"Peace may be proclaimed this winter, and if so, Mme. de St. Just can go without danger in the spring. Besides, she cannot go until she knows of the safety of one she is interested in," said Mme. de Sarennes, decidedly; and her reminder of my duty towards Lucy ended the discussion. "Then, madame," said M. de Montcalm, turning to me, "if you are to stay with us you must renounce your retirement, and give us your support in our little society. We are too few to spare any possible addition to it, the more so that if peace be not proclaimed before spring everything is likely to come to an end, so far as we are concerned." "Mon Dieu, Marquis! Do not speak so lightly of disaster," interrupted Mme. de Sarennes, severely. "Ma foi, madame! What is the use of shutting our eyes to the inevitable? We are hemmed in right and left, and the next move will be directed on us here. It needs no prophet to foretell that." "But is there not Carillon?" "There is also the river." "They can never come up the river! See what befell them before! I remember well how their fleet was destroyed under their Admiral Walker." "Nothing happens but the impossible, madame; and we are no longer in an age that hopes for miracles." "Monsieur, it pains me to hear you speak thus. God is not less powerful now than He was fifty years ago." "I sincerely trust not, madame; but his Majesty will hardly acquit me if I rely on a chance tempest or a difficult channel. It is only the question of a pilot." "And think you, monsieur, a Canadian would ever consent to pilot an enemy up our river?" "Madame, I cannot doubt that even a Canadian will act as other men, if he have a pistol at the back of his head. No, no, madame; believe me, the river is our danger, and I would that M. de Vaudreuil might see it as I do." "M. de Vaudreuil is a God-fearing man, monsieur." "So much the better for him, madame; but, unfortunately, I am responsible for military matters," he answered, with a bitterness which made me most uncomfortable. He saw my distress and added, quickly: "But such affairs should not be discussed before ladies; I forget myself. Mme. de Sarennes, I have every respect for your opinion, and it is only my anxiety for our common cause which urges me to exaggerate what may after all be merely possible dangers." "Now, Mme. de St. Just, to return to our society. We are dull now, and shall be until the last ships leave; but we will have balls and routs later on, and perhaps may even offer you a novelty in the shape of a winter pique-nique, a fete champetre in four feet of snow." "That, I am sure, must be delightful," I answered, pleased that the conversation had taken a different turn; "but I am afraid I have little interest in amusement as yet." "We have cards, madame, if you are ever tempted to woo the fickle goddess." "M. de Montcalm," asked Mme. de Sarennes, in her severest manner, "do you intend to put an end to scandalous play this winter?"