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This item is filmed at vhe reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Biblioth6que nationals du Qu6bec The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall ^^ntain the symbol — ♦> {meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. 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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page q'li cori^iorte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas; le symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent etre film^s d des taux de r6duction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droits, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombrs d'imagss ndcsssuire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^tnode. 1 2 3 1 3 THE C HIE I^ D'O K THE GOLDEN DOG A LEGEND OF QUEBEC BY WILLIAM KIRBY 1 i i f NEW YORK AND MONTREAL: LOVELL, ADAM, WESSON & COMPANY. 1877. LAK( CHAMPLAIN PRESa, nOUlBt POINT, N. V. t • • • •■ • • • ■ • *• I • • «• . • i' t » I • • • « « • • « s .i. I I TO MISS RYE, m ADMircATION OP HER INTELLIGKNT AND WOMANLY PERSEVEKANCE IN THE GOOD WORK TO WHICH SHE DEVOTES HER LIFR-THE RESCUE FROM POVERTY AND VICE OF DESTITUTE CHILDREN-TIIIS BOOK IS EESVECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR Niagara Ontario, January, 1877. 62813 .•>'< Ti CONTENTS. i •'.,? CHAPTER I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. xv^ XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. XXV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII. XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. Men of the Old Re^me The Walls of Quebec A Chatelaine of New Franc'e Lonfidences The Itinerant Notary' iieaumanoir The Intendant Bigot ' Caroh'ne de St. Castin' Pierre Phih'hert . Amdlie de Repentitrny. The Soldier's Welcome ?r^ 5->?t^^' of 'St. Louis I he Chien d'or . The Council of War .' The Charming Josephine Angchque des Meloises Splendid^ Mendax The Merovingian Princess Put Money in thy Purse Cross Questioning Belmont Sic itur ad astra ' So glozed the Tempter Cheerful Yesterdays and Confiien. To-™or A day at the Manor House' ' Fe ices tcr et amplius ''On'?>l'Z1x'",ce"'"'''^^'''^" • S"SrU'ar"°:'-^'''"'fr™*;East Weird Sisters ' * " " "Flaskets of Drugs, full to iheir wick;d Jips." PACE. I lO H 24 34 46 53 67 80 86 92 105 116 129 141 ^53 167 182 190 201 208 220 23 s 245 253 '262 273 288 296 310 318 332 340 353 359 376 3S8 VI CONTENTS. L ! CHAPTHR. PAGB4 XXXV^III. The broad black Gateway of a Lie . . 395 XXXIX. Olympic Chariots and much learned Dust . 408 XL. The Coutume de Paris .... 430 XLL A wild ni<,dit inn doors and out . . . 443 XLIL Mere iMalheur .... . . 452 XLIIL Outvenoms all the Worms of Nile . . 468 XLIV. Quoth the- raven : "Nevermore!" . . 475 XLV. A deed without a Name .... 484 XLVL "Let's talkof graves and worms and epitaphs '496 XLVIL Silk 541 XLIX. " I will feet fat the ancient grudge I bear him "551 L. The Bourgeois Philibert .... 561 LL A drawn game 573 LIL "In gold clasps locks in the golden story " 581 LI 1 1. The marketplace on St. Martin's Day . 592 LIV. " Blessed they who die doing thy v.ill " . 604 LV. Evil News rides post 622 LVI. The Ursulines 633 LVII. The lamp of Repentigny .... 643 LVI 1 1. " Lovelv in Death the be-uteous Ruin lay " 658 LIX. "'The Mills of God grind slowly" . . . 667 ( t THE CiriEN D'OR. ( ( CHAP'I'KR r. MElv OF THE OLD RF,(;i.M|.:. Hi wMlcrs ihu nrcs of V^.^lM•i,,■ mi ,• ,"•"^^'-1'' ""in its Coniit l>, p ^''^"^ '^ \\c boi.evwl Ihe hoast llifii Klc , iv ;,,,?-■ ",""■• V^^'" '■^"^■'^"^ ""'I live for ever >' sa, e-th L ;,' /."" f'" '" ""^^'O- "'e <.f this lo ciy siasn,,- tier- J'e e " K „ , ' ,r 1''" H ""'"'^ "'"' '-■"'I'"- tosethoron a baslio,, of the r ,,,,,; of' ff "'-■."""'' year of Ki-acc ,748 r.imiJarti of Quebec, ,n the :;r^trTrf^"^''-'''-^°"'-'-^^^ "'UK, at the tool of I U' I-inin-irf T'l. f . f-'"'^^'-"^^ in atteiKiance uno, vT ^ ".'"''■ ''"i' f'"™"! the suite this tnoru , 'mo ,e a , ,; vi l"'-,"''" r*" '■"• ''>• ^"'"-'^<= the citi^eus^rc!;;:;:;;;^;:;;,; ,:;;;- --^ -;;-;.!.. i,y up^,,the;ie-f;a;cesor;,'eriu' ' """'""""' '" '•''^- officers. The,iaaacc:;:;:!iiue;,l's;;;-:;"-„t 9 Tim ClflEN- D'OR. show tlit'ir respect mid to encoura^^e by their presence and c\hf>rt:Ui<>ns, the zeal of the colonists in the work of fortifvin;; the capital. War was tiun ra';in_:^ between old KnL;!and and old France, and between Nfew I'inj^land and Nfew l'"rance. The vast region of North America, stretchinjjc far into the interior and south-west from Canada to Louisiana, had for three jears ])ast been the scene of fierce hostilities betwet'U t!ie rival nations, while the sa\a{;e Indian tribes ran,L;ed (»n llu' one side and on the other, steej)ed their mf)cassins in the blond of l"'rench and I'-n^Iish colonists, who, in their turn, became as fierce and carried on the Avar as relentlessly as ihi; savajj^es themselves. Louisboiu't;', the bulwark of New France, projecting its mailed arm boldly into the Atlantic, liad been cut off by the Fn^lish, who now o\'erran Acadia, and be^an to threaten Ouebec with iinasion by sea and land. IJusy rumo'-s of approaching danii^er were rife in the colony, and the j;allant Cio\enior issued orders which were enthusi- :isticall\- obesed, for thi' people to proceed to the walls and |)lace the city in a state of defence ; to bid defiance to the enein}'. Rolland Michel I'arrin. Count de la (lalissoniere, was remarkable no less for his philosophical attainments, that ranked him hi'^h ainonjj^ the sa\ans of the French Acad- emy, than for his political abilities and foresii^ht as a statesman. Me fell strongly the vital interests iiu'olved in the jiresent war, and saw clearly what was the sole policy necessary for France to adopt in order to preserve her maLjnitlcent dominion in North America. His coun- sels were neither liked nor followed by the C\)urt of Versailles, then sinking; fast into the slouch of corruption, •:hat marki (I the closinir years of the rei":n of Louis XV. Among the people who admired deeds more than v/ords, the Count was honored as a bra\e and skilful admiral, who had l)orne the fla<;- of J^'rance triumphantly over the seas, and in the face of her most powerful enemies — the FiiLjlish and Dutch. His memorable reiDulse of Admiral J»vn<:, eiiiht vears after the events here record- ed, which led lo the death of that brave and unfortunate officer, who was shot bv sentence of Court martial to atone for that repulse, was a jjjlory to France, but to the Count brought after it a manly sorrow, for the fate of his i MEiX OF THE OLD REGIME. 3 opponent, whose (KmiIi Ik: ri'i^.irdcd as a cruel and unjust act, un\vorlli\- of the I'"nL,dish nalif)n, usually as generous and merciful as it is brave and considerate. The (lovcrnor was alreadv well advanced in years. He hac' entered upon the winter of life that sprinkles the lieaf! with snow that never inells, but he was still hale, ruddy and active. Nature had, indeed, moulded him in an iinpropitious Jiour for personal onuliiu-ss, hut in com- pensation had seated a <;rrat heart and a ^ra'^ful mind in a body low of stature, and marked l)\- a sIiL;ht dcfoiinity. His piercing eyes, luminous with inti'Ili^ence and full of sympath\- for every thin:;' noble and elevau'd, over |M)\\ered with their fascination the blemishes that a too curious scrutitiy mii^ht discover upon his figure ; while his mobile handsome lips |)<)ured out the natural ehxiuenee of clear thoughts and noble sentiments. The ('ount grew great while sjieaking ; his listeners were cairied away by the magic of his \'()ice and the clearness of his intellect. He was \ery happy this morning by the side of his <>ld friend Peter Kalm. who was paying him a most welcome visit in New I'rance. They had been fellow students both at I'psal and at Paris, and V^\^([ each other uiih a cordiality, that like good wine, giew richer and more generous with ;ige. Herr Kalm stretching out his arms as if to embrace the lo\'ely landscape, and clasp it to his bosom, exclaimed withi fresh enthusiasm, "See (Quebec, and liv for ever ! " '* Dear Kalm," said t!ie (ioveriK)r, catching the fervor of his friend as he rest.'d his hand al'fectionately on his shoulder; "you are as true a !o\er of nature as when we sat together at the feet of Linn.iMis, our glorious young master, anrl heard him open u)3 for us the arcana of (lod's works ; and we used to feel like him too. when he thanked God for permitting him to look into his treasure house, and see the precious things of creation which he had made." " 'J'ill men see (Quebec," replied Kalm, "they will not fully realize the lueaning of the term — ' God's foolstot^l.' It is a land worth living for !" "Not only a land to live for, but a land l(^ die for, and hap[)y the man who dies for it ! Confess, Kalm ; thou who hast travelled in all lands, think'st thcni not, it is indeed worthy of its proud title of New France .-"' 7 HE CHI EN' nOR. " It is indeed worthy," replied Knlm ; " I see hero a scion of t!ie old oak of the Gauls, which, if let iL^row, will shelter the throne of Immiicc itself, in an empire wider than Ca;sar wrested from Anihiotrix." " Yes," ri'plied the C'ount, kindlinuj at the wr)rds of his friend ; " it is old I'"rance transplantt;d, transfiLCured and gloritled ! where her lanj^uaLje, relii^ion and laws shall be handed down to her jiosterity, the ij;iory of North America as the mother land is the li'lorv of Iv.irope." The entlnisiastic (ralissoniere stretclied out his hands and implored a blessing upon tiie land entrusted to his kee|)Ini;". It was a glorious morninp;. Tiie sun had just risen over the iiill lops of Lauzon, throwing aside his drapery of gojfl. iiurple and crimson, 'i'he soft haze of the sumriier rnoi-ning was floating awav into nothingness, lea\ ing e\'ery object fresh with dew and magnified in the limpid purity of the air. I'he broad St. Lawrence, f;ir beneath their feet, was still partia'lv \eiled in a tiiin blue mist, jiierced iiere and tiiere b\' the tall mast of a king's ship, or nu'rcivintman l)ing unseen at ar Ava' ; or as the fog rolled sh)wlv o;"f, a swift canoe might be seen shooting out into a streak of sunshine, with the first news of the m.)rning from tiie Soutli shore. Ik'ldnd the Count aiul his companions rose the white clisteninij: walls of the Hotel 1 )ieu, and farth-r off the tall tower of tlv.' newly restored Cathedral, the l)elfry of the Recollets and the roofs of the ancaent College of the Jesuits. An awiuie of old oiiks and maples shaded the walk, and in tli<' branclu's of the trees a swirm of birds fluttered and sang, as if in ii\'alr\' with the ga\' l'"rench talk and laui>hter of the "roup of ollicers, who waited the return of the Cio\ern'>r from the bastion where he stood, showing the glories of (^ueliL'C to his friend. The \\;dls of the cit\' ran along the v^Vj^a of the clif^ ui)wai"(ls as they approached the broad gallery and massive front of the Castle of St. Louis, and ascending the green slope of the broad glacis, culminated in the lofty citadel, where streaming' in the morning breeze, radiant in the sunshine, and alone in the blue sky, \\a\ed the white banner of I'Vance, the sight (^f which sent a thrill of joy and pride into the hearts of her faitliful subjects in the New World. i MEX OF THE OLD REGIME. i The broad I'ay lay before them round as a shield, and glittering like a mirror as the mist blew off its surface. iJeh'ud the sunny slojies of Orleans, which the river encircled in its arms like a jj;iant lover his fair mistress, rose the bold, dark crests of the Laurcntides, liftin;^ their bare summits far away alonj; the course of the ancient river, leavinc; imaninalion to wander over the wild scenerv in their midst — the woods, i;lens, and unknown iaki-s and rivers that lay hid far from human ken, or known onlv to rude sa\'aands of citizens and J/is, who wei"e at work strengthening every weak j:)oint in the forliticaiions : " My braxx- Cana- dians are busy as beavers on their dam. They are deter- mined to keep the saucy English out of ()uebec. They de- ser\e to have the beaver for their crest, industrious fellows that they are ! I am sorry I kept you wailing, however." " \\*e can never count the moments lost, which your Excellency gives to the survey of our fair land," replied the ]?ishop, a grave, earnest-looking man. "Would that His Majesty himself could stand on these walls and see with his own eyes, as you do, this splendid patrimony of the crown of France. He v,ould not dream of bartering it away in exchange for petty ends and corners of Ger- many and Flanders as is rumored, my Lord." " 'I'rue words and good, my Lord ])ishop," replied the Governor, "the retention of all Idanders now in the strong hands of the Marshal de Saxe would be a poor compensa- tion for the surrender of a glorious land like this to the English." Flying rumors of some such j^roposal on the ])art of France had reached the colony, with wild reports arising out of the endless chaffering between the negotiators for peace who had already assembled at Aix la Chapclle. " 'I'he fate of America will one day be decided here," con- tinued the governor, " 1 see it written upon this rock, who- ever rules Quebec will sway the destinies of the continent! ]\Iay our noble France be wise and understand in time the signs of I'jnpire and of supremacy ! " The Lisliop looked upwards with a sigh : " Our noble MEN OF THE OLD REGIME. France has not yet read those tokens, or she misunder- stands tb.eni. Oil, these faithful subjects of hers ! Look at tliem, your K.vcedeir:y." The Hishoj) pointed toward the crowd of citizens hard at work on the walls. "There is not a man of them, but is ready to risk life and fortune for the honor and dominion of Fiance, and \el they are treated by the ccnnt with such nera\e Riiraud ! F'rance has too few like vou ! "' re- marked the (Jovernor with a look of admiration. Rigaud bowed and shook his head modestly, " I trust she has ten thousand better," but added, [)ointin2[ at his fellow ofiicers who stood conversinj; a*, a short distance, *' Marshal Saxe has few the equals of tht.'se in his camp, my Lord (Jount ! " and well was the compliment deserved. They were gallant men. intelligent in looks, polished in manners and brave to a fault, and all full of that natural gaiety that sits so gracefully on a l""rench soldier, IVIost of them wore the laced coat and waistcoit, cha- peau, boots, lace rul'lles, sash and rapier of the period. A martial costume befitting !)ia\e and hamlsome men. Their names were household words in e\ery cottage in New France and many of them a^. fre([uently spoken of in the English colonies, as in the streets of Quebec. 8 rrm cm ex hor. There stood the Chevalier de I'eaiijeu, a f^entleman of N inian family, who was ah-eady famed upon tlie frontier, and who, se\en years later in the forests oi the Monon<2;a- hela, crowned a hie of honor by a soldier s death on the bloody field won fn^ii the unfortunate IJraddock, and de- featinijj an armv ten times inore numerous than his own. 'I'alkin^ !