The Lily and the Cross: A Tale of Acadia — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Lily and the Cross: A Tale of Acadia
John Stuart Mill · en
At length a boat came ashore. In the boat were Florian, De Brisset,
and Margot. On landing, these three went up to the citadel; and on
their way De Brisset was stopped by several of the officers, who were
old acquaintances, and were anxious to learn the latest news. Florian
also had much to tell them which he had just learned. While they were
talking, Margot hurried to the Residency, where she found Mimi, to
whom she gave information of a startling kind; so startling, indeed,
was it, that it acted like a powerful remedy, and roused Mimi from a
deep stupor of inconsolable grief up to life, and hope, and joy, and
strength.
The information which De Brisset gave the officers was of the same
startling kind, and Florian was able to corroborate it by a despatch
which he had received. The despatch was to the effect that he--the
Count de Florian--was hereby reinstated in his office as commandant
of Louisbourg, and conveyed to him the flattering intelligence that
his former administration was favorably regarded by the government,
who would reward him with some higher command. With this despatch
there came also to Florian, as commandant, a warrant to arrest
Cazeneau, the late commandant, on certain charges of fraud,
peculation, and malversation in office, under the late ministry. De
Brisset also had orders to bring Cazeneau back to France in the
Vengeur. These documents were shown to the officers, who were very
earnest in their congratulations to Florian.
There were also despatches to the Count de Montresor, the contents of
which were known to De Brisset, who also knew that he was now
laboring in the colonies as the missionary priest Père Michel.
Florian at once took these to the prison where he was confined,
acquainted him with the change that had taken place, and set both him
and Claude free with his own hands. Then he presented the despatches.
Père Michel, as we may still call him, tore open the despatch with a
trembling hand, and there read that, at last, after so many years,
the wrong done him had been remedied, as far as possible; that all
his dignities were restored, together with his estates. These last
had passed to other hands, but the strong arm of the government was
even now being put forth to reclaim them, so that they might be
rendered back to the deeply injured man to whom they rightly
belonged.
"There, my boy," said Père Michel, as he showed it to his son, "all
is right at last; and now you can wear your name and dignity in the
face of the world, and not be ashamed."
"O, my father!" said Claude, in a voice which was broken with
emotion, "Heaven knows I never was ashamed. I believed your
innocence, and wept over your wrongs. I am glad now, not for myself,
but for you."
"Where is the Countess de Montresor?" said Père Michel. "She should
not be kept in restraint any longer."