I'll postpone that till I haul off a few
+miles from this."
+
+"Why, what's the matter?" said Claude, rousing himself out of
+abstraction.
+
+"Matter?" repeated Zac. "Why, the wind's hauled round to the
+nor'west, and the fog's goin' to lift, an' the Parson's goin' to show
+her heels."
+
+With these words, Zac hurried to the tiller, which he took from the
+smiling Terry, and began to being the vessel around to run her before
+the wind.
+
+"Don't care a darn whar I go jest now," said he, "so's I on'y put a
+mile or two between us and the Frenchman. Arter that we can shape our
+course satisfactory."
+
+And now the wind, which had thus turned, blew more steadily till it
+became a sustained breeze of sufficient strength to carry the
+schooner, with very satisfactory speed, out of the unpleasant
+proximity to the Frenchman. And as it blew, the clouds lessened, and
+the circle of fog which had surrounded them was every moment removed
+to a greater distance, while the view over the water grew wider and
+clearer. All this was inexpressibly delightful to Zac, who, as it
+were, with one bound passed from the depths of despondency up to
+joyousness and hope.
+
+But suddenly a sight appeared which filled him with amazement, a
+sight which attracted all his thoughts, and in an instant changed all
+his feelings and plans. It was a sight which had become revealed on
+the dispersion of the fog, showing itself to their wondering eyes out
+there upon the sea astern, in the place where they had been looking
+for that French cruiser, which Zac had feared.
+
+No French cruiser was it that they saw, no ship of war with a hostile
+flag and hostile arms, no sight of fear; but a sight full of infinite
+pathos and sadness--a pitiable, a melancholy sight. It was about half
+a mile behind them, for that was about the distance which they had
+traversed since the wind had changed and the schooner's direction had
+been altered.
+
+It seemed at first like a black spot on the water, such as a
+projection rock or a floating spar; but as the fog faded away the
+object became more perceptible. Then they could see human figures,
+some of whom were erect, and others lying down. They were on what
+seemed to be a sort of raft, and the whole attitude of the little
+group showed most plainly that they had suffered shipwreck, and were
+here now floating about helplessly, and at the mercy of the tide, far
+out at sea. Moreover, these had already seen the schooner, for they
+were waving their arms and gesticulating wildly.
+
+One glance was enough for both Zac and Claude, and then the
+exclamation which they gave drew there the attention of all the
+others. The priest looked up, and putting his book back in his
+pocket, walked towards them, while Terry gave one swift look, and
+then disappeared below.
+
+"Quick wid ye," he called to Jericho; "put on a couple of barls o'
+taters to bile. There's a shipwrecked raft afloat out there beyant,
+an' they're all dyin' or dead av starvation, so they are."
+
+"O, you jes go long wid yer nonsensical tomfoolery," said Jericho.
+
+"Tomfoolery, is it? Go up, thin, an' luk for yerself," cried Terry,
+who bounded up on deck again, and began to prepare for action. At
+this Jericho put on his nose an enormous pair of spectacles, and thus
+equipped climbed upon deck, followed closely by the melancholy Biler,
+who devoured a carrot as he went up.
+
+By this time Zac had brought the Parson's head round once more, and
+steered for the raft, calling out to Terry to get the boat afloat.
+Terry and Jerry then went to work, assisted by Biler, and soon the
+boat was in the water.
+
+"Ef I hadn't ben sich a darned donkey," said Zac, in a tone of
+vexation, "I might have got at 'em before an' saved them all these
+hours of extra starvation. Ef I'd only yelled back when I fust heerd
+the voice! Who knows but that some of 'em hev died in the time that's
+ben lost?"
+
+"Can't we run alongside without the boat?" asked Claude.
+
+"Wal, yes," said Zac; "but then, you know, we couldn't stay alongside
+when we got that, an' so we've got to take 'em off with the boat the
+best way we can."
+
+They were not long in retracing their way, and soon came near enough.
+Zac then gave up the tiller to Terry, telling him to keep as near as
+possible. He then got into the boat, and Claude followed, by Zac's
+invitation, as well as his own urgent request. Each took an oar, and
+after a few strokes, they were up to the raft. The raft was on a
+level with the water and was barely able to sustain the weight of
+those who had found refuge on it. It seemed like the poop or round
+house of some ship which had been beaten off by the fury of the
+waves, and had afterwards been resorted to by those who now clung to
+it.
+
+The occupants of the raft were, indeed, a melancholy group. They were
+seven in number. Of these, two were common seamen; a third looked
+like a ship's officer, and wore the uniform of a second lieutenant;
+the fourth was a gentleman, who seemed about forty years of age.
+These four were standing, and as the boat approached them they gave
+utterance to every possible cry of joy and gratitude. But it was the
+other three occupants of the raft that most excited the attention of
+Claude and Zac.
+
+An old man was seated there, with thin, emaciated frame, and
+snow-white hair. He was holding in his arms a young girl, while
+beside her knelt another young girl who seemed like the attendant of
+the first, and both the old man and the maid were most solicitous in
+their attentions. The object of these attentions was exquisitely
+beautiful. Her slender frame seemed to have been worn by long
+privation, and weakened by famine and exposure. Her face was pale and
+wan, but still showed the rounded outlines of youth. Her hair was all
+dishevelled, as though it had been long the sport of the rude tempest
+and the ocean billow, and hung in disordered masses over her head and
+shoulders. Her dress, though saturated with wet from the sea and the
+fog, was of rich material, and showed her to belong to lofty rank;
+while the costume of the old man indicated the same high social
+position. The young lady was not senseless, but only weak, perhaps
+from sudden excitement. As she reclined in the old man's arms, her
+eyes were fixed upon the open boat; and Claude, as he turned to grasp
+the raft, caught her full gaze fixed upon him, with a glance from her
+large dark eyes that thrilled through him, full of unutterable
+gratitude. Her lips moved, not a word escaped, but tears more
+eloquent than words rolled slowly down.
+
+Such was the sight that greeted Claude as he stepped from the boat
+upon the raft. In an instant he was caught in the embraces of the
+men, who, frenzied with joy at the approach of deliverance, flung
+themselves upon him. But Claude had no eyes for any one but the
+lovely young girl, whose gaze of speechless gratitude was never
+removed from him.
+
+"Messieurs," said Claude, who knew them to be French, and addressed
+them in their own language, "you shall all be saved; but we cannot
+all go at once; we must save the weakest first; and will, therefore,
+take these now, and come back for you afterwards."
+
+
+Saying this, he stooped down so to raise the young lady in his arms,
+and carry her aboard. The old man held her up, uttering inarticulate
+murmurs, that sounded like blessings on their deliverer. Claude
+lifted the girl as though she had been a child, and stepped towards
+the boat. Zac was already on the raft, and held the boat, while
+Claude stepped aboard. The old man then tried to rise and follow,
+assisted by the maid, but, after one or two efforts, sank back,
+incapable of keeping his feet. Upon this Zac flung the rope to the
+French lieutenant, and walked over to the old man. Claude now had
+returned, having left the girl in the stern of the boat.
+
+"Look here," said Zac, as he came up; "the old gentleman can't walk.
+You'd best carry him aboard, and I'll carry the gal."
+
+With these words Zac turned towards the maid; she looked up at him
+with a shy glance and showed such a pretty face, such black eyes and
+smiling lips, that Zac for a moment hesitated, feeling quite
+paralyzed by an overflow of bashfulness. But it was not a time to
+stand on ceremony; and so honest Zac, without more ado, seized the
+girl in his arms, and bore her to the boat, where he deposited her
+carefully by the side of the other. Claude now followed, carrying the
+old man, whom he placed beside the young lady, so that he and the
+maid could support her as before. There was yet room for one more,
+and the gentleman still on the raft came forward at Claude's
+invitation, and took his place in the bows. The rest waited on the
+raft. The boat then returned to the schooner, which now had come very
+close. Here Claude lifted the lady high in the air, and Pere Michel
+took her from his arms. Claude then got on board the schooner, and
+took her to the cabin, where he laid her on a couch. Zac then lifted
+up the maid, who was helped on board by Pere Michel, where Claude met
+her, and took her to the cabin. Zac then lifted up the old man, and
+Pere Michel stood ready to receive him also.
+
+And now a singular incident occurred. As Zac raised the old man, Pere
+Michel caught sight of the face, and regarded it distinctly. The old
+man's eyes were half closed, and he took no notice of anything; but
+there was something in that face which produced a profound impression
+on Pere Michel. He stood rigid, as though rooted to the spot, looking
+at the old man with a fixed stare. Then his arms sank down, his head
+also fell forward, and turning abruptly away, he walked forward to
+the bows. Upon this Jericho came forward; and he it was who lifted
+the old man on board and assisted him to the cabin.
+
+After this, the other gentleman got on board, and then the boat
+returned and took off the other occupants of the raft.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+NEW FRIENDS.
+
+Every arrangement was made that could be made within the confines of
+a small schooner to secure the comfort of the strangers. To the young
+lady and her maid Claude gave up the state-room which he himself had
+thus far occupied, and which was the best on board, while Zac gave up
+his to the old man. The others were all comfortably disposed of, and
+Zac and Claude stowed themselves away as best they could feeling
+indifferent about themselves as long as they could minister to the
+wants of their guests. Food and sleep were the things that were the
+most needed by all these new-comers, and these they had in abundance.
+Under the beneficial effects of these, they began to regain their
+strength. The seaman rallied first, as was most natural; and from
+these Claude learned the story of their misfortunes.
+
+The lost ship had been the French frigate Arethuse, which had left
+Brest about a moth previously, on a voyage to Louisbourg and Quebec.
+The old  gentleman was the Comte de Laborde, and the two girls whom
+they had saved, one was his daughter, and the other her maid. The
+other gentleman was the Comte de Cazeneau. This last was on his way
+to Louisbourg, where an important post was awaiting him. About a week
+before this the Arethuse had encountered a severe gale, accompanied
+by a dense fog, in which they had lost their reckoning. To add to
+their miseries, they found themselves surrounded by icebergs, among
+which navigation was so difficult that the seamen all became
+demoralized. At length the ship struck one of these floating masses,
+and instantly began to fill. The desperate efforts of the crew,
+however, served to keep her afloat for another day, and might have
+saved her, had it not been for the continuation of the fog. On the
+following night, in the midst of intense darkness, she once more
+struck against an iceberg, and this time the consequences were more
+serious. A huge fragment of ice fell upon the poop, shattering it and
+sweeping it overboard. In an instant all discipline was at an end. It
+was _sauve qui peut_. The crew took to the boats. One of these went
+down with all on board, while the others passed away into the
+darkness. This little handful had thrown themselves upon the ship's
+poop, which was floating alongside within reach, just in time to
+escape being dragged down by the sinking ship; and there, for days
+and nights, with scarcely any food, and no shelter whatever, they had
+drifted amid the dense fog, until all hope had died out utterly. Such
+had been their situation when rescue came.
+
+Claude, upon hearing this story, expressed a sympathy which was most
+sincere; and to the seamen it was all the pleasanter as his accent
+showed him to be a countryman. But the general sympathy which the
+young man felt, sincere though it was, could not be compared with
+that special sympathy which he experienced for the lovely young girl
+whom he had borne from the raft into the schooner, and whose deep
+glance of speechless gratitude had never since faded from his memory.
+She was now aboard, and was occupying his own room. More than this,
+she had already taken up a position within his mind which was a
+pre-eminent one. She had driven out every thought of everything else.
+The highest desire which he had was to see once again that face which
+had become so vividly impressed upon his memory, and find out what it
+might be like in less anxious moments. But for this he would have to
+wait.
+
+Meanwhile the schooner had resumed her voyage, in which, however, she
+made but slow progress. The wind, which had come up so opportunely,
+died out again; and, though the fog had gone, still for a few days
+they did little else than drift.
+
+After the first day and night the Count de Laborde came upon deck. He
+was extremely feeble, and had great difficulty in walking; with him
+were his daughter and her maid. Although her exhaustion and
+prostration on the raft had, apparently, been even greater than his,
+yet youth was on her side, and she had been able to rally much more
+rapidly. She and her maid supported the feeble old count, and
+anxiously anticipated his wants with the fondest care.
+
+Claude had hoped for this appearance, and was not disappointed. He
+had seen her first as she was emerging from the valley of the shadow
+of death, with the stamp of sorrow and despair upon her features; but
+now no trace of despair remained; her face was sweet and joyous
+beyond expression, with the grace of a child-like innocence and
+purity. The other passenger, whom the lieutenant of the Arethuse had
+called the Count de Cazeneau, was also on deck, and, on seeing
+Laborde and his daughter, he hastened towards them with the utmost
+fervor of congratulations. The lieutenant also went to pay his
+respects. The young countess was most gracious, thanking them for
+their good wishes, and assuring them that she was as well as ever;
+and then her eyes wandered away, and, after a brief interval, at
+length rested with a fixed and earnest look full upon Claude. The
+glance thrilled through him. For a moment he stood as if fixed to the
+spot; but at length, mastering his emotion, he went towards her.
+
+"Here he is, papa, dearest," said she,--"our noble deliverer.--And,
+O, monsieur, how can we ever find words to thank you?"
+
+"Dear monsieur," said the old count, embracing Claude, "Heaven will
+reward you; our words are useless.--Mimi," he continued, turning to
+his daughter, "your dream was a true one.--You must know, monsieur,
+that she dreamed that a young Frenchman came in an open boat to save
+us. And so it really was."
+
+Mimi smiled and blushed.
+
+"Ah, papa, dear," she said, "I dreamed because I hoped. I always
+hoped, but you always desponded. And now it has been better than our
+hopes.--But, monsieur, may we not know the name of our deliverer?"
+
+She held out her little hand as she said this. Claude raised it
+respectfully to his lips, bowing low as he did so. He then gave his
+name, but hastened to assure them that he was not their preserver,
+insisting that Zac had the better claim to that title. To this,
+however, the others listened with polite incredulity, and Mimi
+evidently considered it all the mere expression of a young man's
+modesty. She waved her little hand with a sunny smile.
+
+"_Eh bien_," she said, "I see, monsieur, it pains you to have people
+too grateful; so we will say no more about it. We must satisfy
+ourselves by remembering and by praying."
+
+Here the conversation was interrupted by the interposition of the
+Count de Cazeneau, who came forward to add his thanks to those of
+Laborde. He made a little set speech, to which Claude listened with
+something of chagrin, for he did not like being placed in the
+position of general savior and preserver, when he knew that Zac
+deserved quite as much credit for what had been done as he did. This
+was not unobserved by Mimi, who appreciated his feelings and came to
+his relief.
+
+"M. Motier does not like being praised," said she. "Let us respect
+his delicacy."
+
+But Cazeneau was not to be stopped so easily. He seemed like one who
+had prepared a speech carefully and with much labor, and was,
+accordingly, bound to give it all; so Claude was forced to listen to
+an eloquent and inflated panegyric about himself and his heroism,
+without being able to offer anything more than an occasional modest
+disclaimer. And all the time the deep, dark glance of Mimi was fixed
+on him, as though she would read his soul. If, indeed, he had any
+skill in reading character, it was easy enough to see in the face of
+that young man a pure, a lofty, and a generous nature, unsullied by
+anything mean or low, a guileless and earnest heart, a soul _sans
+peur et sans reproche_; and it did seem by the expression of her own
+face as though she had read all this in Claude.
+
+Further conversation of a general nature followed, which served to
+explain the position of all of them with reference to one another.
+Claude was the virtual master of the schooner, since he had chartered
+it for his own purposes. To all of them, therefore, he seemed first
+their savior, and secondly their host and entertainer, to whom they
+were bound to feel chiefly grateful. Yet none the less did they
+endeavor to include the honest skipper in their gratitude; and Zac
+came in for a large share of it. Though he could not understand any
+of the words which they addressed to him, yet he was easily able to
+guess what they were driving at, and so he modestly disclaimed it all
+with the expression,--
+
+"O, sho! sho, now! sho, sho!"
+
+They now learned that Claude was on his way to Louisbourg, and that
+they would thus be able to reach their original destination. They
+also learned the circumstances of Zac, and his peculiar unwillingness
+to trust his schooner inside the harbor of Louisbourg. Zac's scruples
+were respected by them, though they all declared that there was no
+real danger. They were sufficiently satisfied to be able to reach any
+point near Louisbourg, and did not seek to press Zac against his
+will, or to change his opinion upon a point where it was so strongly
+expressed.
+
+No sooner had these new passengers thus unexpectedly appeared, than a
+very marked change came over Pere Michel, which to Claude was quite
+inexplicable. To him and to Zac the good priest had thus far seemed
+everything that was most amiable and companionable; but now, ever
+since the moment when he had turned away at the sight of the face of
+Laborde, he had grown strangely silent, and reticent, and
+self-absorbed. Old Laborde had made advances which had been coldly
+repelled. Cazeneau, also, had tried to draw him out, but without
+success. To the lieutenant only was he at all inclined to unbend. Yet
+this strange reserve did not last long, and at length Pere Michel
+regained his old manner, and received the advances of Laborde with
+sufficient courtesy, while to Mimi he showed that paternal gentleness
+which had already endeared him to Claude and to Zac.
+
+Several days thus passed, during which but little progress was made.
+The schooner seemed rather to drift than to sail. Whenever a slight
+breeze would arise, it was sure to be adverse, and was not of long
+duration. Then a calm would follow, and the schooner would lie idle
+upon the bosom of the deep.
+
+During these days Mimi steadily regained her strength; and the bloom
+and the sprightliness of youth came back, and the roses began to
+return to her cheeks, and her wan face resumed its plumpness, and her
+eyes shone with the light of joyousness. Within the narrow confines
+of a small schooner, Claude was thrown in her way more frequently
+than could have been the case under other circumstances; and the
+situation in which they were placed towards one another connected
+them more closely, and formed a bond which made an easy way to
+friendship, and even intimacy. As a matter of course, Claude found
+her society pleasanter by far than that of any one else on board;
+while, on the other hand, Mimi did not seem at all averse to his
+companionship. She seemed desirous to know all about him.
+
+"But, monsieur," she said once, in the course of a conversation, "it
+seems strange to me that you have lived so long among the English
+here in America."
+
+"It is strange," said Claude; "and, to tell the truth, I don't
+altogether understand myself how it has happened."
+
+"Ah, you don't understand yourself how it has happened," repeated
+Mimi, in a tone of voice that was evidently intended to elicit
+further confidences.
+
+"No," said Claude, who was not at all unwilling to receive her as his
+confidante. "You see I was taken away from France when I was an
+infant."
+
+"When you were an infant!" said Mimi. "How very, very sad!" and
+saying this, she turned her eyes, with a look full of deepest
+commiseration, upon him. "And so, of course, you cannot remember
+anything at all about France."
+
+Claude shook his head.
+
+"No, nothing at all," said he. "But I'm on my way there now; and I
+hope to see it before long. It's the most beautiful country in all
+the world--isn't it?'
+
+"Beautiful!" exclaimed Mimi, throwing up her eyes; "there are no
+words to describe it. It is heaven! Alas! how can I ever bear to live
+here in this wild and savage wilderness of America!"
+
+"You did not wish to leave France then?" said Claude, who felt
+touched by this display of feeling.
+
+"I!" exclaimed Mimi; "I wish to leave France! Alas, monsieur! it was
+the very saddest day of all my life. But dear papa had to go, and I
+do not know why it was. He offered to let me stay; but I could not
+let him go alone, for he is so old and feeble, and I was willing to
+endure all for his sake."
+
+"What part of France did you live in?" asked Claude.
+
+"Versailles."
+
+"That is where the court is," said Claude.
+
+"Of course," said Mimi, with a smile. "But how funny it seems to hear
+a Frenchman make such a remark, and in such an uncertain way, as
+though he did not feel quite sure. Why, monsieur, in France
+Versailles is everything; Versailles is the king and court. In a
+word, monsieur, Versailles is France."
+
+"I suppose you saw very much of the splendor and magnificence of the
+court?" said Claude.
+
+"I!" said Mimi; "splendor and magnificence! the court! _Ma foi_,
+monsieur, I did not see any of it at all. In France young girls are
+kept close-guarded. You have lived among the English, and among them
+I have heard that young girls can go anywhere and do anything. But
+for my part I have always lived most secluded--sometimes at school,
+and afterwards at home."
+
+"How strange it is," said Claude, "that your father should leave
+France, when he is so old and feeble, and take you, too, and come to
+this wild country!"
+
+"O, it is very strange," said Mimi, "and very sad; and I don't know
+why in the world it was, for he will never tell me. Sometimes I think
+that something unfortunate has happened, which has made him go into
+exile this way. But then, if that were so, I don't see why he should
+remain in French possessions. If his political enemies have driven
+him away, he would not be safe in French colonies; and so I don't
+know why in the world he ever left home."
+
+"Does he intend to remain at Louisbourg, or go farther?" asked
+Claude, after a thoughtful pause.
+
+"I'm sure I don't know," said Mimi; "but I don't think he has decided
+yet. It is just as if he was looking for something, and as if he
+would travel about till he found it; though what it is that he wants
+I can hardly tell. And such, monsieur, is our mournful position. We
+may remain at Louisbourg a short time or a long time: it depends upon
+circumstances. We may go to Quebec, or even to New Orleans."
+
+"New Orleans!" exclaimed Claude.
+
+"Yes; I heard him hint as much. And he said, also, that if he did go
+as far as that, he would leave me at Quebec or Louisbourg. But I will
+never consent to that, and I will go with him wherever he goes."
+
+"I should think that such a roving life would make you feel very
+unhappy."
+
+"O, no; I am not unhappy," said Mimi, cheerfully. "I should, indeed,
+feel unhappy if I were left behind in France, or anywhere else, and
+if poor papa should go roaming about without any one to care for him.
+I am not much; but I know that he loves me dearly, and that he is
+very much happier with me than without me. And that is the reason why
+I am determined to go with him wherever he goes,--yes, even if he
+goes among the savages. Besides, while I am with him, he has a
+certain amount of anxiety about me, and this distracts his thoughts,
+and prevents him from brooding too much over his own personal
+troubles. But O, how I envy you, Monsieur Motier, and O, how I should
+love to be going back to France, if dear papa were only going there
+too! I shall never be happy again, I know, never, till I am back
+again in France."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+MIMI AND MARGOT.
+
+
+While Claude was doing the honors of hospitality to the guests aft,
+the crew of the Parson was fraternizing with the seamen of the
+wrecked Arethuse, forward. The first and most important act of
+friendly intercourse was the work of Jericho, who put forth all his
+skill in preparing for the half-starved sailors a series of repasts
+upon which he lavished all his genius, together with the greater part
+of the stores of the schooner. To these repasts the seamen did ample
+justice, wasting but little time in unnecessary words, but eating as
+only those can eat who have been on the borders of starvation. Yet it
+may be questioned whether their voracity exceeded that of a certain
+melancholy boy, who waited on the banquet, and whose appetite seemed
+now even more insatiable in the midst of the abundant supplies which
+Jericho produced, than it had been in former days, when eatables had
+been less choice and repasts less frequent. In fact, Biler outdid
+himself, and completely wore out the patience of the long-suffering
+Jericho.
+
+"You jes look heah, you Biler," he said; "you better mind, for I
+ain't goin' to stand dese yer goins on no longer. Bar's limits to
+eberyting--and dese yer 'visiums has got to be 'commonized, an' not
+to be all gobbled up by one small boy. Tell you what, I got a great
+mind to put you on a lowns, an' gib you one rore turnip a day, an' ef
+you can ketch a fish I'll 'gree to cook it. Why, dar ain't de vessel
+afloat dat can stand dis yer. You eat fifty-nine meals a day, an'
+more. You nebber do notin' else but eat--morn', noon, an' night."
+
+"Arrah, Jerry, let the b'y ate his fill," said Terry: "sure an' a
+growin' b'y has to ate more'n a grown man, so as to get flesh to grow
+wid."
+
+"Can't do it," said Jerry, "an' won't do it. Didn't mind it so much
+afore, but now we'se got to 'commonize. Bar's ebber so many more
+moufs aboard now, an' all on 'em eat like sin. Dis yer calm keeps us
+out heah in one spot, an' when we're ebber a goin' to get to de end
+ov de vyge's more'n I can tell. No use frowin' away our val'ble
+'visiums on dis yer boy--make him eat soap fat and oakum--good enough
+for him. No 'casium for him to be eatin' a hundred times more'n all
+de res ob us. If he wants to eat he'll hab to find his own 'visiums,
+an' ketch a shark, an' I'll put it in pickle for he own private use."
+
+With these words Jericho turned away with deep trouble and perplexity
+visible on his ebon brow, and Biler, pocketing a few potatoes and
+turnips, climbed to the mast-head, where he sat gazing in a
+melancholy way into space.
+
+To Terry these new comers were most welcome. At a distance he
+professed to hate and despise the French; but now that they appeared
+face to face, his hate was nowhere, and in its place there was
+nothing but a most earnest desire to form an eternal friendship with
+the shipwrecked seamen. There was certainly one difficulty in the way
+which was of no slight character; and that was, that neither of them
+knew the language of the other. But Terry was not easily daunted, and
+the very presence of a difficulty was enough to make him feel eager
+to triumph over it.
+
+In his first approaches he made the very common mistake of addressing
+the French sailors as though they were deaf. Thus he went up to them
+one after the other, shaking hands with each, and shouting in their
+ears as loud as he could, "_How do yez do_?" "_Good day_." "_The top
+av the mornin' to yez_." To which the good-natured Frenchmen
+responded in a sympathetic way, shaking his hand vigorously,--and
+grinning and chattering. Terry kept this up for some time; but at
+length it became somewhat monotonous, and he set his wits to work to
+try to discover some more satisfactory mode of effecting a
+communication with them. The next way that he thought of was
+something like the first, and, like the first, is also frequently
+resorted to by those who have occasion to speak to foreigners. It was
+to address them in broken English, or rather in a species of baby
+talk; for to Terry it seemed no more than natural that this sort of
+dialect would be more intelligible than the speech of full-grown men.
+
+Accordingly, as soon as Terry thought of this, he put it in practice.
+He began by shaking hands once more, and then said to them, "Me
+berry glad see you--me sposy you berry hundy. Polly want a cracker.
+He sall hab penty mate den, so he sall. Did de naughty water boos um
+den?"
+
+But unfortunately this effort proved as much of a failure as the
+other; so Terry was once more compolled to trust to his wits. Those
+wits of his, being active, did not fail, indeed, to suggest many
+ways, and of the best kind, by which he brought himself into
+communication with his new friends. At the first repast he found this
+out, and insisted upon passing everything to them with his own hands,
+accompanying each friendly offer with an affectionate smile, which
+went straight to the hearts of the forlorn and half-starved guests.
+This was a language which was every way intelligible, the language of
+universal humanity, in which the noblest precept is, to be kind to
+enemies and to feed the hungry.
+
+In addition to this, Terry also found out other ways of holding
+communication with them, the chief of which was by the language of
+song. Terry's irrepressible tendency to singing thus burst forth in
+their presence, and after trolling out a few Irish melodies, he
+succeeded in eliciting from them a sympathetic response in the shape
+of some lively French songs. The result proved most delightful to all
+concerned; and thereafter the muse of Ireland and the muse of France
+kept up a perpetual antiphonal song, which beguiled many a tedious
+hour.
+
+While the various characters on board the schooner were thus entering
+into communication with one another, Zac endeavored also to scrape an
+acquaintance with one of the rescued party, who seemed to him to be
+worth all the rest put together. This was Mimi's maid, Margot, a
+beautiful little creature, full of life and spirit, and fit companion
+for such a mistress as hers. The good little Margot was very
+accessible, and had not failed to pour forth in language not very
+intelligible her sense of gratitude to Zac. She had not forgotten
+that it was Zac who had conveyed her in his strong arms from death to
+life, and therefore persisted in regarding him not only as the
+preserver of her own self, but as the real and only preserver of all
+the others.
+
+Margot had one advantage which was delightful to Zac; and that was,
+she could speak a little English. She had once spent a year in
+England, where she had picked up enough of the language to come and
+go upon, and this knowledge now proved to be of very great advantage.
+
+The calm weather which continued gave Zac many opportunities of
+drifting away towards Margot, and talking with her, in which talks
+they gradually grew to be better acquainted.
+
+"I am so happy zat I spik Ingelis!" said Margot; "I nevar did sink
+dat it was evare useful."
+
+"An' pooty blamed lucky it's ben for me, too," said Zac, in a joyous
+tone; "for as I don't know French, like Claude over there, I have to
+trust to you to keep up the conversation."
+
+"I not know mooch Ingelis," said Margot, "for I not understan de
+mooch of what you say."
+
+"O, you'll learn dreadful fast out here," said Zac.
+
+"But I not weesh to stay here so long as to learn," said Margot.
+
+"Not wish! Sho, now! Why, it's a better country than France."
+
+"Than France--better!" cried Margot, lifting her hands and throwing
+up her eyes in amazement. "France! Monsieur, France is a
+heaven--mais--dees--dees--is different."
+
+"Why, what's the matter with America?" said Zac.
+
+"Amerique--eet ees all full of de sauvage--de Indian--de wild
+men--an' wild beasts--an' desert."
+
+"O, you ain't ben to Boston; that's clar," said Zac, mildly. "Jest
+you wait till you see Boston; that's all."
+
+"Boston! I nevare hear of Boston," said Margot, "till you tell me. I
+do not believe eet it is more magnifique dan Paris."
+
+"The most magnificent town in the hull world," said Zac, calmly. "You
+take the House of Assembly an' Govement House--take King Street and
+Queen Street, an' I'd like to know whar you'll find a better show any
+whar on airth."
+
+"Sais pas," said Margot; "nevare see Boston. Mais vous--you nevare
+see Paris--so we are not able to compare."
+
+"O, well, it's nat'ral enough for you," said Zac, with magnanimity,
+"nat'ral enough for you, course, to like your own place
+best--'twouldn't be nat'ral ef you didn't. All your friends live
+thar, course. You were born thar, and I s'pose your pa an' ma may be
+there now, anxiously expectin' to hear from you."
+
+Zac put this in an interrogative way, for he wanted to know. But as
+he said these words, the smiling face of Margot turned sad; she shook
+her head, and said,--
+
+"No; I have no one, no one!"
+
+"What! no relatives!" said Zac, in a voice full of commiseration and
+tender pity.
+
+Margot shook her head.
+
+"An' so you've got no father nor mother, an' you're a poor little
+orphan girl!" said Zac, in a broken voice.
+
+Margot shook her head, and looked sadder than over.
+
+Tears came to Zac's eyes. He felt as he had never felt before. There
+was something so inexpressibly touching about this orphan! He took
+her little hand tenderly in his own great, brown, toil-worn fist, and
+looked at her very wistfully. For a few moments he said nothing.
+Margot looked up at him with her great brown eyes, and then looked
+meekly at the deck. Zac heaved a deep sigh; then he placed his
+disengaged hand solemnly upon her head.
+
+"Wal," said he, gravely, "I'll protect you. Ef anybody ever harms
+you, you jest come to me. I'll--I'll be--a father to you."
+
+Again Margot looked up at him with her great brown eyes.
+
+"O, dat's noting," she said. "I don't want you to be my fader. But,
+all de same, I tink you one very nice man; an' you safe my life; an'
+I sall not forget--nevare; an' I weesh--. Sall I tell you what I
+weesh?"
+
+"Yes, yes," said Zac, eagerly, with a strange thrill of excitement.
+
+Margot threw a quick look around.
+
+"Dees Monsieur de Cazeneau," said she, drawing nearer to Zac, and
+speaking in a low, quick voice, "I 'fraid of heem. Dere is danjaire
+for my mademoiselle. He is a bad man. He haf a plot--a plan. You moos
+safe us. Dees Monsieur Motier is no good. You haf safe us from death;
+you moos safe us from dees danjaire."
+
+"How?" asked Zac, who took in at once the meaning of Margot's words,
+though not fully understanding them.
+
+"I will tell. Dess Monsieur de Cazeneau wish to get us to Louisbourg,
+where he will ruin us all--dat is, de ole count and de mademoiselle.
+You moos turn about, and take us to Boston."
+
+"Take you to Boston! But this schooner is engaged to go to Louisbourg
+with Mr. Motier."
+
+Margot shook her head.
+
+"You moos do it," said she, "or we sall be ruin. You moos tell
+Monsieur Motier--"
+
+Zac now began questioning her further; but Margot could not remain
+any longer; she therefore hurried away, with the promise to see him
+again and explain more about it; and Zac was left alone with his own
+thoughts, not knowing exactly what he could say to Claude, or how he
+could make up, out of Margot's scanty information, a story which
+might offer sufficient ground for a change in the purpose of the
+voyage.
+
+Meanwhile Claude had seen Mimi at various times, and had conversed
+with her, as before, in a very confidential manner. The danger of
+which Margot had spoken was present in Mimi's thoughts, also; and she
+was anxious to secure Claude's assistance.
+
+Thus it was that Mimi communicated to Claude all about her personal
+affairs. There was something almost childish in this ready
+communicativeness; but she knew no reason for concealing anything,
+and therefore was thus frank and outspoken. Claude, also, was quite
+as willing to tell all about himself; though his own story was
+somewhat more involved, and could not be told piecemeal, but required
+a longer and more elaborate explanation.
+
+"Have you many friends in France?" asked Mimi, in an abrupt sort of
+way, the next time they met.
+
+"Friends in France?" repeated Claude; "not one, that I know of."
+
+"No friends! Then what can you do there?" she asked, innocently.
+
+"Well, I don't know yet," said he. "I will see when I get there. The
+fact is, I am going there to find out something about my own
+family--my parents and myself."
+
+At this Mimi fastened her large eyes upon Claude with intense
+interest.
+
+"How strangely you talk!" said she.
+
+"I'll tell you a secret," said Claude, after a pause.
+
+"What?" she asked.
+
+"You will never tell it to any one? It's very important."
+
+"I tell it?" repeated Mimi; "I! Never. Of course not. So, now, what
+is the secret?"
+
+"Well, it's this: my name is not Motier."
+
+"Well," said Mimi, "I'm sure I'm very glad that it isn't; and it
+seemed strange when you told me first, for Motier is a plebeian name;
+and you certainly are no plebeian."
+
+"I am not a plebeian," said Claude, proudly. "You are right. My name
+is one of the noblest in France. I wonder if you can tell me what I
+want to know!"
+
+"I! Why, how can I?" said Mimi. "But I should so like to know what
+it is that you want to know! And O, monsieur, I should so love to
+know what is your real name and family!"
+
+"Well," said Claude, "I don't as yet know much about it myself. But I
+do know what my real name is. I am the Count de Montresor."
+
+"Montresor," exclaimed Mimi, "Montresor!"
+
+As she said this, there was an evident agitation in her voice and
+manner which did not escape Claude.
+
+"What's the matter?" said he. "You know something. Tell me what it
+is! O, tell me!"
+
+Mimi looked at him very earnestly.
+
+"I don't know," said she; "I don't know anything at all. I only know
+this, that poor papa's troubles are connected in some way with some
+one whose name is Montresor. But his troubles are a thing that I am
+afraid to speak about, and therefore I have never found out anything
+about them. So I don't know anything about Montresor, more than this.
+And the trouble is something terrible, I know," continued Mimi, "for
+it has forced him, at his time of life, to leave his home and become
+an exile. And I'm afraid--that is, I imagine--that he himself has
+done some wrong in his early life to some Montresor. But I'm afraid
+to ask him; and I think now that the sole object of his journey is to
+atone for this wrong that he has done. And O, monsieur, now that you
+tell your name, now that you say how you have been living here all
+your life, I have a fearful suspicion that my papa has been the cause
+of it. Montrosor! How strange!"
+
+Mimi was very much agitated; so much so, indeed, that Claude repented
+having told her this. But it was now too late to repent, and he could
+only try to find some way of remedying the evil.
+
+"Suppose I go to your father," said he, "and tell him who I am, and
+all about myself."
+
+"No, no," cried Mimi, earnestly; "do not! O, do not! I would not have
+you for worlds. My hope is, that he may give up his search and go
+home again, and find peace. There is nothing that you can do. What it
+is that troubles him I don't know; but it was something that took
+place before you or I were born--many, many years ago. You can do
+nothing. You would only trouble him the more. If he has done wrong to
+you or yours, you would only make his remorse the worse, for he would
+see in you one whom his acts have made an exile."
+
+"O, nonsense!" said Claude, cheerily; "I haven't been anything of the
+kind. For my part, I've lived a very happy life indeed; and it's only
+of late that I found out my real name. I'll tell you all about it
+some time, and then you'll understand better. As to anybody feeling
+remorse about my life, that's all nonsense. I consider my life rather
+an enviable one thus far."
+
+At this Mimi's agitation left her, and she grew calm again. She
+looked at Claude with a glance of deep gratitude, and said,--
+
+"O, how glad, how very glad, I am to hear you say that! Perhaps you
+may be able yet to tell that to my dear papa. But still, I do not
+wish you to say anything to him at all till I may find some time when
+you may do it safely. And you will promise me--will you not?--that
+you will keep this a secret from him till he is able to bear it."
+
+"Promise? Of course," said Claude.
+
+She held out her hand, and Claude took it and carried it to his lips.
+They had been sitting at the bows of the schooner during this
+conversation. No one was near, and they had been undisturbed.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+A STRANGE REVELATION.
+
+
+The old Count Laborde had been too much weakened by suffering and
+privation to recover very rapidly. For a few days he spent most of
+his time reclining upon a couch in the little cabin, where Mimi
+devoted herself to him with the tenderest care. At times she would
+come upon deck at the urgent request of her father, and then Claude
+would devote himself to her with still more tender care. The old man
+did not take much notice of surrounding things. He lay most of the
+time with his eyes closed, in a half-dreamy state, and it was only
+with an effort that he was able to rouse himself to speak. He took no
+notice whatever of any one but his daughter. Cazeneau made several
+efforts to engage his attention, but he could not be roused.
+
+Thus there were short intervals, on successive days, when Claude was
+able to devote himself to Mimi, for the laudable purpose of beguiling
+the time which he thought must hang heavy on her hands. He considered
+that as he was in some sort the master of the schooner, these
+strangers were all his guests, and he was therefore bound by the
+sacred laws of hospitality to make it as pleasant for them as
+possible. Of course, also, it was necessary that he should exert his
+hospitable powers most chiefly for the benefit of the lady; and this
+necessity he followed up with very great spirit and assiduity.
+
+By the conversation which he had already had with her, it will be
+seen that they had made rapid advances towards intimacy. Claude was
+eager to extend this advance still farther, to take her still more
+into his confidence, and induce her to take him into hers. He was
+very eager to tell her all about himself, and the nature of his
+present voyage; he was still more eager to learn from her all that
+she might know about the Montresor family. And thus he was ever on
+the lookout for her appearance on deck.
