United States or Oman ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Three strange comrades were these, who knew each other so far as one man can know another, yet each knowing from a different stand-point. Perrot knew certain traits of Iberville of which De Casson was ignorant, and the abbe knew many depths which Perrot never even vaguely plumbed. And yet all could meet and be free in speech, as though each read the other thoroughly.
Jessica would have torn her frock for a bandage, but Perrot said in his broken English: "No, pardon. Not so. The cloak la-bas." She ran and brought it to him. As she did so Perrot glanced down at her feet, and then, with a touch of humour, said: "Pardon, but you have lost your slipper, ma'm'selle?" He foresaw the little comedy, which he could enjoy even in such painful circumstances.
Confiding in this powerful protection, he gave free rein to his headstrong-temper, and carried his government with a high hand, berating and abusing anybody who ventured to remonstrate. The grave fathers of St. Perrot, through his wife's uncle, had obtained a grant of the Island above Montreal, which still bears his name.
Two hours afterwards, Iberville came up the street with Sainte-Helene, De Casson, and Perrot, De Troyes had gone to Quebec, courteously accompanied by Morris and an officer of the New York Militia. There was no enmity shown the Frenchmen, for many remembered what had once made Iberville popular in New York.
Just after sundown there was a great noise, and the ringing of bells and sound of singing came over the water to the idle fleet. "What does it mean?" asked Phips of a French prisoner captured at Tadousac. "Ma foi! That you lose the game," was the reply. "Callieres, the governor of Montreal, with his Canadians, and Nicholas Perrot with his coureurs du bois have arrived.
At that moment there came a knock, and in an instant the coureur du bois had caught the hands of the young man, and was laughing up in his face. "By the good Sainte Anne, but you make Nick Perrot a dwarf, dear monsieur!" "Well, well, little man, I'll wager neither the great abbe here nor myself could bring you lower than you stand, for all that. Comrade, 'tis kind of you to come so prompt."
"He is within that house?" She pointed to the manor-house. "He is in danger, I will go to him." She made as if to go to the door, but he stepped before her. "Madame," he said, "you cannot enter." Just then the moon shot from behind a cloud, and all their faces could be seen. There was a flame in Jessica's eyes which Perrot could not stand, and he turned away.
"He is within that house?" She pointed to the manor-house. "He is in danger, I will go to him." She made as if to go to the door, but he stepped before her. "Madame," he said, "you cannot enter." Just then the moon shot from behind a cloud, and all their faces could be seen. There was a flame in Jessica's eyes which Perrot could not stand, and he turned away.
The Creator of the World stood on the level of a barbarous and degraded humanity, while a natural tendency became apparent to look beyond him to other powers sharing his dominion. The Indian belief, if developed, would have developed into a system of polytheism. Perrot, after a life spent among the Indians, ignores such an idea.
"It was in question whether Perrot or I should bear Count Frontenac's message. Perrot knew the way, I did not; Perrot also knew the Indians." "But Perrot," said the governor bluffly, "would have been the letter-carrier; you are a kind of ambassador. Upon my soul, yes, a sort of ambassador!" he added, enjoying the idea; for, look at it how you would, Iberville was but a boy.
Word Of The Day