They may be rebellious and
discontented, but they will hardly go further than that."
"It is ill work fighting with discontented soldiers," said Madame
Drucour thoughtfully.
"Very true, Madame. I often wish we had better material for our
army. I abhor the Indians, and distrust the Canadians. But what can
we do? France has sore need of all her soldiers for her European
wars. What can she do for us here out in the western wilds? She has
her hands full at home."
"And yet," said the Abbe, "if she loses her hold upon these same
western wilds, she will lose that new kingdom upon which her eyes
have been greedily fastened for two centuries or more. She has
claimed half the world as her own; will she lose all for the sake
of some petty quarrel with her neighbours?"
Montcalm smiled and slowly shook his head.
"Our royal master has his hands something too full at times," he
said; "yet we will do our best for him out here."
"And if General Amherst with his great army should succeed in
capturing Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and should advance upon us
by the interior, and steal upon us from behind, what then?" asked
the Abbe, who, having come from that part of the world, and knowing
the apprehensions of the French along the western border, was not
unmindful of this possible danger.
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