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15 - The Last Of The Mohicans - James Cooper · Thrilling Adventures - Daily

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  Speaker 1: Chapter fifteen. Quote, then go we end to know his embassy,
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: which I could, with ready guests declare before the Frenchman
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: speak a word of it. Unquote from King Henry the fifth.
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: A few seceding days were passed amid the privations, the uproar,
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: and the dangers of the siege, which was vigorously pressed
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: by a power against whose approaches Monroe possessed no competent
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: means of resistance. It appeared as if Webb, with his army,
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: which lay slumbering on the banks of the Hudson, had
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: utterly forgotten the strait to which his countrymen were reduced.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: Montcalm had filled the woods of the portage with his savages,
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  Speaker 1: every yell and hoop of whom rang through the British encampment,
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: chilling the hearts of men who were already but too
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  Speaker 1: much disposed to magnify the danger. Not so, however, with
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  Speaker 1: the besieged, animated by the words and stimulated by the
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  Speaker 1: examples of their leaders, they had found their courage and
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  Speaker 1: maintained their ancient reputation with a zeal that did justice
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  Speaker 1: to the stern character of their commander, as if satisfied
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  Speaker 1: with the toil of marching through the wilderness to encounter
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  Speaker 1: his enemy. The French general, though of approved skill, had
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: neglected to seize the adjacent mountains, whence the besieged might
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  Speaker 1: have been exterminated with impunity, and which in the more
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: modern warfare of the country would not have been neglected
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: for a single hour. This sort of contempt for eminences,
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: or rather dread of the labour of ascending them, might
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: have been termed the besetting weakness of the warfare of
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: the period. It originated in the simplicity of the Indian contest,
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: in which, from the nature of the combats and the
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  Speaker 1: density of the forest, fortresses were rare and artillery next
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: to useless. The carelessness engendered by these usages descended even
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  Speaker 1: to the War of the Revolution and lost the States
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: the important fortress of Ticonderoga, opening a way for the
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: army of Brigogne into what was then the bosom of
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  Speaker 1: the country. We look back at this ignorance or infatuation,
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  Speaker 1: whichever it may be called, with wonder, knowing that the
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: neglect of an eminence whose difficulties, like those of mount Defiance,
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: have been so greatly exaggerated, would at the present time
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  Speaker 1: prove fatal to the reputation of the engineer who had
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  Speaker 1: planned the works at their base, or to that general
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: whose lot it was to defend them. The tourist, the valetudinarian,
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  Speaker 1: or the amateur of the beauties of nature, who, in
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  Speaker 1: the train of his foreign hand, now rolls through the
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: scenes we have attempted to describe in quest of information,
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  Speaker 1: health or pleasure, or float steadily toward his object. On
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  Speaker 1: those artificial waters which have sprung up under the administration
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: of a statesman who has dared to stake his political
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: character on the hazardous issue. Is not to suppose that
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: his ancestors traversed those hills or struggled with the same
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  Speaker 1: currents with equal facility. Footnote. Evidently the late DeWitt Clinton,
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: who died Governor of New York in eighteen twenty eight
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: en footnote. The transportation of a single heavy gun was
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  Speaker 1: often considered equal to a victory gained, if happily the
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: difficulties of the passage had not so far separated from
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: its necessary concomitant, the ammunition, as to render it no
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: more than a useless tube of unwieldy iron. The evils
• 3:38
  Speaker 1: of this state of things pressed heavily on the fortunes
• 3:41
  Speaker 1: of the resolute Scotsmen who now defended William Henry. Though
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: his adversary neglected the heels, he had planted his batteries
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: with judgment on the plain and caused them to be
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: served with vigor and skill. Against this assault. The besiege
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: could only oppose the imperfect and hasty preparations of a
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: fortress in the wilderness. It was on the afternoon of
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: the fifth day of the siege, and the fourth of
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: his own service in it, that Major Hayward profited by
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  Speaker 1: a parley that had just been beaten, by repairing to
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  Speaker 1: the ramparts of one of the water bastions, to breathe
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  Speaker 1: the cool air from the lake and to take a
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: survey of the progress of the siege. He was alone,
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: if the solitary sentinel who paced the mound be accepted,
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: for the artillerists had hastened also to profit by the
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: temporary suspension of their arduous duties. The evening was delightfully calm,
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: and the light air from the limpid water fresh and soothing.
