uthorities had proclaimed, this
destruction did not materially affect the position of the
belligerents--the English could not get much nearer their object by
shelling the town--but it did much to dishearten the citizens, and
produced a strong moral effect of depression, and murmurs even
arose in isolated quarters that it would be better to surrender
than to be destroyed.

Moreover, disquieting reports came from other places. The camp of
Montcalm extended, as has been said, from the river St. Charles to
the Falls of Montmorency. That great gorge was considered
protection enough, and it was believed that no enemy would be rash
enough to try to cross the river higher up; indeed, it was
popularly supposed that there was no ford. Nevertheless it soon
became known that Wolfe had effected a landing upon the farther
shore of the Montmorency; that he was fortifying a camp there, and
had found and was now holding a ford in the river above, whence, if
he chose, he could cross and fall upon the camp at Beauport.

There had been some argument at first as to the advisability of
dislodging him before he had made himself strong enough to resist
attack. The Intendant had given his voice in favour of the attack;
but for once the Governor and the General had been of one mind, and
had decided against it.

"Let him stay where he is," said Montcalm, after he had surveyed
the position; "he can do us little harm there. If we dislodge him,
he may find a footing elsewhere, and prove much more dangerous and
troublesome. If he tries to get across to us, we shall have a
welcome ready!"

So, though parties of Canadians and Indians harassed the English in
their camp, and were met and routed by the gallant Rangers, who
always accompanied the English forces, the soldiers remained in
their intrenchments, and took little notice of the rival camp.
Sometimes under flags of truce messages passed between the hostile
camps.

"You will no doubt batter and demolish a great part of the town,"
wrote Montcalm on one occasion, "but you will never get inside it!"

"I will have Quebec," wrote back Wolfe, "if I stay here till the
winter. I have come from England to win it. I do not go back till
my task is done."

Some smiled at that message; but Madame Drucour received it with a
little shivering sigh.

"Ah," she exclaimed, "I have seen Monsieur Wolfe; I can hear him
speak the words! Somehow it seems to me that he is a man who will
never go back from his r