The King's Warrant: A Story of Old and New France

by Alfred H. Engelbach

  CHAPTER II.

  Notably short in stature and of slight figure, Montcalm had by naturean air and manner which at once powerfully impressed those who cameacross him, and the rapidity with which he habitually spoke tendedrather to enhance the impression. He was endowed with a singularquickness of perception, an unusually retentive memory both for thingsand persons, and an unfailing judgment in the selection of the rightman. These qualities, joined to an unvarying uprightness and a braveryof the most chivalrous character, not only won for him the esteem andaffection of all who served under him, but stamped him unmistakably asone of those born to command.

  When Isidore entered the shot-riddled building in which the marshal hadtaken up his quarters, he found him in conversation with Monsieur deValricour. The young soldier accordingly saluted, and then remainedstanding near the door, whilst Montcalm, dropping his voice so as notto be overheard, concluded as follows:--

  "As for me, I do not think so badly of these dandies as you do; some ofthem only need to have all the pains they take upon themselves directedinto the proper channel to realise great things. From what I have seenof our young friend I think he is one of these; at any rate I will givehim the chance." Then, turning to Isidore, he added aloud: "Monsieurde Beaujardin, I have noticed with satisfaction your courage andself-command during the assault, and have selected you for a duty ofimportance. You will take this despatch and deliver it, with the leastpossible delay, into the hands of Monsieur de Longueuil at FortChambly. On your way you will observe the formation of the ground andany obstacles or facilities for the march of troops, and will take noteof any appearance of an intention on the part of the enemy to throwforward advanced posts on your line of route. At Chambly you will holdyourself at M. de Longueuil's orders either to return or proceedelsewhere."

  Isidore took the despatch which the general held out to him, and as thelatter remained silent, he again saluted, and was turning to withdrawwhen Montcalm stopped him, saying--

  "You seem to make very light of the matter, my young friend; but youwill not find the task before you so easy an affair as dancing agavotte or a minuet, I can tell you. Do you know that Chambly is someseventy leagues distant? How do you mean to find your way there?"

  "I presume I shall be furnished with a guide, and if so, I shall trustto him for that; if not, I shall find the way as best I can."

  "Yes, and get scalped by some of our red friends before you have gone aleague; and then what becomes of my despatch on the king's service?"

  "In that case," replied Isidore, coolly, "I shall be no longer in HisMajesty's service, and be accountable to another King for having atleast done my duty."

  "Good," said Montcalm. "You will find that I have provided you with aguide--one in whom you may place implicit confidence. Adieu, sir."

  On leaving the general's quarters Isidore was followed by Monsieur deValricour.

  "I congratulate you heartily, my dear fellow," said the baron. "Ourgeneral has evidently taken a fancy to you; only carry out this affairto his satisfaction, and the path to distinction is open to you. Asfor me, I am under orders to convoy the prisoners to Quebec. I am gladof it, for, in the first place, the slight wound I have received----"

  "You wounded, my uncle?" exclaimed Isidore anxiously. "I hope it isreally slight; you are apt to think too lightly of such a thing."

  "Oh, it is only a trifle, and there will be no great fatigue on themarch, as we shall probably go by water if we can find boats enough.At Quebec I can rest and take care of myself; besides, I shall thus beenabled to break the sad tidings myself to poor Marguerite, who isstaying there, and take measures for sending her over to France. Aha!here is your guide; you will find him a first-rate fellow, and as trueas steel. Moreover, I fancy there are not many men, red-skinned orwhite, who know the country you have to traverse better than our friendJean Baptiste Boulanger, woodman, _voyageur_, trader in peltries, andeverything else that can make a man at home in the backwoods."

  Isidore looked at his guide, whose countenance seemed, to confirm thisfavourable opinion. The Canadian looked at him, though more covertly,and it must be owned that his face did not betray any evidence of asimilar good opinion of the young marquis. On the contrary, it was ina rather sulky tone that, after touching his cap, the guide observed--

  "Monsieur does not intend to make the journey in his uniform, and inthose boots?" (The last words were especially emphasised.) "If Imight be so bold, I would suggest a peasant's coat like mine, and apair of moccasins as likely to----"

  "I go as I am, Master Guide," replied Isidore curtly. "Mind your ownbusiness."