^ayly wilii De Beaujeu were twf) <;"allant looking young men, of a Canadian tamily which, out of seven brothers, lost six slain in the service of their King: Jimioiiville de \'illivrs, who was afterwards, in defiance of a flag of truce, shot down by order of Colonel Washington, in the far off foiests of the Alleghanies ; and his brother, Coulon de Villiers, who received the sword of Washington Avhen he surrendered himself and garrison prisoners of war, at l"'ort Necessit\-. in 1754. Coulon de Villiers imposed ignominious conditions of surrender upon Washington, but scorned to take other revenge for the death of his brother. He spared the life of Washington, who lived to become the leader and itiol of his nation, which, but for the magnanimity of the nol)le Canadian, might ha\'e ne\er struggled int(; independence. There stood also the Sieur de Lery (the King's engi- neer, charged with the fortification of the colony), a man of Vauban's geniiis in the art of defence. Had the schemes which he projected, and vainly urged upon the heedless Court of X'ersailles, been carried into effect, the conquest of New l-'rance would ha\e been an impossibility. Arm in arm with 1 >e T.ery, in earnest conversation, walked the handsome Claude de Ik'auharnois — brother of a former (ioxernor of the colony — a graceful, gallant looking soldier. De Heauharnois was the ancestor of a vigorous and beautiful racx'. among whose posterity was the fair Hortense de IJeauharnois, who in her son, Napoleon J II., seated an offshoot of Canada upon the Imperial throne of France long after the abandonment of their ancient colony by the corrupt House of IJourbon. Consj:)icuous among the distinguished officers, by his tall, straight figure and cjuick movements, was the Che\a- lier la Corne St. Luc, supple as an Indian and almost as dark, from exposure to the weather and incessant cam- paigning. He was fresh from the blood and desolation of Acadia, where France, indeed, lost her ancient colony, but iSt. Luc reaped a full sheaf of glory at Grand Pr^, \ MEN OF THE OLD REGIME. \ ' f in the T'ay of Miiias. hy the capture of an arni\' of \e\v I'!n_<;Ian(lers. 'l"he rou^i^h old soldiiT was just now all smiles and !j;ayety, as he cotnersed with Monseii^neur De Ponlbriant, the \enci-al)le Disiiop of (Juebec, and l"'ather De l!(;rey, the Suiierior of the Recollets. The Hishoji, a wise rul.-r of his ("hureii, was also a passionate loxer of his country : the surrender of (^uehec to the Kn^t;Iish broke his heart, and he died a few months after the announcement of the fnial cession of the colony. F;:ther De iJerey. a jo\ial monk, wearing the ^rey gown and sandals of the Recollets, was renowned t!.i-)u,uh- out New I'rance for his wit more than for his piety. He had once been a soldier, and be woie his ^own, as he had v.-orn his uniform, with the f^allaut brarini^ of a K.ineau- port. "'Many hamis make light work,' says the proverb. That splendid batter}- you are just finishing deserves to be called Heauport. *' \Vliat say you, my Lord bishop?" turn- ing to the smiling ecclesiastic. "Is it not wortliv of bap- tism .? " ' " W's, and blessing both : I give it my episcopal bene- diction," replied the bishop ; " and truly I think most of the earth of it is taken from the consecrated ground of the Hotel Dieu — it will stand fire!" "Many thanks, my Lord ! " — the Sieur I)e St. Denis bowed very low — "where the Church bars the door, Satan "will never enter, nor the English either! Do you hear, men ? " continued he, turning to his cciisitaircs, " my Lord Bishop christens our batterv beauport, and savs it will stand tire!" " Viva L' Roi l"" was the response, an exclamation that came spontaneously to the lips of all Frenchmen on every emergency of dangtrr or emotion of joy. •A . THE WALLS OF QUEBEC. 1 1 A slurdy hahitar came forward, aiul, (li)rfini:; his red tuque or ca]), addressed the (lovernor — " This is a nniiy 'Vhc /'iit/'if(tns thou_i;lit lliis soundi'd nioth ladies were in mourninLT. \"el dressed with eley^ant simplicity, belitlin^; their rank and positi< n in society. The Chevalier Le (lardeur de I'iliy hid fillen two years ai^o, fiijhtinir trallantlv for his Kim: and countrv, lea\an;r a child- less widow to manaL:,"i' his vast doin lin and succ(.'ed him as sole guardian of their orphan niece, Ameli(.' de Kej)en- tiiinv, and her brother Le (xardeur, left in infancv to the care of their noble relatives, who in every respect treated them as their own, and who, indeed, were the lei^al inheri- tors of the Lordsliip of Tilly. ( )idy a year aL;o, Amelie had left the atKaent convent of the Ursulines, perfi'cted in all the graces and accom- plishments taught in the famous cloister founded bv Mere Marie de 1" Incarnation, for the education of liie daughters 14 TIIF. C///F.X nOR. of New France, c^enerntlon after p^cneration of whom were trained accordinj; to her precepts, in j^ract-s of manner, as well as in the learning; of the a^;e — the hitter miijjiU be for- i^^ottcn — the former, never. As they l)ecame tlie wives and mothers of succeechn;; times, tliey liave left U|)on their de- sceiuhmts an imjiress of jiohteness and urbanity that(hstin- p^uishes tile people of Canada to this day. Of all the crowd of fair eajj^er asj^iranis contendinjij foi honors on the day of examination in the f^i-^at school, crowns had only been awarded to Anielie and to Am^elifiue des Mcloiscs, Two u,irls do, \()u know. but do you really think me beautiful ? and iu»w beautiful .^ Comj^are me to some one we know." '' I can ovih' compare you to yourself. Ani;eliciue. \'ou are more beautiful than any one I know," Aiui'lie burst out in frank entluisiaNm. " I'.ul, reallv and iruh. do von think me beautiful, not only in }our eyes. i)ut in the judi^ini-nt of the world.''" Aui^elitjue brushed back her j;lorious hair and stared fi.\edl\- in the face of her friend, as if seekini; contninalion of somethini;' in her own thoughts. "What a strange question, Angc'lique. Why do you ask me in that way .' " " I'ecause," replied she with bittei'ness. " I bcii^in to doubl it. 1 have been jjraised for mv j^^ood looks until 1 j.i;row weary of the iteration ; but I believed the lyinj;' Hatlery once, as what woman would not, when it is repeated every day of her life ? " A CTTATELAINF. OF NEW FRAXCE. 23 l'>t ■d [o |\v |y y Anic'lic looked suirKiciul}- i)ii//lc(l. *' What has come over }(ni, Ani^cliciuc ? W'liy should you doubt your own charms? or rcalh", ha\c vou touiul at last a case in which they fail you ? "' V'erv unlikely, a man would say. at fir>t. second or third si^i^Hit of An_u,eiique dcs Mel oises. She was indeed a fair L^irl to look upon ; tall, and fa>hio)U'(l in nalute's ni.ist voluptuous mould, perfect in the sxinmelry of e\ery part, with an ease and heaul , of movement not suLj'jjestive of spiritual ii;races, like Ame'lie's, hut of terrestrial wiicheries like those [^re.it unmen of old who drew (l(»wn the very gfxls from Olvmpus, and who in all aL!,'es ha\e ineiii;he would lead them. The)' were never S(") dangerous as win n in appaient repose, they sheathed their fascination for a moment, and sudden- ly shot a ha.ckward ii^lance, like a j'artiiiau aiio^v, from un- der their loniLj evelashes, that left a wound to hi- sighed over for many a day. 'J'lie spoiled and petted child of the bra\e. careless Kenaud d'.VN'esne des Aleloises. of an ancient family in the Nivernois, AnL;eli([ue p;rew up a motherless ^.^irl, cle\er above most of her (ompanions, conscious of superior charms, alwa\s admired and llattered, and, since she left the Convent, worshipjied as the idol of the fjay gallants of the city, and the despair and en\\- of her own sex. She %vas a born sovereign of men, and she felt it. It was her divine riiiht to be iireferred. She trod the earth with daintv feet, and a step aspirim,^ as that of the fair Louise de La Yaliere when she (lanced in the Royal ballet in the forest of Lontainebleau and stok' a kini;'s heart by the Ikishes of her pretty feet. An^eliciue had been indulLjed by her father in every caprice, and in the ^a\- wc^rld inhaled the incense of adulation until she re_ti;arded it as her right, and resented passionately when it was withheld. m§m-i i; 11 h^ 24 T///': r ////■:. V /roR. She was not by nature had, altIi()Ui;h vain, selfish and aspirinj;. Her footstool was the hearts of men, and u])()ii it she set hard her l)eautiful feet, indifferent to the anijuish caused by her capricious tyranny. She was cold and calcu- ialinij under the warm jxissions of a voluptuous nature. Althou<;h many mi;;ht believe they had won the favor, none felt sure tiiey had gained the love of this fair capricious girl. CHAPTER IV. CONFIDKNCKS. ANr.F.MQTTK took the arm of Amelie in her old, familiar school i-irl wav, and led her to the sunnv corner of a has- tion where lay a dismounted catinon. 'I'he green slojje of the lontr hill side of Charlebourir was visible through an embrasure, like a landscape framed in massive stone. 'i'he girls sat down upon the old gun. Angc'licine held Amelie hy both hands, as if hesitating how to express .something she wished to say. Still, when Angelique did speak, 't was plain to Amc'lie that she had other things on her mind than what her tongue gave loose to. " \ow we are (juite alone, Amelie," said she, '' we can talk as we used to do in our school days. You have not been in the city during the whole summer, and have mis- sed all its gaieties ? " " I was well content ! how beautiful the countrv looks from here," replied AnK'lie, glancing out of the embrasure at the green fields ami gorgeous summer woods that lay across the \alley of the St. Charles. " How much pleas- anter to be in it. revelling among the Howers and under the trees! I like to touch the country as well as to look at it from a distance, as you do in (Quebec." "Well, I never care for the country if I can only get enough of the city. (Quebec was never so gay as it has been this year. The royal Roussillon and the freshly ar- rived regiments of JJearn and I'unthieu, have turned the heads of all Quebec, — of the girls, that is. Gallants have been plenty as bilberries in August. And you may be sure I CONFIDENCES. 25 ii got my share, Amt'lic." An_f,fclique laui^hed aloud at some secret rcniinisccnccs of lier sumincr Ciimp;iii;ii. " It is well 1 (lid not come to the city, Ani^eliciue, to get my head turned like the lest ! hut now that I am here, suppose I should mercifully tr\' to heal some of the hearts you have broken ! " " I hope you wont try, 'I'hose hiij^ht eyes (^f yours would heal too effectually the wounds mad'^ 1)V mine, and that is not what I desire," replied An;j;Jli(iue, lau_i;hing. " No I then your heart is more cruel than your eyes. But, tell me, who have been your \-ictiins this year, Ange- lique? " " Well, to be frank, Amelie, I ha\e tried 'uy fascinations upon the king's officers very impartially, an 1 with fair suc- cess. There have been three duels, two deaths, and one Cai)tain of the royal Roussillon turned conlelier for my sake. Is that not a fair return, for mv labor?" " V'ou are sliocl-;inL;' as e\'er, .\ngelic|ue I \ do not be- lieve you feel pioud of such trium|ihs," exclaimed Amelie. "Proud, no! I am not proud of cou'iuering men. That is eas\- ! Ws triumphs are over the woiuen ! \\\\(\. the way to triumph o\er them is to subdue the men. Vou know my old ri\al at school, the haughty l''rancoise de Lantagnac ; I owed her a grudge, and she his put on the black veil for life, instead of the white one and oi'ange blossoms for a day ! 1 only meant tf> frighten her, how- ever, when I stole her lo\er, but she took it to heart and went into the Convent. It w.is tlangerous for her to chal- lenge Angeliciue des Meloises to test the tidelity of her af- fianced, Juhen de St. Crcjix."' Amelie rose up in honest indignation. Her cheek burning like a coal of tire. " I know vour wild talk of old, Angelicpie, but 1 will not believe }'ou are so wickeil as to make deadly si:)ort of our holiest affections." " Ah, if vou knew men as I do, .Vmelie, vou would think it no sin to punish them for their perjuries ; but you are a nun in experience, \\\(\ never woke out of a girl's dream of love, as I ha\e done." Angelique seemed to make this remark in a hard monotone as much to herself as to her comjDanion. " No, I don't know men," replied /\mt'lie, " but I think a good noble man is after God the worthiest object of a woman's devotion. We were better dead tiian finding a6 THE CHI EM IT OR. amusement in the pain of those wlio love us ; pray what became of juliendc St. Croix after you broke up his iii- teiuled marriai^e with poor Franoiyse." "()! him I threw to the fisiies ! what did I care for him ? It was mainly to punish I'Vanc^joise' presumption that 1 showed my power and made him figlu that desperate duel wi'.h Captain LeFranc." " ( ), AiiL;eli(|ue, how could you be so unutterably wicked ?" " Wicked ? It was not my fault, you know, that he was killed. He was my champion and oui;ht to have come off victor. I wore a black ribbon for him a full half year, and had the credit of beiuijj de\(,v'*d to his memory ; 1 had my triumph in that if in nothinij^ else. •li I will our triumpli ! tor sliame, Aui^eluiue. 1 wUl not listen to you ; you profane the very name of love by utter- in<( such sentiments. The <^ift of so much beauty was for bk•ssinl,^ not for pain. St. Mary pray for you, Anijjelique, you need her prayers ! " Amelie rose up suddenly. "Nay, do not •' Mv cause of failure would not be a lesson for v( HI, Amelie. Listen ; I got a speedy introduction to Colonel Philibert, who 1 confess is one of the handsomest men I ever saw. 1 was bent on atlractiuii him." OU! u J, rht or shame. Angel icpie so unwomanlv ? ' H ovv could vou confess to 'I'here was a warmth in Amc'lie's tone that was less noticed by herself than by her compan- ion. "Well, it is my way of conquering the King's army. T shot m\- whole ([ui\er of arrows at Colonel i'hilibert, but to my chagrin hit not a \ilal ])art ! He parried every one aiK returned them broken ;il mv feet. Hi neisislent ciuestioning about yourself, as soon as he (lisco\eied we had nanions in the Coiu'ent, (uiite foiled me. K'en scliool com 1 H e w as full of inteiest about \'ou, and all that concerned you, but cared not a fig about me ! " "What could Colonel I'hilibert ha\'e to ask you about me ?" Amelie unconsciously drew closer to her compan- ion and even clasped her arm by an involuntary movement which did not escaj^e her friend, " W'hv he asked evervthinij: a jrentleman could with proper respect ask about a lady." "And what did you sa\- ? " " O, not half enouLrh to coiitent hi m. I confess I felt piqued that he only looked upon nie as a sort of i'ylhoness 98 THE cirrEX iroR. V to sol vo emtrm as al)f)iit }ou. I had a Ljriin satisfaction in leavinj^ ills can ).ity irritated, I) ii ir)i siUsfiL-l. I praised your bcar.ty, {goodness and tdcverncss up to the skies, how- c\er. 1 was not untrue to old fi"i(.'iKhhii). Anielie ! An- geli(|ue kissed lier friend on the ciieek, wiio silently allow- ed what in her indiirnalion a few mtjuienls a'^o she would have refused. *' Hut what said Colonel Philibert of himself ? Never mind about me." C), impatient that you are ! He said nothinuj of hi m- self. He was absorbed in mv stories concerninir vou. I t-i , told him as pretty a fable as La I'onlaine related of the Avarc (jiii tiiuiit f^i'rJu soil trhv ! I said you were a beau- tiful Chatelaine besie;red bv an armv of lo\'ers, but the kni<;ht errant Fortunaius had alone won your favor, and would re(V'i\'e your hand! The brave Colonel! I could see he winced at this. His steel cuirass was not invulner- able. I drew blood, w IS more th m vou would liave dared to do Amelie ! lUit I discovered the truth hidden in his heart. He is in lo\e with ycni, Amelie IJe Repent- igny I " " i\rad o\ver, Ani;t'li(|ue. Hut are you sure there exists no insurmount- able obstacle to oppose these hij^ii asjiiralions .