s and sisters and daughters--more shame to
them!--who lay themselves out to amuse and to be talked about by
these same disdainful gentry!

"Go to your room, mademoiselle!" she ended, turning on Angelique.
"I will hear nothing of your doings among a clique I despise from
top to bottom;" and the indignant old lady stopped, worn out for
very lack of breath, while Angelique made a little laughing grimace
at me and fled.

The indictment was severe, but there was much truth in it at the
same time. The condition of the people was pitiable in the extreme.
Provisions were at ruinous prices, the wretched paper money was
almost worthless, and even the officers were beggared by their
necessary expenses. At the opening of the New Year the Intendance
was invaded by a crowd of desperate women clamouring for relief,
and the address of M. Bigot in ridding himself of his unwelcome
visitors was laughed at as a joke. Worse than this, no attempt
was made to lessen or even hide the gaieties that went on, play
was as high and as ruinous as ever, and the town was all agog over
the report of a ball to be given with unusual splendour by the
Intendant on Twelfth-Night. It was true that he made a daily
distribution of food at his doors, that he spake pleasant and
reassuring words to the suffering people, that he even permitted
the respectably dressed among them to enter and view his guests
from the gallery of his ball-room, but this did but serve to
intensify the bitterness and indignation of those who stood apart
from him and his following. It would be unjust to brand M. de
Montcalm, and perhaps others, as willing participants in these
excesses; on account of their position, their presence at all formal
entertainments was a necessity, and certainly the town offered no
distraction of any other nature whatsoever.

Our inquiries had so far failed in discovering any trace of Lucy's
whereabouts, and yet I felt certain she was in or about Quebec,
and as she had acquired enough French to make her wants known, and
was provided with money sufficient to meet them, we held it likely
she was in some family, but probably seldom stirred abroad for fear
she might be recognised and prevented from keeping her patient
watch.

At length the great event of the winter came on--the ball at the
Intendance on Twelfth-Night. Angelique was all impatience for the
evening, and, when dressed, her excitement added to the charm of
her girlish beauty.

"I wish you woul