  "H'm--well, perhaps you are right," said Monsieur de Valricour. "Yes,stick to the uniform; a soldier cannot well do wrong in that, whenthere is any doubt."

  "Monsieur at least will take with him some better weapon than thatsmall sword," urged the Canadian. "But perhaps monsieur is not used tocarry a musket?"

  "Yes, yes, do so, Isidore," said the baron. "Do that by all means; onedoesn't know what one may come across on such a journey."

  Isidore would probably have refused, but that he felt somewhat nettledat the guide's last remark, so he took a rifle from a pile of arms thatstood close by. To this the baron would fain have added a knapsack,and Isidore seemed by no means disinclined to take one, as it wouldenable him to carry with him some articles pertaining to the toilet,which to him were rather necessaries of life than mere comforts orluxuries. Here, however, the guide again relentlessly interfered,declaring it to be worse than useless. "A light load makes a quickjourney," said he; "monsieur would be glad enough to get rid of itbefore the end of the first day's march. My game-bag will suffice forboth, and I have taken care to stock it with all that monsieur can wanton such a journey." Isidore gave way, perhaps not very graciously, buta glance at the figure and equipments of Boulanger made him feel thathe was in the presence of an unquestionable authority in such matters.He had indeed some slight misgivings that he had been rather hasty inthe affair of the boots, and that he was likely enough ere long to envythe guide his light and roomy moccasins, to say nothing of his looseleggings and the well-worn frock of grey homespun that had evidentlyseen service in the woods. Even the gay wampum belt spoke of an easeand comfort to which the young French soldier's stiff sword-belt couldnot pretend. In fact Jean Baptiste Boulanger, or "J'n B'tiste" as hewas familiarly called, with his leathern game-bag slung over oneshoulder, his long rifle over the other, and his Indian knife, with itsgaudy sheath, hanging at his side was the very beau-ideal of a Canadianforester of those days, and if his features did not just then giveevidence of his natural _bonhomie_ and kindliness of heart there wasthat in his sunburnt face and keen dark eyes that inspired confidenceat the first glance.

  These important preliminaries were scarcely settled when a hue-and-crywas heard, and no little commotion arose. It turned out that an Indianhad been found huddled up, apparently asleep, in a corner of the roomadjoining the one occupied by the Marquis de Montcalm himself. Heproved to be not one of those acting with the French troops, but anIroquois, and on being detected had darted through the open window, andthough the alarm was instantly raised, had succeeded in baffling hispursuers and making his escape. Such incidents, however, were not souncommon as to excite more than a passing notice, and as soon as theoutcry had subsided the baron took an affectionate leave of the youngenvoy, who, accompanied by his guide, forthwith set out upon hisjourney.

  The circumstances under which the travellers had commenced theiracquaintance were not calculated to produce very quickly a goodunderstanding between them. The woodsman, rough as he was, had asensitive disposition, which chafed under the rebuff with which hiswell-meant advice had been met. After crossing the river and leavingFort Ontario behind them, they plunged into the apparently tracklessforest, and for some time neither of them spoke a word. Boulangerstrode on, eyeing his companion askance, and possibly speculatingwhether the fine gentleman who had treated him so superciliously wouldnot very soon be forced
to give in, and perhaps commit to him the taskof proceeding alone to their intended destination. Isidore seemedindeed scarcely the man for a task like that which lay before them.Rather under the middle height and slightly built, he had apparentlybeen little accustomed to severe or protracted exertion, whilsteverything about him bespoke the _petit maitre_, if not the fop. Inthe meanwhile the young marquis had not given a second thought to thefew words that had passed at the outset of the journey. Beinghabitually reserved towards his inferiors, he was content to indulge inhis own meditations without caring what such a man as Jean BaptisteBoulanger might think about him. The guide, however, had no notion ofbeing kept at arm's length by a man with whom he was to traverse thoselonely woods for the next week; and as he observed the coolness, andstill more the agility, with which Isidore met and surmounted somelittle difficulties that soon presented themselves on the way, he beganto warm towards him and to feel half sorry that he should have been putto an undertaking that might prove too much for him. It was probablysome feeling of this kind that at last brought out the words--

  "And how far does monsieur mean to march to-night?"

