A Little Girl in Old Quebec, Page 6

  CHAPTER VI

  FINDING AMUSEMENTS

  About the middle of August the Sieur de Champlain and Captain Francoisde Pontgrave sailed from Tadoussac for France. The Giffards,Destournier, and several others accompanied them to the port, and werethen to survey some of the places that had advantages for plantingcolonies. They did not return until in September. The season wasunusually fine and warm, and there had been an abundance of everything.The colonists had been busy enough preparing for winter. They hadlearned ways of drying fruit, of smoking meats and fish, of caring fortheir grains. There had been no talk of Indian raids, indeed thevillages about were friendly with the whites, and friendly with severalof the outlying tribes. Some had gone on raids farther south.

  Madame Giffard would have found time hanging heavy on her hands but forthe child. She began to teach her to read and to play checkers. Rose didnot take kindly to embroidery, but some of the Indian work interestedher. With Pani and Wanamee's assistance she made baskets and curiousvase-like jars. Pierre Gaudrion came up now and then, and miladiconsidered him quite a prodigy in several ways.

  When they were dull and tired miladi gave Rose dancing lessons. Thechild was really fascinated with the enjoyment. Miladi would dress up inone of her pretty gowns to the child's great delight, and they wouldinvent wonderful figures. Sometimes the two men would join them, andthey would keep up the amusement till midnight.

  Pani was growing rapidly and he was their most devoted knight. And whenthe snows set in there were great snowballing games; sometimes betweenthe Indians alone, at others, the whites would take a hand.

  It was splendid entertainment for the children to slide about on thesnowy crust, that glistened in the sunlight as if sprinkled with gems.The Indian women often participated in this amusement. And miladi lookedas bewitching in her deerskin suit, with its fringes and brightadornments of feather borders, and her lovely furs, as in her Parisattire. She often thought she would like to walk into some assembly andmake a stir in her strange garments.

  What is the Sieur doing? Making new bargains, persuading colonists tojoin them, getting concessions to the profit of New France. Alas! OldFrance was a selfish sort of stepmother. She wanted furs, she wantedcolonies planted, she wanted explorations, and possessions taken inevery direction, to thwart English and Dutch, who seemed somehow to beprospering, but the money supplies were pared to the narrowest edge.

  The little girl would have been much interested in one step her dearSieur was taking, though she did not hear of it until long afterward.This was his betrothment and marriage to Marie Helene, the daughter ofNicolas Boulle, private secretary to the young King. A child of twelve,and the soldier and explorer who was now forty or over, but held hisyears well and the hardships had written few lines on his kindly andhandsome face. That he was very much charmed with the child, who wasreally quite mature for her age, was true, though it is thought thefriendship of her father and her dowry had some weight. But she adoredher heroic lover, although she was to be returned to the convent tofinish her education. Then the Sieur made his will and settled a part ofthe dowry on his bride, and the income of all his other property, hismaps and books, "in case of his death in voyages on the sea and in theservice of the King."

  If the autumn had been lovely and long beyond expectations, winterlingered as well. And the travellers had a hard time on their return.Lofty bergs floated down the Atlantic, and great floes closed in aroundthe vessel, and the rigging was encased in glittering ice. Sometimestheir hearts failed them and the small boats were made ready, butwhither would they steer? Captain Pontgrave kept up his courage, and"when they brought their battered craft into the harbor of Tadoussacthey fired a cannon shot in joyous salute," says history. Seventy-fourdays had their journey lasted.

  The country was still white with snow, although it was May. Already sometrading vessels were bidding for furs, but the Montagnais had had a hardwinter as well, and the Bay traders would have perished on the way.

  Champlain pushed on to Quebec, though his heart was full of fears.

