“Have no fear on that score,” answered Julian; “I have told in the English camp of the bravery and gracious kindness of Madame le General.  Our commander will see that she is treated with every consideration; as also the sick and wounded, her special charge.  It is well not to drive us to assault the weakened town.  Now we shall enter as friends rather than foes.”

“So said the Provost, remembering that the English have much cause of complaint against us.  We cannot deny that ourselves.  Ah me! it is the chance of war.  We have had our triumphs, and now you have your turn.  It is not here but at Quebec that the real trial of strength will be.  I think, my friends, you will find that you have a hard nut to crack there.”

“So they said of Louisbourg, and yet that has been done,” answered Julian, with a smile.  “But come in, and refresh yourself in my tent here whilst the messengers are conferring with our General.  They will have to draw up terms of capitulation.  There will be time to get a good meal whilst that is being done.”

At dawn the following morning the drums beat.  The English soldiers got into order, and marched through the Dauphin gate into the town.  The French soldiers, drawn up in array, threw down their muskets, and with tears of mortification marched away, leaving the victors in possession.

The English flag was run up, amid wild cheering, and floated over the grim and shattered ramparts.  The turn of the tide had come at last, and Louisbourg had fallen into the hands of the English.

Chapter 4:  The Fruits Of Victory.

Wolfe lay upon a couch in a comfortable apartment, such as he had not inhabited since he set sail from England months ago.  It was in the citadel itself—­in the heart of the King’s Bastion, where the Governor had his quarters.

Wolfe had been the life and soul of the siege.  To his genius and indomitable resolution the victory of the English arms had been largely due.  He had forced himself to take the lead, and had toiled night and day in the crisis of the struggle and the final triumph; and even after the victors had marched in, his eyes seemed to be everywhere, enforcing discipline, preventing any sort of disorder or licence amongst the soldiers, and sternly repressing the smallest attempt on their part to plunder the townsfolk, or take the slightest advantage of their helpless condition.

He had specially seen to the condition of the sick and wounded, insuring them the same care as was given to the English in like case.  This had been one of the articles of the capitulation, but it was one which was in like cases too often carelessly carried out, sometimes almost ignored.

Wolfe with his own eyes saw that there was no shirking, no mismanagement here.  He seemed to be everywhere at once during those busy days which followed the entrance into the town.  But outraged nature would have her revenge at last, and for three days he had lain helpless and suffering in the room assigned to him in the Governor’s house, watched over and tended by Julian, who had by this time come to have a very adequate idea as to the treatment most needed by him when those attacks came on.