reats, his numberless small
seductions of words, manners, and deeds, his singular changes of mood,
when I was uncertain what would happen next; the part I had to play to
know all that was going on in the Chateau St. Louis, in the Intendance,
and with General Montcalm; the difficulties with my own people; the
despair of my poor father, who does not know that it is I who have
kept him from trouble by my influence with the Governor. For since the
Governor and the Intendant are reconciled, he takes sides with General
Montcalm, the one sound gentleman in office in this poor country--alas!"

Soon afterwards we parted. As she passed out she told me I might at any
hour expect a visit from the Governor.

XX. UPON THE RAMPARTS

The Governor visited me. His attitude was marked by nothing so much as a
supercilious courtesy, a manner which said, You must see I am not to be
trifled with; and though I have you here in my chateau, it is that I may
make a fine scorching of you in the end. He would make of me an example
to amaze and instruct the nations--when I was robust enough to die.

I might easily have flattered myself on being an object of interest to
the eyes of nations. I almost pitied him; for he appeared so lost in
self-admiration and the importance of his office that he would never see
disaster when it came.

"There is but one master here in Canada," he said, "and I am he. If
things go wrong it is because my orders are not obeyed. Your people have
taken Louisburg; had I been there, it should never have been given up.
Drucour was hasty--he listened to the women. I should allow no woman to
move me. I should be inflexible. They might send two Amhersts and two
Wolfes against me, I would hold my fortress."

"They will never send two, your Excellency," said I.

He did not see the irony, and he prattled on: "That Wolfe, they tell me,
is bandy-legged; is no better than a girl at sea, and never well ashore.
I am always in raw health--the strong mind in the potent body. Had I
been at Louisburg, I should have held it, as I held Ticonderoga last
July, and drove the English back with monstrous slaughter."

Here was news. I had had no information in many months, and all at once
two great facts were brought to me.

"Your Excellency, then, was at Ticonderoga?" said I.

"I sent Montcalm to defend it," he replied pompously. "I told him how
he must act; I was explicit, and it came out as I had said: we
were victorious. Yet he