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: It seemed as if, with the termination of the roar
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: of artillery and the plunging of shot, nature had also
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  Speaker 1: seized the moment to assume her mildest and most captivating form.
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: The sun poured down his parting glory on the scene
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: without the oppression of the those fierce rays that belonged
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: to the climate, and in the season, the mountains looked
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  Speaker 1: green and fresh and lovely, tempered with the milder light,
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  Speaker 1: or softened in shadow, as thin vapors floated between them
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  Speaker 1: and the sun. The numerous islands rested on the bosom
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  Speaker 1: of the Horican, some low and sunken as if embedded
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  Speaker 1: in the waters, and others appearing to hover above the
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  Speaker 1: element in little hillocks of green velvet, among which the
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: fishermen of the beleaguering army peacefully rode their skiffs or
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: floated at rest on the glassy mirror in pursuit of
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  Speaker 1: their employment. The scene was at once animated and still.
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: All that pertained to nature was sweet or simply grand,
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: while those parts which depended on the temper and movements
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: of man were lively and playful. Two little spotless flags
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: were abroad, the one on a salient angle of the fort,
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: and the other on the advanced battery of the besiegers,
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: emblems of the truth which existed not only to the
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: acts but it would seem also to the enmity of
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  Speaker 1: the combatants. Behind these again swung heavily, opening and closing
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  Speaker 1: in silken folds the rival standards of England and France.
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  Speaker 1: A hundred gay and thoughtless young Frenchmen were drawing a
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  Speaker 1: net to the pebbly beach with in dangerous proximity to
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  Speaker 1: the sullen but silent cannon of the fort, while the
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  Speaker 1: eastern mountain was sending back the loud shouts and gay
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: merriment that attended their sport. Some were rushing eagerly to
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  Speaker 1: enjoy the aquatic games of the lake, and others were
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  Speaker 1: already toiling their way up the neighboring hills with the
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  Speaker 1: restless curiosity of their nation to all these sports and pursuits.
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: Those of the enemy who watched the besieged and the
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  Speaker 1: besieged themselves, were, however, merely the idle, though sympathizing spectators.
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: Here and there a picket had indeed raised a song,
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: or mingled in a dance, which had drawn the dusky
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: savages around them from their lairs in the forest. In short,
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: everything were rather the appearance of a day of pleasure
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: than of an hour stolen from the dangers and toil
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: of a bloody and vindictive warfare. Duncan had stood in
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  Speaker 1: amusing attitude contemplating this scene a few minutes when his
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: eyes were directed to the glossy in front of the
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: sally port, already mentioned by the sounds of approaching footsteps.
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: He walked to an angle of the bastion and beheld
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  Speaker 1: the scout advancing under the custody of a French officer
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  Speaker 1: to the body of the fort. The countenance of Hawkeye
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  Speaker 1: was haggard and careworn, and his air dejected, as though
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  Speaker 1: he felt the deepest degradation at having fallen into the
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  Speaker 1: power of his enemies. He was without his favorite way,
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: and his arms were even bound behind him with thongs
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  Speaker 1: made of the skin of a deer. The arrival of
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  Speaker 1: flags to cover the messengers of summons had occurred so
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  Speaker 1: often of late that when Hayford first drew his careless
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: glance on this group, he expected to see another of
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  Speaker 1: the officers of the enemy charged with a similar office.
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: But the instant he recognized the tall person and the
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  Speaker 1: still sturdy their downcast features of his friend, the woodsman.
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  Speaker 1: He started with surprise and turned to descend from the
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: bastion into the bosom of the work. The sounds of
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: other voices, however, caught his attention and for a moment
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: caused him to forget his purpose. At the inner angle
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  Speaker 1: of the mound, he met the sisters walking along the
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  Speaker 1: parapet in search, like himself, of air and relief from confinement.
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  Speaker 1: They had not met from that painful moment when he
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  Speaker 1: deserted them on the plane, only to assure their safety.