-* It is whis- pered that the rntend int has a wife, whom he keeps in the secliision of neaiunanoir. Is that true ? '' 'I'he words burnt like the. An,i;elique's eyes Hashed out dafj2;crs. She ck-nched her delicate hands until her niiils drew blood from her velvet palms. Her frame cjuiv- ered with suppressed passion. She i^rasj^ed her companion fiercely by the arm. exclaiming : '* \'ou lia\e hit the secret now, Amelie ! It was to speak of that I souijht you out this morninji;, for I know you are wise, discreet, and every way better than I. It i.s all true wliat I have said and more too, Amelie. Listen! The Intend int has made love to me with pointed [gallantry that could h;i\e no other meaninj; but that he honorably souj.;ht my hand. He has made me talked of, and hated by my own sex, who envied his preference of me. I was liviiiL:; in the most ujor^eous of fool's paradises, when a bird l)rout;lu to my ear the astoundin<^ news, that a woman, beautiful as Diana, had been found in the forest of Beaumanoir, by some Hurons of Lorette, who were out huntinj; witli the Intenchmt. She was acconi- panied by a few Indians of a strani;e tribe, the Aben- acjuais oi Acadia. The wouKv.i was utterly exhausted by fatigue, and lay asleep on a couch of dry lea\es under a tree, when the astonished Hurons led the Intendant to the spot where she lay. " I)>)n't interrupt me, Amelie, I see you are amazed, but let me ^o on ? " She held the hands of her companion iirndy in her lap as she proceeded : — " riie Intendant was startled out of all composure at the apparition of the sleeping lady. He spoke eagerly to the Abenaquais in their own tongue which was unintelligi- ble to the Hurons. When he had listened to a few words of their explanation, he ran hastily to the lady, kissed her, called her by name, 'Caroline !' She woke up sudden- ly, and, recognizing the Intendant, embraced him, crying ' FranCj'ois ! Fran(;ois ! ' and fainted in his arms. " 'J'he Chevalier was profoundly agitated, blessing and banning in the same breath, the fortune that had led her r^wi m ti# 32 jy/y^ cinF.y d'or. to him. He j^avo her wine, restored lier to consciousness, talked with hc;i- loiiuj .md sometimes angrily ; but to no avail, for the woman in accents of (k'S|)air, exclaimed in French, which the Ilurons understood, that the fntendant niigiu kill and bury her there, but she wouUl never, never return home any more." Angel icjue scarcely took breath as she continued her eager recital. "'i'he Intendant, overpowered, either bv love of her or fear of her, ceased his remonstrances. He gave some pieces of gold to the Abenaquais, and disiuissed them. 'I'he strange Indians kissed her on botii hands as they would a queen, and with many adieus vanished into the forest. The ladv, attended by Bigot, remained seated under the tree till ninhtfall when he conducted her secretlv to the Chj'iteau, where she still remains in perfect seclusion in a secret chamber they say, and has been seen by none save one or two of the Intendant's most intimate companions." " Heavens ! what a tale of romance ! How learned you all this Angelique?" exclaimed Ame'lie, who had listened with breathless attention to the narrative. " Oh, |5artly from a hint from a Huron girl, and the rest from the Intendant's Secretary. Men cannot keep secrets that women are interested in knowing ! I could make De l^ean talk the Intendant's head off his should jrs, if I had him an hour in my confessional. JUit all my ingenuity could not ('Xtracl from him what he did not know. Who that mysterious lady is, her name, and faiuily ? " " C'ould the Huron hunters give no guess .'' " asked Amelie thoroughly interested in Ange'lique's story. " No. They learned by signs, h(jwev(,'r, froiu the Aben- aquais, that she was a lady of noble family in Acadia, wiiich had mingled its patrician blood with that of the na- tive chiefs and possessors of the soil. Tlie Abenaquais were chary of their information, however, they would only say she was a great white lady and as good as any saint in the calendar." " I would give five years of my life to know who and what that woman is ! " Angelique added, as she leaned over the parapet ga/ing intently at the great forest that lay bev<-)nd Charlebourir, in which was concealed the Chateau of IJeaumanoir." " It is a strange mystery. But I would not seek to un- her A1")cn- c;ulia, lie na- ^quais only lint ill and over IL lay [\teau loun- CONFIDEXCES. ravel it, Angel ique," remarked Amc'lie, *' I feci there is sin in it. Do not touch it ! It will only bring mischief upon you if you do ! " " ^i^scIlief ! So be it ! Rut I will know the worst ! The l?itendant is deceiving me! Woe be to Iiini and her if I am to be their intended victim ! Will you not assist nie, Amelie, to discover the truth of tliis secret?" "1? h(i\v can I? I ]iity you Angeiique, but it were better to lea\'e this Intendant to his own devices." " ^'ou can very easily help me if you will. Le Gardeur must know this secret. He must ha\e seen the woman — but he is angry with me, for — for — slighting him — as he thinks — but he was wrong. I coukl not avow to him mv iealousv in this matter. He told ine just enough to madden me, and anjirilv refused to tell the rest when he saw me so in- fatuated — he called it, over other people's love affairs. Oh, Amelie, Le (lardeur will tell vou all if vou ask him ! " "And I rej)eat it to you, Angelique, 1 cannot question Le Gardeur on such a hateful toi)ic. At any rate I need time to rellect and will pray to be guided right. " "Oh, pray not at all ! If nou pray you will never aid me ! 1 know you will say tlie <:\\(\. is wicked and the means dishonorable. JJut fmd out 1 will — and speedily! It will only be the price of another dance with the Chevalier de Pean, todiscover all I want. Wiiat fools men are when they believe we love them for their sakes, and not for our own ! " Amelie pitying the wild humors, as she regarded them, of her old school com])anion — took her arm to w.ilk to and fro in the bastion — but was not sorry to see her Aunt and the Bishop and I^'ather I)e iJerey approaching. " Quick," said she to Angelic[ue, " smootli your hair and compose your looks. Here come my Aiuit and the Bishop — Father i)e IJerev too ! Sad thoughts are ever banished where he comes, although 1 dori't admire quite so much gayety in a priest. " Angeli(]ue prepared at once to meet them ; and with her wonderful power of adaptation transformed herself in a moment into a merry creature all light and gayety. She saluted the Lady de Tilly and the reverend Bishop in the frankest manner — and at once accepted an interchange of wit aufl kuighter with l-'atlu-r De Berey. Her \-oire. so clear and silver\',would have put the wisdom of Solomon at fault to discover one trace of care on the mind of this beautiful girl. : ! I -I 34 THE cniEN D'OR. "She coulfl not remain lonj^^ however, in the Church's company,'' she said, " sht- h;rl her mornini^ calls to finish." She kissed liie eiieck of Amelia and the iiand of the Lady DeTilly, and with .i cabet, *' and not from Item- just from prm, :oin, ;rry- oiir- jned a lip a |>ron her lind- the Palace — and so nice lookinijj he is, too, with sue h a sparkle in his eye and a picas int smile on his mouth. He is as sj^ood as he looks or I am no judijjc of mei And you are an excellent judi^e of men, I k now. Babet," he replied, "or you would never ha\e taken me Jean chuckled richly over his own wit, which IJahel nodded livel y api)ro\al to. \ es. I 1 our<;e()is. She felt r.ither the more inclined to take this view of the ([ueslion inasmuch as Jean had grumbled, just a little — he would not do more — at his wife's \anity in buxinjj; a i^ay dress of l'"rench fabric, like a city Dame — while all the women of the parish were wearing h()mes])un, or market. Jean had not the heart to sav another word to l^al^ct about the French j^own. In truth he tlK)ULi;ht she looked verv prettv in it, better than in iiro^ram or in linsev wool- sey, although at double tlie cost. He onl}- winked know- inglv at IJabet, and went on to speakinj;' of the llour«;eois. *''I"hev sav the kin^ has lonii hands, but this Intendant lias claws UxiLier than Satan. There will be tiouble bv and by at the (loldeii Do^- — maik that, I'abet ! It was onlv the other dav the Intendant was conversinLT with the Sieur Cadet as they crossed the fen\-. 'J'hey foigot me, or thouij;lit I did not hear them : but 1 had ni_\- ears open, as I al\\a\s ha\e. I heard soniethini; said and I hope no harm will come to the good IJourgeois. that is all ! " " I don't knctw where ("hrisiian folk would deal if any- thing happened him." said IJabet reflectively. *' We always get ci\ility and good jiennxworths at the (lolden Dog. Some of the lying cheats of the l'"iiponne talked in my liearingone(la\' about his being a Huguenot. Hut how can that be. Jean t When he gives the best weight and the long- est measure of any inerch mt in (Quebec Religion is a just vard wand, that is m\- belief, lean. " I y\'- THE ITIXERANT NOTARY. 37 ant by was the mc, pen, no tmy- lays l)()g. my lean |)n«;- iust Jean rnlil")e(l his head with a peiplexed air — '' I do not know whether lie be a HnLiuenol — nor what a I luiriienol is. The Cure one ch\y said, he was a Jansenist on all fours, which I su|)i)ose is the same tiling; Babet — and it does not concern either you or me. JUit a merchant who is a {gen- tleman, and kind to poor folk, and i^ives just measure and honest weight, speaks truth and harms nobody, is christian enou<;h for me. A llishop could not trade more honestly; and tlie word of the r>ouij;e(jis is as reliable as a kini^'s." "The Cure may call the IJourc^eois what he likes," re- plied Babet, " but there is not another christian in the city if the "^ood bourgeois be not one ; and next the church there is not a house in Quebec better known or better liked by all the habitants, than the Golden Dog; and such bar- gains, too, as one gets there ! " " Aye, Babet ! a good bargain settles many a knotty point with a woman." " And with a man too, if he is wise enough to let his wife do his marketing as you do, Jean ! But who have we here? " JJabet set her arms a kimbo and ga/ed. A number of hardy felh^wscame down towards the ferry to seek a passage. " They are honest habitans of St. Ann^s," replied Jean. ** I know them, they, too, are on the king's corve'e, and travel free, every man of them ! So I must cry 7'irc Lc Roi .' and pass them over to the city. It is like a holiday when one works for nothing ! " Jean stepjied nimbly into his boat, followed by the rough country fellows, wlio amused themsehes by joking at Jean Le Ni>s kindled by llie eye of woman .nnl the hope of lo\e. Tlie world is ruled by such dreams, dreams of impas- sioned hearts, and ini|)ro\ isations of warm lijjs, not by cold words linked in chains of iron setjuence, 1)\ lo\c. not by loi;ic. The heart, with its passions, not the understandinjj; with its reasoning, sway, in the long run, the actifjns of mankind. Pierre Philibert ]K-»ssessed that rich gift of nature, a creative imagination, in addition to the solid judgment «)f a man of sense, schooled by experience' and used to the considerations and responsibilities of weighty atTairs, His love forAmeliede Repeniignyhad grown in secret. Its roots reached down to the ver\ (lej)th^ of his being. It miniiled consciouslv or unconsciouslv uith all his n)oti\es and plans of life, and )'et his hopes were not sanguine. Years of absence, lie remembered, w(»rk forgetful ness. New ties and assdciations might have wiped out the mem- orv of him in the mind of a vouuii iiirl fresh to soc ietv and its delights. He expeiienced a disapj)ointnunt in not finding her in tlie city upon his retuin a few days ;!gf>. and the state of the colony and the stress of militarv dutv had SO far prevented his renewing his acquaintance with the Manor house of Tilly. The old fashioned hostelry of the Couronne de France I I 40 77//i ClflEX D'OR. "■\ U \\% \\ 1 with its liij.^h pitched roof, pointed _2^ah!es, nnd l)roa(l j^ah Icry stood (Hrectly opposite the rustic church and tall belfry of Charlehour^:;. not as a rival, but as a sort of adjunct to the sacred edifice. Tiie si^n (»f the crown, briijht with gilding, swun;^^ from the low, projectini:; arm of a maple tree, thick with shade and rustlini; with the beautiful leaves of the emblem of Canada. A few rustic seats under the cool maple were usually occu|Died, toward the i:lose of the day, or about the rin^ine. She shook her head. " Thanks, I have mislaid my glasses. Do you read, please ! " " Most cheerfully, good Dame ! A notary must have eyes for everybody — eyes like a cat's to see in the dark, and power to draw them in like a turtle, so that he may see nothing that he does not want to see." '' Oh, bless the eyes of the Notary ! " Dame Be'dard grew impatient. " U'ell me what the book says about gifts revocable — that is what concerns me and Zoe." " Well here it is, Dame. ' Donations stipulated revoca- ble at the pleasure of the donor are null. But this condition 11 THE 1TI.