with no dread at the sight of all that might happen therefrom,
since it was a matter of the glory of God; I accordingly gave my letter
to that young warrior, who did not return. The story which his
comrades have brought back says that he carried it to the fort of
Richelieu, and that, as soon as the French had seen it, they fired the
cannon upon them. This frightened them so that the greater part fled,
all naked, abandoning one of their canoes, in which there were three
arquebuses, powder and lead, and some other baggage. These tidings
being brought into the village, they clamor aloud that my letters have
caused them to be treated like that; the rumor of it spreads
everywhere; it comes even to my ears. They reproach me that I have done
this evil deed; they speak only of burning me; and, if I had chanced to
be in the village at the return of those warriors, fire, rage and
cruelty would have taken my life. For climax of misfortune, another
troop--coming back from Montreal, where they had set ambushes for the
French--said that one of their men had been killed, and two others
wounded. Each one held me guilty of these adverse encounters; they
were fairly mad with rage, awaiting me with impatience. I listened to
all these rumors, offering myself without reserve to our Lord, and
committing myself in all and through all to His most holy will. The
captain of the Dutch settlement where we were, not being ignorant of
the evil design of those barbarians, and knowing, moreover, that
Monsieur the Chevalier de Montmagny had prevented the savages of New
France from coming to kill some Dutch, disclosed to me means for
escape. "Yonder," said he to me, "is a vessel at anchor, which will
said in a few days; enter into it secretly. It is going first to
Virginia, and thence it will carry you to Bordeux or to La Rochelle,
where it is to land." Having thanked him, with much regard for his
courtesy, I tell him that the Iroquois, probably suspecting that some
one had favored my retreat, might cause some damages to his people.
"No, no," he answers, "fear nothing; this opportunity is favorable;
embark; you will never find a more certain way to escape." My heart
remained perplexed at these words, wondering if it were not expedient
for the greater glory of our Lord that I expose myself to the danger of
the fire and to the furty of those barbarians, in order to aid in the
salvation of some soul. I said to him then: "Monsieur, the affair
seem