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  Speaker 1: He had parted with them, worn with care and jaded
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  Speaker 1: with fatigue. He now saw them refreshed and blooming. Though
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  Speaker 1: timid and anxious under such an inducement, it will cause
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  Speaker 1: no surprise that the young man lost sight, of a
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  Speaker 1: time of other objects in order to address them. He was, however,
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  Speaker 1: anticipated by the voice of the ingenious and youthful Alice.
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  Speaker 1: Oh you tyrant, you recreant knight. He abandons his damsels
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  Speaker 1: in the very list. She cried, here have we been days,
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  Speaker 1: nay ages, expecting you at our feet, imploring mercy and
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  Speaker 1: forgetfulness of your craven backsliding, or I should rather say
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  Speaker 1: back running, for verily you fled in the matter that
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  Speaker 1: no stricken dear as our worthy friend, the scout would
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  Speaker 1: say could be equal. You know that, Alice, means our
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: thanks and our blessings, added the graver and more thoughtful Cora.
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  Speaker 1: In truth, we have a little wonder why you should
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  Speaker 1: so rigidly absent yourself from a place where the gratitude
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  Speaker 1: of the daughters might receive the support of a parent's thanks.
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  Speaker 1: Your father himself could tell you that, though absent from
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  Speaker 1: your presence, I have not been altogether forgetful of your safety,
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  Speaker 1: returned the young man. The mastery of yonder village of huts,
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  Speaker 1: pointing to the entrenched camp has been keenly disputed, and
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  Speaker 1: he who holds it is sure to be possessed of
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  Speaker 1: this fort and that which it contains. My days and
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  Speaker 1: nights have all been passed there since we separated, because
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  Speaker 1: I thought that duty called me thither, But he added
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: with an air of chagrin, which he endeavored, though unsuccessfully
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  Speaker 1: to conceal. Had I been aware that what I then
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  Speaker 1: believed a soldier's conduct could be so construed, shame would
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  Speaker 1: have added to the list of reasons Hayward duncan exclaim,
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: aimed Alice, bending forward to read his half averted countenance,
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  Speaker 1: until a lock of her golden hair rested on her
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  Speaker 1: flushed cheek and nearly concealed the tear that had started
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  Speaker 1: to her eye. Did I think this idle tongue of
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  Speaker 1: mine had pain you? I would silence it forever, Cora
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  Speaker 1: can say, if Cora would, how justly we have prized
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  Speaker 1: your services? And how deep I had almost said, how
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  Speaker 1: fervent is our gratitude? And will Cora attest the truth
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: of this? Cried Duncan, suffering the cloud to be chased
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: from his countenance by a smile of open pleasure. What
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  Speaker 1: says the graver sister? Will she find an excuse for
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  Speaker 1: the neglect of the knight in the duty of a soldier.
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  Speaker 1: Cora made no immediate answer, but turned her face toward
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  Speaker 1: the water, as if looking on the sheet of the Horican.
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: When she did bend her eyes on the young man,
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  Speaker 1: they were yet filled with an expression of anguish that
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  Speaker 1: at once shrow every thought but that of kind solitude
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  Speaker 1: from his mind. You are not well, dearest miss Monroe,
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  Speaker 1: he exclaimed, We have trifled while you are in suffering.
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  Speaker 1: Tis nothing, She answered, refusing his support with feminine reserve,
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  Speaker 1: that I cannot see the sonny of a picture of
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  Speaker 1: life like this artless but ardent enthusiast, she added, laying
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  Speaker 1: her hand lightly but affectionately on the arm of her sister.
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  Speaker 1: Is the penalty of experience, and perhaps the misfortune of
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  Speaker 1: my nature. See, she continued, as if determined to shake
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  Speaker 1: off infirmity in a sense of duty. Look around you,
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  Speaker 1: Major Heyward, and tell me what a prospect it is
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  Speaker 1: for the daughter of a soldier whose greatest happiness is
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  Speaker 1: his honor and his military renown, neither ought nor shall
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: be tarnished by circumstances over which he has had no control.