\ ERA \ 1- XO TAKV. 43 a it does not apply to donatiotis by contract of nianiage,* Bourdon also says — " " A fi^ (or IJourdon, and all sue h drones ! I want my gift niailc revocable. Dame La Chance's is not! 1 know by lonij; experience, with my dear /C// He'dard, how necessary it is to hold the reins li'dil widi the men. Anloine is a irood boy, but he will be all the belter for a careful mother-in- law's supervision .'' " Master Polhier rubbed the top of his wig with his fore- finger. "Are you sure, Dame, that Anloine La Chance will wear the bridle easily ? " '•Assuredly! I should like to see son-in-law o" mine who would not! J5esides, Anloine is in the humor just now to refuse nothimr for sake of Zoc'. lla\e vou inen- tioned the children, ALister I'olhier.'' I do not intend lo let Dame La Chance control the children any more than Zoe anti Anloine " " I ha\'e made you tut rice pcrpctiicllc, as we say in the court, and here it is," said he placing ihe lip of his lin- ger on a certain line in the document. Zoe looked down and blushed lo her finger ends. She presently rallied and said with some spirit — " Never \\\\\\A them. Master Polhier! Don't put thon in the con- tract ! Lei Anloine have something lo say about them. He would take me without a dower, I know, and lime enough lo remind him about children when they come." " Take you without ilower ! Zoe Bedard ! you must be mad ! " exclaimed the Dame, in great heal. " \o girl in New France can marry without a dower, if it be only a pot and a bedstead ! \'ou forget too that the dower is given not so much for you, as to keep up the credit of the family. As well be married without a ring! Without a dower, in- deed ! " " Or without a contract written by a notary, signed, sealed and delivered ! " chimed in Master Polhier. " Yes, Master Polhier, and I have promised Zoe a three days' wedding, which will make her the envy of iill the parish of Charlebourg. The Seigneur has consented to give her away in place of her poor defunct father ; and when he does that, he is sure lo stand god-father for all the children, with a present for everyone of them! I shall invite you loo, Master Polhier ! " 44 TIIF. C/fn-N D OR. Zoti afTc'Ctc'd not to hear her mother's rouvirk. .ihhoiifrh she kiK'W it all by heart, for it had lici'ii dinned into her cars twenty times a day for weeks, and sooth to sa\', she liked to hear it, and fully appreeiated the honors to come from the patronaj^e of the Seij^neur. Master i'olhier |)ricke(l u|) his ears, till they fairly raised his wii;, at the prospect of a three days' weddini,^ at tile C'rown of I'"rance. lie he^an an elalxuate repl\-, when a horse's tramp broke in upon tiiem, and Colonel I'hilibert wheeled u[) to the door of the hosteliy. Master Polhier, seein<; an offuxM' in the kint^'s uniform, rose on the instant and saluted him with a piofonnd bow, while Dame Dedard and Zoe, standin^j side l)y sid ', drop- ped their lowest courtsey to the handsoaie i^entleinan, as, with woman's <;1 a nee. they saw in a moment he was. IMiilibert returned their salute courleouslv, as he halted his horse in front of Dame Hedard. "Madame!" said he, " I thou;;ht I knew all roads about Charlebourj;', but I have either forgotten or they have chani^ed the road throuf^h the forest to lieaumanoir. It is surely altered froiH what it was." " Vour honor is ri<;ht," answered Dame Ik'dard, " the Intendant has o[KMie(l a new road throuj^h the forest." Zoe took the opportunity, while the otilicer looked at her mother, to examine his features, dress and e([uipments. from head to foot, and ihouj^ht him the handsomest officer she had ever seen. "1 thought it must ])e so," replied Philibert, "you are the landlady of the Crown of I'Yance, I presume .'' " Dame Bedard carried it on her face as plainly marked as the royal emblem on the sign over her head. " Yes, vour honor, I am widow Jk'dard at vour service, and. I hope, keep as good a hostelry as your honor will find in the C)lony. Will your honor alight and take a cup of wine, such as I keep for guests of quality? " "Thanks, Madame IJedard, 1 am in haste ; I must find the way to Beaumanoir. Can you not furnish me a guide, for I like not to lose time by missing my way.-"' " A guide, Sir ! The men are all in the city on the king's corvee; Zoe could show you the way easily enough." Zoe twitched her mother's arm nervously, as a hint not to say too much. She felt flattered and fluttered too at the thought of guiding the strange handsome gentleman |i' THE ITIXER ANT NOTARY 45 throii to Heaunianoir," remarked he at lenj;th, drawing; bridle lo allow Master I'othier t<.) rejoin him. "It is as ma/y as the law. I am fi^rtunate, I am sure, in lia\iiig a sliaip notary like xou to conduct me throujjjh it." " Conduct \"ou ! Vour Honor is leading me ! But the road to Beaumiiioir is as intricate as the best case ever drawn up by aw itinerant notai"y." " Vou seldom ride, M.iste'r Pothier ? " said I'hilibert, obser\iu;^ his ^iii.le joliim; with aw audible grunt at every step of his awkward nag. '* Kide, your Honor! N — no! Dame l»L'(kird shall call me plaisaiit Rohin if she ever tenuis me again to mount hi-r li\erv horse — ' if fools oidy carried cruppers I ' as Panui"ge sa_\s." '* Whv. Master Pothier?" I'hilibert began to be amused at his odd guide. '• Why then I >hould be able to walk to-morrow — that is all I This nag will tinish me. nunc ! Iianc ! hoc ! He is tit to bj Satan's tutor at the Seminarv! Hoc! hand huuc ! I luwe not declined mv |)ronouns since I left my Ac- cidence at the High School of Tours — not till today. Iltinct hanc ! hoc ! I shall be jolted to jelly ! I fund hand hoc f' Philibert laughed at the classical reminiscences of his guide ; but. fearing thai I'othier might fall off his horse, which he straddled like a h.iy fork, he stopped to allow the worthy notary to reco\er his breath and temper. " I hope the world ap[ireciates your learning and talent, and that it uses you more gently than that horse of yours," remarked lie. 48 THE cm EN D'OR. Y\ m " Oil, your Honor ! it is kind of you to rein up by the way. I fuui no fault with the world if it find none with me. My philosojihy is this, that the world is as men make it." " As the old saying is : — ' To lend, or to spciul, or to give in, 'Ti.s a vtry good world tliat we live in ; ]»iit to borrow, oi lice, or ,mt a man's own, ''l"ih> tlic very worst world tiiat ever was known.' And vou consider voiu'self in the latter cateirorv, Master I'othier .'' " IMiiiihert s|)oke douhtingly, for a more self- coniplaeent face than his companion's he never saw — every wrinkle trembled with mirth : eyes, cheeks, chin, and brows surroimdfd that jolly red nose of his like a group of gay boys roiuul a bon-tire. " ( )h, 1 am content, your Honor ! We notaries are privileged to wear furred cloaks in the Palais de Justice, and black robes in the country when we can get them I — Look here at my robe of dignitv ! " Me held up the tattered tail of his gown with a ludicrous air." 'I'he pro- fession of notary is meat, drink and lodging : every man's house is free to me — his bed and board I share, and there is neither wedding, christening, nor funeral in ten parishes that can go on withf)ut me ; (loxcrnors and Intendaiits flourish and fall, but jean I'othier dit Rttbin, the itinerant notary, lives merrily: men may do without bread, but they will not live without law — at least, in this noble litigious New I'lance of ours." " \'our ])r()fession seems quite indispensable then!" re- marked i'hilibert. '* Indisi)ensable ! I should think so ! Without proper catcs the world would soon come to an end, as did Adam's happiness in JuK'n, for want of a notary." "A notary. Master I'othier.'" " Yes, your Honor. It is clear that Adam lost his first estate i tind ;i slm^oiuI iiol,\i"\' to (Icft'iul hi-- titk'." Hum I lluil iiiiijjlit 1)L' ; hut judLi'nicni wi'iil hv dct.uilt, as I h:i\L' road. It would he (litTeii.-m iio\ ri\cri' aii; notaries in Xew l'"r;ince and ( )Id, ('a]id)le of bealinq; Luiihr r.ui, innsi'lr \\\ a jiroeess tor either soul, body, or estate lliank fortune, we are out of this Hiick forest now." The Iraxellers had ri'.n hed the other \erL,'i' nf the forest of I'eaumaiKjir. A hioad phiin (hilled with rhrups of fair trees Ia\ spread out in a i"o\aI (h)inaii), owMloitked hv a sleep, wotxied mount, nn. A siKerv l)rook crossed hv a rustic bridge ran ihroui^h tlie park. !n the ceiure was a luii;"e chistcr of j;ardens and patiiaicha! titcs. mu of the midst of whi( h vc the steep roof. ( liininews. and i^ihh'd \anes. Ilashinij; m tJie sun. i )f the { haii'au of IJeaumanoir. Thi,' ("hateau was a h^n;.;, hea\v stiaicture of stone, j^abled and poinu-d in the style of the preciMhn^- ceniurv — htronj^ enou,t;h hir (K'fence, and eK-^aul euoui^h foi" ihe abode of the Koyal Intoiuhinlof New I'rani'.e. It liad be 'n l)uih some fourscore years pre\ious'v, b\ tlie Intendaul Jean Taion. a> a (piit-l leireai wht-n tired uiih the iinpor- Umities of friends oi the peisecution of t-iieniies. or (hs- anionshi|) of .1 few t.hoM-u friends, talk of the splendid lit era lure ot the a^e 1 .f 1 OUls X I \ .. or discuss 1 he new piiilosophv that was e\er\ u/iere spriiiL^nv^ u|) m l','.n"o])e, W'iiliin the walls of the (diateau of ileiunnnoir ha I the Sieur joliet recounted the stor\. ol hi.s adwnluroMs travels, and I"'ather Marijueti'.' contirnu'd ihe \ I'j^ue runens that had lonijj circulated in the colony of a wonderful ri\tr called the " l-'ather of Wait-rs, ' that tlowi;d southwards into the (Itilf of Mexico. Here. t(»o, had the,i;dlaiu l.i Salle taken counsel of his fiiend .unl jialron. Talon, when lie set off to explore t'u' i^neat river Mississij)pi, seen bv Joliet and Marquette, and claim it by rii^lit of discovery as the possession of Trance. A short distance from the ("liateau rose a to^vei' of rough masonry — crian'Maied on tandemonium of riot and revelry, that proloni^ed the nij^ht into the da\', and defied the verv order of natine bv its audacious disrejrard of all decency of time, i-ijace and cireumstance. "• In (lod's name, what means all this, ^^aster Pothier .''' exclaimed I'hilibert, as the\' hastilv dismoimted, and tvins: their horses to a tree, entered the broad walk that led to the terrace. That concert jjomiron. votu' honor ,. 5' Master l\)thier shook his head to express (lisa|)pro\al and smiled to ex- press his inborn symj^athy with feastiuLj and L;()od fellow- ship. "That, yoiu" honor, is the heel of the hunt, the hanuinir un of the antlers of the stau 1)V the <:av chasseurs w ho are visitinu" the Intendant. " A hunting; part}' \'ou mean ? To think that men could stand such brutishness, e\en to jilease the Intendant!" "Stand! yf>ur honor. I wa<;er ni}' gown that most of the chasseurs are lying under the table by this time, although bv the ncjise thev make, it must be allowed there are some burly fellows upon their legs \et, who keep the wine flow- ing like the cow of Montmorencv.'' " 'Tis horrible ! 'tis danuiable !" Philibert grew pale with passion and struck his thigh with his palm, as was his wont when very angry, Riotin"- in drimkenness when the Colony demands the cool head, the strong aim. and the true heart of every man among us ! Oh, my country ! juy dear country ! what fate is thine to expect when men like these are thv rulers t " *' Your honor must be a stranger in New France or you m 52 >''^//-' cnfEX jroR. \v()ulrook. or drag me into the hall, to make sport for the Philistines. And 1 am not much of a .Samson your honor. I could not pull the Chateau down upon tln-'ir heads, — 1 wish 1 could ! " Master Pothier's fears did not appear ill grounded to Philibert as a fresh burst of druidimple manners and inllexible moial^ of the ( 'ro\enior lenei'a The ;n'reat hall of the ( 'hduMU. the scene of the ^•or^•^.■ous feasts of the 1 ntendant. w a-> brilliantlv ii'uminated with of ■^unli^h^ .!> ilu'\' hum^ lU^e h )|ii' mK er l.i!np->. l;1( i\\ m;, Iroiu ihe 1 )tl\ ceiling', upon which wa-^ p liiiled a ti'e^co ot the apotlieo^i-, ol I,' mi- Xl\' W Del e llie ( liaud \b)nai(| ue IS surrounded b\' a cloud ot ('oU(U'->. ( Mieaiioi-- and i!ose, even ugly and repulsi\e, — but his eyes were magnets that drew men's looks towards him, for in them la}- the force of a powerful will and a depth aiul subtlety of intellect that made men fear, if thev could not lo\e him. Vet when he chose — and it was his usual mood — to exercise his bland- isiunents on men, he rarely failed to captivate them, while THE rXTEXDAXT niCOT. 55 his plonsant wit, courtly w.iysniul riatiiial ij; illantry toward!^ women, exercised with the polislied se of the Ciiaiid ( (iiiii).iii\ III ^SMCI.llrs llMilin III New J'VaiicL'. as ihuir i-haiUT named Hu'iii— tin.' "(iiaiid ( "omp iit\(it 'rhicws," as llu' |)ro|)lc in tlu-ir jilaiu Noiiiiaii i:allcd du-m, who rob- bed thcin in the Kiii;;'s naiuc. and under pretence of maiiitainiiiL; the war, |-a>>ed the luo-^i ai bit lary decrees, the only oj)ji'(f of which was to eiiriih iheinsehes and dieir iiii^her patrons ai llu; (.'. and i;allaiits of fashion ai>>iit lown -nun of -real wants .ind L;ri-at e.Mra- \'ai;ance, jiisi ihe class so t|uainlly (Urscribed l)\' Charle- voix, a (|uarier o! a century pre\'ious, as " L'.entlemeii lliorou^hb Versed in lluinosi elcnam m,(| ;im|(.(^.^|)|l' modes of i^pen(Iin^■ money, bul L^ieaib at a los^ how lo obtain it."" Amon^; the _Ljav yoiinLC •'s<'iL;neurs who jjad been drawn into the V ate\ uf Hindi's .splendid dissipation, was the bra\e, handsome [,e (lardcur 1 )e Kepeiitii;ii\' — a ca|)tain (if the l\.o\al M irine, a colonial corj)s ri'centb' embodit-d at (Quebec. In L:;eneral form and feature Le (ranleur was a manl\ relle.v of 'ds be.uilifiil sister Amelie ; but his countenance was marred with traces of debaucherv. I lis f; ici- w as intlamed, and his dai'k eves, so like his sister' b\- nature lender ava\ true, were now irlitterinir with the adder tonnues of the cursed wine sei"pent. Taking the cue from !>!_:;< it. Le Oardeur resixmded madly to tlu- challen_L;^es to drink from all around him. Wine was now tloodini^j e\er_\' brain, and the table was one scene of riotous debauch. •■ l''ill up a'^ain, LeCiardeurl" exclaimed the Inlendant. will) a loud and still clear voice ; '"the l\in,^' clock sa\s it is (la\' — bidid daw ii'il neither cin'k (M'ow.s iior da\' (lawns in the ( 'luileau ot lleaumaiK lir, s,i\(.' ,it iIk' will of its masU'i' ,\\n\ his merr\' ,i;'uests ! hill up, companions all! The lamp liuhl in ihe wine taip is bri_:,luei" than ihe clearest >uii I hal e\ er sIk me ! ■• I'lMuo iJi^ot I name \dur toast, and we will jjledi^e it lill llu- se\en stars count fourteen I " replied l.e Clar- (liaii lOOIC inn' la/ily at llie ^leat clock in Ihe hal I see lour clocks in the room, and e\eiy one ol them lies if it sa\ s ii is dav ! " riiE /.\ TExnAXT nrcoT, 57 "\V)ii ;iic incndiii^j. Li- (rardcur Do Ivrpciitii^'iiv I \'()H arc worthy to l)fl(»n;;' to the (iiand ( 'oiii|)any I I'lUt you shall haw mi\ l(?asl. Wi* ha\c dianU it tsvcni) times already, but it will stand drinkiiiLj twenty times nioie, It is the best prologue to wine ever devisi-d by wit of man — a woman — " '•.And the best ei)il(),<^ue, too, Miijtil 1 "' interjected \' irin. visibly drunk ; " but let us have the toast — my cu[) i-^ waiting-." '• W'l'll. till up all, then ; and we will drink the health, wealth, and l<)\'c by sti;allh, of the jolliesl dame in sunny l""ranee— the Marc|uise de I'onipadoiir ! " '• I,a I'ompadoui' I I , i l*on\padoiu' ! "" I'A'cry tfMiijne n-jK-ated the name, the ^obU'ls wei'e draini-d to the bot- toms, and a thunder of applause and elatlerinLC <>f .^lasses followed the toast of the mistress of I/)ui> \'\'., who was the spetial proteelress of the (irand C'oinp.nn - -a ^itodlv share of whose prolit^ in the monopoh' of trade in \ew I'Vanci" was thrown into the lap of the jxiwi-rful favoritt*. ■* (.■(tme, \'arin I \oiirturn now!" cried lli^ol. tinning; to the ('onunissar\ ; "a toast for \'ille M iiie ! Merry Monti eal I where the\' eat like rats of I'oitou, and drink till ihey riuLj the tire bells, as the liordelais did to weU-ome the collectors of the i;al)elle. The .Nfonirt-alers ha\e not run.iLi I'lc' lire bells yet a,i;ainsl )ou. X'arin. but the)' will by n and by!" V'ai'in tilled his cup with an unsleadv hand until it ra o\'er. and. |M"oppinL,^ his bovU' aL;'ainst the table as he stood up. re-plied : " A toast for \'ille Nfai'ie ! and our friends in need I — tlu- blue caps of the kiehelieu ! '" I'his was in allusion to a recent ordinance of the Intendant. authorizing;; him to si'i/e all llu' corn in store at Montreal ami in the surroundin^C coi'ntr\- — under pretence t suppb nin the arm\". and really to sei'nre the nioiiopoK of it loi- the (Irand ( 'omi) ui\." he toast was d'link annd ra|)turous applau-e. W said. X'arin I '" cxclainH'd l>i;;-ot : "that loasi implied both bnsiness and |)leasure -the business was to swee|) out the Ljram^es of the farmers: the pleasnre is to drink in honor ')f ot vour success. Mv f oraLiers swec p cl can sail 1 \ irin, resuimnii" his seat, and looking- under his l.iand to steadv his ;;aze IJelter brooms w e I e ne\er made ni '.esanc.)n. Tl le l(ll 58 THE cm EN D'OR. country is swept as clean as a ball room. Your F.xrcl- Iciicy and tiic Mar(|uisc nui;lit lead ihc dance over it, and not a straw lie in your way ! " "And (lid y(tu niana<;e it without a fiLjlU, Varin ? " asked the Sieur d'l*'slebe, with a half sneer. " M;;ht ! Why fi-^hl ? The hahitiins will never resist the Kind's name. We conjure the (lc\il down with th.ii. When we skin our eels we don't be<;in at the tail ! If we did the luihitans would be like the eels of Mclun — cry I bef( ore tnev w }• •re hurt. No! no! {riv-.tebe I We are ou more jjolile in Ville .Xfarie. We tell tlieni the Rini^'s trof)ps need the corn. 