Johnstone having delivered my orders to Poularies, he quitted him an instant to give some instructions to my servants at my lodgings; returning to rejoin me, he found Poularies in the Ravine with M. de Sennezergue, Brigadier-General and Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment of La Sarre, and de Lotbinière, Captain of the Colony troops and aide-de-camp to M. de Vaudreuil. Poularies stopped Johnstone to make him repeat to them my orders, which he did; and at the same time advised Poularies, as a friend, to disobey them, by coming himself to the heights of Abraham with every man of the left, since it was evident that the English army--already landed near Quebec--could never think of making a second descent at Beauport; and that it was manifest there would be in a few hours an engagement upon the heights which would immediately decide the fate of the Colony. Poularies then showed Johnstone a written order--signed "Montreuil"--which Lotbinière had brought to him from M. de Vaudreuil, "That not a man of the left should stir from the camp!" Johnstone declared to them, upon his honour, that it was word for word my orders and my intentions; and he entreated Poularies, in the most pressing manner, to have no regard for that order signed "Montreuil," as the want of two thousand men, which formed the left of our camp, must be of the greatest consequence in the battle. M. de Sennezergue--an officer of the greatest worth and honour, who fell a few hours afterwards--told Johnstone: "That he (Johnstone) should take it upon him to make all the left march of immediately." Johnstone answered: "That, being only the bearer of my orders, he could take nothing upon him. But if he was in M. de Sennezergue's place, Brigadier-General, and, by M. de Levis' absence, the next in command of the army, he would not hesitate a moment to make the left march, without any regard whatsoever to any order that might be hurtful to the King's service, in that critical juncture." Johnstone left them irresolute and doubtful how to act, clapped spurs to his horse, and rejoined me immediately upon the heights.