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Gambler in England, gambler again in New France, now trading fur-merchant and voyageur, he was, as always, an adventurer. Du Mesne and his hardy crew hailed him already as a new captain of the trails, a new coureur, won from the Old World by the savage witchery of the New.
All three went now knee-deep in the surf, and Du Mesne, clinging to the gunwale as he passed out, was soon waist deep, and time and again lost his footing in the flood. "Pull!" he cried at last. "Now, en avant!" He had flung himself over the stern, and with his knife cut the hide rope of the anchor-stone.
It is a measure of precaution taken against the disintegrating power of feudalism, providing a direct tie between the sovereign and all freeholders which no inferior relation existing between them and the mesne lords would justify them in breaking.
I go or stay, as it shall please the others. There is always the one trail over which one does not return." "And you, Pierre?" "I stay by my friends," replied Pierre Noir, briefly. "And you, Monsieur L'as?" asked Du Mesne. Law raised his head with the old-time determination. "My friends," said he, "we have elected to come into this country and take its conditions as we find them.
"'Tis not arms we argue here, after all. We are but students at the feet of Monsieur du Mesne, who hath returned from foreign parts. Prithee, sir, tell us more." "Tell ye more and if I did, would ye believe it?
This Old World, small and outworn, no more of it for me." "And why came you back to this little Old World of ours, an you loved the New World so much?" asked the cynical voice of him who had been called Wilson. "By the body of God!" cried Du Mesne, "think ye I came of my own free will? Look here, and find your reason."
"I do not quite take Lady Holmhurst's point," he said plaintively. "Then you must be stupid," said Eustace, "Don't you see the joke? 'mesne profits, mean of them?" "Ah," said James, with satisfaction; "I perceive. Lady Holmhurst does not seem to be aware that although 'mesne' a totally erroneous word is pronounced 'mean, it is spelt m-e-s-n-e."
And I will make you lord of this castle and myself." "Lady," saith he, "the lordship of this castle hold I of yourself without mesne, and to you have I neither wish nor right to refuse it. Rather am I willing to be at your service." "Then," saith she, "you will abide with me in this castle, for more do I love you than any other knight that liveth."
"It has not been my custom to set backward foot on any sort of trail." "Oh, well, to be sure, Monsieur, that I know quite well," replied Du Mesne, apologetically. "I would only say that, if you do go forward, you will do more than most men accomplish on their first voyage au large in the wilderness.
"Ah, but 'tis different on the Lakes," said Du Mesne, "for there we always knew the way back, and knew that 'twas down stream." "He says well," broke in Mary Connynge. "There is something in this big river that chills me. I am afraid." "And what say you, Tête Gris, and you, Pierre Noir?" asked Law. "Why, myself," replied the former, "I am with the captain. It matters not.
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