nd I would that M. de Vaudreuil might
see it as I do."

"M. de Vaudreuil is a God-fearing man, monsieur."

"So much the better for him, madame; but, unfortunately, I am
responsible for military matters," he answered, with a bitterness
which made me most uncomfortable.

He saw my distress and added, quickly: "But such affairs should
not be discussed before ladies; I forget myself. Mme. de Sarennes,
I have every respect for your opinion, and it is only my anxiety
for our common cause which urges me to exaggerate what may after
all be merely possible dangers."

"Now, Mme. de St. Just, to return to our society. We are dull now,
and shall be until the last ships leave; but we will have balls
and routs later on, and perhaps may even offer you a novelty in
the shape of a winter pique-nique, a fete champetre in four feet
of snow."

"That, I am sure, must be delightful," I answered, pleased that
the conversation had taken a different turn; "but I am afraid I
have little interest in amusement as yet."

"We have cards, madame, if you are ever tempted to woo the fickle
goddess."

"M. de Montcalm," asked Mme. de Sarennes, in her severest manner,
"do you intend to put an end to scandalous play this winter?"

"Eh, mon Dieu, madame! I must do something, I suppose. It is indeed
a scandal that officers should ruin themselves, and I assure you
I have had many a bad quarter of an hour over it. It cannot be
forbidden altogether, for they must amuse themselves in some manner."

"They exist without it in Montreal."

"Possibly; but M. de Vaudreuil is there. We cannot hope to aspire
to all his virtues." And to my dismay I saw we were once more
nearing dangerous ground.

To turn the conversation again, I asked for news of the English at
Louisbourg.

"Some are still there, some in garrison at Beausejour, some in New
York and Boston, and others returned to England; but we will
doubtless have an opportunity of inspecting most of them here next
spring, unless, as Mme. de Sarennes suggests, peace be declared in
the meantime."

This was as bad as ever, but led to nothing more than a momentary
stiffness, which Angelique's entrance dissipated, and made a merry
ending to a visit not without its difficulties.

Before the Marquis left, he said to me: "You may not have heard,
madame, but your brother, who is an officer in Fraser's, a Highland
regiment, was captured in the first engagement, and was a prisoner
in Louisbourg up to the capi