+
+These appearances were not so frequent as he desired; but Mimi's
+devotion to her father kept her below most of the time. At such times
+Claude did the agreeable to the other passengers, with varying
+success. With the lieutenant he succeeded in ingratiating himself
+very rapidly; but with Cazeneau all his efforts proved futile. There
+was about this man a sullen reserve and _hauteur_ which made
+conversation difficult and friendship impossible. Claude was full of
+_bonhomie_, good-nature generally, and sociability; but Cazeneau was
+more than he could endure; so that, after a few attempts, he retired,
+baffled, vexed at what he considered the other's aristocratic pride.
+What was more noticed by him now, was the fact that Pere Michel had
+grown more reserved with him; not that there was any visible change
+in the good priest's friendly manner, but he seemed pro-occupied and
+strangely self-absorbed. And so things went on.
+
+Meantime the schooner can hardly be said to have gone on at all. What
+with light head winds, and currents, and calms, her progress was but
+slow. This state of things was very irritating to Zac, who began to
+mutter something about these rascally Moosoos bringing bad luck, and
+"he'd be darned if he wouldn't like to know where in blamenation it
+was all going to end." But as Claude was no longer so good a listener
+as he used to be, Zac grew tired of talking to empty space, and
+finally held his peace. The winds and tides, and the delay, however,
+made no difference with Claude, nor did it interfere in the slightest
+with his self-content and self-complacency. In fact, he looked as
+though he rather enjoyed the situation; and this was not the least
+aggravating thing in the surroundings to the mind of the impatient
+skipper.
+
+Thus several days passed, and at length Claude had an opportunity of
+drawing Mimi into another somewhat protracted conversation.
+
+"I am very much obliged to you," said Claude, gayly, "for making your
+appearance. I have been trying to do the agreeable to your shipmate
+Cazeneau, but without success. Is he always so amiable? and is he a
+friend of yours?"
+
+Mimi looked at Claude with a very serious expression as he said this,
+and was silent for a few minutes.
+
+"He is a friend of papa's," said she at last. "He came out with us--"
+
+"Is he a great friend of yours?" asked Claude.
+
+Mimi hesitated for a moment, and then said,--
+
+"No; I do not like him at all."
+
+Claude drew a long breath.
+
+"Nor do I," said he.
+
+"Perhaps I am doing him injustice," said Mimi, "but I cannot help
+feeling as though he is in some way connected with dear papa's
+troubles. I do not mean to say that he is the cause of them. I merely
+mean that, as far as I know anything about them, it is always in such
+a way that he seems mixed up with them. And I don't think, either,
+that his face is very much in his favor, for there is something so
+harsh and cruel in his expression, that I always wish that papa had
+chosen some different kind of a person for his friend and confidant."
+
+"Is he all that?" asked Claude.
+
+"O, I suppose so," said Mimi. "They have secrets together, and make,
+together, plans that I know nothing about."
+
+"Do you suppose," asked Claude, "that you will ever be in any way
+connected with their plans?"
+
+He put this question, which was a general one, in a very peculiar
+tone, which indicated some deeper meaning. It seemed as though Mimi
+understood him, for she threw at him a hurried and half-frightened
+look.
+
+"Why?" she asked. "What makes you ask such a question as that?"
+
+"O, I don't know," said Claude. "The thought merely entered my
+mind--perhaps because I dislike him, and suspect him, and am ready to
+imagine all kinds of evil about him."
+
+Mimi regarded him now with a very earnest look, and said nothing for
+some time.
+
+"Have you any recollection," she asked, at length, "of ever having
+seen his face anywhere, at any time, very long ago?"
+
+Claude shook his head.
+
+"Not the slightest," said he. "I never saw him in all my life, or any
+one like him, till I saw him on the raft. But what makes you ask so
+strange a question?"
+
+"I hardly know," said Mimi, "except that he seems so in papa's
+confidence,--and I know that papa's chief trouble arises from some
+affair that he had with some Montresor,--and I thought--well, I'll
+tell you what I thought. I thought that, as this Montresor had to
+leave France--that perhaps he had been followed to America, or sought
+after; and, as you are a member of that family, you might have seen
+some of those who were watching the family; and the Count do Cazeneau
+seemed to be one who might be connected with it. But I'm afraid I'm
+speaking in rather a confused way; and no wonder, for I hardly know
+what it is that I do really suspect."
+
+"O, I understand," said Claude; "you suspect that my father was
+badly treated, and had to leave France, and that this man was at the
+bottom of it. Well, I dare say he was, and that he is quite capable
+of any piece of villany; but as to his hunting us in America, I can
+acquit him of that charge, as far as my experience goes, for I never
+saw him, and never heard of any one ever being on our track. But
+can't you tell me something more definite about it? Can't you tell me
+exactly what you know?"
+
+Mimi shook her head.
+
+"I don't know anything," said she, "except what little I told
+you--that poor papa's trouble of mind comes from some wrong which he
+did to some Montresor, who had to go to America. And you may not be
+connected with that Montresor, after all; but I'm afraid you must be,
+and that--you--will have to be--poor papa's--enemy."
+
+"Never!" said Claude, vehemently; "never! not if your
+father--Whatever has happened, I will let it pass--so far as I am
+concerned."
+
+"O, you don't know what it is that has happened."
+
+"Neither do you, for that matter; so there now; and for my part I
+don't want to know, and I won't try to find out, if you think I'd
+better not."
+
+"I don't dare to think anything about it; I only know that a good son
+has duties towards his parents, and that he must devote his life to
+the vindication of their honor."
+
+"Undoubtedly," said Claude, placidly; "but as it happens my parents
+have never communicated to me any story of any wrongs of theirs, I
+know very little about them. They never desired that I should
+investigate their lives; and, as I have never heard of any wrongs
+which they suffered, I don't see how I can go about to vindicate
+their honor. I have, by the merest chance, come upon something which
+excited my curiosity, and made me anxious to know something more. I
+have had no deeper feeling than curiosity; and if you think that my
+search will make me an enemy of your father, I hereby give up the
+search, and decline to pursue it any farther. In fact, I'll fall back
+upon my old name and rank, and become plain Claude Motier."
+
+Claude tried to speak in an off-hand tone; but his assumed
+indifference could not conceal the deep devotion of the look which he
+gave to Mimi, or the profound emotion which was in his heart. It was
+for her sake that he thus offered to relinquish his purpose. She knew
+it and felt it.
+
+"I'm sure," said she, "I don't know what to say to that. I'm afraid
+to say anything. I don't know what may happen yet; you may at any
+time find out something which would break through all your
+indifference, and fill you with a thirst for vengeance. I don't know,
+and you don't know, what may be--before us. So don't make any rash
+offers, but merely do as I asked you before; and that is,--while papa
+is here,--refrain from mentioning this subject to him. It is simply
+for the sake of his--his peace of mind--and--and--his health. I know
+it will excite him so dreadfully--that I tremble for the result."
+
+"O, of course," said Claude, "I promise, as I did before. You needn't
+be at all afraid."
+
+"Would you have any objection," she asked, after a short silence, "to
+tell me how much you do really know?"
+
+"Of course not," said Claude, with his usual frankness. "I'll tell
+you the whole story. There isn't much of it. I always believed myself
+to be the son of Jean Motier, until a short time ago. We lived near
+Boston, a place that you, perhaps, have heard of. He was always
+careful to give me the best education that could be had in a colony,
+and particularly in all the accomplishments of a gentleman. We were
+both very happy, and lived very well, and I called him father, and he
+called me son; and so things went on until a few weeks ago. I went
+off hunting with some British officers, and on my return found the
+old man dying. The shock to me was a terrible one. At that time I
+believed that it was my father that I was losing. What made it worse,
+was the evident fact that there was something on his mind, something
+that he was longing to tell me; but he could not collect his
+thoughts, and he could only speak a few broken words. He kept
+muttering, '_Mon tresor_, _Mon tresor_;' but I thought it was merely
+some loving words of endearment to me, and did not imagine what they
+really meant. Still I saw that there was something on his mind, and
+that he died without being able to tell it."
+
+Claude paused for a moment, quite overcome by his recollections, and
+Mimi's large dark eyes filled with tears in her deep sympathy with
+his sorrows.
+
+"Well," said Claude, regaining his composure with an effort, "I'll go
+on. As soon as he was buried I began to search the papers, partly to
+see how the business was, and how I was situated in the world; but
+more for the sake of trying to find out what this secret could be.
+There was an old cabinet filled with papers and parcels, and here I
+began my search. For a long time I found nothing but old business
+letters and receipts; but at last I found some religious books--with
+a name written in them. The name was Louise de Montresor. Well, no
+sooner had I seen this than I at once recollected the words of my
+father, as I supposed him, which I thought words of
+endearment--Montresor, Montresor. I saw now that it was the name of a
+person--of a woman; so this excited me greatly, and I continued the
+search with greater ardor.
+
+"After a while I came to a drawer in which was a quantity of gold
+coins, amounting to over a hundred guineas. In this same drawer was a
+gold watch; on the back of it were engraved the letters L. D. M.,
+showing that it was evidently the property of this Louise de
+Montresor. A gold chain was connected with it, upon which was
+fastened a seal. On this was engraved a griffin rampant, with the
+motto, _Noblesse oblige_.
+
+"Well, after this I found another drawer, in which were several
+lady's ornaments, and among them was a package carefully wrapped up.
+On opening it I found the miniature portrait of a lady, and this lady
+was the same Louise de Montresor, for her name was written on the
+back."
+
+"Have you it now?" asked Mimi, with intense interest.
+
+"Yes," said Claude; "and I'll show it to you some time. But I have
+something else to show you just now. Wait a minute, and I'll explain.
+After I found the portrait, I went on searching, and came to another
+package. On opening this I found some papers which seemed totally
+different from anything I had seen as yet. The ink was faded; the
+writing was a plain, bold hand; and now I'll let you read this for
+yourself; and you'll know as much as I do."
+
+Saying this, Claude produced from his pocket a paper, which he opened
+and handed to Mimi. It was a sheet of foolscap, written on three
+sides, in a plain, bold hand. The ink was quite faded. As Mimi took
+the paper, her hand trembled with excitement, and over her face there
+came a sudden anxious, half-frightened look, as though she dreaded to
+make herself acquainted with the contents of this old document.
+
+After a moment's hesitation she mustered up her resolution, and began
+to read. It was as follows:--
+
+
+"QUEBEC, June 10, 1725.
+
+"Instructions to Jean Motier with reference to my son, Claude de
+Montresor, and my property.
+
+"As I do not know how long I shall be absent, I think it better to
+leave directions about my son, which may be your guide in the event
+of my death. I must stay away long enough to enable me to overcome
+the grief that I feel. Long, long indeed, must it be before I shall
+feel able to settle in any one place. The death of my dearest wife,
+Louise, has left me desolate beyond expression, and there is no home
+for me any more on earth, since she has gone.
+
+"I have property enough for you to bring up Claude as a gentleman. I
+wish him to have the best education which he can get in the colonies.
+I do not wish him to know about his family and the past history of
+his unhappy parents until he shall be old enough to judge for
+himself. In any case, I should wish him not to think of France. Let
+him content himself in America. It is done. In France there is no
+redress. The government is hopelessly corrupt, and there is no
+possibility of wrong being righted. Besides, the laws against the
+Huguenots are in full force, and he can never live with his mother's
+enemies. I revere the sacred memory of my Huguenot wife, and curse
+the knaves and fanatics who wronged her and cast her out; yet I thank
+God that I was able to save her from the horrible fate that awaited
+her.
+
+"I wish my son, therefore, to know nothing of France, at least until
+he shall be of age, and his own master; and even then I should wish
+him never to go there. Let him content himself in the colonies. For
+how could he ever redeem the position which is lost? or how could he
+hope to face the powerful and unscrupulous enemies who have wrought
+my ruin; the false friend who betrayed me; his base and infernal
+accomplice; the ungrateful government which did such foul wrong to a
+loyal servant? All is lost. The estates are confiscated. The unjust
+deed can never be undone. Let my son, therefore, resign himself to
+fate, and be content with the position in which he may find himself.
+
+"The property will be sufficient to maintain him in comfort and
+independence. Here he will have all that he may want; here the church
+will give him her consolations without bigotry, or fanaticism, or
+corruption, or persecution. He will be free from the vices and
+temptations of the old world, and will have a happier fate than that
+of his unhappy father.
+
+"EUGENE DE MONTRESOR."
+
+
+Another paper was folded up with this. It was written in a different
+hand, and was as follows:--
+
+
+"BOSTON, June 20, 1740.
+
+"Count Eugene de Montresor left on the 2d July, 1725, and has never
+since been heard of. I have followed all his instructions, with one
+exception. It was from the countess that I first heard the word of
+life, and learned the truth. The priests at Quebec gave me no peace;
+and so I had to leave and come here, among a people who are of
+another nation, but own and hold my faith--the faith of the pure
+worship of Christ. The count wished me to bring you up a Catholic;
+but I had a higher duty than his will, and I have brought you up not
+in your father's religion, but in your mother's faith. Your father
+was a good man, though in error. He has, no doubt, long since
+rejoined the saint who was his wife on earth; and I know that the
+spirits of your father and mother smile approvingly on my acts.
+
+"If I die before I tell you all, dear Claude, you will see this, and
+will understand that I did my duty to your parents and to you--"
+
+Here it ended abruptly. There was no name, and it was evidently
+unfinished.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+A FRENCH FRIGATE.
+
+
+Mimi read both papers through rapidly and breathlessly, and having
+finished them, she read them over once more. As she finished the
+second reading, Claude presented to her in silence a small package.
+She took it in the same silence. On opening it, she saw inside a
+miniature portrait of a lady--the same one which Claude had
+mentioned. She was young and exquisitely beautiful, with rich dark
+hair, that flowed luxuriantly around her head; soft hazel eyes, that
+rested with inexpressible sweetness upon the spectator; and a gentle,
+winning smile. This face produced an unwonted impression upon Mimi.
+Long and eagerly did she gaze upon it, and when, at length, she
+handed it back to Claude, her eyes were moist with tears.
+
+Claude replaced the portrait in its wrapper, and then restored it,
+with the letters, to his pocket. For some time they sat in silence,
+and then Claude said,--
+
+"You see there is no great duty laid on me. Judging by the tone of
+that letter, I should be doing my duty to my father if I did not go
+to France--and if I did not seek after anything."
+
+"Ah! but how could you possibly live, and leave all this
+unexplained?"
+
+"I could do it very easily," said Claude.
+
+"You don't know yourself."
+
+"O, yes, I could; I could live very easily and very happily--if I
+only had your assistance."
+
+At these words, which were spoken in a low, earnest voice, full of
+hidden meaning, Mimi darted a rapid glance at Claude, and caught his
+eyes fixed on her. Her own eyes fell before the fervid eagerness of
+the young man's gaze, a flush overspread her face, and she said not a
+word. Nor did Claude say anything more just then; but it was rather
+as though he felt afraid of having gone too far, for he instantly
+changed the subject.
+
+"I'm afraid," said he, "that I shall not be able to find out very
+much. You cannot give me any enlightenment, and there is nothing very
+precise in these papers. The chief thing that I learned from them was
+the fact that Jean Motier was not my father, but my guardian. Then a
+few other things are stated which can easily be mentioned. First,
+that my father was the Count Eugene de Montresor; then that he was
+driven to exile by some false charge which he did not seem able to
+meet; then, that his estates were confiscated; then, that his wife,
+my mother, was a Huguenot, and also in danger. I see, also, that my
+father considered his enemies altogether too powerful for any hope to
+remain that he could resist them, and that finally, after my mother's
+death, he grew weary of the world, and went away somewhere to die.
+
+"Now, the fact that he lived two years in Quebec made me have some
+thoughts at first of going there; but afterwards I recollected how
+long it had been since he was there, and it seemed quite improbable
+that I should find any one now who could tell me anything about him;
+while, if I went to France, I thought it might be comparatively easy
+to learn the cause of his exile and punishment. And so, as I couldn't
+find any vessels going direct from Boston, I concluded to go to
+Louisbourg and take ship there. I thought also that I might find out
+something at Louisbourg; though what I expected I can hardly say.
+
+"You spoke as though you supposed that this Cazeneau had something to
+do with my father's trouble. Do you think that his present journey
+has anything to do with it? That is, do you think he is coming out on
+the same errand as your father?"
+
+"I really do not know what to say about that. I should think not. I
+know that he has some office in Louisbourg, and I do not see what
+motive he can have to search after the Montresors. I believe that
+papa hopes to find your papa, so as to make some atonement, or
+something of that sort; but I do not believe that Cazeneau is capable
+of making atonement for anything. I do not believe that Cazeneau has
+a single good quality. Cazeneau is my father's evil genius."
+
+Mimi spoke these words with much vehemence, not caring, in her
+excitement, whether she was overheard or not; but scarce had she
+uttered them than she saw emerging from the forecastle the head of
+Cazeneau himself. She stopped short, and looked at him in amazement
+and consternation. He bowed blandly, and coming upon deck, walked
+past her to the stern. After he had passed, Mimi looked at Claude
+with a face full of vexation.
+
+"Who could have supposed," said she, "that he was so near? He must
+have heard every word!"
+
+"Undoubtedly he did," said Claude, "and he had a chance of verifying
+the old adage that 'listeners never hear good of themselves.'"
+
+"O, I wish you would be on your guard!" said Mimi, in real distress.
+"It makes me feel very anxious."
+
+She threw at Claude a glance so full of tender interest and pathetic
+appeal, that Claude's playful mood gave way to one of a more
+sentimental character; and it is quite impossible to tell what he
+would have done or said had not Cazeneau again made his appearance,
+on his way back to the forecastle.
+
+He smiled a cold smile as he passed them.
+
+"Charming weather for a _tete-a-tete_, mademoiselle," said he.
+"_Parbleu_! Monsieur Motier, I don't wonder you don't make your
+vessel go faster. I quite envy you; but at present I must see about
+my fellows below here."
+
+With these words he turned away, and descended into the forecastle.
+Mimi also turned away, and Claude accompanied her to the stern.
+
+"How old do you suppose he is?" asked Claude, very gravely.
+
+"How old? What a funny question! Why, he must be nearly fifty by this
+time."
+
+"Fifty!" exclaimed Claude, in surprise.
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Why, I thought he was about thirty, or thirty-five."
+
+"Well, he certainly doesn't look over forty; but he is a wonderfully
+well-kept man. Even on the raft, the ruling passion remained strong
+in the very presence of death, and he managed to keep up his youthful
+appearance; but I know that he is almost, if not quite, as old as
+papa."
+
+"Is it possible?" cried Claude, in amazement.
+
+Mimi turned, and with her face close to Claude's, regarded him with
+an anxious look, and spoke in a low, hurried voice:--
+
+"O, be on your guard--beware of him. Even now he is engaged in some
+plot against you. I know it by his face. That's what takes him down
+there to confer with the seamen. He is not to be trusted. He is all
+false--in face, in figure, in mind, and in heart. He knows nothing
+about honor, or justice, or mercy. He has been the deadly enemy of
+the Montresors, and if he finds out who you are, he will be your
+deadly enemy. O, don't smile that way! Don't despise this enemy! Be
+careful--be on your guard, I entreat you--_for my sake_!"
+
+These last words were spoken in a hurried whisper, and the next
+moment Mimi turned and hastened down into the cabin to her father,
+while Claude remained there, thinking over these words. Yet of them
+all it was not the warning contained in them that was present in his
+memory, but rather the sweet meaning convoyed in those last three
+words, and in the tone in which they were uttered--the words _for my
+sake_!
+
+Out of his meditations on this theme he was at length aroused by an
+exclamation from Zac. Looking up, he saw that worthy close beside
+him, intently watching something far away on the horizon, through a
+glass.
+
+"I'll be darned if it ain't a French frigate!"
+
+This was the exclamation that roused Claude. He at once returned to
+himself, and turning to Zac, he asked him what he meant. Zac said
+nothing, but, handing him the spy-glass, pointed away to the west,
+where a sail was visible on the horizon. That sail was an object of
+curious interest to others on board; to the lieutenant and seamen of
+the wrecked vessel, who were staring at her from the bows; and to
+Cazeneau, who was with them, staring with equal interest. Claude took
+the glass, and raising it to his eye, examined the strange sail long
+and carefully, but without being able to distinguish anything in
+particular about her.
+
+"What makes you think that she is a French frigate?" he asked, as he
+handed the glass back to Zac. "I cannot make out that she is French
+any more than English."
+
+"O, I can tell easy enough," said Zac, "by the cut of her jib. Then,
+too, I judge by her course. That there craft is comin' down out of
+the Bay of Fundy, which the Moosoos in their lingo call Fonde de la
+Baie. She's been up at some of the French settlements. Now, she may
+be goin' to France--or mayhap she's goin' to Louisbourg--an' if so be
+as she's goin' to Louisbourg, why, I shouldn't wonder if it mightn't
+be a good idee for our French friends here to go aboard of her and
+finish their voyage in a vessel of their own. One reason why I'd
+rather have it so is, that I don't altogether like the manoeuvrin's
+of that French count over thar. He's too sly; an' he's up to
+somethin', an' I don't fancy havin' to keep up a eternal watch agin
+him. If I was well red of him I could breathe freer; but at the same
+time I don't altogether relish the idee of puttin' myself into the
+clutches of that thar frigate. It's easy enough for me to keep out of
+her way; but if I was once to get under her guns, thar'd be an end of
+the Parson. This here count ain't to be trusted, no how; an' if he
+once got into communication with that there frigate, he'd be my
+master. An' so I'm in a reg'lar quan-dary, an' no mistake. Darned if
+I know what in the blamenation to do about it."
+
+Zac stopped short, and looked with an air of mild inquiry at Claude.
+Claude, on his part, was rather startled by Zac's estimate of the
+character of Cazeneau, for it chimed in so perfectly with Mimi's
+opinion that it affected him in spite of himself. But it was only for
+a moment, and then his own self-confidence gained the mastery.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+CAUGHT IN A TRAP.
+
+
+The schooner was now directed towards the stranger, and before very
+long they saw that her course had been changed, and that she was now
+bearing down upon them. Zac stood at the helm saying nothing, but
+keeping his eyes fixed upon the frigate, which drew nearer and
+nearer, till finally she came near enough for her flag to be plainly
+seen. They had been right in their conjectures, and the new comer was
+a French frigate. This assurance seemed to open the mouth of Zac.
+
+"I must say," he remarked to Claude, "the nearer I get to her, the
+less I like it. I've met Moosoo before this on the high seas, but I
+allus went on the plan of keepin' out of his way. This here system of
+goin' right into his jaws don't suit me at all."
+
+"O, come now," said Claude, "don't begin again. I thought you'd given
+up all anxiety. There's not the slightest occasion for being worried
+about it. I'll find out whether they can take me to Louisbourg, and
+so I'll leave you, and you'll get back to Boston quicker than if you
+took me where you first proposed."
+
+"Yes; but suppose she's goin' to France, and chooses to take me
+prisoner?" said Zac.
+
+"O, nonsense!" said Claude. "They couldn't. What, after saving so
+many lives, and conveying these rescued fellow-countrymen to their
+own flag, do you suppose they could think of arresting you? Nonsense!
+The thing's impossible."
+
+Zac said no more, but was evidently ill at ease, and in his own mind
+there was no end of dark forebodings as to the event of this meeting.
+These forebodings were in no way lessened as the schooner rounded to
+under the lee of the frigate, and Zac saw a row of guns heavy enough
+to blow him and his "Parson" to atoms. The frigate did not wait for
+the schooner to send a boat aboard, for her own boat was all ready,
+and soon appeared, well manned, rowing towards the schooner. On
+coming alongside, the officer in command stepped on board, and Claude
+at once went forward to meet him. Cazeneau also walked forward with
+the same purpose.
+
+Claude politely raised his hat, and the officer civilly returned his
+greeting.
+
+"This, monsieur, is the schooner Amos Adams, of Boston. We have
+recently picked up the survivors of His Royal French Majesty's
+frigate 'Arethuse,' which has been lost at sea, and we have come to
+see whether you could take them. Will you have the goodness to tell
+me where you are going?"
+
+"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed the officer, "the Arethuse lost! Is it
+possible? What a terrible misfortune! And she had on board the new
+commandant for Louisbourg."
+
+At this Cazeneau came forward.
+
+"He is safe, monsieur, for I am he."
+
+The officer respectfully removed his hat, and bowed very low.
+
+"What ship is this?" asked Cazeneau, in the tone of a superior.
+
+"L'Aigle," replied the officer.
+
+"Where are you bound?"
+
+"To Brest. We have just been cruising to the different settlements
+and forts on the Bay of Fundy, with some supplies which were sent
+from Louisbourg."
+
+"Ah! And you are now on your return to France?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Who commands your ship?"
+
+"Captain Ducrot."
+
+"Ah! Very good. You see, monsieur," said Cazeneau to Claude, "this
+ship is bound to France; and that destination will not suit any of
+us. I think I had better go aboard and see the captain, with whom I
+may have some little influence. Perhaps, as my command is an
+important one, he may be persuaded to alter his course, and land us
+at Louisbourg, or some other place.--And so, monsieur," he continued,
+turning to the officer, "I shall be obliged to you if you will put me
+aboard the Aigle."
+
+The officer assured him that the boat was altogether at his service;
+whereupon Cazeneau stepped aboard, followed by the officer, and in a
+short time the boat was on its way back to the frigate. Claude
+watched this in silence, and without any misgivings. It seemed to him
+quite natural, and, indeed, the best thing that could be done, under
+the circumstances. If the ship was going to France, she could not be
+of service to them; but if her captain could be induced to change his
+course and land them at Louisbourg, this would be exactly what they
+wanted; and Cazeneau seemed to be the only one on board who was at
+all likely to persuade the captain of the Aigle to do such a thing as
+this.
+
+It seemed a long time before any further notice was taken of the
+schooner. Meanwhile, all on board were watching the frigate with much
+anxiety, and wondering what the result would be. In any case it did
+not seem a matter of very great importance to any one; for the
+lieutenant and the two sailors, who might have been most concerned,
+were very well treated on board the schooner,--better, perhaps, than
+they would be on board a frigate,--and evinced no particular desire
+to leave. The priest said nothing; and to him, as well as to Claude,
+there was nothing to be gained by taking to the ship. As for the aged
+Laborde, he was still too weak to take any notice of events going on
+around him; while Mimi, perhaps, found herself as well situated here,
+under the care of Claude, as she could possibly be on the larger
+ship, under the care of one who might be less agreeable. Claude
+himself would certainly have preferred letting things remain as they
+were. The situation was very pleasant. Mimi's occasional
+companionship seemed sweeter than anything he had ever known; and, as
+he was master on board, he naturally had a certain right to show her
+attentions; which right he could not have under other circumstances.
+He would have liked to see Cazeneau take his departure for good,
+together with the French sailors, leaving Laborde and Mimi on board
+the schooner. Finally, Zac was not at all pleased with anything in
+his present situation. The thought of possible foul play never left
+his mind for an instant; and though the blow was delayed for a
+considerable time, he could not help feeling sure that it would fall.
+
+During this period of waiting, the aged Laborde had been brought up
+on deck, and placed there on a seat. This was done from a hope which
+Mimi had that he would be benefited by the excitement of the change.
+The sight of the ship, however, produced but little effect of any
+kind upon the languid and worn-out old man. He gave an indifferent
+glance at the frigate and the surrounding scene, and then subsided
+into himself, while Mimi in vain strove to rouse him from his
+indifference.
+
+At last their suspense came to an end, and they saw preparations
+making for another visit to the schooner. This time a second boat was
+lowered, which was filled with marines. The sight of this formidable
+boat's crew produced on Claude an impression of surprise; while in
+Zac it enforced a conviction that his worst fears were now to be
+realized.
+
+"Look thar!" said he in a hoarse whisper. "Now you see what's a
+comin'! Good by, poor old Parson! Yer in the claws of the Philistines
+now, an' no mistake."
+
+To this Claude made no reply, for he began to feel rather perplexed
+himself, and to imagine that Cazeneau might have been playing him
+false. All that Mimi had said about him now came to his mind, and the
+armed boat's crew seemed like the first act of a traitor. He tried to
+account for this in some other way, but was not able. He could no
+longer laugh away Zac's fears. He could only be still and wait.
+
+The two boats rowed towards the schooner. Cazeneau was not in either
+of them. He had remained on board. At length one of the boats touched
+the schooner, and the same officer who had visited her before again
+stepped on board.
+
+"Is the Count de Laborde here?" he asked.
+
+Claude pointed to where the old man was seated. The officer advanced,
+and removed his hat with a bow to the old count, and another to the
+beautiful Mimi.
+
+"Monsieur le Comte," said he, "I have the honor to convoy to you the
+compliments of Captain Ducrot, with the request that you would honor
+him with your company on board the Aigle. His excellency the Comte de
+Cazeneau, commandant of Louisbourg, has persuaded him to convey
+himself, and you, and some others, to the nearest French fort. It is
+the intention of Captain Ducrot to sail back up the Bay of Fundy, and
+land you at Grand Pre, from which place you can reach Louisbourg by
+land."
+
+To this Laborde murmured a few indistinct words in reply, while Mimi
+made no remark whatever. She was anxious to know what Claude was
+intending to do. The officer now turned away to the others.
+
+"My instructions," said he, "are, to convey the invitation of Captain
+ Ducrot to Monsieur l'Abbe Michel and Lieutenant d'Angers, whom he
+will be happy to receive on board the Aigle, and convey them to Grand
+Pre, or France. The two seamen of the Arethuse will also go on board
+and report themselves."
+
+The officer now went back to Laborde, and offered, to assist him. The
+old man rose, and taking his arm, walked feebly towards the vessel's
+side, whence he descended into the boat, and was assisted to the
+stern by the seamen. The officer then assisted Mimi to a place by her
+father's side, anticipating Claude, who stepped forward with the
+offer of his assistance. Then followed Pere Michel, and Lieutenant
+d'Angers, of the Arethuse; then Margot; and, finally, the two seamen.
+
+Meanwhile nothing was said to Claude. He was not included in the
+compliments of Captain Ducrot, nor was any notice taken of him in any
+way. He could not help feeling slighted and irritated at the whole
+proceeding. To himself and to Zac this whole party owed their lives,
+and they were all leaving him now with no more regard for him than if
+he were, a perfect stranger. But the fact was, the whole party took
+it for granted that he and Zac would be invited on board, and that
+they would see them both again, and supposed that they were coming in
+the same boat. Mimi and Pere Michel both thought that Claude, at
+least, was going with them; for he had told them both that he was
+going to leave the schooner and send Zac home.
+
+But Claude's feelings were somewhat embittered by this whole
+incident, and were destined to be still more so before it was all
+over.
+
+The lieutenant remained on board. The boat rowed back to the Aigle,
+carrying the passengers above named, after which the lieutenant
+motioned to the other boat. This one moved alongside, and a
+half-dozen armed seamen stepped on board.
+
+"Monsieur," said the lieutenant, advancing to Claude, "I hope you
+will pardon me for being the instrument in a very unpleasant duty. I
+am pained to inform you that you are my prisoner, on the command of
+his excellency the commandant of Louisbourg, whose instructions I am
+ordered to fulfil. I deeply regret this painful necessity, and most
+sincerely hope that it may prove only a temporary inconvenience."
+
+At this Claude was so astounded that for some time he could only
+stare at the officer, without being able to utter a syllable. At
+length he said,--
+
+"What, monsieur! A prisoner? You must be mistaken! And who--The
+commandant of Louisbourg--is not that the Count de Cazeneau?"
+
+"It is."
+
+"But, monsieur, it must be a mistake. I have never injured him or any
+one. I have done nothing but good to him. My friend here, the captain
+of this schooner, and I, saved his life; and we have treated him with
+the utmost kindness since he was on board here. Finally, we sailed
+towards you, and put ourselves in your power, solely that these
+shipwrecked passengers, of whom the Count de Cazeneau was one, might
+reach their friends sooner. How, then, can he possibly mean to arrest
+me?"
+
+"Monsieur, I assure you that it grieves mo most deeply," said the
+officer--"most exquisitely. I know all this--all, and so does Captain
+Ducrot; but there is no mistake, and it must be."
+
+"But what authority has he here, and why should your captain do his
+orders?"
+
+"Monsieur, I am only a subordinate, and I know nothing but my orders.
+At the same time, you must know that the commandant of Louisbourg has
+general control, by land and sea, and is my captain's superior."
+
+Claude made no reply. He saw that this man was but, as he said, a
+subordinate, and was only obeying his orders. But the officer had
+something still on his mind. His words and his looks all showed that
+the present business was exceedingly distasteful to him, and that he
+was only doing it under pressure.
+
+"Monsieur," said he, after a pause, "I have another painful duty to
+perform. I am ordered to take possession of this schooner, as a prize
+of war, and take the captain and crew as prisoners of war."
+
+At this Claude stared at the officer once more, utterly stupefied.
+
+"Mon Dieu!" he cried, at length. "Are you a Frenchman? Is your
+captain a French gentleman? Do you know, monsieur, what you are
+doing? We have saved some shipwrecked Frenchmen; we have carried them
+to a place of safety; and for this we are arrested! This honest man,
+the captain, might expect a reward for his generosity; and what does
+he get? Why, he is seized as a prisoner of war, and his schooner is
+made a prize! Is there any chivalry left in France? Are these the
+acts of Frenchmen? Great Heavens! Has it come to this?"
+
+"Monsieur," said the officer, "be calm, I implore you. All this gives
+me the most exquisite distress. But I must obey orders."
+
+"You are right," said Claude. "You are a subordinate. I am wasting
+words to talk with you. Take me to your captain, or to the Count de
+Cazeneau. Let me learn what it is that induces him to act towards us
+with such unparalleled baseness."
+
+"Monsieur, I shall be happy to do all that I can. I will take you to
+the Aigle,--under guard,--and you will be a prisoner there. I hope
+that his excellency will accord you the favor of an interview."
+
+All this time Zac had been a silent spectator of the scene. He had
+not understood the words that were spoken, but he had gathered the
+general meaning of this scene from the gestures and expression of the
+two speakers. The presence, also, of the armed guard was enough to
+show him that the blow which he dreaded had fallen. And now, since
+the worst had happened, all his uneasiness departed, and he resumed
+all the vigor of his mind. He at once decided upon the best course to
+follow, and that course was to be emphatically one of quiet, and
+calmness, and cool watchfulness. Claude had become excited at this
+event; Zac had become cool.
+
+"Wal," said he, advancing towards Claude, "it's just as I said. I
+allus said that these here frog-eatin' Frenchmen wan't to be trusted;
+and here, you see, I was right. I see about how it is. The poor,
+unfort'nate Parson's done for, an' I'm in for it, too, I s'pose."
+
+Claude turned, and gave Zac a look of indescribable distress.
+
+"There's some infernal villain at work, Zac," said he, "out of the
+common course, altogether. I'm arrested myself."
+
+"You? Ah!" said Zac, who did not appear to be at all surprised. "You
+don't say so! Wal, you've got the advantage of me, since you can
+speak their darned lingo. So they've gone an' 'rested you, too--have
+they?"
+
+"It's that infernal Cazeneau," said Claude; "and I haven't got the
+faintest idea why."
+
+"Cazeneau, is it? O, well," said Zac, "they're all alike. It's my
+opinion that it's the captain of the frigate, an' he's doin' it in
+Cazeneau's name. Ye see he's ben a cruisin' about, an' hankers after
+a prize; an' I'm the only one he's picked up. You're
+'rested--course--as one of the belongin's of the Parson. You an' I
+an' the hull crew: that's it! We're all prisoners of war!"
+
+"O, no," said Claude. "It isn't that, altogether; there's some deeper
+game."
+
+"Pooh!" said Zac; "the game ain't a deep one, at all; it's an
+every-day game. But I must say it is hard to be done for jest because
+we had a leetle too much hooman feelin'. Now, ef we'd only let them
+Frenchies rot and drown on their raft,--or ef we'd a' taken them as
+prisoners to Boston,--we'd ben spared this present tribulation."
+
+Zac heaved a sigh as he said this, and turned away. Then a sudden
+thought struck him.
+
+"O, look here," said he; "jest ask 'em one thing, as a partiklar
+favor. You needn't mention me, though. It's this. Ask 'em if they
+won't leave me free--that is, I don't want to be handcuffed."
+
+"Handcuffed!" exclaimed Claude, grinding his teeth in futile rage.
+"They won't dare to do that!"
+
+"O, you jest ask this Moosoo, as a favor. They needn't object."
+
+Upon this Claude turned to the officer.
+
+"Monsieur," said he, "I have a favor to ask. I and my friend here are
+your prisoners, but we do not wish to be treated with unnecessary
+indignity or insult. I ask, then, that we may be spared the insult of
+being bound. Our offence has not been great. Wo have only saved the
+lives of six of your fellow-countrymen. Is it presumption to expect
+this favor?"
+
+"Monsieur," said the officer, "I assure you that, as far as I have
+anything to say, you shall not be bound. And as to this brave fellow,
+he may be at liberty to move about in this schooner as long as he is
+quiet and gives no offence--that is, for the present. And now,
+monsieur, I will ask you to accompany me on board the Aigle."
+
+With these words the officer prepared to quit the schooner. Before
+doing so he addressed some words to the six seamen, who were to be
+left in charge as a prize crew, with one midshipman at their head. He
+directed them to follow the frigate until further orders, and also,
+until further orders, to leave the captain of the schooner unbound,
+and let him have the run of the vessel.
+
+After this the officer returned to the Aigle, taking Claude with him.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+UNDER ARREST.
+
+
+By the time that Claude reached the Aigle, the evening of this
+eventful day was at hand. He was taken to a room on the gun-deck,
+which seemed as though used for a prison, from the general character
+of the bolts and bars, and other fixtures. Claude asked to see the
+captain, and the lieutenant promised to carry the message to him.
+After about an hour he came back with the message that the captain
+could not see him that evening. Upon this Claude begged him to ask
+Count de Cazeneau for an interview. The officer went off once more,
+and returned with the same answer. Upon this Claude was compelled to
+submit to his fate as best he might. It was a hard thing for him, in
+the midst of health, and strength, and joy, with all the bounding
+activity and eager energy of youth, to be cast down into a prison;
+but to be arrested and imprisoned under such circumstances; to be so
+foully wronged by the very man whose life he had saved; to have his
+own kindness and hospitality repaid by treachery, and bonds, and
+insult,--all this was galling in the highest degree, and well nigh
+intolerable.