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: Duncan warmly replied, But your words recall me to my
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  Speaker 1: own duty. I go now to your gallant father to
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  Speaker 1: hear his determination and manners of the last moment of
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  Speaker 1: the defense. God bless you in every fortune, Noble Cora,
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  Speaker 1: I may and must call you. She frankly gave him
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  Speaker 1: her hand, though her lip quivered and her cheeks gradually
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  Speaker 1: became of ashy paleness. In every fortune, I know you
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  Speaker 1: will be an ornament and honor to your sex. Alice, Adieu.
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  Speaker 1: His voice changed from admiration to tenderness. Adie, Alice, we
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  Speaker 1: shall soon meet again as conquerors. I trust and amid rejoicings.
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: Without waiting for an answer from either, the young man
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  Speaker 1: threw himself down the grassy steps of the bastion, and
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: moving rapidly across the parade, he was quickly the presence
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  Speaker 1: of their father. Monroe, was pacing his narrow apartment with
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: the disturbed air and gigantic strides as Duncan entered. You
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: have anticipated my wishes, Major Heyward, he said, I was
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: about to request this favor. I am sorry to see, sir,
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: that the messenger I so warmly recommended has returned in
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  Speaker 1: custody of the French. I hope there is no reason
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  Speaker 1: to distrust his fidelity. The fidelity of the long rifle
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: is well known to me, returned Monroe, and is above suspicion.
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: Though his usual good fortune seems at last to have failed.
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: Montcalm is got in, and with the accursed politeness of
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: his nation, he has sent him with a dul feltale
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: of knowing how I valued the fellow, he could not
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: think of retaining him, a jesuitical way that Major Duncan
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: haben of telling a man of his misfortunes. But the
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: General and his succor did he look to the south.
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: Has he entered, and could ye not see them? Said
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: the old soldier, laughing bitterly. Hoot, hoot. You are an
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: impatient boy, sir, and cannot give the gentleman leisure for
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: their march. They are coming. Then the scout has said
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: as much, when and by what path? For the dances
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: omitted to tell me this? There is a letter, It
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: would seem too and the only agreeable part of the matter.
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: For the customary tensions of your Marquis of Montcalm, I
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: warrant me Duncan that he of Lothonian would buy a
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: dozen such marquisets. But if the news of the letter
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: were bad, the gentility of this French monsieur would certainly
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: compel him to let us know it. He keeps the letter,
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: then while he releases the messenger. Aye, that does he,
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: and all for the sake of what you call your
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: bon homie, I would venture if the truth was known.
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: The fellow's grandfather taught the noble science of dancing. But
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: what says the scout, he has eyes and ears in
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: a tongue. What verbal report does he make? Oh, sir,
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: he is not wanting natural organs, and he is free
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: to tell all that he has seen and heard. The
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: whole amount is this. There is a fort of his
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: majesties on the bags of the Hudson called Edward in
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: honor of his gracious Highness of York, you'll know, and
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: it is well filled with our men, as such a
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: work should be. But was there no movement, no signs
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: of any intention to advance to our relief? There were
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: the morning and evening parades. And when one of the
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: provincial looms You'll know, Duncan, you're half a scotsman yourself,
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: when one of them dropped his powder over his porridge.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: If it touched the coals, it just burned. Then, suddenly
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: changing his bitter and ironical manner to one more grave
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: and thoughtful, he continued, and yet there might and there
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: must be something in that letter which it would be
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: well to know. Our decision should be speedy, said Duncan,
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: gladly availing himself of this change of humor to press
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: the more important objects of their interview. I cannot conceal
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: from you, sir, that the camp will not be much
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: longer tenable, and I am sorry to add that things
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: appear no better in the fort. More than half the
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: guns are bursted and how should it be otherwise, And
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: how should it be otherwise? Some were fished from the
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: bottom of the lake, some have been rusting in wood
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: since the discovery of the country, and some were never
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: guns at all, mere private teersman's playthings. Do you think, sir,
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: you can have Woolwich Warren in the midst of a
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: wilderness three thousand miles from Great Britain. The walls are
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: crumbling about our ears and provisions begin to fail us,
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: continued Heyward, without regarding the new burst of indignation. Even
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: the men show signs of discontent and alarm. Major Hayward,
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: said Monroe, turning to his youthful associate, with the dignity
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: of his years and superior rank, I should have served
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: his Majesty for half a century and earned these gray
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: hairs in vain. Were I ignorant of all you say
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: and of the pressing nature of our circumstances. Still there
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: is everything due to honor of the King's arms, and
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: something to ourselves. While there is hope of succor, this
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: fortress will I defend, though it be done with pebbles
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: gathered on the lake shore. It is a sight of
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: the letter, therefore, that we want that we may know
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: the intentions of the Earl of Ludin has left among
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: us as his substitute. And can I be of service
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: in that matter, sir? You can? The Marquis of Montcalm,
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: has an addition to his other civilities, invited me to
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: a personal interview between the works and his own camp,
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: in order, as he says, to impart some additional information. Now,
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: I think it would not be wise to show any
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: undue solitude to meet him, and I would employ you,
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: an officer of rank, as my substitute for if would
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: but ill comport with honor of Scotland to let it
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: be said one of her gentlemen was outdone in civility
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: by a native of any other country on Earth. Without
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: assuming the supererogatory task of entering into a discussion of
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: the comparative merits of national courtesy, Duncan cheerfully ascended to
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: supply the place of the veteran in the approaching interview.
