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The defence had been a most gallant one; and Drucour, the governor, although he could not save the fortress, had yet delayed the English so long before the walls, that it was too late in the season, now, to attempt an attack on Canada itself.
We are very well disposed towards the English, my aunt and I. We should have a welcome for him, and would see that he came to no harm." Madame Drucour laughed, and patted the cheek of her niece. "Make no rash promises, little one. The game of war is a fiercer and more deadly and dangerous one than thou canst realize as yet.
The Chevalier de Drucour, the commander at Louisbourg, urged the French minister to send at once presents and supplies for the savages. "These people," he observes, "are very useful in the kind of warfare we are making, but unless we act towards them as they have been led to expect I will not answer that we shall have them with us next year."
Madame Drucour uttered a short exclamation of dismay. "General Wolfe killed! Colin, art thou sure?" "Not sure that he is dead, only that he fell, and was carried away by his men. He was heading the charge, as a brave General should. Oh, had you seen how that battle was directed, you could not but have admired him, whether friend or foe!
At daylight Drucour made a thorough inspection of the walls, while the only four serviceable cannon left fired slowly on, as if for the funeral of Louisbourg. The British looked stronger than ever, and so close in that their sharpshooters could pick off the French gunners from the foot of the glacis.
Drucour sent back to beg for better terms. But the second British answer was even sterner complete surrender, yes or no, in half an hour. Resentment still ran high against the French for the massacre at Fort William Henry the year before. The actual massacre had been the work of drunken Indians. The Canadians present had looked on.
There have been acts of violence and cruelty committed even during these past weeks along the shores of the river." "Yes," answered Madame Drucour: "houses have been burned and families turned adrift, and much suffering has resulted therefrom. War is ever cruel, and the track of it is marked with fire and blood. Yet we must remember that the persons thus molested had fair warning given them.
John river Indians and the Micmacs he would be able to form a camp of 600 or 700 men, and Drucour could frequently place the besiegers between two fires."
At the same time Amherst occupied Green Hill, directly opposite the citadel and only half a mile away. Yet Drucour, with dauntless resolution, resisted for another month. His object was not to save his own doomed fortress but Quebec. He needed all his resolution. The British were pressing him on every side, determined to end the siege in time to transfer their force elsewhere.
General Amherst was keenly interested next day in hearing the story Julian had to tell, and was ready and eager to send a present of fruit and other dainties for the sick to Madame Drucour. Under cover of a flag of truce the convoy was dispatched, and for half a day the guns on both sides ceased firing.
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