And even stranger it seemed to me
to see these Arcadian homes in the midst of the fierce wilderness. The
little houses with their sloping roofs and wide porches, the gardens
ablaze with color, the neat palings,--all were a restful sight for our
weary eyes. And now I scarcely knew our commander. For we had not gone
far ere, timidly, a door opened and a mild-visaged man, in the simple
workaday smock that the French wore, stood, hesitating, on the steps.
The odd thing was that he should have bowed to Clark, who was dressed no
differently from Bowman and Harrod and Duff; and the man's voice trembled
piteously as he spoke. It needed not John Duff to tell us that he was
pleading for the lives of his family.
"He will sell himself as a slave if your Excellency will spare them,"
said Duff, translating.
But Clark stared at the man sternly.
"I will tell them my plans at the proper time," he said and when Duff had
translated this the man turned and went silently into his house again,
closing the door behind him. And before we had traversed the village the
same thing had happened many times. We gained the fort again, I
wondering greatly why he had not reassured these simple people. It was
Bowman who asked this question, he being closer to Clark than any of the
other captains. Clark said nothing then, and began to give out directions
for the day.
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