l my heart of the words of His Excellency the Governor,
with reference to our fortifications and the maintenance of our
frontiers. It is our duty to remonstrate, as councillors of the King
in the Colony, against the tenor of the despatches of the Count de
Maurepas. The city of Quebec, properly fortified, will be equivalent to
an army of men in the field, and the security and defence of the whole
Colony depends upon its walls. There can be but one intelligent opinion
in the Council on that point, and that opinion should be laid before His
Majesty before this despatch be acted on.

"The pressure of the war is great upon us just now. The loss of the
fleet of the Marquis de la Jonquiere has greatly interrupted our
communications with France, and Canada is left much to its own
resources. But Frenchmen! the greater the peril the greater the glory
of our defence! And I feel a lively confidence,"--Bigot glanced proudly
round the table at the brave, animated faces that turned towards
him,--"I feel a lively confidence that in the skill, devotion, and
gallantry of the officers I see around this council-table, we shall be
able to repel all our enemies, and bear the royal flag to fresh triumphs
in North America."

This timely flattery was not lost upon the susceptible minds of the
officers present, who testified their approval by vigorous tapping on
the table, and cries of "Well said, Chevalier Intendant!"

"I thank, heartily, the venerable Abbe Piquet," continued he, "for his
glorious success in converting the warlike savages of the West from foes
to fast friends of the King; and as Royal Intendant I pledge the Abbe
all my help in the establishment of his proposed fort and mission at La
Presentation, for the purpose of dividing the power of the Iroquois."

"That is right well said, if the Devil said it!" remarked La Corne St.
Luc, to the Acadian sitting next him. "There is bell-metal in Bigot, and
he rings well if properly struck. Pity so clever a fellow should be a
knave!"

"Fine words butter no parsnips, Chevalier La Corne," replied the
Acadian, whom no eloquence could soften. "Bigot sold Louisbourg!" This
was a common but erroneous opinion in Acadia.

"Bigot butters his own parsnips well, Colonel," replied La Corne St.
Luc; "but I did not think he would have gone against the despatches! It
is the first time he ever opposed Versailles! There must be something
in the wind! A screw loose somewhere, or another woman in the cas