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: A long and confidential communication now succeeded, during which the
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: young men received some additional insight into his duty from
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: the experience and native acuteness of his commander. And then
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: the former took his leave, as Duncan could only act
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: as the representative of jess Or, of course, dispersed with
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: the truce still existed, and with a roll and beat
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: of the drum, and covered by a little white flag,
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: Duncan left the sally port within ten minutes after his
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: instructions were ended. He was by the French officer in
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: advance with the usual formalities, and immediately accompanied to a
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: distant marquis of the renowned soldier who led the forces
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: of France. The general of the enemy received the youthful messenger,
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: surrounded by his principal officers and by a swarthy band
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: of the native chiefs, who had followed him to the
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: field with the warriors of their several tribes. Heyward paused
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: short when, in glancing his eyes rapidly over the dark
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: group of the latter, he beheld the malignant countenance of Maqua,
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: regarding him with the calm but sullen attention which marked
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: the expression of that subtle savage. A slight exclamation of
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: surprise even burst from the lips of the young man,
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: but instantly recollecting his errand and the presence in which
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: he stood, he suppressed every appearance of emotion and turned
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: to the hostile leader, who had already advanced a step
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: to receive him. The Marquis of Montcalm was at that
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: period of which we write in the flower of his age,
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: and it may be added in the zenith of his fortunes.
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: But even in that enviable situation, he was affable and distinguished,
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: as much for his attention to the forms of courtesy
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: as for that chivalrous courage, which only two short years
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: afterwards induced him to throw away his life on the
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: plains of Abraham. Duncan, in turning his eyes from the
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: malign expression of Magua, suffered them to rest with pleasure
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: on the smiling and polished features and the noble military
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: heir of the French general Monsieur, said the latter.
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: Jaibuclet di Prisiah bah OUIs enterpret juquurt monsieur kennisseur par
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: necessaire Heyward modestly replied Geripoudon Fronselois ah Jesseubiuenis.
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: Said montcalmb taking Duncan familiarly by the arm, and leading
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: him deep into the marquis a little out of earshot
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: to get Detesse, said Prouvovas. When Saint Jemasieuricleur ill appeared
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: on Viciu ibion Mosieur. He continued, still speaking in French.
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: Though I should have been proud of receiving your commandant,
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: I am very happy that he has seemed proper to
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: employ an officer so distinguished and who I am sure
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: is so amiable as yourself. Duncan bowed, low, pleased with
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: the compliment, in spite of a most heroic determination to
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: suffer no artifice to allure him into forgetfulness of the
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: interest of his Prince. Anne. Montcalm, after a pause of
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: a moment, as if to collect his thoughts, proceeded. Your
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: commandant is a brave man and well qualified to repel
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: my assault, Maice monsieur. Is it not time to make
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: more counsel of humanity and less of your courage. The
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: one has strongly characterized the hero as the other. We
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: consider the qualities as inseparable, returned Duncan, smiling. But while
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: we find in the vigor of your excellency every motive
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: to stimulate the one, we can as yet see no
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: particular call for the exercise of the other. Montcalm, in
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: his turn, slightly bowed. But it was with the air
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: of a man too practiced to remember the language of flattery.
