CHAPTER II
BIENVILLE
Musing on this strange story, and the old man's unwonted fear, I walkedon down to the water's edge where my Indian friends, already in thepirogue, awaited me. Another half hour and we were in Biloxi.
When we reached the barracks I found orders to attend the governor atonce.
Bienville stood before his fire alone, quiet, but in a very differentmood from any in which I had theretofore seen him.
"Captain de Mouret," the rough old warrior began, without any preludeor indirection, "I desire to send you at once to Paris on an errand ofthe utmost importance to myself and to this colony. I select you forthis task, though I can ill spare you here, because it is a delicatematter. I believe you to be honest, I know you are courageous."
I bowed, and he went on. Something had evidently occurred to vex andirritate him.
"You know the people who surround me here, the weak, the vicious, thelicentious of all the earth. A band of unprincipled adventurers, vileCanadians and half-breeds, all too lazy to work, or even to feedthemselves out of the bountiful earth which would give everything weneed almost for the asking. The air is full now of rumors of a Spanishwar, and a Natchez-Chickasaw alliance. If these things are true wewould find ourselves entirely cut off from French supplies, and thiscolony would literally starve to death. Yes, starve to death withuntold millions of fruitful acres all about us. Had we strength tofight I would not care so much. With but two companies ofundisciplined troops, a mere straggling handful, officered bydrunkards, we could not defend this post a day against any organizedattack."
All this I knew to be true, so I made no comment. He pursued theconversation and evidently relieved his mind of much that had troubledhim for months.
"Then this beggarly commissary of mine, and the trafficking priest, dela Vente, they are constantly stirring up strife against me here, andputting lies in the hands of my enemies at court. The king, too, iswearied out with this endless drain upon his treasury for money andsupplies, and is now, so I am informed, almost ready to accede toCrozat's proposition, and turn over to him the revenues and governmentof the colonies."
The old man grew earnest and eloquent.
"What! turn over an empire such as this to a miserable tradinghuckster, the son of a peasant--permit him to name the governors andofficers! Why, under his rule, such cattle as la Salle and de la Ventewould feed fat upon the miseries of the people! Great God, Placide, doyou appreciate what that means? To create this peddler of silks andlaces lord of a boundless domain, more magnificent than Louis in hiswildest schemes of conquest ever dreamed? Why, boy, the day will comewhen for a thousand leagues the silver lilies will signal each otherfrom every hill top; marts of commerce will thrive and flourish; theland will smile with farms and cities, with proud palaces and withgranite castles. The white sails of our boats will fleck every lakeand sea and river with their rich burdens of trade, pouring a fabulousand a willing wealth into the coffers of the king. Gold and silvermines will yield their precious stores, while from these niggardnatives we will wrest with mighty arm the tribute they socontemptuously deny the weakling curs who snap and snarl at my heels.Grey tower and fortress will guard every inlet, and watch thissheltered coast. In every vale the low chant of holy nuns will breathetheir benediction upon a happy people. And hordes of nations yetunknown and races yet unborn, in future legends, in song, in story andin rhyme, will laud the name of Bourbon and the glory of the French.Oh lad! lad! 'tis an ambition worthy a god."
The governor had risen, and waving his long arms this way and that,pointed out the confines of his mighty dreamland empire with as muchassurance as if cities and towns would spring up at his bidding.
His whole frame spoke the most intense emotion. The face, glorifiedand transfigured by the allurement of his brilliant mirage, seemed thatof another man.
"Ah, Placide! Placide! it stings me that this chivalrous king of ours,this degenerate grandson of Henry the Great, should think of sellingfor a few paltry livres such an heritage as this. Shame to you Louis,shame!"
His tone had grown so loud, so peremptory, I interrupted.
"Caution, sire; who knows what tattler's ears are listening, or whereyour thoughtless words may be repeated."
He stood moodily with hands behind him gazing into the fire. For yearsI had known Bienville the soldier, the stern and unyielding governor,with the hand of iron and the tongue of suasion.
Now I saw for the first time Bienville the man, Bienville thevisionary, Bienville the enthusiast, the dreamer of dreams and thebuilder of castles. I watched him in amazement.
"Then these miserable women whom our good father, the Bishop of Quebec,was so kind as to send us, bringing from their House of Correction allthe airs and graces of a court. Bringing hither their silly romancesof a land of plenty; they vow they came not here to work, and by thegrace of God, work they will not. They declare they are not horses toeat of the corn of the fields, and clamor for their dear Parisiandainties. Against such a petticoat insurrection the governor ishelpless. Bah! it sickens me. I wonder not that our men prefer theIndian maidens, for they at least have common sense. But by my soul,Captain, here I stand and rant like some schoolboy mouthing his speech.Tush, it is forgotten."
"Tell me, Captain de Mouret, what have you learned of the Chickasaws,for our time grows short."
Glad to change the current of his thought I went on in detail to givethe results of my reconnaissance. Everywhere we found preparationsamong the allied tribes, and felt sure we saw signs of a secretunderstanding between them and the Spaniard.
The governor made many notes, and carefully examined the charts I haddrawn of the Chickasaw towns, systematically marking down the strengthand fortifications of each. When I had finished my report we sat forquite a while, he silent and thoughtful, watching the thin blue smokeeddy round and round then dart up the capacious chimney.
"And they charge me at the court of France," he soliloquized, givinghalf unconscious expression to the matter uppermost in his mind, "theycharge me at the court of France, what no man save my king dare say tome--that I divert the public funds to my own use. I, a Le Moyne, whospend my own private fortune in protecting and feeding these ungratefulpeople. But we waste time in words, like two chattering old women. Weneed ships and money and men--men who fight like gentlemen for glory,not deserters and convicts who fight unwillingly under the lash forgold.
"What can I do with troops who would as gladly spoil Biloxi as Havana?
"Captain de Mouret, you will sail on le Dauphin to-morrow at daylight.Place these dispatches in my brother Serigny's hands immediately uponyour arrival. From that time forward act under his instructions.Remember, sir, your mission is a secret one."
I knew well the name he gave me, for next to Iberville, Serigny wasreputed the most accomplished of all the Le Moyne's. To his fame as asoldier, his attainments as a scholar, he added the easy grace of thecourtier. His position at the court of Louis gave him great prestigethroughout the colonies; he being a sort of adviser to the King oncolonial affairs, or so we all then thought him. Little did I thenknow how scant was the heed paid by power and ambition to real meritand soldierly virtues.
This while we sat without passing a word. Truth to tell I was loath toleave the Governor, for I knew even better than he how much oftreachery there was in those about him. Besides that I had noconfidence in my lieutenant, and yet hated to acquaint Bienville withthe fact for fear he might mistrust my motives. I was heavy at heartand dreaded the future.
When, somewhat after midnight, I arose to go, he came around the tableand taking me by both shoulders gazed steadily into my face. I met hisglance frankly and quailed not.
"Forgive me, Placide, these are such days of distrust I doubt every oneabout me. Forgive me, lad, but your old commander's reputation, aye,his honor even, depends now so much upon your fidelity."
I could say nothing. I felt a stealthy tear tremble in my eye, yet wasnot ashamed, for its ma
te glistened in his own, and he was a man notgiven to over-weeping.