With the impulse of Latin manners, Lempriere held out his arms, and Le Gallais fell upon his breast. Meanwhile a drummer from the Castle was seen to ascend the bill, bearing a white pennon at the end of a lance, which he planted on the ground when he came within sight, and beat the chamade upon his instrument.
The messenger being brought before the Brigadier, handed him a small packet. Among them was a short note to the address of Captain Le Gallais, in which Carteret, reminding the militia officer of their past relations, invited him to plead his cause and that of the garrison with Lempriere and Prynne. This note Le Gallais, after attentive perusal, handed to Lempriere, who read it over, and waited in silence until Haine had finished his own despatch. He then addressed the Brigadier, and pleaded strongly the cause of his countrymen, concluded with these words:
"Carteret, sir, was a sentinel; he hath but done his duty to his master. So long as he was not relieved, he could not honestly leave or surrender that which he was placed to guard. Why he now lowers his arms he hath made plain I doubt not, to your Honour."
"Why, yes, Mr. Bailiff; for the matter of that, he hath put a fair case. Yonder barque, it seems, brought him cold comfort. As for that thing they call their 'King,' he is lost. He can only offer them aid on condition of delivering the island to the French. Not that Mazarin dares affront us by sending a French army to occupy the Castle in the name of his King, and risk the giving us battle. Far from that, he hath a conjunction of counsels with the Lord General, and they understand one another. Nevertheless, there is ever a rabble of Irish cut-throats, Flemish mercenaries, and such-like, and no lack of Maulévriers to be their leaders."
"But if such men come into Jersey," said the Bailiff, "who can say when or how they would quit, or what mischief they might not have wrought first."
"One remedy for that," said the soldier, grimly, "will be to storm the Castle forthwith, and let all be over before their friends can arrive."
"For God's sake, do not so!" cried Lempriere; "not now that they have surrendered."
"I will be bail," added Prynne, "that Carteret shall depart in peace, after giving up all that is in his charge. Only let Captain Le Gallais go to him with a note of your Honour's terms; and let us await, I pray you, his return."
The General having at last consented, after just so much show of hesitation as to make it appear that the terms were yielded to the persuasion of his chief associates, Le Gallais returned with the drummer bearing the ultimatum of the English commander. He found the interior of the Castle a scene of havoc; among the débris Carteret, like a modern Marius, maintained an air of resolution.
"It is not enough, Captain," said he, after brief salutations had been exchanged, "that we have fired away all our ammunition, and eaten our last horse, while the blockade of your friend's cruisers ever increases its rigour. After all was done, we could die in the breach or in a general sortie. But there is treachery abroad. Not indeed among ourselves, but among those whom we desire to serve."