hore continued
until the town was little more than a heap of ruins, and night
after night the sky was red with the glare of burning buildings.
Part of the enemy's fleet had passed the city and threatened to
cut off all supplies from the upper parishes. There were ugly
rumours, too, of the Canadians deserting, for the tidings of the
loss of Carillon and Niagara had gone far to dishearten them. On
the other hand, we had authentic news of the desperate illness of
the English general, Wolfe, and even though M. de Levis was forced
to march to the support of Montreal, the unfaltering courage of M.
de Montcalm so inspired our troops that they held on successfully,
praying for relief or the coming of winter.

About the beginning of September Angelique came to me greatly
excited.

"Oh, Marguerite, Charles is here! He is very ill. Will you come
and see him?"

"Is he wounded?"

"No. But he has suffered incredible hardships in Acadie, and he is
ill--so ill that he cannot be in his place in the field. Come, he
has just been asking my mother for you. Come!"

"Impossible, cherie; M. Arnoux is depending on my supply of lint
for a patient," I replied, and so escaped for the moment. But with
the persistency of innocence she returned to her demand as we sate
with her mother that evening.

"Marguerite, Charles has been asking for you again this afternoon.
Will you see him the first thing in the morning?"

"I do not know, cherie; neither your mother nor the Superior has
given her permission as yet," I answered, much troubled at her
insistence.

"Oh, Marguerite, this is ungenerous of you!" cried the warm-hearted
girl. "Think, how ready Charles was to serve you when you wished
to go to Louisbourg! This is no time to stand on trifles."

"Angelique take care you are not ungenerous yourself," said Mme.
de Sarennes, much to my relief. "Charles must not be childish in
his demands. There is no reason why Marguerite should visit him
until he is up and prepared to receive her fittingly, for there is
no reason why war should banish every rule of decorum." And with
these decided words the difficulty was dismissed, though not at
all to Angelique's satisfaction.

At daybreak on the 13th of September we were awakened by the sound
of guns above the city, and hastened to the attic windows; but
drift of passing showers hid the valley from us, while the Heights
loomed grey and shrouded above. There was nothing to enlighten us,
and in company w