+
+That night Claude did not sleep. He lay awake wondering what could be
+the cause of Cazeneau's enmity, and trying in vain to conjecture.
+
+All the next morning Claude waited for some message from Captain
+Ducrot; but none came. His breakfast was brought to him, consisting
+of the coarse fare of common seamen, and then his dinner; but the
+captain did not make his appearance. Even the officer who had
+arrested him, and who had hitherto shown himself sufficiently
+sympathetic, did not appear. The sailor who brought his meals gave no
+answer to his questions. It seemed to Claude as though his captors
+were unwilling to give him a hearing.
+
+At length, in about the middle of the afternoon, Claude heard the
+tramp of men approaching his prison; the door was opened, and he saw
+an officer enter, while three marines, with fixed bayonets, stood
+outside.
+
+"Have I the honor of speaking to Captain Ducrot?" asked Claude.
+
+"I am Captain Ducrot," said the other.
+
+He was a small, wiry man, dressed with extreme neatness, who looked
+rather like an attorney than a seaman. His voice was thin and
+harsh,--his manner cold and repulsive, with an air of primness and
+formality that made him seem more like a machine than a man. The
+first sight of him made Claude feel as though any appeal to his
+humanity or generosity, or even justice, would be useless. He looked
+like an automaton, fit to obey the will of another, but without any
+independent will of his own. Nevertheless, Claude had no other
+resource; so he began:--
+
+"I have asked for this interview, monsieur," said he, "from a
+conviction that there must be some mistake. Listen to me for a
+moment. I have lived in Boston all my life. I was on my way to
+Louisbourg, intending to go to France from there, on business. I had
+engaged a schooner to take me to Louisbourg; and at sea I came across
+a portion of the wreck of the Arethuse, with six people on board, one
+of whom was the Count de Cazeneau. I saved them all--that is, with
+the assistance of the captain of the schooner. After I brought them
+on board the schooner, I treated them all with the utmost kindness;
+and finally, when I saw your ship in the distance, I voluntarily
+sailed towards you, for the purpose of allowing my passengers to go
+on board. I had designed coming on board myself also, if your
+destination suited my views. And now, monsieur, for all this I find
+myself arrested, held here in prison, treated as a common felon, and
+all because I have saved the lives of some shipwrecked fellow-beings.
+Monsieur, it is not possible that this can be done with your
+knowledge. If you want confirmation of my words, ask the good priest
+Pere Michel, and he will confirm all that I have said."
+
+The captain listened to all this very patiently, and without any
+interruption. At length, as Claude ended, he replied,--
+
+"But you yourself cannot suppose that you, as you say, are imprisoned
+merely for this. People do not arrest their benefactors merely
+because they are their benefactors; and if you have saved the life of
+his excellency, you cannot suppose that he has ordered your arrest
+for that sole reason. Monsieur has more good sense, and must
+understand well that there is some sort of charge against him."
+
+"Monsieur," said Claude, "I swear to you I not only know no reason
+for my arrest, but I cannot even imagine one; and I entreat you, as a
+man of honor, to tell me what the charge against me is."
+
+"Monsieur," said the captain, blandly, "we are both men of honor, of
+course. Of your honor I have no doubt. It is untouched. Every day men
+of honor, and of rank, too, are getting into difficulties; and
+whenever one meddles with political affairs it must be so."
+
+"Political affairs!" cried Claude. "What have I to do with political
+affairs?"
+
+The captain again smiled blandly.
+
+"_Parbleu_, monsieur, but that is not for me to say."
+
+"But is that the charge against me?"
+
+"Most certainly. How could it be otherwise?"
+
+"Politics, politics!" cried Claude. "I don't understand you! I must
+be taken for some other person."
+
+"O, no," said the captain; "there's no mistake."
+
+"Pardon me, monsieur, there must be."
+
+"Then, monsieur, allow me to indulge the hope that you may be able to
+show where the mistake is, at your trial."
+
+The captain made a movement now as though he was about to leave; but
+Claude detained him.
+
+"One moment, monsieur," said he. "Will you not tell me something
+more? Will you not tell me what these political charges are? For, I
+swear to you, I cannot imagine. How can I, who have lived all my life
+in Boston, be connected with politics in any way? Let me know, then,
+something about these charges; for nothing is more distressing than
+to be in a situation like this, and have no idea whatever of the
+cause of it."
+
+
+[Illustration: "Of Your Honor I Have No Doubt."]
+
+
+"_Eh bien_, monsieur," said the captain, "since you wish it, I have
+no objection whatever to state what they are; and if you can clear
+yourself and show your innocence, I shall be the first to
+congratulate you. His excellency will not object to my telling you, I
+am sure, for he is the soul of goodness, and is full of generous
+impulses. Very well, then. In the first place you call yourself
+Claude Motier. Now, this is said to be an assumed name. Your real
+name is said to be Claude de Montresor; and it is said that you are
+the son of a certain Eugene de Moutresor, who committed grave
+offences about twenty years ago, for which he would have been
+severely punished had he not fled from the country. His wife,
+also,--your mother, perhaps,--was proscribed, and would have been
+arrested and punished had she not escaped with her husband. They were
+then outlawed, and their estates were confiscated. The wife died, the
+husband disappeared. This is what happened to them."
+
+"That is all true," said Claude. "But my father and mother were both
+most foully wronged--"
+
+"Pardon, monsieur," said the captain. "That is very probable; but I
+am not here as judge; I am only giving you information about the
+charge against you. I have not time to listen to your answer; and I
+would advise you not to speak too hastily. You have already confessed
+to the assumed name. I would advise you to be careful in your
+statements. And now, monsieur, should you like to hear any more?"
+
+"Yes, yes!" cried Claude, eagerly; "tell me all that there is to
+know."
+
+"Very well," said the captain. "Now you, under an assumed name,
+engage a schooner to take you, not to Louisbourg, but to some place
+in the vicinity of Louisbourg. Being the son of two dangerous
+political offenders, who were both outlawed for grave crimes, you are
+found coming from Boston to Louisbourg under an assumed name, and
+upon a secret errand, which you keep to yourself. Under these
+circumstances the commandant could not overlook your case. It seemed
+to him one which was full of suspicion, and, in spite of the
+gratitude which he felt for your kind offices, he nevertheless was
+compelled, by a strong sense of public duty, to order your arrest.
+You will be accorded a fair trial; and, though appearances are
+against you, you may succeed in proving your innocence; in which
+case, monsieur, I am sure that no one will be more rejoiced than
+myself and his excellency.
+
+"You have also complained, monsieur, of the arrest of your captain.
+That was done on account of his unfortunate connection with you. He
+may be innocent, but that remains to be seen. At present appearances
+are against him, and he must take his share of the guilt which
+attaches to you. His arrest was a political necessity."
+
+After this the captain left; and, as Claude saw how useless it was to
+attempt to plead his cause to this man, he made no further attempt to
+detain him.
+
+Left once more to his own reflections, Claude recalled all that the
+captain had said, and at first was lost in wonder at the gravity of
+the charges that had been raised up against him. Nor could he conceal
+from himself that, though they were based on nothing, they still were
+serious and formidable. Even in France charges of a political kind
+would lead to serious consequences; and here in the colonies he felt
+less sure of justice. Indeed, as far as justice was concerned, he
+hardly hoped to experience anything of the kind, for his judge would
+be the very man who had got up these charges, and had treated him
+with such baseness and treachery. The fact was, that he would be
+called before a court where accuser, witness, and judge would all be
+one and the same person, and, what was more, the person who for some
+reason had chosen to become his bitterest enemy. Dark indeed and
+gloomy was the prospect that now lowered before him.
+
+Before an impartial court the charges against him might be answered
+or refuted; but where could he find such a court? Cazeneau had
+created the charges, and would know how to make them still more
+formidable. And now he felt that behind these charges there must lurk
+something more dangerous still.
+
+Already there had arisen in his mind certain suspicions as to
+Cazeneau's designs upon Mimi. These suspicions he had hinted at in
+conversation with her, and his present circumstances deepened them
+into convictions. It began now to seem to him that Cazeneau had
+designs to make the beautiful, high-born girl his wife. Everything
+favored him. He was supreme in authority out here; the old Laborde
+was under his influence; the daughter's consent alone was wanting. Of
+that consent, under ordinary circumstances, he could make sure. But
+he had seen a close and strong friendship arising between Mimi and
+her preserver. This Claude considered as a better and more probable
+cause for his hate. If this were indeed so, and if this hate grew up
+out of jealousy, then his prospects were indeed dark, for jealousy is
+as cruel as the grave.
+
+The more Claude thought of this, the greater was the importance which
+he attached to it. It seemed to be this which had made Cazeneau
+transform himself into an eavesdropper; this which had occasioned his
+dark looks, his morose words, and haughty reticence. In his
+eavesdropping he must have heard enough to excite his utmost
+jealousy; and Claude, in recalling his conversations with Mimi, could
+remember words which must have been gall and bitterness to such a
+jealous listener.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+GRAND PRE.
+
+
+Nearly thirty years before this, the French government had been
+compelled to give up the possession of Acadie to the English, and to
+retire to the Island of Cape Breton. Here they had built a stronghold
+at Louisbourg, which they were enlarging and strengthening every
+year, to the great disgust and alarm of the New England colonies. But
+though Acadie had been given up to the English, it could hardly be
+said to be held by them. Only two posts were occupied, the one at
+Canso, in the strait that separated Cape Breton from Acadie, and the
+other at Annapolis Royal. At Canso there was a wooden block-house,
+with a handful of soldiers: while at Annapolis Royal, where the
+English governor resided, the fortifications were more extensive, yet
+in a miserable condition. At this last place there were a few
+companies of soldiers, and here the governor tried to perform the
+difficult task of transforming the French Acadians to loyal British
+subjects.
+
+But the French at Louisbourg never forgot their fellow-countrymen,
+and never relinquished their designs on Acadie. The French
+inhabitants of that province amounted to several thousands, who
+occupied the best portions of the country, while the English
+consisted of only a few individuals in one or two posts. Among the
+French Acadians emissaries were constantly moving about, who sought
+to keep up among them their old loyalty to the French crown, and by
+their pertinacity sorely disturbed the peace of the English governor
+at Annapolis Royal. The French governor at Louisbourg was not slow to
+second these efforts by keeping the Acadians supplied with arms and
+ammunition; and it was for this purpose that the Aigle had been sent
+to the settlements up the Bay of Fundy.
+
+Up the bays he now sailed, in accordance with the wish of Cazeneau.
+His reason for this course was, that he might see the people for
+himself, and judge how far they might be relied on in the event of
+war, which he knew must soon be declared. It was his intention to
+land at Grand Pre, the chief Acadian settlement, and thence proceed
+by land to Louisbourg. He had understood from Captain Ducrot that an
+Indian trail went all the way through the woods, which could be
+traversed on horseback. Such a course would impose more hardship upon
+the aged Laborde and Mimi than would be encountered on shipboard; but
+Cazeneau had his own purposes, which were favored, to a great extent,
+by the land route. Besides, he had the schooner with him, so that if,
+after all, it should be advisable to go by water, they could make the
+journey in her.
+
+The Aigle sailed, and the schooner followed. The wind had changed,
+and now blew more steadily, and from a favorable quarter. The
+currents delayed them somewhat; but on the third morning after the
+two vessels had met, they reached the entrance of the Basin of Minas.
+
+The scenery here was wild and grand. A few miles from the shore there
+rose a lofty rocky island, precipitous on all sides save one, its
+summit crested with trees, its base worn by the restless waves.
+Opposite this was a rocky shore, with cliffs crowned with the
+primeval forest. From this pond the strait began, and went on for
+miles, till it reached the Basin, forming a majestic avenue, with a
+sublime gateway. On one side of this gateway were rocky shores
+receding into wooded hills, while on the other was a towering cliff
+standing apart from the shore, rising abruptly from the water, torn
+by the tempest and worn by the tide. From this the precipitous cliff
+ran on for miles, forming one side of the strait, till it terminated
+in a majestic promontory.
+
+This promontory rose on one side, and on the other a lofty, wooded
+island, inside of which was a winding shore, curving into a harbor.
+Here the strait terminated, and beyond this the waters of the Basin
+of Minas spread away for many a mile, surrounded on every side by
+green, wooded shores. In one place was a cluster of small islands; in
+another, rivers rolled their turbid floods, bearing with them the
+sediment of long and fertile valleys. The blue waters sparkled in the
+sun under the blue sky; the sea-gulls whirled and screamed through
+the air; nowhere could the eye discern any of the works of man. It
+seemed like some secluded corner of the universe, and as if those on
+board the ship
+
+
+    "were the first that ever burst
+  Into that silent sea."
+
+
+But, though not visible from this point, the settlements of man were
+here, and the works of human industry lying far away on the slopes of
+distant hills and the edges of low, marshy shores.
+
+It was not without much caution that they had passed through the
+strait. They had waited for the tide to come in, and then, with a
+favorable wind, they had made the venture. Borne onward by wind and
+tide together, they sailed on far into the bay, and then, directing
+their course to the southward, they sailed onward for a few miles
+farther. The captain had been here before, and was anxious to find
+his former anchorage. On the former occasion he had waited outside
+and sent in for a pilot, but now he had ventured inside without one,
+trusting to his memory. He knew well the perils that attend upon
+navigation in this place, and was not inclined to risk too much. For
+here were the highest tides in the world to be encountered, and swift
+currents, and sudden gusts of wind, and far-spreading shoals and
+treacherous quicksands, among which the unwary navigator could come
+to destruction only too easily.
+
+But no accident happened on this occasion; the navigation was made
+with the utmost circumspection, the schooner being sent ahead to
+sound all the way, and the ship following. At length both came to
+anchor at a distance from the shore of about five miles. Nearer than
+that the captain did not dare to go, for fear of the sand-banks and
+shoals.
+
+Here a boat was lowered, and Cazeneau prepared to land, together with
+the aged Laborde and Mimi. The Abbe Michel also prepared to accompany
+them.
+
+Ever since Laborde had been saved from the wreck, he had been weak
+and listless. It seemed as though the exhaustion, and exposure, and
+privation of that event had utterly broken down his constitution.
+Since he had been taken to the ship, however, he had grown much
+worse, and was no longer able to walk. He had not risen from his
+berth since he had come on board the Aigle. Mimi's anxiety about him
+had been excessive, and she had no thought for anything else. The
+situation of Claude was unknown to her, and her distress about her
+father's increasing weakness prevented her from thinking much about
+him. Her only hope now was, that on reaching the shore her father
+would experience a change for the better, and be benefited by the
+land air.
+
+On removing Laborde from his berth, it was found that he not only had
+not strength to stand, but that he was even so weak that this motion
+served of itself to exhaust him fearfully. He had to be placed on a
+mattress, and carried in that way by four sailors to the ship's side,
+where he was carefully let clown into the boat. There the mattress
+was placed in the boat's stern, and Laborde lay upon this, with his
+head supported against Mimi, who held him encircled in her arms. In
+this way he was taken ashore.
+
+It was a long row, but the water was comparatively smooth, and the
+landing had been postponed until the flood tide, which made the
+boat's progress easier and swifter.
+
+The nearest shore was very low, and the landing-place was two or
+three miles farther on. In the distance the land rose higher, and was
+covered with trees, with here and there a clearing. The land which
+they first approached was well wooded on the water side, but on
+passing this the whole scene changed. This land was an island, about
+two miles distant from the shore, with its inner side cleared, and
+dotted with houses and barns. Between this and the shore there
+extended a continuous tract of low land, which had evidently once
+been a salt-water marsh, for along the water's edge the coarse grass
+grew luxuriantly; but a little distance back there was a dike, about
+six or eight feet high, which ran from the island to the shore, and
+evidently protected the intervening level from the sea. The island
+itself thus served as a dike, and the artificial works that had been
+made ran where the sea had the least possible effect.
+
+At length they approached the main land, and here they saw the low
+marsh-land all around them. Here a turbid river ran into the Basin,
+which came down a valley enclosed between wooded hills, and, with
+voluminous windings, terminated its course.
+
+At this place there was a convenient beach for landing, and here
+Laborde was removed from the boat and carried up on the bank, where
+he was laid on his mattress under a shadowy willow tree. This point,
+though not very elevated, commanded a prospect which, to these new
+comers who had suffered so much from the sea, might have afforded the
+highest delight, had they been sufficiently free from care to take it
+all in. All around them lay one of the most fertile countries in all
+the world, and one of the most beautiful. The slopes of the hills
+rose in gentle acclivities, cultivated, dotted with groves and
+orchards, and lined with rows of tall poplars. The simple houses of
+the Acadian farmers, with their out-buildings, gave animation to the
+scene. At their feet lay a broad extent of dike-land, green and
+glowing with the verdure of Juno, spreading away to that island,
+which acted as a natural dike against the waters of the sea. Beyond
+this lay the blue waters of Minas Basin, on whose bosom floated the
+ship and the schooner, while in the distance rose the cliff which
+marked the entrance into the Basin, and all the enclosing shores.
+
+But none of the party noticed this. Cazeneau was absorbed with his
+own plans; Laborde lay extended on the mattress, without any
+appearance of life except a faint breathing and an occasional
+movement; over him Mimi hung in intense anxiety, watching every
+change in his face, and filled with the most dreadful apprehensions;
+at a little distance stood Pere Michel, watching them with sad and
+respectful sympathy.
+
+Captain Ducrot had come ashore in the boat, and, leaving Laborde, he
+accompanied Cazeneau to a house which stood not far away. It was
+rather larger than the average, with a row of tall poplars in front
+and an orchard on one side. A road ran from the landing, past this
+house, up the hill, to the rest of the settlement farther on.
+
+An old man was seated on a bench in the doorway. He rose as he saw
+the strangers, and respectfully removed his hat.
+
+"How do you do, Robicheau?" said Ducrot. "You see I have come back
+again sooner than I expected. I have brought with me his excellency
+the governor of Louisbourg, who will be obliged if you can make him
+comfortable for a few days. Also there are the Count de Laborde and
+his daughter, whom I should like to bring here; but if you cannot
+make them comfortable, I can take them to Comeau's."
+
+Upon this, Robicheau, with a low bow to Cazeneau, informed him that
+he thought there might be room for them all, if they would be willing
+to accept his humble hospitality. The old man spoke with much
+embarrassment, yet with sincere good will. He was evidently
+overwhelmed by the grandeur of his visitors, yet anxious to do all in
+his power to give them fitting entertainment. Ducrot now informed him
+that the Count de Laborde needed immediate rest and attention;
+whereupon Robicheau went in to summon his dame, who at once set to
+work to prepare rooms for the guests.
+
+Ducrot now returned to the landing, and ordered the sailors to carry
+Laborde to Robicheau's house. They carried him on the mattress,
+supporting it on two oars, which were fastened with ropes in such a
+way as to form a very easy litter. Mimi walked by her father's side,
+while Pere Michel followed in the rear. In this way they reached
+Robicheau's house. The room and the bed were already prepared, and
+Laborde was carried there. As he was placed upon that bed, Mimi
+looked at him with intense anxiety and alarm, for his pale, emaciated
+face and weak, attenuated frame seemed to belong to one who was at
+the last verge of life. An awful fear of the worst came over her--the
+fear of bereavement in this distant land, the presentiment of an
+appalling desolation, which crushed her young heart and reduced her
+to despair. Her father, her only relative, her only protector, was
+slipping away from her; and in the future there seemed nothing before
+her but the very blackness of darkness.
+
+The good dame Robicheau saw her bitter grief, and shed tears of
+sympathy. She offered no word of consolation, for to her experienced
+eyes this feeble old man seemed already beyond the reach of hope. She
+could only show her compassion by her tears. Pere Michel, also, had
+nothing to say; and to all the distress of the despairing young girl
+he could offer no word of comfort. It was a case where comfort could
+not be administered, and where the stricken heart could only be left
+to struggle with its own griefs--alone.
+
+A few hours after the first boat went ashore, a second boat landed.
+By this time, a large number of the inhabitants had assembled at the
+landing-place, to see what was going on; for to these people the
+sight of a ship was a rare occurrence, and they all recognized the
+Aigle, and wondered why she had returned. This second boat carried
+Claude, who had thus been removed from the ship to the shore for the
+purpose of being conveyed to Louisbourg. Captain Ducrot and Cazeneau
+had already succeeded in finding a place where he could be kept. It
+was the house of one of the fanners of Grand Pre, named Comeau, one
+of the largest in the whole settlement.
+
+Claude landed, and was committed to the care of Comeau, who had come
+down to receive his prisoner. It was not thought worth while to bind
+him, since, in so remote a place as this, there would be scarcely any
+inducement for him to try to escape. If he did so, he could only fly
+to the woods, and, as he could not support his life there, he would
+be compelled to return to the settlement, or else seek shelter and
+food among the Indians. In either case he would be recaptured; for
+the Acadians would all obey the order of the governor of Louisbourg,
+and deliver up to him any one whom he might designate; while the
+Indians would do the same with equal readiness, since they were all
+his allies. Under these circumstances, Claude was allowed to go with
+his hands free; and in this way he accompanied Comeau, to whose
+charge he was committed. He walked through the crowd at the landing
+without exciting any very particular attention, and in company with
+Comeau he walked for about half a mile, when he arrived at the house.
+Here he was taken to a room which opened into the general
+sitting-room, and was lighted by a small window in the rear of the
+house, and contained a bed and a chair. The door was locked, and
+Claude was left to his own reflections.
+
+Left thus to himself, Claude did not find his own thoughts very
+agreeable. He could not help feeling that he was now, more than ever,
+in the power of the man who had shown himself so relentless and
+persevering in his enmity. He was far away from any one whom he could
+claim as a friend. The people here were evidently all the creatures
+of Ducrot and Cazeneau. He saw that escape was useless. To get away
+from this particular place of imprisonment might be possible, for the
+window could be opened, and escape thus effected; but, if he should
+succeed in flying, where could he go? Annapolis Royal was many miles
+away; He did not know the way there; he could not ask; and even if he
+did know the way, he could only go there by running the gantlet of a
+population who were in league with Cazeneau.
+
+That evening, as old Comeau brought him some food, he tried to enter
+into conversation with him. He began in a gradual way, and as his
+host, or, rather, his jailer, listened, he went on to tell his whole
+story, insisting particularly on the idea that Cazeneau must be
+mistaken; for he thought it best not to charge him with deliberate
+malice. He hinted, also, that if he could escape he might bestow a
+handsome reward upon the man who might help him. To all this Comeau
+listened, and even gave utterance to many expressions of sympathy;
+but the end of it all was nothing. Either Comeau disbelieved him
+utterly, but was too polite to say so, or else he was afraid to
+permit the escape of the prisoner who had been intrusted to his care.
+Claude then tried another means of influencing him. He reminded him
+that the governor of Louisbourg had no jurisdiction here; that the
+Acadians of Grand Pre were subject to the King of England, and that
+all concerned in this business would be severely punished by the
+English as soon as they heard of it. But here Claude utterly missed
+his mark. No sooner had he said this, than old Comeau began to
+denounce the English with the utmost scorn and contempt. He told
+Claude that there were many thousands of French in Acadia, and only a
+hundred English; that they were weak and powerless; that their fort
+at Annapolis was in a ruinous state; and that, before another year,
+they would be driven out forever. He asserted that the King of France
+was the greatest of all kings; that France was the most powerful of
+all countries; that Louisbourg was the strongest fortress in the
+universe; and that the French would drive the English, not only out
+of Acadia, but out of America. In fact, Claude's allusion to the
+English proved to be a most unfortunate one; for, whereas at first
+the old man seemed to feel some sort of sympathy with his
+misfortunes, so, at the last, excited by this allusion, he seemed to
+look upon him as a traitor to the cause of France, and as a criminal
+who was guilty of all that Cazeneau had laid to his charge.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+ALONE IN THE WORLD.
+
+
+The condition of the old Count de Laborde grew steadily worse. The
+change to the land had done him no good, nor was all the loving care
+of Mimi of any avail whatever. Every one felt that he was doomed: and
+Mimi herself, though she struggled against that thought, still had in
+her heart a dark terror of the truth. This truth could at last be
+concealed no longer even from herself, for Pere Michel came to
+administer the holy eucharist to the dying man, and to receive his
+last confession. Mimi could not be present while the dying man
+unfolded to his priest the secrets of his heart, nor could she hope
+to know what those secrets were. But dark indeed must they have been,
+and far, very far, beyond the scope of ordinary confessions, for the
+face of Pere Michel, as he came forth from that room, was pale and
+sombre; and so occupied was he with his own thoughts that he took no
+notice of the weeping girl who stood there, longing to hear from him
+some word of comfort. But Pere Michel had none to give. He left the
+house, and did not return till the next day.
+
+By that time all was over. Laborde had passed away in the night. The
+priest went in to look upon the form of the dead. Mimi was there,
+bowed down in the deepest grief, for she felt herself all alone in
+the world. The priest stood looking at the face of the dead for some
+time with that same gloom upon his face which had been there on the
+preceding day, when he left that bedside. At length he turned to
+Mimi.
+
+"Child," said he, in a voice full of pity, "I will not attempt to
+utter any words of condolence. I know well how the heart feels during
+the first emotions of sorrow over bereavement. Words are useless. I
+can only point you to Heaven, where all comfort dwells, and direct
+you to remember in your prayers him who lies here. The church is
+yours, with all her holy offices. The dearest friend must turn away
+from the dead, but the church remains, and follows him into the other
+world. Your heart may still be consoled, for you can still do
+something for the dear father whom you loved. You can pray for the
+soul of the departed, and thus it will seem to you as though you have
+not altogether lost him. He will seem near you yet when you pray for
+him; your spirit will seem to blend with his; his presence will seem
+about you. And besides, my dear child, this also I wish to say: you
+are not altogether alone in the world. I will watch over you till you
+go wherever you may wish. It is not much that I can do; but perhaps I
+can do for you all that you may now wish to be done for yourself.
+Think of this, then, dear child, and whenever you wish to have a
+friend's advice or assistance, come to me."
+
+To this Mimi listened with streaming eyes; and as the priest ended,
+she pressed his hand gratefully, and uttered some unintelligible
+words. His offer had come to her like balm. It did not seem now as
+though she was so desolate, for she had learned already to love the
+good priest with something of a daughter's feelings, and to trust in
+him profoundly.
+
+Laborde was buried in the little churchyard of Grand Pre; and now,
+in addition to the pangs of bereavement, Mimi began to feel other
+cares about her future. What was she to do? Could she go back to
+France? That was her only present course. But how? She could not go
+in the Aigle, for that frigate had left the day after her arrival,
+not having any time to spare. There was no other way of going to
+France now, except by going first to Louisbourg, and taking a ship
+from that place. But she was not left very long in suspense, for, two
+or three days after her father's burial, the Count de Cazeneau came
+to see her.
+
+"I hope," he began, "that it is not necessary for me to say to you
+how deeply I sympathize with you in your bereavement, for I myself
+have my own bereavement to mourn over--the loss of my best, my only
+friend, the friend of a lifetime, the high-minded, the noble Laborde.
+The loss to me is irrevocable, and never can I hope to find any mere
+friend who may fill his place. We were always inseparable. We were
+congenial in taste and in spirit. My coming to America was largely
+due to his unfortunate resolve to come here, a resolve which I always
+combated to the best of my ability, and over which you and I must now
+mourn. But regrets are useless, and it remains for both of us to see
+about the future."
+
+This somewhat formal opening was quite characteristic of Cazeneau,
+who, being of a distant, reserved nature, very seldom allowed himself
+to unbend; and, though he threw as much softness into his voice and
+manner as he was capable of using, yet Mimi felt repelled, and
+dreaded what might be coming.
+
+"When we were first picked up by the Aigle," he continued, "it was in
+my power either to go direct to Louisbourg, or to come here, and then
+go on by land. I chose to come here, for two reasons; first, because
+I hoped that my dear friend would be benefited by reaching the land
+as soon as possible, and I thought that the pure, fresh air, and
+genial climate, and beautiful scenery of this lovely place would
+exercise upon him an immediate effect for the better. Another purpose
+which I had was an official one. I wished to see this place and this
+people with reference to my own administration and designs for the
+future. Unhappily, my hopes for my friend have proved unfounded, and
+my only consolation is that, though I have been disappointed as a
+private man in my affections, yet, as a public official, I have been
+able, during my short stay here, to do good service to my country, in
+a way which my country's enemies shall feel at a vital point before
+another year has passed away."
+
+To this Mimi had nothing to say, for it was all preliminary, and she
+expected something more. She therefore waited in silence, though with
+much trepidation, to see what it might be that this man had in view
+with regard to her. Cazeneau then continued:--
+
+"As I have now done all that I intended to do in this place, it is my
+intention to set forth for Louisbourg by land. I have some faithful
+Indians as guides, and the journey is not very fatiguing. In
+Louisbourg you will be able to obtain every comfort, and there will
+be friends and associates for you, your own social equals, who may
+make your life pleasanter than it has been for a long time."
+
+By this Cazeneau directly stated his intention of taking Mimi with
+him to Louisbourg--a statement which did not surprise Mimi, for it
+was what she had expected. Now, however, that he said this, and in
+this way, without pretending to ask her consent, her trepidation
+increased, and she thought with terror over that long and lonely
+journey, which she would have to make with this man and a band of
+savages. There was nothing else, however, to be done. She could
+neither hope nor desire to remain in Grand Pre. Her position was a
+painful one, and the only hope remaining was that of returning to
+France. And to go to Louisbourg was the surest way of doing that. One
+thing, however, she could not help asking, for this she felt to be a
+matter of extreme importance.
+
+"Is Pere Michel going?"
+
+"He is," said Cazeneau. "He has asked permission to go with our
+party, and I have granted it."
+
+At this answer a great relief was felt by Mimi, and the future seemed
+less dark.
+
+"I have granted it," said Cazeneau, "because he seems a harmless man,
+and may be useful in various ways to me, hereafter, in my plans. He
+seems to know the people about here. I dare say he's been here
+before.
+
+"Your position at Louisbourg," continued Cazeneau, "will be one which
+will be most honorable: as the daughter of the Count de Laborde, you
+will receive universal attention, and my influence shall be exerted
+to make everything contribute to your happiness. As commandant, I
+shall, of course, be supreme; my house will be like a small
+vice-regal court, and the little world of Louisbourg will all do
+homage to any one whom I may hold up before them as a worthy object."
+
+Cazeneau paused after he had said this. It was a speech which was
+uttered slowly and with emphasis, but its meaning was not altogether
+apparent to Mimi. Still there was enough of it intelligible to her to
+make it seem excessively unpleasant. What he exactly meant was of no
+importance, the general meaning being certainly this: that he
+designed for her some prolonged stay there, during which he intended
+to secure homage and respect for her. Now, that was a thing that Mimi
+recoiled from with distaste. She had always detested this man, she
+had always shrunk from him. Her present position of dependence was
+most bitter; but to have that position continue was intolerable. It
+was as though he tried to put himself into the place of her beloved
+father,--he, whom she regarded as her father's evil genius,--as
+though he intended to make himself her guardian, and introduce her as
+his ward.
+
+"You speak," said she, in a trembling voice, "just as--as if--I--you
+supposed that I was going to live at Louisbourg."
+
+"And where else do you wish to live?" asked Cazeneau, placidly.
+
+"I want to go home," said Mimi, her eyes filling with tears, and her
+voice sounding like the wail of a child that has lost its way.
+
+"My poor child," said Cazeneau, more tenderly than he had yet spoken,
+"you evidently do not understand your position as yet. I did not
+intend to say anything about it; but, since you feel this way, and
+have spoken so, I suppose I must make some explanation. Well, then,
+my poor child, when your father left France on this unfortunate
+errand, he turned all his property into money, expecting to use that
+money in America in some way, in that mysterious design of his which
+brought him out here. All this money was on board the Arethuse with
+him, and it is hardly necessary to say that it was all lost. I know
+that his grief over this, and the thought that he was leaving you
+penniless, did more to shorten his life than the sufferings which he
+had on the sea. He sank under it. He told me that he could not rally
+from it; and it was his utter hopelessness that made him give way so
+completely. So, my poor child, this is your present situation: your
+father's estates are sold, and are now in the hands of strangers;
+your father's money is now at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean; so
+that to return to France is, for the present, at least, not to be
+thought of.
+
+"For my part," continued Cazeneau, as Mimi sat there dumb with horror
+at hearing this fresh and crushing news, "I do not see anything in
+your situation which need give you one moment's uneasiness. You have
+lost your father, but your father's best friend still lives, and he
+will never see the daughter of his friend know one single trouble, if
+he can help it. We were more than brothers. Suppose you try to think
+of me with something of the same confidence that your father felt. I,
+for my part, will put you in his place. You shall never know a care.
+You may consider yourself rich. You shall have no trouble except that
+deep sorrow which you feel as a fond daughter."
+
+"I cannot live in America," moaned Mimi, despairingly, recoiling in
+her heart from Cazeneau, and dreading him more than ever. "I cannot.
+I want to go home; or, if I have no home, I want to go to France. I
+will enter a convent."
+
+Cazeneau smiled at this.
+
+"Such a wish, dear child," said he, "is quite natural now, in the
+first freshness of your bereavement; but time alleviates all sorrow,
+and you may think differently hereafter. As to returning to France,
+you shall most certainly do that. I intend to go back after a time;
+and you will once more live in our dear, native land. But, for the
+present, let us not talk of these things. Louisbourg is now our
+destination. Fear nothing. You shall not know a care. You shall be
+guarded from every want, and every wish shall be gratified. You shall
+find yourself surrounded by the most anxious, and tender, and
+solicitous care for your happiness."
+
+These last words were spoken in a warmer and more impassioned manner
+than Cazeneau had thus far used, and their effect upon Mimi was so
+much the more unpleasant. He then raised her hand to his lips with
+respectful affection, and took his departure.
+
+Mimi was for a time quite overwhelmed. The sorrow which she had
+experienced for her father gave way to a new feeling--one of terror,
+deep, dark, and irremovable--about herself and her own future. All
+Cazeneau's words recurred to her, and the more she thought of them,
+the more hateful did they seem. Out of them all several things
+appeared plain to her mind.
+
+First, that she was a pauper. Of Cazeneau's words she did not doubt
+the truth. It seemed in the highest degree probable. She had all
+along known that her father had come to America to search after some
+of the Montresors, and to made reparation. Cazeneau now had informed
+her that he had turned all his property into money. It must have been
+for that purpose. The thought had never occurred to her before; but,
+now that it was stated, she did not dream of doubting it. It seemed
+too true.
+
+Secondly, she saw that Cazeneau, for some reason or other, was
+determined to keep her under his control. He was determined not to
+allow her to return to France, and not to enter a convent. He was
+bent upon associating her with his own life, and causing her to be
+admired in Louisbourg. Added to this was his promise to take her back
+to France with himself. All this showed that he would on no account
+allow her to part with him. What was the meaning of it all? And now
+the thought could no longer be kept out of her mind: Cazeneau's
+purpose was to make her his wife.
+
+His wife!
+
+The thought was to her most odious; but, having once presented
+itself, she could not argue it away, nor could she get rid of it at
+all. Yes, that was the meaning that lurked behind his words all the
+time. That was the meaning of his promise to make her admired and
+happy.
+
+Finally, she remembered how he had stated to her the fact that he was
+supreme in Louisbourg, and that through his grandeur she was to
+receive homage from all the lesser throng. To her this seemed like a
+plain statement that she was in his power, and entirely at his mercy.
+
+And now, what could she do? The future was worse than ever. She was
+completely in the power of a man whom she detested--a man upon whom
+she looked as her father's evil genius, as one whose evil counsel had
+long ago led her father to that act which he had atoned for by
+remorse and death. She was now in the hands of this villain. Escape
+seemed impossible. He was supreme here. From him there was no appeal.
+And she was a beggar. But, even if she were rich, what hope could she
+have against him?
+
+As she asked herself this question, there was no answer. She did not
+know what she could do, and could scarcely hope that she would ever
+know.
+
+It was in this state of mind that Pere Michel found her, on the
+evening of that day. Mimi saw his arrival with intense delight. Here
+seemed one who might relieve her in her distress. Accordingly she
+proceeded to tell him her whole story, all the words of Cazeneau,
+with all their implied meaning, and all her own fears, from beginning
+to end.
+
+The priest heard her narration in profound silence, and after she had
+told him all, he remained in deep thought for some time, while Mimi
+sat anxiously awaiting what he might say.
+
+"My dear child," said the priest, at length, "it is difficult for me
+to give you advice, for your situation is most unpleasant, and most
+distressing to me. I can only entreat you to put your trust in that
+Heaven who never deserts the innocent. You must go to
+Louisbourg--there is no hope of escaping that. Besides, you yourself
+wish to go there. The Count de Cazeneau certainly has the chief power
+there; but whether he is omnipotent remains to be seen. Who knows
+what other powers may be there? I have known cases where the
+commandant has had powerful rivals,--such as the admiral of the
+fleet, or some subordinate who had influence at court at home. I have
+known places where the bishop could interfere and prevent his doing
+wrong. So, be calm, my daughter, put your trust in Heaven, and
+recollect that the commandant cannot break through all restraints,
+but that there must be some barriers that he cannot force. If you
+wish the protection of the church, that will always be yours. Beware
+how you do anything rashly. Confide in me. Perhaps, after all, these
+troubles may have a good end."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+A FRIEND IN NEED.
+
+
+For more than a week Claude had been kept in confinement, and had
+seen nothing of any of his former acquaintances. The confinement was
+not so close as it might have been, and escape was not absolutely
+impossible, for the window which lighted the chamber was merely a
+wooden sash, with four panes of glass, which Claude could have
+removed, had he been so disposed; but this he was not inclined to do,
+and for two reasons. One reason was, because, if he did get out, he
+had no idea where to go. Annapolis Royal was the nearest settlement
+belonging to the English; but he did not know in which direction it
+lay. He knew, however, that between Grand Pre and that place the
+country was settled by the French, among whom he could not go without
+being captured by his pursuers, while if he took to the woods he
+would be sure to fall into the hands of the Indians, who were the
+zealous allies of the French. Such a prospect was of itself
+sufficient to deter him from the attempt to escape. But there was
+also another reason. He could not bear the thought of leaving Mimi
+forever, and never seeing her again. If he should succeed in escaping
+to Annapolis Royal, it would be an eternal separation between her and
+himself. Grand Pre seemed pleasant to him since she was here; and he
+thought it better to be a prisoner here than a free man elsewhere.
+He, therefore, deliberately preferred to run any risk that might be
+before him, with the faint hope of seeing Mimi again, rather than to
+attempt flight.