  Rose was out on the gallery, that Pani was clearing from the frequentlight falls of snow. A canoe was being rowed by some Indians and in thestern sat the dearly-loved Commander. "They have come! they have come!"shouted Rose, and she ran in to spread the joyful news. Destournier andGiffard were at a critical point in a game of chess, but both sprang up.The bell pealed out, there was a salute, and every one in the fortrushed out with exclamations of joy. For the sake of the little girl hehad left, the Sieur stooped and kissed Rose.

  Du Parc was in the best of spirits, and had only a good account. Therehad been no sickness, no Indian troubles, and provisions had lastedwell. All was joy and congratulations. Even the Indian settlements nearby built bonfires and beat their drums, dancing about with everyindication of delighted welcome.

  He had brought with him the young Indian Savignon, while Etienne Brulehad wintered with the Ottawas, perfecting himself in their language. Hewas a fine specimen of his race, as far as physique went, and his winterin civilization had given him quite a polish.

  There was a great feast. Miladi was in her glory ordering it, andSavignon paid her some compliments that quite savored of old times inher native land. She was fond of admiration, and here there was butsmall allowance of it.

  He was to restore the young brave to his tribe, and Destournier was toaccompany him. He saw that with trade open to rivals there must be somestations. It was true no men could be spared to form a new colony, andthe few he had induced to emigrate would do better service in the oldsettlement. In Cartier's time there had been the village of Hochelega.It was a great stretch of open fertile land, abounding in wild fruitsand grapes, so he pre-empted it in the name of the King, put up a stoutcross, and built two or three log huts, and planted some grain seedsthat might in turn scatter themselves around. And so began Montreal. Theriver was dotted with islands; the largest, on which the wild iris, thefleur-de-lis, grew abundantly, he named St. Helene, in remembrance ofhis little betrothed.

  They pushed on beyond the rapids and here he met the Algonquins andrestored their young brave to them, and was glad to find Etienne Brulein good health and spirits. But Savignon bade him farewell ruefully,declaring life in Paris was much more agreeable, and spoiled one for thewilderness.

  Various bands of Hurons and Algonquins came to meet the great whiteSagamore, and he secured much trade for the coming season. But the furbusiness was being greatly scattered, and Demont's finances were at arather low ebb, so there could not be the necessary branching out.

  Destournier had some schemes as well. He had come to the new worldpartly from curiosity and the desire to mend his fortunes. He saw nowsome fine openings, if he could get a concession or grant of land. Hisold family seat might be disposed of, he had not Laurent Giffard's aimto make a fortune here and go back to France and spend it for show.

  Madame Giffard was deeply disappointed at this prospect, and Rose wasinconsolable.

  "Who will read to us in the long evenings and the days when the drivingsnow makes it seem like night. And oh, M'sieu, who will dance with meand tell me those delightful stories, and laugh at my sayings that comelike birds' flights across my mind and go their way?"

  "You will have miladi. And there are the Gaudrion children. Pierre has aheart full of worship for you. And books that the Governor brought. Thetime will pass quickly."

  "To you. There will be so many things. But the long, long days. Andmiladi says there are so many pretty girls in Paris, whose dancing andsinging are marvellous, and who would laugh at a frock of deerskin. Oh,you will forget me, and all the time I shall think of you. You will notcare."

  Her beautiful eyes were suffused with tears, the brilliance of her cheekfaded, and her bosom heaved with emotion. What a girl she would be a fewyears hence. His dear Sieur had married a child--was he really in lovewith her? But his regard was fatherly, brotherly.

  "See," he began, "we will make a bargain. When the first star comes outyou will watch for it and say, 'M'
sieu Ralph is looking at it andthinking of me.' And I will say--'the little Rose of Quebec is turningtoward me,' and we will meet in heart. Will not this comfort thee?"

  "Oh, I shall hug it to my heart. The star! the star! And when the sky isthick with clouds I shall remember you told me the stars were alwaysthere. And I will shut my eyes and see you. I see strange things attimes."

  "So you must not be unhappy, for I shall return," and he took herthrobbing fingers in his.

