“Yes; he came to himself a short while ago, and insisted upon knowing how it was with him.”

“He knows, then?”

“Yes—­Victor Arnoux told him the truth:  but I think he knew it before.”

“And what said he?”

“That it was well; that he should not live to see the surrender of Quebec; that his work was done on earth, and he ready to depart.”

“Then he thinks the cause is lost?”

“Those are the words he used.  Perchance he knows that there is no one now to lead or direct them.  You know, my brother, that the brave Senezergues lies mortally wounded.  He might have taken the command; but now we have none fit for it.  You have seen what is passing without the city; tell me of it!  What does the Governor?  They say that when the battle was fought he had not yet appeared upon the scene of action.”

“No,” answered the Abbe bitterly, “he had not.  Yet he had had notice four hours before the fighting commenced, and was nearer than the Marquis, who brought the army up.  He came too late to do anything.  He is always late.  He comes up at the end of everything—­to claim credit if the day is won, to throw the blame upon others if fortune frowns.  He is saying now that it was a deplorable mistake on Montcalm’s part to attack before he had joined issues with him; as though his raw Canadians had ever done any good in the open field!”

“You have seen him, then?”

“Yes; he and a part of the routed army have taken possession of the redoubt at the head of the bridge of boats across the St. Charles, and so completely are they cowed and terrified that it was all that a few of the cooler-headed ones of us could do to prevent the men from cutting in pieces the bridge itself, and thus cutting off the retreat of half the army, who are still pouring back over it, pursued by the English.”

“Then the fight is not yet over?”

“The battle is, but not the rout.  And yet there is a sort of fighting going on.  The Canadians, who in the open field show themselves so useless, are redeeming their character now.  They have spread themselves over the low-lying lands by the river, hiding in bushes and coverts, and shooting down the English in a fashion which they little relish.  Those fierce Highlanders suffer the most from this sort of warfare, for they always throw away their muskets before they charge, and so they have no weapon that is of any service against a hidden marksman in the bushes.  But all this, though it may harass the English, does not affect the issue of the day.  We have suffered a crushing defeat, although the number of the slain is not excessive.  It remains now to be settled whether we accept this defeat as final, or whether we yet try to make a stand for the honour of our country and the salvation of Canada.”

“Ah, my brother, if Quebec goes, Canada goes!”

“That is so; but there are many of us who say that Quebec is not yet lost.  It is not lost; it might well be saved.  And yet what think you of this?  They say that within the hornwork the Governor and the Intendant were closeted together drafting the terms of capitulation of the whole colony, ready to submit to the English General!”