+
+What had happened since he had come here he did not know very
+clearly. From conversation which he had overheard he had gathered
+that Labordo was dead; but, when he asked any of them about it, they
+refused to tell him anything at all. Claude was, therefore, left to
+make the most that he could out of this vague information. But the
+intelligence caused him to feel much anxiety about Mimi. He
+remembered well all that she had ever told him, and could not help
+wondering what she would do under present circumstances. Would she be
+willing to remain in the neighborhood of Cazeneau? But how could she
+help it? Would not Cazeneau take advantage of her present loneliness
+to urge forward any plans that he might have about her?
+
+Already the suspicion had come to Claude that Cazeneau had certain
+plans about Mimi. What he thought was this: that Laborde was rich,
+that Mimi was his heiress, and that Cazeneau was a man of profligate
+life and ruined fortunes, who was anxious to repair his fortunes by
+marrying this heiress. To such a man the disparity in their years
+would make no difference, nor would he particularly care whether Mimi
+loved him or not, so long as he could make her his wife, and gain
+control over her property. What had given him this idea about
+Cazeneau's position and plans it is difficult to say; but it was
+probably his own jealous fears about Mimi, and his deep detestation
+of his enemy.
+
+And now he began to chafe against the narrow confines of his chamber
+with greater impatience. He longed to have some one with whom he
+could talk. He wondered whether Cazeneau would remain here much
+longer, and, if he went away, whether he would take Mimi or leave
+her. He wondered, also, whether he would be taken to Louisbourg. He
+felt as if he would rather go there, if Mimi was to go, even at the
+risk of his life, than remain behind after she had left. But all his
+thoughts and wonders resulted in nothing whatever, for it was
+impossible to create any knowledge out of his own conjectures.
+
+He was in the midst of such thoughts as these when his ears were
+attracted by the sound of a familiar voice. He listened attentively.
+It was the voice of Pere Michel. No sooner had Claude satisfied
+himself that it was indeed the priest, than he felt sure that he had
+come here to visit him; and a little longer waiting showed that this
+was the case. There were advancing footsteps. Madame Comeau opened
+the door, and Pere Michel entered the chamber. The door was then
+shut, and the two were alone.
+
+So overcome was Claude by joy that he flung himself into the priest's
+arms and embraced him. The good priest seemed to reciprocate his
+emotion, for there were tears in his eyes, and the first words that
+he spoke were in tremulous tones.
+
+"My son," the priest commenced, in gentle, paternal tones, and in a
+voice that was tremulous with emotion, "you must calm yourself."
+Then, suddenly speaking in English, he said, "It is necessaire dat we
+sall spik Ingeles, for ze peuple of ze house may suspeck--"
+
+Upon this Claude poured forth a torrent of questions in English,
+asking about Laborde, Cazeneau, Zac, and Mimi. It will not be
+necessary to report the words of the priest in his broken English,
+but rather to set them down according to the sense of them. So the
+priest said,--
+
+"You speak too fast, my son. One thing at a time. The poor Laborde is
+dead and buried. The Count Cazeneau is about to go to Louisbourg.
+Mimi is going with him."
+
+"Mimi going with him!" cried Claude, in deep agitation.
+
+"Be calm, my son. Do not speak so loud. I have told the people of
+this house that your life is in danger, and that I have come as a
+priest, to hear your last confession. I do not wish them to suspect
+my real errand. We may talk as we wish, only do not allow yourself to
+be agitated."
+
+"But tell me," said Claude, in a calmer voice, "how is it possible
+that Mimi can trust herself with Cazeneau?"
+
+"_Ma foi_," said the priest, "it is possible, for she cannot help it.
+But do not fear. I am going to accompany them, and, as far as my
+feeble power can do anything, I will watch over her, and see that she
+suffers no injustice. I hope that Heaven will assist her innocence
+and my protection; so do not allow yourself to be uneasy about her;
+but hope for the best, and trust in Heaven."
+
+At this Claude was silent for a few moments. At length he said,--
+
+"O, Pere Michel, must I stay here when she goes? Can you tell me what
+they are going to do with me?"
+
+"It is about yourself that I am going to speak, and it was for this
+that I came," said the priest.
+
+"Can I go with the others to Louisbourg?" asked Claude, eagerly; for
+he thought only of being near Mimi.
+
+"Heaven forbid!" said the priest. "It is in a for different way that
+you are to go. Listen to me. The Count de Cazeneau is going to set
+out to-morrow, with a party of Indians as escort. Mimi is to be taken
+with him. I am going, too. It is his intention to leave you here for
+a time, till his escort can return. They will then take you to
+Louisbourg. If he can find any Indians on the way whom he can make
+use of, he will send them here for you. But meantime you are to be
+kept imprisoned here.
+
+"Now, I am acquainted with the Indians better than most men. I lived
+in Acadie formerly, long enough to be well known to the whole tribe.
+I am also well known to the Acadians. Among the Indians and the
+Acadians there are many who would willingly lay down their lives for
+me. I could have delivered you before this, but I saw that you were
+not in any immediate danger; so I preferred postponing it until the
+Count de Cazeneau had left. I do not wish him to suspect that I have
+any interest in you; and when he hears of your escape, I do not wish
+him to think that I had anything to do with it. But I have already
+made all the plans that are necessary, and the men are in this
+neighborhood with whom I have arranged for your escape."
+
+"What is the plan?" asked Claude, eagerly.
+
+"I will tell you," said the priest. "There are six Indians, all of
+them devoted to me. They will guide you to a place of safety, and
+will be perfectly faithful to you as long as they are with you. They
+are ready to go anywhere with you, to do anything for you, even to
+the extent of laying down their lives for you. It is for my sake that
+they are willing to show this devotion. I have presented you to them
+as my representative, and they look upon you as they would look upon
+me. But, first of all, you are to get out of this. Can you open that
+window?"
+
+"It was fastened tight when I first came," said Claude; "but I have
+loosened it, so that I can take it out very quickly."
+
+"Very good. Now, one of these Indians will be here to-morrow night.
+We shall leave to-morrow morning; and I do not want you to be rescued
+till after our departure. At midnight, to-morrow, then, the Indian
+will be here. He will give a sound like a frog, immediately outside,
+under the window. You must then open the window. If you see him, or
+hear him, you must then get out, and he will take you to the woods.
+After that he and the rest of the Indians will take you through the
+woods to Port Royal, which they call Annapolis Royal. Here you will
+be safe from Cazeneau until such time as may suit you to go back to
+Boston. Annapolis Royal is about twenty-four leagues from this place,
+and you can easily go there in two days."
+
+Claude listened to all this without a word; and, after the priest had
+ended, he remained silent for some time, with his eyes fixed on the
+floor.
+
+"The Indians will be armed," said the priest, "and will have a rifle
+and a sword for you. So you need have no trouble about anything."
+
+"My dear Pere Michel," said Claude, at last, "you lay me under very
+great obligations; but will you not add to them by allowing me to
+select my own route?"
+
+"Your own route?" asked the priest. "What do you mean? You don't know
+the country, especially the woods, while these Indians will be at
+home there."
+
+"What I mean is this," said Claude: "will you not allow me the use of
+this Indian escort in another direction than the one you mention?"
+
+"Another direction? Why, where else can you possibly go? Annapolis is
+the nearest place for safety."
+
+"I should very much prefer," said Claude "to go to Canso."
+
+"To Canso!" said the priest, in great surprise; "to Canso! Why, you
+would come on our track!"
+
+"That is the very reason why I wish to go there. Once in Canso, I
+should be as safe as in Annapolis."
+
+The priest shook his head.
+
+"From what I hear, Canso cannot be a safe place for you very long.
+England and France are on the eve of war, and Cazeneau expects to get
+back Acadie--a thing that is very easy for him to do. But why do you
+wish to venture so near to Louisburg? Cazeneau will be there now; and
+it will be a very different place from what it would have been had
+you not saved Cazeneau from the wreck, and made him your enemy."
+
+"My dear Pere Michel," said Claude, "I will be candid with you. The
+reason why I wish to go in that direction is for the sake of being
+near to Mimi, and on account of the hope I have that I may rescue
+her."
+
+"Mimi! Rescue her!" exclaimed the priest, astonished, not at the
+young man's feelings towards Mimi, for those he had already
+discovered, but rather at the boldness of his plan,--"rescue her! Why
+how can you possibly hope for that, when she will be under the
+vigilant eye of Cazeneau?"
+
+"I will hope it, at any rate," said Claude. "Besides, Cazeneau will
+not be vigilant, as he will not suspect that he is followed. His
+Indians will suspect nothing. I may be able, by means of my Indians,
+to entice her away, especially if you prepare her mind for my
+enterprise."
+
+The priest was struck by this, and did not have any argument against
+it; yet the project was evidently distasteful to him.
+
+"It's madness," said he. "My poor boy, it may cost you your life."
+
+"Very well," said Claude; "let it go. I'd rather not live, if I can't
+have Mimi."
+
+The priest looked at him sadly and solemnly.
+
+"My poor boy," said he, "has it gone so far as that with you?"
+
+"As far as that--yes," said Claude, "and farther. Recollect I saved
+her life. It seems to me as if Heaven threw her in my way; and I'll
+not give her up without striking a blow. Think of that scoundrel
+Cazeneau. Think of the danger she is in while under his power. There
+is no hope for her if he once gets her in Louisbourg; the only hope
+for her is before she reaches that place; and the only one who can
+save her is myself. Are my Indians faithful for an enterprise of that
+kind?"
+
+"I have already told you," said the priest, "that they would all lay
+down their lives for you. They will go wherever you lead. And now, my
+dear son," continued the priest, "I did not think that you would
+dream of an enterprise like this. But, since you have made the
+proposal, and since you are so earnest about it, why, I make no
+opposition. I say, come, in Heaven's name. Follow after us; and, if
+you can come up with us, and effect a communication with Mimi, do so.
+Your Indians must be careful; and you will find that they can be
+trusted in a matter of this kind. If I see that you are coming up
+with us, and find any visitors from you, I will prepare Mimi for it.
+But suppose you succeed in rescuing her," added the priest; "have you
+thought what you would do next?"
+
+"No," said Claude; "nor do I intend to think about that. It will
+depend upon where I am. If I am near Canso, I shall go there, and
+trust to finding some fisherman; if not, I shall trust to my Indians
+to take us back through the woods to Annapolis. But there's one thing
+that you might do."
+
+"What?"
+
+"Zac--is he on board the schooner, or ashore?"
+
+"The skipper?" said the priest. "No. I have not seen him. I think he
+must be aboard the schooner. It is my intention to communicate with
+him before I leave this place."
+
+"Do so," said Claude, eagerly; "and see if you can't get him free, as
+you have managed for me; and if you can persuade him, or beg him for
+me, to sail around to Canso, and meet me there, all will be well.
+That is the very thing we want. If he will only promise to go there,
+I will push on to Canso myself, at all hazards."
+
+The priest now prepared to go. A few more words were exchanged, after
+which Claude and Pere Michel embraced. The priest kissed him on both
+cheeks.
+
+"Adieu, my dear son," said he. "I hope we may meet again."
+
+"Adieu, dear Pere Michel," said Claude. "I shall never forget your
+kindness."
+
+With this farewell the two separated; the priest went out, and the
+door was fastened again upon Claude.
+
+For the remainder of that night, Claude did not sleep much. His mind
+was filled with the new prospect that the priest's message had opened
+before him. The thought of being free once more, and at the head of a
+band of devoted followers, on the track of Mimi, filled him with
+excitement. That he would be able to overtake the party of Cazeneau,
+he did not doubt; that he would be able to rescue Mimi, he felt
+confident. The revulsion from gloom and despondency to hope and joy
+was complete, and the buoyant nature of Claude made the transition an
+easy one. It was with difficulty that he could prevent himself from
+bursting forth into songs. But this would have been too dangerous,
+since it would have attracted the attention of the people of the
+house, and led them to suspect that the priest had spoken other words
+to him than those of absolution; or they might report this sudden
+change to Cazeneau, and thereby excite his suspicions.
+
+The next day came. Claude knew that on this day Cazeneau and his
+party had left, for he overheard the people of the house speaking
+about it. According to their statements, the party had left at about
+four in the morning. This filled Claude with a fever of impatience,
+for he saw that this first day's march would put them a long way
+ahead, and make it difficult for him to catch up with them. But there
+was only one day, and he tried to comfort himself with the thought
+that he could travel faster than the others, and also that the priest
+and Mimi would both manage to retard their progress, so as to allow
+him to catch up.
+
+The day passed thus, and evening came at last. Hour after hour went
+by. All the family retired, and the house was still. Claude then
+slowly, and carefully, and noiselessly removed the window from its
+place. Then he waited. The hours still passed on. At last he know
+that it must be about midnight.
+
+Suddenly he heard, immediately outside, a low, guttural sound--the
+well-known sound of a frog. It was the signal mentioned by the
+priest. The time had come.
+
+He put his head cautiously outside. Crouched there against the wall
+of the house, close underneath, he saw a dusky figure. A low,
+whispered warning came up. Claude responded in a similar manner.
+Then, softly and noiselessly, he climbed out of the window. His feet
+touched the ground. No one had heard him. He was saved.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+THE PARSON AMONG THE PHILISTINES.
+
+
+A map of this part of America, in this year, 1743, would show a very
+different scene from that which is presented by one of the present
+date. The country held by the English did not reach beyond the
+Kennebec, although claimed by them. But north of this river it was
+all in the virtual possession of the French, and on the map it was
+distinguished by the French colors. A line drawn from the mouth of
+the Penobscot, due north, to the River St. Lawrence, divided New
+England from the equally extensive territory of New Scotland, or Nova
+Scotia. This New England was bordered on the east by Nova Scotia, on
+the north by the River St. Lawrence, and on the west by the province
+of New York. But in New England the French colors prevailed over
+quite one half of this territory; and in Nova Scotia, though all was
+claimed by the English, every part was actually held by the French,
+except one or two points of a most unimportant character.
+
+Looking over such a map, we perceive the present characteristics all
+gone, and a vast wilderness, full of roaming tribes of Indians,
+filling the scene. North of Boston there are a few towns; but beyond
+the little town of Falmouth, the English settlements are all called
+Fort this and Fort that. Up the valley of the Kennebec is the mark of
+a road to Quebec; and about half way, at the head waters of the
+Kennebec, a point is marked on the map with these words: "_Indian and
+French rendezvous. Extremely proper for a fort, which mould restrain
+the French and curb the Abenakki Indians_." And also: "_From Quebec
+to Kennebek River mouth, not much above half way to Boston, and one
+third to New York, thence by that R. and ye Chaudiere ye road to
+Canada is short_."
+
+North of the St. Lawrence is a vast country, which is called New
+France. As Old France and Old England struggle for the supremacy in
+the old world, so New France and New England struggle for the
+supremacy in the new world, and the bone of contention is this very
+district alluded to,--this border-ground,--called by the French
+L'Acadie, but claimed by the English as Nova Scotia, which bordered
+both on New England and New France.
+
+This debatable territory on the map is full of vast waste spaces,
+together with the names of savage tribes never heard of before or
+since, some of which are familiar names, merely spelled in an unusual
+manner, while others owe their origin, perhaps, to the imagination of
+the map-maker or his informant. Thus, for example, we have Massasuk,
+Arusegenticook, Saga Dahok, and others of equally singular sound.
+
+In this debatable territory are numerous forts, both French and
+English. These are situated, for the most part, in the valleys of
+rivers, for the very good reason that these valleys afford the best
+places for settlement, and also for the further reason that they are
+generally used as the most convenient routes of travel by those who
+go by land from one post to another. These forts are numerous on the
+west of New England; they also stud the map in various places towards
+the north. The valley of the St. John, in Nova Scotia, is marked by
+several of these. Farther on, the important isthmus which connects
+the peninsula of Nova Scotia with the main land is protected by the
+strong post called Fort Beausejour.
+
+In this peninsula of Nova Scotia, various settlements are marked. One
+is named Minas, which is also known as Grand Pre, a large and
+important community, situated in one of the most beautiful and
+fertile valleys in America. In the neighborhood of this are a half
+dozen points, marked with the general name of French settlements,
+while the vacant places between and beyond are marked with the name
+Mic Macs, which is the title of the Indians who inhabit Nova Scotia.
+One post here, however, possesses a singular interest in the eyes of
+the good people of Boston. It is marked on the map by the name of
+Annapolis, once the French Port Royal, but now the only English post
+of any consequence in all Nova Scotia. Here resides the handful of
+Englishmen who claim to rule the province. But the government is a
+mockery, and the French set it at defiance. If England wishes to
+assert her power here, she must have a far different force in the
+country from the handful of ragged and ill-armed soldiers who mount
+guard on the tumble-down forts at Annapolis.
+
+Beyond all these, at the extreme east of the peninsula, is an island
+called by the French Ile Royale, and by the English Cape Breton. This
+is held by the French. Here is their greatest stronghold in America,
+except Quebec, and one, too, which is regarded by Boston with greater
+jealousy and dread than the latter, since it is actually nearer, is
+open winter and summer, and can strike a more immediate blow.
+
+This was the extreme eastern outpost of French power in America. Here
+the French colonies reached out their arms to the mother country.
+Here began that great chain of fortresses, which ran up the valleys
+of navigable rivers, and connected with the great fortress of Quebec
+the almost impregnable outpost of Ticonderoga, and the posts of
+Montreal Island. From these the chain of military occupation extended
+itself towards the south, through the valleys of the Ohio and the
+Mississippi, until they were connected with the flourishing colony at
+New Orleans.
+
+Thus it was, and with these advantages, that the French engaged in
+the great and momentous conflict with the English for the possession
+of America, and on the side of the former were the greater part of
+the wild and warlike Indians.
+
+And now let us return to our friend Zac, who for some time has been
+lost sight of.
+
+When the Aigle came to anchor, the schooner did the same, and lay
+under her guns some miles out from the shore. Zac had been allowed a
+certain amount of freedom, for, as the lieutenant had promised, his
+hands had not been bound. The same liberty was allowed to the others
+on board. Six French seamen were on board, who navigated the
+schooner, and acted as her guard. These were armed, while Zac and his
+friends were all unarmed. While sailing up the bay this guard was
+hardly necessary, as the schooner was under the guns of the frigate;
+but afterwards the necessity was more apparent.
+
+The Aigle could not wait at Grand Pre longer than was requisite to
+land those who were going ashore. The boat that landed these brought
+back a half dozen Acadians from Grand Pre, whom it left on board the
+schooner. Then, taking back again her own seamen, the Aigle spread
+her white wings and sailed away for _La Belle France_.
+
+Zac saw this change in affairs with varied feelings. First of all, he
+had half hoped that he might be let off, after all; partly because it
+was not a time of formal war, and partly because the schooner had
+saved some important lives, and therefore, at the very least, ought
+to be let off. But this change in her masters dispelled Zac's hope,
+and made him see that there was not at all any prospect of an
+immediate release. From that moment Zac gave up all hope of any
+release whatever, and began to see that, if escape were to be made,
+it must be effected by his own skill and daring.
+
+The new comers seemed willing to maintain the old state of things,
+and showed no inclination to keep their prisoners in bonds. They were
+a good-natured lot, with simple, unsophisticated faces, and looked
+with amiable smiles upon the schooner and its company. Still, they
+were all stout, able-bodied fellows, and all were armed. The leader
+was a man of about forty, who seemed to be regarded by the rest with
+considerable respect. He was also able to speak a few words of
+English. They contented themselves with keeping a general lookout
+over the schooner and its crew, and taking turns at the night watch.
+
+In fact, the simple confidence of the Acadians in the security of
+their guard seemed to be justified by circumstances. These six stout
+men wore armed; Zac and his followers were unarmed. All the floating
+craft in the Basin belonged to the Acadians, and all the settlements.
+For Zac to escape by water was scarcely possible, and to get off by
+land was not to be thought of. The nearest English settlement was
+many miles away, and to reach it he would have to run the gantlet of
+a population of French and Indians.
+
+Day after day passed, and Zac spent most of the time in meditating
+over his situation and keeping his eyes and ears on the alert. He
+understood pretty well that to the villany of Cazeneau were due both
+his own captivity and the more serious danger which threatened his
+friend. It was from Margot that he had first heard of Cazeneau as an
+enemy, and little more had he been able to find out beyond what she
+had told him in the brief conversation already related. The illness
+of Laborde had necessitated her attendance on her master and
+mistress, and prevented any further confidences. Only a few
+occasional greetings were possible after that. Then followed the
+arrival of the Aigle, and the transfer of Margot, with the rest, to
+the French frigate. Zac had consequently been left in the dark as to
+the particular villany of Cazeneau towards Laborde and Mimi. But he
+had seen enough and felt enough to be sure that his enmity, from
+whatever cause it arose, was of no common kind, that Claude was in
+great danger, and that he himself was involved in the same peril,
+though to a less degree. This conviction served, therefore, to keep
+his mind continually on the alert, so as to find out what was the
+present situation of Claude, and also to devise and lay hold of some
+plan of action for himself.
+
+In his thoughts the good Pere Michel was suggested as the only one
+who could do anything for either of them. What his influence might
+be, he could not guess; but he at least believed in his friendliness
+and good faith, and he could not help feeling that the priest would
+do all that was possible. It seemed to him not unlikely that the
+priest might come out to see him, and convey to him some information
+about the present state of affairs in Grand Pre. And besides this, he
+could not help feeling a vague hope that, even if the priest were
+unable to do anything, he might receive some sort of a message from
+one whom he could not help as regarding in the light of a
+friend--namely, the amiable Margot.
+
+The situation had been accepted by the rest of the ship's company
+without any great display of emotion. Biler's melancholy remained
+unchanged, and still, as of yore, he passed much of his time at the
+mast-head, contemplating the universe, and eating raw turnips.
+Jericho remained as busy as ever, and cared for his pots, and his
+kettles, and his pans, without apparently being conscious that his
+master was a slave now, as well as himself. Upon Terry, also, the
+yoke of captivity lay but lightly. It was not in the nature of Terry
+to be downcast or sullen; and the simple expedients which had led him
+to fraternize with the shipwrecked sailors had afterwards enabled him
+to fraternize equally well with the crew of the Aigle that had been
+put on board. These had gone, and it remained now for him to come to
+an understanding with the Acadians. Constant practice had made him
+more capable, and, in addition to his own natural advantages, he had
+also learned a few French words, of which he made constant use in the
+most efficient way. The Acadians responded to Terry's advances quite
+as readily as any of the others had done; and before they had been on
+board one day they were all singing and laughing with the merry Irish
+lad, and going into fits of uproarious mirth at Terry's incessant use
+of the few French words which he had learned; for it was Terry's
+delight to stop each one of them, and insist on shaking hands,
+whenever he met them, saying at the same time, with all the gravity
+in the world,--
+
+"_Commy voo party voo, bong tong. Bon jure, moosoo_!"
+
+Thus nearly a week passed, and during all that time Zac had heard
+nothing about the fate of his friends ashore. Neither the priest nor
+Margot sent him any message whatever. The Acadians themselves did not
+hold any communication with the shore, but remained on board quite
+placidly, in a state of calm content--as placidly, indeed, as though
+they had been living on board the Parson all their lives.
+
+During all the time Zac had been meditating over his situation, and
+trying to see his way out of it. At length a ray of light began to
+dawn into his mind, which illuminated his present position, and
+opened up to him a way of action. One day after dinner, while the
+Acadians were lolling in the sun, and while Terry was smoking his
+pipe forward, Zac sauntered up to him in a careless fashion, and
+placing himself near Terry, where he could not be overheard, he began
+to talk in an easy tone with the other,
+
+"Terry, lad," said he, "I'm getting tired o' this here."
+
+"Faix, an' it's mesilf that's been waitin' to hear ye say that same
+for a week an' more--so it is."
+
+
+[Illustration: "I Think We Can Manage To Get The Schooner From These
+Chaps."]
+
+
+"Wal, ye see, I ben a turnin' it over in my mind, and hain't
+altogether seen my way clear afore; but now it seems to me as how
+it's a burnin' shame to stand this here any longer."
+
+"Thrue for you; an' so it is," said Terry. "An' so, ef ye've got
+anythin' on yer mind that ye want to do, why, out with it, for I'm
+your man."
+
+"Wal, ye see," resumed Zac, "it's this here; I don't want to go away
+out o' this jest yet."
+
+"Not go away! Tare an ages," cried Terry; "d'ye want to be a
+prisoner?"
+
+"Course not. I mean this: I don't want to go an' leave my friend
+here, Motier, in the hands of the Philistines."
+
+"Sure ye can't do anythin' for him; an' he's among his own kin--so he
+is; for he jabbers French ayqual to the best of thim."
+
+"No, I can't do anything for him as I am; that's a fact; and so I'm
+bound to put myself in a position whar I can do somethin'; that is,
+I'm bound to seize this here schewner, an' bring the old Parson back
+to the fold."
+
+"Arrah, sure, an' that's the right sort of talk--so it is; an' it's
+mesilf that's glad to hear ye. An' so, what is it, captain dear? Out
+with it. Tell me what yer plan is, an' I'm wid ye--so I am."
+
+"I think, Terry, that we can manage to get the schewner from these
+chaps--can't we?"
+
+"Sure we can. Sure, an' I'd ingage to do it alone, almost."
+
+"They don't watch much."
+
+"Not a bit of it."
+
+"The two that watch at night sleep half the time."
+
+"Sure, an' that's thrue for you, for I've seed thim at it whin I was
+asleep mesilf."
+
+"We can git Jericho to bar down the cabin door, Terry, an' then you
+an' I can seize the two on deck."
+
+"Aisy enough--so it is. They'll all be dead asleep--so they will."
+
+"Wal, thar we'll have them; an' then I hope to be able to bring a
+pressure on the natyves of these regions by which I may git my friend
+out of their clutches."
+
+"Sure, an' I don't onderstand ye at all, at all."
+
+"Why, I'll have these six Acadians prisoners, an' then I'll sail up
+off Grand Pre, an' threaten to cut the throats of all of them if they
+don't send off Motier to me in ten minutes."
+
+"Tare an' ages!" cried Terry. "Whoroo! but isn't that the plan? It
+is. It bates the wurruld--so it does. An whin'll ye begin, captain
+darlint?"
+
+"To-night," said Zac.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+A STROKE FOE LIBERTY.
+
+
+Zac and Terry talked for a long time over the plan, trying to chat in
+an off-hand and careless manner, so as not to excite any suspicion.
+No suspicion appeared to be raised among the Acadians, who took no
+notice of them whatever. So Zac and Terry had sufficient opportunity
+to arrange all the details of the plan, and it was decided that Terry
+should indicate to Jericho what was to be done by him. It was agreed
+that the best time would be about three o'clock in the morning; for
+then the Acadians below would all be in their soundest sleep, while
+those who kept watch on deck would probably, in accordance with their
+usual careless fashion, be sunk into a slumber no less sound. Terry
+at length left Zac, and moved about in a desultory fashion, after
+which he finally settled down among the Acadians, and began to sing
+to them the immortal strain of St. Patrick.
+
+Although Zac had upon his mind the weight of such an important
+enterprise, yet it did not at all interfere with his usual slumbers.
+He went to bed at nine, and slept soundly. At about half past two he
+awoke, and waited a little longer. Then he roused Terry and Jericho.
+Terry then went upon deck noiselessly, and reconnoitred. It was as
+they had hoped it would be. Two men were on deck as a watch, but both
+were crouched under the taffrail fast asleep. Terry proposed to go
+and shut down the cabin door, where the rest of the Acadians were;
+but Zac concluded that it would be best for Jericho to do this, so
+that in case the noise should wake the watch, he and Terry might be
+on hand to deal with them. Jericho was now sent aft, charged with the
+burden of an important commission. He went softly and swiftly, like a
+spirit of night. His whole nature seemed changed by the purpose
+before him. In an instant he had ceased to be the lowly slave intent
+on cookery, and had started up into the attitude of an African
+warrior. As he glided along, Zac and Terry, with equal noiselessness,
+moved towards the slumbering watch, and then waited. It was necessary
+that the cabin should first be closed, so that those within, if
+alarmed by the outcry of their friends, should not be able to help
+them.
+
+All went on well. Jericho reached the cabin, and then swiftly, and
+with as little noise as possible, shut the door and fastened it. Upon
+this, Zac and Terry each seized one of the slumbering Acadians, and
+before they were fairly awake they were disarmed.
+
+Zac and Terry both scorned to bind them, partly out of kindly feeling
+towards them, partly because they themselves had not been bound, and
+partly out of the pride of their manhood. The Acadians at first stood
+stupefied, and then, recognizing the whole truth, they slunk forward,
+and stood dejectedly in the bows, where they awaited with fear the
+further action of their late prisoners.
+
+Both Terry and Zac made friendly signs to them, pressing their hands
+on their hearts, smiling, nodding, and so forth; while Terry even
+went so far as to whistle one of their favorite melodies. But the
+Acadians were not to be reassured. They looked upon themselves as
+lost men, and evidently regarded Terry as a traitor of the deepest
+dye.
+
+They now waited till the others in the cabin should make some sign.
+Jericho had armed himself with an axe, with which he stood ready to
+act in case of a fight. It was evident that the Acadians in the cabin
+had heard nothing whatever, and not one of them awaked before the
+usual time. Then, of course, the painful discovery was made by them.
+At first, loud cries and threats were made; but these were stilled by
+Zac, who in a voice of thunder awed them into silence.
+
+"You are prisoners!" said he. "Give up your arms."
+
+The one who understood a little English was able to comprehend this.
+The command was followed by an excited debate among the four, which
+was at last ended by a second mandate from Zac, accompanied by a
+threat to fire upon them. At this a hurried answer was given:--
+
+"We render. We render. Fire not."
+
+A small skylight was then opened, and all the arms and equipments of
+the prisoners were passed up. These were appropriated by Zac. The
+door of the cabin was then unfastened and opened, and the prisoners
+called upon to come forth. They came looking fearful and dejected, as
+though apprehending the worst. Zac, Terry, and Jericho, each with his
+musket, stood at the stern, and as they came out they motioned to
+them to go to the bows. The Acadians obeyed in silence, and soon
+joined their two companions.
+
+Some time was now occupied by Zac in talking over with Terry the best
+course to be pursued. They at length decided to allow the Acadians to
+remain unbound by day, and to shut them down at night, or while
+sailing. As long as these men were unarmed and themselves armed, they
+had not the slightest fear of any trouble arising. For the Acadians,
+though stout, muscular fellows, were all so good-natured and
+phlegmatic in their faces that no danger of anything so desperate as
+an attack on their part was to be anticipated. It was decided,
+however, while they were on deck, to keep them confined to the
+forward part of the schooner.
+
+This Zac succeeded in making known to them.
+
+"We won't do you no harm," said he. "We won't tie you or bind you. At
+night you must go below to sleep. If any of you make an attack, we
+won't show you any mercy. So you'd best keep quiet."
+
+The chief Acadian understood this as well by the signs with which it
+was accompanied as from the words, and he explained it to his
+followers. He then informed Zac that they would be quiet; whereupon
+Terry went forward and shook hands with each and all of them. "_Commy
+porty-voo? Bon jure, moosoo_," said he; to which the Acadians,
+however, made no response. They did indeed allow him to shake their
+hands; but they would not say anything, and evidently regarded him as
+a perjured villain, and traitor to their cause.
+
+"Biler!" roared Zac. "Whar are you, you young cuss of life?"
+
+Upon this the young cuss of life slowly emerged from the forecastle,
+holding a cold potato in his hand. The scene on deck made no
+impression on him, but he walked aft with his eyes fixed on Zac.
+
+"Stand there!" commanded Zac; and Biler stood.
+
+"Feller seamen and comrades at arms," said Zac, stretching out his
+arm in the oratorical fashion which he had seen used at town meetings
+"to hum." "This is a gellorious day for his great and gracious
+majesty King George, whose loyal subjects we air, as we have proved
+by this rescoo of his ship from the hands of the Philistines. It air
+all very well for the king to send out his red-coats; but I tell you
+what it is, I ain't seen a red-coat that lives that's equal to the
+natyve pro-vincial. Who air the ones that doos the best fightin' out
+here? The pro-vincials! Who air the men that's druv the wild and
+bloodthusty Injin back to his natyve woods? The pro-vincial! And who
+air the men that's goin' to settle the business of Moosoo, an' make
+America too hot to hold him an' his'n? The red-coats? Nay; but
+rayther the pro-vincials, the men that's fit the catamounts, an'
+bars, an' Injins, an' turned the waste an' howlin' wilderness into a
+gardin', an' made the desert blossom like a rose. So, I say, Hooray
+for the pro-vincials!"
+
+At this Zac removed his hat. Terry did the same; so did Jericho.
+Biler had none to remove, but he raised his potato in the air. Zac
+led off--"Hip, hip, hip, h-o-o-o-r-a-a-a-y!"
+
+"Arrah, captain, darlint, an' while yo's about it, sure ye won't be
+forgettin' ould Ireland," cried Terry, as the ringing cheers died
+away over the waters.
+
+"Certingly," said Zac. "Course. Here goes!"
+
+And three cheers in the same fashion followed for Terry's native
+land.
+
+"Tare an' ages!" cried Terry; "an' while we're about it, sure an'
+we's ought to give three chairs for Africa, in honor of Jericho."
+
+"Hooray!" cried Zac. "Here goes!" And three cheers followed for
+Africa. Whether Jericho knew much about Africa, may be a question;
+but he understood at least that this honor was offered to himself,
+and accepted it accordingly. It almost overwhelmed him. A wild
+chuckle of spasmodic delight burst from him, which threatened to end
+in a convulsion. And though he rallied from this, yet he was quite
+demoralized, and it was a long time before he settled down into that
+sedate old darky which was his normal condition.
+
+And now Zac waited. Finding himself in command of his own schooner
+again, he felt more able to act in case of necessity. He was so far
+out from the shore that he was easily able to guard against the
+unexpected arrival of any boat. By day he lay at anchor; but when
+night came the Acadians were sent below, the anchor was raised, and
+the schooner cruised about the bay. The strong tides and currents
+caused a little trouble, but Zac soon got the run of them, at least
+in a general way, and several nights were thus passed. At length he
+began to grow impatient, and felt quite at a loss what to do. He was
+half inclined to send one of the Acadians ashore with a message, but
+as yet concluded to wait a little longer.
+
+The Acadians, whether from fear or policy, did as they promised, and
+kept quiet. They kept by themselves always, and refused to accept the
+advances of Terry, though they were frequently made. They all
+appeared listless and dejected, and the smiles, the laughter, and the
+singing which had characterized their first days on board had all
+passed away, and given place to low, murmured conversation or
+silence.
+
+At length, one evening at about six o'clock, Zac saw a solitary boat
+coming from the shore. It was a long way off when he first saw it,
+and it seemed to be coming towards the schooner. The tide was
+unfavorable, so that the progress was quite slow; but its course lay
+steadily towards him, and Zac, who watched it intently, was turning
+over in his mind his best plan of action. It did not seem large
+enough to contain any very formidable force; but Zac thought best to
+take every precaution, and so sent all the Acadians below, while
+Terry and Jericho stood ready for action.
+
+The time passed away, and the boat drew steadily nearer. At length it
+came near enough for Zac to see that it was rowed by two men, which
+sight was most welcome, since it assured him that no danger was to be
+apprehended. As he watched it, the boat drew nearer and nearer. He
+said nothing, but waited for them to speak first. He could see that
+both of the men were unarmed.
+
+At last the boat touched the schooner's side. One of the men leaped
+on board, securing the boat, and the other followed immediately. They
+were both dressed like all the Acadians, but the second boatman had a
+slouched hat, which concealed his face. Zac, who carelessly regarded
+him, noticed that he was a smooth-faced boy, while the first boatman
+was a grizzled old man.
+
+Both of these looked around, and seemed surprised. At length the boy
+advanced towards Zac.
+
+"Capitaine," said this boy, "what ees dees? You no seem a
+preesonaire. You haf a gun. Air you free?"
+
+At the sound of this voice Zac started back a step or two in utter
+amazement. Could it be possible? Yet that voice could not belong to
+any other. It must be. And even as he stood thus bewildered, the boy
+raised his hat with a shy smile, with which there was also much
+sadness mingled, and revealed the face of the little Margot.
+
+"Wal," exclaimed Zac, "this doos beat creation!"
+
+Zac then caught both her hands, and held them in a tight grip, and
+for a few moments could not speak.
+
+"I do feel good, little one," said he, in a tremulous voice. "This
+here's what I ben a waitin' for--to see you--an' you only--though I
+skurse dared to hope it. At any rate, I did hope and feel that you
+wouldn't go off without a word, and no more you heven't; an' I feel
+so happy that I could cry."
+
+It was not exaggerated. Honest Zac was unused to such emotions, and
+hardly understood them. His eyes were moist as he looked upon Margot,
+and she saw that his simple confession was true. Her own emotion was
+as great as his. Tears started to her own eyes, and in her sadness
+she leaned on his arm and wept. Whereupon Zac's tears fell in spite
+of him, and he began to call himself a darned fool, and her a dear
+little pet; till the scolding of himself and the soothing of Margot
+became so hopelessly intermingled that he called her a darned old
+pet, and himself a dear little fool. Whereupon Margot burst into a
+laugh, dashed her tears away, and started off from Zac's grasp.
+
+And now Margot proceeded to tell Zac the reason of her journey. From
+her he learned for the first time the events that had taken place on
+shore. First, she informed him that Claude was in confinement, and
+that Cazeneau intended to take him or send him to Louisbourg; that
+Cazeneau himself was bitterly hostile to him. She informed him that
+Laborde was dead; that Mimi was in terrible distress, and in mortal
+terror of Cazeneau; and finally, that she was to be taken to
+Louisbourg. All this filled Zac with concern and apprehension. She
+informed Zac that she and her mistress were to be taken away early on
+the following morning, and that she had slipped off thus in disguise,
+with the consent of her mistress, to let him know the danger of his
+friend; for Claude was to remain in Grand Pre for some time longer,
+and her mistress thought that after Cazeneau had departed, it might
+be possible to do something to save him.
+
+This occupied some time, and Zac interrupted her with many questions.
+At length, having told her story, Margot turned away. This startled
+Zac.
+
+"What!" said he; "you're not a goin' to leave me!" and poor Zac's
+voice was like a wail of despair.
+
+"Why, what ees eet posseeble to do? I moos go to ma maitresse."
+
+"But-but what'll become of me?" mourned Zac. "I may never see you
+again."
+
+Margot sighed. "I moos go to ma maitresse," she murmured.