'I'hey doff their cai)s, and, with tears in their eyes, say, " ^Ionsieur \.q. Comniissaire, the Kinj; can have all we possess, and ourselves too. if he will onl\- save Canada from the iJostonnais, This is better than slealinj; the honey and killing the bees that made it, d'Kstcbel" "Jkit what became of the families of the hahitam^ after this swoop of your forai^eis ? " asked the Seigneur De JJeauce, a countr\' gentleman who retained a few honor- able ideas (loating on to[^ of the wine he had swallowed. " ( )li I the families — thai is, the women and children, for we took the men for the army. Vou see, De Heauce," replied Vai'iii, with a mocking air, as he crossed his thumbs like a peasant of Languedoc when he wishes to inspire bi'lief in his words, " the families have to do what the gentlemen of Heauce practise in limes of scarcity — break- fast by gaping ! or they can eat wind like the people of Poitou. it will make them spit c'ean ! " 1 )e Heauce was irritated at the mocking sign and the pro\eii)ial allusion to the gaping of the people of Beauce. He started U[) in wrath, and striking his tist on the table, *' Monsieur \'arin I " cried he, " do not cross \'our thumbs at me. or 1 will cut them off! Let me tell vou the gentlemen of l>eauce do not breakfast on gaping, but have plenty of corn to stuff even a Commissary of Montreal ! " The Sieur Le Mercier, at a sign from ijigf)t, interposed to stop the rising quarrel. " Don't mind Varin," said he, whispering to De Heauce ; ''he is drunk, and a row will anger the iiitendant. Wait, and by and by you shall toast Varin as the chief baker of Pharoah, who got hanged because he stole the Kin":'s corn." '1' THE LYTEXDAiYT BIGOT. 59 " As he deserves to be for Ills insult to the pjeiitlnnen of IJeauce," insimiatecl I'.iii^ot, leaniiiLC over to his an;4;ry finest, at tile same time \vinkiM<; f^ood liiimorL-dly to \'arin. •* C'ome MOW, l)e IJeauce. friends \\\--am tiitiiiin ira\ s^wx know, which is haliii for love — and 1 will sinj; you a stave in praise of this <;ood wine, which is heller than llacchiis ever drank." 'I"he inlendant rose up, and holding- a hrim- mini; ^dass in his hand, ciianted in full nuisical voice a favorite ditty of the day as a ready mode of restoring har- mony among the company : — 'Amis! dans nui iMnitcillc, Vi)il,i k' viii (11- Fnincc ! Cost Ic i)()n viii fjiii dansc ici, C'cst Ic boil viii {|ui clause. Oai Ion la ! \'iv(j la lirc'ttc ! DcH Fillcttcs II V en aura " Vivcut h's Fillcttcs ! The girls of Quebec ? — first in beauty last in love, and nowhere in scoi-n ol a gallant worthy of them ! " continued IJigot. ''What say you, 1 )e Pean ? Are you not i)repared to loast the belles of (Quebec? " 'I'hal I am, Nour IvKcellencv ! I)e 1 i-an was un- steady upon his feet as he rose to respond to the Intt-iulant's challenge. He pot-valianti)' drew his sword and laid it on the table. "1 will call on tlie honorable company to drink this toast upon their knees, and there is my sword to cut the legs off any gentleman who will not knerl down atid diink a full cui) to the briirlit e\-es of the belle of ( hubec — the incom]xu"al)le Angeliciue des Meloises The toast suited their mooc 1. 1 '^\'er\' one fill ed up lus cup in honor (;f a be;uUy so universally admired. " Kneel down all ! " cried the Intendant, "or I)e I'eau All knelt down with a clash — some ill driid< to the will hamstrmir us )f th em unable to rise aiitin^ umumil; on his ell)ow. his face l)eamini;" with jollitv as he waiied. with a full cup. foi- I )es(-henau.\'s toast. \\\\\ rxt sonner did he hear the name of his sister from those lips than he sprang' up as though a siapent had bit him. lie hmU'd his L;(>l)let at the head of I )eschenau\. with a lleice imprecation and diew his sword as he mshed towards him. •'A thousand lii;htnin^s strike }(ni ! llow dare you ])ollute that holy name, Deschenaux.' Ketract that toast in- siaiub', or \ou shall drink it in blood : — letract. 1 say!" '['lie quests lose to their fee't in terrible uproar. Lc (laitleur strun^led \itood read\ to reiei\e the assault of his antagonist. The intendant. whost couraLi'i.' and preseixt; of mind ne\ei forsook him. pulled 1 )eschenau.\ dow n up^n his seat and held fast his sw(»r(l aim. vhouiin^ m his ear: ".\ie \')U m.id. I )escluai m\ ? \ oil knew -.he was his sister, and ho'.\ lu' '..orships her! keiract ilielnasi -it was ino|)poiume ! Ilesides. ree< 'Meet, w e want to win it\er I )c Repent i'4ii\' to t lu' ( Iraiu i ( 'oiiipan\ ! " 1 )esehenan\ sliuiiLiled toi' a minute, but the iiilhieiice nf tin- 1 nteiidant was all powerful o\er liim. 1 It- ^av e wa\-. •'haiim I )e Kepeiiliuny." said he. '" I only meant to (lo honor to the |)iett\' witih. Who would ha\'e e.\pecled him to take it lip in that mamu'r ? " ■• \\\\ one whii knows him ! besides," continued the lllli IXrr.XDAXT IWCOT. 6i of K), >() of lul •aL lis IS )c of \'. io Intendant. " If }-ou nuist toast his sistt-r. wait till wo j;et him body and soul niadi.- oxer to thr Cirand ( 'oiiipany, and tlicn lie will cart.' no nioic for his sister's fame than you do for youis." " Hut the insult I He !ias ch'awn hlood wiiii the ,u,ol)- Ict," said Dcschenaux, w,,)in;^ his forehead witli his fmL;ers. '* 1 cannot ])ar(lon that ! "' '• Tut, tut ; t'l^ht him another day. lUu you shall not flight here I Cailet and Ta; Mercier ha\'i' pinned the youu'^ llavard, ] see : so vou ha\e a chanee tin()t. "sou are as hard to please as \'illiers Waidome. w honi the kini;' himself could not satisf\. I )eschenaux sa\ s he is sorr\ . A ^e:.tieman cannot say UKjre. So sh.iij;ht to be spoken heie." "Well said 1 Le (iardeur." ex(-laime(l the Intendant. "That's riL;iit. shake hands and be friends airain. l!lessi-d are ciuarrels lli.it lead to reconcili.uion, and die washiriLf out of feud- ni wine. ake vnu' seats, uentlemeii. There was a |Li,eneral scramble back to the table. JJij^ot stood up in itaiewed Ojrce. ! i i. I I ! ! 62 r//E CHIEiV noR. "Valets ! " cried he, "brin<^ in n j.v the largest cups ! We will chink a toast five faliionis deep, in water of life — • strong enough to melt ('leopatra's pearls, and to a jollier dame than I'>gypt's quec:i. Wwi first we will make Le Gar- deur I)e Rept-'iitigny free of thc! guild of noble partners of the company of adxenlurers trading in New I"'rance." 'I'he valets flew in and out. In a few moments the table was replenished with huge drinking cups, silver fiagons, and all liie heavy impedimenta of the army of Bacchus. " You are willing to become one of us, and enter the jolly guild of the Grand Company ? " exclaimed the In- tendant, taking Le Gardeur by the hand. '■ Yes, I am a stranger and you may take me in. I claim admission," replied T^e Gardeur with drunken gravi- ty, " and by St. Figot, I will be true to the guild ! " Jiigot kissed iiim on both ciieeks. " Jjy the l)oot of St. Benoit, you speak like the king of Yvelot. Le Gar- deur (le Repentigny, you are fit to wear fur in the Court of Burgundy." " You can measure my foot, Bigot," re])lied Le Gar- deur " and satisfy the company that I am able to wear the boot of St. Ik'noit." " I)y jolly St. Chinon, and you shall wear it, Le Gar- deur," exclaimed Bigot, handing him a cpiart flag()n of wine, which Le Gardeur drank without drawing breath. "That boot fits," shouted the Intendant exultinirlv : "now for the chant ! 1 will lead. Stop the breath of anyone who will not join in tiie chorus." 'J'iie Intendant in eaumanoir it was laughed at with true Gallic nonchalance. Indeed, to show tlieir scorn of public opinion, the Grand Comi)any liad lately launched a new ship upon the great lakes to carry on the fur trade, and had appropriately and mockingly named her, '^ La Fri- "Let them laugh that win!" said TJigot one day to D'Kstebe, who was in a rage at ha\ing heard the hateful e])ithet used l)y a plain spoken liabitaii. " We accept the name and can withstand the blame. If they say more I will paint it in letters a yard long upon the front of the Palais, and make it the horn bof)k from which the rustics shall take their first lesson in reading and spelling." The toast of the /'>7/^w//6'.' was drunk with applause, followed bv a wild I'acchanalian song — The Sieur Morin had been a merchant in Bordeaux whose bond was held in as little value as his word. He had latelv removed to New France, transferred the bulk of his merchandize to the Friponne, and become an active agent of the Grand Company. " La Friponne ! "" cried he, " I have drunk success to her with all m\- heart and throat. But I say she will never wear a night-cap and sleep quietly in our arms, until we muzzle the Golden Dog, that barks by night and by day in the Rue Iiuade." "That is true, Morin!" interrupted Varin, roused to wrath at the mention of the Golden Dog. "The grand company will never know peace until we send the bour- geois, his master, back to the Pastille. The Golden Dog is—." " Damn the Golden Dog!" exclaimed Bigot, passion- ately. " Why do you utter his name, V^irin, to sour our wine? I hope one day to pull down the Dog, as well as the whole kennel of the insolent Hourireoi; Tl len, as was his wont, concealing his feelings under a mocking 64 ■Jllii ClflEX DOR. gibr, *' Varin." said he, " they say that is your marrow bone iht.' (loldcn I)o_u;is LjnawinL;, Iial ha I ha I " " More |)eo|)le believe it is your Ivvcclleiicy's ! " Varin kiu'w he was ri^hl, bul aware of I'ii^oi's touchiness on lh;vt jioint, added, as is the wont of jiandeicrs to _L;reai men : " It is either yours or the Car(h'nar>." " Let it be the ("arcbnal's, then ! He is still in puri^a- tory, and will wail there the arri\al of the bourgeois, to bal- ance accounts with him."' Hife;ot hated the l)'iur_L:;eois I'hilibeit as one hates the man he has injured. iSiij^ot had been instrumrnlal in his l)anisbmeni vears a;j;o from I'rancc-. when the bold Norman ("ount defended the persecuted Jansenisis in the Parlia- ment or Kouen. I he hUendant liated linn now loi Ins wealth and [prosperity in New I"'rance. Hit his wrath tunu;d to fci!\" when he saw (he tablet of the (iolden 1 )o^, witii il.s tavintin^^^ in>c!iption. ,L;]arinj;" upon the front of the Mai;a- zine in the Kue i!ua(k-. lliij;ot felt the full meaniuLj and sii^nilicance of the words that burned into his soul, and for which he hoped one (l:iv to be re\eni;ed. ■■ ( 'onfusioii to the whole litter of the- CJolden Do^, and that is the ])arty of the //o/i/if/rs ,i;r)is .' " cried he. " liut for that canliuL;' saxani, who plus the (Governor here, I would |)ull diiwii the s'v^w and han;^ its master up in its stead lo-niorrow ! " i'he compan\ now sjjrew still more hilarious and ntisy in their cups. I''ew paid attention to what the Inlendant was savin^i^. P)Ut I )e l\.epentiu;n}' heard him utter the words : '• Oh, for men who dare do num's deeds I " He cau^'ht the eve of I )e ive|)i'nli;j;ny and added. " but wc; area!! cowards in the (Irand (Jompanw and are afraid of the BjurLjcois." The wine was bubbliiv.;" in the brain of Le (} irdeur. He scircidy knew what the Intendatit said, but he cau;;ht ihi- last words. •' W'hou) do \'ou call cowards. Chevalier? 1 have joiu- ed the Orand Company, if the rest are cowards. 1 am not ! 1 stand read} to j^luck the perruque off the head of any man in New P'rance. and carry it on my sword to the Place dWrnies, where I will challen_L;e all the worid to come and take it." " i'ish ! that is nothini;' ! L;ive me man's work. I want to see the partner in the Grand Company wluj dare pidl down the Golden Do;r." t. i I THE lATE.VDAiVT BIGOT. «s ht U ! n.y ind |nt ill " I dare ! and I dare ! " exclaimed a dozen voices at once in response to the apjjeal of tlie Intendant, who craft- ily meant his challenj;e to ensnare only Le Gardcmr. "And 1 dare ; and I will too ! if you wish it, Cheva- lier ! " shouted Le Gardeur, mad with wine and quite ob- livious of the tliousand claims of the father of his friend Pierre Philibert upon him. " I take you at your word, Le Gardeur ! and bind your honor to 't in the presence of all these gentlemen," said Bigot with a look of intense satisfaction. "When shall it be done — to day? " Le Gardeur seem- ed ready to jDluck the moon from the sky in his present state of ecstasy. " Why no, not to-day ! — not before the pear is ripe will we pluck it. Your word of honor will keep till then ? " Bigot was in great glee over the success of his strata- gem to entrap De Re})entigny. " It will keep a thousand years ! " replied Le Gardeur, amid a fresh outburst of merriment round the boatd which culminated in a shameless song, fit only for a revel of satyrs. The Sieur Cadet lolled lazily in his chair, his eyes blinking with a sleepy leer. "We are getting stupidly drunk, liigot," said he : " we want something new to rouse us all to fresh life. Will you let me oiler a toast? " " Go on, Cadet ! olifer what toast you please. There is nothing in heaven, hell, or upon earth that I wont drink to for your sake." " 1 want you to drink it on your knees, Bigot ! pledge me that and iill your biggest cup." "We will drink it on all fours if you like! come, out with your toast, Cadet ; you are as long over it as Father Glapion's sermon in Lent ! and it will l)e as interesting I dare say ! " " Well, Chevalier, the Grand Company, after toasting all the beauties of (Quebec, desire to drink the health of the fair mistress of Jkaumanoir, and in her presence tcjo! " said Cadet with owiisii gravity. Bigot startetl, drunk and reckless as he was, \\c did not like his secret to be divulged. He was angrv with Cadet for referring to it in the presence of so main who knew not that a stranns. " 1 want your mistress up in the great hall ! go sum- mon her at once." repeated the Inleiidant. The house-keeper curtseyed, but pressed her lips to- gether as if to ])re\'ent them from speaking in remon- strance. She went at once on her ungracious errand. cnAPTKR vnr. It .e e ■s )W le lir lid 11, re ler he ir CAROL INK I)F. ST. CASTI.V. Damk 'rRi;Miii.AV entered the suite of apartint'nts and returned in a few moments, saying, " that her lady was not: there hut had gone dov.n to the secret chamber to be, she supposed, more out of heai-ing of the noise which had dis- turbed her so much." -'I will go find her tiien," rci)liL'd the Intendant, "you may return Id _\()UI- ceplible le of enter- taininir. In rank and fortune, she was more than his equal and left to himself, he would willini^ly have married her before he learned that his project of a marriage in the Colony, was scouted at Court. He had already offer- ed his love to Caroline to St. Castin, and won easily the gentle heart that was but too well disposed to receive his homage. Her trust went with her love. Earth was never so green, nor air so sweet, nor skies so bright and azure, as those of Caroline's wooing, on the shores of the beautiful bay of Minas. She loved this man with a passion that tilled with ecstasy her whole being. She trusted his promises as she would have trusted God's. She loved him better than she loved herself — better than she loved Cod, or God's law ; and counted as a gain every loss she suffertid for his sake, and for the affection she bore him. After some months spent in her charming society, a change came ever Ijigot. He received formidable missives from his great patroness at Versailles, the Mar([uise de Pompadour, who had other matrimonial designs for him. IJigot was too slavish a courtier to resent her interference, nor was he honest enough to exi^lain his position to his betrothed. He deferred his marriage. The exigencies of the war called him away. He had triumphed over a fond confiding woman ; but he had been trained among the dis- solute spirits of the Regency too thoroughly to feel more than a passing regret for a woman whom, probal)ly he loved better than any other of the victims of his licentious life. When he finally left Acadia a conquered Province in the hands of the English, he also left behind him, the one true loving heart that believed in his honor, and still prayed for his happiness. JL<— .