Part 1 (2/2)
”Oh, they do not come here. They are good friends with M. de Champlain.
And the fort is guarded. I should hide if one came.”
She began to descend and presently reached his level.
”There are long shadows. It gets to be supper time.”
He smiled. ”Are the shadows your clock hands?”
”We have no clock. M. de Champlain carries his in his pocket. But you see the sun sends long shadows over to the east. It is queer. The sun keeps going round. What is on the other side?”
”It would take a good deal of study to understand it all,” he returned gravely.
”I like to hear them talk. There are wonderful places. And where is India? Can any one find the pa.s.sage they are looking for and sail round the world?”
”They have sailed round it.”
”And have you seen Paris and the King?”
”I fought for the dead King. And Paris--why, you cannot imagine anything like it.”
”Ah, but we are going to have new France here. And perhaps Paris.”
There were pride and gladness in her voice. He smiled inwardly, he would not disturb her childish dream. Would she ever see the beautiful city and the pageants that were almost daily occurrences?
”When did you come here?” she asked presently.
”A fortnight ago, when the stores.h.i.+p arrived.”
”Ah, yes. Maman and I went to see it and M. Hebert sent us some curious, delicious dried fruits. M. de Champlain is quite sure we shall grow them in time and have beautiful gardens, and fine people who know many things. Can you read?”
”Why, yes”--laughing.
”I wish I could. But we have no books. Maman thinks it a waste of time, except for the men who must do business and write letters. Can you write letters?”
”Yes”--studying her with amus.e.m.e.nt.
”Catherine could read. But she had no books. I once learned some of the letters. Jean could make figures.”
”Where is he?”
”Oh, off with the fur-hunters. And Antoine makes ever so much money. And he says he and Maman will go back to France. And I suppose they will leave me here. Antoine has two brothers and one is at Brouage, where M.
de Champlain was born.”
She leaped from point to point in a graceful, agile manner, ran swiftly down some declivity, while he held his breath, it seemed so fraught with danger, but she only looked back laughingly. What a daring midget she was!
And when they were in sight of the palisades they saw a group of men, Pontgrave and Champlain among them. Destournier quickened his pace and touched his hat to them with a reverent grace.
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