+
+"O, don't! don't now!" cried Zac. "She ain't half as fond of you as
+me. She can take care of herself. The priest'll watch over her. O,
+don't go, don't! I declar I feel like droundin' myself at the bare
+idee."
+
+Zac, upon this, seized her hand, and begged, and coaxed, and prayed
+her to stay; till poor little Margot began to cry bitterly, and could
+only plead in broken tones her love for her dear mistress, who was in
+such danger, and how base it would be to desert her at such a time.
+
+"Wal, wal--would you--would you come with me if--if it warn't for
+her?" mourned Zac.
+
+Margot looked up at his face with a slight smile shining through her
+tears, which seemed to reassure poor Zac.
+
+"We sall meet again," said Margot, in a more cheerful voice.
+
+Zac shook his head disconsolately.
+
+"And so, adieu," said Margot, in a low voice.
+
+Zac said nothing, but with an expression of despair he took her in
+his arms, kissed her, and then turned away and wept.
+
+Margot cried bitterly, and got into the boat. The old Acadian
+followed. The boat rowed away.
+
+"_Adieu, et au revoir, cher Zac_," said Margot, calling back and
+waving her hat.
+
+"Goo-oo-d by-ye," said Zac, in a wail of despair.
+
+For hours Zac stood looking after the boat in perfect silence. At
+last he turned away, gulping down a sigh.
+
+"Darned ef I know what on airth's the matter with me," he murmured.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+MANOEUVRES OF ZAC.
+
+
+Zac slept but little that night. There were two causes for
+wakefulness. The first was Margot, who had wrought such mischief with
+his thoughts and feelings that he did not know what was the matter
+with him. The second cause was the condition of Claude.
+
+Gradually Margot's image faded away, and he began to turn his
+thoughts towards the problem of delivering Claude. How was that to be
+done?
+
+Over this he thought for the greater part of that night. Towards
+morning he called Terry, who was to watch for the remainder of the
+night, and proceeded to hold a council of war.
+
+First of all he acquainted Terry with the general state of affairs.
+Part of Margot's information had been overheard by him; but Terry,
+seeing how things were, had discreetly withdrawn aft, and kept up a
+loud whistle, so as to prevent himself from overhearing their words;
+so that now the greater part of this information was news to the
+Irish boy.
+
+"And have ye thought of anythin' at all, at all?" he asked.
+
+"Wal, I've thought over most everythin'," said Zac. "You see, the
+state of the case is this: they've got one of us a prisoner ashore
+over there, but we've got six of them a prisoner out here."
+
+"Thrue for you," said Terry.
+
+"Wal, now, you see, if this Cazeneau was here, he hates Motier so
+like pison that he'd sacrifice a hundred Frenchmen rayther'n let him
+go--an' in my 'pinion he's worth a hundred Frenchmen, an' more. But
+now, bein' as Cazeneau's goin' away to-morrer, we'll be in a position
+to deal with the people here that's a keepin' Motier; an' when it
+comes to them--why, they won't feel like losin' six of their men for
+the sake of one stranger."
+
+"I wonder," said Terry, "whether the owld boy that came out in the
+boat found out anythin'. 'Deed, if he'd had his wits about him, an'
+eyes in his head, he'd have seen it all,--so he would."
+
+"Wal, we'll hev to let 'em know, right straight off."
+
+"To-morra'd be best."
+
+"Yes; an' then Cazeneau'll be off. I'd rayther wait till then; it'll
+be better for us to have him out of the way."
+
+"What'll ye do?"
+
+"Wal, I'll sail up, and send word ashore."
+
+"How'll you sind word? We can't spake a word of the lingo."
+
+"Wal, I ben a thinkin' it over, an' I've about come to the conclusion
+that the old Frenchman down thar in the cabin'll be the best one to
+send."
+
+"Sure, an' ye won't sind the Frenchman ashore in yer own boat!"
+
+"Why not?"
+
+"He'll niver bring it back; so he won't."
+
+"Then we'll keep the other five Frenchmen."
+
+"Sure, an' it's a hard thing altogether, so it is, to hev to thrust
+him. He'll be after rousin' the country, an' they'll power down upon
+us in five hundred fishin' boats; so they will."
+
+"Wal, if I staid here to anchor, that might be dangerous," said Zac;
+"but I ain't got no idee of standin' still in one place for them to
+attack me."
+
+"Sure, an' it'll be best to let him see that if he don't come back
+wid Misther Motier, the whole five'll hev their brains blown out."
+
+"Sartin. He'll have to go with that in his mind; an' what's more,
+I'll make him swear an oath to come back."
+
+"Sure, an' it'll be the hard thing to do when neither of yez
+ondherstan' enough of one another's lingo to ax the time af day."
+
+"Wal, then I'll have to be satisfied with the other five Moosoos. If
+the first Moosoo runs for it, he'll leave the other five, an' I ain't
+goin' to b'lieve that the farmers here air goin' to let five of their
+own relatives and connections perish, rayther'n give up one stranger."
+
+A few more words followed, and then Zac retired below, leaving Terry
+on deck.
+
+A few hours' sleep sufficed for Zac, and not long after sunrise he
+was all ready for action. But the tide was not quite high enough for
+his purposes. The long-extended mud flats lay bare in the distance
+for miles, and Zac had to wait until a portion, at least, of this
+space should be covered. At length the water had spread over as much
+of the red mud as seemed desirable, while every hour the schooner
+would have a greater depth beneath her; so Zac concluded to start. Up
+then went the anchor, the sails were set, and yielding to the impulse
+of a favorable breeze, the Parson turned her head towards the
+landing-place at Grand Pre.
+
+Various preparations had to be made, and these now engaged the
+attention of Zac, who committed the care of the helm to Terry. The
+first was the composition of a letter. It was to be short and to the
+point. Zac had already settled in his own mind about the wording of
+this, so that the writing of it now occupied but a little time. It
+was as follows:--
+
+
+"_To any Magistrate at Grand Pre_:--
+
+"Know all men by this, that the six Acadians sent to take charge of
+the schooner 'Rev. Amos Adams,' are now held by me as my prisoners
+until such time as Mr. Claude Motier shall be delivered free from
+prison. And if Mr. Claude Motier shall not be set free, these six
+shall be carried to prison to Boston. And if Mr. Claude Motier be put
+to death, these six shall one and all be put to death likewise.
+
+"An answer is required within three hours.
+
+"Zion Awake Cox,
+
+"Master of the schooner 'Rev. Amos Adams.'
+
+"Minas Basin, May 28, 1743."
+
+
+This Zac folded and addressed, thinking that if no one in Grand Pre
+could read English, it would be taken to Claude himself for
+translation.
+
+He next prepared to hoist a large British ensign. It was not often
+that the Parson showed her colors, but on this occasion it was
+necessary, and Zac saw that this display of English colors would be
+an act which would tell its own story, and show Moosoo that the
+schooner had once more changed masters. The colors lay on deck, ready
+to be hoisted at the proper moment. What that moment was to be he had
+already decided. Zac, in his preparations on this occasion, showed
+that he possessed a line eye for dramatic effect, and knew how to
+create a sensation. There was a small howitzer amidships,--Zac's joy
+and pride,--which, like the ensign, was made use of only on great and
+rare occasions, such as the king's birthday, or other seasons of
+general rejoicing. This he determined to make use of at the present
+crisis, thinking that it would speak in tones that would strike
+terror to the heart of Moosoo, both on board and ashore.
+
+Last of all, it remained to explain to the Acadians on board the
+purposes upon which he was bent. They were still below. Jericho had
+supplied them with their breakfast there, but Zac had not allowed
+them on deck. Now, however, he summoned forth their chief man,
+leaving the others behind, and proceeded to endeavor, as far as
+possible, to explain to this man what he wished.
+
+The Acadian's stock of English words was but small, yet Zac was able,
+after all, by the help of signs, to give him some idea of his
+purpose. The letter also was shown him, and he seemed able to gather
+from it a general idea of its meaning. His words to Zac indicated a
+very lively idea of the danger which was impending over the
+prisoners.
+
+"Me go," he said. "Put me 'shore. Me go _tout de suite_; me deliver
+M. Motier; make come here _tout de suite--bon_!"
+
+"All right," said Zac; "but mind you, he must be here in three
+hours--three," he repeated, holding up three fingers; "three hours."
+
+"O, _oui_--yes--_certainement_--tree hour."
+
+"These others will be all prisoners if he don't come."
+
+"O, _oui_--yes; all personaire; _mais_ he vill come, _tout
+certainement_."
+
+"You und'stand now, Moosoo, sure?"
+
+"O, _oui_; me _comprends_--ond'stand--_certainement_."
+
+"Well, then, you wait up here till we get nearer, and then you can go
+ashore in the boat."
+
+But Zac's preparations were destined to undergo some delay, for the
+wind died out, and the schooner lay idle upon the surface of the
+water. For several hours Zac waited patiently, hoping for a change;
+but no change came. At length the tide turned, and after a time the
+schooner, which had already been drifting helplessly, now began to be
+carried back towards the place from which she had started.
+
+Zac was now left to his own invention, and could only decide that on
+the following day, if the wind should fail him, he would send the
+boat ashore from his present anchorage, and wait the result. For
+various reasons, however, he preferred going nearer; and therefore he
+had refrained from sending the boat ashore that day.
+
+The next day came. There was a fresh breeze and a favorable one. The
+waters began to rise. Zac was all ready. Up went the anchor, the
+sails were set, and once more the Parson was turned towards the
+landing. The breeze now blew steadily, and in course of time Zac
+found himself sufficiently near for his purposes, and he began to
+act.
+
+First of all, up went the British ensign. Then, the howitzer was
+fired. The noise of the report did not fail of the effect which Zac
+had anticipated. He saw the people turning out from their houses,
+some standing still and looking, others running towards the landing.
+Again and again the gun was fired, each report serving to increase
+the excitement among the people ashore. The British ensign was fully
+visible, and showed them what had taken place.
+
+After this Zac sent Jericho ashore in the boat, along with the chief
+Acadian. The others were confined below. Zac saw the Acadian land,
+and Jericho return. Then he waited.
+
+But it was not possible for him to wait here, nor was it safe. The
+tide would soon fall, leaving, as it retreated, a vast expanse of
+bare mud flats. He did not wish to run any risk of the schooner
+grounding in a place like this, and therefore allowed her to fall
+with the tide, and gradually move back to the bay without. All the
+time, however, he kept one eye on the shore. The three hours passed.
+He had drifted down again for several miles, and it was no longer
+easy to discern objects. But at length he saw a boat sailing from the
+shore to the schooner.
+
+As the boat came nearer, he saw that Claude was not on board. Two men
+were in her, one of whom was the man whom he had sent away, and the
+other was a stranger. This stranger was an elderly man, of venerable
+appearance. They came up, and both went on board.
+
+The elderly man was one of the chief men of the settlement, and spoke
+English sufficiently well to carry on a conversation. The information
+which he gave Zac was not at all to the satisfaction of the latter.
+It was to the following effect:--
+
+That M. Motier had been kept in confinement at the house of Comeau;
+that early on the previous day M. Cazeneau had departed for
+Louisbourg, with the Abbe Michel, and the Countess de Laborde and her
+maid; that M. Motier, however, on the previous night, had somehow
+effected his escape.
+
+Then the old man tried to induce Zac to set the Acadians free, except
+one, arguing that one life was enough to hold against that of Motier.
+But to this Zac sternly responded that one hundred Acadians would not
+be of sufficient value to counterbalance the sacred life of his
+friend. The only thing that Zac conceded was the liberty of the
+Acadian whom he had sent ashore; for he felt touched by the plucky
+conduct of this man in returning to the schooner. To his amazement,
+however, this man refused to go, declaring that he had come back to
+stand by his friends, and one of the others might be freed instead.
+On referring the matter to them, one was found who was weak enough to
+take advantage of this offer, and he it was who rowed the old man
+ashore.
+
+Towards evening a canoe came gliding over the water, containing a
+single Indian. This Indian held aloof at a certain distance, scanning
+the schooner curiously. Zac, seeing this, sprang upon the taffrail,
+and called and beckoned to him; for a sudden thought came to him that
+the Indian might have been despatched by Claude to tell him
+something, and not knowing that he was no longer a prisoner, might be
+hesitating as to the best way of approaching. His conjecture seemed
+to be right, for this Indian, on seeing him, at once drew near, and
+came on board.
+
+The Indian said not a word, but handed Zac a letter. Zac opened it,
+and read the following:--
+
+
+"Claude Motier is free. Indians hafe safed him, and guide him to
+Louisbourg on the trail of Cazeneau. He wishes that you go to Canso,
+where you will be useful. He hope to safe Comtesse de Laborde, and
+want you to help to safe she. Go, then, to Canso; and if you arrive
+immediately, you sall see Indians, and must tell. They sall bing the
+intelligence to us.
+
+"The Pere Michel."
+
+
+On reading this, Zac understood all. He saw that Pere Michel had been
+a friend, and had engaged the Indians to help Claude. He at once
+determined to go to Canso. That very night he sent the Acadians
+ashore, and set sail.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+FLIGHT.
+
+
+On leaving the house, the Indian led the way in silence for some
+distance. In the immediate neighborhood of the house were open
+fields, while in front of it was the road which ran down to the
+river. The house was on the declivity of a hill, at the foot of which
+were broad dike-lands, which ran far out till they terminated at the
+island already mentioned. Beyond this lay the Basin of Minas, and in
+the distance the shadowy outline of the surrounding shores.
+
+The Indian led the way for some distance across the fields, and then
+turned into the road. Along this he passed till he reached the river.
+It was the Gaspereaux, at the mouth of which was the place where
+Claude had landed. Here the Indian crossed, and Claude followed, the
+water not being much above their knees. On reaching the other side,
+the Indian walked down the stream, keeping in the open as much as
+possible.
+
+At length they left the river, and went on where the ground rose
+gradually. Here they soon entered the woods. It was a broad trail,
+and though in the shadow of the trees it was rather dark, yet the
+trail was wide enough to allow of Claude following his guide without
+any difficulty whatever. For about an hour they walked on in this
+way, ascending steadily most of the time, until at length Claude
+found himself upon an open space overgrown with shrubbery, and
+altogether bare of trees. Here several dusky figures appeared, and
+the guide conversed with them for some time.
+
+Claude now seated himself on the ground. He felt so fatigued already
+from this first tramp, that he began to experience a sense of
+discouragement, and to think that his confinement had affected his
+strength. He gazed wearily and dreamily upon the scene before him.
+There, spread out at his feet, was a magnificent prospect. The land
+went sloping down to the water. Towards the left were the low
+dike-lands running out to the island; beyond this the waters of Minas
+Basin lay spread out before him. Thus far there had been no
+moonlight; but now, as he looked towards the east, he noticed that
+the sky was already flushing with the tints of dawn. But even this
+failed to rouse him.. A profound weariness and inertness settled
+slowly over every sense and limb, and falling back, he fell into a
+deep sleep.
+
+When he awaked, he saw that it was broad day, and that the sun was
+already high up in the sky. He started to his feet, and his first
+thought was one of joy at finding that his strength had all returned.
+
+At his question, the Indian who was the spokesman told him that
+Louisbourg was more than twelve days' journey away, and that the path
+lay through the woods for the whole distance.
+
+Before setting forth, the Indian gave him a rifle and a sword, which
+he said Pere Michel had requested him to give him. There was also a
+sufficient supply of powder and ball. Taking these, Claude then set
+out on his long tramp. There were six Indians. Of these, three went
+in front, and three in the rear, the whole party going in single
+file. The trail was a wide one, and comparatively smooth. The guide
+drew Claude's attention to tracks on the ground, which could easily
+be recognized as the prints of horse hoofs. To Claude's inquiry how
+many there were, the Indian informed him that there were four. By
+this it seemed to Claude that Mimi and her maid had each one, while
+the other two were used by Cazeneau and the priest.
+
+After several hours they at length came to a river. It was like the
+Gaspereaux in one respect, for it was turbid, and rolled with a swift
+current. The banks also were lined with marshes, and the edges were
+composed of soft mud. No way of crossing it appeared, and as they
+approached it, the Indians turned away to go up the stream. The
+prospect of a long detour was very unpleasant to Claude; and when at
+length he came to a place where the tracks of the horses went towards
+the river, he asked why this was. The Indians informed him that the
+horses had crossed here, but that they would have to go farther up.
+It did not turn out so bad as Claude had feared, for after about half
+an hour's further walk, they stopped at the bank of the river, and
+waited.
+
+To Claude's question why they waited, an extraordinary answer was
+given. It was, that they were waiting till the water ran out. This
+reminded him of the old classic story about the fool who came to a
+river bank and waited for the water to run out, so that he might
+cross. Claude could not understand it; but, supposing that his guides
+knew what they were about, he waited for the result, taking advantage
+of this rest to fortify his inner man with a sound repast. After this
+was over, he rose to examine the situation; and the first sight
+showed him an astonishing change. He had lingered over his repast,
+now eating, now smoking, for about an hour, and in that time there
+had been wrought what seemed to him like a wonder of Nature. The
+water of the river had indeed been running out, as the Indian said;
+and there before him lay the channel, running low, with its waters
+still pouring forward at a rate which seemed to threaten final
+emptiness. And as he looked, the waters fell lower and lower, until
+at length, after he had been there three hours, the channel was
+almost empty.
+
+This particular spot was not so muddy as other parts of the river
+bed, and therefore it had been chosen as the best place for crossing.
+It was quite hard, except in the middle, where the mud and water
+together rose over their knees; and thus this mighty flood was
+crossed as though it had been some small brook.
+
+A few hours more served to bring them to the foot of some hills; and
+here the party halted. They had once more picked up the trail, and
+Claude was encouraged by the sight of the horse tracks.
+
+He now unfolded to the Indian his design. To his great pleasure he
+found that Pere Michel had already anticipated him, and that the
+Indian understood very well what was wanted. He assured Claude that
+he could easily communicate with the others so as not to be
+suspected, and lead back Pere Michel and the women to him. His plan
+was to make a _detour_, and get ahead of them, approaching them from
+that direction, so as to avoid suspicion, while Claude might remain
+with the other Indians in some place where they could be found again.
+This plan seemed to Claude so simple and so feasible that he grew
+exultant over the prospect, forgetting the many difficulties that
+would still be before him, even if this first enterprise should
+succeed.
+
+Their repast was simple and easily procured. The woods and waters
+furnished all that they required. A hare and some snipe and plover,
+with a few trout and a salmon, were the result of a short excursion,
+that did not extend much farther than a stone's throw from the
+encampment.
+
+The next day they resumed their journey. It lay over the hills, which
+were steep, though not very high. The trail now grew rougher, being
+covered with stones in many places, so as to resemble the dry channel
+of a mountain torrent, while in other places the roots of trees which
+ran across interfered with rapid progress. This Claude saw with great
+satisfaction, for he knew that horses could go but slowly over a path
+like this; and therefore every step seemed to lessen the distance
+between him and Mimi. All that day they were traversing these hills.
+
+The next day their journey lay through a gentle, undulating country,
+where the towering trees of the forest rose high all around, while at
+their feet were mosses, and wild grasses, and ferns, and flowers of a
+kind that were utterly strange to Claude. It was the month of June,
+the time when all nature in Acadie robes herself in her fairest
+charms.
+
+Thus day after day passed, each day being the counterpart of the
+other in its cloudless skies, its breath from the perfumed woods, and
+the song of birds. On the sixth day the tracks of the horses seemed
+to be fresher than usual; and to Claude's question the Indian replied
+that they must be close by them. At this Claude hurried on more
+vigorously, and kept up his march later than usual. He was even
+anxious to go forward all night; but the Indian was unwilling. He
+wished to approach them by day rather than by night, and was afraid
+of coming too suddenly upon them, and thus being discovered, if they
+went on while the others might be resting. Thus Claude was compelled
+to restrain his impatient desires, and wait for the following day.
+
+When it came they set forth, and kept up a rapid pace for some hours.
+At length they came to an opening in the woods where the scene was no
+longer shut in by trees, but showed a wide-extended prospect. It was
+a valley, through which ran a small stream, bordered on each side
+with willows. The valley was green with the richest vegetation.
+Clusters of maples appeared like groves, here and there interspersed
+with beech and towering oaks, while at intervals appeared the
+magnificent forms of grand elms all covered with drooping foliage,
+and even the massive trunks green with the garlands of tender and
+gracefully-bending shoots.
+
+For a moment Claude stood full of admiration at this lovely scene,
+and then hurried on after his guide. The guide now appeared desirous
+of slackening his pace, for he saw that if the other party were not
+far away he would be more liable to discovery in this open valley;
+but it was not very wide. About half a mile farther on, the deep
+woods arose once more; and, as there were no signs of life here, he
+yielded to Claude's impatient entreaty, and went on at his usual
+pace.
+
+Half way across the valley there was a grove of maple trees; the path
+ran close beside it, skirting it, and then going beyond it. Along
+this they went, and were just emerging from its shelter, when the
+guide made a warning movement, and stood still. The next instant
+Claude was at his side. The Indian grasped Claude's arm, and made a
+stealthy movement backward.
+
+That very instant Claude saw it all. A man was there--a European. Two
+Indians were with him. He was counting some birds which the Indians
+were carrying. It seemed as though they had been shooting through the
+valley, and this was their game. They could not have been shooting
+very recently, however, as no sound had been heard. This was the
+sight that met Claude's eyes as he stood by the Indian, and as the
+Indian grasped his arm.
+
+It was too late. The European looked up. It was Cazeneau!
+
+For a moment he stood staring at Claude as though he was some
+apparition. But the Indians who were behind, and who came forward,
+not knowing what was the matter, gave to this vision too practical a
+character; and Cazeneau saw plainly enough that, however
+unaccountable it might be, this was in very deed the man whom he
+believed to be in safe confinement at Grand Pre. A bitter curse
+escaped him. He rushed towards Claude, followed by his Indians.
+
+"Scoundrel," he cried, "you have escaped! Aha! and do you dare to
+come on my track! This time I will make sure of you."
+
+He gnashed his teeth in his fury, and, snatching a rifle from one of
+his Indians who were near him, aimed it at Claude, and pulled the
+trigger.
+
+But the trigger clicked, and that was all. It was not loaded. With
+another curse Cazeneau dashed the rifle to the ground, and turned
+towards the other Indian. All this had been the work of a moment. The
+next moment Claude sprang forward with drawn sword.
+
+"Villain," he cried, "and assassin! draw, and fight like a man!"
+
+At these words Cazeneau was forced to turn, without having had time
+to get the other Indian's rifle, for Claude was close to him, and the
+glittering steel flashed before his eyes. He drew his sword, and
+retreating backward, put himself on guard.
+
+"Seize this fellow!" he cried to his Indians; "seize him! In the name
+of your great father, the King of France, seize him, I tell you!"
+
+The Indians looked forward. There, behind Claude, they saw six other
+Indians--their own friends. They shook their heads.
+
+"Too many," said they.
+
+"You fellows!" cried Cazeneau to Claude's Indians, "I am the officer
+of your great father, the King of France. This man is a traitor. I
+order you to seize him, in the king's name."
+
+Claude's Indians stood there motionless. They did not seem to
+understand.
+
+All this time Cazeneau was keeping up a defence, and parrying
+Claude's attack. He was a skilful swordsman, and he wished to take
+Claude alive if possible, rather than to fight with him. So he tried
+once more. He supposed that Claude's Indians did not understand. He
+therefore told his Indians to tell the others in their language what
+was wanted. At this the two walked over to the six, and began
+talking. Caseneau watched them earnestly. He saw, to his infinite
+rage, that his words had no effect whatever on Claude's Indians.
+
+"Coward," cried Claude, "coward and villain! you must fight. My
+Indians are faithful to me. You hate to fight,--you are afraid,--but
+you must, or I will beat you to death with the blade of my sword."
+
+At this Cazeneau turned purple with rage. He saw how it was. He
+determined to show this colonist all his skill, and wound him, and
+still take him alive. So, with a curse, he rushed upon Claude. But
+his own excitement interfered with that display of skill which he
+intended to show; and Claude, who had regained his coolness, had the
+advantage in this respect.
+
+A few strokes showed Cazeneau that he had found his master. But this
+discovery only added to his rage. He determined to bring the contest
+to a speedy issue. With this intent he lunged forward with a deadly
+thrust. But the thrust was turned aside, and the next instant
+Claude's sword passed through the body of Cazeneau.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+REUNION.
+
+
+The wounded man fell to the ground, and Claude, dropping his sword,
+sank on his knees beside him. In that one instant all his anger and
+his hate fled away. It was no longer Cazeneau, his mortal enemy, whom
+he saw, but his fellow-creature, laid low by his hand. The thought
+sent a quiver through every nerve, and it was with no ordinary
+emotion that Claude sought to relieve his fallen enemy. But Cazeneau
+was unchanged in his implacable hate; or, if possible, he was even
+more bitter and more malignant now, since he had thus been beaten.
+
+"Away!" he cried, in a faint voice. "Away! Touch me not. Do not exult
+yet, Montresor. You think you have--avenged--your cursed father--and
+your mother. Do not exult too soon; at least you are--a pauper--a
+pauper--a pauper! Away! My own people--will care for me."
+
+Claude rose at this, and motioned to Cazeneau's Indians. They came
+up. One of them examined the wound. He then looked up at Claude, and
+solemnly shook his head.
+
+"May Heaven have mercy on his soul!" murmured Claude. "I thank Heaven
+that I do not know all the bitter wrong that he has done to my
+parents. What he has done to me I forgive."
+
+Then, by a sudden impulse, he bent down over the fallen man.
+"Cazeneau," said he, "you're a dying man. You have something on your
+conscience now. What you have done to me I forgive. May others whom
+you have injured do the same."
+
+At this magnanimous speech Cazeneau rolled his glaring eyes furiously
+towards the young man, and then, supplied with a sudden spasmodic
+strength by his own passion, he cried out, with bitter oaths and
+execrations,--
+
+"Curse you! you and all your race!"
+
+He raised himself slightly as he said this. The next instant he fell
+back, senseless. For a moment Claude stood looking at the lifeless
+form, undecided what to do. Should he remain here longer? If Cazeneau
+should revive, it would only be to curse him; if he died, he could do
+nothing. Would it not be better to hurry forward after the rest of
+the party, who could not be very far away? If so, he could send back
+the priest, who would come in time either for life or death. The
+moment that he thought of this he decided that he would hurry forward
+for the priest. He then explained to his guide what he wished, and
+asked the Indians of Cazeneau how far the rest of the party were.
+They could speak but very little French, but managed to make Claude
+understand that they were not far. To his Indian they said more, and
+he told his employer. What they said was to this effect: that on this
+morning Cazeneau had left the party with these two Indians, for the
+sake of a little recreation in hunting. The rest had gone forward,
+with the understanding that they should not go more than two or three
+hours. Then they were to halt and wait. Cazeneau was just about to go
+after them as Claude came up.
+
+
+[Illustration: "Curse You And All Your Race."]
+
+
+This information showed Claude that the rest of the party were within
+easy distance, and that the priest could be reached and sent back
+before evening. Accordingly he hesitated no longer, but set forth at
+once in the greatest haste.
+
+The thought that Mimi was so near inspired Claude with fresh energy.
+Although he had been on the tramp all day, and without
+rest,--although he had received a severe and unparalleled shock in
+the terrible fate of Cazeneau,--yet the thought of Mimi had
+sufficient power over him to chase away the gloom that for a time had
+fallen over his soul. It was enough to him now that a priest was
+within reach. Upon that priest he could throw all the responsibility
+which arose out of the situation of his enemy. These were the
+thoughts that animated him, and urged him forward.
+
+The Indians of Cazeneau had made him understand that they were only a
+few hours ahead; but Claude thought that they were even nearer. He
+thought it unlikely that Cazeneau would let them go very far, and
+supposed that he had ordered the other Indians to go slowly, and halt
+after about three or four miles. He therefore confidently expected to
+come up with them after traversing about that distance.
+
+With this belief he urged on his attendants, and himself put forth
+all his powers, until at length, after nearly two hours, he was
+compelled to slacken his speed. This showed that they were not so
+near as he had expected; yet still he believed that they were just
+ahead, and that he would come up with them every moment.
+
+Thus his mind was kept upon a constant strain, and he was always on
+the lookout, watching both with eyes and ears either to see some sign
+of them, or to hear them as they went on before him. And this
+constant strain of mind and of sense, and this sustained attitude of
+expectation, made the way seem less, and the time seem short; and
+thus, though there was a certain disappointment, yet still the hope
+of seeing them every next minute kept up his spirits and his
+energies. Thus he went on, like one who pursues an _ignis fatuus_,
+until at length the light of day faded out, and the shades of night
+settled down over the forest.
+
+He would certainly have thought that he had missed the way, had it
+not been for one fact; and that was, that the track of the party whom
+he was pursuing was as plain as ever, and quite fresh, showing that
+they had passed over it this very day. The Indians with him were all
+certain of this. It showed him that however fast he had gone, they
+had been going yet faster, and that all his eagerness to catch up
+with them had not been greater than their eagerness to advance. Why
+was this? Suddenly the whole truth flashed upon his mind.
+
+The priest had unexpectedly shaken off Cazeneau. He had evidently
+resolved to try to escape. His strange influence over the Indians
+had, no doubt, enabled him to make them his accomplices. With the
+hope, therefore, of shaking off Cazeneau, he had hurried on as fast
+as possible.
+
+Still there was one thing, and that was, that they would have to
+bring up somewhere. It was more than probable that the priest would
+try to reach Canso. In that case Claude had only to keep on his
+track, and he would get to that place not very long after him;
+sufficiently soon, at any rate, to prevent missing him. As to
+Louisbourg, if the priest should go there, he also could go there,
+and with impunity now, since his enemy was no more. As for the
+unhappy Cazeneau, he found himself no longer able to send him the
+priest; but he did not feel himself to blame for that, and could only
+hope that he might reach the priest before it should be altogether
+too late.
+
+A slight repast that night, which was made from some fragments which
+he had carried in his pocket, a few hours' sleep, and another slight
+repast on the following morning, made from an early bird which he had
+shot when it was on its way to get its worm, served to prepare him
+for the journey before him.
+
+The Indians informed him that the Strait of Canso was now not more
+than a day and a half distant. The news was most welcome to Claude.
+The Strait of Canso seemed like a place where the priest would be
+compelled to make some sort of a halt, either while waiting for a
+chance to cross or while making a detour to get to Canso. For his
+part, he would have one great advantage, and that was, that he would
+not be compelled to think about his course. All that he had to do was
+to follow the track before him as rapidly and as perseveringly as
+possible.
+
+All that day Claude hurried onward without stopping to halt, being
+sustained by his own burning impatience, and also by that same hope
+which had supported him on the preceding day. But it was, as before,
+like the pursuit of an _ignis fatuus_, and ever the objects of his
+pursuit seemed to elude him.
+
+At length, towards the close of the day, they reached a river, and
+the trail ran along by its side for miles, sometimes leaving it, and
+again returning to it. The path was broad, the woods were free from
+underbrush, and more open than usual.
+
+Suddenly the guide stopped and looked forward, with the instinct of
+his Indian caution. But Claude had one idea only in his mind, and
+knowing well that there could be no enemy now, since Cazeneau was out
+of the way, he hurried onward. Some moving figures attracted his
+gaze. Then he saw horses, and some men and women. Then he emerged
+from the trees, bursting forth at a run into an open place which lay
+upon the river bank. One glance was sufficient. It was the priest and
+his party. With a cry of joy he rushed forward. The others saw him
+coming. The priest turned in amazement; for he had no idea that
+Claude was so near. Before he could speak a word, however, the young
+man had flung himself into his arms, and the priest returned his
+embrace with equal warmth. Claude then turned to Mimi, who was
+standing near, and in the rapture of that meeting was on the point of
+catching her in his arms also; but Mimi saw the movement, and
+retreated shyly, while a mantling blush over her lovely features
+showed both joy and confusion. So Claude had to content himself with
+taking her hand, which he seized in both of his, and held as though
+he would never let go.
+
+After these first greetings, there followed a torrent of questions
+from both sides. The priest's story was but a short one. On the day
+when Cazeneau had left them, he had gone on a short hunting
+excursion, simply for the sake of relieving the monotony of the long
+tramp. He had charged the Indians not to go farther than two hours
+ahead. His intention was to make a circuit, and join them by evening.
+But the Indians were altogether under the influence of Pere Michel,
+and were willing to do anything that he wished. The "Great
+Father,"--the French king,--with whom Cazeneau thought he could
+overawe them, was in truth a very shadowy and unsubstantial
+personage. But Pere Michel was one whom they knew, and for some
+reason regarded with boundless veneration. When, therefore, he
+proposed to them to go on, they at once acceded. For Pere Michel
+caught at this unexpected opportunity to escape, which was thus
+presented, and at once set forth at the utmost possible speed. He
+travelled all that day and far into the night, until he thought that
+a sufficient distance had been put between himself and Cazeneau to
+prevent capture. He would have gone much farther on this day had it
+not been for Mimi, who, already fatigued by her long journey, was
+unable to endure this increased exertion, and after trying in vain to
+keep up, was compelled to rest. They had been encamping here for
+about three hours, and were already deliberating about a night
+journey, when Claude came up.
+
+The time had been spent in constructing a sort of litter, which the
+priest intended to sling between two horses, hoping by this means to
+take Mimi onward with less fatigue. He had made up his mind, as
+Claude indeed had suspected, to make for Canso, so as to put himself
+out of the reach of Cazeneau.
+
+Claude then told the priest his story, to which the latter listened
+with deep emotion. He had not anticipated anything like this. Amazed
+as he had been at the sudden appearance of Claude, he had thought
+that by some happy accident the young man had eluded Cazeneau, and he
+now learned how it really was.
+
+For some time he said not a single word, and indeed there was nothing
+that he could say. He knew well that Claude had been deeply and
+foully wronged by Cazeneau, and he knew also that this last act was
+hardly to be considered as anything else than the act of Cazeneau
+himself, who first attacked Claude, and forced him to fight.
+
+But there still remained to be considered what might now be done.
+Claude's first thought was the one which had been in his mind during
+the past day; that is to say, he still thought of sending the priest
+back to Cazeneau, without thinking of the distance, and the time that
+now lay between. His excitement had prevented him from taking this
+into consideration. The priest, however, at once reminded him of it.
+
+"I do not see," said he, "what I can do. You forget how long it is
+since you left him. He must be dead and buried by this time. Even if
+he should linger longer than you expected, I could not hope to reach
+that place in time to do anything, not even to bury him. It is a good
+two days' journey from here to there. It is two days since you left
+him. It would take two days more for me to reach him. That makes four
+days. By that time, if he is dead, he would already be buried; and if
+he is living, he would be conveyed by the Indians to some place of
+rest and shelter.
+
+"As long as I thought that Cazeneau was pursuing us," continued the
+priest, "I tried to advance as rapidly as possible, and intended to
+go to Canso, where I should be safe from him. But now that he can
+trouble us no more, there is no reason why we should not go to
+Louisbourg. That will be better for Mimi, and it will also suit my
+views better. You, too, may as well go there, since you will be able
+to carry out your own plans, whatever they are, from that place
+better than from any other."
+
+The result of this conversation was, that they decided to go to
+Louisbourg.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+AMONG FRIENDS.
+
+
+In order to make their escape the more certain, the priest had
+carried off the horse which Cazeneau had used, so that now Claude was
+no more obliged to go on foot. Mimi no longer complained of fatigue,
+but was able to bear up with the fatigues of the rest of the journey
+in a wonderful way. Claude did not seem inclined to make much use of
+the spare horse, for he walked much of the way at Mimi's side, and
+where there was not room, he walked at her horse's head.
+
+The remainder of the journey occupied about four days, and it was
+very much like what it had been; that is, a track through the woods,
+sometimes rough, sometimes smooth. The whole track showed marks of
+constant use, which the priest explained to Claude as being caused by
+droves of cattle, which were constantly being sent from Grand Pre to
+Louisbourg, where they fetched a handsome price. The Indian trails in
+other places were far rougher and narrower, besides being interrupted
+by fallen trees. The only difficulty that they had to encounter was
+in crossing the Strait of Canso; but after following the shore for a
+few miles, they came to a place where there was a barge, used to
+transport cattle. Two or three French fishermen lived here, and they
+took the whole party over to the opposite side. After this they
+continued their journey.
+
+That journey seemed to Claude altogether too short. Each day passed
+away too rapidly. Wandering by the side of Mimi through the fragrant
+forests, under the clear sky, listening to her gentle voice, and
+catching the sweet smile of her innocent face, it seemed to him as
+though he would like to go on this way forever. A cloud of sadness
+rested on her gentle brow, which made her somewhat unlike the
+sprightly girl of the schooner, and more like the despairing maid
+whom he had rescued on the raft.
+
+But there was reason for this sadness. Mimi was a fond and loving
+daughter. She had chosen to follow her father across the ocean, when
+she might have lived at home in comfort; and the death of that father
+had been a terrible blow. For some time the blow had been alleviated
+by the terrors which she felt about Cazeneau and his designs. But
+now, since he and his designs were no more to be thought of, the
+sorrow of her bereavement returned.
+
+Still, she was not without consolation, and even joy. It was joy to
+her to have escaped from the man and from the danger that she
+dreaded. It was also joy to her to find herself once more in company
+with Claude, in whom she had all along taken a tender interest. Until
+she heard his story from his own lips she had not had any idea that
+he had been the victim of Cazeneau. She had supposed that he was in
+the schooner all the time, and had wondered why he did not make his
+appearance. And her anxiety about her father, and grief over his
+death, prevented her from dwelling much upon this.
+
+At length they came in sight of the sea. The trees here were small,
+stunted, and scrubby; the soil was poor, the grass coarse and
+interspersed with moss and stones. In many places it was boggy, while
+in others it was rocky. Their path ran along the shore for some
+miles, and then entered the woods. For some distance farther they
+went on, and then emerged into an open country, where they saw before
+them the goal of their long journey.
+
+Open fields lay before them, with houses and barns. Farther on there
+lay a beautiful harbor, about five or six miles long and one mile
+wide, with a narrow entrance into the outer sea, and an island which
+commanded the entrance. Upon this island, and also on one side of the
+entrance, were batteries, while on the side of the harbor on which
+they were standing, and about two miles away, was another battery,
+larger than either of these. At the farthest end of the harbor were
+small houses of farmers or fishermen, with barns and cultivated
+fields. In the harbor were some schooners and small fishing vessels,
+and two large frigates.
