“Dear Father Nat,” he said, “forgive me.”
“Ay, my lad, I forgive thee,” and he clasped his hand. “I always told you they were a treacherous people. You will come back to us now?”
“Please God I will,” said Charles.
“Then I am content. The breach is healed; Langlade and Boscowen are not riven!” and closing his eyes, he settled himself to sleep. They watched him for a few minutes, and then crept softly out of the room.
CHAPTER XXV
TO THE FORE
At the first sign of spring, General Montcalm prepared to take the field and oppose a steady resistance to an attack which it was generally believed would be made upon Quebec by way of Lakes Champlain and Ontario.
He was sitting in his tent one afternoon, in company with General Bougainville and Chevalier Levis. On a table before them maps were spread out, and Montcalm was explaining his plan of defence, supposing the English should attempt a regular siege of Quebec.
“I do not believe it possible for the English to approach the town,” he said. “All round, on the high ground overlooking it, I shall station the principal part of the army; the right wing will extend along the river St. Charles and the left on to Montmorenci; by this means our troops will cover an area of from seven to eight miles. The steep ground rises almost from the water’s edge, and the guns from the citadel itself will do the rest. Are you not both of my opinion?”
“We are,” said Levis. “If we can hold out till the winter, I believe we shall see the last of the English.”
Even while he was speaking, voices were heard outside the tent, and the sentinel, looking in, said,—