%jU JHU «W I i ( i K! It A i' IH ii 70 T///': CiriEiV D'OR. The (lays of Caroline's disillusion soon came ; she could iiol conceal from herself that shi; had been basely de- ceived and abandoned by the man she lo\ed so aidently. She learned thai r)i,i;()L had been elevated to the hi;;h otfice of Intendant of New France, but felt herself as utterly for!j;f)tti'n by him as the rose that had Ijloomed and wither- ed in her j^arden two sununers a;;o. Her father had been sununoned to France on the loss of the Colony; and fear! 11 j; to face him on his retiu'n, Car- oline suddenly left her hoiue, and sought refui^e in the forest amoui; her far-off kindred, the red Al)ena([uis, The Indians welcomed her with joy and u 'nded re- spect, reco^i^nizinj; her ri-jjht to their devotion .. ' edience. They put upon her feet the mocassins of tl ibe, and sent her with a trusty escort throu;j;h the wilderness, to Quebec, where she hoi)e(l to lind the Intendant; not io re- proach him for his perfidy, (her gentle heart was too much subdued for that,) but to claim his protection, and if refused, to die at his door. It was under such circumstances that the beautiful hi'^h- born Cartjline de St. Castin became an iiuuate of Heau- manoir. She had passed tlie ni<;ht of this wild debauch in a vigil of prayers, tears and lamentations over her sad lot, and over the des^radation of ]}iy;ot by the life which she now knew he led. Sometimes her .maddened fancy was ready to accuse Providence itself of cruelty and injustice. Sometimes inaLjnifyinfi^ her own sin, she was ready to think all earthly i)unishment upon herself as too liglit, and in- voked death and jud,i;"ment as alone adequate to her fault. All niy;ht \o\v^ she had knell before the altar, askin:; for mercy and forgiveness. Sometimes starting to her feet in terror, as a fresh burst of revelry came rushing from the ffreat Hall above, and shook the door of her secret cham- ijer. r>ul no one came to her help, no one looked in upon her desolation. She deemed herself utterly for;jotten and forsaken of God and man. Occasionally she fancied she could distinguish the voice of the Intendant amid the drunken uioroar, and she shud- dered at the infatuation which bounride was outraged as it had never been before, she witlidrew her hand from his arm with shame and terror stamped on every feature. "(io up there! Oo to show myself to your guests ! " exclaimed she, wiih choking accents, as she stepj)ed back a pace from him — " Uh, Fran^-ois Bigot, spare me that shame and humiliation, I am, I know, contemptible beyond human respect, but still — God helji me I I am not so vile IS to be made a spectacle o f inf im\' to tl lose c Iru nken men. whom I hear clamorimr for me, even no w, " Pshaw! You think too much of the proprieties, Caro- line ] " Bigot felt sensibly jierplexed at the attitude she as- sumed. "Why! "j'he fairest dames of Paris, dressed as Hebes and Ganymedes. thought it a tine jest to wait on the Regent Duke of Orleans, and the Cardinal du Pois, in the gay da\s of the king's bachelorhood, and they do the same r ii i' 'i 72 r//J; CHTEN D'OR. now when the kinij ,L,'('ts up one of liis prcat feasts at Choisy ; so come bwcclhearl — come!" He drew her towards the door. " Spare me, FraiK/)is ! " Caroline knelt at liis feet, clasp- in;; his hand and halhinu^ it in tears — "Spare me ! " cried she. "Oh, would to (lod 1 had died, ere you came to com- iiiaiidmetodo what I cannot and will not do, I'Vancjois !" added she, clasi)in;; hard the hand of the Intendant, which she fancied relaxed somewhat of its iron hardness. " I did not c:ome to cc^mnjand you, Caroline ! but to bear the re(|uest of my quests. No, I do not even ask you on my account to ^o uj) to the great Hall. It is to please my guests oidy." Her tears and heart-rending appeal, be- gan to sober him. J>igot had not counted ui)on such a scene as this. "Oh, thanks, Francois, for that word ! you did not come to command my obedience in such a shameful thing. You liad some small regarrl left for the unfortunate Caroline ; say you will not comm;Mul me to go up there," added she, looking at him with eyes of pitiful pleading, such as no Italian art ever portrayed on the face of the sorrowing Madoiuia. " No," he replied, impatiently. " It was not T proposed it. It was ('adet. He is always a fool when the wine overllows, as I am too, or 1 would not have hearkened to Www ! Still, Caroline, I have promised, and my guests will jeer me Ihiely if I return without you." He thought she hesitated a moment in her resolve at this suggestion. " Come, for my sake, Caroline! Do up that disordered hair ; I shall be j^roud of you, my Caroline. There is not a lady in New France can match you when you look your- self, my pretty Caroline ! " " I'Vanrois : " said she, with a sad smile, " it is long since you llattered me thus ! But i will arrange my hair, for you alone," added she, blushing, as with deft fingers she twisted her raven locks into a coronal about her head. " I would once ha\e gone with you to the end of the world to hear you say you were proud of nie. Alas ! you can never be proud of me any more, as in the old hapjiy days at Grand Pre. Those few brief days of love and joy can never return — never, never ! " IJigot stood silent, not knowing what to say or do. The change from the Bacchanalian riot in the great Hall, to I CAKOUNF'. DE ST. CAST/.V. 73 A tlic si)lonin pathos and woe of (he secret chainlier sobered him rapidly, l^ven his ohchiracy ^Mve way al last. "Car- oline," said he, taking both her hands in his, " I will not urge you Ioniser. I am called bad, and you think ine so ; but I am not brutal. It was a promise made o\er the wine. Varin, the drunken beast, called you (^ueeii Vashti, and challenged me to show your beauty to them ; and I swore not one of tiieir toasted beauties could match my fair Acadienne." *' Did the Sieur Varin call me (^ueen Vashti ? Alas ! he was a truer prophet than he knew," replied she with ineffable sadness. " ( )ueen Vashti refused to obev even her king, when comnianded to unveil her face to the drunken nobles. She was deposed, and another raised to her place. Such may be my fate, Fran^-ois." '' 'I'hen you will not go, Caroline .'' " " No — kill me if you like, and bt-ar my dead body into the Hall — but living, I can never show my face again be- fore men — hardly before you, Fran(;ois," added she, blush- ing, as she hid her tearful eves on his shoulder. "Well then, Caroline," replied he, really admiring her spirit and resolution, " they shall finish their carouse witli- out seeing you. The wine has Howed to-night in rivers, but they shall swim in it without you." " And tears have flowed down here," said she, sadlv — "oh, so bitter! May you never taste their bitterness, Fran- !" Ijigot paced the chamber with stea^-iier steps than he had entered it. 'J'he fumes were clearing from his brain ; the song that had caught the car of Colonel I'hili- bert, as he approached the Chateau, was resounding at this moment. As it ceased IJigot heard the loud impatient knocking of I'hilibert at the outer door. "Darling!" said he, "lie down now, and compose yourself. Francois IJigot is not unmindful of your sacri- fices for his sake. I must return to m\' guests, who are clamoring for me, or rather for you, Caroline I " He kissed her cheek, and turned to leave her, but she clung to his hand as if wanting to say something more ere he went. She treml)led visibly, as her low plaintive tones struck his ear. " Fran(;ois ! if you would forsake the companionship of those men, and purify your table of such excess, God's (;ois WTW 74 r//E CIIIEN D'OR. 11 ' I \ \ !! \i I !|( blessing would yet descend upon you, and the people's love follow you ! It is in your power to be as good as you are great ! I have many days wished t(j say this to you, but alas, I feared }ou too much. 1 do not fear you to day, Fran(;ois, after _\-our kind words to me." iiigot was not imj)enetrable to that low voice so full of pathos and love. lUit he was at a loss what to rej^ly — strange intliiences were flowing round him, carrying him out of himself. lie kissed the gentle head that reclined on his bosom. "Caroline,"' said he, "your advice is wise and good as yourself. J will think of it for your sake, if not for my own. Adieu, darling ! Go and take rest ; these cruel vigils aie killing you, and I want you to live in hope of briiihter davs." "1 will," rei)lied she. lookmg up with ineffable tender- ness. " I am sure I shall rest after j'our kind words, Fran- (;ois.'' No dew of Heaven was ever more .;.'f resiling than the balm they bring to my weary soul. 'J'hanks, oh my Fran(,'(Ms, for them ! '" She kissed iiis lips, and Bigot left the secret chamber a sadder and for the moment a better man than he had ever been before. Caroline, overcome by her emotions, threw herself on a couch, invoking blessings upon the head of the man by whom she had been so cruelly betrayed. Uut such is woman's heart — full of mercy, compassion and pardon for every wrong when love pleads for forgiveness. '* Ha ! Ha! " said Cadet, as the Intendant re-entered the great Hall, which was tilled witi Bacchanalian frenzy. "Ha! Ha! His Excellency has proposed and been re- jected ! The fair lady has a will of her own and won't obey ! why, the Intendant looks as if he had come from Quintin Corentin, where nobody gets anything he wants ! " "Silence. Cadet! don't be a fool ! " replied Bigot, im- patiently, although in the Intendant's usual mood, nothing too gross or too bad could be snid in his presence but he could caj) it with sc^mething worse. " tool, IJigot ! It is \'(Hi who have been, the fool of a woman ! " Cadet was privileged to say anything, and he never stinted Ins speech. "Confess, your Plxcellency ! she is splay footed as St. Pedauque of Dijon! She dare not trip over our carpet for fear of showing her big feet I " Cadet's coarse remark excited the mirth of the In- tendant. The influences of the great Hall were more ill M CAROLINE DE ST. CASTIN. 75 powerful than those of the secret chamber. He replied curtly, however — " 1 have excused tlie lady from coming, Cadet. She is ill, or she does not please to come — or slie has a private fancy of her own to nurse ; any reason is enouy;h to excuse a lady, or for a gentleman to cease pres- sing her." " Dear me ! " muttered Cadet, " the wind blows fresh from a new ciuarter ! It is easterly, an' betokens a storm ! '' and with drunken gravity he commenced singing a huntinii refrain of Louis XIV. : — Im- Ihe a [lie IV ! [re In- Ire "Sitot (iii'il vdit sa Cliien 11 i|iiitte tuut puur clltnc," Bigot burst out into immorlerate laughter. " Cadet," said he, " you arc, when drunk, the greatest ruffian in Christendom, and the biggest knave when sober. Let the lady sleep in peace, while we drink oursehes blind in her honor. Bring i'' brandy, valets ! and we will not look foi dav until midnight booms on the old clock of the ChtV teau.'" 'l"he loud kno< king of Philibert ni the great Hall rever- berated again and again through the house. liigot bade the valets go see who disturbed the Chateau in tiiat bold style. '" Let no one in ! " added he — " tis against the rule to open the doors when the Grand Company are met for busi- ness ! Take whips, valets ! an;' scourge the insolent beg- gars away. Some miserable liabitans I warrant, whining for the loss of their eggs and bacon taken by the king's pur- veyors ! " A servant returned with a card on a silver salver. "An officer in uniform v/aits to see your Kxcellency ; he bringh orders from tiie (J()\-ernor," said he to the Intendant. Bigot looked at the card, with knitted brows, fire sparkled in his e\es as he lead t!ie name. "Colonel I'hilibert ! '' exclaimed he, "Aid de-Camp of the Gox'ernor ! what the liend brings li'nn at sucli a time? Do you hear ? " c(jntiiuied he. turning to \'arin. " It is your friend from Louisbourg, who was going to put you in irons, and send you to I'Vance for tii.d. when tiie mutinous garrison threatened to suiieiuKr the place if we did not pay tiiem." Varin was nut so intoxicated but the name of Philibert 76 THE CIIIEN D'OR. ■ 1 roused his anf];er. He set his cuj3 clown with a bang upon the table. " I will not taste a drop more till he is gone," said he ; "curse Oalissoiiiere's crooked neck — could he not have selected .i nif^re welcome messenger to send to Beau- manoir? Hut I have got his name in my list of debtors, and he shall pay up one day for his insolence at Louis- bourg." " Tut, tut, shut up your books ; you are too mercantile for gentlemen," replied Bigot. " The ([uestion is shall we allow Colonel Philihert to bring his orders into tlie Hall.-* Par J)ieu ! we are scarcely presentable ! " liut whether presentable or no, tlie words were scarcely spoken wiien, impatient at the delay, Philil;)ert took ad- vantage of the open door and entered the great Hall. He stood in utter amazement for a moment at the scene of drunken riot which he beheld. The inflamed faces, the confusion of tongues, the disorder, tilth and stench of the prolonged debaucii sickened him, while the sight of so many men of rank and high otifice revelling at such an hour, raised a feeling of indignation which he had difB- culty in keeping down, while he delivered his message to the Intendant. Bigot, however, was too shrewd to be wanting in polite- ness. '* Welcome Colonel Philibert," said he ; "you are an unexpected guest, but a welc(Mne one I come and taste the hospitality of Beaumanoir before you deliver your message. Bustle, valets, bring fresh cups and the fullest carafes for Colonel Philibert.'' " Phanks for your politeness, Chevalier ! Your Ex- cellency will please excuse me if I deliver my message at once. My time is not my own to-day, so I will not sit down. His Excellency the Governor desires your presence and that of the royal Commissaries at the council of war this afternoon, despatches hnve just arrived by the P^leur de Lys from home, and the council must assemble at once." A red flush rested upon the brow of Philibert as in his mind he measured the important business of the council with the fitness of the men whom he summoned to at- tend,^it. He declined the offer of wine and stepped back- ward from the table, with a bow to the Intendant and the company and was about to depart, when a loud voice on the further side of the table cried out : ' ^ ^ *T^-'" ; <- ■ .