+
+But it was upon the end of the harbor nearest to themselves that
+their eyes turned with the most pleasure. Here Louisbourg stood, its
+walls and spires rising before them, and the flag of France floating
+from the citadel. The town was about half a mile long, surrounded by
+a stockade and occasional batteries. Upon the highest point the
+citadel stood, with the guns peeping over the parapet. The path here
+entered a road, which ran towards the town; and now, going to this
+road, they went on, and soon reached the gate.
+
+On entering the gate, they were stopped and questioned; but the
+priest, who seemed to be known, easily satisfied his examiners, and
+they were allowed to go on. They went along a wide street, which,
+however, was unpaved, and lined on each side with houses of
+unpretending appearance. Most of them were built of wood, some of
+logs, one or two of stone. All were of small size, with small doors
+and windows, and huge, stumpy chimneys. The street was straight, and
+led to the citadel, in which was the governor's residence. Other
+streets crossed at right angles with much regularity. There were a
+few shops, but not many. Most of these were lower down, near the
+water, and were of that class to which the soldiers and sailors
+resorted. Outside the citadel was a large church, built of undressed
+stone, and without any pretensions to architectural beauty. Beyond
+this was the entrance to the citadel. This place was on the crest of
+the hill, and was surrounded by a dry ditch and a wall. A drawbridge
+led across the ditch to the gate. On reaching this place the party
+had to stop, and the priest sent in his name to the governor or
+commandant. After waiting some time, a message came to admit them.
+Thereupon they all passed through, and found themselves inside the
+citadel.
+
+They found this to be an irregular space, about two hundred feet in
+length and width, surrounded by walls, under which were arched cells,
+that were used for storage or magazines, and might also serve as
+casemates in time of siege. There were barracks at one end, and at
+the other the governor's residence, built of stone. Upon the parade
+troops were exercising, and in front of the barracks a band was
+playing. The whole scene was thus one of much animation; indeed, it
+seemed very much so to the eyes of these wanderers, so long
+accustomed to the solitude of the sea, or of the primeval forest.
+However, they did not wait to gaze upon the scene, but went on at
+once, without delay, to the commandant.
+
+The commandant--Monsieur Auguste de Florian--received them with much
+politeness. He was a man of apparently about forty years of age,
+medium stature, and good-natured face, without any particular sign of
+character or talent in his general expression. This was the man whom
+Cazeneau was to succeed, whose arrival he had been expecting for a
+long time. He received the new comers politely, and, after having
+heard the priest's account of Mimi,--who she was, and how he had
+found her,--he at once sent for his wife, who took her to her own
+apartments, and informed her that this must be her home as long as
+she was at Louisbourg.
+
+The commandant now questioned the priest more particularly about the
+Arethuse. Pere Michel left the narration to Claude. He had been
+introduced under the name of M. Motier, and did not choose to say
+anything about his real name and rank, for fear that it might lead
+him into fresh difficulties. So Claude gave an account of the meeting
+between the schooner and the raft, and also told all that he knew
+about the fate of the Arethuse. The priest added something more that
+he had learned, and informed the commandant that he could learn all
+the rest from Mimi.
+
+The governor's polite attention did not end with this visit. He at
+once set about procuring a place where Claude might stay, and would
+have done the same kind office to Pere Michel, had not the priest
+declined. He had a place where he could stay with one of the priests
+of the town, who was a friend; and besides, he intended to carry on
+the duties of his sacred office. Claude, therefore, was compelled to
+separate himself from the good priest, who, however, assured him that
+he would see him often. Before evening he found himself in
+comfortable quarters in the house of the naval storekeeper, who
+received him with the utmost cordiality as the friend of the
+commandant.
+
+The next day Claude saw Pere Michel. He seemed troubled in mind, and,
+after some questions, informed him that he had come all the way to
+Louisbourg for the express purpose of getting some letters which he
+had been expecting from France. They should have been here by this
+time, but had not come, and he was afraid that they had been sent out
+in the Arethuse. If so, there might be endless trouble and confusion,
+since it would take too long altogether to write again and receive
+answers. It was a business of infinite importance to himself and to
+others; and Pere Michel, who had never before, since Claude had known
+him, lost his serenity, now appeared quite broken down by
+disappointment.
+
+His present purpose was to go back and see about the burial of
+Cazeneau; but he would wait for another week, partly for the sake of
+rest, and partly to wait until Cazeneau's Indians had been heard
+from. He had sent out two of the Indians who had come with him to
+make inquiries; and when they returned, he would go. He was also
+waiting in the hope that another ship might arrive. There was some
+talk of a frigate which was to bring out some sappers and engineers
+for the works. It was the Grand Monarque. She had not come as yet,
+nor had she left by last advices; but still she was liable to leave
+at any moment.
+
+"Still," said the priest, "it is useless to expect anything or to
+hope for anything. The king is weak. He is nothing. How many years
+has he been a _roi faineant_? Fleury was a fit minister for such a
+king. Weak, bigoted, conceited, Fleury had only one policy, and that
+was, to keep things quiet, and not suffer any change. If wrongs had
+been done, he refused to right them. Fleury has been a curse to
+France. But since his death his successors may be even worse. The
+state of France is hopeless. The country is overwhelmed with debt,
+and is in the hands of unprincipled vagabonds. The king has said that
+he would govern without ministers; but that only means that he will
+allow himself to be swayed by favorites. Fleury has gone, and in his
+place there comes--who? Why, the Duchesse de Chateauroux. She is now
+the minister of France."
+
+The priest spoke with indescribable bitterness; so much so, indeed,
+that Claude was amazed.
+
+"The latest news," continued Pere Michel, "is, that England is going
+to send an army to assist Austria. The queen, Maria Theresa, will now
+be able to turn the scales against France. This means war, and the
+declaration must follow soon. Well, poor old Fleury kept out of war
+with England till he died. But that was Walpole's doing, perhaps.
+They were wonderful friends; and perhaps it was just as well. But
+this new ministry--this woman and her friends--they will make a
+change for France; and I only hope, while they are reversing Fleury's
+policy in some things, they'll do it in others.
+
+"France," continued Pere Michel, in a gloomy tone, "France is rotten
+to the core--all France, both at home and abroad. Why, even out here
+the fatal system reigns. This commandant," he went on, dropping his
+voice, "is as deeply implicated as any of them. He was appointed by a
+court favorite; so was Cazeneau. He came out with the intention of
+making his fortune, not for the sake of building up a French empire
+in America.
+
+"It's no use. France can't build up an empire here. The English will
+get America. They come out as a people, and settle in the forest; but
+we come out as officials, to make money out of our country. Already
+the English are millions, and we are thousands. What chance is there
+for us? Some day an English army will come and drive us out of Ile
+Royale, and out of Canada, as they've already driven us out of
+Acadie. Our own people are discouraged; and, though they love France,
+yet they feel less oppressed under English rule. Can there be a worse
+commentary on French rule than that?
+
+"And you, my son," continued the priest, in a milder tone, but one
+which was equally earnest, "don't think of going to France. You can
+do nothing there. It would require the expenditure of a fortune in
+bribery to get to the ears of those who surround the king; and then
+there would be no hope of obtaining justice from them. All are
+interested in letting things remain as they were. The wrong done was
+committed years ago. The estates have passed into other hands, and
+from one owner to another. The present holders are all-powerful at
+court; and if you wore to go there, you would only wear out your
+youth, and accomplish nothing."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+LOUISBOURG.
+
+
+There was a little _beau monde_ at Louisbourg, which, as might be
+expected, was quite gay, since it was French. At the head stood, of
+course; the commandant and his lady; then came the military officers
+with their ladies, and the naval officers without their ladies,
+together with the unmarried officers of both services. As the
+gentlemen far outnumbered the ladies, the latter were always in great
+demand; so that the ladies of the civilians, though of a decidedly
+inferior grade, were objects of attention and of homage. This being
+the case, it will readily be perceived what an effect was produced
+upon the _beau monde_ at Louisbourg by the advent of such a bright,
+particular star as Mimi. Young, beautiful, accomplished, she also
+added the charms of rank, and title, and supposed wealth. The Count
+de Laborde had been prominent at court, and his name was well known.
+His daughter was therefore looked upon as one of the greatest
+heiresses of France, and there was not a young officer at Louisbourg
+who did not inwardly vow to strive to win so dazzling a prize.
+
+She would at once have been compelled to undergo a round of the most
+exhaustive festivities, had it not been for one thing--she was in
+mourning. Her bereavement had been severe, and was so recent that all
+thoughts of gayety were out of the question. This fact lessened the
+chances which the gallant French cavaliers might otherwise have had,
+but in no respect lessened their devotion. Beauty in distress is
+always a touching and a resistless object to every chivalrous heart;
+and here the beauty was exquisite, and the distress was undeniably
+great.
+
+The commandant and his lady had appropriated Mimi from the first, and
+Mimi congratulated herself on having found a home so easily. It was
+pleasant to her, after her recent imprisonment, to be among people
+who looked up to her with respectful and affectionate esteem.
+Monsieur de Florian may not have been one of the best of men; indeed,
+it was said that he had been diligently feathering his nest at the
+expense of the government ever since he had been in Louisbourg; but
+in spite of that, he was a kindhearted man, while his wife was a
+kind-hearted woman, and one, too, who was full of tact and delicacy.
+Mimi's position, therefore, was as pleasant as it could be, under the
+circumstances.
+
+After one or two days had passed, Claude began to be aware of the
+fact that life in Louisbourg was much less pleasant than life on the
+road. There he was all day long close beside Mimi, or at her horse's
+bridle, with confidential chat about a thousand things, with eloquent
+nothings, and shy glances, and tender little attentions, and delicate
+services. Here, however, it was all different. All this had come to
+an end. The difficulty now was, to see Mimi at all. It is true there
+was no lack of friendliness on the part of the commandant, or of his
+good lady; but then he was only one among many, who all were received
+with the same genial welcome by this genial and polished pair. The
+chivalry of Louisbourg crowded to do homage to the beautiful
+stranger, and the position of Claude did not seem to be at all more
+favorable than that of the youngest cadet in the service.
+
+His obscurity now troubled Claude greatly. He found himself quite
+insignificant in Louisbourg. If he had possessed the smallest
+military rank, he would have been of more consequence. He thought of
+coming out in his true name, as the Count de Montresor, but was
+deterred by the thought of the troubles into which he had already
+fallen by the discovery of his name. How much of that arrest was due
+to the ill will of Cazeneau, and how much to the actual dangers
+besetting him as a Montresor, he could not know. He saw plainly
+enough that the declaration of his name and rank might lead to a new
+arrest at the hands of this commandant, in which case escape could
+hardly be thought of. He saw that it was better far for him to be
+insignificant, yet free, than to be the highest personage in
+Louisbourg, and liable to be flung into a dungeon. His ignorance of
+French affairs, and of the actual history of his family, made him
+cautious; so that he resolved not to mention the truth about himself
+to any one. Under all these circumstances, Claude saw no other
+resource but to endure as best he could the unpleasantness of his
+personal situation, and live in the hope that in the course of time
+some change might take place by which he could be brought into closer
+connection with Mimi.
+
+Fortunately for him, an opportunity of seeing Mimi occurred before he
+had gone too deep down into despondency. He went up one day to the
+citadel, about a week after he had come to Louisbourg. Mimi was at
+the window, and as he came she saw him, and ran to the door. Her face
+was radiant with smiles.
+
+"O, I am so glad," she said, "that you have come! I did so want to
+see you, to ask you about something!"
+
+"I never see you alone now," said Claude, sadly, holding her hand as
+though unwilling to relinquish it.
+
+"No," said Mimi, with a slight flush, gently withdrawing her hand, "I
+am never alone, and there are so many callers; but M. Florian has
+gone out, taking the madame, on an affair of some importance; and so,
+you see, we can talk without interruption."
+
+"Especially if we walk over into the garden," said Claude.
+
+Mimi assented, and the two walked into the garden that was on the
+west side of the residence, and for some time neither of them said a
+word. The trees had just come into leaf; for the season is late in
+this climate, but the delay is made good by the rapid growth of
+vegetation after it has once started; and now the leaves were
+bursting forth in glorious richness and profusion, some more advanced
+than others, and exhibiting every stage of development. The lilacs,
+above all, were conspicuous for beauty; for they were covered with
+blossoms, with the perfume of which the air was loaded.
+
+"I never see you now," said Claude, at length.
+
+"No," said Mimi, sadly.
+
+"It is not as it used to be," said Claude, with a mournful smile,
+"when I walked by your side day after day."
+
+Mimi sighed, and said nothing.
+
+"It is different with you," said Claude; "you are the centre of
+universal admiration, and everybody pays you attention. The time
+never passes heavily with you; but think of me--miserable, obscure,
+friendless!"
+
+Mimi turned, and looked at him with such a piteous face that Claude
+stopped short. Her eyes were fixed on his with tender melancholy and
+reproach. They were filled with tears.
+
+"And do you really believe that?" she said--"that the time never
+passes heavily with me? It has been a sad time ever since I came
+here. Think how short a time it is since poor, dear papa left me! Do
+you think I can have the heart for much enjoyment?"
+
+"Forgive me," said Claude, deeply moved; "I had forgotten; I did not
+think what I was saying; I was too selfish."
+
+"That is true," said Mimi. "While you were suffering from loneliness,
+you should have thought that I, too, was suffering, even in the
+midst of the crowd. But what are they all to me? They are all
+strangers. It is my friends that I want to see; and you are away, and
+the good Pere Michel never comes!"
+
+"Were you lonely on the road?" asked Claude.
+
+"Never," said Mimi, innocently, "after you came."
+
+As she said this, a flush passed over her lovely face, and she looked
+away confused. Claude seized her hand, and pressed it to his lips.
+They then walked on in silence for some time. At last Claude spoke
+again.
+
+"The ship will not leave for six weeks. If I were alone, I think I
+should go back to Boston. But if you go to France, I shall go, too.
+Have you ever thought of what you will do when you get there?"
+
+"I suppose I shall have to go to France," said Mimi; "but why should
+you think of going to Boston? Are you not going on your family
+business?"
+
+"I am not," said Claude. "I am only going because you are going. As
+to my family business, I have forgotten all about it; and, indeed, I
+very much doubt whether I could do anything at all. I do not even
+know how I am to begin. But I wish to see you safe and happy among
+your friends."
+
+Mimi looked at him in sad surprise.
+
+"I do not know whether I have any friends or not," said she. "I have
+only one relative, whom I have never seen. I had intended to go to
+her. I do not know what I shall do. If this aunt is willing to take
+me, I shall live with her; but she is not very rich, and I may be a
+burden."
+
+"A burden!" said Claude; "that is impossible! And besides, such a
+great heiress as you will be welcome wherever you go."
+
+He spoke this with a touch of bitterness in his voice; for Mimi's
+supposed possessions seemed to him to be the chief barrier between
+himself and her.
+
+"A great heiress!" said Mimi, sadly. "I don't know what put that into
+your head. Unfortunately, as far as I know, I have nothing. My papa
+sold all his estates, and had all his money on board the Arethuse. It
+was all lost in the ship, and though I was an heiress when I left
+home, I shall go back nothing better than a beggar, to beg a home
+from my unknown aunt. Or," she continued, "if my aunt shows no
+affection, it is my intention to go back to the convent of St.
+Cecilia, where I was educated, and I know they will be glad to have
+me; and I could not find a better home for the rest of my life than
+among those dear sisters who love me so well."
+
+"O, Mimi," he cried, "O, what joy it is to hear that you are a
+beggar! Mimi, Mimi! I have always felt that you were far above
+me--too far for me to raise my thoughts to you. Mimi, you are a
+beggar, and not an heiress! You must not go to France. I will not go.
+Let us remain together. I can be more to you than any friend. Come
+with me. Be mine. O, let me spend my life in trying to show you how I
+love you!"
+
+He spoke these words quickly, feverishly, and passionately, seizing
+her hand in both of his. He had never called her before by her name;
+but now he called her by it over and over, with loving intonations.
+Mimi had hardly been prepared for this; but though unprepared, she
+was not offended. On the contrary, she looked up at him with a face
+that told him more than words could convey. He could not help reading
+its eloquent meaning. Her glance penetrated to his heart--her soul
+spoke to his. He caught her in his arms, and little Mimi leaned her
+head on his breast and wept.
+
+But from this dream of hope and happiness they were destined to have
+a sudden and very rude awakening. There was a sound in the shrubbery
+behind them, and a voice said, in a low, cautious tone,--
+
+"H-s-s-t!"
+
+At this they both started, and turned. It was the Pere Michel.
+
+Both started as they saw him, partly from surprise, and partly, also,
+from the shock which they felt at the expression of his face. He was
+pale and agitated, and the calmness and self-control which usually
+characterized him had departed.
+
+"My dear friend," said Claude, hurriedly, turning towards him and
+seizing his hand, "what is the matter? Are you not well? Has anything
+happened? You are agitated. What is the matter?"
+
+"The very worst," said Pere Michel--"M. de Cazeneau!"
+
+"What of him? Why, he is dead!"
+
+"Dead? No; he is alive. Worse--he is here--here--in Louisbourg. I
+have just seen him!"
+
+"What!" cried Claude, starting back, "M. de Cazeneau alive, and here
+in Louisbourg! How is that possible?"
+
+"I don't know," said the priest. "I only know this, that I have just
+seen him!"
+
+"Seen him?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Where? You must be mistaken."
+
+"No, no," said the priest, hurriedly. "I know him--only too well. I
+saw him at the Ordnance. He has just arrived. He was brought here by
+Indians, on a litter. The commandant is even now with him. I saw him
+go in. I hurried here, for I knew that you were here, to tell you to
+fly. Fly then, at once, and for your life. I can get you away now, if
+you fly at once."
+
+"Fly?" repeated Claude, casting a glance at Mimi.
+
+"Yes, fly!" cried the priest, in earnest tones. "Don't think of her,
+--or, rather, do you, Mimi, if you value his life, urge him, entreat
+him, pray him to fly. He is lost if he stays. One moment more may
+destroy him."
+
+Mimi turned as pale as death. Her lips parted. She would have spoken,
+but could say nothing.
+
+"Come," cried the priest, "come, hasten, fly! It may be only for a
+few weeks--a few weeks only--think of that. There is more at stake
+than you imagine. Boy, you know not what you are risking--not your
+own life, but the lives of others; the honor of your family; the hope
+of the final redemption of your race. Haste--fly, fly!"
+
+The priest spoke in tones of feverish impetuosity. At these words
+Claude stood thunder-struck. It seemed as though this priest knew
+something about his family. What did he know? How could he allude to
+the honor of that family, and the hope of its redemption?
+
+"O, fly! O, fly! Haste!" cried Mimi, who had at last found her voice.
+"Don't think of me. Fly--save yourself, before it's too late."
+
+"What! and leave you at his mercy?" said Claude.
+
+"O, don't think of me," cried Mimi; "save yourself."
+
+"Haste--come," cried the priest; "it is already too late. You have
+wasted precious moments."
+
+"I cannot," cried Claude, as he looked at Mimi, who stood in an
+attitude of despair.
+
+"Then you are lost," groaned the priest, in a voice of bitterest
+grief.
+
+
+[Illustration: "Mimi Suddenly Caught Claude By The Arm."]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+THE CAPTIVE AND THE CAPTORS.
+
+
+Further conversation was now prevented by the approach of a company
+of soldiers, headed by the commandant. Mimi stood as if rooted to the
+spot, and then suddenly caught Claude by the arm, as though by her
+weak strength she could save him from the fate which was impending
+over him; but the priest interposed, and gently drew her away.
+
+The soldiers halted at the entrance to the garden, and the commandant
+came forward. His face was clouded and somewhat stern, and every
+particle of his old friendliness seemed to have departed.
+
+"I regret, monsieur," said he, "the unpleasant necessity which forces
+me to arrest you; but, had I known anything about your crime, you
+would have been put under arrest before you had enjoyed my
+hospitality."
+
+"O, monsieur!" interrupted Mimi.
+
+The commandant turned, and said, severely, "I trust that the Countess
+de Laborde will see the impropriety of her presence here. Monsieur
+L'Abbe, will you give the countess your arm into the house?"
+
+Pere Michel, at this, led Mimi away. One parting look she threw upon
+Claude, full of utter despair, and then, leaning upon the arm of the
+priest, walked slowly in.
+
+Claude said not a word in reply to the address of the commandant. He
+knew too well that under present circumstances words would be utterly
+useless. If Cazeneau was indeed alive, and now in Louisbourg, then
+there could be no hope for himself. If the former charges which led
+to his arrest should be insufficient to condemn him, his attack upon
+Cazeneau would afford sufficient cause to his enemy to glut his
+vengeance.
+
+The soldiers took him in charge, and he was marched away across the
+parade to the prison. This was a stone building, one story in height,
+with small grated windows, and stout oaken door studded with iron
+nails. Inside there were two rooms, one on each side of the entrance.
+These rooms were low, and the floor, which was laid on the earth, was
+composed of boards, which were decayed and moulded with damp. The
+ceiling was low, and the light but scanty. A stout table and stool
+formed the only furniture, while a bundle of mouldy straw in one
+corner was evidently intended to be his bed. Into this place Claude
+entered; the door was fastened, and he was left alone.
+
+On finding himself alone in this place, he sat upon the stool, and
+for some time his thoughts were scarcely of a coherent kind. It was
+not easy for him to understand or realize his position, such a short
+interval had elapsed since he was enjoying the sweets of an interview
+with Mimi. The transition had been sudden and terrible. It had cast
+him down from the highest happiness to the lowest misery. A few
+moments ago, and all was bright hope; now all was black despair.
+Indeed, his present situation had an additional gloom from the very
+happiness which he had recently enjoyed, and in direct proportion to
+it. Had it not been for that last interview, he would not have known
+what he had lost.
+
+Hope for himself there was none. Even under ordinary circumstances,
+there could hardly have been any chance of his escape; but now, after
+Cazeneau had so nearly lost his life, there could be nothing in store
+for him but sure and speedy death. He saw that he would most
+undoubtedly be tried, condemned, and executed here in Louisbourg, and
+that there was not the slightest hope that he would be sent to France
+for his trial.
+
+Not long after Claude had been thrust into his prison, a party
+entered the citadel, bearing with them a litter, upon which reclined
+the form of a feeble and suffering man. It was Cazeneau. The wound
+which Claude had given him had not been fatal, after all; and he had
+recovered sufficiently to endure a long journey in this way; yet it
+had been a severe one, and had made great ravages in him. He appeared
+many years older. Formerly, he had not looked over forty; now he
+looked at least as old as Pere Michel. His face was wan; his
+complexion a grayish pallor; his frame was emaciated and weak. As he
+was brought into the citadel, the commandant came out from his
+residence to meet him, accompanied by some servants, and by these the
+suffering man was borne into the house.
+
+"All is ready, my dear count," said the commandant. "You will feel
+much better after you have some rest of the proper kind."
+
+"But have you arrested him?" asked Cazeneau, earnestly.
+
+"I have; he is safe now in prison."
+
+"Very good. And now, Monsieur Le Commandant, if you will have the
+kindness to send me to my room--"
+
+"Monsieur Le Commandant, you reign here now," said the other. "My
+authority is over since you have come, and you have only to give your
+orders."
+
+"At any rate, _mon ami_, you must remain in power till I get some
+rest and sleep," said Cazeneau.
+
+Rest, food, and, above all, a good night's sleep, had a very
+favorable effect upon Cazeneau, and on the following morning, when
+the commandant waited on him, he congratulated him on the improvement
+in his appearance. Cazeneau acknowledged that he felt better, and
+made very pointed inquiries about Mimi, which led to the recital of
+the circumstances of Claude's arrest in Mimi's presence. Whatever
+impression this may have made upon the hearer, he did not show it,
+but preserved an unchanged demeanor.
+
+A conversation of a general nature now followed, turning chiefly upon
+affairs in France.
+
+"You had a long voyage," remarked the commandant.
+
+"Yes; and an unpleasant one. We left in March, but it seems longer
+than that; for it was in February that I left Versailles, only a
+little while after the death of his eminence."
+
+"I fancy there will be a great change now in the policy of the
+government."
+
+"O, of course. The peace policy is over. War with England must be.
+The king professes now to do like his predecessor, and govern without
+a minister; but we all know what that means. To do without a minister
+is one thing for Louis Quatorze, but another thing altogether for
+Louis Quinze. The Duchesse de Chateauroux will be minister--for the
+present. Then we have D'Aguesseau, D'Argenson, and Maurepas. O,
+there'll be war at once. I dare say it has already been declared. At
+any rate, it's best to act on that principle."
+
+"Well, as to that, monsieur, we generally do act on that principle
+out here. But Fleury was a wonderful old man."
+
+"Yes; but he died too soon."
+
+"Too soon! What, at the age of ninety?"
+
+"O, well, I meant too soon for me. Had he died ten years ago, or had
+he lived two years longer, I should not have come out here."
+
+"I did not know that it was a matter of regret to monsieur."
+
+"Regret?" said Cazeneau, in a querulous tone--"regret? Monsieur, one
+does not leave a place like Versailles for a place like Louisbourg
+without regrets."
+
+"True," said the other, who saw that it was a sore subject.
+
+"With Fleury I had influence; but with the present company at
+Versailles, it is--well, different; and I am better here. Out of
+sight, out of mind. It was one of Fleury's last acts--this
+appointment. I solicited it, for certain reasons; chiefly because I
+saw that he could not last long. Well, they'll have enough to think
+of without calling me to mind; for, if I'm not mistaken, the Queen of
+Hungary will find occupation enough for them."
+
+After some further conversation of this kind, Cazeneau returned to
+the subject of Mimi, asking particularly about her life in
+Louisbourg, and whether Claude had seen her often. The information
+which he received on this point seemed to give him satisfaction.
+
+"Does this young man claim to be a Montresor?" asked the commandant,
+"or is he merely interesting himself in the affairs of that family by
+way of au intrigue?"
+
+"It is an intrigue," said Cazeneau. "He does not call himself
+Montresor openly, but I have reason to know that he is intending to
+pass himself off as the son and heir of the Count Eugene, who was
+outlawed nearly twenty years ago. Perhaps you have heard of that."
+
+"O, yes; I remember all about that. His wife was a Huguenot, and both
+of them got off. His estates were confiscated. It was private enmity,
+I believe. Some one got a rich haul. Ha, ha, ha!"
+
+At this Cazeneau's face turned as black as a thundercloud. The
+commandant saw that his remark had been an unfortunate one, and
+hastened to change the conversation.
+
+"So this young fellow has a plan of that sort, you think. Of course
+he's put up by others--some wirepullers behind the scenes. Well, he's
+safe enough now, and he has that hanging over him which will put an
+end to this scheme, whoever may have started it."
+
+
+At this Cazeneau recovered his former calmness, and smiled somewhat
+grimly.
+
+"I can guess pretty well," said Cazeneau, "how this plot may have
+originated. You must know that when the Count de Montresor and his
+countess fled, they took with them a servant who had been their
+steward. This man's name was Motier. Now, both the count and countess
+died shortly after their arrival in America. The countess died first,
+somewhere in Canada, and then the count seemed to lose his reason;
+for he went off into the wilderness, and has never been heard of
+since. He must have perished at once. His steward, Motier, was then
+left. This man was a Huguenot and an incorrigible rascal. He found
+Canada too hot to hold him with his infidel Huguenot faith, and so he
+went among the English. I dare say that this Motier, ever since, has
+been concocting a plan by which he might make his fortune out of the
+Montresor estates. This Claude Motier is his son, and has, no doubt,
+been brought up by old Motier to believe that he is the son of the
+count; or else the young villain is his partner. You see his game
+now--don't you? He hired a schooner to take him here. He would have
+began his work here by getting some of you on his side, and gaining
+some influence, or money, perhaps, to begin with. Very well; what
+then? Why, then off he goes to France, where he probably intended to
+take advantage of the change in the ministry to push his claims, in
+the hope of making something out of them. And there is no doubt that,
+with his impudence, the young villain might have done something. And
+that reminds me to ask you whether you found anything at his
+lodgings."
+
+"No, nothing."
+
+"He should be searched. He must have some papers."
+
+"He shall be searched to-night."
+
+"I should have done that before. I left word to have that done before
+sending him from Grand Pre; but, as the fellow got off, why, of
+course that was no use. And I only hope he hasn't thought of
+destroying the papers. But if he has any, he won't want to destroy
+them--till the last moment. Perhaps he won't even think of it."
+
+"Do you suppose that this Motier has lived among the English all his
+life?"
+
+"I believe so."
+
+"Impossible!"
+
+"Why so?"
+
+"His manner, his accent, and his look are all as French as they can
+possibly be."
+
+"How he has done it I am unable to conjecture. This Motier, pere,
+must have been a man of superior culture, to have brought up such a
+very gentlemanly young fellow as this."
+
+"Well, there is a difficulty about that. My opinion of the New
+Englanders is such that I do not think they would allow a man to live
+among them who looked so like a Frenchman."
+
+"Bah! his looks are nothing; and they don't know what his French
+accent may be."
+
+"Do you think, after all, that his own story is true about living in
+New England? May he not be some adventurer, who has drifted away from
+France of late years, and has come in contact with Motier? Or, better
+yet, may he not have been prepared for his part, and sent out by some
+parties in France, who are familiar with the whole Montresor
+business, and are playing a deep game?"
+
+Cazeneau, at this, sat for a time in deep thought.
+
+"Your suggestion," said he, at length, "is certainly a good one, and
+worth consideration. Yet I don't see how it can be so. No--for this
+reason: the captain of the schooner was certainly a New Englander,
+and e spoke in my hearing, on several occasions, as though this
+Motier was, like himself, a native of New England, and as one, too,
+whom he had known for years. Once he spoke as though he had known him
+from boyhood. I know enough English to understand that. Besides, this
+fellow's English is as perfect as his French. No, it cannot be
+possible that he has been sent out by any parties in France. He must
+have lived in New England nearly all his life, even if he was not
+born there; and I cannot agree with you."
+
+"O, I only made the suggestion. It was merely a passing thought."
+
+"Be assured this steward Motier has brought him up with an eye to
+using him for the very purpose on which he is now going."
+
+"Do you suppose that Motier is alive?"
+
+"Of course."
+
+"He may be dead."
+
+"And what then?"
+
+"In that case this young fellow is not an agent of anybody, but is
+acting for himself."
+
+"Even if that were so, I do not see what difference it would make. He
+has been educated for the part which he is now playing."
+
+"Do you think," asked the commandant, after a pause, "that the Count
+de Montresor had a son?"
+
+"Certainly not."
+
+"He may have had, and this young fellow may be the one."
+
+"That's what he says," said Cazeneau; "but he can never prove it;
+and, besides, it was impossible, for the count would never have left
+him as he did."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+
+EXAMINATIONS.
+
+
+Cazeneau improved in health and strength every day. A week passed,
+during which period he devoted all his attention to himself, keeping
+quietly to his room, with the exception of an occasional walk in the
+sun, when the weather was warm, and letting Nature do all she could.
+The wound had been severe, though not mortal, and hardly what could
+be called even dangerous. The worst was already past on the journey
+to Louisbourg; and when once he had arrived there, he had but to wait
+for his strength to rally from the shock.
+
+While thus waiting, he saw no one outside of the family of the
+commandant. Mimi was not interfered with. Claude received no
+communications from him for good or evil. Pere Michel, who expected
+to be put through a course of questioning, remained unquestioned; nor
+did he assume the office of commandant, which now was his.
+
+At the end of a week he found himself so much better that he began to
+think himself able to carry out the various purposes which lay in his
+mind. First of all, he relieved the late commandant of his office,
+and took that dignity upon himself.
+
+All this time Mimi had been under the same roof, a prey to the
+deepest anxiety. The poignant grief which she had felt for the loss
+of her father had been alleviated for a time by the escape of Claude;
+but now, since his arrest, and the arrival of the dreaded Cazeneau,
+it seemed worse than ever; the old grief returned, and, in addition,
+there were new ones of equal force. There was the terror about her
+own future, which looked dark indeed before her, from the purposes of
+Cazeneau; and then there was also the deep anxiety, which never left
+her, about the fate of Claude. Of him she knew nothing, having heard
+not one word since his arrest. She had not seen Pere Michel, and
+there was no one whom she could ask. The lady of the commandant was
+kind enough; but to Mimi she seemed a mere creature of Cazeneau, and
+for this reason she never dreamed of taking her into her confidence,
+though that good lady made several unmistakable attempts to enter
+into her secret.
+
+Such was her state of mind when she received a message that M. Le
+Comte de Cazeneau wished to pay his respects to her.
+
+Mimi knew only too well what that meant, and would have avoided the
+interview under any plea whatever, if it had been possible. But that
+could not be done; and so, with a heart that throbbed with painful
+emotions, she went to meet him.
+
+After waiting a little time, Cazeneau made his appearance, and
+greeted her with very much warmth and earnestness. He endeavored to
+infuse into his manner as much as possible of the cordiality of an
+old and tried friend, together with the tenderness which might be
+shown by a father or an elder brother. He was careful not to exhibit
+the slightest trace of annoyance at anything that had happened since
+he last saw her, nor to show any suspicion that she could be in any
+way implicated with his enemy.
+
+But Mimi did not meet him half way. She was cold and repellent; or,
+rather, perhaps it may with more truth be said, she was frightened
+and embarrassed.
+
+In spite of Cazeneau's determination to touch on nothing unpleasant,
+he could not help noticing Mimi's reserve, and remarking on it.
+
+"You do not congratulate me," said he. "Perhaps you have not heard
+the reason why I left your party in the woods. It was not because I
+grew tired of your company. It was because I was attacked by an
+assassin, and narrowly escaped with my life. It has only been by a
+miracle that I have come here; and, though I still have something of
+my strength, yet I am very far from being the man that I was when you
+saw me last."
+
+At these words Mimi took another look at Cazeneau, and surveyed him
+somewhat more closely. She felt a slight shock at noticing now the
+change which had taken place in him. He looked so haggard, and so
+old!
+
+She murmured a few words, which Cazeneau accepted as expressions of
+good will, and thanked her accordingly. The conversation did not last
+much longer. Cazeneau himself found it rather too tedious where he
+had to do all the talking, and where the other was only a girl too
+sad or too sullen to answer. One final remark was made, which seemed
+to Mimi to express the whole purpose of his visit.
+
+"You need not fear, mademoiselle," said he, "that this assassin will
+escape. That is impossible, since he is under strict confinement, and
+in a few days must be tried for his crimes."
+
+What that meant Mimi knew only too well; and after Cazeneau left,
+these words rang in her heart.
+
+After his call on Mimi, Cazeneau was waited on by the ex-commandant,
+who acquainted him with the result of certain inquiries which he had
+been making. These inquiries had been made by means of a prisoner,
+who had been put in with Claude in order to win the young man's
+confidence, and thus get at his secret; for Cazeneau had been of the
+opinion that there were accomplices or allies of Claude in France, of
+whom it would be well to know the names. The ex-commandant was still
+more eager to know. He had been very much struck by the claim of
+Claude to be a De Montresor, and by Cazeneau's own confession that
+the present _regime_ was unfavorable to him; and under these
+circumstances the worthy functionary, who always looked out for
+number one, was busy weighing the advantages of the party of Claude
+as against the party of Cazeneau.
+
+On the evening of the day when he had called on Mimi, Cazeneau was
+waited on by Pere Michel. He himself had sent for the priest, whom he
+had summoned somewhat abruptly. The priest entered the apartment,
+and, with a bow, announced himself. As Cazeneau looked up, he
+appeared for a moment struck with involuntary respect by the
+venerable appearance of this man, or there may have been something
+else at work in him; but, whatever the cause, he regarded the priest
+attentively for a few moments, without saying a word.
+
+"Pere Michel," said he, at length, "I have called you before me in
+private, to come to an understanding with you. Had I followed my own
+impulses, I would have ordered your arrest, on my entrance into
+Louisbourg, as an accomplice of that young villain. I thought it
+sufficient, however, to spare you for the present, and keep you under
+surveillance. I am, on the whole, glad that I did not yield to my
+first impulse of anger, for I can now, in perfect calmness, go with
+you over your acts during the journey here, and ask you for an
+explanation."
+
+The priest bowed.
+
+"Understand me, Pere Michel," said Cazeneau; "I have now no hard
+feeling left. I may say, I have almost no suspicion. I wish to be
+assured of your innocence. I will take anything that seems like a
+plausible excuse. I respect your character, and would rather have you
+as my friend than--than not."
+
+The priest again bowed, without appearing at all affected by these
+conciliatory words.
+
+"After I was assassinated in the woods," said Cazeneau, "I was saved
+from death by the skill and fidelity of my Indians. It seems to me
+still, Pere Michel, as it seemed then, that something might have been
+done by you. Had you been in league with my enemy, you could not have
+done worse. You hastened forward with all speed, leaving me to my
+fate. As a friend, you should have turned back to save a friend; as a
+priest, you should have turned back to give me Christian burial. What
+answer have you to make to this?"
+
+"Simply this," said the priest, with perfect calmness: "that when you
+left us you gave orders that we should go on, and that you would find
+your way to us. I had no thought of turning back, or waiting. I knew
+the Indians well, and knew that they can find their way through the
+woods as easily as you can through the streets of Paris. I went
+forward, then, without any thought of waiting for you, thinking that
+of course you would join us, as you said."
+
+"When did Motier come up with you?" asked Cazeneau.
+
+"On the following day," answered the priest.
+
+"Did he inform you what had taken place?"
+
+"He did."
+
+"Why, then, did you not turn back to help me?"
+
+"Because Motier informed me that you were dead."
+
+"Very good. He believed so, I doubt not; but, at any rate, you might
+have turned back, if only to give Christian burial."
+
+"I intended to do that at some future time," said Pere Michel; "but
+at that time I felt my chief duty to be to the living. How could I
+have left the Countess Laborde? Motier would not have been a proper
+guardian to convey her to Louisbourg, and to take her back with me
+was impossible. I therefore decided to go on, as you said, and take
+her first to Louisbourg, and afterwards to return."
+
+"You showed no haste about it," said Cazeneau.
+
+"I had to wait here," said the priest.
+
+"May I ask what could have been the urgent business which kept you
+from the sacred duty of the burial of the dead?"
+
+"A ship is expected every day, and I waited to get the letters of my
+superiors, with reference to further movements on my mission."
+
+"You say that Motier informed you about my death. Did he tell you how
+it had happened?"
+
+"He said that you and he had fought, and that you had been killed."
+
+"Why, then, did you not denounce him to the authorities on your
+arrival here?"
+
+"On what charge?"
+
+"On the charge of murder."
+
+"I did not know that when one gentleman is unfortunate enough to kill
+another, in fair fight, that it can be considered murder. The duel is
+as lawful in America as in France."