  She raised her lovely eyes. What a charming coquette she would make, ifshe were not so innocent. But the long fringe of lashes was beaded withtears.

  It was odd, he thought, but with all the admiration of her husbandmiladi made as great a time as the child. What should she do in thishorrible lonely place, shut up in the fort all winter, with no companybut an Indian woman and a child whose limited understanding took in onlyfoolish pleasures. What miladi needed was companionship. Ah! if shecould return to France. If Laurent would only consent. But now hethought only of fortune-making.

  "And a return at the end. He is not taking root here. I am. I like theboundless freedom of this new country," said Destournier.

  "You will marry. There is some demoiselle at home on whom your heart isset. And the old friendship will go for naught. You have been--yes, likea brother," and she flushed.

  "No, I am not likely to marry," he returned gravely.

  "But--you will not return," in a desperate kind of tone. "You will bewon by Paris."

  "I shall return. All my interests are here. And as I said--I shall leavemy heart in this new country."

  Then she smiled, a little secure in the thought that she had no rival.

  So again the Sieur de Champlain set sail for France, and many adiscourse he held with Ralph Destournier on the future of Quebec, thatchild of his dreams and his heart. It would be fame enough, he thought,to be handed down to posterity as the founder of Quebec, the explorer ofthe great inland seas that joining arms must lead across the continent.

  Miladi was very capricious, Rose found, although she did not know themeaning of the word. What she wanted to-day she scouted to-morrow.Rose's reading was enough to set one wild. Sure she was notFrench-born, or she would know by intuition. Sometimes she would saypettishly, "Go away, child, you disturb me," and then Rose would playhide-and-seek with Pani, or run down to the Gaudrions. Marie was quitean expert in Indian embroidery, the children were gay and frolicsome,and there was a new baby. Pierre was very fond of her; a studiousfellow, with queer ideas that often worked themselves out in some usefulfashion. They read together, stumbling over words they could notunderstand.

  "And I shall build a boat of my own and go out to those wonderfulrapids. At one moment it feels as if you would be submerged, then youride up on top with a shout. Cubenic said the Sieur stood it as bravelyas any Indian. Why--if your boat was overturned you could swim."

  "But there's a current that sucks you in. And there's a strange woman, awindigo, who haunts the rapids and drags you down and eats you."

  "I don't believe such nonsense. In one of the Sieur's books there is astory of some people who believed there was a spirit in everything.There were gods of the waters, of the trees, of the winds, and theIndians are much like them. I've never found any of their gods, haveyou?"

  "No"--rather reluctantly. "But Wanamee has. And sometimes they bringback dead people."

  "Then they don't always eat them," and the boy laughed.

  She had meant to tell miladi of her tryst and beg her to come out andsee the star, but when she found her not only indifferent, but fretful,she refrained and was glad presently that she had this delicious secretto herself. But there was a great mystery. Sometimes the star wasdifferent. Instead of being golden, it was a pale blue, and then almostred. Was it that way in France, she wondered.

  She came to have a strange fondness for the stars, and to note theirchanges. Was it true that the old people M'sieu Ralph had read about,the Greeks, had seen their gods and goddesses taken up to the sky andset in the blue? There were thrones mounted with gems, there werefigures that chased each other; to-night they were here, to-morrow nightsomewhere else. But the star that came out first was hers, and she senta message across the ocean with it. And the star said in return, "I amthinking of you."

  He did think of her, and tried to trace out some parentage. CatherineDefroy had gone from St. Malo, a single woman. Then by all the accountshe could find she must have spent two years in Paris. Clearly she wasnot mother of the child.

  After all, what did it matter? Rose would probably spend her life in NewFrance. If it was never proven that she came of gentlefolks, LaurentGiffard would hardly consent to his wife's mothering her. He had a gooddeal of pride of birth.