* CAROUNE DE ST. CASTIN. 77 at Isit ice ar |ur lat lis il ll- l-c- le a " It is he, by all that is sacred ! Pierre Philibcrt ! wait ! " I^c Gardeur cle RepeiUi^jny rushed like a storm through the hall, upsetting chairs and guests in his advance. He ran towards Colonel Philil)ert who not recognizing the flushed face, and disordered figure that greeted him shrank back from his embrace. " My God ! do you not know me, Pierre ? " exclaimed Le Gardeur, wounded to the quick by the astoni';hed look of liis friend. " I am Le Gardeur de Repentigny ! Oh, dear friend, look and recognizee me ! " Philbert stood transtixed with surprise and pain as if an arrow had stricken his eyes. '* You ? you } Le Gardt . " de Repentigny ? It is impossible ! Le Gardeur never looked like you, much less, was ever found among peo- ple like these ! " The last words were rashly spoken, but fortunately not heard amid the hulibub in the hall, or Philibert's life might have paid the penalty from the ex- cited guests. " And yet it is true, Pierre, look at me again. I am no other than he whom you drew out of the St. Lawrence, the only brother of Amc'lie ! " Philibert looked hard in the eyes of Le Gardeur, and doubted no longer. He jiressed his old friend to his heart, saying in a voice full of pathos : — " Oh, Le Gardeiu" ! I recognize you now, but under what change of look and place ? Often have I forecast our meeting again, but it was in your pure, virtuous home of Tilly, not in this place. What do you here Le Gar- deur? ■' " Forgive me, Pierre, for the shame of meeting me here," Le Gardeur stood up like a new man in the glance of his friend ; tlie shock seemed to have sobered him at once. " ' What flo I here ? ' say you, oh, dear friend ! " said he, glanc- ing round the hall, " it is easier seen than told what I do here. But by all the Saints I have finished here for to-day! You return to the citv at once, Pierre ? " "At once, Le Gardeur. Tiie Governor awaits my re- turn." " Then I will return with you. My dear aunt and sis- ter are in the city. News of their arrival reached me here, my duty was to return at once, but the Intendant's wine- cups were too potent for me ; curse them, for they have dis- graced me in your eyes, Pierre, as well as my own ! " 78 THE CHI EX D'OR. rhilibcrt started at the information that Amclie was in the city. " Anit'lic in the city? " relocated he with j^hul sur- prise, " I (lid not expect to be able to salute her and the noble Ladv de Tillv so soon." Mis heart bounded in .secret at the jjrospect of again seeing this fair girl who had filled his thoughts for so many years, and been the se- cret spring of so much tliat was noble and manly in his character. *' Come, Le Gardeur, let us take leave of the Intendant, and return at once to the city, biU not in that ])light ! added he smil \\y. as Le Gardeur, oblivious of all but the pleasure of accom])anying him, had grasped his arm to leave the great Hall. '* Not in that garb, Le (ranlcur! ]:5athe, purifv, and clean yourself, I will wait outside in the fresh air. The odor of this room stifles me ! " " Vou are not going to leave us, Le Gardeur ! " Varin called across the table, *' and break up good company.'' Wait till we linish a few more rounds and we will all "[o together." '' I have finished all the rounds for to-day, Varin, may be for ever ! Colonel Thilibert is my dearest friend in life, I must leave even you to go with him, so J^ray excuse me." "You arc excused, Le Cxardeur." Bigot s])oke very courteously to him, much as he disliketi the idea of his com|xinionship widi IMiilibert. " We m !st all return by the time the Cathedral bells chime noon. Take owt part- ing cup before you go Le Gardeur, and prevail on Colonel Philibert to do the same, or he will nt)t praise our hospi- talitv, 1 fear." " Not one drop more this day, were it from Jove's own poculum." Le (rardeur repelled the temptation m ort; I'eadily as he felt a twitch on his sleeve from the hand of Philibert. ''Well, as you will, Le Gardeur, we ha\e all had enough and o\'er I dare say, ha ! ha I C'olonel Philibert rather puts us to the blush, or would do, were not our cheeks so well painted in the hues of rosy liacchus." Philibert, with ollicial courtes}', bade adie'u to the fnten- dant and the company. A couple of valets waited upon Le Gardeur, whom they assisted to bathe and dress. \\\ a short time he left the Chateau almost sobered and wholly metamorphosed into a handsome fresii Chevalier. A per- verse redness about the eyes alone remained to tell the tale of the last niLrht's debauch. CAROLiyE DF. ST. CASTI.V. 79 i,'« lily It. luls Lii bn- loa lln fly ;r- ile Master Potliicr sat on a horse-block at the door with all the <;ravity of a ju(l.je, while he wailed for the return of Colonel IMiilihert and listened to the li\ely noisi^ in the Chateau, the music, S(jii:j^, and jinL;le of ^lass forniini; a sweet concert in the ears of the jolly old notary. " I shall not n(;ed vou to iruide nie hack. Master Poth- ier," said Philibert, as he j^ut some silver i);eces in his hollow palm, "take yoiu' fee. 'I'he cause is <;aineil, is it not, Le Gardeur?" He glanced triumphantly at his friend. "Cxood-bye, Master Pothier," said he as lie rrxle off with Le Gardeur. The old ncHary could not keep up with them but came joltini;- on behind, well i)leased to have leisure to count and iina in sacli company! What must you think of me '■ " " 1 think vour reirrel could no\. sur|)ass nrne. Pal t '1 me how you ha\'e been drawn into th the wa'onsi turn, Le (iaideur?" es'v api; aui 1 U Le (lardeur winced as he rei)lied, " Oh, I do not kn >\v. I found myself there bei(jre 1 thought, ll was ihe uii, wine and eiicliantmenl.-> oi Pig )t, f suppcxse, and la.; greatest temptation in a\\ — a woman's smiles — thai led nu to take the Wionir turn, as vou call it. r lere— vou lia\e my confession I — and I woidd put my sword ihrough any man but vou, Pierre, who dared .isl me to \s\\Ki .such an account of myself. I am ashamed of it all Pierre Piiili- bert, ! ' Thanks, Le Gardeur, for vour confidence. I \\ o pe you will outride this storm!" lie held out his hand, nervous and sinewy as that of .\Lirs. Le Gardeur seized 1 82 TFIE ciriE.v iroR. it and pressed it hard in liis. " Don't you think it is still able to rescue a friend from peril ? " added rhilibert smil- ing. Le Garfhnir caui^ht his meaning;, and j^ave him a look of unulti'ral)lc !j;ratilu(le. " IV-side tins liand of mine are there not the ;;entler hands of Amelie to intercede for you witli your better self," said Philil)ert. " My dear sister!" interjected Le CJardeur. " I am a coward when I think of her, and I siiame to come into her pure presence." " Take courai^e, Le (iardeur ! There is hoix; wliere there is siiame of our faults. i>e eciuallv frank with vour sister as with me, and sh'j will win vou in spite of vour- self froni the eiuhantinents (;f • Hi^ot, Cadet, and the still more potent smiles you speak of that led you to take the wron^ turn in life." " 1 doul)t it is too late, Pierre ! althouu^h I know that, were every other friend in the world to f(jrsake me, Amelie would not ! She would not even reproach me, except by excess of affection." I'hilibert looked on his friend admirinijly, at this pane- gyric of the woman he loved. Le Oardeur was in feature so like his sister that l*hiiil)ert at the moment caught the very face of An\elie, as it were, looking at him through the face of her brother. " Vou will not resist her pleadings, Le Gardeur." — Philibert tiiought it an impossilile thing. " No guardian angel ever clung to the skirts of a siiuier as Amelie will cling to you," said he ; " therefore I have every hopi- of n^y dear friend Le Gardeur de Repentigny." 'Lhe two riders emerged from the forest and drew up for a minute in front of the hostelry of the Crown of France, to water their horses at the long trough before the door, and inform Dame IJedard, who ran out to greet them, that M;ister Pothier was following with his ambling nag at a gentle pace, as beiitled the gravity of his pro- fession. " O ! Master Pothier never fails to lind his ■•vay to the Crown of France ; Init won't your honon, take a cup of wine? The day is hot and the road dusty. ' A dry rider makes a wet nag,'" added the Dame, with a smile, as she repeated an old saying, Iirought over with the rest of the butin in the shii^s of Cartier and Champlain. The gentlemen bowed their thanks, and as Philibert riRRRE PHI LI BERT. ^l ilil- o(;k are you 111 a ) her k'here your vour- ;' still e the r thAt, uiieUe :pt by pane- eatvire ht the rh the (lings, thing, ncv as have igny." e\v up i)Nvn ot >re the L!,reet nbling is pro- to the :up of rider [as she of the lilibert looked up, he saw pretty Zoii IVdard poring over a sheet of pai)L*r l)c-ai"ing a red seal, and spelling out the crabbed law text of MasU'r I'othier. Zoe, like other girls of her class, had received a lini:iure of learning in the day schools of the nuns ; iviit, althougii the |)aper was lici marriage con- tract, it puzzled iier greatly to pick out the few chips of plain sense that lioated in the sea of legal verbiage it con- tained. Zoe, with a perfect comprehension of the claims of mcum and tiiioti, was ai no loss, howe\er, in arriving at a satisfactory solution of the true merits of her matrimonial contract with honest Je;in La Chance. She caught the eye (jf I'hiliberi, and blushed to the very chin as she hudtlled awa\' the paper and returned the salute of the two handsome gentlemen, who, having refreshed their horses, rode off at a rapitl trot down the great highway that led to the cil\'. Jjabet Le Xocher, in a new gown, short enough to reveal a pair of shapely ankles in clocked stockings, and well clad feet, that would have been the envy of many a Duchess, sat on the thwart of the boat knitting. Her black hair was in the fashion recorded bv the grave I'eter Kalm, who, in his account of New France, says, " The peasant women all wear their hair in ringlets, and nice tlu;y look!" " As \ live I " exclaimed she to Jean, who was enjoying a jjipe of native iobacco, " here comes that handsome officer back again, and in as jrreat a hurrv to return as he was to go up the higiiway ! " " Aye, aye, IJabet ! It is plain to see he is either on the King's errand or his own, A fair lady awaits his return in the cit\', or one has just dismissed him where he has been ! Nothing like a woman to put quicksilver in a man's shoes — eh I iJabet ? !' " Or f(K)lish ihouglUs into their hearts, Jean ! " replied she, laughing, " And nothing more natural, Babet, if women's hearts are wise enough in their folly to like our foolish thoughts ot \\\ em. But there are two! Who is that ridinir wuh the gemicman ,-* Vour eyes are better tlian mine, IJabet ! " '' Of course, Jean I that is what I alwavs tell you, but you won't believe me — trust my eyes, and doubt your own ! The other gentleman," said she, looking fixedly, while her knitting lay still in her lap, '' the other is the young 84 THE cm EX D'OR. Clicvalicr de Repcnti^nv. What ])iinj,^s him l)ack before the rest of the himlini; part}', I wonder? " " Tliat offirer niu^l ha\e been to InMiiinaiioir, and is bringinjjf tlie yoiin;; Seii^ntair back to town," remarked Jean, pulfmi'j out a loni; thread of ^nioke fioin his Ii])s. " Well, it must be somethini^ better than smoke, ji'an ! " — Ilabet coi^hed ; she never liked the pipe. — "'I'he }-()uni; (^he\aiier is always one of tin; last to i;i\e up when they have one of their three da\s drinkiuL^ bouts up at the (IhAteau. lb' is ,L;oineen an old servitor at Tilly, and the young Seigneur was too noble minded and polite to omit a kindlv notice of even the humblest of liis ac- quaintance. '• \\m\ a l)usy day, Jean, with the old ferry?" asked Le Gardeur cheerily. " No, your honor, but yesterday I think half the country side crossed over to the city on the King's C'orve'e. 'The men went to work, and the women followed to look after them, ha I ha!" Jean winked provokingly at IJabet, who took him uj) shar]:)l\-. '■ And why should nc^t the women go after tlie men? I trow men are not so plentiful in Xew France as they used to be before this wearv war beiran. It well behoves the women to take good care of all that are left." "■'That is true as the Sunday sermon," remarked Jean. "Why, it was only the other day 1 heard that great foreign gentleman, who is the guest of his Excellency the Governor, say, sitting in this very boat, 'that there are at this time four women to every man in New France ! ' If that is true, PIERRE PfH LIBERT, 8S B.il)ot — and you know Ivj said it. for you were an:^r\- I'noui^h — x man is a prize indeed, in New I'rance, antl W(jinen are plenty as ej^i^s at Master ! " I'lic foieiun irentlenian had nuu Ii asstu'ance to say it He wei'e much heller emplowd V f it -IK were true. even 1 pickiuLj up werds and [)utluiL;' tliem \\\ his book ! ' exelami ed liahet, iiotly. "Come! eome ! '' cried Le (lardeur, interruptinLT this dehate on the popuhilion — " i'rovidence knows tlie worth of CanacUan women, and (:aniu)t |Li;ive us tof) man}' of tln'm. We are in a hurry to i^i't to the city, Jean, so let us embark. Mv Auiu and Amelie are in ihe old home in the (it)', they will he qiad to see you and Dabet," ailded he kindly as he got into the boat. ]>al)et (lroppc:d her neatest courtesy, and Jean, all alive to his dut\', pushed off his boat bcariirj; the two gentlemen and tlieir horses, across the broad St. ('harles, to the Kind's (^uay. where they remounted, and ridini.:; |)ast the hu_:;e pal- ace of the hitendant. dashed up the sleep CV'A' iiii C/n\n and throu_u;h the City ijate, (hsappearini; from the eyes of l>abet, wh o loo ked \erv admirinirlv after them. I K'i- thoughts were especially conunendatoi'v of the haiKUome officir in full uniform, who had been so polite and _i;enerou>in tiie morniuL;. " I was afiaid, Jean, \'ou were i:;oinLj^ to bluit out about Mademoiselle des Meloi>L'S," remarked I label U) lean on lis return- men are so indiscreet ai\\a\s. Leak\- boats I leak\- boats I ii.ibet ! no rowing; th em wiih a woman aboa'xl ! sure to run on the bank, llul what about Mademoiselle des Meloises .^ " Honest Jean liad an hour a^o. and been sorely asse d h er o\'er the ferr\' temjjted to inform Le (lardeur of the intciX'Siini;- fact. '"What about Mademoiselle d-s M.'loises.^" IJabet spoke rather sharply — "win, all (Quebec knows that the Sei[;neur de Repenti^ny is mad in love with her, And whv should he not l)c mad in Icve with her i f hi likes?" replieil Jean — "■ She is a morsel fii for a kin^, and if Le Gardeur should lose boih his heart and his wits on her account, it is onlv what half the "allanls of ( )uebec have done."' " (Jh, Jean, Jean ! it is |)l lin to see \ou liave an eye in your head, as well as a soft place ! '' ejaculated Babet, reconi- mencini^ her knittinci: with fresh vif^or, and working off the fciectricity that was slirrin<; in her. /I'/. .^^ ''.i^^ m IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / o .<" c^ .

