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Nicholas Denys denied him men. There was no hope of rescue for Fort St. John. He was waiting in the outpost for his ship to bring him home the home besieged by D'Aulnay. The blood returned to her face with a rush, her mouth quivered, and she sobbed two or three times without tears. La Tour could have taken her in his arms. But Edelwald folded his empty arms across his breast.
Above the mass of D'Aulnay's busy soldiery timber uprights were reared, and hammers and spikes set to work on the likeness of a scaffold. The preparations of the morning made the completion of this task swift and easy. D'Aulnay de Charnisay intended to hang her garrison when he set his name to the paper securing their lives. The ringing of hammers sounded far off to Marie.
In former times, before such bitterness had grown in the feud between D'Aulnay and La Tour, she had made frequent voyages from Cape Sable up Fundy Bay to Port Royal. The winters were then merry among noble Acadians, and the lady of Fort St. Louis at Cape Sable was hostess of a rich seigniory. Now she had the sickness of suspense, and the wasting of life in waiting.
It comes like thousands of horses galloping one behind the other and tumbling over each other, fierce and snorting spray, and climbing the banks, and still trampling down and flying over the ones who have galloped in first." "But what did D'Aulnay de Charnisay do?" inquired Antonia. "He stuck in the quicksand," responded Le Rossignol. "But did he not call for help?"
He referred to a stubborn caprice of Silviane d'Aulnay, who, although she had hitherto only reaped a success of beauty on the stage, obstinately sought to enter the Comedie Francaise and make her debut there in the part of "Pauline" in Corneille's "Polyeucte," which part she had been studying desperately for several months past.
D'Aulnay de Charnisay demanded the surrender of Fort St. John with all its stores, ammunition, moneys and plate, and its present small garrison. When Edelwald looked up, Marie extended her hand for the dispatch and threw it into the fire. "Let that be his answer," said Edelwald. "If we surrender," spoke the lady of the fort, "we will make our own terms." "My lady, you will not surrender."
"We knew not you had a wife when you entered our service, Klussman." "Nor had I, madame. D'Aulnay de Charnisay had already taken her." "Then this woman does come from D'Aulnay de Charnisay?" "Yes, madame! And if you would have my advice, I say put her out of the gate this instant, and let her find shelter with our Indians above the falls."
"D'Aulnay is coming nearer," said the Swiss, looking with haggard indifferent eyes at these preparations, and an occasional head venturing above the fresh ridge. Marguerite threw her arms around her husband's neck, and hung on him with kisses. "Come on, then," he said, speaking with the desperate conviction of a man who has lost himself. "I have to do it.
"Do you think, my lady, that D'Aulnay would spare the garrison if he gets possession of this fort?" "On no other condition will he get the fort. He shall let all my brave men go out with the honors of war." "But if he accepts such terms will he keep them?" "Is not any man obliged to keep a written treaty?" "Kings are scarce obliged to do that."
We are scarce sure we even saw her. There was but the swoop of wings." "Why, Renot, my lad," insisted Edelwald, "we could see her white swan now in this noon of moonlight, if she were abroad. Besides, D'Aulnay has sentinels stationed around this height. They will check her." "They will check the wind across Fundy Bay first," said the other man.
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