  The winter passed away and this year spring came early, unchaining thestreams and sending them headlong to the rivers; filling the air withthe fragrant new growth of the pines, hemlocks, and cedars, the younggrasses, and presently all blossoming things. The beauty touched Rosedeeply. No one understood, so she only talked of these strange things tothe trees and the stars at night. Often she was a merry romp, climbingrocks, out in a canoe, which she had learned to manage perfectly, thoughsometimes Pani accompanied her, sometimes Pierre Gaudrion, who wasgrowing fast and making himself very useful to Du Parc.

  As for the Sieur, he found much to engross his attention. There was anew trading company that had the privilege of eleven years. There wasanother volume of voyages and discoveries, the maps and illustrationsfinely engraved. Then he had laid before the secretary of the King theurgent need of some religious instruction. Acadia had quite a thrivingJesuit mission. This order was not in high favor with Champlain, whodeprecated their narrowness. The Sieur Houel recommended the Recollets,and four willing missionaries were finally chosen. The company hadfitted up a large vessel and were taking all the stores they couldpurchase or beg, and quite a number of emigrants of a better class thanheretofore.

  They were all warmly welcomed, and found the colonists in very goodorder. The enthusiastic priest startled them by kneeling on the soil anddevoutly consecrating it to God, and giving thanks that He had calledthem to this new and arduous field of labor. The coarse gray cassockgirt at the waist with a bit of rope, the pointed hood, which often hungaround their necks and betrayed the shaven crown, their general air ofpoverty and humility attracted attention, but did not so much appeal tothe colonists or the Indians. They were fearful of the new order ofthings.

  Quebec had enlarged her borders somewhat. The one-roomed hut had spreadout into two or three apartments. The gardens had increased. Some roadshad been made, the workmen taking the stone quarried to add to their ownhouses. Still they received the fathers with a certain degree ofcordiality.

  Champlain set aside ground for their convent, and they first erected analtar and celebrated Mass. Pere Dolbeau was the officiating priest. Thepeople, most of whom came from curiosity, knelt around on the earth,while cannon from the ramparts announced the mystic services. TheGiffards joined in them reverentially, but Rose was full of wonderment.Indeed, her joy was so great at seeing Destournier again that she couldgive thanks for nothing else.

  Then they erected a rude hut and discussed the work that lay beforethem. Le Caron would go to the Hurons, Dolbeau to the Montagnais, Jamayand Du Plessis would take charge of Quebec and the outlying provinces,and planned to build a chapel.

  Destournier had been successful with his grant. He bad been madeseignior of a large tract outside of the town, which was destined oneday to be a part of it. Here he settled some friendly Indians, andseveral of the new-comers, who were to till the soil under hisdirections, and raise different crops to ward off the scarcity ofrations in the winter. He would build a house for himself and live amongthem.

  "But why not remain in the fort?" asked miladi. "What charm can you findwith those ignorant people? Though perhaps peas and beans, radishes andcabbages may console one for more intellectual pursuits."

  "I shall only spend the days with them at present," he returned, with asmi
le.

  And now again came the influx of the fur-traders. It had been a goodseason and from the new settlement of Montreal to Tadoussac, vesselswere packing away the precious freight. Champlain had gone with a bodyof soldiers to help defend a town the Iroquois had threatened to attack.The missions thus far had borne no fruit. Indeed the new teaching of theRecollets in its severity was not pleasant. The Hurons were seized witha panic after losing several of their leaders and the Sieur was wounded.All winter the people at Quebec waited anxiously for their leader, andparties set out to see if they could find any tidings. At last they weresighted, and great was the joy at finding their beloved chieftain welland unharmed. But he was not allowed to remain long in his petsettlement. There were disputes and altercations, and he was summoned toFrance.

  "Another year we shall go ourselves," announced Laurent Giffard to hiswife. "We have enough now to make ourselves comfortable, and I doubt ifthe company can weather through. At all events I shall be glad to bewell out of it. Art thou glad of the prospect?"