**- 1.0 I.I 1.25 IIM IIIIM litt ^ JO 2,0 1.8 1-4 III 1.6 V] ^' /a '^A e. ei ^ J .-^ *^.>- '% o ^ / & ///, Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14580 (716) 872-4503 * fe' m. &*- l^r I 86 T//E CIIIEN D'OR. " I had two eyes in my head when I chose you, Babet, and the soft phice was in my heart ! " repHed Jean heartily. The compliment was taken with a smile, as it deserved to be. " Look you, Babet, I would not f^ive this pinch of snuff, ' said Jean, raising; his thumb and two tin<;ers iiolding a^ood dose of the pungent dust — "I would not give this pinch of snuff for any young fellow, who could he indifferent to the charms of such a pretty lass as Angelique des Meloises !" " Well, I am glad you did not tell the Seigneur de Re- pentigny, that she had crossed the ferry and gone — not to look for him, I'll be bound ! I will tell you some- thing by and by, Jean ! if you will come in and eat your dinner, I have something you like." "What is it, Babet?" Jean was after all more curious about his dinner than about the fair lady. " Oh, something you like, — that is a wife's secret, keep the stomach of a man warm and his heart will never grow coid, — what say you to fried eels ? " '* Bra\ o ! " cried the gay old boatman, as he sang : "Ah! ah! ah! frit a I'huile. Frit au beurre et a I'ognon I" and the jolly couple danced into their little cottage — no king and queen in Christendom half so happy as they. I I CHAPTER X. AlIELIE DE REPENTIGNY. The town house of the Lady de Tilly stood on the upper part of the Place d'Armes, a broad roughly paved scjuare. The Chateau of St. Louis, with its massive buildings and high peaked roofs filled one side of the square. On the other side, embowered in ancient trees that had escaped the axe of Champlain's hardy followers, stood the old fash- ioned monastery of the Recollets with its high belfry, and broad shady porch, where the monks in grey gowns and sandals sat in summer, reading their breviaries or exchang- ing salutations with the passers b\', who always had a kind greeting for the brothers of St. Francis. AMELIE DE REPENTIGNY. 87 The mansion of the Lady de Tilly was of stone, spacious and ornate, as became the rank and wealth of the Seij^neurs de Tilly. It overlooked the Place d'Arines, and the noble gardens of the Chateau of St. Louis, with a mai^nifuent sweep of the St. Lawrence, flowing majestically under the fortress-crowned cape, upon the high wooded hills of Lau- zon, the farther side of the river closing the view. in the recess of an ornate nnillinned window, half con- cealed by the rich heavy curtains of a noble room, Amelie de Repentigny sat alone ; very quiet in look and demeanor, but no little agitated in mind, as mi'dit be noticed in the nervous contact of her hands, which lay in her laj) clasping each other very hard, as if trying to steady her thoughts. Her aunt was receiving some lady visitors in the great drawing-room. The hum of loud feminine voices reached the ear of Amelie, but she paid no atten- tion, so absorbed was she in the new and strange thoughts that had stirred in her mind since morning, when she had learned from tlie Chevalier La Corne of the return to New France of Pierre Philibert. The news had sur- prised her to a degree she could not account for. Her first thought was, how fortunate for her brother that Pierre had returned ; her second, how agreeable to herself. Why ? She could not think why. She wilfully drew an inference away from the truth that lay in her heart. It was wholly for sake of her brother she rejoiced in the return of his friend and preserver. Her heart beat a little faster than usual, that was the result of her long walk and disappoint- ment at not meeting Le Gardeur on her arrival yesterday. But she feared to explore her thoughts — a rigid self exam- ination might discover what she instincti\ely felt was deeply concealed there. A subtle indefinable prevision had suggested to her that Colonel Philibert would not have failed to nuet Le Gardeur at Beaumanoir, and that he would undoubtedly acconijjany her brother on his return and call to pay his respects to the Lady de Tilly, and — to herself. She felt her cheek glow at the thought, yet was half vexed at her own foolish fancy, as she called it. She tried to call upon her pride, but that came very laggardly to the relief of her discomposure. Her interview too with Angelicjue des Meloises had caused her no little disquiet, 'i'he bold avowals of Ange- lique with reference to the Intendant had shocked Amelie. Ill 88 TriE en: EN d'or. She knew that her brother had given more of his thoughts to lliis b(niutiful, reckless girl than was good for his peace, should her ambition ever run counter to his love. The fond sister sighed deei^ly when she reflected that the woman who had power to make prize of Le Gardeur's love, was not worthy of him. It is no rare thing for loving sisters, who have to resign their brothers to others' keeping, to think so. Ikit Ame- lie knew that Angelique des Meloises^ was incapable of that true love, which only finds its own in the happiness of another. She was vain, selfish, ambitious, and what Amelie did not yet know, possessed of neither scruple nor delicacy in att;iining her objects. It had chiino.l the hour of noon upon the old clock of the Recollets, and Amelie still sat looking wistfully over the great scjuare of the I'lace d'Armes, and curiously scan- ninir everv horseman that rode across it. A throng of people moved about the square, or passed in and out of the great arched gale-way of the Castle of St. Louis. A bright shield, bearing the crown and //tv/r dc /ys\ surmount- ed (he gate, and under it walked, with military pace, a couple of sentries, their muskets and bayfMiets tiashing out in tile sun everv tiiue thev wheeled to return on their beat. Occasionally there was a ruflle of drums ; the whole guard turned out and presented arms, as some officer of high rank, or ecclesiastical dignitary, passed through to pay their res]jects to the (Governor, or transact business at the vice- regal court, (ienllemen on foot, with chapeaux and swords, carrying a cloak on their shoulders ; ladies in visiting dress ; liabitans and their wives in unchanging costume ; soldiers in uniform, and black gowned clergy, mingled in a moving i)icture (jf city life, which, had not Amelie's thoughts been so pre occupied to-day, would have afforded her great delight to look out upon. The Lady de Tilly had rather wearied of the visit of the two ladies of the city, Madame de Grandmaison, and Madame Couillard, who had bored her with all the current gossip of the day. They were rich and fashionable, per- fect in etiquette, costume, and most particular in their soci- ety. Ikit the rank and position of the noble Lady de Tilly matle her frien(lshi|) most desirable, as it conferred in the eyes of the woikl a jxitent of gentility, which held good against every pretension to overtop it. AMELIE DE REPEA'TIGNY. 89 The stream of city talk, from the h'ps of the two 'adies, had the merit of hcini^ pL'rfcct of its kind. Softly insiim- atinij^, and sweetly censorious, sujierlative in eulogy, and in- fallible in opinion. 'I'he good visitors most conscientious- ly dischan^ed what they deemed a threat moral and social duty, hv enli'diteninir the Ladv de Tillv on all the recent lapses, and secrets of the capital. They slid over slippery topics like skaters on thin ice, filling; their listener with anxiety lest they should break through. Ikit A.^idame de Orandmaison and her companion were too well exercised in the g\-mnastics of gossip, to overl)alance themselves. Half (Quebec was run over, and run down in the course of an hour. Lady de Tilly listened with growing impatience to their •frivolities, but she knew society too well to cjuarrel with its follies when it was of no service to do so. She contented herself with hojjing it was not so bad. The Pojje was not Catholic enough to suit some people ; but for her part, she had generally found people better than they were called. A rather loud, but well bred exclamation of Madame de Grandmaison, roused Amelie from her dav dream. "Not going to the Intendant's ball at the Palace! My Lady de Tilly! neither you nor Mademoiselle de Re- pentigny, whom we are so sorry not to have seen to-day ? Wliy, it is to be the most magnificent affair ever got up in New Fr;ince. All (Quebec lias rung with nothing else for a fortnight, and e\'ery milliner and modiste in the city has gone almost insane over the superlative costumes to be worn there." " And it is to be the most select in its character," chimed in Madame Couillard ; "all gen^^ry and noblesse, not one of the Hourgt;ois to be invited. That class, especially the fe- male j)ortion of them, give themselves such airs now-a- days ! As if their money matle them company for people of quality. They must be kept down, I say, or — " " And the Royal Intendant quite agrees with the gene- ral sentiment of the higher circles," responded Madame de Grandmaison. " Ho is for keeping down — " "Noblesse! Noblesse!" The Lady de Tilly spoke with visible impatience. "Who is this Royal Intendant, who dares cast a slight upon the worthy, honest, Hourgeoisie of this city? Is he noble himself? Not that I would think worse of him, were he not, but I have heard it disputed. 90 THE CIIIEN D'OR. I He is the last one who should venture to scorn the Bour- geoisie." Miichime de Grandin lison fanned herself in a very stalely manner. " (^ my Lady, you surely forgjet! The Chevalier Bigot is a not distant relative of the Count de Marville, and the Chevalier de (jrandmaison is a constant visitor at the Intendant's ! But he would not have sat at his table an hour, had he not known that he was connected with the nobili.. The Count de Marville — " " The Count de Marville ! " interrupted the Lady de Tilly, whose politeness almost gave way. " Truly a man is known by the company he keeps. No credit to any one to be connected with the Count de Marville." Madame de Grandmaison felt rather subdued. She perceived that the Lady de Tilly was not favorably impress- ed towards the Intendant. But she tried again. *' And then my Lady, the Intendant is so powerful at Court. He was a particular friend of Madame D'Etioles, before she was known at Court, and they say he managed her introduction to the King, at the famous masked ball at the HfUel de Ville, when His ALijesty threw his handkerchief at her, and she became first ilamc du palais, and tiie Marquise de Pompa- dour. She has ever remained his firm friend, and in spite of all his enemies could do to prevent it. His Majesty made him Inlemlant of New France." " In spite of all the King's friends could do, you mean,'' replied the Lady de Tilly in a tone, the sound of which caught the ear of Amelie, and she knew her aunt was losing patience with her visitors. Lady de Tilly heard the name of the Royal minister with intense disgust, but her innate loyalty prevented her speaking disparagingly of the King. "We will not discuss the court, said she, nor the friendsiiips of this Intendant. I can only pray, his future may make amends for his past. I trust New France may not have as much reason as poor lost Acadia, to lament the day of his coming tt) the colonies." The two lady vistors were not obtuse. They saw they had roused the susceptibilities (prejudices they called them) of the Lady de Tilly. They rose, and smothering their disappointment under well bred phrases, took most polite leave of the dignified old lady, who was heartily glad to be rid of tliem. " The disagreeable old thing I to talk so of the Intend- AMELIE DE REPENTIGNY. 91 ant!" exclaimed Madame Couillard, spitefully. "When her own nephew, and lieir in the Seii^neury of Tilly, is the Intendant's firmest friend and closest companion/' '* Yes, she forgot about her own house, people always forget to look at home, when they pass judgment upon their neighbors," replied Madame de Grandinaison. " But I am mistaken, if she will be able to iinjjress Le (iardeur de Repentigny with her uncharitable, and unfashionable opinions of the Intendant. I hope the ball will be the greatest social success ever seen in the city, just to vex her and her niece, who is as proud and particular as she is herself." x\melie de Repentigny had dressed herself, to-day, in a robe of soft muslin of Deccan ; the gift of a relative in Pondicherry. It enveloped her exquisite form, without concealing the grace and lissonniess of her movements. A broad blue ribbon round her waist, and in her dark hair a blue flower, were all her adornments, except a chain and cross of gold, which lay upon her bosom, the rich gift of her brother, and often ki^^ed with a silent prayer for his welfare and hapjnness. More than once, untler the induence of some indefinable impulse, she rose and went to the mirror, com- paring her features now with a portrait of herself, taken as a young girl in the garb of a shepherdess of Provence. Her father used to like that picture of her, and to please him, sh.e often wore her hair in the fashion of Provence. She did so to-day. Why? The subtle thought in many protean shapes played before her fancy, but she would not try to catch it. No ! rather shyly avoided its examination. She was quite restless, and sat down again in the deep recess of the window, watching the Place d' Amies for the appearance of her brother. She gave a sudden start at last, as a couple of officers galloped into the sfjuare, and rode towards the great gate of the Chateau, one of them she instantly recognized as her brother, the other, a tall martial figure in full uniform, upon a fiery grey, she did not recognize, but she knew in her heart, it could be no other than Colonel Philibert. Amelie felt a thrill, almost paniful in its i)leasure, agi- tating her bosom, as she sat watching the gateway they had entered. It was even a momentary relief to her, that they had turned in there, instead of riding directly to the house. It gave her time to collect her thoughts, and summon up I 92 THE cm EN D'OR. all her fortitude for the cominp^ interview. Her finsfcrs wandered down to the rosarv in the folds of her dress, and the j^olden head, which had so often prompted her jjrayer for the happiness of Pierre I'hiHbert, seemed to burn to the toi h. Her cheek crimsoned, for a stranjjje thou.i;ht sud- denly intruded — the hov Pierre IMiilibert. whose iniaire and inenK)ry she had so loni; and innocently cherished, was now a man, a soldier, a councillor, trained in courts and camjjs! How unmaidenly she had acted, forgeling all this in her chiklish ])rayers until this moment ! " I meant no harm ! " was all the defence she could think of. Nor had she time to think more of heiself, for after remainin