+
+"This was not a duel!" cried Cazeneau. "It was an act of
+assassination. Motier is no better than a murderer."
+
+"I only knew his own account," said the priest.
+
+"Besides," continued Cazeneau, "a duel can only take place between
+two equals; and this Motier is one of the _canaille_, one not worthy
+of my sword."
+
+"Yet, monsieur," said the priest, "when you arrested him first, it
+was not as one of the _canaille_, but as the son of the outlawed
+Count de Montresor."
+
+"True," said Cazeneau; "but I have reason to believe that he is
+merely some impostor. He is now under a different accusation. But one
+more point. How did Motier manage to escape?"
+
+"As to that, monsieur, I always supposed that his escape was easy
+enough, and that he could have effected it at once. The farm-houses
+of the Acadians are not adapted to be very secure prisons. There were
+no bolts and bars, and no adequate watch."
+
+"True; but the most significant part of his escape is, that he had
+external assistance. Who were those Indians who led him on my trail?
+How did he, a stranger, win them over?"
+
+"You forget, monsieur, that this young man has lived all his life in
+America. I know that he has been much in the woods in New England,
+and has had much intercourse with the Indians there. It was, no
+doubt, very easy for him to enter into communication with Indians
+here. They are all alike."
+
+"But how could he have found them? He must have had them at the
+house, or else friends outside must have sent them."
+
+"He might have bribed the people of the house."
+
+"Impossible!"
+
+"Monsieur does not mean to say that anything is impossible to one who
+has gold. Men of this age do anything for gold."
+
+Cazeneau was silent. To him this was so profoundly true that he had
+nothing to say. He sat in silence for a little while, and then
+continued:--
+
+"I understand that at the time of the arrest of Motier, he was in the
+garden of the residence, with the Countess de Laborde, and that you
+were with them. How is this? Did this interview take place with your
+sanction or connivance?"
+
+"I knew nothing about it. It was by the merest accident, as far as I
+know."
+
+"You did not help them in this way?"
+
+"I did not."
+
+"Monsieur L'Abbe," said Cazeneau, "I am glad that you have answered
+my questions so fully and so frankly. I confess that, in my first
+anger, I considered that in some way you had taken part against me.
+To think so gave me great pain, as I have had too high an esteem for
+you to be willing to think of you as an enemy. But your explanations
+are in every way satisfactory. T hope, monsieur, that whatever
+letters you receive from France, they will not take you away from
+this part of the world. I feel confident that you, with your
+influence over the Indians here, will be an invaluable ally to one in
+my position, in the endeavors which I shall make to further in these
+parts the interests of France and of the church."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+
+A RAY OF LIGHT.
+
+
+After leaving Cazeneau, Pere Michel went to the prison where Claude
+was confined. The young man looked pale and dejected, for the
+confinement had told upon his health and spirits; and worse than the
+confinement was the utter despair which had settled down upon his
+soul. At the sight of the priest, he gave a cry of joy, and hurried
+forward.
+
+"I thought you had forgotten all about me," said Claude, as he
+embraced the good priest, while tears of joy started to his eyes.
+
+"I have never forgotten you, my son," said the priest, as he returned
+his embrace; "that is impossible. I have thought of you both night
+and day, and have been trying to do something for you."
+
+"For me," said Claude, gloomily, "nothing can be done. But tell me
+about her. How does she bear this?"
+
+"Badly," said the priest, "as you may suppose."
+
+Claude sighed.
+
+"My son," said the priest, "I have come to you now on important
+business; and, first of all, I wish to speak to you about a subject
+that you will consider most important. I mean that secret which you
+wish to discover, and which drew you away from your home."
+
+"Do you know anything about it?"
+
+"Much. Remember I was with Laborde in his last hours, and received
+his confession. I am, therefore, able to tell you all that you wish
+to know; and after that you must decide for yourself another
+question, which will grow out of this.
+
+"About twenty years ago there was a beautiful heiress, who was
+presented at court. Her name was the Countess de Besancon. She was a
+Huguenot, and therefore not one whom you would expect to see amid the
+vicious circles at Versailles. But her guardians were Catholic, and
+hoped that the attractions of the court might weaken her faith. She
+became the admired of all, and great was the rivalry for her favor.
+Two, in particular, devoted themselves to her--the Count de Montresor
+and the Count de Laborde. She preferred the former, and they were
+married. After this, the count and countess left the court, and
+retired to the Chateau de Montresor.
+
+"Laborde and Montresor had always been firm friends until this; but
+now Laborde, stung by jealousy and hate, sought to effect the ruin of
+Montresor. At first his feeling was only one of jealousy, which was
+not unnatural, under the circumstances. Left to himself, I doubt not
+that it would have died a natural death; but, unfortunately, Laborde
+was under the influence of a crafty adventurer, who now, when
+Montresor's friendship was removed, gained an ascendency over him.
+This man was this Cazeneau, who has treated you so shamefully.
+
+"I will not enlarge upon his character. You yourself know now well
+enough what that is. He was a man of low origin, who had grown up
+amid the vilest court on the surface of the earth. At that time the
+Duke of Orleans and the Abbe Dubois had control of everything, and
+the whole court was an infamous scene of corruption. Cazeneau soon
+found means to turn the jealousy of Laborde into a deeper hate, and
+to gain his co-operation in a scheme which he had formed for his own
+profit.
+
+"Cazeneau's plan was this: The laws against the Huguenots were very
+stringent, and were in force, as, indeed, they are yet. The Countess
+de Montresor was a Huguenot, and nothing could make her swerve from
+her faith. The first blow was levelled at her, for in this way they
+knew that they could inflict a deeper wound upon her husband. She was
+to be arrested, subjected to the mockery of French justice, and
+condemned to the terrible punishment which the laws inflicted upon
+heretics. Had Montresor remained at court, he could easily have
+fought off this pair of conspirators; but, being away, he knew
+nothing about it till all was ready; and then he had nothing to do
+but to fly, in order to save his wife.
+
+"Upon this, fresh charges were made against him, and lettres de
+cachet were issued. These would have flung him into the Bastile, to
+rot and die forgotten. But Montresor had effectually concealed
+himself, together with his wife, and the emissaries of the government
+were baffled. It was by that time too late for him to defend himself
+in any way; and the end of it was, that he decided to fly from
+France. He did so, and succeeded in reaching Quebec in safety. Here
+he hoped to remain only for a time, and expected that before long a
+change in the ministry might take place, by means of which he might
+regain his rights.
+
+"But Fleury was all-powerful with the king, and Cazeneau managed
+somehow to get into Fleury's good graces, so that Montresor had no
+chance. The Montresor estates, and all the possessions of his wife,
+were confiscated, and Laborde and Cazeneau secured much of them. But
+Montresor had other things to trouble him. His wife grew ill, and
+died not long after his arrival, leaving an infant son. Montresor now
+had nothing which seemed to him worth living for. He therefore left
+his child to the care of the faithful Motier, and disappeared, as you
+have told me, and has never been heard of since.
+
+"Of course Laborde knew nothing of this, and I only add this to the
+information which he gave, in order to make it as plain to you as it
+is to me. Laborde asserted that after the first blow he recoiled,
+conscience-stricken, and refused further to pursue your father,
+though Cazeneau was intent upon his complete destruction; and perhaps
+this is the reason why Montresor was not molested at Quebec. A better
+reason, however, is to be found in the merciful nature of Fleury,
+whom I believe at bottom to have been a good man.
+
+"After this, years passed. To Laborde they were years of remorse.
+Hoping to get rid of his misery, he married. A daughter was born to
+him. It was of no use. His wife died. His daughter was sent to a
+convent to be educated. He himself was a lonely, aimless man. What
+was worse, he was always under the power of Cazeneau, who never would
+let go his hold. This Cazeneau squandered the plunder of the
+Montresors upon his own vices, and soon became as poor as he was
+originally. After this he lived upon Laborde. His knowledge of
+Laborde's remorse gave him a power over him which his unhappy victim
+could not resist. The false information  which Laborde had sworn to
+against the Count de Montresor was perjury; and Cazeneau, the very
+man who had suggested it, was always ready to threaten to denounce
+him to Fleury.
+
+"So time went on. Laborde grew older, and at last the one desire of
+his life was to make amends before he died. At length Fleury died.
+The new ministry were different. All of them detested Cazeneau. One
+of them--Maurepas--was a friend to Laborde. To this Maurepas, Laborde
+told his whole story, and Maurepas promised that he would do all in
+his power to make amends. The greatest desire of Laborde was to
+discover some one of the family. He had heard that the count and
+countess were both dead, but that they had left an infant son. It was
+this that brought him out here. He hoped to find that son, and
+perhaps the count himself, for the proof of his death was not very
+clear. He did, indeed, find that son, most wonderfully, too, and
+without knowing it; for, as you yourself see, there cannot be a doubt
+that you are that son.
+
+"Now, Laborde kept all this a profound secret from Cazeneau, and
+hoped, on leaving France, never to see him again. What, however, was
+his amazement, on reaching the ship, to learn that Cazeneau also was
+going! He had got the appointment to Louisbourg from Fleury before
+his death, and the appointment had been confirmed by the new
+ministry, for some reason or other. I believe that they will recall
+him at once, and use his absence to effect his ruin. I believe
+Cazeneau expects this, and is trying to strengthen his resources by
+getting control of the Laborde estates. His object in marrying Mimi
+is simply this. This was the chief dread of Laborde in dying, and
+with his last words he entreated me to watch over his daughter.
+
+"Cazeneau's enmity to you must be accounted for on the ground that he
+discovered, somehow, your parentage. Mimi told me afterwards, that he
+was near you one day, concealed, while you were telling her. He was
+listening, beyond a doubt, and on the first opportunity determined to
+put you out of the way. He dreads, above all things, your appearance
+in France as the son of the unfortunate Count de Montresor. For now
+all those who were once powerful are dead, and the present government
+would be very glad to espouse the Montresor cause, and make amends,
+as far as possible, for his wrongs. They would like to use you as a
+means of dealing a destructive blow against Cazeneau himself.
+Cazeneau's first plan was to put you out of the way on some charge of
+treason; but now, of course, the charge against you will be attempt
+at murder."
+
+To all this Claude listened with much less interest than he would
+have felt formerly. But the sentence of death seemed impending, and
+it is not surprising that the things of this life seemed of small
+moment.
+
+"Well," said he, with a sigh, "I'm much obliged to you for telling me
+all this; but it makes very little difference to me now."
+
+"Wait till you have heard all," said the priest. "I have come here
+for something more; but it was necessary to tell you all this at the
+first. I have now to tell you that--your position is full of hope; in
+fact--" Here the priest put his head close to Claude's ear, and
+whispered, "I have come to save you."
+
+"What!" cried Claude.
+
+The priest placed his hand on Claude's mouth.
+
+"No one is listening; but it is best to be on our guard," he
+whispered. "Yes, I can save you, and will. This very night you shall
+be free, on your way to join your friend, the captain. To-day I
+received a message from him by an Indian. He had reached Canso. I had
+warned him to go there. The Indians went on board, and brought his
+message. He will wait there for us."
+
+At this intelligence, which to Claude was unexpected and amazing, he
+could not say one word, but sat with clasped hands and a face of
+rapture. But suddenly a thought came to his mind, which disturbed his
+joy.
+
+"Mimi--what of her?"
+
+"You must go alone," said the priest.
+
+Claude's face grew dark. He shook his head.
+
+"Then I will not go at all."
+
+"Not go! Who is she--do you know? She is the daughter of Laborde, the
+man who ruined your father."
+
+Claude compressed his lips, and looked with fixed determination at
+the priest.
+
+"She is not to blame," said he, "for her father's faults. She has
+never known them, and never shall know them. Besides, for all that he
+did, her father suffered, and died while seeking to make atonement.
+My father himself, were he alive, would surely forgive that man for
+all he did; and I surely will not cherish hate against his memory. So
+Mimi shall be mine. She is mine; we have exchanged vows. I will stay
+here and die, rather than go and leave her."
+
+"Spoken like a young fool, as you are!" said the priest. "Well, if
+you will not go without her, you shall go with her; but go you must,
+and to-night."
+
+"What? can she go too, after all? O, my best Pere Michel, what can I
+say?"
+
+"Say nothing as yet, for there is one condition."
+
+"What is that? I will agree to anything. Never mind conditions."
+
+"You must be married before you go."
+
+"Married!" cried Claude, in amazement.
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Married! How? Am I not here in a dungeon? How can she and I be
+married?"
+
+"I will tell you how presently. But first, let me tell you why. First
+of all, we may all get scattered in the woods. It will be very
+desirable that she should have you for her lawful lord and master, so
+that you can have a right to stand by her to the last. You can do far
+more for her than I can, and I do not wish to have all the
+responsibility. This is one reason.
+
+"But there is another reason, which, to me, is of greater importance.
+It is this, my son: You may be captured. The worst may come to the
+worst. You may--which may Heaven forbid--yet you may be put to
+death. I do not think so. I hope not. I hope, indeed, that Cazeneau
+may eventually fall a prey to his own machinations. But it is
+necessary to take this into account. And then, my son, if such a sad
+fate should indeed be yours, we must both of us think what will be
+the fate of Mimi. If you are not married, her fate will be swift and
+certain. She will be forced to marry this infamous miscreant, who
+does not even pretend to love her, but merely wants her money. He has
+already told her his intention--telling her that her father left
+nothing, and that he wishes to save her from want, whereas her father
+left a very large estate. Such will be her fate if she is single. But
+if she is your wife, all will be different. As your widow, she will
+be safe. He would have to allow her a decent time for mourning; and
+in any case he would scarce be able so to defy public opinion as to
+seek to marry the widow of the man whom he had killed. Besides, to
+gain time would be everything; and before a year would be over, a
+host of friends would spring up to save her from him. This, then, is
+the reason why I think that you should be married."
+
+"I am all amazement," cried Claude, "I am bewildered. Married! Such a
+thing would be my highest wish. But I don't understand all this. How
+is it possible to think of marriage at such a time as this?"
+
+"Well, I will now explain that," said the priest. "The late
+commandant is a friend of mine. We were acquainted with each other
+years ago in France. As soon as Cazeneau made his appearance here,
+and you were arrested, I went to him and told him the whole story of
+your parents, as I have just now told you. He had heard something
+about their sad fate in former years, and his sympathies were all
+enlisted. Besides, he looks upon Cazeneau as a doomed man, the
+creature of the late regime, the fallen government. He expects that
+Cazeneau will be speedily recalled, disgraced, and punished. He also
+expects that the honors of the Count de Montresor will be restored to
+you. He is sufficient of an aristocrat to prefer an old and honorable
+name, like Montresor, to that of a low and unprincipled adventurer,
+like Cazeneau, and does not wish to see the Countess Laborde fall a
+victim to the machinations of a worn-out scoundrel. And so the
+ex-commandant will do all that he can. Were it not for him, I do not
+think I could succeed in freeing both of you, though I still might
+contrive to free you alone."
+
+"O, my dear Pere Michel! What can I say? I am dumb!"
+
+"Say nothing. I must go now."
+
+"When will you come?"
+
+"At midnight. There will be a change of guards then. The new sentry
+will be favorable; he will run away with us, so as to save himself
+from punishment."
+
+"And when shall we be married?"
+
+"To-night. You will go from here to the commandant's residence, and
+then out. But we must haste, for by daybreak Cazeneau will discover
+all--perhaps before. We can be sure, however, of three hours. I hope
+it will be light. Well, we must trust to Providence. And now, my son,
+farewell till midnight."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+
+ESCAPE.
+
+
+Claude remained alone once more, with his brain in a whirl from the
+tumult of thought which had arisen. This interview with the priest
+had been the most eventful hour of his life. He had learned the
+secret of his parentage, the wrongs and sufferings of his father and
+mother, the villany of Cazeneau, the true reason for the bitter
+enmity which in him had triumphed over gratitude, and made him seek
+so pertinaciously the life of the man who had once saved his own.
+
+It seemed like a dream. But a short time before, not one ray of hope
+appeared to illuminate the midnight gloom which reigned around him
+and within him. Now all was dazzling brightness. It seemed too
+bright; it was unnatural; it was too much to hope for. That he should
+escape was of itself happiness enough; but that he should also join
+Mimi once more, and that he should be joined to her, no more to part
+till death, was an incredible thing. Mimi herself must also know
+this, and was even now waiting for him, as he was waiting for her.
+
+Claude waited in a fever of impatience. The monotonous step of the
+sentry sounded out as he paced to and fro. At times Claude thought he
+heard the approach of footsteps, and listened eagerly; but over and
+over again he was compelled to desist, on finding that his senses
+deceived him. Thus the time passed, and as it passed, his impatience
+grew the more uncontrollable. Had it been possible, he would have
+burst open the door, and ventured forth so as to shorten his
+suspense.
+
+At length a sound of approaching footsteps did in reality arise. This
+time there was no mistake. He heard voices outside, the challenge and
+reply of the changing guard. Then footsteps departed, and the tramp
+died away, leaving only the pacing of the sentinel for Claude to
+hear. What now? Was this the sentinel who was to be his friend? He
+thought so. He believed so. The time passed--too long a time, he
+thought, for the sentinel gave no sign: still he kept up his
+monotonous tramp. Claude repressed his impatience, and waited till,
+to his astonishment, what seemed an immense time had passed away; and
+the sentinel came not to his aid.
+
+Still the time passed. Claude did not know what to think. Gradually a
+sickening fear arose--the fear that the whole plan had been
+discovered, and that the priest had failed. Perhaps the commandant
+had played him false, and had pretended to sympathize with him so as
+to draw out his purpose, which he would reveal to Cazeneau, in order
+to gain his gratitude, and lay him under obligation. The priest, he
+thought, was too guileless to deal with men of the world like these.
+He had been caught in a trap, and had involved himself with all the
+rest. His own fate could be no worse than it was before, but it was
+doubly bitter to fall back into his despair, after having been for a
+brief interval raised up to so bright a hope.
+
+Such were the thoughts that finally took possession of Claude, and,
+with every passing moment, deepened into conviction. Midnight had
+passed; the sentry had come, and there he paced mechanically, with no
+thought of him. Either the ex-commandant or the sentinel had betrayed
+them. Too many had been in the secret. Better never to have heard of
+this plan than, having heard of it, to find it thus dashed away on
+the very eve of its accomplishment. Time passed, and every moment
+only added to Claude's bitterness; time passed, and every moment only
+served to show him that all was over. A vague thought came of
+speaking to the sentinel; but that was dismissed. Then another
+thought came, of trying to tear away the iron grating; but the
+impossibility of that soon showed itself. He sank down upon his
+litter of straw in one corner, and bade adieu to hope. Then he
+started up, and paced up and down wildly, unable to yield so calmly
+to despair. Then once more he sank down upon the straw.
+
+Thus he was lying, crouched down, his head in his hands, overwhelmed
+utterly, when suddenly a deep sound came to his ears, which in an
+instant made him start to his feet, and drove away every despairing
+thought, bringing in place of these a new wave of hope, and joy, and
+amazement. It was the single toll of the great bell, which, as he
+knew, always sounded at midnight.
+
+Midnight! Was it possible? Midnight had not passed, then. The change
+of sentry had been at nine o'clock, which he, deceived by the slow
+progress of the hours, had supposed to be midnight. He had been
+mistaken. There was yet hope. He rushed to the grating, and listened.
+There were footsteps approaching--the tramp of the relieving guard.
+He listened till the guard was relieved, and the departing footsteps
+died away. Then began the pace of the new sentry.
+
+What now? Was there to be a repetition of his former experience? Was
+he again to be dashed down from this fresh hope into a fresh despair?
+He nerved himself for this new ordeal, and waited with a painfully
+throbbing heart. At the grating he stood, motionless, listening, with
+all his soul wrapped and absorbed in his single sense of hearing.
+There were an inner grating and an outer one, and between the two a
+sash with two panes of glass. He could hear the sentry as he paced up
+and down; he could also hear, far away, the long, shrill note of
+innumerable frogs; and the one seemed as monotonous, as unchangeable,
+and as interminable as the other.
+
+But at length the pacing of the sentry ceased. Claude listened; the
+sentinel stopped; there was no longer any sound. Claude listened
+still. This was the supreme hour of his fate. On this moment depended
+all his future. What did this mean? Would the sentry begin his tramp?
+
+He would; he did. In despair Claude fled from the grating, and fell
+back upon the straw. For a time he seemed unconscious of everything;
+but at length he was roused by a rattle at the door of his cell. In a
+moment he was on his feet, listening. It was the sound of a key as it
+slowly turned in the lock. Claude moved not, spoke not; he waited. If
+this was his deliverer, all well; if not, he was resolved to have a
+struggle for freedom. Then he stole cautiously to the door.
+
+It opened. Claude thrust his hand through, and seized a human arm. A
+man's voice whispered back,--
+
+"H-s-s-t! _Suivez moi_."
+
+A thrill of rapture unutterable passed through every nerve and fibre
+of Claude. At once all the past was forgotten; forgotten, also, were
+all the dangers that still lay before him. It was enough that this
+hope had not been frustrated, that the sentinel had come to deliver
+him from the cell at the midnight hour. The cool breeze of night was
+wafted in through the open door, and fanned the fevered brow of the
+prisoner, bearing on its wings a soothing influence, a healing balm,
+and life, and hope. His presence of mind all came back: he was
+self-poised, vigilant, cool: all this in one instant. All his powers
+would be needed to carry him through the remainder of the night; and
+these all were summoned forth, and came at his bidding. And so Claude
+followed his guide.
+
+The sentinel led the way, under the shadow of the wall, towards the
+Residency. At one end of this was the chapel. Towards this the
+sentinel guided Claude, and, on reaching it, opened the door. A hand
+seized his arm, a voice whispered in his ear,--
+
+"Welcome, my son. Here is your bride."
+
+And then a soft hand was placed in his. Claude knew whose hand it
+was. He flung his arms around the slender figure of Mimi, and pressed
+her to his heart.
+
+"Come," said the priest.
+
+He drew them up towards the altar. Others were present. Claude could
+not see them; one, however, he could see, was a female, whom he
+supposed to be Margot. The moonlight shone in through the great
+window over the altar. Here the priest stood, and placed Claude and
+Mimi before him.
+
+Then he went through the marriage service. It was a strange wedding
+there at midnight, in the moonlit chapel, with the forms of the
+spectators so faintly discerned, and the ghostly outline of priest,
+altar, and window before them as they knelt. But they were married;
+and Claude once more, in a rapture of feeling, pressed his wife to
+his heart.
+
+They now left the chapel by another door in the rear. The priest led
+the way, together with the sentinel. Here was the wall. A flight of
+steps led to the top. On reaching this they came to a place where
+there was a ladder. Down this they all descended in silence, and
+found themselves in the ditch. The ladder was once more made use of
+to climb out of this, and then Claude saw a figure crouched on the
+ground and creeping towards them. It was an Indian, with whom the
+priest conversed in his own language for a moment.
+
+"All is well," he whispered to Claude. "The captain is waiting for us
+many miles from this. And now, forward!"
+
+The Indian led the way; then went the priest; then Claude with Mimi;
+then Margot; last of all came the sentinel, who had deserted his
+post, and was now seeking safety in flight under the protection of
+Pere Michel. Such was the little party of fugitives that now sought
+to escape from Louisbourg into the wild forest around. After walking
+for about a mile, they reached a place where five horses were bound.
+Here they proceeded to mount.
+
+"I sent these out after sundown," said the priest to Claude. "There
+are not many horses in Louisbourg. These will assist us to escape,
+and will be lost to those who pursue. Here, my son, arm yourself, so
+as to defend your wife, in case of need."
+
+With these words the priest handed Claude a sword, pointing also to
+pistols which were in the holster. The Indian alone remained on foot.
+He held the bridle of the priest's horse, and led the way, sometimes
+on what is called an "Indian trot," at other times on a walk. The
+others all followed at the same pace.
+
+The road was the same one which had been traversed by Claude and Mimi
+when they first came to Louisbourg--a wide trail, rough, yet
+serviceable, over which many pack-horses and droves of cattle had
+passed, but one which was not fitted for wheels, and was rather a
+trail than a road. On each side the trees arose, which threw a deep
+shade, so that, in spite of the moon which shone overhead, it was too
+dark to go at any very rapid pace.
+
+"We must make all the haste we can," said the priest. "In three hours
+they will probably discover all. The alarm will be given, and we shall
+be pursued. In these three hours, then, we must get so far ahead that
+they may not be able to come up with us."
+
+At first the pathway was wide enough for them all to move at a rapid
+pace; but soon it began to grow narrower. As they advanced, the trees
+grew taller, and the shadows which they threw were darker. The path
+became more winding, for, like all trails, it avoided the larger
+trees or stones, and wound around them, where a road would have led
+to their removal. The path also became rougher, from stones which
+protruded in many places, or from long roots stretching across, which
+in the darkness made the horses stumble incessantly. These it was
+impossible to avoid. In addition to these, there were miry places,
+where the horses sank deep, and could only extricate themselves with
+difficulty.
+
+Thus their progress grew less and less, till at length it dwindled to
+a walk, and a slow one at that. Nothing else could be done. They all
+saw the impossibility of more rapid progress, in the darkness, over
+such a path. Of them all, Claude was the most impatient, as was
+natural. His sense of danger was most keen. The terror of the night
+had not yet passed away. Already, more than once, he had gone from
+despair to hope, and back once more to despair; and it seemed to him
+as though his soul must still vibrate between these two extremes. The
+hope which was born out of new-found freedom was now rapidly yielding
+to the fear of pursuit and re-capture.
+
+In the midst of these thoughts, he came forth suddenly upon a broad,
+open plain, filled with stout underbrush. Through this the trail ran.
+Reaching this, the whole party urged their horses at full speed, and
+for at least three miles they were able to maintain this rapid
+progress. At the end of that distance, the trail once more entered
+the woods, and the pace dwindled to a walk. But that three-mile run
+cheered the spirits of all.
+
+"How many miles have we come, I wonder?" asked Claude.
+
+"About six," said the priest.
+
+"How many miles is it to the schooner?"
+
+"About forty."
+
+Claude drew a long breath.
+
+"It must be nearly three o'clock in the morning now," said he. "I
+dare say they are finding it out now."
+
+"Well, we needn't stop to listen," said the priest.
+
+"No; we'll hear them soon enough."
+
+"At any rate, the dawn is coming," said the priest. "The day will
+soon be here, and then we can go on as fast as we wish."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+
+PURSUIT.
+
+
+As they hurried on, it grew gradually lighter, so that they were able
+to advance more rapidly. The path remained about the same, winding as
+before, and with the same alternations of roots, stones, and swamp;
+but the daylight made all the difference in the world, and they were
+now able to urge their horses at the top of their speed. The Indian
+who was at their head was able to keep there without much apparent
+effort, never holding back or falling behind, though if the ground
+had been smoother he could scarcely have done so. With every step the
+dawn advanced, until at last the sun rose, and all the forest grew
+bright in the beams of day. A feeling of hope and joy succeeded to
+the late despondency which had been creeping over them; but this only
+stimulated them to redoubled exertions, so that they might not, after
+all, find themselves at last cheated out of these bright hopes.
+
+That they were now pursued they all felt confident. At three o'clock
+the absence of the sentry must have been discovered, and, of course,
+the flight of Claude. Thereupon the alarm would at once be given.
+Cazeneau would probably be aroused, and would proceed to take action
+immediately. Even under what might be the most favorable
+circumstances to them, it was not likely that there would be a delay
+of more than an hour.
+
+Besides, the pursuer had an advantage over them. They had a start of
+three hours; but those three hours were spent in darkness, when they
+were able to go over but little ground. All that they had toiled so
+long in order to traverse, their pursuers could pass over in one
+quarter the time, and one quarter the labor. They were virtually not
+more than one hour in advance of the enemy, who would have fresher
+horses, with which to lessen even this small advantage. And by the
+most favorable calculation, there remained yet before them at least
+thirty miles, over a rough and toilsome country. Could they hope to
+escape?
+
+Such were the thoughts that came to Claude's mind, and such the
+question that came to him. That question he did not care to discuss
+with himself. He could only resolve to keep up the flight till the
+last moment, and then resist to the bitter end.
+
+But now there arose a new danger, which brought fresh difficulties
+with it, and filled Claude with new despondency. This danger arose
+from a quarter in which he was most assailable to fear and
+anxiety--from Mimi.
+
+He had never ceased, since they first left, to watch over his bride
+with the most anxious solicitude, sometimes riding by her side and
+holding her hand, when the path admitted it, at other times riding
+behind her, so as to keep her in view, and all the time never ceasing
+to address to her words of comfort and good cheer. To all his
+questions Mimi had never failed to respond in a voice which was full
+of cheerfulness and sprightliness, and no misgivings on her account
+entered his mind until the light grew bright enough for him to see
+her face. Then he was struck by her appearance. She seemed so feeble,
+so worn, so fatigued, that a great fear came over him.
+
+"O, Mimi, darling!" he cried, "this is too much for you."
+
+"O, no," she replied, in the same tone; "I can keep up as long as you
+wish me to."
+
+"But you look so completely worn out!"
+
+"O, that's because I've been fretting about you--you bad boy; it's
+not this ride at all."
+
+"Are you sure that you can keep up?"
+
+"Why, of course I am; and I must, for there's nothing else to be
+done."
+
+"O, Mimi, I'm afraid--I'm very much afraid that you will break down."
+
+At this Mimi gave a little laugh, but said nothing, and Claude found
+himself compelled to trust to hope. Thus they went on for some time
+longer.
+
+But at length Claude was no longer able to conceal the truth from
+himself, nor was Mimi able any longer to maintain her loving
+deception. She was exceedingly weak; she was utterly worn out; and in
+pain Claude saw her form sway to and fro and tremble. He asked her
+imploringly to stop and rest. But at the sound of his voice, Mimi
+roused herself once more, by a great effort.
+
+"O, no," she said, with a strong attempt to speak unconcernedly; "O,
+no. I acknowledge I am a little tired; and if we come to any place
+where we may rest, I think I shall do so; but not here, not here; let
+us go farther."
+
+Claude drew a long breath. Deep anxiety overwhelmed him. Mimi was, in
+truth, right. How could they dare to pause just here? The pursuer was
+on their track! No; they must keep on; and if Mimi did sink, what
+then? But he would not think of it; he would hope that Mimi would be
+able, after all, to hold out.
+
+But at length what Claude had feared came to pass. He had been riding
+behind Mimi for some time, so as to watch her better, when suddenly
+he saw her slender frame reel to one side. A low cry came from her.
+In an instant Claude was at her side, and caught her in his arms in
+time to save her from a fall.
+
+Mimi had not fainted, but was simply prostrated from sheer fatigue.
+No strength was left, and it was impossible for her to sit up any
+longer. She had struggled to bear up as long as possible, and finally
+had given way altogether.
+
+"I cannot help it," she murmured.
+
+"O, my darling!" cried Claude, in a voice of anguish.
+
+"Forgive me, dear Claude. I cannot help it!"
+
+"O, don't talk so," said Claude. "I ought to have seen your weakness
+before, and given you assistance. But come now; I will hold you in my
+arms, and we will still be able to go on."
+
+"I wish you would leave me; only leave me, and then you can be saved.
+There is no danger for me; but if you are captured, your life will be
+taken. O, Claude, dearest Claude, leave me and fly."
+
+"You distress me, Mimi, darling, by all this. I cannot leave you; I
+would rather die than do so. And so, if you love me, don't talk so."
+
+At this, with a little sob, Mimi relapsed into silence.
+
+"Courage, darling," said Claude, in soothing tones. "Who knows but
+that they are still in Louisbourg, and have not yet left? We may get
+away, after all; or we may find some place of hiding."
+
+The additional burden which he had been forced to assume overweighted
+very seriously Claude's horse, and signs of this began to appear
+before long. No sooner, however, had Claude perceived that it was
+difficult to keep with the rest of the party, than he concluded to
+shift himself, with Mimi, to the horse which Mimi had left. This was
+one of the best and freshest of the whole party, and but a slight
+delay was occasioned by the change.
+
+After this they kept up a good rate of speed for more than two hours,
+when Claude once more changed to another horse. This time it was to
+Margot's horse, which had done less thus far than any of the others.
+Margot then took the horse which Claude had at first, and thus they
+went on. It was a good contrivance, for thus by changing about from
+one to another, and by allowing one horse to be led, the endurance of
+the whole was maintained longer than would otherwise have been
+possible.
+
+But at length the long and fatiguing journey began to tell most
+seriously on all the horses, and all began to see that further
+progress would not be much longer possible. For many hours they had
+kept on their path; and, though the distance which they had gone was
+not more than twenty-five miles, yet, so rough had been the road that
+the labor had been excessive, and all the horses needed rest. By this
+time it was midday, and they all found themselves face to face with a
+question of fearful import, which none of them knew how to answer.
+The question was, what to do. Could they stop? Dare they? Yet they
+must. For the present they continued on a little longer.
+
+They now came to another open space, overgrown with shrubbery,
+similar to that which they had traversed in the night. It was about
+two miles in extent, and at the other end arose a bare, rocky hill,
+beyond which was the forest.
+
+"We must halt at the top of that hill," said Claude. "It's the best
+place. We can guard against a surprise, at any rate. Some of the
+horses will drop if we go on much farther."
+
+"I suppose we'll have to," said the priest.
+
+"We must rest for half an hour, at least," said Claude. "If they come
+up, we'll have to scatter, and take to the woods."
+
+With these words they rode on, and at length reached the hill. The
+path wound up it, and in due time they reached the top.
+
+But scarcely had they done so, than a loud cry sounded out, which
+thrilled through all hearts. Immediately after, a figure came
+bounding towards them.
+
+"Hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!" shouted the new comer.
+
+"Heavens! Zac!" cried Claude; "you here?"
+
+"Nobody else," replied Zac, wringing his hand. "But what are you
+going to do?"
+
+"Our horses are blown; we are pursued, but have to halt for a half
+hour or so. If they come up, we'll have to scatter, and take to the
+woods, and start the horses ahead on the path. This is a good lookout
+place."
+
+With these words Claude began to dismount, bearing his beloved
+burden. The priest assisted him. Zac, after his first hurried
+greeting, had moved towards Margot, around whom he threw his arms,
+with an energetic clasp, and lifted her from the saddle to the
+ground. Then he shook hands with her.
+
+"I'm ver mooch glad to see you," said Margot. "Ees your sheep far
+off?"
+
+"So, they're after you--air they?" said he. "Wal, little one, when
+they come, you stick to me--mind that; an' I engage to get you off
+free. Stick to me, though. Be handy, an' I'll take you clar of them."
+
+Claude was now engaged in finding a comfortable place upon which Mimi
+might recline. The Indian stood as lookout; the deserter busied
+himself with the horses; the priest stood near, watching Claude and
+Mimi, while Zac devoted himself to Margot. In the midst of this, the
+Indian came and said something to the priest. Claude noticed this,
+and started.
+
+"What is it?" he asked.
+
+"He hears them," said the priest, significantly.
+
+"So soon!" exclaimed Claude. "Then we must scatter. The horses will
+be of no use. Our last chance is the woods."
+
+In a moment the alarm was made; hasty directions were given for each
+one to take care of himself, and if he eluded the pursuers, to follow
+the path to the place where the schooner lay. Meanwhile the horses
+were to be driven ahead by the Indian as far as possible. The Indian
+at once went off, together with the deserter, and these two drove the
+horses before them into the woods, along the path. Then Zac followed.
+Lifting Margot in his arms, he bore her lightly along, and soon
+disappeared in the woods.
+
+Then Claude took Mimi in his arms, and hastened as fast as he could
+towards the shelter of the woods. But Claude had not Zac's strength,
+and besides, Mimi was more of a dead weight than Margot, so that he
+could not go nearly so fast. Zac was in the woods, and out of sight,
+long before Claude had reached the place; and by that time the rest
+of the party, both horses and men, had all disappeared, with the
+exception of Pere Michel. The good priest kept close by the young
+man, as though resolved to share his fate, whether in life or death.
+If it was difficult while carrying Mimi over the path, Claude found
+it far more so on reaching the woods. Here he dared not keep to the
+path, for the very object of going to the woods was to elude
+observation by plunging into its darkest and deepest recesses. Zac
+had gone there at a headlong rate, like a fox to his covert. Such a
+speed Claude could not rival, and no sooner did he take one step in
+the woods, than he perceived the full difficulty of his task. The
+woods were of the wildest kind, filled with rocks and fallen trees,
+the surface of the ground being most irregular. At every other step
+it was necessary to clamber over some obstacle, or crawl under it.
+
+"We cannot hope to go far," said the priest. "Our only course now
+will be to find some convenient hiding-place. Perhaps they will pass
+on ahead, and then we can go farther on."
+
+At this very moment the noise of horses and men sounded close behind.
+One hurried look showed them all. Their pursuers had reached their
+late halting-place, and were hurrying forward. The place bore traces
+of their halt, which did not escape the keen eyes of their enemies.
+At the sight, Claude threw himself down in a hollow behind a tree,
+with Mimi beside him, while the priest did the same.
+
+The suspicions of the pursuers seemed to have been awakened by the
+signs which they had seen at the last halting-place. They rode on
+more slowly. At length they divided, half of them riding rapidly
+ahead, and the other half moving forward at a walk, and scanning
+every foot of ground in the open and in the woods.
+
+At last a cry escaped one of them. Claude heard it. The next moment
+he heard footsteps. The enemy were upon him; their cries rang in his
+ears. In all the fury of despair, he started to his feet with only
+one thought, and that was, to sell his life as dearly as possible.
+But Mimi flung herself in his arms, and the priest held his hands.
+
+"Yield," said the priest. "You can do nothing. There is yet hope."
+
+The next moment Claude was disarmed, and in the hands of his enemies.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+
+ZAC AND MARGOT.
+
+
+Seizing Margot in his arms at the first alarm, Zac had fled to the
+woods. Being stronger than Claude, he was fortunate in having a less
+unwieldy burden; for Margot did not lie like a heavyweight in his
+arms, but was able to dispose herself in a way which rendered her
+more easy to be carried. On reaching the woods, Zac did not at once
+plunge in among the trees, but continued along the trail for some
+distance, asking Margot to tell him the moment she saw one of the
+pursuing party. As Margot's face was turned back, she was in a
+position to watch. It was Zac's intention to find some better place
+for flight than the stony and swampy ground at the outer edge of the
+forest; and as he hurried along, he watched narrowly for a good
+opportunity to leave the path. At length he reached a place where the
+ground descended on the other side of the hill, and here he came to
+some pine trees. There was but little underbrush, the surface of the
+ground was comparatively smooth, and good progress could be made here
+without much difficulty. Here, then, Zac turned in. As he hurried
+onward, he found the pine forest continuing along the whole slope,
+and but few obstacles in his way. Occasionally a fallen tree lay
+before him, and this he could easily avoid. Hurrying on, then, under
+these favorable circumstances, Zac was soon lost in the vast forest,
+and out of sight as well as out of hearing of all his purposes. Here
+he might have rested; but still he kept on. He was not one to do
+things by halves, and chose rather to make assurance doubly sure; and
+although even Margot begged him to put her down, yet he would not.