  "There is great commotion with the King and his mother, and betweenHuguenot and Catholic," she made answer slowly. "Does the SieurDestournier throw up his schemes in disgust as well?"

  "Ah, I think he is wedded to the soil. The Governor trusts everything tohim, and Du Parc, and both are capable men. But truth to tell I havelost faith in the colony. I hear the Virginians and the Bostonnais aredoing much better. France cannot, or will not, spend the money, nor sendthe men to put the place on a sure foundation. The Indians grow moretroublesome. They hate being meddled with by the priests. They takewives when they want them, and send them away when they are tired ofthem. They torture prisoners--some day the priests will have a taste ofit themselves."

  "They are all horrible," she said, with a shiver.

  "And we will go back to La Belle France. I fancy I can manage a sort ofpreferment with Dubissay, who has the ear of the Queen mother atpresent. At all events I am tired of this turmoil, and thou, _ma mie_,art wasting thy beauty in this savage land."

  He stooped and kissed her. If he had been ready last year, she wouldhave hailed the prospect with delight. Why did it not seem so attractivenow?

  "And the child?" she asked presently, her eyes fixed on the floor.

  Was the tone indifferent?

  "How much dost thou love her, _ma mie_? At first thy heart was sore forthe loss of our own, but time heals all such wounds. Destournier left nostone unturned to discover her parentage, and failed. I think she hasbeen some one's love child. True we could give her our name, and with agood dowry she could marry well. But she will want some years of conventtraining to tone her down."

  "And if we should leave her here? Though they say Miladi de Champlaincomes over soon, and there may be a court with maids of honor."

  He laughed. "What I fancy is this, though I am no seer. Destournier isfond of her, fatherly now, but she is shooting up into a tall girl.There will not be so many years between them as the Sieur andMademoiselle Boulle. And some day he will take her to wife. 'Twere apity to spoil the romance. She adores him."

  Miladi bit her lip hard, and drew her brow into a sharp frown.

  "What nonsense!" she made answer.

  "Destournier is a fine fellow, and will be a rich one some day."

  "The more need that he should marry in his own station."

  "But there is talk of reproducing home titles in this new land. AndBaron Destournier can raise his wife to his own station. If the childshould not be amenable to training, or develop some waywardness, theremight be sorrow, rather than joy or satisfaction in thine heart."

  "There will be time enough to consider," she returned.

  He left the room. She went out on the shady side of the gallery, andlooked down over the town. The two under discussion a moment ago wereclimbing the steep rocks instead of taking the path where steps werecut. The wind blew her shining hair about, her face was filled withripples of laughter. He took her arm and she would have no help, butsprang like a deer from point to point, then turned to throw hermerriment at him.

  "Yes, miladi would take her to France. What if some day he shouldfollow?"

  The Governor spent a month in intense satisfaction, enlarging theborders of his pet garden, talking with M. Hebert, who had been watchingthe growth of some fine fruit trees imported from northern France, thathad blossomed and were perfecting a few specimens of fruit. He thoughtsometimes it would be a joy to give up all cares and rest in cultivatingthe soil. If the summers were short everything grew abundantly. Therewere several rare plants, also, that they had acclimated.

  "Bring thy wife over and be content," advised M. Hebert, in a cordialtone, "and enjoy the governorship."

  M. de Champlain laughed. But presently he said: "Friend, you little knowthe delights of an explorer who brings new countries to light, whobuilds cities that may continue after him. The route to India has notyet been located. The fields of gold and silver have not beendiscovered. The lilies of France have not been planted over there,"nodding his head. "We must go before the Spaniard gets a foothold. Yetthere are delights I must confess that even Horace longed for--agarden."

  But if he longed for it at times he found the restless current hurryinghim on. Some disaffected members of the company were bringing chargesagainst him, desiring to depose him from the governorship. But Conde,who had again come into power, knew there was not another man who wouldwork so untiringly for the good of New France, or make it bring in suchrich returns.