  "Nay, my friend," replied Isidore, "that is for you to arrange; I neverinterfere with the business of other people. You are the guide; youknow the distance and the road. It is for you to settle the length ofthe stages, and where we are to encamp for the night, as I suppose,from the little I know of these parts, that we have not much chance ofsleeping under a roof between this and Fort Chambly."

  "Bravely spoken, monsieur!" exclaimed Boulanger, thoroughly restored togood-humour by these words. "Monsieur will pardon me for having had mymisgivings as to the length of the marches that might be accomplishedby--by a personage like yourself, not used to this kind of work. Well,then, I propose that we halt at midnight; that will be enough for astart, and it will bring us to good camping ground. I think we hadbetter do the greater part of our work by night, and rest and sleepduring the heat of the day. We shall do more, besides escaping noticein case there should be any scouts, either white or red, or maraudingparties prowling about, as is sometimes the case near the border."

  "I should have thought there was small chance of meeting any one inthese interminable woods, through which, as a matter of taste, I shouldprefer to travel by daylight," replied Isidore. "Indeed, I am ratherthankful for the bright moonlight we seem likely to have, and wish wehad a few more of such open glades as the one we have just crossed; itwould be more agreeable--at least to me."

  They had re-entered the wood, and had not proceeded very far when theycame to a spot that would have been particularly dark owing to thegreat size of the trees and their closeness to each other, but for thefew gleams of moonlight that found their way even through the densefoliage and lighted up a branch here and there with a strange andalmost supernatural brightness. Suddenly the guide stopped, andslightly raising his hand as if to keep back his companion, gazedintently for a moment at a good-sized button-wood tree that stood at adistance of about thirty yards, but somewhat out of their course.Following the direction of the Canadian's eyes, Isidore lookedwonderingly at the tree, when suddenly he saw a dark shapeless objectdrop from one of the lower branches. He expected of course to see itlying on the ground beneath the tree, but not a trace of it wasvisible; it seemed as if the earth had swallowed up the big dark thing,whatever it might have been.

  The guide, who had half raised his rifle, now lowered it again. "Therascal has got off this time," said he, "but who would have expected tocome across a red skin hereabouts just now? Stop a bit! Depend uponit, this is the same fellow who was found skulking about the general'shead-quarters this evening. Yes, he is dogging our steps, and we shallhear more of him before we get to Chambly."

  There was something about this announcement that was not at allpleasant to Boulanger's companion. He might be brave as a lion andcool enough in fair open fight, but the idea of being the object of aplanned attack by Indian savages in the depths of a lonely Americanforest somewhat disconcerted him, and he looked rather anxiouslyaround, as if each tree might harbour another lurking enemy.

  "Nay, monsieur!" exclaimed Boulanger, "we shall not be troubled by anymore of them just yet. There is not much hereabouts to tempt the redskins to come this way. That fellow was but a single scout, and hewon't attack two men armed as we are; having made sure of ourdestination and the route we have chosen he is off by this time to joinhis friends, who may very likely make a dash at us two or three dayshence; but Jean Baptiste is too old a hand to run into a trap with hiseyes open. We will give them the slip yet by changing our route alittle. We shall have to pass a small New England settlement, but----"

  "An English settlement!" exclaimed Isidore, "that would surely berunning into a trap, as you call it, with a vengeance."

  "Not a bit," replied Boulanger; "I have been through fifty times as_voyageur_, trader, or what you will, and one of the settlers, JohnPritchard, married a sister of mine, and the settlement is too near theborder for them to do an ill-turn to a Canadian; still, with thatuniform, it may be best for you to keep close and not show yourself,whilst I visit my old friends and lay in what is needful. We shall besafe enough. _Allons_!" So on they went.