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: After amusing a moment, he added, it is possible my
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: glasses have deceived me, and that your works resist our
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: cannon better than I had supposed. You know our force,
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: our accounts vary, said Duncan carelessly. The highest, however, has
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: not exceeded twenty thousand men. The Frenchman bit his lip
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: and fastened his eyes keenly on the other, as if
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: to read his thoughts. Then, with a readiness peculiar to himself,
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: he continued, as if assenting to the truth of an
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: enumeration which quite doubled his army. It is a poor
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: compliment to the vigilance of a soldier's monsieur that do
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: what we will. We never can conceal our numbers. If
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: it were to be done at all, one would believe
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: it might succeed in these woods. Though you think it
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: too soon to listen to the calls of humanity, he added,
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: smiling archly, I may be permitted to believe that gallantry
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: is not forgotten by one so young as yourself. The
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: daughters of the Commandant Unlourne have passed into the fort
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: since it was invested it is true, monsieur, but so
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: far from weakening our efforts, they set us an example
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: of courage. In their own fortitude, were nothing but necessary
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: to repel so accomplished a soldier as M. D. Macom.
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: I would gladly trust the defense of William Henry to
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: the elder of those ladies. We have a wise ordinance
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: in our silk laws, which says the Crown of France
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: shall never degrade the lance of the distaff, said Montcalm,
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: dryly and with a little hot jar, but instantly adding
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: with his former frank and easy air, as oh, the
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: nobler qualities are hereditary. I can easily credit you, though,
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: as I said before, courage has its limits, and humanity
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: must not be forgotten. I trust, monsieur, you come authorized
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: to treat for a surrender of the police. Has your
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: excellency found our defense so feeble as to believe the
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: major necessary? I would be sorry to have the defense
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: protracted in such a manner as to irritate my red
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: fo friends. There, continued Montcalm, glancing his eyes at the
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: group of grave and attentive Indians, without attending to the
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: other's questions. I find it difficult even now to limit
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: them to the usages of war. Heyward was silent, for
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: a painful recollection of the dangers he had so recently
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: escaped came over his mind and recalled the images of
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: those defenseless beings who had shared in all his sufferings,
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: Say Monsieur, Le said Montcalm, following up the advantage which
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: he conceived he had gained. Are most formidable when baffled,
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: and it is unnecessary to tell you with what difficulty
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: they are restrained in their anger. He beyond, Monsieur, shall
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: we speak of the terms. I fear your excellently has
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: been deceived as to the strength of William Henry and
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: the resources of its garrison. I have not sat down
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: before Quebec. But an earthen work that is defended by
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: twenty three hundred gallon men was the light coonic reply.
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: Our mounds are earthen, certainly, nor are they seated on
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: the rocks of Cape Diamond. But they stand on that
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: shore which proved so destructive to descow on his army.
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: There is also a powerful force. Within a few hours
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: march of us, which we account upon as part of
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: our means. Some six or eight thousand men returned Montcalm,
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: with much apparent indifference, whom their leader wisely judges to
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: be safer in their works than in the field. It
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: was now Heyward's turn to bite his lip with vexation,
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: as the other so coolly alluded to a force which
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: the young man knew to be overrated. Both mused a
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: little while in silence, when Montcalm renewed the conversation in
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: a way that showed he believed the visit of his
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: guest was solely to propose terms of capitulation. On the
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: other hand, Heyward began to throw sundry inducements in the
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: way of the French general to betray the discoveries he
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: had made through the intercepted letter. The artifice of neither, however, succeeded,
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: and after a protracted and fruitless interview, Duncan took his
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: leave favorably, impressed with an opinion of the courtesy and
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: talents of the enemy's captain, but as ignorant of what
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: he came to learn as when he arrived, Montcombe followed
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: him as far as the entrance of the marquis, renewing
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: his invitations to the commandant of the fort to give
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: him an immediate meeting in the open ground between the
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: two armies. There they separated, and Duncan returned to the
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: advanced post of the French, accompanied as before, whence he
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: instantly proceeded to the fort and to the quarters of
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: his own commander. End of Chapter fifteen.