Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France) -- Fiction
She did not note that Iberville had risen, and had come round the table
to look over Councillor Drayton's shoulder at a map spread out. After
standing a moment watching, the councillor's finger his pilot, he started
back to his seat. As he did so he caught sight of her still in that
poise of wonderment and sadness. He stopped short, then glanced at
Colonel Nicholls and the councillor. Both were bent over the map,
talking in eager tones. He came softly round the table, and was about
to speak over her shoulder, when she drew herself up with a little shiver
and seemed to come back from afar. Her hands went up to her eyes. Then
she heard him. She turned quickly, with the pageant of her dreams still
wavering in her face; smiled at him distantly, looked towards the window
again in a troubled way, then stepped softly and swiftly to the door, and
passed out. Iberville watched the door close and turned to the window.
Again he saw, and this time nearer to the window, Radisson, and with him
the man who had so suddenly mastered Jessica.
He turned to Colonel Nicholls. "Your excellency," he said, "will you not
let me tell Count Frontenac that you forbid Radisson your purlieus? For,
believe me, sir, there is no greater rogue unhanged, as you shall find
some day to the hurt of your colony, if you shelter him."
The governor rose and paced the room thoughtfully. "He is proclaimed by
Frontenac?" he asked.
"A price is on his head. As a Frenchman I should shoot him like a wolf
where'er I saw him; and so I would now were I not Count Frontenac's
ambassador and in your excellency's presence."
"You speak manfully, monsieur," said the governor, not ill-pleased; "but
how might you shoot him now? Is he without there?" At this he came to
where Iberville stood, and looked out. "Who is the fellow with him?"
he asked.
"A cut-throat scoundrel, I'll swear, though his face is so smug," said
Iberville. "What think you sir?" turning to the councillor, who was
peering between their shoulders.
"As artless yet as strange a face as I have ever seen," answered the
merchant. "What's his business here, and why comes he with the other
rogue? He would speak with your excellency, I doubt not," he added.
Colonel Nicholls turned to Iberville. "You shall have your way," he
said. "Yon renegade was useful when we did not know what sudden game was
playing from Chateau St. Louis; for, as you can guess, he has friends as
faithless as himself. But to please your governor, I will proclaim him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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