  Isidore could not fail to be struck by the unhesitating certainty withwhich his companion threaded the intricacies of the apparentlyinterminable forest, through which he could detect no path or track ofany kind, much less anything in the remotest degree resembling a road.There were, indeed, such things as tracks in the woods, though perhapsa league apart, but the practised eye of the Canadian forester needednone; his habits of observing every peculiarity, whether on the groundor above, enabled him to keep not only a direct course, but one whichavoided any obstructions or impediments to their progress. Boulangersaid that he had been used to these woods ever since he was born, someforty years since, and had lived in those parts until two or threeyears previously, when he had removed to the neighbourhood of Quebecwith his wife, whom he called Bibi. His experience in all thingspertaining to the woods had obtained for him a situation under themanager of the Royal Chase, as it was called, but he had been engagedby Montcalm, who had the gift of selecting the best man for everybusiness, to act as one of the guides to the troops in the presentcampaign. After conducting Isidore to Chambly he was to have hisdischarge, and would be at liberty to return home; but it was plainthat the last few months had revived in him a love for his oldindependent way of life, which doubtless contrasted strongly with hisnew position. It galled him to work for wages, however high, howevercertain, and his servitude brought him into contact with much at whichhis disposition revolted. So, as he told his story, he gradually grewmore and more excited, declaiming hotly against the evils he had seenand heard of since he had quitted his log hut in the forest. For somelittle time Isidore listened with patience, or rather indifference, tohis guide's indignant invectives against the various misdoings andiniquities of the creatures and underlings of the Government, andespecially of those employed by Bigot, the king's intendant. At last,however, in his excitement, Boulanger began to launch out againstMonsieur Bigot himself, whereupon he was somewhat sternly called toorder by his aristocratic young companion, who bade him remember thatit was not for such low-born fellows as he to open their mouths againstthe seigneurs and nobles, and least of all against the officers of HisMost Christian Majesty. Had the guide been a New England colonist,rejoicing in the name of John Smith, he would probably have retortedboldly enough and held his ground, but what could be expected from JeanBaptiste the Canadian woodsman? He might have sense enough tounderstand the wrong-doing, and in the honest zeal of the moment hemight inveigh against it, but it was not for him to set himself upagainst monseigneur the young Marquis de Beaujardin. There was amurmured apology, mingled with some kind of protest that it was alltrue, nevertheless, and then our travellers continued their journey fora while in the same unsatisfactory silence with which they hadcommenced it.

  This state of things, however, did not continue very
long. The youngmarquis, though he had considered it incumbent on him to rebuke aperson who ventured to speak in such a way of the nobility, was not oneto persist in assailing an adversary who had succumbed to him.Moreover, even his short experience of affairs in Canada told him thatBoulanger had good grounds for what he said. The courtly magnificenceof Versailles and the Tuileries might dazzle his understanding so faras to blind him to the existence of many crying evils in old France,but here there was nothing to gild and gloss over the corruption andmismanagement that everywhere prevailed. The shameful monopoly of allcommerce by the Merchant Company; the iniquitous sale of spirits by theGovernment to the Indians; the rapacity exhibited in the system oftrade-licences and other extortions by which the officials wrung fromthe humbler classes whatever could be got by fair means or by foul; tosay nothing of the scandalous effrontery with which the Governmentitself was robbed by its own officers in every conceivable way--allthese stood out in their naked deformity, and had more than once madeIsidore wonder how a people thus treated could remain so generallyloyal as the Canadians undoubtedly were. He was, consequently, readyenough to give his guide credit for honesty in his indignation, whilstthe courtier-like habits he had already acquired in the _salons_ ofParis made him appreciate the desirableness of being on fair terms withone who held not only his comfort, but probably his life, in his hands.He accordingly took the first opportunity of dropping some remarkexpressive of the admiration which he really felt for the beauty andgrandeur of the forest through which they were just then passing.

  He had touched a chord in Boulanger's breast which was always ready tovibrate.

  "Yes, monsieur," exclaimed the latter, forgetting in an instant therebuff he had recently received; "yes, here, indeed, all is peacefuland happy, for all is as it comes to us from God's hand. The folly andwickedness of man have not yet invaded these sublime yet lovelysolitudes. All things around can but remind us of the days when theworld came forth from the hands of our Father, and He said it was verygood. Come, monsieur, it is time we should call a halt, and take somesupper; we have done very well, and made a good beginning. Let us sitdown here under this noble tree, and rest and refresh ourselves."

  Thereupon the travellers seated themselves, and Boulanger produced fromhis game-bag a plentiful supply of provisions, which soon disappearedunder the keen appetites resulting from the night's march, following ona day of hard work and light rations.

  Tailpiece to Chapter II]

  Headpiece to Chapter III]