+
+"Wal," said he, at last, "'tain't often I have you; an' now I got
+you, I ain't goin' to let you go for a good bit yet. Besides, you
+can't ever tell when you're safe. Nothin' like makin' things sure, I
+say."
+
+With these words Zac kept on his way, though at a slower pace. It was
+not necessary for him to fly so rapidly, nor was he quite so fresh as
+when he started. Margot also noticed this, and began to insist so
+vehemently on getting down, that he was compelled to grant her
+request. He still held her hand, however, and thus the two went on
+for some distance farther.
+
+At last they reached a point where there was an abrupt and almost
+precipitous descent. From this crest of the precipice the eye could
+wander over a boundless prospect of green forest, terminated in the
+distance by wooded hills.
+
+"Wal," said Zac, "I think we may as well rest ourselves here."
+
+"Dat is ver nice," said Margot.
+
+Zac now arranged a seat for her by gathering some moss at the foot of
+a tree. She seated herself here, and Zac placed himself by her side.
+He then opened a bag which he carried slung about his shoulders, and
+brought forth some biscuit and ham, which proved a most grateful
+repast to his companion.
+
+"Do you tink dey chase us here?" asked Margot.
+
+"Wal, we're safer here, ef they do," said Zac. "We can't be taken by
+surprise in the rear, for they can't climb up very easy without our
+seein' 'em; an' as for a front attack, why, I'll keep my eye open:
+an' I'd like to see the Injin or the Moosoo that can come unawars on
+me. I don't mind two or three of 'em, any way," continued Zac, "for
+I've got a couple of bulldogs."
+
+"Boul-dogs?" said Margot, inquiringly.
+
+"Yes, these here," said Zac, opening his frock, and displaying a belt
+around his waist, which held a brace of pistols. "But I don't expect
+I'll have to use 'em, except when I heave in sight of the skewner,
+an' want to hail 'em."
+
+"But we are loss," said Margot, "in dis great woos. How sall we ever
+get any whar out of him?"
+
+"O, that's easy enough," said Zac. "I know all about the woods, and
+can find my way anywhars. My idee is, to go back towards the trail,
+strike into it, an' move along slowly an' cautiously, till we git
+nigh the place whar I left the skewner."
+
+Zac waited in this place till towards evening, and then started once
+more. He began to retrace his steps in a direction which he judged
+would ultimately strike the trail, along which he had resolved to go.
+He had weighed the chances, and concluded that this would be his best
+course. He would have the night to do it in; and if he should come
+unawares upon any of his enemies, he thought it would be easy to dash
+into the woods, and escape under the cover of the darkness. Vigilance
+only was necessary, together with coolness and nerve, and all these
+qualities he believed himself to have.
+
+The knowledge of the woods which Zac claimed stood him in good stead
+on the present occasion; he was able to guide his course in a very
+satisfactory manner; and about sundown, or a little after, he struck
+the trail. Here he waited for a short time, watching and listening;
+and then, having heard nothing whatever that indicated danger, he
+went boldly forward, with Margot close behind. As they advanced, it
+grew gradually darker, and at length the night came down. Overhead
+the moon shone, disclosing a strip of sky where the trees opened
+above the path. For hours they walked along. No enemy appeared; and
+at length Zac concluded that they had all dispersed through the
+woods, at the point where they had first come upon them, and had not
+followed the path any farther. What had become of Claude he could not
+imagine, but could only hope for the best.
+
+They rested for about an hour at midnight. Then Zac carried Margot
+for another hour. After this, Margot insisted on walking. At length,
+after having thus passed the whole night, the path came to a creek.
+Here Zac paused.
+
+"Now, little gal," said he, "you may go to sleep till mornin', for I
+think we've got pooty nigh onto the end of our tramp."
+
+With these words Zac led the way a little distance from the path, and
+here Margot flung herself upon a grassy knoll, and fell sound asleep,
+while Zac, at a little distance off, held watch and guard over her.
+
+Several hours passed, and Zac watched patiently. He had not the heart
+to rouse her, unless compelled by absolute necessity. In this case,
+however, no necessity arose, and he left her to wake herself. When at
+length Margot awoke, the sun was high in the heavens, and Zac only
+smiled pleasantly when she reproached him for not waking her before.
+
+"O, no harm; no 'casion has riz, an' so you were better havin' your
+nap. You'll be all the abler to do what you may hev yet before you.
+An' now, little un, if you're agreed, we'll hev a bite o' breakfast."
+
+A short breakfast, composed of hard biscuit and ham, washed down with
+cool water from a neighboring brook, served to fortify both for the
+duties that lay before them; and after this Zac proposed an immediate
+start.
+
+He led the way along the bank of the creek, and Margot followed. They
+walked here for about two miles, until at length they came in sight
+of a small harbor, into which the creek ran. In the distance was the
+sea; nearer was a headland.
+
+"This here's the place, the i-dentical place," said Zac, in joyous
+tones. "I knowed it; I was sure of it. Come along, little un. We
+ain't got much further to go--only to that thar headland; and then,
+ef I ain't mistook, we'll find the end to our tramp."
+
+With these cheering words he led the way along the shore, until at
+last they reached the headland. It was rocky and bare of trees. Up
+this Zac ran, followed by Margot, and soon reached the top.
+
+"All right!" he cried. "See thar!" and he pointed out to the sea.
+
+Margot had Already seen it: it was the schooner, lying there at
+anchor.
+
+"Eet ees de sheep," said Margot, joyously; "but how sall we geet to
+her?"
+
+"O, they're on the lookout," said Zac. "I'll give signals."
+
+The schooner was not more than a quarter of a mile off. Zac and
+Margot were on the bare headland, and could easily be seen. On board
+the schooner figures were moving up and down. Zac looked for a few
+moments, as if to see whether it was all right, and then gave a
+peculiar cry, something like the cawing of a crow, which he repeated
+three times. The sound was evidently heard, for at once there was a
+movement on board. Zac waved his hat. Then the movement stopped, and
+a boat shot out from the schooner, with a man in it, who rowed
+towards the headland. He soon came near enough to be recognized. It
+was Terry. Zac and Margot hurried to the shore to meet it, and in a
+short time both were on board the Parson.
+
+Great was the joy that was evinced by Terry at the return of his
+captain. He had a host of questions to ask about his adventures, and
+reproached Zac over and over for not allowing him to go also. Jericho
+showed equal feeling, but in a more emphatic form, since it was
+evinced in the shape of a substantial meal, which was most welcome to
+Zac, and to Margot also. As for Biler, he said not a word, but stood
+with his melancholy face turned towards his master, and his jaws
+moving as though engaged in devouring something.
+
+"Sure, an' it's glad I am," said Terry, "for it's not comfortable
+I've been--so it ain't. I don't like bein' shut up here, at all, at
+all. So we'll just up sail, captain dear, an' be off out of this."
+
+"O, no," said Zac; "we've got to wait for the others."
+
+"Wait--is it?" said Terry.
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Sure, thin, an' there's a sail out beyant. Ye can't see it now, but
+ye'll see it soon, for it's been batin' up to the land all the
+mornin'."
+
+"A sail!" exclaimed Zac.
+
+"Yis; an' it's a Frinchman--so it is; an' big enough for a dozen of
+the likes of us."
+
+Further inquiry elicited the startling information that early in the
+morning Terry had seen, far away in the horizon, a large ship, which
+had passed backward and forward while beating up towards the land
+against a head wind, and was just now concealed behind a promontory
+on the south. At this Zac felt that his situation was a serious one,
+and he had to decide what to do. To hoist sail and venture forth to
+sea would be to discover himself, and lay himself open to certain
+capture; while to remain where he was gave him the chance of being
+overlooked. So he decided to remain, and trust to luck. Once, indeed,
+he thought of going ashore once more, but this thought was at once
+dismissed. On shore he would be lost. The woods were full of his
+enemies, and he could hardly hope to reach any English settlement. To
+himself alone the chance was but slight, while for Margot it was
+impossible. To leave her now was not to be thought of, and besides,
+the schooner was the only hope for Claude, who might still be in the
+neighborhood. The consequence was, that Zac decided to do nothing but
+remain here and meet his fate, whatever that might be.
+
+Scarcely had he come to this decision, when a sight met his eyes out
+beyond the southern promontory, where his gaze had been turned.
+There, moving majestically along the sea, he saw a large frigate. It
+was not more than a mile away. For about a quarter of an hour the
+ship sailed along, and Zac was just beginning to hope that he had not
+been seen, when suddenly she came to, and a boat was lowered.
+
+"She sees us!" said Terry.
+
+Zac made no reply.
+
+Yes; there was no doubt of it. They had been seen. Those on board the
+ship had been keeping a sharp lookout, and had detected the outline
+of the schooner sharply defined against the light limestone rock of
+the headland near which she lay. To escape was not to be thought of.
+The boat was coming towards them, filled with armed men. Zac stood
+quite overwhelmed with dejection; and thus he stood as the Parson was
+boarded and seized by the lieutenant of his French majesty's Vengeur,
+who took possession of her in the name of his king.
+
+No sooner had Zac found himself in the power of the enemy, than a
+remarkable change took place in the respective positions of himself
+and Margot with regard to one another. Thus far he had been her
+protector; but now she became his. The first words that she spoke to
+the lieutenant served to conciliate his favor, and secure very
+respectful treatment for Zac, and seemed to convey such important
+intelligence that he concluded at once to transfer Margot to the
+Vengeur, where she could tell her story to the captain.
+
+"Adieu," said she. "We sall soon see again. Do not fear. I make zem
+let you go."
+
+"Wal, little un, I'll try an' hope. But, mind, unless I get you, I
+don't much mind what becomes o' me."
+
+Margot, on being taken on board the Vengeur, was at once examined by
+the captain--the Vicomte de Brissac, who found her statement most
+important. She contented herself with telling everything that was
+essential, and did not think it at all necessary for her to state
+that Zac had already been in the hands of French captors, and had
+effected an escape. She announced herself as the maid of the Countess
+Laborde, who had accompanied her father in the ship Arethuse. She
+narrated the shipwreck, and the rescue by Zac and the young Count de
+Montresor, the encounter with the Aigle, and the subsequent arrest of
+Claude. She mentioned the death of Laborde, and the journey to
+Louisbourg by land, with the escape and pursuit of Claude, the fight
+with Cazeneau, and his subsequent arrival. She then described their
+escape, their pursuit and separation, down to the time of speaking.
+She affirmed that Zac had come here from Minas Basin to save his
+friend, and was awaiting his arrival when the Vengeur appeared.
+
+The captain listened with the most anxious attention to every word;
+questioned her most minutely about the reasons why Cazeneau had
+arrested Claude, and also about his designs on Louisbourg. Margot
+answered everything most frankly, and was able to tell him the truth,
+inasmuch as she had enjoyed very much of the confidence of Mimi, and
+had learned from her about Cazeneau's plans. Captain de Brissac
+showed no emotion of any kind, whether of sympathy or indignation;
+but Margot formed a very favorable estimate of his character from his
+face, and could not help believing that she had won him over as an
+ally. She could see that her story had produced a most profound
+impression.
+
+Captain de Brissac was anxious to know what had been the fate of the
+other fugitives, especially of Claude and Mimi; but of this Margot
+could, of course, give no information. When she had last seen them
+they were flying to the woods, and she could only hope that they had
+been sufficiently fortunate to get under cover before the arrival of
+the enemy.
+
+Captain de Brissac then sent a crew aboard the Parson, and ordered
+them to follow the Vengeur to Louisbourg. Upon this new crew Terry
+looked with careful scrutiny.
+
+"Whisper, captain dear," said he, as he drew up to the meditative
+Zac. "Here's another lot o' Frinchmen. Is it afther thrying agin that
+ye are, to give 'em the slip?"
+
+Zac drew a long breath, and looked with a melancholy face at the
+Vengeur, which was shaking out her sails, and heading east for
+Louisbourg. On the stern he could see a female figure. He could not
+recognize the face, but he felt sure that it was Margot.
+
+"Wal," said he, "I guess we'd better wait a while fust, and see how
+things turn out. The little un's oncommon spry, an' may give us a
+lift somehow."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+
+THE COURT MARTIAL.
+
+
+Claude was treated roughly, bound, and sent forward on foot; but the
+representations of Pere Michel secured better treatment for Mimi. A
+litter was made for her, and on this she was carried. As for Pere
+Michel himself, he, too, was conducted back as a prisoner; but the
+respect of the commander of the soldiers for the venerable priest
+caused him to leave his hands unbound. After a weary tramp they
+reached Louisbourg. Cazeneau was at the gate, and greeted them with a
+sinister smile. Mimi, utterly worn out, both by fatigue and grief,
+took no notice of him, nor did she hear what he said.
+
+"Take the Countess de Laborde to the Residency."
+
+"Pardon," said the priest; "that lady is now the Countess de
+Montresor."
+
+At this Cazeneau turned upon him in fury.
+
+"Traitor!" he hissed; "what do you mean?"
+
+"I mean that I married her to the Count de Montresor last night."
+
+"It's a lie! It's a lie!"
+
+"There are witnesses," said Pere Michel, "who can prove it."
+
+"It's a lie," said Cazeneau; "but even if it is true, it won't help
+her. She'll be a widow before two days. And as for you, you villain
+and traitor, you shall bitterly repent your part in last night's
+work."
+
+Pere Michel shrugged his shoulders, and turned away. This act seemed
+to madden Cazeneau still more.
+
+"Why did you not bind this fellow?" he cried, turning to the
+commander of the detachment.
+
+"Your excellency, I had his parole."
+
+"A curse on his parole! Take him to the prison with Motier, and bind
+him like the other."
+
+Upon this, Mimi was taken to the Residency, and Claude and Pere
+Michel were conducted to prison, where both of them were confined.
+Cazeneau himself then returned to the Residency. The ex-commandant,
+Florian, was at the door. He saw the whole proceeding, but showed no
+particular emotion.
+
+Cazeneau regarded him coldly, and Florian returned his gaze with
+haughty indifference.
+
+"Your plans have not succeeded very well, you see, monsieur," said
+Cazeneau.
+
+"It is not time enough yet to decide," said Florian.
+
+"To-morrow will decide."
+
+"I think not. You will find, Monsieur le Commandant, that there is
+public opinion, even in Louisbourg, which cannot be despised."
+
+"Public opinion which favors traitors may safely be despised."
+
+"True," said Florian; and with these words the two parted.
+
+The following day came. A court martial had been called to sit at two
+in the afternoon. At that hour the session was opened by Cazeneau.
+The chief officers of the garrison were present. With them came
+Florian.
+
+"I am sorry, monsieur," said Cazeneau, "that I cannot invite you to a
+seat in this court."
+
+"By virtue of my military rank," said Florian, "I claim a seat here,
+if not as judge, at least as spectator. I have come to see that the
+Count de Montresor has justice."
+
+"There is no such person. We are to try one Motier."
+
+"It can be proved," said Florian, "that he is the Count de Montresor.
+You yourself arrested him first as such."
+
+"I was mistaken," said Cazeneau.
+
+"As a peer of France, he can appeal to the king; and this court has
+no final jurisdiction. I call all present to witness this. If my
+warning is neglected here, it will be felt in a higher quarter.
+Recollect, monsieur, that I shall soon be able to report to his
+majesty himself. I flatter myself that my influence at court just now
+is not inferior to that of the Count de Cazeneau."
+
+"Perhaps, monsieur," said Cazeneau, with a sneer, "you would wish to
+be commandant a little longer."
+
+"All present," said Florian, "have heard my words. Let them remember
+that the prisoner is undoubtedly the Count de Montresor, a peer of
+France. Witnesses can be produced; among others, the Countess de
+Montresor."
+
+"There is no such person," said Cazeneau, angrily. "That lady is the
+Countess de Laborde."
+
+"She was married two nights since. All present may take warning by
+what I have announced. I will say no more."
+
+The words of Florian had made a profound impression. It was no light
+thing for a colonial court martial to deal with a peer of France.
+Besides, Florian himself would soon be at court, and could tell his
+own story. Cazeneau saw that a limit would be placed to his power if
+he did not manage carefully. He decided to act less harshly, and with
+more cunning. He therefore assumed a milder tone, assured the court
+that Florian was mistaken, disclaimed any personal feeling, and
+finally invited Florian to sit among the judges. Upon this Florian
+took his seat. The prisoner was now brought forward, and the
+witnesses prepared.
+
+The charges were then read. These were to the effect that he had been
+captured while coming to Louisbourg under a suspicious character,
+calling himself Motier, but pretending to be the son of the outlawed
+De Montresor; that afterwards he had escaped from confinement, and
+followed Cazeneau, upon whom he had made a murderous attack.
+
+Claude was then questioned. He told his story fully and frankly as
+has already been stated. After a severe questioning, he was allowed
+to sit down, and Pere Michel was then summoned.
+
+Pere Michel was first asked what he knew about the prisoner. The
+priest answered, simply,--
+
+"Everything."
+
+"What do you mean? Go on and tell what you know about him."
+
+Pere Michel hesitated for a moment, and then, looking at Claude, with
+a face expressive of the deepest emotion, he said in a low
+voice,--
+
+"He is my son."
+
+At this declaration amazement filled all present. Claude was affected
+most of all. He started to his feet, and stood gazing at Pere Michel
+with wonder and incredulity.
+
+
+[Illustration: Claude In His Father's Arms.]
+
+
+"I don't understand," said Cazeneau; "at any rate, this shows that he
+is a low-born adventurer."
+
+At this Pere Michel turned to Cazeneau, and said,--
+
+"He is my son, yet neither low-born nor an adventurer. Do you not
+know--you--who I am? Often have we seen one another face to face
+within the last few weeks; and yet you have not recognized me! What!
+have I so changed that not a trace of my former self is visible? Yet
+what I was once you see now in my son, whom you best know to be what
+he claims. Yes, gentlemen, I am Eugene, Count de Montresor, and this
+is my son Claude.--Come, Claude," he continued, "come, my son, to him
+who has so often yearned to take you to a father's embrace. I hoped
+to defer this declaration until my name should be freed from
+dishonor; but in such an hour as this I can keep silent no longer.
+Yet you know, my son, that the dishonor is not real, and that in the
+eyes of Heaven your father's name is pure and unsullied."
+
+As he said these words, he moved towards Claude. The young man stood,
+as pale as death, and trembling from head to foot with excessive
+agitation. He flung himself, with a low cry, into his father's arms,
+and leaned his head upon his breast, and wept. The whole court was
+overcome by this spectacle. There seemed something sacred in this
+strange meeting of those so near, who for a lifetime had been
+separated, and had at length been brought together so wonderfully.
+The silence was oppressive to Cazeneau, who now felt as though all
+his power was slipping away. It was broken at last by his harsh
+voice.
+
+"It's false," he said. "The Count de Montresor has been dead for
+years. It is a piece of acting that may do for the Theatre Francais,
+but is absurd to sensible men. Gentlemen, these two concocted this
+whole plan last night when together in their cell. I once knew old
+Montresor well, and this priest has not a feature in common with
+him."
+
+The Count de Montresor turned from his son, and faced the court.
+
+"Cazeneau," said he, with scornful emphasis, "now commandant of
+Louisbourg, once equerry to the Count de Laborde, you never knew me
+but at a distance, and as your superior. But Florian, here, remembers
+me, and can testify to my truth. To this court I have only to say
+that I fled to this country from the result of a plot contrived by
+this villain; that on the death of my beloved wife I committed my
+infant son to the care of my faithful valet,--Motier,--and became a
+missionary priest. For twenty years, nearly, I have labored here
+among the Acadians and Indians. This year I went to New England in
+search of Motier. I had already been carrying on correspondence with
+friends in France, who held out hopes that my wrongs would be
+righted, and my name saved from dishonor. I did not wish to make
+myself known to my son till I could give him an unsullied name. I
+found Motier dead, and learned that my son was going to Louisbourg,
+_en route_, to France. I asked for a passage, and was thus able to be
+near my son, and study his character. It was I who saved him from
+prison at Grand Pre; it was I who heard the last words of my former
+enemy, Laborde; it was I who saved my son, two nights since, from
+prison. He is guilty of nothing. If any one is guilty, that one am I
+alone. I ask, then, that I be considered as a prisoner, and that this
+innocent young man be set free. But as a peer of France, I claim to
+be sent to France, where I can be tried by my peers, since this court
+is one that can have no jurisdiction over one of my rank."
+
+Here the Count de Montresor ceased, and turning to his son, stood
+conversing with him in a low whisper.
+
+"Every word is true," said Florian. "I assert that Pere Michel is the
+Count de Montresor. I had noticed the likeness formerly; but, as I
+believed the count to be dead, I thought it only accidental, until a
+few days ago, when he revealed the truth to me. I recognized him by
+facts and statements which he made. He has changed greatly since the
+old days, yet not beyond recognition by a friend. This being the
+case, then, we have nothing to do, except to send him to France by
+the next ship. As to the young count, his son, I cannot see that we
+have any charge against him whatever."
+
+All present, with one exception, had been profoundly moved by the
+meeting between father and son, nor had they been much less deeply
+moved by the words of the old count, which, though somewhat
+incoherent, had been spoken with impressiveness and dignity. The
+announcement of his lofty rank; the remembrance of his misfortunes,
+of which most present had heard, and which were universally believed
+to be unmerited; the assertion that Cazeneau had been the arch
+villain and plotter,--all combined to increase the common feeling of
+sympathy for the two before them. This feeling was deepened by
+Florian's words. His influence, but recently so strong, had not yet
+passed away. The new commandant, even under ordinary circumstances,
+would have been unpopular; but on the present occasion he was
+detested. The feeling, therefore, was general that nothing ought to
+be done; and Cazeneau, his heart full of vengeance, found himself
+well nigh powerless. But he was not a man who could readily give up
+the purpose of his heart; and therefore he quickly seized the only
+resource left him.
+
+"Gentlemen," said he, "we must not allow ourselves to be influenced
+by purely sentimental considerations. I believe that this priest
+speaks falsely, and that he has imposed upon the sympathies of M. de
+Florian. Besides, he is an outlaw and a criminal in the eyes of
+French justice. As to the young man, whom he calls his son, there is
+the charge of a murderous assault upon me, the commandant of
+Louisbourg. This must be investigated. But in the present state of
+mind of those present, I despair of conducting any important trial,
+and I therefore declare this court adjourned until further notice.
+Guards, remove these two prisoners, and this time place them in
+separate cells, where they can no longer have communication with each
+other."
+
+To this no one raised any objection. As commandant, Cazeneau had the
+right to adjourn; and, of course, until some actual decision had been
+reached, he could dispose of them as he saw fit. They could only
+bring a moral pressure to bear, at least for the present. Father and
+son were therefore taken back to their prison, and Cazeneau quitted
+the court, to take counsel with himself as to his future course. He
+hoped yet to have the game in his own hands. He saw that until
+Florian was gone it would be difficult, but after that he might
+manage to control the opinions of the majority of the officers.
+Florian, however, could not go until the next ship should arrive, and
+he now awaited its coming with curiosity and eagerness.
+
+He did not have to wait very long.
+
+The court broke up, and the officers talked over the matter among
+themselves. Florian was now quite communicative, and told them all
+about the early career of Montresor, and his misfortunes. Cazeneau
+was the evil cause of all; and Florian was bitter and unsparing in
+his denunciations of this man's villany. He took care to remind them
+that Mimi, though the wife of Claude, was still held by him under the
+pretence that she was his ward, and that Cazeneau, being the creature
+of the defunct ministry of the late Fleury, could not be kept long in
+his present office by the hostile ministry which had succeeded. He
+also assured them that the Montresors had friends among those now in
+power, and that the old count was anxiously awaiting the arrival of
+the next ship, in the confident hope that justice would at last be
+done to him.
+
+By these words, and by this information about things unknown to
+Cazeneau, Florian deepened the impression which had been made by the
+events of the trial. All were desirous that the Montresors should at
+last escape from the machinations of Cazeneau. All looked for the
+speedy recall and disgrace of Cazeneau himself, and therefore no one
+was inclined to sacrifice his feelings or convictions for the purpose
+of gaining favor with one whose stay was to be merely temporary.
+
+While they were yet gathered together discussing these things, they
+were disturbed by the report of a gun. Another followed, and yet
+another. All of them hurried to the signal station, from which a view
+of the harbor was commanded.
+
+There a noble sight appeared before their eyes. With all sail set, a
+frigate came into the harbor, and then, rounding to, swept grandly up
+towards the town. Gun after gun sounded, as the salute was given and
+returned. After her came a schooner.
+
+"It's the Vengeur," said Florian. "I wonder whether Montresor will
+get his despatches. Gentlemen, I must go aboard."
+
+With these words Florian hurried away from the citadel to the shore.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+
+NEWS FROM HOME.
+
+
+Cazeneau had heard the guns, and had learned that the long-expected
+frigate had arrived, together with a schooner that looked like a
+prize. To him the matter afforded much gratification, since it
+offered a quick and easy way of getting rid of Florian, and of making
+the way easier towards the accomplishment of his own purposes. He did
+not know that Florian had hurried aboard, nor, had he known, would he
+have cared. For his own part he remained where he was, awaiting the
+visit which the captain of the Vengeur would make, to report his
+arrival. After more than two hours of waiting, it began to strike him
+that the said captain was somewhat dilatory, and he began to meditate
+a reprimand for such a neglect of his dignity.
+
+All this time had been spent by Florian on board, where he had much
+to say to De Brisset, and much to ask of him and also of Margot.
+
+At length a boat came ashore. In the boat were Florian, De Brisset,
+and Margot. On landing, these three went up to the citadel; and on
+their way De Brisset was stopped by several of the officers, who were
+old acquaintances, and were anxious to learn the latest news. Florian
+also had much to tell them which he had just learned. While they were
+talking, Margot hurried to the Residency, where she found Mimi, to
+whom she gave information of a startling kind; so startling, indeed,
+was it, that it acted like a powerful remedy, and roused Mimi from a
+deep stupor of inconsolable grief up to life, and hope, and joy, and
+strength.
+
+The information which De Brisset gave the officers was of the same
+startling kind, and Florian was able to corroborate it by a despatch
+which he had received. The despatch was to the effect that he--the
+Count de Florian--was hereby reinstated in his office as commandant
+of Louisbourg, and conveyed to him the flattering intelligence that
+his former administration was favorably regarded by the government,
+who would reward him with some higher command. With this despatch
+there came also to Florian, as commandant, a warrant to arrest
+Cazeneau, the late commandant, on certain charges of fraud,
+peculation, and malversation in office, under the late ministry. De
+Brisset also had orders to bring Cazeneau back to France in the
+Vengeur. These documents were shown to the officers, who were very
+earnest in their congratulations to Florian.
+
+There were also despatches to the Count de Montresor, the contents of
+which were known to De Brisset, who also knew that he was now
+laboring in the colonies as the missionary priest Pere Michel.
+Florian at once took these to the prison where he was confined,
+acquainted him with the change that had taken place, and set both him
+and Claude free with his own hands. Then he presented the despatches.
+
+Pere Michel, as we may still call him, tore open the despatch with a
+trembling hand, and there read that, at last, after so many years,
+the wrong done him had been remedied, as far as possible; that all
+his dignities were restored, together with his estates. These last
+had passed to other hands, but the strong arm of the government was
+even now being put forth to reclaim them, so that they might be
+rendered back to the deeply injured man to whom they rightly
+belonged.
+
+"There, my boy," said Pere Michel, as he showed it to his son, "all
+is right at last; and now you can wear your name and dignity in the
+face of the world, and not be ashamed."
+
+"O, my father!" said Claude, in a voice which was broken with
+emotion, "Heaven knows I never was ashamed. I believed your
+innocence, and wept over your wrongs. I am glad now, not for myself,
+but for you."
+
+"Where is the Countess de Montresor?" said Pere Michel. "She should
+not be kept in restraint any longer."
+
+Cazeneau all this time sat in his apartment, awaiting the arrival of
+the captain of the Vengeur and the despatches. The captain at length
+appeared; but with him were others, the sight of whom awakened
+strange sensations in his breast. For there was Florian, and with him
+was Pere Michel; Claude was there also, and beyond he saw some
+soldiers. The sight was to him most appalling, and something in the
+face and bearing of De Brisset and Florian was more appalling still.
+
+"Monsieur le Comte de Cazeneau," said Florian, "I have the honor to
+present you with this commission, by which you will see that I am
+reappointcd commandant of Louisbourg. I also have the honor to state
+that I hold a warrant for your arrest, on certain charges specified
+therein, and for sending you back to France for trial in the Vengeur,
+on her return voyage."
+
+Cazeneau listened to this with a pallid face.
+
+"Impossible!" he faltered.
+
+"It's quite true," said De Brisset; "I also have orders to the same
+effect, which I have already shown to Monsieur le Commandant Florian.
+There is no possibility of any mistake, or of any resistance. You
+will therefore do well to submit."
+
+Cazeneau had remained seated in the attitude which he had taken up,
+when he expected to receive the respectful greeting of his
+subordinate. The news was so sudden, and so appalling, that he
+remained motionless. He sat staring, like one suddenly petrified. He
+turned his eyes from one to another, but in all those faces he saw
+nothing to reassure him. All were hostile except Pere Michel, who
+alone looked at him without hate. The priest showed the same mild
+serenity which had always distinguished him. He seemed like one who
+had overcome the world, who had conquered worldly ambition and
+worldly passion, and had passed beyond the reach of revenge.
+
+Cazeneau saw this. He rose from his seat, and fell at the feet of
+Pere Michel.
+
+"Pardon," he faltered; "Comte de Montresor, do not pursue a fallen
+man with your vengeance."
+
+At this unexpected exhibition, all present looked with scorn. They
+had known Cazeneau to be cruel and unscrupulous; they had not
+suspected that he was cowardly as well. Pere Michel also preserved an
+unchanged demeanor.
+
+"You are mistaken, Cazeneau," he said. "I feel no desire for
+vengeance. I seek none. Moreover, I have no influence or authority.
+You must direct your prayers elsewhere."
+
+Upon this the wretched man turned to Florian.
+
+"Come, come," said Florian, impatiently. "This will never do. Rise,
+monsieur. Remember that you are a Frenchman. Bear up like a man. For
+my part, I can do nothing for you, and have to obey orders."
+
+Cazeneau's break down was utter, and effectually destroyed all
+sympathy. His present weakness was compared with his late
+vindictiveness, and he who had just refused mercy to others could
+hardly gain pity on himself. He only succeeded in utterly disgracing
+himself, without inspiring a particle of commiseration. Still Florian
+was not cruel, and contented himself with keeping his prisoner in a
+room in the Residency, satisfied that there was no possibility of
+escape. Some of the officers, however, were loud in their
+condemnation of Florian's mildness, and asserted that the dungeon and
+the chains, which had been inflicted by him on the Montresors, should
+be his doom also. But Florian thought otherwise, and held him thus a
+prisoner until the Vengeur returned. Then Cazeneau was sent back to
+be tried and convicted. His life was spared; but he was cast down to
+hopeless degradation and want, in which state his existence
+ultimately terminated.
+
+Before the scene with Cazeneau was over, Claude had gone away and
+found his wife. Already Mimi's strength had begun to return, and her
+new-born hope, and the rush of her great happiness, coming, as it
+did, after so much misery and despair, served to restore her rapidly.
+
+"I should have died if this had lasted one day more," said she.
+
+"But now it is all over, Mimi, dearest," said Claude, "and you must
+live for me. This moment repays me for all my sufferings."
+
+"And for mine," sighed Mimi.
+
+Margot saw that her mistress had for the present an attendant who was
+more serviceable than herself, and now all her thoughts turned to
+that faithful friend whom she had been compelled for the time to
+leave, but whom she had not for one moment forgotten. She waited
+patiently till she could get a chance to speak to Claude, and then
+told him what he did not know yet--that Zac was still a prisoner. At
+that intelligence, his own happiness did not allow him to delay to
+serve his friend. He at once hurried forth to see De Brisset. To him
+he explained Zac's position in such forcible language, that De
+Brisset at once issued an order for the release of himself and his
+schooner, without any conditions, and the recall of his seamen. To
+make the act more complete, the order was committed to Margot, who
+was sent in the ship's boat to the schooner.
+
+On the arrival of this boat, Zac seemed quite indifferent to the
+safety of the schooner, and only aware of the presence of Margot. He
+held her hand, and stood looking at her with moistened eyes, until
+after the seamen of the Vengeur had gone. Terry looked away; Jericho
+vanished below, with vague plans about a great supper. Biler gazed
+upon Louisbourg with a pensive eye and a half-eaten turnip.
+
+"I knowed you'd be back, little un," said Zac; "I felt it; an', now
+you've come, don't go away agin."
+
+"O, but I haf to go to ze comtesse," said Margot; "zat ees--to-day--"
+
+"Go back to the countess! Why, you ain't goin' to give me up--air
+you?" said Zac, dolefully.
+
+"O, no, not eef you don't want me to," said Margot. "But to-day I
+moos go to ze comtesse, an' afterward you sall ask her, eef you want
+me."
+
+At this, which was spoken in a timid, hesitating way, Zac took her in
+his arms, and gave her a tremendous smack, which Terry tried hard not
+to hear.
+
+"Wal," said he, "thar's Pere Michel, that's a Moosoo an' a Roman
+Catholic; but he'll do."
+
+"O, but you moos not talk of Pere Michel till you see ze comtesse,"
+said Margot; "an' now I sall tank you to take me back to her, or send
+me back by one of de men."
+
+Zac did not send her back, but took her back to the shore himself.
+Then the fortifications of Louisbourg--the dread and bugbear of all
+New England--closed him in; but Zac noticed nothing of these. It was
+only Margot whom he saw; and he took her to the citadel, to the
+Residency. On his arrival, Claude came forth to greet him, with
+beaming eyes and open arms. Pere Michel greeted him, also, with
+affectionate cordiality. For the simple Yankee had won the priest's
+heart, as well on account of his own virtues as for his son's sake.
+He also took enough interest in him to note his dealings with Margot,
+and to suggest to him, in a sly way, that, under the circumstances,
+although Zac was a bigoted Protestant, a Roman Catholic priest could
+do just as well as a Protestant parson. Whereupon Zac went off with a
+broad grin, that lasted for weeks.
+
+The postponement of Florian's departure caused some disappointment to
+that worthy gentleman, which, however, was alleviated by the thought
+that he had been able to benefit his injured friend, and bring a
+villain to punishment; and also by the thought that his departure to
+France would not be long delayed. To those friends he devoted
+himself, and sought by every means in his power to make their
+recollections of Louisbourg more pleasant than they had thus far
+been. Claude, and his bride, and his father were honored guests at
+the Residency, where they were urged to remain as long as they could
+content themselves, and until they could decide about their future
+movements.
+
+For now, though the name of Montresor had been redeemed, and justice
+had at last been done, it was not easy for them to decide about their
+future movements. Pere Michel, after some thought, had at length made
+up his mind, and had given Claude the benefit of his opinion and his
+advice.
+
+"I have made up my mind," said he. "I will never go back to France.
+What can I do in France? As a French noble, I should be powerless; as
+a priest, useless. France is corrupt to the heart's core. The
+government is corrupt. The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint.
+Ministry succeeds to ministry, not by means of ability, not from
+patriotism or a public spirit, but simply through corrupt favoritism.
+There are no statesmen in France. They are all courtiers. In that
+court every man is ready to sell himself for money. There is no sense
+of honor. At the head of all is the worst of all, the king himself,
+who sets an example of sin and iniquity, which is followed by all the
+nation. The peasantry are slaves, trodden in the dust, without hope
+and without spirit. The nobles are obsequious time-servers and
+place-hunters. The old sentiment of chivalry is dead. I will never go
+to such a country. Here, in this land, where I have lived the best
+part of my life, I intend to remain, to labor among these simple
+Acadians, and these children of the forest, and to die among them.
+
+"As for you, my son, France is no place for you. The proper place for
+you, if you wish to lead a virtuous and honorable life, is among the
+people who look upon you as one of themselves, with whom you have
+been brought up. Your religion, my son, is different from mine; but
+we worship the same God, believe in the same Bible, put our trust in
+the same Saviour, and hope for the same heaven. What can France give
+you that can be equal to what you have in New England? She can give
+you simply honors, but with these the deadly poison of her own
+corruption, and a future full of awful peril. But in New England you
+have a virgin country. There all men are free. There you have no
+nobility. There are no down-trodden peasants, but free farmers. Every
+man has his own rights, and knows how to maintain them. You have been
+brought up to be the free citizen of a free country. Enough. Why wish
+to be a noble in a nation of slaves? Take your name of Montresor, if
+you wish. It is yours now, and free from stain. Remember, also, if
+you wish, the glory of your ancestors, and let that memory inspire
+you to noble actions. But remain in New England, and cast in your lot
+with the citizens of your own free, adopted land."
+
+Such were the words of the priest, and Claude's training had been
+such that they chimed in altogether with his own tastes. He did not
+feel himself entirely capable of playing the part of a noble in such
+a country as that France which his father described; of associating
+with such a society, or of courting the favor of such a king.
+Besides, his religion was the religion of his mother: and her fate
+was a sufficient warning. And so it was that Claude resolved to give
+up all thoughts of France, and return to the humble New England farm.
+If from the wreck of the Montresor fortunes anything should be
+restored, he felt that he could employ it better in his own home than
+in the home of his fathers; while the estate of Laborde, which Mimi
+would inherit, would double his own means, and give him new
+resources.
+
+This, then, was his final decision; and, though it caused much
+surprise to Florian, he did not attempt to oppose it. Mimi raised no
+objection. She had no ties in France; and wherever her husband might
+be was welcome to her. And so Zac was informed that Claude would hire
+his schooner once more, to convey himself and his wife back to
+Boston, together with his father, who, at their urgent solicitation,
+consented to pay them a visit.
+
+But Zac had purposes of his own, which had to be accomplished before
+setting forth on his return. He wished to secure the services of Pere
+Michel, which services were readily offered; and Zac and Margot were
+made one in the very chapel which had witnessed the marriage of
+Claude and Mimi.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Lily and the Cross, by James De Mille
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